| Help and Advice on Caring for
your Cat
As well as rescuing and re-homing needy
cats, we also devote much of our time to informing the public
on the general care of cats and kittens. This section covers basic
cat care as well as giving you the chance to obtain copies of our
comprehensive range of guides covering all aspects of cat welfare.
Further help and advice may be obtained from our
Helpline.
Please note we regret that we are unable
to give out specific advice on veterinary matters. If you are
concerned about your cat you should contact your Vet as soon as
possible.
An infected cat or kitten will scratch their
ears, shake their head and even damage the skin on their ears and
temples. Ear Mites live on dead skin, inside the ear. Brown wax will
be seen in the outer ear. Your veterinary surgeon will prescribe ear
drops and show you how to treat your cat.
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All cats need exercise and, to keep your cat
fit and to protect your furniture, a scratching post is a good
investment; alternatively, you might bring in a log or make a
scratching board to help your cat to keep his claws sharpened. This
will assist him to flex his muscles and to shed old claw sheaths.
Scratching posts also enable the cat to mark his territory as a
scent is deposited (undetectable by humans) through his claws - this
makes him feel at home and usually stops the need for him to do this
on the furniture.
Toys, such as table tennis balls, cat-mint
mice or a cotton reel, are usually acceptable and keep him active.
Fresh air and sunshine are necessary to us all
and, if your cat or kitten is confined to a flat without an enclosed
balcony, fit a wire frame into one window to admit air and sunshine
without the risk of his falling from a height.
White cats however are very susceptible to the
harmful rays of the sun and should be kept out of it as much as
possible especially during the hours when it is most damaging.
It is unsafe to allow cats out on narrow
ledges or open roofs several floors above the street. Many animals
are injured and killed every year through lunging at a bird or
butterfly and missing their footing. It is not true that a cat will
'always land on its feet'. [back to
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No matter how well we provide for our felines
in terms of warmth, safety, companionship and health care, the one
thing that finally attracts and binds a cat is the food we provide.
Throughout his life a cat will have a variety of of dietary needs
according to its age and state of health. A cat who does not receive
a balanced and varied diet may well move elsewhere!
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In road accidents, if you have to move a cat
from a dangerous road, lay a coat or blanket down, insert both hands
under the cat and slide him onto the coat; pick up the edges of the
coat and lower him into a large cardboard box or a drawer if no
open-topped cat box is available.
With scalds and burns due to fire, hot fat,
boiling water or acid etc, use plenty of cold running water. The
cold water will reduce pain and shock, but do not expect
co-operation from your cat! If concerned about minor burns and
scalds, and in more serious cases, seek veterinary advice at once.
Always consult your vet if you are concerned
about your cat's health. The vet is the expert and is there to help
and advise.
A healthy cat or kitten has bright, dry eyes,
a nose clear of discharge (but not dry or cracked), lips free from
saliva and a glossy, clean coat. [back
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Even cats in the best circles may pick up
fleas when outside the house. To eliminate fleas, not only the cat
must be treated but the whole house - skirting boards, carpets, base
of curtains, furniture etc, as well as the cat's bedding. Treat the
cat with a safe insecticide spray or powder. Treat the house with a
product containing methoprene, such as Acclaim Plus, available from
veterinary surgeons or the large chain of chemists, or Canovel from
pet shops.
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Regular grooming of your cat is advised,
especially for long-haired cats. Brushing and combing will remove
loose hair, dirt and dust and the occasional flea that he may pick
up. Grooming also helps to prevent fur-balls which can be harmful
and form in the cat's stomach when he constantly licks loose fur.
Daily grooming also ensures time devoted exclusively to your cat,
which is important with today's frantic pace of life. Your cat can
be forgotten amidst the many other demands on your time.
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Contrary to popular belief, it is quite wrong
to pick up a cat or kitten by the scruff of his neck as this can
damage the muscles. Hold the cat or kitten with one hand under the
chest and with the rest of his weight supported by your other hand.
Kittens particularly must be handled gently as their bones are
fragile.
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Cats Protection advocates the neutering of all
cats not required for breeding in order to keep down the number of
strays.
One female cat can, in five years, be
responsible for some 20,000 descendants and many of these must
inevitably become homeless, with a life that offers only misery,
hunger and disease.
Both male and female cats can be neutered at
six months or older (please be guided by your vet). In the case of
the male, a simple routine operation only is involved. The female
requires a longer operation which, although routine, usually
necessitates a return to the veterinary surgery after seven to ten
days for the removal of stitches.
Neutering produces a much more satisfactory
and enjoyable pet. A neutered male should refrain from spraying
about the house and leaving an unpleasant smell; he should also be
disinclined to wander or to fight. It is not correct that a female
cat should be allowed, on humane grounds, to have one litter before
neutering.
To underline the importance of neutering, the
Charity runs a scheme to help those in dire financial need to have
their cats neutered. Please contact our Neutering Line on
(
0844 884 8518 for more information.
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Cat hunting might be a drop in the ocean
compared to the threat posed by loss of habitat but it is still
worth minimising through responsible ownership.
The simplest way of making a difference is to
keep your pet in at night when the hunting instinct peaks. Many
owners are concerned about being cruel by restricting their pet's
natural instinct to hunt and roam. Evidence suggests, however, that
decreasing a cat's opportunity to hunt actually decreases its desire
to - so you won't deny your cat's freedom of expression by keeping
it in at night. Keeping your pet in is therefore an effective step
in protecting our wildlife.
- Attract more birds to your garden: whilst
turning your garden into a haven for birds might seem like an open
dinner invitation to neighbourhood cats, there is a positive side
to increasing the bird presence in your garden. The greater the
number of birds, the higher their rate of survival, as increased
numbers create a more efficient and alert early warning system.
- Warning bells: attaching bells to
your cat's collar may help protect mammalian prey, but seems to
have little effect on birds. Eventually the cat learns to hunt
without jingling its bell. There are also concerns that collars
can get caught on bushes and perhaps hurt the cat. If you want or
need to use a collar, please make sure that is elasticated and
safe.
- Neutering: Cats Protection recommends that
cats should be neutered at an early age. The link to reducing the
hunting of endangered species might not be obvious, other than
through potential suppression of the hunting instinct. In fact,
neutering probably has the greatest impact on protecting wildlife
from cats by stopping unwanted litters that are often left to add
to the feral population. [back to
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Sleep
Cats are great preservers of energy and spend
about two thirds of their life asleep. Provide a basket or cardboard
box, raised from the floor to exclude draughts and line it with a
small blanket. However, don't be surprised if you cat turns their
nose up at your 'bed' and opts to choose their own place to sleep
instead.
Give a kitten a chance to sleep for a good
deal of the day. Remember, kittens are young animals, not toys and
children should be taught to respect them as such and allow them to
sleep. [back to top]
Many adult cats suffer from heavy build-up of
plaque on their teeth which causes them great discomfort when eating
and will eventually lead to a refusal to eat and/or loss of teeth.
Plaque can be removed by a veterinary surgeon while the cat is under
a general anaesthetic.
The formation of plaque is best prevented by
giving a half-cooked piece of tough meat to chew on once or twice a
week. A few pieces of dried cat food with each meal will also help.
Cats which hunt and eat their prey remove plaque for themselves.
Teeth cleaning products are available from your vet.
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Cats are naturally clean animals but a new
kitten needs to be shown what is required.
Provide a litter tray, filled with commercial
cat litter (the wood-based litter is flushable). Keep it in the same
place, easily accessible to the kitten, and make sure it is cleaned
regularly. Take the kitten to the tray after meals and on waking up
from sleep. If there is access to a garden, introduce him to it
gradually and he will soon learn to make his own toilet
arrangements. [back to top]
- Feline Enteritis is a rapidly fatal disease
of cats which can be effectively prevented by vaccination. This
should be done as soon as the cat has settled in or at 9 to 12
weeks of age in the case of kittens. Your veterinary surgeon will
give you a certificate; keep it safely, for no boarding cattery
worth its salt will accept a boarder without it. Booster
injections are required every year and need to be budgeted for.
- Feline Leukaemia is a common, fatal disease
of cats. It may affect cats of any age. A vaccine is now available
which involves an initial course of two injections and annual
boosters. In addition the manufacturers advise a blood test before
the initial course. Your veterinary surgeon will advise you on the
best time to vaccinate your kitten against this disease.
- Cat Flu is another common disease of cats,
though much less serious than the other two. Given good veterinary
treatment and nursing care, it is rare for a cat to die of cat
flu. However, if you wish to prevent it, and if your budget will
stretch to it after the feline enteritis and feline leukaemia
vaccinations, there are two vaccines available; one against the
viral forms of cat 'flu and one against chlamydia which causes
persistent conjunctivitis. Because cat flu has considerable
nuisance value in indoor boarding catteries, many cattery owners
insist on an up-to-date vaccination. Do not expect the vaccination
to be 100% effective; cats can still catch other strains of 'flu.
A combined vaccine is now available for all
three diseases. Please contact your vet.
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Most cats suffer from roundworms at some time
in their lives and the fact that you do not see them does not mean
that none is present. Six-monthly treatment for roundworms is
advisable for adult cats, two-weekly treatment for kittens from one
to six months of age.
Tapeworms, if present, will be noticeable, as
segments are passed in the faeces and can be seen clinging to the
cat's 'trousers'. When dry, the segments are cream coloured and
resemble small grains of rice.
Treatment for all types of worms is available
from veterinary surgeries.
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Cats should never be shut out at night. Apart
from the callousness of picking him up from a warm, comfortable
snooze on the hearth rug and putting him out in the cold, there are
the risks of road accidents and stealing. Most road accidents to
cats take place during the hours of darkness. Cat stealing,
unfortunately, does go on and mostly at night. Keep your cat safely
in at night and provide him with a litter tray.
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More Information
'Caring for Cats' is a short guide to
looking after your cat, developed as a single web page to enable
you to store it locally on your PC or print it in its entirety for
future reference. Click
here to read it.
We also produce a wide selection of guides,
leaflets and posters covering all aspects of cat welfare. Each
guide is written by university-based veterinary scholars and other
experts who ensure information is up-to-date and covers topics of
interest to most cat owners. To obtain copies of the guides click
on
Request Care Guides and complete the associated form
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
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