FAQ
Q. What age should kittens be weaned on to kitten food?
A. The weaning process should be initiated at around 4-6 weeks old. By
Six-seven weeks the kitten should be fully weaned but can still suckle off the mother if only for comfort.
Q. Why and what age should my kitten be vaccinated
A. The two essential vaccinations are cat flue and feline infectious enteritis. This is a course of two primary vaccinations 2-3 weeks apart followed by an annual booster. Additional vaccinations include feline leukaemia virus, clamydia and also rabies if travelling or living aboard. Kittens can be vaccinated between 7 and 9 weeks old.
Q. How often should my kitten/cat be wormed?
A. Kittens and cats should be wormed periodically. Ask your veterinary surgeon for advice.
Q. What age do kittens open their eyes?
A. At approx 10 days old.
Q. What are the names given to male and female cats?
A. Unneutered (entire) male cats are called Toms and unsprayed females are called Queens.
Q. How often should I treat my kitten/cat for fleas?
A. To maintain flea control, it is recommended that treatment be applied throughout the year.
Q. How do I know if my cat has fleas?
A. Apart from the obvious scratching, fleas can be recognized by their dirt, which are tiny black specks found in their fur close to the skin. This is most evident at the back of the neck and towards the tail end.
Q. Can I give my cat milk?
A. Most cats love milk but this should not be given on a regular basis. Cats are unable to digest the lactose contained in milk, which can cause diarrhoea.
Q. Can I feed my cat a vegetarian diet?
A. No! Cats need meat as part of their daily diet as it contains an essential amino-acid called taurine.
Q. How do I stop my cat for spraying around the house?
A. Spraying is usually a territorial thing. There may be a reason why your cat feels the need to spray? e.g any other animals that visit? First you need to clean the area with biological detergent e.g washing powder followed by sugical spirit. Dont use bleach, it contains ammonia also found in cat urine. This might help to deter him returning to the scent. You could try putting some cat food on the ground where he sprays, this could make him feel more secure and they tend not to spray around their food. Dry would be good, if he eats it. Don't punish him, this can increase anxieties which could result in an increase of spraying. There is a vaporisor callled feliway which you can plug-in. It releases cat hormones called pheromones which are supposed to relax the cat and reduce this sort of behaviour. It can be purchased from the vet. Finally, neutering of a tom cat can help stop spraying.
Q. Why is my cat scratching its ears?
A. Ear mites is the most common excuse for this. Contact your veterinary surgeon for advice.
Q. How can I tell whether my kittens or male or female?
A. To sex a kitten, just lift the tail. Under the tail you will see the anus. If there is another slit (known as the vulva) directly below this then you have a female. For a male, below the anus, you will notice a furry area, which is covering the testicles. If you gentle pinch with your thumb and forefinger you should be able to feel the testicles, which shall confirm the sex.
Q. What age should I get my cat neutered/spayed?
A. Both male and females cats should be neutered/spayed at 6 months old. This is when they reach sexual maturity.
Q. How do I introduce my new kitten to my resident cat?
A. It can take time for a resident cat to accept a new kitten. She may or may not grow to like the kitten but she should learn to tolerate it. It can take weeks to months depending on the individual cat. It just takes patience. Make sure sahe gets lots of extra T.L.C so she dosen't feel ousted by the new arrival.
Q. What can I do if my cat is not using its litter tray?
A. Firstly it would be best not to punish him/her (as tempting as this can be) as
it only increases anxiety and does nothing to correct the behaviour. There
are various things you could try. Firstly, more litter trays, ensuring they
are spotlessly clean, placing newspaper under the tray to catch any
spillage. If you have recently changed your cat litter it may be best to go
back to the original brand of litter. Confining them to a small space where
they have only the choice to go in a tray or their own bed. Any other space
could be used up with food dishes. This could help to re-establish correct
litter training. Try cleaning the area with some biological dtergent
followed by a spray of surgical spirit. This should help to get rid of the
scent. Stress can also cause this behavior, e.g.a neighbour's cat, a new cat
in the household, a new baby or moving house. You could try feliway, a
plug-in diffuser, which is used to reduce stress and can be purchased from
the vet. Finally, in the case of incontinance or a urinary infection contact
your vet for advice.
Q. My cat is vomitting up balls of hair, should I be concerned?
A. Your cat is vomitting up hairballs. Hairballs occur in most cats and is an accumulation of hair in the stomach of the cat from constantly licking. To vomit up the hairball, a cat will usually eat grass. However, if the hairball becomes too large it can form a blockage in the bowel, which may cause recurrent vomiting. There are number of treatments for hairballs. Firstly regular grooming helps to prevent hairballs. Olive oil or liquid paraffin is often given to cats with hairballs: give one teaspoon per day for three days. Some owners may give their cats oily fish, such as sardines or mackerel, once a week to ease the passage of hairballs. There are also malt-flavored hairball remedies which can be given to cats. If your cat stops eating or seems off color, veterinary advice should be sought.
Q. How often should I feed my kitten?
A. Kitten need to be fed little often. Adult cats usually twice a day.
Q. Why do cats scratch the furniture?
A. Cats will scratch to sharpen their claws. Also they are releasing and picking up scent.
Q. When is it safe to let my kitten out?
A. Like young children, kittens should only be allowed out under supervision. Once they are neutered/sprayed and identified (collar/disc) it should be safe to let them out unless you live on or beside a busy road.
Q. What precautions can I take in the event my cat becomes lost?
A. safety collar and a disc with name and phone number will help other identify your cat. Microchipping has also become popular. This can be carried out the veterinary surgeon.
Q. What is the gestation period in the Queen?
A. A cat's pregnancy lasts approximately 65 days.
Q. My cat seems to be sick a lot but is bright and eating well.
A. Furballs is the most common reason for this or sometimes a cat can eat two quickly causing it to regurgitate its food soon after. If however the cat stops eating or seems off color, veterinary advice should be sought.
Q. Why neuter and spay?
A. For obvious reasons, the female should be sprayed to prevent unwanted kittens. The male should also be neutered to prevent him wandering in search of females in heat. Quite often the Tom can be involved in a car accident by venturing too far. Neutering also reduces the pungent odor of urine and territorial spraying.
Q. What are the signs of heat?
A. Heats usually last between 2-4 days and can involve a lot of wailing, howling, rolling about the floor and raising of the backend into the air. Also there may be some male visitors prowling outside.
Q. How many heats a year does the Queen have?
A. Queens are polyaestrous, which means many heats a year unlike the bitch, which has only two.
Q. What does it mean when my cat purrs?
A. This usually means contentment.
Q. Why do cats spray?
A. Male cats spray to mark their territory. This usually occurs in unneutered Toms and can be counteracted by neutering.