Health

What do you do when you find a stray cat? When a cat comes to your window, meowing for food and water, what steps should you take? Identify the cat (if you can) Cats often wander away from their families and sometimes cannot find their way back. Sometimes, they are simply out for a stroll and plan to return to their family in some time—but that some time could be days. Meanwhile, there is a family on the other end of this situation searching for their cat with no idea what may have happened to them. Do not assume, then, that the cat you have found is a stray. If they look healthy and well groomed, it is likely they belong to some family. Here are a few steps you can take to try and identify the cat. 1. If the stray cat is friendly, approach them and check to see if they are wearing a collar. If they are, this collar should have the contact details of their family on it. 2. If they are not wearing a collar, try and ask around to see if anyone in the neighbourhood has lost a cat. Word travels quickly. If the cat belongs to a home in the local area, news may travel back to the family. 3. If there are no easy and visible signs of identification or if no family comes forward to claim them, then you will need to take the stray cat to a local veterinary clinic or to another organisation, such as the nearest Cats Protection branch. The cat could have a microchip. Your nearest local veterinary clinic or organisation will be able to scan the microchip to learn details of the cat’s family and reunite them with their owners. Finding the owners If there are no visible signs of identification, this does not mean that the cat does not belong to somebody. Cats are free spirits and like to wander. In 2014 alone, Cats Protection was able to reunite 3,000 cats with their owners after they were identified as ‘stray’. Your next step is to do everything you can to find your stray cat’s owner and return them to the family. Look at bulletin boards for lost cats and see if any of the descriptions match the cat you have found. Check local newspapers and listings to see if anyone has posted a similar cat missing. You can also be proactive. Print posters of the cat you have found and place it around your neighbourhood. Spread the word. Social media tends to be very effective for this, Twitter especially. Followers can retweet the picture of the stray cat. You can also consult a lost and found register. For example, call the National Helpline on 03000 12 12 12 for details of your nearest Cats Protection branch, which will likely have a lost and found register.

When the weather gets warmer, your cat will probably want to drink more water. However, on occasion, if your cat is drinking a lot it may signal an underlying problem. Read on to find out about your cat’s water intake, and how to spot any problems. How much should cats drink? Every cat is different, and each one will drink different amounts depending on their lifestyle, health, and environmental factors. For example, a cat that lives inside a cool house may not drink quite as much as a very active cat who spends a lot of time outside. Your vet will be able to tell you roughly how much water your cat needs based on their diet, lifestyle, and physical health. Bear in mind that a lot of your cat’s water intake might come from their food. Wet cat food already contains some water, so a cat who has a wet food diet won’t need to drink as much as a cat who only eats dry food. Dry food contains very little water, so they need to make up for it by drinking enough. Your cat should instinctively know that they need more water and should drink enough to make up for it – after all, they feel thirst just like we do. There are plenty of other factors that will affect how much your cat drinks. Like us, they’ll drink more if it’s hot, or if they’ve been physically very active, so take these things into account. Signs of increased drinking It can be difficult to keep an eye on your cat’s water intake. After all, we can’t watch them every minute of the day, and if you have more than one cat it’s almost impossible to tell who is eating and drinking what! Rather than trying to measure how much liquid your cat drinks, look out for other signs that your cat is drinking a lot more than usual. The three main ones are: • Making more trips to the water bowl the usual. • Needing their water bowl refilled more often. • Drinking from unusual places, such as taps or ponds, if they haven’t before. Many cats do this anyway, so if it’s normal behaviour for your cat, don’t worry!

Spending lots of time indoors can get boring for all after a while, and that feeling extends to your pets too! That’s why we’ve put together this article to give you lots of handy tips for keeping your cat or dog entertained inside your home. When the whole family is cooped up inside for extended periods of time, you may find it difficult to come up with new activities for your family and pets. Fortunately, there are a number of enrichment activities you can set up indoors for both cats and dogs and some can even involve the kids. These activities can provide your pet with much-needed mental stimulation and help prevent boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviours if left unchecked. 1. Designated Together Time Transitioning to being home all day is a big change for everyone, including your pets. Try creating a new routine with designated time together each day. Try doing fifteen minutes at the same time every day for a week. Find a quiet space, and while giving your pet your undivided attention, pet them for the full fifteen minutes, adding in praise or telling them a story. Note how your pet reacts the first day compared to their reaction a week later. They may start seeking you out when it’s play time. If you both enjoyed this time together, continue as a daily activity, or change things up by keeping the same time but adding a new activity. 2. Movement Both dogs and cats find moving objects, lights and sounds entertaining. You can hang a bird feeder outside a window so your pet can watch. Light catchers, lasers, feather wands and cat dancer toys are popular with cats. You can even try creating your own as a family activity. Light catchers or wind catchers are easy for beginners. 3. Couch Potato Play Spending more time inside often means more time on the couch binge-watching a TV show. Your pet may enjoy curling up next to you for TV time, but you can also give them something to do without leaving the couch. We suggest keeping a basket or drawer of toys close by, such as stuffed animals, feather wands and tug-toys. Verbal encouragement is often enough for pets as they interact with a toy on their own. Provide words of praise, which can increase their excitement for the activity and extend play time.

Caring for a newborn kitten can be daunting. The type of care you provide will depend on whether the mother is present or whether you have found this kitten on its own. In this article, we will talk you through the essentials of kitten care, what you should keep in mind as you raise this feline through the early years of their life and how to bring up a strong, healthy and confident cat. Is the mother present? The first question you need to consider when caring for a newborn kitten is whether the mother is present. If she is, then there is less that you will need to do. Most cats know instinctively how to raise their young and will do all the necessary actions at all the right stages in the kitten’s life. It is your job to simply make sure they are warm, safe and protected. But if you have found a newborn kitten that doesn’t seem to have a mother, you will need to take on all her duties. If this is a stray kitten, do make sure the mother is not coming back before taking the kitten in. If you are not careful, you could separate the mother from her young. Keeping them warm When considering how to care for a newborn kitten, you must remember to keep them warm. If the kitten you find is cold, you must warm their body temperature before you do anything else. You can check how cold they are by touching their paws or the tips of their ears.

Have you noticed your cat pawing at their eye which, all of a sudden, has become red and swollen? Your feline friend might suffer from cat conjunctivitis. Find out what it means, what’s causing it and what you can do to help this uncomfortable eye condition go away. If you’ve just discovered your cat has a sore-looking eye or they are trying to rub their eye with their paw, on furniture or along the floor, chances are your pet is suffering from a case of cat conjunctivitis. While you’re waiting for your vet appointment, find out more about this eye condition and what to expect when you visit the vets. What is cat conjunctivitis? Cat conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin membrane on the inside of the eyelids and white part of the eye. The inflammation will cause the conjunctiva to become red and swollen and the eye might water or have some discharge. Cat conjunctivitis can be either infectious, when caused by viruses or bacteria, or non-infectious when something gets into the eye and irritates it. The inflammation can appear in one eye or both eyes at the same time. If your cat has conjunctivitis, you may catch them pawing at the affected eye or constantly blinking and squinting, because the condition is uncomfortable. Arranging a trip at the vet is the best thing to do for a speedy recovery. What causes cat eye infection? Infectious cat conjunctivitis can be caused by a range of viruses, with Feline Herpesvirus one of the most common. Bacteria such as Chlamydophila can also cause an eye infection as part of an upper tract respiratory infection, so cat sniffles and sneezes might accompany the appearance of the red or watery eye. In both cases the cat eye infection can spread to other felines, so if there are any cats nearby, you may want to keep their interactions with the poorly cat to a minimum. Your vet may wish to see all the cats in your household. Make sure you wash your hands after checking on your cat’s eye and if possible try to keep them in separate rooms for the duration of the cat conjunctivitis flare-up. What causes non-infectious cat conjunctivitis? Non-infectious cat conjunctivitis is usually caused by irritants in the cat’s environment. Even something as little as a speck of dust finding its way into your cat’s eye can be enough to trigger a reaction. Anything able to irritate the eye is a possible risk – mould, air fresheners and even shampoo can cause eye redness. Other possible causes include trauma to the eye like bumping it on something, or even contact with certain plants can trigger allergic conjunctivitis. Understanding what has caused your cat’s conjunctivitis can help with the treatment, which is why a prompt visit to the vet is important. How is cat conjunctivitis diagnosed? If your cat seems to be in pain, the vet might start by using anaesthetic eye drops to numb the area before inspecting it for foreign bodies, scratches or wounds. Sometimes a green dye might be applied which, when illuminated with a bright blue light, can show where the eye problem originated.

Cat ears – just like ours – are sensitive things, and should always be handled with care. Your cat’s ears should always be clean, with no thick brown or green waxy discharge, and there shouldn’t be any redness, itchiness or unusual smells. If your cat starts to scratch their ears, shake their head more than normal, hold their head to one side or rub one side of their face, they might be trying to let you know something’s not quite right. One of the main reasons why you should take them to the vet to have their ears checked is because severe cat ear problems can have more serious effects and lead to ear infections. Here are the signs and possible solutions for a cat dealing with ear problems such as infections. What are the signs of cat ear infection? Some of the most common symptoms of ear infection in cats include: • Discharge from the ear • Ear scratching • Redness of the ear flap • Strong odour • Constantly tilting their head • Scabs and hair loss around the ears • Loss of balance If you notice these symptoms it’s always best to visit the vet. There are lots of reasons why cat ear problems can occur, but thankfully your vet will be able to examine your cat’s ears safely and tell you what tests or treatment might be needed to get them back to tip-top condition. What are the causes of ear infection in cats? Infections affecting the ear can seem they’ve appeared out of nowhere, but it is important to determine what has caused the infection. The origin of your cat’s ear problem will help determine the most efficient way to get it treated and have your cat back to their normal self as quickly as possible. These are some of the ways your cat’s ears can get infected: Ear mites These tiny creatures are usually under a millimetre long, but can find their way to your cat’s ear and cause irritation and inflammation. The vet will be able to diagnose the mite infestation by analysing the debris from your cat’s ears and recommend an anti-parasitic wash to help get rid of the mites. Skin allergies If your cat becomes allergic to certain parasites or even something in their food, they can develop symptoms such as itchiness around the ears, causing them to scratch the area and produce lacerations that can easily get infected. Ear injuries Injuries that are not properly cleaned can also lead to infections. Since cats are known for their explorer spirit, you should keep an eye on scratches, wounds or any sign of trauma, especially if your pet is spending a considerable amount of time outdoors. A cat’s ear infection can start from even an unsuspecting abrasion if bacteria gets hold of the area. This is why it’s important to keep scratches clean and don’t hesitate to ask your vet’s help for any deep wounds you notice. Foreign bodies Cats can also end up with all sorts of objects lodged into their ear. Grass is a particular cause of concern, so if you notice your cat pawing at their ears, take a look to see if a foreign body has managed to end up in your pet’s ear canal. Most of these “intruders” can be safely removed by the vet to avoid the possibility of a cat ear infection. Wax build-up It is important to keep your cat’s ears clean. Too much dirt accumulated from their daily adventures or excessive wax build up make up the perfect environment for bacteria to start developing. So clean your cat’s ears regularly to prevent possible infections. Types of cat ear infection Your cat’s ear problems can affect the outer ear or the internal and middle parts of the ear. Outer ear infections in cats The outer part of your cat’s ear, also called the pinnae, can easily be affected by wounds. Whether it’s a bit of rough play or getting into a fight with a fellow cat, the ears can get scratched or even bitten in the process. This doesn’t necessarily lead to an infection, but it’s important to look out for signs of redness or swelling and ask the vet for advice. Internal and middle ear infections in cats The ear canal can end up hosting anything from mites to bacteria and foreign bodies which makes it slightly likelier that an ear infection will be located in these areas. Sometimes even an outer ear infection can travel deeper into the ear causing your cat to start shaking or tilting their head or rubbing their ears. Polyps might also develop in the middle ear and can also cause an ear infection.

If you’re expecting new bundles of fur arriving at your home soon, it can very exciting – and perhaps a little daunting too. You shouldn’t need to worry - pregnant cats are usually more than capable of taking care of themselves, although they will still need close care and attention from you during labour. As they often try to sneak away to give birth in private, you’ll need to keep a close eye on them in the last few weeks just in case! Speak to your vet if you have any concerns about pregnancy in cats, or are worried about your cat giving birth. Their advice should help to put your mind at rest. Here are some helpful tips from our Pet Care Team to help you be as prepared as possible for when your cat becomes a new mom. Preparing for the birth During the last two weeks of your cat’s pregnancy, make sure everyone else in the family knows to be calm and quiet around her, and to handle her with care – especially children, who can be understandably excited at the prospect of kittens to play with soon! Try to keep her as calm and inactive as possible during this time, and encourage her to relax in her special maternity bed. Even the snuggliest soft bed might not tempt her however, and some cats will reject your suggested birthing bed for a corner of a cupboard! Just make sure she has some choice on where to give birth and never try to move her from her chosen spot. Have help on hand Your cat’s labour should go smoothly, but it’s useful to have help on hand to keep her calm and in case she runs into any complications. Get hold of your vet's out-of-hours phone number prior to your cat giving birth, as delivery often happens during the night, or they might need an emergency helping hand. If mom does have problems delivering her kittens, you may need to take her into the vet, so make sure that you have access to transport. When you think labour might be approaching, it’s good to get a few things ready in advance, including a clean bowl of warm water, clean towels and cloths, dental floss and disposable gloves, together with a cat carrier and your vet’s details. It’s important to have these things to hand, just in case! If you need to move the kittens away from mom at any time, you’ll need to keep them warm. We recommend using a microwaveable beanie bag instead of a hot water bottle, as their sharp teeth and claws can cause punctures. Know what signs to look out for Impending labour can be tricky to spot. During the first stages of labour, the mom (queen) will become very restless, pace as if she is looking for something, and become very vocal. Contact your vet if you are unsure if labour has started, and keep a close eye on your cat in her final weeks and days of labour to make sure you know when and where she will give birth to her kittens.

Excessive grooming can be a response to changes in your cat’s environment they’re struggling to come to terms with. These are some of the most common causes for cat overgrooming. Your cat is naturally on a mission to keep their coat clean, at times spending up to 50% of their waking time self-grooming. But sometimes their behaviour can take a turn into excessive cat grooming. Find out why this happens and what you can do to help your cat. What is cat overgrooming? Cat overgrooming occurs when your kitty starts grooming excessively – licking their fur so much that it causes skin inflammation, sores or hair loss. In extreme cases a cat might even start to bite areas of skin. Sometimes you will notice your cat overgrooming, or damage to the skin, or a patchy coat, but in other cases you may simply find the evidence of overgrooming such as clumps of hair behind the sofa. What causes excessive cat grooming? The two main causes for overgrooming are behavioural, when the cat starts licking excessively as a form of stress-relief (also known as psychogenic alopecia), and medical, when skin allergies or skin parasites are the main culprit. Excessive cat grooming as a stress-relief mechanism It might not be obvious to you, but the home environment can become very stressful for your cat. The particular stressors for a feline psyche don’t always register on our human scale, but they can cause just as much havoc as one of our work disputes or an urgent last-minute job. The biggest cause of stress for cats is other cats – a multicat household or other cats in the neighbourhood. By nature, cats are solitary creatures and they can find living with other cats very stressful. Often this does not manifest as aggression towards other cats and they may happily snuggle up together at home, but your cat may struggle with the stress and turn to overgrooming.

Pregnancy is both wonderful and wonderfully tiring, for you and your pet. One important thing you can do to help your mom-to-be is to give her the nutritional support she needs. Choosing the right feeding plan during pregnancy will ensure that she grows fit kittens, and has the strength to handle birth and nursing her newborns. The adult food you normally give your cat is great for her everyday diet, but it won’t provide the extra boost she’ll need when expecting. For a happy mom and healthy kittens, pick a formula that will meet her new requirements. A high-quality kitten food will provide all the necessary nutrients when feeding your pregnant cat. Start weaning her onto it from mating until a few weeks after giving birth, to keep her strong and give her the energy she needs to support her new kittens. Pregnant cats need higher amounts of calories and protein, both of which can be found in a high quality kitten food. Switching mom onto a kitten food will also help her litter, as they’ll be able to copy her and try some of her solid food as they wean off her milk. We have a selection of products to suit a variety of diets that you can try.

Do kittens teeth? All kittens go through a teething process – it’s a natural part of growing up. But whilst some kittens deal with teething well, others may need a little reassurance from you. Whatever the case, rest assured that teething is completely normal. Keep reading to find out more about the process of kitten teething. When do kittens start teething? Just like humans, kittens do not have visible teeth when they are born. Your kitten’s 26 ‘baby teeth’ only start to appear at around three weeks of age. Once the baby teeth start to break through and pierce the gums you may start to see your kitten behaving differently – for example, they might begin to chew things. Don’t worry, this is completely normal. By about six weeks of age most kittens will have grown all of their ‘milk teeth’ (or ‘baby teeth’). If your kitten hasn’t grown all of their teeth by this stage, don’t worry. Not all kittens’ teeth grow at the same rate. However, if there are a number of teeth missing once your kitten reaches nine or ten weeks, you may want to contact your vet to check everything is okay. At around six months of age most cats should have lost their baby teeth to make way for their adult teeth. As the baby teeth are slowly replaced by 30 adult teeth, this is when the majority of kitten teething issues begin. The new teeth that are beginning to poke through will replace the baby teeth and will be the final set of teeth your cat will have, so it’s particularly important to take care of them. If you find your kitten’s baby teeth on the floor during this time, don't worry – kitten tooth loss a natural part of the growing-up process. Kitten teething symptoms When your kitten is teething, they may be experiencing some discomfort. The most obvious signs of dental discomfort are: • Your cat has started to eat less. If they are chewing slower than usual, or more tentatively, it could be a sign their gums are hurting. It may be a good idea to pay a visit to your vet, just to be on the safe side, particularly if they also lose weight. • Urgency to chew. Another sign that your kitten is teething is excessive chewing. If your cat or kitten is chewing everything in sight including its bed, your furniture and its toys it may be a sign that teething has begun. • Inflamed or sore gums. As their adult teeth erupt, kittens may experience mild gingivitis, which can lead to inflamed gums and bad breath. If this is down to teeth erupting, it will usually resolve itself. • Other signs of dental discomfort are drooling, bleeding gums, and pawing at the mouth. These can also be signs of other dental conditions, so see a vet for a check-up. • Increased irritability. This is most likely due to sore gums and a sign that your kitten is teething.

Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is important for their wellbeing. But sometimes it is difficult to tell what that ideal weight should be. Discover an easy, step-by-step tool to check your cat’s current and ideal size. Cats come in all shapes and sizes so it’s sometimes tricky to determine whether yours is the right weight or not – after all, you love them regardless of any extra pounds! But size does matter when it comes to health, and excess weight on your cat can cause problems. So, what is a healthy cat weight? What is the average cat weight? The ideal cat weight varies from breed to breed. According to Web MD, the average cat weight is about 10 pounds, but while smaller breeds can be happy and healthy while weighting as little as 5 pounds, larger breeds such as the Maine Coon can be 20 pounds and happy. This is where cat weight charts and body condition tools come in handy for checking the healthy cat weight for your pet. Why is keeping a healthy weight for a cat important? A healthy cat is a happy cat, and one much less prone to illness and health problems. If your cat is overweight, they may not live as long as their healthy counterparts, and they’ll be less able to enjoy themselves when they’re exercising and playing, because of potential joint problems.

Complications are rare in cat pregnancies, but can occasionally happen. To help your cat bring bundles of fur into the world with ease, the Purina Pet Care team share their advice on how to spot warning signs early on. It’s so exciting when your cat is expecting, and as a loving pet owner we understand that you might worry and want to give extra tender loving care to your pet at this time. Luckily as cats are usually more than capable of looking after themselves, you shouldn’t have anything to be concerned about. Several symptoms could signal a problem with your cat’s pregnancy. If you notice any of these, contact your vet immediately:She loses interest in her food. A drop in appetite can occur just prior to delivery, but she should be bright and well in every other way throughout her term. She is visibly distressed, agitated, crying more than usual, or is noticeably licking her vulval area without producing any kittens. You see any abnormal, bad-smelling vaginal discharge or bleeding at any point in her pregnancy or labour. She goes to the toilet more often, passes blood or squats without producing pee. These could signal a uterine infection, which could potentially affect her kittens if left untreated.