‘The Purr’ Winter 2016 Newsletter
The latest edition of ‘The Purr’ is available to read here…
Poisoning in cats can be caused by everyday items you may have in your house, and more than likely items you will have during the festive period. Below we will cover what is poisonous to our feline family members and what to do if you think your cat has been poisoned. Why are cats affected more than… Read more »
Here is my new blog about changes that take place with cats (physically, developmentally and behaviourally) during the different life stages. Kitten (Birth to 6 months): This is the main growth/ development period. It is important at this stage to feed a good quality, balanced diet to help with growing and strengthening of bones/ muscles…. Read more »
Why is dental home care so important for your cat? Unlike us, cat’s cannot clean their teeth and over time they can become coated in plaque and become inflamed and sore, just like humans. Cats do suffer from toothache too, but often hide these problems and therefore tooth pain goes unnoticed. Cats commonly suffer with plaque/ tartar… Read more »
Your new, little kitten will have already seen Amanda and Vicky for their vaccine course here at Cat’s Whiskers. After these vaccines, we would have recommended that they come back to us to be neutered and micro-chipped from 4 months of age. So what’s next? To ensure that your new family member is growing up to… Read more »
The level of general care you will need to give your cat will depend on its breed, length of fur (or lack of it), its health, and its age. The things you will need to think about are: Caring for your cat’s coat and skin: There is not a great deal to do with short… Read more »
Many owners find it difficult to give tablets to their cats. There are products that can be purchased to help with this. Firstly we would recommend trying to hide the tablet in yummy, tempting foods or in the pill putty that is designed to hide the tablet in and disguise it (we supply pill… Read more »
Well done to our VIPs (very important pussycats)! Meet Gnasher & Nessie! They are chilling out after being the first 2 cats in the world to take part in a groundbreaking new study looking into kidney disease in cats. Kidney disease is a common condition affecting… Read more »
Here at Cat’s Whiskers, we recommend neutering earlier, from around the age of 4 months, rather than the traditional 6 months as kittens reach sexual maturity and are therefore capable of breeding and producing kittens themselves. Younger kittens usually cope better with recovery and we see less interference with wounds at an earlier age. It… Read more »
Just like humans, vaccinating your cat helps to protect him or her against several serious and/or life threatening diseases. It is therefore important to protect them from infections that can cause serious disease that can be fatal. Cat vaccination has had a major impact on improving the quality of life of cats because it is… Read more »
Cats have learnt and developed to bond with humans, even though it is not their natural behaviour to do this. The more we have bred them and integrated them into our society, the friendlier they have become. There have been numerous studies carried out to find out why some cats are friendlier than others…. Read more »
With Halloween and Bonfire Night (and surrounding times such as New Year) fast approaching, is it a good idea to consider our pets and especially cats that become frightened. Fireworks can make a cat feel anxious and stressed due to the loud noises, but there are ways you can help. Cats will use a flight/fight… Read more »
As the winter nights draw in, and the days get colder, on goes the central heating. At this time of year it is easy to negate the flea and worming regime for your cat because parasites really do not like the cold. However, it is at the point when the heating comes on, that fleas… Read more »
Cats carry a number of different ectoparasites and, globally, the most common of these is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). Why treat ectoparasites? They may cause skin irritation, lesions and allergic reactions (FAD- Flea Allergy Dermatitis; hypersensitivity to flea saliva, a major cause of feline miliary dermatitis). They may bite people, leading to skin irritation… Read more »
A generally agreed upon definition of obesity is a body weight 20% or more above ideal, with individuals weighing 10–20% over ideal considered overweight. Weight gain will occur when a cat consumes calories in excess of its energy expenditure. Such a scenario can happen all too easily given the pampered lifestyle of many domesticated cats…. Read more »
Having regular checks for your cat is essential to their well-being, especially as they get older. Senior pet checks are a way of flagging up any health issues your cat may have, and being able to treat them easily. Here at Cat’s Whiskers, our Registered Veterinary Nurse Vicky can chat with you about any conditions… Read more »
It is important to consider the behavioural and physical changes of a cat as it ages. Senior and geriatric patients would benefit from extra consideration and improvements can make a big difference to their overall quality of life during these life stages. How could you improve your cat’s home? An older cat would benefit from… Read more »
When the cat’s first get to Cat’s Whiskers they are put up onto the sofas in our waiting area next to their owners as cats like to be up high, off of floor level. Their carriers will also be covered over by a blanket to make them feel more secure and hidden (also to prevent… Read more »