Cats are naturally cautious and suspicious creatures and will be on the look-out for owners trying to trick them into something they don’t normally do.  This is why it can be difficult to give your cat medication, particularly if it is in tablet form.  However, if you have a just a few minutes a day, you can “train” your cat to take tablets without them even knowing it!

Download our guide sheet HERE which describes a step by step approach to using treats as the premise of training your cat to consume tablets with very little fuss. If you need any advice about your cat, call the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352.

If you struggle to give your cat tablets, particularly just the routine parasite products, it might be worth investing in a pill giver.  This is a great way to give your cat tablets and, with some practice, it can become a fairly calm and stress free task for both you and your cat.

Helen, one of our RVNs, has a cheeky cat called Albert who now takes regular medication for health issues.  Helen has spent some time getting Albert used to the pill giver and is now able to tablet Albert with very little fuss.  This is quite a feat as Albert can be a feisty customer and has left scars to prove it!

Take a look at the video HERE on our YouTube channel to see how it’s done and if you think you might need some help to tablet your cat or could use one of the pill givers, call the team who will be happy to help and advise. 

Making sure your cat has a parasite prevention regimen is really important as part of their overall health.  Cats are notoriously difficult to tablet so many owners opt for a spot on treatment and it works well for them.  Some owners prefer a tablet treatment and owners have developed some really ingenious ways of getting their cat to eat the tablet!

We have a variety of products and tools to help owners tablet their cat and they can be used for the administration of other regular medication too. 

More recently a new, palatable flea and tick tablet  has become available with evidence that shows that some cats are happy to eat the product by itself or if placed in their usual food.  Now as with all things cat, it may not suit everyone so the product comes with a guarantee that if your cat won’t eat it then you get your money back. 

So, if you are struggling to provide a reliable flea treatment for your cat, why not speak to the vet to discuss your specific needs. 

This month we’re going to look at all things cat!  Cats interact with us on their own terms and it can take us humans some time to learn to understand them so that their needs can be met.

Photo by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash

Cats are masters of hiding their feelings and hiding pain.  How they communicate with us can seem very peculiar to us humans so it’s important to try to learn their language.   We’ll visit these ways throughout the month but to start us off here is some trivia that owners might find useful and surprising:

What are cats afraid of?

 

43% of cats are afraid of conflict with other cats.  This could be from cats who live in the same home as them or cats that live in the same neighbourhood.  It is considered to be one of the main sources of stress for cats.

35% of cats are fearful of people they don’t know.  Humans are the centre of a dog’s universe but for cats, its universe is a physical space where it feels relaxed.  Cats are bonded to their location with the bond to the owner coming second.

34% of cats are scared of fireworks and loud noises in general.

24% of cats are afraid of going to the vet.

14% of cats don’t get along with other cats they live with.

So there you have it.  Cats are more scared of each other than they are of going to the vets.  As a Cat Friendly Clinic we take steps to reduce the stress a cat may feel from a visit.  We can offer some really good tips on how to make it as pleasant as possible for them so get in touch with the team today to discuss your specific needs.

August has been all about vaccinations, the importance of them, what you protect your pet against and the symptoms of some of the diseases we vaccinate against.

We’ve captured this information in a handy sheet that you can either save or download HERE to refer to whenever you like.

We hope you enjoy reading the information and if you want to start protecting your pet, call the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352.

Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease is an extremely infectious virus that is usually fatal.  More recently in the UK, in 2015, a new strain of this disease was reported so vaccination to incorporate this strain is now also available.

Symptoms for these diseases are very hard to spot and if they are observed can usually be confused with other health conditions; fever, lethargy, neurological signs (coma) and blood clotting problems .  The virus causes internal bleeding and because the symptoms are so vague, the best and most effective way to protect your rabbit is through vaccination.

For information on all the diseases we vaccinate against, click HERE.  Protect your rabbit today and call the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253766352 to book your vaccination appointment.

Many owners get a pet rabbit because they are seen as an easy pet to look after.  However, this is not true as rabbits have quite complex care needs.  Part of the routine healthcare you should provide for your pet rabbit is vaccination.

Vaccination provides protection against common diseases that affect your pet.  The first disease we are going to look at is Myxomatosis.

This disease has been around in the wild population since the 1950s and still kills many wild and pet rabbits every year.  It is a disease that affects the eyelids, the skin of the ears, the lips and genitals causing swelling.  The prognosis for an unvaccinated rabbit is usually a long and painful death, with euthanasia being the kindest option.

Download information HERE on the diseases that can affect your rabbit and that we can vaccinate against.  Call the team today on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 and book in for your appointment and start protecting your pet today.

Feline Herpes is a virus that causes upper respiratory infections in cats and is transmitted through direct contact with saliva, eye and nasal secretions, inhalation of sneeze droplets, sharing of food bowls and litter trays and from a contaminated environment such as bedding.

The virus can last for 1-2 days in the environment but once infected, cats are effectively life-long carriers of the virus.

Symptoms include discharge from the eyes and nose, sneezing, salivation, lethargy, loss of appetite and coughing. 

Download information HERE on the diseases that affect cats and the symptoms to look out for.  The most cost-effective way to protect your cat is through vaccination so call the team today on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 and start protecting your cat.

Feline Calicivirus is a disease that causes an upper respiratory infection in cats, commonly known as “cat flu”.  Your cat can catch it from direct contact with saliva, eye and nasal secretions, inhalation of sneeze droplets, sharing of food bowls and litter trays and from a contaminated environment such as bedding.

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Symptoms include discharge from the eyes and nose, sneezing, salivation, lethargy, loss of appetite and coughing.  They may also exhibit signs of gingivitis and “limping syndrome” which is as a result of inflammation of the joints.  Joint pain, although not permanent, can be extremely painful and uncomfortable for your cat.

Download information HERE on the diseases that affect cats and the symptoms to look out for.  The most cost-effective way to protect your cat is through vaccination so call the team today on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 to book your appointment.

Feline Panleucopenia (FPV) also known as feline parvovirus, is a severe and frequently fatal cause of haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (vomiting and bloody diarrhoea).  This infection is common and a high proportion of affected cats can die.  Vaccination against this disease is highly effective and is critical in protecting cats especially as the virus is highly contagious.

Download cat vaccination information HERE for information on all the of diseases we vaccinate against, how they are transmitted and what the symptoms are.  Call the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 and book your vaccination appointment or to discuss vaccination in general and your cat’s specific needs.