A cat came in to us this week whose collar was on so tight that we had to cut it off and this was done with difficulty.   The collar must have been fastened round this poor cat’s neck for months, if not years.   The skin is rubbed away and sore all the way round. It’s actually a lot worse than the photo shows.  What a relief she must feel now she is rid of it.   The collar itself is tiny so we don’t know how long it has been on.

This is not the first time we’ve seen this.  Tight collars on cats are commonplace and we’ve seen worse than this.  The collar on one cat we had in was right under the skin and barely detectable.   The cat didn’t eat and was very thin.  It couldn’t eat and that was the problem.  We had to pick the dead skin away to get at the collar and cut it free.

When the collar is removed it takes a while for the skin and tissues to recover, so the cat may not make an immediate recovery.   She will feel lots better though.   If you’ve put a collar on your cat please check it daily.  The weight of a cat can fluctuate and cause the collar to tighten up.   Better still – don’t put a collar on.   It’s not a natural thing and can be dangerous unless it’s loose enough to slip over the cat’s head if she gets caught up.  It’s much better to have your cat microchipped and then there’s no need for a collar.

Cilla is a beautiful young black cat, she looks to be friendly and gentle – but appearances in cats, as with people, can be deceptive.   Cilla doesn’t like anyone, she may look as though she’s going to come fussing round but if you tried to pick her up, or even stroke her, you would be in trouble.

Cilla was brought in to us earlier in the year, her people, who loved her dearly, just couldn’t cope with her.  She isn’t a feral cat but had a normal upbringing.   I suspect that in the close confines of a house she could get even more upset.

At first we didn’t try to approach her and that was what she wanted.  To be left alone – perhaps we should have called her Garbo!   What has happened in her past to make her so unsociable?   We don’t know but it has changed her personality.  If cats feel threatened they often go on the defensive and it takes a lot of patience to get them to come round.

Cilla is an intelligent young lady and didn’t really like life in a cat pen, even though there was a heated pad.   It was a tense moment when we first allowed her out – would she stick around?  Would she come back?   She was never going to settle if we kept her in a pen though and we needn’t have worried.  Cilla loved exploring from the start.  She likes to do her own thing and come and go as she pleases.

She’s a cat with a good appetite so food is an attraction.   At first she’d sneak in to eat and then dash out again.  Now she comes in to the kitchen and eats with the other cats.   They are deferential to her although she shows no sign of aggression towards her.  Perhaps they are just being kind to the new girl.

Because we let her do as she pleases and she knows she can get away from humans whenever she likes, Cilla is becoming more friendly.   She smiles at us now and that is so good to see.  Hello Cilla!   Meow!  We are communicating!   Sometimes she reaches up for a fuss and so long as we don’t actually touch her, she is fine.   It’s a nearly there fuss.

We’ve had cats like Cilla in the sanctuary before and given enough time, they become as friendly and affectionate as the other cats in the end.   All it takes is patience and freedom.   Some cats are free spirits and is there anything wrong with that?

If you’d like to sponsor Cilla please let us know – we’ll send you a photo and her story and regular updates.   A donation is much appreciated – cat adoption makes a great gift for someone special.  Many thanks.

Cats are in kitten for about nine weeks – at 28 days into their pregnancy the kitten embryo is still only one inch long, most of the development takes place in the last three weeks before birth.

A pregnant cat needs a higher standard of nutrition and we feed to take account of this.   She may develop a big appetite and eat more than normal or some cats just become very choosy about their meals.   We go along with this – just like humans, (perhaps more so!) cats have their likes and dislikes.   It’s nature telling them what’s best for them.

We provide biscuits ad lib just the same as with all the cats – the only difference being that our pregnant ladies have Kitten biscuits which are a higher standard than the normal maintenance ration.   We make these available throughout pregnancy and while the cat is feeding her babies.   Our make of choice is Royal Canin or Hill’s Science Diet.  Cheaper varieties sometimes give tummy upsets and you can see the difference in condition in a cat feed on premium food.

Kitten pouches are alright but we give our pregnant ladies give a variety of fresh food which is our preference.  Fresh mince or any chopped meat, either cooked or raw.  Your cat will tell you which she likes best.  Also fish is on offer, only the cheaper and sustainable varieties are given – sardines, mackerel, coley etc.   We feed to appetite, small meals and often and have never known a pregnant cat to overeat, they normally snack on what they need.  Bear in mind that if you are feeding bought in cat food it is convenience food, not fresh and has been made in a factory.  You do not know exactly what the ingredients and additives are or how old it is.

Cats have thrived for thousands of years on natural food – they have managed without canned and pouched and dry food perfectly well and in our experience were healthier when they had ‘fish bits’ from the fishmonger and meat scraps from the butcher.  As well as food they caught for themselves.   Today’s cats seem to spend a lot of time at the vets.

We give a few drops of salmon oil unless we are already feeding a lot of oily fish.   A small dish of goat’s milk is often well liked but never give cow’s milk which is difficult for cats to digest.    Goat’s milk yoghurt is very popular with our pregnant and nursing cats, put a couple of spoonfuls on a saucer and watch them lick it up.  More please!     A few cooked mashed up carrots and peas are often liked too, as is scrambled egg.   When you’re having one yourself put a spoonful out for the cat and see if she likes it.   If your cat is having a varied diet then vitamin supplements should not be necessary.  If you are unsure about your cat’s condition then it’s always best to consult a vet.

The maternity room is something to sort out early on.   Finding the right place for Miss Puss to have her kittens is a challenge.  She will want somewhere nice and quiet and with a lot of privacy.   A big cardboard box is ideal, preferably with a partial lid on it so that she has her own ‘den’.   We put plenty of paper in and then some sheets if it’s warm or fleeces if it’s chilly.    We encourage the cats to go in their ‘nest’ and they usually get the hang of it right away.   So long as no other cats have access, they will make it their place to have the kittens.  A bit of catnip sprinkled round the edges helps to make it a desirable des-res.   We always put a dish of catnip anyway.  Cats love it and it’s a tonic for them.

Check with your vet about worming .   Some wormers are not advised for use in pregnancy so you will need to get the right ones and worm at the right time.   Consult your vet.   It goes without saying that you need to make sure your cat doesn’t have fleas before she goes into her maternity unit.   Again, check with the vet what is safe to use.   Or you can just comb the fleas out which is time consuming (use a flea comb and have a dish of water ready to drown the critturs) but it is safe with no chemicals and possible side effects.

You will know if your cat has fleas if you let her sit on a white sheet.  If there are black spots on it then she is infested.   These will be flea eggs.   Get treatment for her right away.

You’ll know she is going to give birth when she becomes restless, starts to pant and bear down.    We leave our mommy cats to get on with it on their own, only a discreet check to see all is well from time to time.   Do not let strangers near your cat when she is giving birth, it may upset her and things could go wrong.   A cat usually takes several hours to have her kits. and it usual for her to have between two and six.    She will not usually want to eat or drink until it’s all over.

(more next on caring for the new mum)

Cut the cost of pet care – it wasn’t so expensive even a few years ago, now increased commercialism is making keeping a cat or dog almost unaffordable.   You can go back to basics and a trip down memory lane will keep your cat costs low:

Top tip No.! – make your own cat litter with paper – a thick wad of the latest news in the bottom of the litter tray and then fine shredded paper on top.   We’ve never known a cat not like this home made litter and it’s easier to dispose of too.    In past days people used to make their own litter trays – a wooden box or tin tray – and then put a scoop of sand, earth or ashes from the fire in.

Top tip No.2 – Forget buying cat beds – your pet will like a cardboard box so much more.   You can cut doors and windows in them if you have a playful kitten.  Sometimes the smaller the box the better your cat will like squashing up inside!  The best thing about them is they are free.   Recycle when they’re tatty and get another one.

Top tip No.3 – Cut old clothes up for bedding – the back of a fleece jacket makes a lovely pet blanket.   Also you can often buy roll-end pieces of fleece on the market.  Why buy expensive beds?   Your cat will like one you’ve cut up for her just as much.

Top tip No.4 – Feed natural – it’s cheaper to buy a portion of mince than factory made cans and pouches because it goes further.  Your cat needs a ‘mouse’ shaped portion only so a small tray of mince will make several servings.  Pop some in the freezer if there’s too much to use at once.  Chicken, lamb, fish, rabbit – all are good food for our feline friends, buy the cheapest cuts only and feed raw or cook when you have the oven on for something else.   Cats like meat fresh so they won’t eat it if it’s going off.   Remember – it’s not so many years ago that there wasn’t such a thing as manufactured cat food and pets were healthier then than they are now.

Top tip No.5 -  Why buy plastic pet dishes?   They’ve been factory made and plastic is from the petrochemical industry.   A nice china saucer is better.   Get them from the market or car boot, odd saucers are usually only a few pence to buy.   They are easier to clean,  a nasty residue can linger on plastic which is prone to getting scratched.   A saucer for milk (goat’s milk not cow’s which upsets cats) and a tea plate for main meals and your cat will be happy.   The deep plastic and stainless steel dishes don’t suit her so well because her whiskers catch on the edges.  Cats like flat serving bowls for their food.

Your economy measures will not only save you money, they’ll help save our beautiful Planet Earth too.  Although the disgraceful squandering of rescources by us humans might mean it’s almost too late.

With so many different kinds of over the counter pet medication on sale it’s not surprising that pet owners are sometimes getting them mixed up.   The main thing to remember is tha medicines for cats and dogs are entirely different.  Alright, so it says Flea Treatment on the packet but read the small print carefully before you use it – if you treat a cat with dog ‘spot -on’ you risk causing your pet’s death.

The Veterinary Poisons Information Service has recently said that hundreds of cats have died needlessly through being given a flea treatment meant for dogs.   The insecticide permethrin, which is is harmless to dogs , is lethal to cats, so if you put drops of that on the back of the neck of your cat, he or she is likely to die.  At the very least the cat will suffer convulsions and twitching.   See a vet immediately if your cat has been given the wrong pet medicine.

Permethrin is non toxic for most mammals – so you will find it in fly sprays also – make sure your cat doesn’t come into contact with anything containing it.   The cats have a metabolic deficiency which makes contact with this pesticide extremely harmful to them.

Many everyday foods are harmful to cats, onion and garlic can be toxic and chocolate is dangerous for both cats and dogs.

Patrick is a dedicated hunter and wouldn’t like it one little bit if he was confined to quarters at night.     But this is just what a t.v. wildlife expert has recently proposed.    He says that a ‘cat curfew’ will protect wildlife, birds especially.   It’s proposed that keeping cats indoors will reduce the millions of animals killed at night by 50%.

What doesn’t seem to be taken into account is that a cat curfew wouldn’t make any difference to the safety of birds – they roost at night high up in trees where no cat can get to them.   They fly to roose as soon as it’s getting dark and they don’t move until dawn.   So leaving your cat out won’t give him the chance to catch these birds.

The cat is nocturnal, he can see in the dark but what he will be after are mice and rats.   As we’re already over run with these creatures, who breed at an astounding rate, perhaps we should applaud the good ‘mouser’.   Rats and mice cause diseases that can be fatal to humans.  If cats lose the instinct to hunt then we will be over run by rodents.   Poison and trapping are not a good solution and don’t work in the long term.

The natural order of things is always to be preferred, cats keep rodents at bay and prevent contamination of food for the other animals.   We used to value cats because of their hunting prowess, preventing them from catching birds in the garden is relatively easy – a collar with a bell will do the trick.

But, if you live in town keeping your cats in at night is almost essential – it’s not that they’ll go out killing birds but that they will themselves get knocked down and killed on our busy roads.

If you have a pet problem, either behavioural, dietary or health, please get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.

Q.  My cat keeps scraching her ears and they’re getting sore.   Do you think it could be an allergy?

A.  It’s more likely to be ear mites I’m afraid.   These are about the most troublesome problems that a cat has to endure.   They live inside the ear canal so the cat has no way to deal with them herself.   If they are not removed they can lead to serious and permanent damage to the ear so it’s best to get treatment from the vet.

The mites aren’t normally visible to the naked eye but can be seen under a microscope.  They aren’t blood suckers, like fleas, but live on the wax in the cat’s ear.  It’s the constant irritation and scratching that is most likely to be causing your cat’s sore ear.

Cats catch ear mites from other cats and dogs so if you have more than one pet you will have to check (and treat) them all.  Humans can’t catch them so don’t worry about your own ears!

At least it’s not difficult to eradicate these pesky little parasites.  First clean the ear with a few drops of olive oil or your vet will give you special liquid.   Don’t attempt to poke in around the ear because you may do damage, but you can wipe the outer ear gently with a pad of cotton wool.

The drops you get from your vet will destroy the ear mites and bring relief to you cat.  it must be very miserable to have an itch in your ear you can’t get to!   The treatment will need to be continued for as long as your vet prescribes to make sure the mites are gone.   You can also buy ear mite lotion at pet stores but you need to make sure that your cat doesn’t have an underlying bacterial infection which may have been caused by the scratching.  If you suspect this you definitely need to see the vet.

If a cat has balance problems or holds her head on one side this is generally because an ear mite infestation has been left untreated and the ear permanently damaged.

There are now all-in-one worm and flea spot-on treatments that are said to destroy ear mites also.   They are prescribed by the vet and we have been using them for some time now on adult cats and kittens without any adverse results.