Pet Advice

Smiley Cat
Cats

Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, a very intelligent animal popular with the ancient Egyptians. Cats are now every day members of many households, they can be kept indoors or allowed to go out, they seem to adapt well to either life as long as they are kept warm, dry and fed properly.

Housing
Cats love warm places to curl up to sleep often near radiators or warm pipes.  Providing a specific cat bed is the most suitable option but remember to place it somewhere that the cat likes otherwise it won’t be used. Plush beds on sunny window ledges or radiator beds are the most popular, followed closely by the cave style beds that cats can crawl in and hide.
Scratching post are a must for all cat owners whether the cats go out or not, if cats don’t have a purpose built post to stretch and sharpen their claws on they will soon use find a substitute among the owners carpet or furniture. When buying a scratching post, it is worth investing in a well built post rather than replacing the sofa.

Cats need to be toilet trained. In most households this is achieved with the use of either a cat flap, allowing the cat to go outside, or a cat litter tray placed on the floor indoors, often both as cats don’t like to go out on cold or rainy days.

Diet and Feeding
Ideally cats should be fed some wet and dry food to assist their metabolism and dental cleaning requirements. Often a small portion of wet food morning and night will ensure that a cat comes in when called. A small amount of dried food can be left out each day, with plenty of fresh water, as cats need something crunchy to help them keep their teeth and gums healthy. Cats can suffer from kidney disorders especially in later life so it advisable to choose good quality wet and dried food with not too many additives.

Cat Care and Maintenance
All cats benefit from a groom with a good brush regularly to massage and stimulate the hair follicles and skin cells, but for the longer haired cats it is essential to groom and comb the coat to prevent the fur becoming tatty and matted. Cats groom themselves daily and ingest the hairs as they go, this in itself can regularly cause hairball blockages in the gut and induce vomiting (less frequent in the shorthaired varieties). Regular grooming by the owners will remove a lot of the dead hair.
 
Exercise
Cats are curious and very adventurous, they love to climb and play. It is best to keep cats entertained to prolong their life, by providing toys and playing with the cat. Balls of silver paper or string are basic but a favourite with most cats if no other toys are available. Cat trees and towers are becoming more and more popular as styles and designs improve. A bored cat will often find solace in food, and become a cat that becomes lazy and overweight risking more medical problems in later life.