Cats Is All About

Cats love being outside for the fresh air, the freedom and to enjoy the sunshine as well as the chance to run around and get some exercise. Aside from the possible legal implications of letting your pet cat roam free, there are dangers to you cat and its health.

There is much debate about confining cats to your property based around the impact that they cause to the environment when running free.

Research has shown that aside from disease, the majority of incidents involving cats occur at night. Whether its a traffic accident, harm to surrounding wildlife (Pet cats kill an average of 16 mammals, 8 birds and 8 reptiles every year. 900 000 pet cats by 32 wildlife each per year = 29 million wildlife (DPI Australia)) or an injury to your cat from a fight. This has lead local councils to actively encourage owners to keep their pets inside at night to prevent harm through injury or disease whilst protecting our endangered wildlife in the surrounding community.

Recent studies from the US suggest that town cats are more stressed than rural cats because their territory is smaller and they spend much of their time protecting it against rivals. They also found that city cats crossed the paths of at least 10 other felines a day, and half had to deal with rivals entering their home to steal food.

As part of the study, scientists have used miniature cameras and GPS trackers to find out where and why cats do their business. Perhaps not surprisingly, they've found that they pee in neighbours' yards to mark the edge of what they consider their territory. The behaviour was revealed when tiny cameras and GPS trackers were fitted to nine pets for eight days.

It found the average moggy spends 12 hours a day snoozing in a favourite resting place, usually where it can keep an eye on its territory.

As a leading example of these laws being passed in Australia, The Cat Bill 2011 has been tabled in parliament in Western Australia to provide for the control and management of cats as well as promoting the responsible ownership of cats.

The bill covers the following topics: Registration and tagging, Microchipping, Sterilisation, Transfer of ownership of cats, Changes to recorded information, control notices, Seizing cats, Dealing with cats at management facilities, Restrictions on breeding cats, Becoming an approved breeder, Administration, Delegations, Particular powers of authorised persons, Warrants, Infringement notices, Objections and review, Legal proceedings, Regulations, Local laws.

There are many different options for confining your cat to your property ranging from small cages through to a run or enclosure down the side of your house. These can be built from net, wire, fencing or a number of other options. A quick search of the internet will show you the many different options available either professionally installed or there are countless D.I.Y. instruction guides.

Having a Cat Enclosure or Cat Run allows your cat the freedom of being outside whilst protecting them from potential dangers... Here is a summary of some of the benifits of confining your cat to your property.

Cats Live Longer

- They don't go missing

- They don't get hit by traffic

- They don't accidentally get locked in sheds/garages

- Cats are protected from rapidly spreading Feline Aids & Feline Panleukopenia (Cat Plague)

- Cats are safe from pesticides in neighbouring gardens

- Your pet is protected from feral cats

Happier Neighbours

- No cats roaming around in their gardens

- No digging up their plant pots

- No cat mess in their garden

- No cats catching birds that are welcome visitors in their garden

Environmentally Friendly

- Hunting of wildlife isn't possible if your cat is confined

- You have total control over what your cat eats

Lower Cost

- Less chance of injury occurring from traffic or cat fights

- Less chance of your cat picking up disease or infections

and this means lower vet bills!

Owners Get to Spend More Time With Their Cat

- Quality time with your cat in your garden

- Totally safe environment

If you want to get the most from owning a cat you need to learn about cat behavior. You will then be able to avoid many of the problems that cat owners struggle with and have a fun and loving relationship with your pet.

If you experience problem behavior by your cat and react in the wrong way it will result in you and your cat being stressed. So how do you train a cat? Well, a cat cannot be trained in the same way as a dog and if you show anger when a cat has done something wrong that will just make the situation worse.

Unfortunately a cat will not relate your reaction with whatever they have just done but might learn from your behavior that you are someone to be wary of. The cat might learn to be careful when you are around but will still do what you don't like at other times.

"Training" a cat is about understanding why they are doing something then eliminating the problem or getting them to associate the unwanted action with an unpleasant outcome whilst, in many cases, you offer a more pleasant alternative.

The sort of problems you can tackle with the right knowledge include:

* Scatching Furniture - Scratching is a natural instinct for cats and something you cannot stop. However, you can provide the cat with an alternative which he can use instead of your furniture. You then have to make it attractive for him to do so.

* Biting Unexpectedly - If a cat starts biting they may be in pain in which case a visit to the vet is required. If this is not the case the reason for this behavior needs to be found and controlled.

* Spraying - Spraying is when a cat seeks to mark its territory, find a mate or maybe relieve stress by "spraying" a strong smelling mix of urine and pheromones. This behavoir can be tackled a number of ways but the cause needs to be determined first. It is important to be sure that the cat is spraying rather than just urinating in the wrong place as the action required is different.

* Litterbox Issues - Sometimes cats refuse to use a litterbox and make a mess elsewhere. The cause is usually fairly easy to find and correct.

* Relations with other cats - If you introduce a new cat into the household it must be done very carefully to prevent problems with your existing pet. Avoiding conflict in a multi-cat household requires careful management.

The more you know about your pet and his behavior, the better you can solve the problems you have with your pet and the better pet owner you will be. With a bit of understanding, you can have a more fulfilling and peaceful relationship with your cat.

If you own a cat then you may have a basic understanding of the types of food you should and should not offer. Yet vets are seeing an increasing number of overweight cats in their surgeries and feline obesity is on the rise. Owners are either oblivious to the amounts of food they should be offering or are simply choosing to spoil their cat by offering inappropriate foods as treats throughout the day. Some foods can encourage your cat to become a fussy eater, whilst others can be downright dangerous. This list highlights a number of food products which you should NEVER feed to your cat.

Alcohol

Alcohol on any quantity can cause serious problems for your cat. In the mildest case it can lead to erratic behaviour and sickness, but given in large volumes will lead to coma and possibly death.

Bones

If you are offering your cat fish or meat (chicken for example) you need to take care removing the bones. Bones can easily choke a cat and they can also lacerate the digestive system.

Chocolate and caffeinated drinks

Chocolate and drinks containing caffeine also contain theobromine or theophylline. These substances can be life threatening to your cat as they are toxic and can bring about heart failure.

Fat trimmings

If you are cutting off the fat from your meat don't think it is ok to offer it to the cat. Just as with humans, excessive amounts of fat lead to weight gain in cats and in the worst case can result in pancreatitis.

Grapes, Raisins and Macadamia Nuts

The toxin is unknown, but grapes, raisins and macadamia nuts can damage a cat's kidneys.

Liver

Excessive amounts of liver are harmful to a cat because it can bring about vitamin A toxicity. This has a detrimental effect on both the muscles and bones.

Milk and other dairy

Many people believe that a saucer of milk is the most appropriate drink to offer a cat. However, excessive consumption of milk can lead to diarrhoea in many adult cats because they do not have the ability to break down the lactose. You can buy specialist cat milk which does not contain lactose and this should be offered as an alternative. If you are feeding your cat dry cat food you should always offer clean, fresh water.

Mushrooms

Certain mushrooms can contain toxins which can be life threatening to a cat. The cat could quickly go into toxic shock after eating a mushroom.

Onion and Garlic

Onions in particular are very harmful to cats. They contain sulphides and disulphides which can lead to anaemia by damaging the red blood cells. Whilst garlic contains the same toxins it is less harmful than onion, but still should never be offered.

Fruit and Vegetables including:

Potato, rhubarb, tomato leaves, plum and peach pits and tomato skins. They contain oxalates which can damage the digestive system, nervous system and urinary system.

Raw Egg

In addition to the risk of salmonella, raw eggs contain avidin. Avidin is an enzyme which reduces the absorption of the B vitamin biotin. The cat may suffer from fur and skim problems.

Raw Fish

Uncooked fish should not be offered. It can lead to a Vitamin B deficiency and in cases where raw fish has been fed regularly the cat has been more prone to seizures and death.

Salt and Sugar

Salt and sugar can cause a raft of problems. Excessive salt can lead to electrolyte imbalances and sugar can bring about weight gain and tooth decay. Neither is necessary in a cat's diet.

Scraps from your plate

Avoid offering your cat leftovers from your plate. It encourages bad behaviour and it is likely that you are offering inappropriate foods. You will also be encouraging your cat to become a fussy eater.

Plants

Whilst not being a food in the traditional sense of the word, cats love to chew on plants. If you bring plants into the house you should be aware that some are poisonous to cats. These are as follows:

All lilies, amaryllis, azalea, cactus, caladium, creeping charlie, easter lilly, dieffenbachia, ivy, mistletoe, philodendron, poinsettia.

To ensure your cat lives a happy and healthy life you should avoid all the foods on this list. Purchase a good quality dry cat food (dry cat food helps to reduce plaque and tartar build up on the teeth) and make sure you do not bring harmful house plants into your home.