Do you know these common feline facts…?
Worms: Cats and kittens that have not been wormed almost always have worms. Kittens become infected through nursing off their mammas and adult cats that hunt or have fleas can pick up tape worms. Symptoms of worm infestation include diarrhea, insatiable appetite, dull coat, pot belly and coughing. The treatment is simple and relatively inexpensive. In addition to desexing, vaccinating and microchipping your cat, ridding her of parasites is the most important thing you can do to ensure health and well being as the rob your cat of essential nutrients, compromise immunity and can be fatal for young kittens.
Fleas: Unlike mites, lice or tapeworms (host parasites), fleas are lair parasites, which means they reside in the environment and not on the animal. You can’t just kill the fleas on your pet – you need to treat where they live too. Fleas can live in dormant stage for two years, just waiting for a warm body to feed on. Aside from scratching, other symptoms of flea infestation are hair loss, actual fleas jumping, bumps on the skin, black flecks that look like dirt or pepper on your cat’s coat. Fleas not only cause extreme discomfort, they can cause fatal anemia in kittens and cats. They are a host for tapeworms so if your kitty has fleas, it’s highly probable they also have tapeworms. Flea collars may repel fleas and send them to the rear of the cat but they don’t kill them.
A great home remedy is to use Borax laundry detergent to wash your cat’s bedding and then around the house instead of an expensive, potentially toxic flea bomb. Sprinkle the Borax powder on your furniture and floors – anywhere the fleas might be. Let sit for several hours, vacuum it up along with the fleas. Immediately dispose of contents into wheelie bin. For kittens under 12 weeks, try dabbing a cotton tip in Vaseline and touching the flea – it gets stuck and you pull it off. Simple, inexpensive, non-toxic and environmentally friendly.
Collars: Putting a collar on your cat is a personal choice – some are for and some against. If you insist on putting a collar on your cat, make sure it’s a ‘breakaway’ collar, and check it frequently to ensure it’s not too tight. Kitty can quickly outgrow a collar and be severley injured or maimed by one that becomes painfully embedded in the skin. They can hang themselves or get their legs caught trying to get out of the collar. Microchipping is the best form of identification for our feline friends, not collars.
BUT you want to prevent your cat from hunting wildlife…? Research has shown bells on cat collars don’t protect wildlife – stopping your cat from wandering by having cat proof fencing does. Bells don’t work at all to “warn” the wildlife. Cats that have bells on their collars are able to catch our native wildlife just as effectively as a cat that doesn’t have a bell. In any case, your cat should be kept inside the yard as it’s much safer for them and actually against Qld Local Council Laws. Being outside exposes them to risks such as being attacked/killed by dogs, hit by cars, getting into fights with other cats and contracting FIV or FELV.
Responsible cat ownershipAll cat owners have a responsibility to their cat, their community and the environment. Responsibly cared for cats are happy and safe, make good neighbours and don’t threaten wildlife. |
- By law, cats must be microchipped and registered. In some Qld Local Authorities, it’s become Local Law to also have your cat / kitten desexed. Keeping registration details up-to-date is important in case your cat is ever lost as it enables you to be reunited with your cat. You may also wish to put a collar and tag on your cat so it is obvious that the cat is an owned cat.
- Cats can be desexed from as young as eight weeks of age and unless you are a registered breeder, you should desex your cat. Feline overpopulation is a significant problem that leads to tens of thousands of cats being killed in QLD every year. There are health and behaviour benefits for desexed cats, and registration is significantly discounted.
- At a minimum, cats should be curfewed from dusk to dawn (this is the time wildlife is most at risk from cats hunting, and cats are most at risk from injury and death from cars and fights with other cats). You can be a good neighbour by installing cat-proof fencing or a cat enclosure.
- Cats can and do live happily indoors; by keeping your cat indoors you are benefiting your cat, yourself and the environment. We encourage all cat owners to keep their cat indoors, or if outdoors then in a securely fenced area, and always indoors from dusk to dawn. If you decide you would like your cat to be an indoor-only cat, you need to remember to provide enough stimulation for your cat so they don’t get bored. Although cats sleep a lot, you will need to provide at least 30 minutes a day of play time for your cat, even for older cats. The following points will ensure your cat has stimulation throughout the day:
* Toys – there is a huge variety of cat toys available to keep your cat happy for hours, even some you can enjoy as well
* Greenery – provide your cat with some cat grass or catmint in a pot; your cat can chew on the foliage to help their digestion
* An outside run – make a cat enclosure in your yard so your cat can sit outside without the hazards of being on the street. Look on the internet for patterns for these or companies that pre-make them.
* Scratching posts – cats need to scratch things in order to shed the dead nail sheath from their claws. Provide your cat with a scratch post, to protect your furniture and carpet. To promote use of the post you can spray them with catnip spray.
* Clean the litter tray – cats are very clean animals so ensure you remove any solid waste from your cat’s litter tray daily and provide your cat with a couple of trays to avoid any nasty surprises when you get home
* Get TWO CATS!!! Keep your cat entertained by getting them a friend. This will ensure your cat is never lonely and always has a playmate. - Ensure your cat is well-cared for – this includes a nutritionally complete and balanced diet; fresh water at all times; regular grooming and treatment to prevent fleas and worms; annual vet health checks and treatment as needed; a vaccination schedule; play time and pats; boarding or a pet-sitter when you are away; and contingency plans for emergencies.
Please remember that not everyone appreciates cats and incidents of brutality and cruelty to cats are tragically frequent. You can protect your cat, be a good neighbour and care for the environment by keeping your cat safely inside your house or securely on your property. Cruelty to animals is illegal. Report cruelty to your local police or the RSPCA or the Animal Welfare League. Little Paws does not have investigation and prosecution powers under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
