Autumn and Winter Newsletter 2024

Well, apart from a few short bursts of sunshine and warmth it has been a very disappointing summer for us but fortunately it has been more comfortable for our feline friends. Despite originating from the middle east most cats in this country do not like very hot conditions.

As a general rule I like to suggest to people that, if your cats go outdoors, then as the darker nights are coming it is a good idea to encourage them to come home earlier and ideally before it gets dark. I know this can be very difficult especially if you are working but more road accidents and injuries to cats happen at night than during the day.

Now that Autumn is here we need to start thinking about any other changes that might affect our cats. It may seem a long way away but if your cat fears fireworks, now is the time to start any noise acclimatisation to prepare them. This can include playing noises and gradually increasing them to try and desensitise your cat. There are several sites on the internet where you can download these sounds and although the one below is aimed at dogs it is equally effective for cats

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/understanding-your-dog/sound-therapy-for-pets

As well as sound techniques there are Feliway sprays and plug-ins which are also very useful but these need to be started about 1 month before the fireworks start, to be effective. There are also veterinary drugs and homoeopathic remedies that can be useful. Your local vet can help with all of these.

Obviously, there are physical changes to the cat’s environment that will help such as getting them used to sleeping in a quiet room away from any windows, making sure that they are home early in the evening, playing music or having the television on quite loud, all help to distract them from what is going on outside. Unfortunately, what used to be a one- or two-night event can stretch well into the New Year so if like me you would like to see the sale of fireworks to the general public stopped, please contact your local MP and encourage them to change the law. Organised events are safer for everyone and far less stressful for our pets.

The next big event is Christmas of course and while that is a time for tinsel, baubles, trees, family gatherings, parties and lovely food, consider all this from your cat’s point of view. Christmas decorations can be dangerous if eaten by your feline friend, and if you have a real tree then the needles can cause injuries to the feet, ears and eyes. Noisy parties and strange new people in what they consider to be ‘their space’ can very distressing and unsettling. When it comes to food, Christmas treats such as raisins and chocolate all have dangers attached to them. There is much more detail about cats and Christmas at Your Cat’s Christmas – Feline Friends (feline-friends.org.uk)

While less of us are doing our own car maintenance at home these days it is still worth remembering that antifreeze is extremely toxic to cats and will cause major kidney damage if ingested. So, care needs to be taken not to leave any of this about, but do you also realise that the de-icing spray you may use on your windscreen in the morning also contains the same chemicals and even those lovely snowglobes you get at Christmas can contain the same liquid so please don’t drop and break them!

With the colder temperatures arriving no doubt most of us will be put on the central heating soon. Just be aware that if you have not been keeping up the routine flea control all summer this may lead to fleas suddenly appearing around the home.  Best treat your cats for fleas before you turn it on. More information can be found on flea control at Fleas and other Uninvited Visitors – Feline Friends (feline-friends.org.uk)

When the weather gets particularly cold, the councils will start spreading rock salt on the roads. An essential routine for our safety but if your cats go outdoors it is worth checking their feet when they come back in to make sure there are no rock crystals stuck between their pads. It is a good idea to check and wash their feet regularly and if you see your cat licking a foot, please have a quick look before they make it sore. Some cats can have quite a lot of fur between their toes and they are particularly prone to getting the salt crystals stuck.

Have you all remembered that from June this year all owned cats are now required to be microchipped. From my own experience in practice, it really can make a huge difference to be able to contact an owner if a cat is found and brought to the surgery. It is vitally important however to make sure that you keep your contact details up to date, such as your mobile number and address. The biggest frustration for a vet is having an obviously loved and microchipped injured cat but not being able to trace its owner.

Finally, from Feline Friends, we want to wish you and your cats a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year and we will be in touch again next year.

In the meantime, please let us know if there are any particular feline-related issues not already covered on our website which you would like us to include in one of our newsletters.

Eric McCarrison BVMS MRCVS – Trustee