In today’s society of designer pets, chickpea-based diets and rights for inanimate objects, it should come as no surprise to readers when I write than many pet owners are moving their pets onto vegetarian diets. Instead of tackling the issue of rights and the subject of ‘what people should do’, it is my job to give you the facts so you can make your own informed choices.

Cats are carnivores. From their bones, teeth and claws to their senses, stomach and bowels, cats are ‘designed’ to hunt, kill, eat and excrete meat. In the wild, almost 100% their nutrition comes from meat. However, let us bear in mind that, in the wild, meat is the only source of the nutrients that cats require to be healthy. This is no longer the case for a felis catus…

Although domesticated cats cannot get all their essential nutrients from a vegetarian diet alone, we humans have developed clever supplements which, when combined with a vegetarian diet, ensure cats get everything they need without having to eat meat. The same goes for our human diet as well – nobody ‘needs’ to eat meat. When combined with the fact that lots of companies conduct tests on animals, as well as the massive environmental damage that keeping livestock to slaughter for food does to the environment, it may be hard for cat owners to justify their pet’s meaty diet.

Image from adcnews.go.com

In our recent posts, we recommended keeping your cat relaxed and entertained to help deal with urination problems. In response, some people said they had trouble playing with their cat, or finding anything to keep it amused. In the next couple of posts, therefore, we’ll cover a few tips on entertaining your furry friend.

Toys are the obvious first choice for entertainment, but not all toys are created equal. The most important thing to remember when playing with a cat is that her natural instincts are to hunt prey; to get her interest you should try to stimulate that instinct. For one thing, consider a toy that looks and moves like prey; toys that scurry around, flutter about or dart from place to place will be almost sure to catch her eye. Toys that disappear will also confuse and interest her and she seeks to hunt them down!

Like dogs, cats can also learn ‘tricks’ that can help keep them stimulated both mentally and physically. Sitting, rolling over and fetching toys are all possible, though you should be warned that most training will involve some kind of food-based reward…

Next time we’ll cover play time. Image from pet-gift.net

When it comes to successfully playing with your cat, an element of routine can help. Remember a large part of playing relies of stimulating the hunting instinct in your cat, so try playing at times when your pet would be out hunting – mornings and evenings are the obvious choices. Since most of us have more free time before and after work, this works out well for pet and owner.

So set aside two regular times a day to play with your cat, for around a total of half an hour. That said, don’t feel you have to keep playing with your cat if she seems to be getting bored earlier. It is also sensible not to use the same toys over and over again and not to leave them laying around afterwards either, otherwise your cat will soon be bored of them. Hide the toys away when you’re not playing together and, when it is play time, vary which toys you use to keep things fun and interesting.

Make sure to inspect your cat’s toys regularly, to spot any broken or loose pieces that could be a health hazard. The last thing you want is your cat choking on a toy you bought to make her healthier! The best toys are those without any loose parts, parts that are glued on or any strings, ribbons and elastic bands. It should go without saying that toys should also not be small enough to swallow or made from toxic materials.

If you are really struggling to make your cat use the litter tray, here are some tips:

• Make sure you put the litter tray somewhere where your cat will feel safe and unexposed. Nobody wants to be watched while they go, it’s only natural!
• Try not to put the litter tray somewhere where it’s too enclosed or cramped.
• Don’t put the litter tray near your cat’s food bowl, or even in the room where your cat eats.
• Experiment by playing multiple litter trays all around the house and keeping watch to see which get used most. Then you can remove the lesser-used trays and leave trays where you know your cat feel comfortable using them.
• When your cat urinates outside of the litter tray, it is important you don’t punish her. There is almost no chance she will understand why she is being punished and the affect will only be to stress her out and mess with her urination problems even more.
• Ensure you cat is getting enough stimulation, especially if they are being kept indoors against their will. Anxiety is a key cause of most behavioural problems, including urination.

When it comes to understanding behavioural problems with urination, it is important to think ‘outside the box’, if you will. When outside, cats bury their excrement; hence, when inside, they are already far more likely to use a litter box for defecating than for urinating, even before being training. Although some cats aren’t particularly bothered about the state of their litter box, others are exceptionally picky and, if their owner doesn’t keep their litter box clean and tidy, they won’t use it. After all, they probably see no reason to wee in a tray!

If your cat isn’t keen on using the litter tray, it might be that she doesn’t feel particularly safe doing so. Consider moving the litter tray to somewhere sheltered and protected, where she doesn’t threatened. For more details see the solutions post. Similarly, if your cat is an outdoor cat and suddenly finds herself inside for long periods of time, because of foul weather for example, she can find herself stressed – which can have a major impact on urination. Playing with her or keeping her entertained will help reduce stress and encourage normal behaviour.

Always remember your cat shouldn’t be treated like a person; you can’t just tell her off and expect her to start using her litter tray more appropriately. A little time and consideration are far more useful.

If cat spraying is becoming a frequent problem for you, there are various methods for preventing it. Today I’ll explain just a few of them. First of all, however, I must ask that you don’t punish your cat for spraying; as frustrating as it is, it is natural behaviour and in most cases the delay between the spraying and punishment will simply serve to confuse the cat.

Also, although castration stops spraying immediately in 80% of male cats, there are other, less drastic measures you should attempt first. For one thing, consider whether there is anything your cat may consider as a threat, which may be causing the behaviour; other cats inside or outside the house, a new baby or even simply moving the furniture around.

If you are having any building work done, try to keep your cat away from it, as this will encourage territorial spraying. Once any building work is done, introduce your cat to the new area slowly and with the use of familiar items to make her feel at home; this will reduce anxiety and the need to mark new territory. Allowing and encouraging your cat to rub against objects in places where spraying has previously taken place may also help reduce the urge to spray again.

Before anything else, have your cat checked out for any medical reasons that may be causing the spraying. Most relevant health problems will be covered by your cat insurance.

Nobody really wants cat wee all over their house, no matter how natural spraying might be! In this post I’ll explain how to go about cleaning up your cat’s sprayed urine, as it’s not as simple as you might think!

To start with, you’ll want to detect the exact area in which your cat has deposited urine. This is best achieved using a black fluorescent light, under which the urine will show up as yellow. However, sprayed urine is a more complicated substance than you may expect and cleaning it thoroughly will require more than just soap and water. Although you can buy commerical products designed for the job, you can also use basic household items to achieve the same result.

Firstly, you will need to remove the proteinous parts of the urine by using a warm solution of water containing biological washing power – the enzymes in which will break down the protein. Next you should rise the area with cold water and allow it to dry naturally before finally spraying an alchohol-based product, which will break down the fatty deposits. Once complete, ensure the room is totally dry before allowing your cat back in.

An alternative method is to combine one part white vinegar with two parts warm water to create an anti-spray-spray, or a cocktail of hydorgen peroxide (approx. 15 ounces), baking soda (approx. 2 tablespoons) and liquid hard soap; apply this solution and then wash away using warm water.

Any cat owner will be familiar with their cat running herself on objects and people. I wonder, though, how many understand what their cat is actually doing…

By rubbing her head and mouth against objects, a cat is marking her territory using scent glands to deposit facial pheromones. Unlike spraying, which is considered a response to a perceived threat, marking by rubbing is thought to be a positive and social expression, as well as something that makes a cat feel more comfortable in her territory. To this extent, cats who share a household will often actually rub against each other, even when simply passing one another by in the corridor!

Slightly different from this is a behaviour most cat owners will be familiar with, if not by name. ‘Bunting’ is the action of your cat rubbing her head against your face and is considered a very friendly and lovely gesture. Spraying is also normal cat behaviour but, rather than being a friendly and social gesture, it acts as more of a method of reducing confrontation by quickly communicating information about a cat’s age, health and rank. Although perfectly normal, spraying can be something of a problem for cat owners – check the rest of the blog for help and information regarding spraying.

Although spraying is perfectly normal for cats, it can be something of a nuisance for cat owners. In the next couple of posts I shall explain spraying; what it is, why cats do it, what causes it, how best to clean it up and what you can do to prevent it.

Spraying is a method of communication in cats; it carries information regarding a cat’s gender, age, health and even their social status and rank! Cats spray whilst standing, at a level that will be nose-height to other cats. It is a very common behaviour when there are lots of cats around, as it helps establish a hierarchy without confrontation.

However, cats will sometimes spray without an obvious cause or reason – when they are alone in the house, for example. Sometimes this may be because they perceive a threat outside, though other times cats like to mix their scent with your own, as a way of making themselves feel more comfortable in their territory and environment. As nice a gesture as this is, it can be frustrating!

Finally, there can be medical reasons behind behaviour similar to; lower urinary tract disease can cause urine to be deposited around the house, yet is nothing to do with marking territory. Although easily treated, LUTD is potentially fatal if left undetected and we highly advise taking your cat to the vet if you are even slightly concerned.

As we discovered last time, dehydration can be very dangerous if it gets too severe. Today we’ll look at how to help your cat avoid dehydration.

First and formost, you should make certain there is a constant supply of clean, fresh drinking water available for your cat all the times. This is especially important if you are going away for a while, though I assume all responsible cat owners take all the necessary steps if leaving their pet alone for any length of time. It may sound strange to point out, but make sure the water is within easy reach; your cat should have to go on an adventure for a drink! Having water in all the main rooms of the house is highly recommended, as many cats spend most their time in the same rooms as their owners. If your cat goes outside, you should ensure there is a sheltered area avaiable, so he can sit out of the sun on hot days.

If you cat has any underlying health problems, you should pay especially close attention for any signs of dehydration (covered in the last post). As I mentioned before, sickness can cause a cat to consume less water, just as kidney problems or diabetes can cause more water to be excreted. If you detect any symtoms of dehydration, take your cat to the vet immediately – especially if it has diarrhoea or is vomiting.