Tag Archives: kitten care

Stress And Your Cat.

Stress And Your Cat.

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Stress And Your Cat.

Stress And Your Cat.

 

  • Is my cat stressed?

  • What is causing my cat to feel stressed?

  • How can I help my cat?

 

Just like humans, cats can get stressed out. While stress in cats doesn’t always materialise in the ways you might expect, if you know what to look for, it’s not too difficult to spot an anxious mog. It is important to keep an eye out for signs of stress in your cat; a stressed cat is an unhappy cat, and recent studies have shown that chronic, ongoing stress can cause stress-related diseases in cats, including skin problems and UTIs.

Is my cat stressed?

Cats are notoriously good at hiding their emotions, but it isn’t impossible to spot signs of feline anxiety. If your cat is displaying any of the behaviours listed below, you may find that the culprit is stress:

  • Unusual toileting behaviour. Many stressed cats express their anxieties by urinating outside the litter box (or in the house, if your cat is an outdoor cat), or worst still in your shoes or handbag.
  • Over-grooming. Cats groom themselves to self-soothe, so a cat that’s over-grooming may be under stress. A sure sign of excessive grooming is bald or thin patches of fur, which can be anywhere they can reach, most typically on their belly’s, the inside of their legs or their sides.
  • Of course, some cats are just loud. You know your cat – if they’re meowing and calling to you much more than usual, they could be trying to tell you something.
  • Excessive scratching. Cats often scratch themselves more than usual when they’re feeling stressed. If your cat’s up to date with their flea treatments, doesn’t have an allergy and is still scratching like mad, this could be a sign of stress.
  • Cats aren’t always the most sociable creatures, but neither is it usual for them to be hiding themselves away all of the time.
  • Lack of appetite. Decreased appetite in cats can be indicative of many different issues, including stress. This is definitely not a sign to ignore.
  • Just like humans, cats can lash out when they are under stress, both at humans and other animals.

 

Stressed cat

 

What is causing my cat to feel stressed?

If you can tick off more than one of the symptoms above, you may find you have got a stressed moggy. While anxiety in cats is reasonably common, it’s not normal, and the first step is identifying any possible causes for your cat’s stress. The most common causes of stress in cats usually boil down to one thing: change. Think hard to see if you’ve made any recent changes to your home or routine which might have affected your cat more than you think.

A big change for cats is the presence of new animals in the home; if you’ve brought home a new cat or another pet, this can be a major cause of stress for other pets. New family members, such as a baby, can cause feline stress too. The key thing here is to make sure your cat knows he’s still your number one; lots of love, attention, and cuddles are in order here. Be sure to make sure your cat still has lots of space, too – if you’ve introduced a second cat, make sure their food bowls are kept apart, and try to keep a separate litter tray for each cat, the ideal rule of thumb being to have one litter tray per cat plus another in your home. Importantly ensure they all have plenty of water, ideally in different containers, my cat loves to drink from pint glasses and I have learned the hard way to be very careful where I put them!

Other changes in your life can equally affect your cats. Moving to a new home may be just as stressful for your puss as it is for you; by keeping blankets, toys and furniture around that your cat already knows well, you can help to ease this transition and make your new house feel like home again. Even changing jobs could be the cause of your cat’s stress; cats are creatures of habit, and anything which changes your daily routine can throw a cat off. Try to keep your day as consistent as possible, and find a routine that works for you both going forward.

 

 

How can I help my cat?

If you can pinpoint the cause of your cat’s stress, you’re already halfway to fixing the problem. There are some more general ways that you can help your cat to feel calm and to prevent your cat from getting stressed in the future, too.

A simple option is to try a synthetic pheromone diffuser or spray such as Feliway. When a cat marks its territory, it releases facial pheromones which make the cat feel happy, calm, and relaxed. Synthetic copies of these pheromones are available as plug-in diffusers and sprays that you can use around the house to help your cat feel calmer. These products might not work for cats who have a deeper cause of their anxiety, but for many it may just do the trick.

It is also worth ensuring that your cats have as much space as possible. Don’t overcrowd your home with pets, and make sure that your cat always has somewhere quiet to retreat to if they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed. If you have got the space and you live in a safe enough area, getting your cats outdoors can do wonders for their mental health. Cats are naturally active, outdoorsy animals, and getting out into the wild is really how they love to spend their time.

A happy cat is a healthy cat.

If your cat is getting stressed, try not to beat yourself up about it. It is impossible to avoid all stress triggers all of the time; as a pet owner, all you can do is your best to make your pet’s life as happy and healthy as you can. If you have tried all of the above suggestions and your cat is still displaying the symptoms of stress, we would advise it is important to take them for a veterinary check-up to rule out any medical causes of their symptoms and to make sure that your cat’s anxiety isn’t making them ill.

 

If you have any concerns about your cat, do not hesitate to contact your local Young Vets surgery to get help and bring calm back into your home.

 

Blog and images supplied by Zoetis.

Written by Gemma Hopkins BVETMED, CERTVC, MRCVS

 

 

mum & puppies

Neutering your pet

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Neutering your pet – what you need to know.

 

Have you heard that old rumour – you should let your dog have puppies before you neuter her? Well, did you also hear almost 50,000 pet dogs are being dumped in Britain every year! If your bitch has puppies (some produce up to 12 puppies in 1 litter) can you find forever homes for each and every puppy? And for the cat lovers – did you know the UK cat charities are reaching crisis point, due to the cat population being out of control!

The benefits of neutering can be applied to most species.

Neutering your pet can be done from as young as 4 months of age in rabbits and ferrets.

Cats – most cats are neutered from around 5 months of age.

Dogs – we normally advise puppies wait until they are at least 6 months old. Most small and medium sized female dogs are neutered around 6 months of age ( before they have their first season). Most small and medium sized dogs are neutered between 6-9 months of age.

Large and giant breed dogs such as Dobermanns , Rottweilers, Great Danes, may be better neutered at an older age of around 12-15months – between first and second seasons for females or when fully grown for male dogs.

Neutering your female will stop her coming into season or heat, this can be messy time and last for up to 3 weeks. It can also prevent unwanted male attention, phantom and actual pregnancy. It can also dramatically reduce the risk of mammary cancer developing when they are older, and prevents ovarian cancer and pyometra’s (uterine infections) which can be fatal.

Timing of neutering                                                           Mammary Tumour risk

Before first season

0.50%

After first season

8.00%

After second season

26.00%

After third season or over 2.5 years age

40.00

Neutering your male can reduce: Urine spraying and marking, dominant behaviour, humping, testicular cancer and in cats can reduce them straying too far from home, which results in a much lower risk of road traffic accidents.

 

Neutering your pet

                              Neutering your pet

Owners have a responsibility to care for their animals needs, pregnant and nursing animals need extra food, care and attention. When the babies are old enough you will need to find homes for each and every one and ensure that they are wormed, flea treated and all puppies over 8 weeks old legally have to be micro-chipped. We also recommend as soon as your animal is old enough (8 – 9 weeks), to protect them against potentially fatal infections. 

Neutering pets, is something we perform on a regular basis here at Young Veterinary Partnership and we always recommend neutering your pet unless you plan to breed. It is a day surgery procedure (they are dropped off in the morning for the procedure and go home the same afternoon).

  1. The morning of the surgery we ask that you do NOT give your kitten, puppy or ferret any food (this rule does NOT apply to rabbits). An empty stomach reduces the risk of vomiting under anaesthetic.

  2. Firstly we will book you a ‘Pre Op’ appointment, the morning of the surgery your pet will have a full health check with one of our experienced vets.

  3. Your pet will then be transferred to our kennels area and given a pre anaesthetic injection by our nursing team, to keep your pet calm and stress free.

  4. The surgery will usually takes less than 1 hour.

  5. Once fully awake and recovered your pet will be able to go home the same day.

  6. We ask than once home your pet is given a ‘light’ meal’ as they may feel slightly nauseous – we recommend a ‘recovery pack’ – this is specially formulated easily digested tinned food for pets following surgery. Alternatively you can feed boiled chicken and rice. 

    recovery pack

 

   Then 7 – 10 days following surgery we ask that your pet returns for his or her stitches to be removed (please note male cats do not have stitches so do not need to return).

 

 

Your pet may be quiet for a day or so but we should bounce back to normal, within a few days. Contact us today if you would like to book your pets neutering surgery.  

Did You Know an un neutered female cat can produce 18 kittens per year, which can end up with 20,000 descendants in just 5 years!

Did You Know female cats can get pregnant from 4 months of age! 

Did You Know neutering your rabbit can reduce cancer and urinary tract infections.

We hope the above has helped you decide to neuter your pet, if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask any of our friendly team.

Boo

Is your pet due a trip to the vet?

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We want your pet to be as happy to see us as we are to see them! 

One of the first things to help create this trust is to drop in, particularly when your pet is young  if you need a reason, our nurses and reception team love cuddles with your puppies and kittens and usually have a spare treat or two for them but we also offer free weight checks. This allows us to keep a record ensuring they’re growing up and gaining weight as they should be. 

If you are nervous about the visit don’t be! Our staff are highly experienced and have seen and heard it all. If it concerns you then please ask us , no question is too silly. Remain calm and ‘normal’ as your pet will pick up on any anxiety you may be feeling.

When visiting with cats we strongly recommend travelling your cat in a secure carrier not in your arms, even the calmest of cats can get stressed. If you have time, leave your carrier out a few days before your appointment, so your cat can climb in without being rushed. Try leaving a few treats and toys inside to tempt an investigation! Placing a towel over your carrier in the waiting room can help anxious cats – if you need one just ask us.

When travelling with dogs Invest in a doggie ‘seat belt’ or secure caged area of your car. If your dog suffers car sickness travel them on an empty stomach. Allow plenty of travel time so you are not rushed or late. Please keep your dog by your side in the waiting room. A vet practice can be a stressful place for pets and your laid back family dog could become stressed and snappy towards other dogs.

Practice ‘vet checks’ at home. Your pet is never to young or old to do this training: Gently look inside your pets eyes and ears, teeth and mouth, practice lifting each paw in turn and nail clipping this is something that can be done at home, check out our free guide> Cats and Dogs. Feel your pet all over from toe to tail. Spend 5 minutes a day practising the ‘all over’ handling and your pet will find an examination ‘normal’, when they come to us.

If you are coming in for a specific problem i.e. behaviour or tummy troubles  write a diary of events and problems. Try to include what foods they’ve eaten, treats, where they have been park , swimming, times of day all of these things may be useful when finding a diagnosis.

Please ask our vets to write notes for you to take home if you are concerned you may not remember something that was mentioned or bring a friend or family member for help and support.

We do our very best to ensure that you are seen on time at you appointment time but emergencies and unpredictable cases can happen so please bear with us, our reception team will endeavour to keep your updated if the consultations are running a few minutes late.

Treacle hiding

Kitten care- training, feeding, vaccinating, fleas

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Feeding

Try to continue the same food that the breeder was feeding at least in the first few days. You may then mix in a new kitten food if you would like to change it over the next few days. Kitten food will have all the nutrients and vitamins they require, and vitamin supplements are not needed. If your kitten develops diarrhoea, you should stop the kitten food and feed boiled chicken or fish for a couple of days. Cats do not need milk once they are eating kitten food and it can cause diarrhoea. Fresh tap water should be available at all times. Continue feeding 3x daily until 6 months old, and then 2x daily.  Dry food is better for your cats teeth as they get older and may be more convenient in warmer weather than wet food, but a mix of wet and dry may be offered.

 

Black and white cat

Black and white cat Minnie Moo

 

  • Worming

Most kittens will have worms which have been passed from their mum. They will need worming when acquired ( usually around 8-9 weeks of age), with either  tablets or more commonly a spot on treatment from the vet.

 

 

  • Vaccinations

Are strongly recommended to protect your kitten from air born viruses such as cat flu, and cat enteritis (diarrhoea). Leukaemia vaccination’s are also usually included, and recommended for any cat that will go outdoors. Yearly vaccination boosters are required to maintain their immunity.

 

 

  • Training

Kittens are not as easy to train as dogs – cats are just more independent ! However they should be provided with cat scratching posts, and should have lots of toys to play with. A piece of paper rolled up into a ball can give a lot of fun! Avoid playing with cotton thread or wool as they are dangerous if swallowed. If they are badly behaved with biting an scratching, do not tell them off as they won’t understand and it may make them fearful. Just ignore them by leaving the room or by putting them in an area by themselves.

 

 

  • Flea treatment

Should be used regularly particularly for outdoor cats ( but indoor cats may also pick up fleas, possibly brought in on clothing, or by other pets). We generally recommend monthly spot on treatment with Stronghold ( which also treats the common worms -roundworm), but flea injections given every 6 months are also available. Flea collars and most flea treatments from supermarkets are ineffective, and flea treatments from the vet are far more effective in preventing flea infestations occurring.

 

 

For further information on kitten and cat care see our blogs  on

 

 

How to stop kittens and cats scratching furniture

Tips to stop your cat spraying or toileting in the house

How to train your kitten to play without biting

Choosing a kitten – top ten tips

Cat carriers- how to get your kitten or cat to enjoy going in

 

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Kitten care- first steps

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kitten vets

 

Once you have decided on a kitten and are ready to take it home, there are some essential items that need to be prepared first:

Food: A good brand of kitten food (biscuits or pouches) should be fed and we personally recommend the Science Plan food. Kittens must have access to fresh water at all times. Kittens who have been weaned do not require milk (even though they may really like it!). Cow’s milk can cause diarrhoea and should be avoided.

Food and water bowls: Bowls should be cleaned daily.

Litter: The cat litter should be non-clumping and non-toxic as kittens have a tendency to chew and occasionally try to eat the litter.

Litter tray: Trays can either be open or covered, but should be placed in the room where the kitten will spend most of its time. Scoop out soiled litter daily and completely clean litter trays regularly. If you have more than one cat ideally there should be at least one litter tray per cat.

Bed/ blanket: These are not essential but most cats prefer a comfortable place to sleep that they can call their own.

Toys: Toys are very important to keep your kitten entertained. Avoid toys that are easily broken as these can cause a choking hazard. To avoid accidents, supervise your kitten during any play.

Scratching post: Cats and kittens need to scratch and scratching posts can be an ideal way of preventing the furniture from being used.

Cat carrier: This is essential for safely transporting your kitten. End opening plastic carriers, or top opening wire carriers are suitable.

 

Preparing the area

 

 

One room should be designated for the kitten to spend its first few days. This room should be large enough to include all of the above. It may be helpful to bring something with the scent of the previous owner on it, such as a blanket or toy. This familiar smell can help the kitten relax.

Feliway is a product that can help settle your kitten into a new environment. It can be purchased from the surgery as a spray or plug in diffuser which has replicated pheromones (cat scent) that cats would leave naturally, and is used to calm and comfort cats during stressful times. All cats think it is their own scent, so it can also help if you already have another cat in your house.

Before the arrival of a new kitten, every home should be checked for potential hazards. Kittens are very curious and will explore their new environment by jumping, climbing and sometimes chewing! We recommend checking the following hazards:

 

 

 

  • Oven Hobs (kittens may jump up and burn themselves)
  • Washing machines and tumble dryers (check kitten has not climbed in before turning on)
  • Irons (kittens may jump up and burn themselves)
  • Electric wires (kittens may chew)
  • Dustbins and toilets (always keep the lid on and the toilet seat down)
  • Sewing materials (kittens love to play with string, but if eaten it will cause a serious problem)
  • Any small objects like pins, etc (may cause a problem if eaten)

 

 

 

Many everyday items found in the home can be potentially toxic to kittens and cats, and need to be avoided. Examples of  toxins include:

 

 

 

  • Pesticides and weed-killers
  • Rat-bait and slug poison
  • Antifreeze
  • Paint
  • Certain plants – Holly, Lillies, Mistletoe, Wisteria, Rhododendron, Poinsettia, Ivy and Sweet Pea
  • Paracetemol and other human medications
  • Tea-tree oil
  • Flea spot-on products for Dogs that contain Permethrin

 

 

 

If your kitten has eaten or come into contact with any of the above products, please contact us immediately.

 

 

Finally once your kitten is settled into your home, sit back and enjoy the show -they’ll be climbing the curtains in no time, and post your cute pictures on our facebook page here  !