Parasites are organisms that feed on other animals (hosts). Besides causing health issues to their hosts some of them can also transmit diseases. It is important to control parasites in your cat not only for his health but also for yours, since many of them can also affect humans. Factors influencing the prevalence of the different parasites on your cat include your cat’s age, having outdoors access, living with other pets, time of the year and where you live. Owners should be aware that even indoor cats need parasite prevention.

External parasites are found in the hair and skin of cats. The most common ones include fleas, mites and ticks.

All cats are at risk of getting fleas. Fleas will not only cause skin irritation but may also transmit diseases. It is important to know that adult fleas live on the pet’s body but all the other life stages of the flea are spent in the environment. For this reason, if your cat is infested it is recommended to treat not only your cat but also to kill the fleas that may have started developing in your house. Despite thriving in warm temperatures and high humidity, these parasites are active all year. The comfort of our modern heating systems will also contribute to their development in our homes during colder months.

Mites cause irritation of the skin, resulting in itching, hair loss, and inflammation. Mites are common parasites of cats, especially ear mites. These parasites cause significant inflammation and pain and can lead to bacterial infections. If your cat is infested you may notice regular shaking of the head, constant itching of the ears and smelly and dirty ears.

Ticks vary in type and distribution depending on where you live. These parasites wait on tall grass for a host to pass nearby, since they can only crawl and cannot fly or jump. Ticks cause skin irritation and can transmit serious diseases, that threaten your cat’s health.

On the other hand, internal parasites live in your cat’s internal organs. There are two major types of internal parasites that can often affect cats: roundworms and tapeworms.

Cats can acquire roundworms via several routes so even indoor cats are at risk. A large number of roundworms infesting a growing kitten can affect the kitten’s growth, cause serious digestive upsets and be life threatening. Heavily infested kittens have a characteristic increased belly.

Several types of tapeworms may infect cats. These can be acquired through fleas or when cats hunt and eat prey. An infestation can cause vomiting or weight loss.

If your cat is infested with worms you may notice: diarrhoea, visible worms in stool, bloody stool, round appearance of the abdomen, weight loss, vomiting, constipation, itchy bottom or even trouble breathing.

Outdoor cats are particularly prone to get infected by parasites (external and internal) but indoor cats can also get them. Cats that do not receive regular preventive health care are most at risk for developing complications associated with parasites.

There are many different treatments that can protect your pet from internal and external parasites and your vet will be able to advise you on the best product for your pet’s specific case and also the treatment schedule that better suits him or her.

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Statistics show that indoor cats have longer, healthier lives than outdoor cats and in fact keeping your cat indoors may reduce some risks. However, these cats are also more likely to develop behavioural problems than those allowed outside if their environment isn’t properly enriched. The decision to keep your cat inside or allow him or her to go outside is a personal one and much will depend on your circumstances and on the personality of the individual cat.

Knowing the benefits and disadvantages of keeping your cat indoors or outdoors will help you decide what is best for your cat. Here are some factors you should keep in mind when making this important decision:

• Accidents and injuries. Cats that live outdoors can be hit by vehicles, become injured from other cats, or attacked by dogs and other predators.
• Infectious diseases and parasites. Cats with access to the exterior can contract infectious diseases from other cats and from the environment. They can also get more parasites, such as fleas, ticks and internal parasites.
• Poisoning and getting lost. Cats that live outdoors are more likely to get poisoned and lost, since cats tend to wander. They can have access to different kinds of poisons such as slug pellets, anti-freeze and rodent control poisons, including eating poisoned prey.
• Cats with outdoor access can exercise more. Not only because they have extra space, but also because they can hunt and climb trees among other activities. Indoor cats may not get the exercise they need, which can lead to a weight problem as well as stress. In order to help your indoor cat do more exercise you can enrich your household and provide him or her with places to climb such as cat towers and a supply of toys.
• Scratching behaviour. Cats have a natural instinct to keep their claws sharp, and they do this by scratching. If cats are not allowed outside they are more likely to scratch your furniture. If you have an indoor cat, you can get a scratching post that will allow your cat to display this normal behaviour.
• The outdoor environment is particularly stimulating and interesting for cats. If you have an indoor cat, there are ways to give him or her outdoors time while minimizing the associated risks. You can use a screened in porch or an outdoor cat enclosure to allow your cat to feel like he or she is outside, without exposing him or her to the outdoors dangers. You can also train your cat to walk with a harness. Either way it is recommended to provide adequate environmental enrichment if you want to keep your cat indoors. Keep in mind some timid and older cats may also prefer to stay indoors, where they are warm and protected.

Cats kept solely indoors should be provided with ways to exhibit their natural behaviour to ensure their welfare and avoid undesirable behavioural issues. Your cat needs to have enough space to exercise, climb and play indoors. He or she should also have a variety of resting places.

Some cats love going outside and others don’t want to go out at all, so wherever your cats spend their time, make sure they’re safe and happy!

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Bringing a new kitten home, what a joy! We know you want to keep your new pet happy and safe so here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Firstly, you need to have a cat carrier not only for your kitten’s first journey home, but also for later trips. Cats can get stressed when travelling in cars so it is better if they are confined in the carrier where they might feel safer. When you bring your kitten home put the carrier in the room you’ve prepared for the new pet to help him or her become comfortable with its presence.

Before bringing your kitten home you should prepare a small room where your new furry friend will be for the first days. Having a smaller area to explore at first will help your kitten get comfortable with the new home. The room shouldn’t have long curtains, objects that can be dangerous to your pet or poisonous plants, such as lilies. You should also get a comfortable bed with a nice blanket and you can place a scratching post nearby.

You should place the litter box in one side of the room and the food and water bowl in the other, as cats prefer to keep these two separated. Usually cats start using the litter box quickly with very little effort from their owners but if necessary you can show your new kitten where the litter box is and place him or her on the box when waking up from sleep and after meals, or when he or she is sniffing, scratching or beginning to crouch.

Kittens are very playful so your new pet will also need toys. You can leave some toys in the room to keep him or her entertained and occupied. Do your best to engage in several interactive play sessions per day and to socialise your kitten to people, sounds and experiences. Cats are naturally active at dawn and dusk but your kitten can adjust his or her sleeping patterns to fit in with your lifestyle.

It’s in a cat’s nature to have several small meals a day and it is recommended for kittens to be fed a good quality diet. Clean drinking water should be available at all times!

Many cats love to drink milk but please remember that many cats are lactose intolerant. This means cow’s milk can cause diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort in cats. There are commercial versions of milk for cats (that had most lactose removed) which are less likely to cause any issues. If your cats show any discomfort or diarrhoea the best option is to stop giving them milk.

You should make an appointment with your vet, so that your new pet can be properly examined, and treated if necessary. You can also take the opportunity to clarify all your doubts and get all the health information you need.

Your kitten shouldn’t be allowed outside until at least a week after he or she has finished the first course of vaccinations because of the risk of getting infectious diseases. It is also important to microchip your cat just in case he or she becomes lost or injured away from home. Microchipping is the best form of permanent identification.

Enjoy your new kitten and don’t forget to schedule a vet’s appointment for your furry friend every year.

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For many cats the trip to vet is not a pleasant experience and it is not hard to understand why. From the cat’s point of view, going to the vet usually means going for a car trip inside a cat carrier, to an unknown environment filled with potential threats such as unfamiliar humans, cats and dogs, only to be handled by a stranger and possibly go through even more unpleasant experiences such as taking pills or being vaccinated.

Many cats are not comfortable with the whole process but with a little help from their owners the trip to the vet doesn’t have to be so difficult for them.

A good starting point is to help your cat or cats get used to and even enjoy spending time in their carrier. Leave your carrier out, open it and place comfortable bedding inside to invite your cat to go in and take a few naps there on its own. You can also leave a piece of clothing from someone who is familiar to him or her inside the carrier, leave a couple of treats or toys around, spread some catnip and you can also spray synthetic cat hormones to encourage your cat to feel secure and comfortable inside it. Don’t forget to give your cat a few cuddles when he or she is inside the carrier to reinforce and praise this positive behaviour.

When cuddling your cat at home touch your cat’s face, ears, feet and lift its lip to have a look at their teeth so all this will be familiar to them when they need to be examined by a vet.

You can also take your cat for short car rides every now and then so he or she can get used to the experience and use a towel to cover the carrier to reduce motion sickness. If your cat tends to feel sick with car trips try not to feed it for a few hours before going for a car ride. You can also mention this to your vet since there are medications that can help your cat with motion sickness. Catnip and synthetic cat hormones are also great options to make the car trip more appealing. Always carry your cat’s carrier gently and reward your feline companion with attention and treats after each successful car trip.

This issue is taken very seriously by veterinary practices and nowadays most practices do their best to ensure vet trips are more positive experiences for their feline patients. Many practices have separate wards for cats, separate consulting rooms and even separate receptions areas for cats with pheromone diffusers to make the environment more welcoming.

It can also be helpful to wash your cat carrier after a visit to the vet to remove any smells that might upset your cat.

The sooner you start getting your cat used to these procedures the better. Kittens are a lot more open to new experiences so ideally owners should start getting cats used to their carrier, to car trips and to trips to the vet as early as possible.

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 Cats require plenty of fresh, clean water, especially the ones with certain health problems, like kidney disease and urinary tract disease, who need to drink more water than the average cat. There are many cats who don’t drink as much as they should so here are some tips on how to encourage your cat to drink more water.

• Place water bowls throughout the house
  Keep clean water bowls in multiple spots around the house so that your cat doesn’t need to go far to find one. Place them especially in places your cat likes to spend time and in quiet locations but away from his or her litter box. This will encourage your cat to explore and remind him or her to drink water. Make sure the water is changed at least once a day.
• Test different bowls
  You can keep several bowls out at all times and see which one drains the fastest. Find bowls of different types and materials and test a few out. In general cats prefer glass, metal and ceramic dishes to plastic ones.
• Try running water
  Many cats would rather drink from a leaky faucet than an open bowl. Your cat may be excited and curious by the movement, making him or her want to drink. If you notice this behaviour, try running the faucet a few times a day. Make it your morning and evening routine, for example, so your cat knows when to expect it. You can also use drinking fountains. Your cat may love to stare at, play with, and drink from the fountain. Keep fountains and regular water bowls available allowing your cat to decide which one he or she prefers.
• Consider feeding your cat wet food
  Wet food contains more moisture than dry cat food, so this is a good way of introducing more water into your cat’s diet. However, you can only make this change if your cat likes this kind of food and remember to talk to your vet about any diet changes.
• Add flavour to your cat’s water
  Try adding a little water from a can of water-packed tuna, from wet cat food or adding chicken broth to your cat’s bowl of water. This extra flavour may induce some cats to drink. You can also crush up catnip in the water bowl. Let your cat see you crush it so he or she knows it’s there.
• Add ice cubes to the water bowl
  Putting ice cubes in your cat’s water bowl can make the water more interesting. Some cats prefer cold water and the ice cubes also give him or her something to play with. You may also use flavoured ice cubes. You can freeze broth, water from boiling meat or clam juice into ice cubes and then place them in the water bowl. The ice will not only keep the water cold longer, but can also add a tasty flavour.
• Offer bottled water
  Try giving your cat bottled water and see if he or she prefers that to the water of the tap.

Be persistent and gradual in making these changes. Helping your cat increase his water intake can be very beneficial for a cat’s health!

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