YOUR CAT AND CHILDREN
Children of three years old or less cannot be expected to
know how to handle a cat correctly, so close supervision is the best way to
prevent them being scratched. It is surprising just how tolerant some kittens
can be with babies, but this is not something that you should put to the test. As
has been mentioned earlier, you must teach young children not to disturb the
cat – especially by grabbing at it – when it is resting in its bed, or they may
be rewarded with a scratch. Your cat may sleep for up to two-thirds of the day,
which is quite normal behaviour.
There is a common misconception that a cat may try to sleep
in a baby’s cot or pram and may smother the baby in doing so, but this is
highly unlikely to happen. However, to put your mind at rest if you have a baby,
it is sensible to use a special net (available from child-care stores) as a
precaution, and to shut your cat out of a room in which a baby is sleeping.
DAILY ROUTINE
In comparison with some other household pets, the domestic
cat needs relatively little in the way of care, although you should make every
effort to integrate your cat into the household. For example, call it to you
for feeding at the same times each day – cats are generally creatures of
routine, and will soon get into the habit of responding if conditioned to do so
from kittenhood, although it can be harder to form a bond of this type with an
adult cat.
Grooming
Whatever type of cat you have, you should brush it daily to
keep its coat in prime condition. This is essential for a longhair, which will
need help with its very thick coat: you must comb this daily to remove any
tangles before they can develop into solid mats, which would need to be cut out
of the coat. Check too for any signs of flea dirt – which is often more
conspicuous to the naked eye than the fleas themselves – in the coat, and take
action if necessary by treating your cat and its environment.
Cats are generally fastidious about grooming and washing
themselves, so bathing is not normally necessary unless you are showing your
cat or your vet recommends a medicated bath to treat parasites or a skin
condition.
Most cats enjoy being groomed, especially if accustomed to
it from kittenhood. A long-haired cat must be groomed daily, or its coat is likely
to become matted; a special cat comb with swivelling teeth may help to break
down minor tangles without hurting your cat by pulling its fur. Grooming also
lessens the risk of a cat suffering from fur balls ingested through licking its
fur.
VACCINATING AN INDOOR CAT
Even if your cat lives permanently indoors, you must not
neglect its initial vaccinations and regular boosters. You never know when you
might need to leave your cat at a cattery in an emergency, and it is even
possible that you could bring some viruses indoors on the soles of your shoes.
AN OUTDOOR RUN
Living in urban environments is becoming increasingly
dangerous for cats, thanks to the growth of traffic on most roads in recent
years, and the free-ranging lifestyle of many individuals leaves them at risk
of being killed or at least badly injured by passing vehicles. While you can
try to encourage your cat to stay indoors, or even design your home with
special activity centres and similar items to occupy a house-kept cat, another
good option is to provide a spacious run – not unlike an aviary in design – in your
garden.
Your cat will be able to exercise and play safely during the
day in this type of run, as well as getting plenty of fresh air, and you can
then bring it indoors to join you at night. Suitable ready-made runs and other
equipment, such as safe heaters, are sold by cattery manufacturers (look in cat
magazines for advertisements). If possible, you should put down a solid
concrete base for the run so that you can easily clean and disinfect the area.
INDOOR LIVING
In many towns and cities owners keep their cats entirely
indoors, and they do not appear to suffer from this restriction. The major
problem can be boredom, which may lead to behavioural difficulties such as
furniture scratching. One of the best ways to prevent a cat from becoming bored
at home without human company all day is to provide a companion pet. If this is
to be another cat, you should ideally start out with two kittens together as
they will settle down and remain friendly, whereas an older and a younger
individual may get on less well together.
If you do not plan to breed from your kitten and it lives
indoors, you must have it neutered when it reaches sexual maturity at about
five months. Confining an entire (unneutered) tom or queen will result in
unpleasant odours because the urine of these cats is very pungent, while the
calls of a female in season (often made at night) can be very disturbing.
HOLIDAY CARE
You should make arrangements well in advance for your cat’s
care during holiday times. Cats often cannot be taken abroad on holiday (as an
anti-rabies precaution), and few hotels are geared to feline guests. In any
case, most cats – apart from show cats, which become used to travelling from an
early age – are poor travellers. In an unfamiliar environment your cat could
even go missing, which would certainly spoil your holiday. Nor will it always
be possible or desirable for a neighbour to drop in to feed a cat left at home.
The best option when you go away is to take your cat to a
good boarding cattery. There are many excellent establishments about, but
standards can vary considerably, so it is worth spending some time
investigating the alternatives. Ask friends or your vet for recommendations,
and visit all the catteries in your area before deciding which one to use. Remember
to book in your cat well ahead because good catteries often get extremely busy,
especially during the peak holiday periods.
If you live in an urban area, it may be a good idea to
invest in an outdoor run and shelter for your cat, rather than letting it roam
free; this will provide it with plenty of fresh air and exercise in a safe
environment.
Whenever you need to transport your cat in the
car – when visiting your vet, for example – always do so with the cat in a
proper carrier. Secure the carrier on the back seat using a seatbelt, or place
it in a footwell so that it cannot slide about.
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