Drontal cat film-coated tablets

Going to be using this wormer on my cat next week Tuesday! Haven’t used it before...hope it’s actually easy to administer to the cat. We shall see.

Feline behaviour

Watching a cat’s behaviour can be fascinating, particularly because our domestic cats mimic the behaviour of their larger wild counterparts. All cats are active hunters, and are especially well suited to catching their prey from dusk until dawn using a combination of stealth and subterfuge. Their very highly developed sense of hearing enables them to detect prey well before seeing it, and they are also assisted by certain physical traits: for example, tabby stripes on the coat help to break up a cat’s outline, a characteristic that is sometimes described as ‘disruptive camouflage’. In addition, cats have refined senses of both smell and taste, which probably accounts for their reluctance to eat food unless it is fresh and may also help to protect them from swallowing poisonous substances.

 

HUNTING BEHAVIOUR

A cat can stalk its prey unseen and unheard for long periods at a time, and its claws and teeth, together with a supple and muscular body, underline its success as a predator. A cat does not fully know how to catch prey by instinct alone – its hunting technique develops through learned behaviour as a kitten, by watching and imitating the actions of its mother.

 

However, as a result of domestication and having food constantly available at home, some cats have lost much of their enthusiasm for hunting. If a kitten has not been taught these skills by its mother, it may later on in life catch a bird or a mouse but not instinctively know how to kill it (this is normally carried out by a bite to the neck). In this case you may have to step in to save the quarry from further suffering, although your cat is likely to be very reluctant to give it up.

 

If you have a young cat which is an avid hunter, you may actually be able to train it not to catch birds. To do this, make a ‘lure’ with the feathers of a bird that the cat has killed, and tie this to the end of a long thread or string. Hide yourself in a suitable place and let the cat find the lure in the garden, and then, whenever it attacks the lure, direct a well-aimed shot at it with a water pistol. Regular sessions of this type of training may deter your cat from stalking birds, yet without associating the punishment with you.

 

TREE-CLIMBING

Most members of the cat family use trees as vantage points for eating and resting, and as hiding places from which to leap down and attack unsuspecting prey below. This is how the domestic cat has acquired its well-known ability both to climb and to land on its feet if it loses its grip by swivelling its body around in the air and landing upright, usually without suffering any serious injury.

 

Owners sometimes under-estimate their cats’ skill in tree-climbing, and raise the alarm when they see them apparently stuck in a tree. However, experience has shown that a cat will almost always work out a way of getting down within 24 hours. Indeed, the folklore about cats having nine lives may derive from their innate sense of balance and remarkable ability to get out if tricky situations of this kind.

 

If your cat is up a tree, try encouraging it to come down by placing some food at the foot of the tree – this should bring the cat home without the need for the fire brigade!

 

All kittens are playful by nature. This behaviour may appear to be just fun, but in fact it has a definite purpose, in helping the kittens to develop their hunting skills. Although a cat will instinctively catch prey, the hunting technique itself has to be learned.

 

Some play bouts between kittens may look like fights, but they usually end amicably. Kittens will be most actively involved in this so-called ‘social play’ from about nine to 14 weeks; play with objects reaches its peak at about 16 weeks.

 

TERRITORIES AND ‘CALLING’

Domestic cats are strongly territorial creatures. An unneutered tom reaches sexual maturity at six to eight months, and will then begin to establish his own territory. He will mark out this area using drops of urine – a behaviour known as ‘spraying’ – and will battle fiercely with other male cats to defend or increase his domain. In an urban environment a tom will go for the biggest area he can lay claim to and defend, which may extend across several gardens; in country districts, he may take 1.5 sq km (one square mile) or more.

 

Female cats also hold territories, although these are smaller than those of toms. An unneutered female will start to ‘call’ early in the first spring after she has reached the age of five months, as she actively seeks potential mates; pheromones in her urine will also attract them. Siamese cats are known to be especially vocal. If you have an unneutered female, visiting toms will loiter around her territory and you will have to put up with their spraying. There may be fights in the vicinity, as well as loud, persistent caterwauling during the night.

 

THE BEHAVIOUR OF NEUTERED CATS

If they are neutered as kittens, the behaviour of male and female cats will be almost the same – at least from the practical point of view of an owner. Their territories are much smaller than those of unneutered individuals, the males do not spray and females do not call. Territorial fights may still occur, but they will be much less of a problem. Neutered male cats tend to grow larger than females (just as when they are unneutered), and females are generally more dainty, but both are affectionate and amenable. They will also spend more of their time at home.

 

There is some truth in the observation that all neutered cats become more inactive than entire animals when they grow older, although their life expectancy will be greater. To prevent your cat from putting on too much weight you may need to adjust its diet; you can also help by playing with your cat every day and encouraging it to exercise in order to keep its weight down and maintain its level of fitness.

 

Cats find descending from trees much harder than climbing up, because if they come down headfirst their claws give them little support. As a result, they will often back down part of the way before turning and leaping to the ground.

 

Cats are able to express a wide range of emotions through their use of body language.

 

A schematic view of feline territories. Toms range over a wider area than females or neutered cats. Various factors will influence the size of the territories, and, in areas with many cats, toms will evolve a network of paths crossing one another’s territories to avoid conflict in most cases.

Cat health care

Worms

Kittens most commonly become infected by roundworm eggs present in their mothers’ milk, and must be de-wormed regularly. This is often carried out along with the primary vaccinations at about 12 weeks (see below), and must be repeated on a regular basis (the frequency will depend on the product used; your vet will give you specific advice).

 

Tapeworms are most likely to be found in cats which hunt regularly, as the immature parasites are present in the bodies of prey such as mice. When eaten by a cat, the tapeworms will then go on to develop in its gut. Fleas can also spread tapeworms, as the worm eggs may be present in their bodies and be swallowed by a cat while grooming itself. Tapeworm infestations are not serious, but you should worm your cat at least every six months. Again, your vet will advise you.

 

Diarrhoea

Cats suffer from diarrhoea quite frequently, although their outdoor toileting habits mean that the condition often goes unnoticed by owners. In the vast majority of cases, diarrhoea is caused by the food that a cat has eaten – possibly cow’s milk or scavenged food that is contaminated. Diarrhoea normally clears up by itself, but if you are concerned – particularly if your cat is young or old – consult your vet, as the cat could become dehydrated. Giving a probiotic (available from pet stores or from your vet) will also help to re-establish the beneficial bacteria in the gut, aiding recovery and reducing the risk of further problems.

 

HEALTH CARE (URBAN LIVING)

Having your cat vaccinated against serious feline viral diseases such as cat ‘flu is vital, as there is no treatment for these illnesses. Vaccinations are currently available to protect your cat against the killer disease feline panleucopaenia (feline infectious enteritis), and against the two forms of cat ‘flu (feline viral rhinotracheitis and calicivirus).

 

After an initial course, which should be completed by the time a kitten is about 12 weeks old, annual boosters are usually recommended. Always keep your cat’s vaccination certificate in a safe place, as you will need to show it when you take the cat to a boarding cattery.

 

FELINE DISEASES

In recent years, considerable publicity has been given to feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and so-called feline AIDS, or feline immunodeficiency virus. Both illnesses can be fatal, although it is now possible to protect cats against FeLV by vaccination. Unfortunately, one result of cats becoming increasingly popular as pets is that viruses are able to spread more easily, especially in urban areas where cats often live at high densities. This is another reason why protective vaccination is so important. Neither FeLV nor FIV can be spread to people, so there is no risk of you developing leukaemia or AIDS through contact with an infected cat.

 

Feline leukaemia virus

FeLV will not survive for long outside a cat’s body. The virus is present in saliva, so a cat may be infected by a bite sustained in a fight; it can also be transmitted to kittens before birth by their mothers. However, even once the virus is detected a cat will not inevitably develop leukaemia or the other symptoms of illness linked with the virus, and this is where blood testing is important. Although an initial test may be positive, a second test carried out three months later could reveal that the cat has produced antibodies and overcome the infection, indicating that it has recovered and poses no threat to other cats (once a positive test for the virus is confirmed, a cat must be kept isolated until a negative result is obtained).

 

However, in other cases the virus overwhelms the cat’s body defences. It will lose weight, may show other signs such as vomiting, and will become a persistent carrier of the virus. The cat will then represent a threat to others, and is also likely to develop clinical signs of the illness. Cancer of the white blood cells (leukaemia) and of the lymphatic system (lymphosarcoma) are typical and, sadly, euthanasia will be necessary.

 

Feline AIDS

This disease is caused by the feline immune deficiency virus (FIV), which attacks the immune system. Like FeLV, the infection is spread via saliva, not by sexual contact. General malaise linked with anaemia (a lack of red blood cells) is a feature of this illness, which can be confirmed by a simple blood test.

 

Feline infectious peritonitis

FIP is another viral ailment which has become more significant in recent years. It strikes younger cats, typically those under three years of age. The virus attacks the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen), causing swelling. The body organs may also be affected, and the cat’s general condition will tend to deteriorate. Once again, no treatment is possible for this disease.

 

ACCIDENTS

As well as disease, cats living in towns face additional dangers, with many sadly being killed on the roads. The speed of traffic often gives them little hope of escape, while after dark they may be momentarily ‘blinded’ by headlights.

 

However, you should not always fear the worst after an accident – if a cat does not move after a collision, it may simply be unconscious. Before rushing to rescue it, you must check that there are no oncoming vehicles or you could end up on the casualty list as well.

 

What to do after a road accident

Do not try to attend to the cat in the road, but move it to safety without delay. One of the most common road-accident injuries in cats is ruptured diaphragm. This sheet of tissue acts as a divider between the chest and abdomen, and, if it is torn, the body organs may move internally. When picking up an injured cat, you must therefore lift it with both hands under its body (or, ideally, carefully slide it on to a makeshift stretcher such as a board) to keep it in a horizontal position.

 

The cat will be suffering from shock after an accident and is likely to be in considerable pain. Even if it is normally a very gentle-natured cat, it may therefore try to bite and scratch, so wrap it carefully in a towel or blanket if possible. Carry the cat indoors, place it in a quiet, warm spot away from other pets and seek veterinary advice without delay.

 

Even if your cat appears to be relatively unhurt following a road accident, a thorough veterinary check-up is extremely important. This is because there could be unseen internal haemorrhaging, which could become life-threatening if not detected and treated.

 

Other injuries

Friction burns on the skin and severe grazes are often apparent after a collision with a vehicle. These will heal in due course but your vet may need to treat them in the short term, particularly if a large area of the cat’s skin has been affected. The hair may never grow back completely in a case like this.

 

Fractured limbs are another very common consequence of road accidents, and the cost of delicate orthopaedic repair work on the broken bones is unlikely to be cheap. It is partly for this reason that many cat owners now insure their pets to cover themselves against unexpected large bills of this kind, as well as for the cost of other veterinary treatment for illness. Look in cat magazines or ask your vet for details of insurance companies willing to insure pets.

 

If you need to give your cat a tablet, it will help to have an assistant: if he or she holds the cat across the shoulders, it should not be able to lift its forelegs to scratch you. Hold the cat’s head, and gently open its mouth.

 

With the cat’s head tilted upwards, and using the fingers of your first hand to ‘anchor’ the upper jaw, drop the tablet as far back as you can on to the centre of the tongue; this will make it more difficult for the cat to spit out.

 

Allow the cat to close its jaws. Still holding the head in the same position, use a finger to rub very gently down the cat’s throat to encourage it to swallow the tablet. Only release it when you are sure it has done so.

Health care

You should carry out a weekly health check on your cat. This will only take a few minutes, and should enable you to spot any signs of illness early so that you can take appropriate action. While grooming your cat, check for any unusual lumps or bumps under the skin. Keep an eye on its daily intake of food and water, on the appearance of its urine and faeces (if it uses a litter tray), and also on its general behaviour and appearance. By learning what is normal for your cat, you will quickly become aware of potential problems.

 

SIMPLE HEALTH CHECKS

Ideally, you should begin routine health checks from an early age so that the kitten becomes familiar with the experience and easy to handle. If at any time you are concerned about your cat’s health, ask your vet for advice. The following should all be part of your routine checks.

 

Mouth

Gently lift the lips and inspect the teeth and gums, making sure that there are no excessive tartar deposits on the outside of the cheek teeth and that the gums are a healthy pink colour.

 

Eyes

Check the eyelids for evidence of tears; if the lid-linings are red, bathe them with a special eye-wash from your vet and seek help within 48 hours unless they become clear.

 

Ears

Gently clean away any extra wax in the outer ears using a cotton bud moistened in olive oil (if the wax is copious or smelly, you should take the cat for a check-up with your vet). Never poke a cotton bud into the ear.

 

Claws

Check that the claws are not torn or overgrown; if so, you will need to trim them (ask your vet’s advice if you are unsure of what to do).

 

Skin

Look at the skin for bare patches or sores. Early treatment of skin disease is especially important, and often leads to rapid recovery rather than the development of a chronic problem.

 

GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS

Identifying a sick cat is usually easy. It will be lethargic and, if fevered, may feel hot to the touch. It may show signs of pain – especially if handled – and its breathing may be fast or laboured when it is at rest. Even a healthy cat may refuse food for a day or so after an experience such as moving home or being badly frightened, but if your cat does not eat for a longer period you must take it to your vet.

 

One awkward problem is that when a cat is ill or injured it may well go off by itself and hide, perhaps in a shed or in some bushes. This behaviour is thought to originate from life in the wild, where cats too weak to defend themselves had to hide from predators such as jackals.

 

The following are some of the ailments that most commonly affect cats.

 

Urinary disease

This is a common problem in cats. If your cat shows any signs of a great increase in thirst, has difficulty in passing urine or passes discoloured urine, seek veterinary treatment urgently.

 

Vomiting

Cats vomit quite frequently, particularly after eating grass. Fur balls are also often regurgitated, and this is the normal way for cats to expel fur swallowed while grooming themselves. However, persistent vomiting needs urgent investigation, as it could be caused by an obstruction such as a bone, or may even be linked with a tumour (especially in an older cat).

 

Abscesses

These usually result from injuries sustained in fights with other cats, and may need lancing by your vet followed by a course of antibiotics. An abscess will swell up very quickly, often on the head (an early sign may be that your cat is sensitive to being touched here). If you examine the area closely, you may be able to see the puncture wound caused by the opponent’s teeth. Unneutered toms are particularly likely to become involved in fights with others in the neighbourhood, especially at dawn and dusk, so keeping your cat in at these times is a good idea.

 

Vaccinations can now protect against most of the serious viral illnesses likely to be encountered by a cat. However, as pet cats live at relatively high densities, the risk of the spread of infection is higher than would be the case in the wild, which is why routine vaccination is so important.

 

Skin problems

An allergic skin condition caused by flea bites is fairly common in cats; the reaction is to the saliva injected by fleas as they bite. Subsequently, just a single bite can cause a severe reaction, so you must make every effort to keep your cat free of fleas. Veterinary treatment is essential for an allergy, and you will need to be vigilant to prevent exposure to fleas in the future as far as you can.

 

If your cat’s allergy is severe your vet will recommend a long-acting anti-flea treatment, or will advise you on what other treatment to use. You must also treat your house with an appropriate product, and vacuum and wash your cat’s bedding regularly, as fleas will spend more time here than on the cat itself. Fleas are also hazardous to cats because they can spread tapeworms.

 

In addition, cats can suffer from ringworm, a fungal ailment which can spread to people and gives rise to red, circular patches on the skin. Slight hair loss may be a symptom of ringworm, and your vet can carry out tests to confirm the infection. It is treatable, but wear disposable gloves when handling your cat and keep it indoors until it is no longer infectious (your vet will advise you).

 

Eye conditions

A cat’s eye may be injured in a fight, or be scratched by undergrowth; runny eyes may also be linked with various infections, including cat ‘flu. The appearance of the third eyelid at the corner of each eye, protruding partially across the eyeball, may be another sign of illness. In each case, you must take your cat to the vet for a check-up.

 

Tear staining around the eyes is common in Persians and similar flat-faced breeds, but gently bathing the area with a special eye-wash and cotton wool should help to resolve the problem.

 

Ear conditions

These are indicated by excessive build-up of wax, pain on touching, or any unpleasant smell. Do not be tempted to treat such conditions yourself, but go to your vet as soon as possible.

 

Repeated and persistent scratching is often indicative of skin parasites – notably fleas.

 

Adult female fleas lay their eggs on a cat, but these will then fall off in the cat’s bedding or on carpeting, where they will hatch into larvae. To control fleas, you must therefore also treat your cat’s environment, not just your cat. Vacuum frequently to remove immature fleas before they can bite, and wash the bedding regularly.

Breeding

Far too many unplanned and unwanted kittens are produced each year and are then abandoned or destroyed. Avoid adding to their numbers by only mating your cat if you can be quite certain beforehand of finding good homes for all the kittens, or if you are prepared to keep them yourself.
 

If you do not intend to breed from your cat – whether male or female – you should have it neutered by your vet at about five months of age to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

MATING

If you wish to mate a pedigree female cat, you will need to take herby prior arrangement to a suitable tom (stud) cat when she is in season, or ‘calling’ (see below). Matings are carefully supervised, and the female (queen) will usually stay for about three days. She will need to be fully vaccinated, and you will be asked to show the certificates to the stud cat’s owner. You may also need to arrange for certain blood tests to be carried out in advance to ensure that your cat is free from infections such as feline AIDS.

A queen does not undergo spontaneous ovulation – the act of mating itself triggers the release of eggs from her ovary. However, a number of signs will indicate when the queen is ready to mate, starting with the ‘pro-oestrus’ phase of the cycle when she will become overtly friendly, rolling on the floor. She will also howl, or ‘call’, frequently to attract tom cats in the area. Soiling around the home is common, as unneutered queen’s urine contains chemicals called pheromones; these will be wafted on the wind and detected by other cats, again indicating her readiness to mate.

Repeated matings with the stud cat will give the greatest chances of pregnancy. Once the queen returns home to you, keep her inside for about 10 days or she could slip out and mate with another tom cat; this would result in the litter having two sires.

PREGNANCY

Pregnancy lasts for approximately nine weeks, although it will only be in the later stages that the cat will show a noticeable increase in weight. While your queen is pregnant you must handle her with great care and provide an increasing amount of food, together with any supplements prescribed by your vet. A queen is generally checked by a vet about four weeks after mating and one week before kittening.

BIRTH

Your cat will seek a quiet place to give birth. Provide a bed in a secluded spot and encourage her to use it beforehand, or she may disappear out of the door and give birth away from your home, where it will be much harder for you to keep an eye on her and the kittens.

Cats normally give birth without assistance, but you should inspect the nesting place occasionally in case your queen seems to be having problems and you need to seek veterinary help. Once she has produced the kittens, avoid disturbing her in any way or she may move them – carrying each one in turn by the scruff of its neck – to a quieter spot. Kittens are born with their eyes sealed; these will open when they are a few days old.

EARLY LIFE

From the start, you should handle all the kittens gently every day to accustom them to human contact. Kittens are taught by their mothers to lap at four to five weeks, and will start eating solid food (known as weaning) soon afterwards.

Kittens become sexually mature when they are about five or six months old, but it is unwise to breed them until they are 12 months old. If you are particularly keen to breed from your female kittens and do not wish to have them neutered, your vet will be able to give them tablets or an injection to stop them coming into season, which can occur every three to four weeks.

Sexing kittens: in the male, the distance between the ano-genital opening is greater than in the female.

HAND-REARING KITTENS
If one or more kittens is abandoned or orphaned, you may need to take over its care. Hand-rearing is a difficult task, not only because of the time involved and the need to give frequent feeds, but also because such kittens are often more susceptible to illness. If possible, try to foster the kittens to a queen who is producing milk but has only a few kittens of her own: your vet may be able to put you in touch with a fellow breeder who can help. The following are guidelines of what to do if you have to rear kittens yourself.

Hygiene

When hand-rearing a kitten, it is crucial to observe strict rules of hygiene and to sterilize all your equipment very carefully. The mother’s milk gives a kitten valuable antibodies which will protect it in the first weeks; without these a kitten may easily die if it catches an infection.

Equipment

The equipment needed for hand-rearing is simple. To place drops of milk formula in the kitten’s mouth you can use an eye dropper (available from pharmacists), a medical syringe with the needle replaced by a length of fine tubing, or a special kitten-feeding bottle from a pet store.

How much to feed

Feed every two hours for the first week, giving 5 ml (1 tsp) per feed. Gradually increase the quantity of each feed and work down to four feeds per day.

Milk formula for hand-rearing
In an emergency situation, you can use either human baby milk food at double the normal strength, or a mixture of the following:

·         200 ml (1 cup) fresh milk (ideally this should be the milk produced specifically for cats).

·         50 ml (1/4 teacup) single cream.

·         ¼ egg yolk.

·         1 drop cod-liver oil.

·         1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) sterilized bonemeal (sold in pet stores).

Stir the mixture until it has a uniform consistency, and serve it at body temperature. Ideally you should make up a fresh mixture for each feed, but you can store any unused mixture in the refrigerator for a few hours as long as you allow it to warm up again to body temperature before giving it to the kitten.

 

HAND-WEANING

Once the hand-reared kitten has survived its first four or five weeks and is doing well, you will need to wean it off the milk formula and gradually introduce kitten food (this is the stage at which a queen would naturally be weaning her kittens on to solid foods).

Milk formula for weaning

Any of the following will be suitable for feeding a kitten of this age:

·         Either of the preparations described above for hand-weaning.

·         Proprietary powdered formula (available from pet stores).

·         Milk mixed with raw egg yolk.

·         Puppy biscuit simmered in milk.

A queen will take charge of every aspect of her kittens’ care and hygiene in the early weeks, including washing them and even cleaning under their tails.

MASTITIS

A queen will usually take full care of her litter, and will show a natural and well-developed maternal instinct.

The problem that you are most likely to encounter with your queen is mastitis, when one or more of the mammary glands becomes reddened and swollen due to infection. As a result the kittens will be unable to feed here and will appear restless, crying out repeatedly (healthy, well-fed kittens are normally quiet). If you suspect mastitis, seek veterinary help for your cat without delay.

certainty

Complete certainty.

General care

Many owners worry about their cats settling in new homes, but remember that cats attach themselves to humans, not to property. However, to be safe, keep your cat confined to the house (with a litter tray always accessible) for the first two weeks. After this you can allow it to go outside – preferably with you – for short periods which you can gradually increase. Most cats will not run off, but gradually move further afield, exploring their new environment and often pausing to sniff cautiously. Do not allow a kitten outside until its vaccinations are complete, normally at about 12 weeks.
 

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.