Freederm gel

For the treatment of mild to moderate inflamed acne spots and pimples

 

Directions: For full details, read and retain the accompanying patient information leaflet. Use twice daily as follows: Cleanse the affected and surrounding skin thoroughly with soap and warm water. Gently dry and apply a thin film of Freederm to cover this area.

Feeding

Cats are what are known as obligate carnivores: in other words, they depend on meat and other, similar items such as fish as a source of vital nutrients. This is not to say that cats will not eat plant matter, as they will often eat a little grass when outdoors, or if it is grown for them indoors. However, this is to aid digestion (grass is often used as an emetic for cats suffering from intestinal worms) rather than being of nutritional importance.

 

TYPES OF CAT FOOD

Good-quality proprietary foods make by far the simplest feline diet from the owner’s point of view. As long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how much and how often to feed, this type of food is very reliable. It will contain all the required nutrients in the correct proportions, including vitamins and minerals, which could be lacking in a diet of fresh meat or scrap foods. Cat foods are available in three forms:  moist, semi-moist and dry.

 

Moist food

Canned foods have a relatively high water content. They are available in a wide range of flavours, and are usually the preferred choice of most cats. However, these foods will deteriorate quite rapidly, and once you have opened a can you must store it in a refrigerator and use it within 24 hours (special plastic lids to fit over the top of open cans are available, and will prevent the odour from tainting other foods). After storing the food like this you should allow it to warm up a little before using, as cats generally dislike eating cold foods. Note that although dog foods may well be more economical to buy, it is dangerous to feed a cat on these for any length of time because they do not contain all the necessary ingredients for feline requirements – such as the amino acid taurine – in the correct proportions.

 

Semi-moist food

These foods are supplied in sachets and often contain some vegetable protein such as soya. They keep well in a bowl without drying out or losing texture, and they taste good to cats. Fold over an opened packet to prevent moisture loss.

 

Dry food

These foods had a bad press when they first came on to the market, as they were linked to a condition known as feline urological syndrome (FUS), in which crystals in the urine could cause a partial or total blockage of the urethra, leading from the bladder. Urination would then be very painful for an affected cat, shown by a hunched appearance. However, the formula of dry foods was altered, and today they are widely used.

 

Dry food contains very little moisture, so your cat will also need at least one large cupful of fluid (water, gravy or milk) each day. Special ‘cat milk’ (sold in pet stores and supermarkets) is better than cow’s milk, as some cats (especially Siamese and other oriental breeds) cannot digest the milk sugar called lactose, and are liable to suffer from diarrhoea after drinking cow’s milk.

 

Cats generally prefer canned food, because it closely resembles fresh meat in smell and taste. Unlike dogs – which can exist on a vegetarian regime – cats must have at least some meat in their diet to stay healthy.

 

Try to establish a routine when feeding your cat, offering food at the same times each day. Moist food will dry out quickly, so do not leave it out for long periods if uneaten.

 

If you offer dry food, check that your cat is drinking properly; always provide fresh water.

 

Other foods

Many cats appreciate fresh foods occasionally, but basing an entire, balanced diet around these will be very difficult; a vitamin-and-mineral supplement will almost certainly be needed as well. If you do give this type of food, you must cook it and then allow it to cool before using. However, if a cat has been unwell and lost its appetite, giving fresh foods may encourage it to start eating again. Items such as cooked rabbit, chicken or fish are often appreciated, although you must be sure to remove any bones.

 

HOW MUCH TO FEED

In general, very young kittens are best left to their mother’s care, and it is dangerous to interfere in any way until they are weaned. Kittens stop drinking their mother’s milk by the age of eight weeks, although they may begin the process of weaning gradually from four to five weeks.

 

From weaning to 12 weeks, kittens should have a minimum of four small meals daily, each of approximately 25 g (1 oz). From 12 to 16 weeks give three meals daily, dropping to two meals from 16 weeks. Special kitten diets make a good choice at this stage, although variety is important to introduce the kitten to the different types of food; otherwise you may have difficulty in persuading an older cat that has been fed entirely on moist food, for example, to eat dry food later in life.

 

Adult cats are generally fed twice a day; the total daily ration should be approximately 150-250g (5-8 oz). You will need to increase this daily amount for a pregnant female or for a mother suckling a litter of kittens; ask your vet for more detailed advice.

 

FOOD AND WATER BOWLS

Your cat should have its own food and water bowls, which cannot be tipped over: the earthenware type is ideal. Include a spoon and a can opener with your cat’s special equipment, and wash all these items separately from your own utensils. Certain household disinfectants and antiseptics are liable to be harmful to cats, so use only products stated to be safe for them on the packaging.

 

Provide fresh water for your cat daily; many owners find that their cats prefer this to be some distance away from the food bowl. Place the feeding bowl on a mat or on newspaper to make cleaning easier, as cats often lift the food to eat it outside the bowl. You may find an automatic cat feeder useful: this stores one or more meals and has lids that will open at pre-set times, enabling the cat to reach the food. This keeps the food fresh and protected from flies in hot weather.

 

WHEN TO FEED

Try to encourage your cat to eat its food at a single sitting rather than leaving it out all day, unless you are providing dry food which will not deteriorate significantly. Constant access may also encourage your cat to pick at its food, which could contribute to obesity unless you strictly ration the amount of food offered according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

Whether you choose earthenware or plastic food and water bowls for your cat, they should have non-slip bases and be sturdy enough not to be tipped over easily.

 

RULES FOR FEEDING

·         Feed your cat at the same time and in the same place every day.

·         Place newspaper or a mat under the bowl, as many cats will drag out their food and eat it on the floor.

·         Leave the cat to eat undisturbed.

·         Leave food out for at least an hour, as most cats eat their meals slowly.

·         Avoid sudden changes to the diet.

·         Never give your cat spiced food.

·         Always remove bones from fish or chicken, as these could become stuck in the cat’s throat and cause it to choke.

Equipment

You will not need a great deal of equipment to care for your new kitten or cat, but the basics are included here; you will also need to buy suitable food and water bowls for it. As time goes on, you may of course wish to buy additional items, such as more toys. A huge range of these is now sold in pet stores, from rubber balls to elaborate climbing frames, but your cat will probably be just as happy to play with a ball of paper or with a length of string pulled across the floor.

 

A BED

Provide a special bed for your kitten, and train it to sleep there right from the start. Tempting though it may seem, you should discourage the kitten from sleeping on your own beds, or you may end up with fleas in the bedding. A small cardboard box with a side cut down for easy access will make an ideal bed at first. Place this in a warm, draught-free spot, and add a soft lining – such as a blanket or a cushion – on top of a layer of old newspapers.

 

As the kitten grows older you could make a more permanent bed yourself from wood, or buy one made of wicker, fibreglass or fabric. The simplest type of bed is open-topped, with a step in the side for an entrance. Alternatively, you could buy or build a covered bed – complete with its own hood – which may give your cat greater privacy if there is no convenient niche (such as under a table or the stairs) to cover its sleeping quarters.

 

GROOMING TOOLS

A fairly stiff brush (preferably one with natural bristles) is very useful for grooming any cat; for a longhair you will also need a metal comb with wide spacing between the teeth and a pair of round-ended scissors to cut through tangled fur. A fine-toothed flea comb is helpful when checking for fleas and for more thorough grooming. You can use cotton buds for gently cleaning the outer part of your cat’s ears, but never poke these down the ear canals. A pair of special claw clippers completes the essential feline manicure set.

 

A COLLAR OR HARNESS

Your cat should wear a collar fitted with an identification disc or tube, but the collar must be elasticated in case it should become caught: for example, on a branch when the cat is climbing a tree. Some owners train their cats to go for walks on a harness and lead – Siamese cats in particular often take readily to the experience. If you wish to do this, go out only in your garden at first until your cat is familiar with the harness. Never exercise it in places where dogs may be about because they may be tempted to chase it, and trying to restrain a frightened cat under these circumstances will be very difficult.

 

TOYS

There is now a vast range of toys for cats, making play even more fun and providing exercise and stimulation, which are especially important for a cat kept indoors most of or all the time. Many stuffed toys contain catnip (Nepeta cataria). This herb – also called catmint – appeals to many cats, inducing an apparent sense of well-being. You can also grow it in the garden, where your cat will often visit the plant and sniff at the leaves. The effects are temporary, and wear off within 15 minutes or so. Young kittens are less affected by the scent of catnip than other cats.

 

Training your cat to walk on a lead may be useful if you live in an urban area and it will not be allowed to roam freely outdoors.

 

Many cats will appreciate a covered bed, as it will give them a greater sense of privacy and security, particularly in a very busy household. Whatever type of bed you choose for your cat, it must be fully washable.

 

Stuffed toys and rubber balls are always popular with cats of all ages.

 

A SCRATCHING POST

Every cat has a biological need to scratch, which helps to keep the claws in trim. It also serves to delineate a cat’s territory: other cats will see the marks, and will also detect the scent – produced by glands between the toes – that is deposited through scratching.

 

However, the value of a scratching post will be limited unless you make a determined effort right from the start to train your car to scratch on the post and nowhere else in the home (many cats will also do all the scratching they wish on trees and fence-posts outdoors). If your cat takes to scratching a particular piece of furniture, one way to deter it is to fix a plastic sheet over the area. Cats do not like the feel of plastic, and so will tend to leave the furniture alone. Rubbing the scratching post with catnip may also encourage the cat to use it instead. Avoid using a carpet-covered post (the ready-made types are often wound with sisal), or your kitten may see your household carpet as a convenient extension of it.

 

A LITTER TRAY AND LITTER

You will need a litter tray when your kitten first comes to live with you, and on any other occasion when it is confined indoors: for example, if you keep it in at night. Choose a tray that is deep enough to hold several inches of litter and sufficiently roomy for your cat to turn around in easily. Position the tray in a quiet place, and well away from your cat’s food and water bowls.

 

Various types of litter – including wood- and clay-based materials – are now widely available. Avoid using garden soil because, although it is cheap, it will stain your cat’s fur and is likely to re-appear in the form of muddy paw marks all the way across your floor. Line the base of the tray with sheets of old newspaper before pouring the litter on top, as this will make the tray much easier for you to clean out.

 

Some cats are reluctant to go back to a used tray, but you can remove just the soiled litter (special scoops are available for this) rather than tipping away the entire contents each time. You should completely empty the tray and clean it with hot water and veterinary disinfectant at least once a week. Leave the tray to dry thoroughly before re-filling it with clean litter. Dispose of soiled litter with your own garbage – not down the toilet, as it could cause a blockage.

 

A CAT FLAP

Many cat owners fit a cat flap to an outside door or window. Doing this will allow the cat to go in and out whenever it wishes, but take care because some designs will also let other cats in. The flap must obviously be low enough for your cat to use comfortably, and far enough from the door or window handle to prevent a burglar from reaching inside and letting himself in.

 

A number of designs of cat flap are available. One type only swings outwards and will not let the cat in again unless you train it to open the flap by lifting it with a paw. Another has a ring of flexible plastic triangles, with their points meeting at the centre, fixed around the rim of the hole; in this case the cat simply has to part the triangles and push through them. Electromagnetic and electronically operated cat flaps are also available for a reasonable price. These will open only to the cat carrying a special device attached to its collar, and are useful for preventing unwanted visits from other cats in the neighbourhood.

 

Training a cat to use a cat flap is usually fairly straightforward. Prop the flap open at first, using a pencil or piece of adhesive tape, and call your cat through the opening, first from one side and then from the other. When it is accustomed to this, gradually lower the door until you can remove the prop altogether.

 

Using a cat flap for the first time can be a rather unnerving experience for a young kitten. Prop the flap open to begin with, so that the kitten can look through it and see what is on the other side.

 

Use a toy or some tasty food to encourage the kitten to walk through the flap, and repeat this on either side of the door. Once the kitten is confident, remove the prop and encourage the kitten through again. It will soon start to use the flap on its own.

 

A hooded litter tray will help to prevent spillage of the litter. A cat can feel very vulnerable while toileting, and a tray of this type will give it greater privacy.

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Settling in

Your kitten will soon settle down with you, although it will miss its mother and littermates at first. You must therefore take care to prepare for its arrival, and make it welcome. If the kitten is a present for a child, Christmas and birthdays can be noisy times and it will be much better for the kitten if you bring it home a few days later, once things have returned to normal. Aim to collect the new kitten when you have some free time so that you can give it as much attention as possible, and make the appointment with your vet for the kitten’s initial health check.

 

TRAVELLING HOME

Your kitten will probably not have been in a vehicle before, and is likely to be nervous about travelling. If you simply restrain it on your lap it may to bite or scratch you, so you should invest in a proper carrier. You could buy a cardboard pet carrier, although this may not be secure – particularly if the base becomes wet. An ordinary cardboard box with its lid taped down is even less adequate, especially for an adult cat which will be able to push its way out through the flaps quite easily. A wicker basket is another option, but be sure to line the base with a thick layer of newspaper as the wicker will be awkward to clean if it becomes dirtied.

 

The ideal carrier is a plastic container with a wire-mesh front and air holes around the sides. This is easily cleaned and will give more privacy to your kitten than an all-mesh container. It will obviously cost you more than a cardboard box, but you will be able to use the carrier whenever you take your cat to the vet or to a boarding cattery, so it will be money well spent.

 

Be prepared for your new pet to start howling and sounding distressed during the journey. This usually nothing to worry about, however, and you should just concentrate instead on getting home safely and quickly.

 

When you bring a new kitten home, it is very important that you introduce any children – and other pets – to it gently and quietly. Show your children how to handle the kitten safely, as cats will often bite or scratch if they are teased or inadvertently hurt.

 

AT HOME

Allow your kitten or cat to come out of the carrier in its own time, as if you try to lift it out you could end up being badly scratched or bitten. Remember that it will need time to settle down, so put out fresh drinking water and a little food, make sure that the kitten knows where to find its bed and litter tray, and then leave it by itself for a little while.

 

Keep the kitten confined to one room until it gets used to being there, and make sure that children behave gently and quietly around it. The kitten needs time to sleep in peace as well as to play – if woken suddenly, it could react by scratching. Children must also learn to handle it correctly. A mother cat carries her kittens safely by the scruff of the neck, but, when you lift your kitten, be sure to provide more support by holding its tail end with one hand and its chest with the other.

 

Introducing other pets

A new cat – especially a kitten – will integrate well with other animals in the household, given a little time. If you have a dog, shut it in a separate room when the kitten arrives. After an hour or so you can let the dog into the kitten’s room while holding the kitten in your hand, and stay with the animals so that you can supervise the whole introduction period. This may be fairly brief – in most cases, once a dog has seen a kitten it will soon lose interest.

 

Introducing a cat may need to be a more gradual process. Always supervise the initial meetings, and never try to force cats of any age together – they will adjust to each other at their own pace. When meeting for the first time, the kitten and cat will probably investigate each other nose-to-nose. Depending on your kitten’s personality, it may become frightened and arch its back to show some bravado, and may even hiss; the older cat may ignore the kitten, sniff at it or become threatening, in which case you may need to intervene. However, if all goes well the cats will soon grow bored of each other.

 

Be sure to keep your kitten well away from pet birds or small mammals, which may be severely frightened – even if they are not harmed directly – if it attempts to catch them. You will not be able to prevent this instinctive behaviour in your cat, so the answer is to keep the animals apart.

 

Confining your kitten

You should keep your new kitten in the same room – many owners choose the kitchen – for about a week, making a ‘pen’ if necessary to prevent it from running out. Even when its vaccinations are complete, at about 12 weeks of age, it will still be a good idea to keep your kitten indoors for a few weeks as it becomes established in its new home. All young kittens are inquisitive, and yours will soon learn its way about. Once it has overcome its initial fears, it will amuse itself for hours with very simple, cheap toys such as ping-pong balls, cardboard tubes and woolly stuffed toys.

 

At this stage, you can accompany your kitten on its first trip outside and back again. Continue to go with it for the next few outings, as this will give the kitten a sense of security, and encourage it to come when you call.

 

FEEDING YOUR NEW KITTEN

Before you go to collect your kitten, ask the breeder or owner for a diet sheet so that you can buy a supply of the same food items; the diet sheet should also include details of mealtimes and how much food is given. This will reduce the risk of you overfeeding your kitten or supplying too rich a menu, either of which could lead to a stomach upset.

 

HOME SAFETY

You will need to make some adjustments at home before you collect your new kitten. Shut all windows and doors, and ensure that the house is safe for a young, inquisitive animal. Block off any spaces under furniture which could become traps, cover fireplaces and do not leave clothes hanging to dry in front of an open fire. Keep all appliance doors shut, including those of the refrigerator, the washing machine and the tumble drier, and put electrical flexes out of reach. Never leave elastic bands, buttons, pins, needles or other small objects in places where your kitten could play with and possibly swallow them.

Choosing and buying a cat

You will be able to obtain a new cat or kitten from a number of sources, including breeders, pet stores and animal-welfare organizations. Alternatively, you may perhaps know of a friend or neighbour whose cat has recently given birth and who is looking for homes for the kittens – this can be a good option, as you will already be familiar with the mother cat and know whether she has a good temperament. Another possibility is to visit your local veterinary centre, which may well have a noticeboard advertising kittens.

 

If you are looking for a particular breed of kitten, you will almost certainly need to track down a breeder (look at the advertisement columns in cat magazines or contact a national cat organization for names and addresses). You may have to be patient in your search: kittens are not always available all year round, because fewer are born in the late winter than during the spring and summer months.

 

SELECTING A KITTEN

Eight weeks is the ideal age for a non-pedigree kitten to go to its new home. By this time it should have had contact with a wide range of people and other animals, particularly during the fourth to seventh weeks (the so-called ‘socialization period’), when a kitten’s experiences will have lasting effects on its personality and on the way it reacts to people and other animals in later life. In the UK, pedigree kittens are often kept by their breeders for 12 weeks, so that they have had their initial vaccinations and are litter-trained before going out into the world; this usually varies in other countries.

 

When choosing a kitten, you should aim to select from a whole litter if possible. The appearance of the young cats will obviously influence you, but so too should their behaviour and health. Choose a friendly, frisky kitten that is quite happy and confident about approaching you, rather than a shy one which tends to hang back. If any of the kittens appears to be unwell – sneezing, with runny eyes or nose, soiled fur under the tail, flea-bitten, with a poor coat or excessive wax in its ears – it will be best to take none of them, and to look elsewhere.

 

Non-pedigree kittens are often much more popular with pet seekers than their pure-bred relatives, and there are usually many looking for good homes.

 

What to look for in a healthy cat

 

The ears should be clean with no unpleasant smells. White, blue-eyed cats are prone to deafness, so test a pure-white kitten’s hearing by making sounds from a point outside its field of vision (all kittens’ eyes are blue at this stage).

 

The eyes should be clear and bright, with no signs of ‘weeping’.

 

Gently lift the lips and look at the gums: they should be pink (not red), and the teeth should be white.

 

The coat should be clean and unmated. Check for fleas (tell-tale signs are the tiny black dots they leave in the fur), and for bald patches or flaking skin which could indicate a skin disorder.

 

Check for signs of diarrhoea under the tail – in a healthy cat this area should be spotless.

 

A VETERINARY CHECK-UP

Soon after acquiring your kitten, you should arrange to have it checked over by a vet to ensure that it is fit and healthy, and is not suffering from any obvious developmental problems. If the vet does detect any signs of serious ill-health in your kitten at this consultation, he or she will help you to decide what to do. All good breeders should sell their kittens subject to veterinary approval, and will refund your money if there is a problem. If you collect your kitten at eight weeks, it will need another appointment at 12 weeks for its first vaccination, plus a second round of general checking.

 

If you do not already know of a good local veterinary centre, look in your local business telephone directory or ask cat-owning friends for recommendations. Choosing a centre that is fairly close to your home is a good idea, in case you ever need to get there quickly with your cat in an emergency.

 

TAKING ON AN ADULT CAT

Opting for an older cat can be a good idea if you do not have the time to spend training a kitten, particularly if you are offered a well-behaved animal by a friend. Other sources may be a breeder who has no further use for a particular cat, or an animal-welfare organization. Sometimes a cat simply moves into a home where it finds a welcome, and, if this happens to you, it is quite possible that you may never find out where your cat originally came from.

 

If the cat is from an animal shelter, find out as much as you can the staff at the shelter about its background. Some cats, for instance, may not be properly house-trained if they have spent much of their lives roaming about on their own, and may not integrate well into a domestic environment. If a cat’s age is unknown, there are really no reliable indicators you can use to determine whether it is relatively young or not. Even when an older cat has been fully vaccinated you will need to keep it indoors for at least two weeks – complete with a litter tray – before allowing it outdoors. Otherwise it is likely to stray, possibly back to its former haunts if these are nearby.

 

There are many older cats in need of good homes. They can settle well, although much will depend on an individual cat’s background and personality.

Glad

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