Caring for your cat

ES SENTIAL GUIDE 1

Cats are one of the m ost popular pets in the UK and rightly
so Πthey make a wonderful addi tion to any household! Thi s

gui de o ffers some o f the b as ic principles o f c at c are. If you are

thinking about ha ving m ore than one c at, then please look at

Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Cat s living togethe r

.
Cats c an b e indep endent and are cons i dered the i deal p et for
p eople wi th busy lifestyles, but they still need to b e looked

after. You should b e prep ared to sp end time playing wi th and

grooming your c at, as w ell as b eing a comp anion to them. By

following the advic e in thi s lea ˜ et, you can do your b est to

ensure you ha ve a happy and healthy c at.

Food
Cats should be fed a complete, b alanced, good quali ty meat-

b ased food ; they c annot b e vegetaria ns . There are a multi tude

o f different brands o f c at food on the market, but there are

two main typ es to choose from ; wet and dry.

Fresh w et food should b e replac ed at least twic e daily and
dry food a t least onc e daily. Do follow the manu facturer™s

instru ctions and re comm ended am ounts . Onc e neutered, c ats

typic ally ha ve redu c ed energy needs, so cons i der redu cing

their daily am ount accordingly.

Food should be plac ed in an area where the c at feels safe and
away from their water bowl and li tter tray. If your c at eats
dry food, us ing feeding b alls to give some, or all, o f your c at ™s

daily food ra tion c an help to lessen boredom and provi des

some exerci se.

When adopting a c at, you should ini tially follow the diet that
your c at has been fed previously. Before you take them home,

˚nd out what they ha ve b een eating and at what times . If you

do wi sh to change your c at ™s food, i t i s important to introdu c e

the new foo d very gradually over a p eriod of a w eek or m ore

to a vo i d an upset stomach.
It i s b est not to feed your c at cow™s milk as some c ats can
not tolerate the lactose in i t Πalways ha ve a supply o f fresh

water a vailable.
M ore information about feeding cats and ki ttens,

incl uding what to do if your cat stops eating, i s a vailable

in Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guides: Feeding and obesity

and

Caring for your kit ten

.
Water
Cats generally don™t need to drink lots every day. How ever,

always ensure fresh, clean drinking water i s a vailable at

all times . Thi s i s best plac ed away from their food, as c ats
generally prefer not to eat and drink in the same plac e.
M ore information about water and drinking i s a vailable in

Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Feeding and obesity

Play
Cats that ha ve free acc ess to the outdoors will o ften engage in
hunting activi ty, incl uding playing wi th fallen lea ves or grass

blowing in the wind if there i s no acc ess to prey. The drive

to hunt is not triggered by hunger. Each p art o f the hunting

activi ty Πthe stalk, pounc e, play and kill Πreleases feel-good

horm ones c alled endorphins . It i s important that our p et

c ats are given frequent opportuni ties to play to keep them

mentally stimulated.
Keeping your c at amused wi th toys c an help to keep them happy,
provi de good exerci se and strengthen your bond wi th your c at.

Toys don™t ha ve to b e exp ens ive. A ca rdboard box wi th holes cut

into i t provi des a fun hi ding plac e. Even a b all o f tin foil makes a

p erfe ctly adequate toy, as long as the c at c an™t swallow i t.

Play i s m ore fun if you get involved too Œ you could use ˚shing
rod toys wi th feathers on a string to mimic their prey! A llow

them to c atch and ‚ kill™ the toy p eriodic ally to a vo i d frustration.

Older c ats will love playing three or four times a day, while
younger c ats will b e happy to play ten times a day or m ore.

Very short games o f one to two minutes are ˚ne. Swap toys

around regularly to keep them interesting, but don™t lea ve

your c at unattended wi th toys which could b e shredded and

eaten or c ause entanglement. Che ck toys

regularly for s igns o f w ear, replacing

them when appropriate.

Somewhere to hide
It i s importa nt to provi de your c a t wi th a plac e to hi de wh ich
will help to make them feel safe and se cure. T here are many

things that can c ause a c at to feel anxious or fearful, such as

˚rework s, building work in the hous e, unfamiliar vi s i tors or

con˜ict wi th other c ats. A hi ding plac e c an b e something as

s imple as a c ardboard box on i ts side, an igloo style c at b ed,

a sp ac e under the b ed, or in a wardrob e wi th the door left

a jar. The c at shouldn™t b e di sturb ed while they are in their

hi ding place.
Somewhere to get up high
Cats feel safer if they c an view their surroundings from a

height. Thi s i s another important coping me chani s m for c ats

that feel anxious or fearful. You could plac e a cosy blanket

on top of a wardrob e and provi de acc ess by placing a stool or

s imilar i tem next to i t. Cats also love to si t on window s ills and

shelves . Extra cons i deration should be given to elderly c ats, as

they will ha ve m ore dif˚culty reaching higher vantage po ints.

For m ore information see Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide:
Elderly cat s

.
Sleeping
On a verage, c ats sp end about 16 hours a day sleeping. Cats
generally rest or sleep intermi ttently throughout the day and

will prefer to sleep in a warm , comfortable and safe plac e.

There are a range of c at b eds a vailable, su ch as igloo b eds

or hamm ock s for the radiator, or you could s imply provi de a

c ardboa rd box on i ts s i de wi th a soft blanket ins i de. Cats often

rotate their preferred sleeping area and they shouldn™t b e

di sturb ed when sleeping.

Scratching
A scra tching post will
provi de exerci se, claw

maintenance a nd a foc al

po int for your c at to express

thi s natural b eha viour Œ

i t will help pr ote ct your

furni ture too. Cats like to

stretch and scratch after

they wake up so try placing

the scratch post near

where they sl eep. A good

scratching post has the

following fea tures :

Ł

a strong sturdy b ase, so

the c at c an l ean against

the post wi thout i t

wobbling
Ł

tall enough that the c at

c an stretch fully
Ł

a vertic al thr ead that allows the c at to scratch downwards

Eating grass
Many c ats like to eat grass, which may help to clear furb alls.

A typ e o f grass that c ats p articularly like i s c alled Cock sfoot; i t

has long br oad lea ves so i t i s easy for them to bi te. If your c at

c an™t go outs i de, Cock sfoot grass c an b e grown indoors . Seeds

are readily a vailable from garden c entres and pet shops . If

no grass is provi ded, your c at may try to eat other household

plants which may pose a ri sk . See Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Keeping your cat safe

Toileting
Cats prefer to p ass their waste where they feel safe and then
bury i t. They should b e able to acc ess their to ileting s i te

wi thout having to p ass other c ats or things that make them

anxious Πsuch as a no i sy washing machine. It i s a good i dea

to provi de one li tter tray p er c at, plus one extra Πesp e cially if

your c ats are kept indoors . Don™t plac e all the trays in a line.

If poss ible, plac e them in different quiet, private areas o f the

home, away fr om the food and water bowls .

Being clean creatures, c ats don™t like us ing dirty or soil ed trays,
so make sure the li tter tray i s cleaned at least onc e a day. If

us ing clumping li tter you c an remove soli ds onc e or twic e daily.

Wi th some other typ es o f li tter, you may need to replac e all

the li tter on a daily b as i s .

Trays should be cleaned onc e a w eek by rins ing wi th water
and then us ing a c at safe di s infe ctant. You should b e abl e

to purchase a sui table produ ct from your vet or a p et shop Œ

please note that phenol-b ased di s in fe ctants are toxic to cats .

A lways rinse c arefully wi th hot wa ter, dry and repleni sh li tter.

Rins ing the di s infe ctant o ff ensures safety, as w ell as removing

the s mell which some c ats don™t like. Cats prefer at least 3cm

depth o f li tter and m ost prefer a litter o f a sandy texture.

Make any cha nges to the tray, the li tter, or i ts loc ation, very

slowly to a void to ileting acci dents.

If encouraging your c at to to ilet outs i de, provi de a sui table
area close to the house where your cat feels safe. For m ore

information, see Cats Prote ction™s

Essential Guide: Indoor
and outdo or cat s

and for li tter training, see Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Under standing your cat ™s behaviour

Grooming marvellous
Cats are very clean animals and like to groom themselves,
but sometim es they may need a li ttle help. Long-haired c ats

should be brushed daily to stop their coat b e coming tangled.

If they are not regularly groomed fur c an b e come matted and

uncomfortable. These mats may need to b e rem oved under

anaesthetic by a vet. Short-haired cats will prob ably only

need to b e gr oomed onc e a w eek . Older cats may struggle

to look after their coats and require gentle grooming to help

to keep their skin healthy. Grooming also gives you some

val uable bonding time wi th your c at. If you are struggling to

groom your cat, ask your vet for advice as referral to a sui tably

quali˚ed b eha viouri st or a comp etent groomer may b e useful

to a vo i d the development o f problems .

Indoor or outdoor?
Indoor c ats need extra cons i deration to keep them mentally
stimulated. For c ats given acc ess outs i de, cons i der pr ovi ding

a microchip or magnetic cat ˜ap to allow them the freedom

to choose when to go out, while stopping other c a ts from the

neighbourhood entering the hom e. Cats usually learn how to

use c at ˜a ps very readily Œ for some tips, see Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Caring for your kitten

.
It i s re comm ended that c ats are kept indoors at night, when
they may b e at more ri sk o f b eing involved in r oad traf˚c

acci dents. A lso, their hunting activi ties are likely to b e greater

at dawn and dusk . See the Cats Prote ction

Essentia l Guide:
Indoor and outdoor cat s

for m ore advice.

Holidays
Your c a t will need to b e provi ded for every time you go away.

Ei ther put them in a c attery or get a c at-s i tter to com e in to

feed and play wi th your c at while you are away. Never lea ve

your c at to fend for themselves.

Key veterinary care
Responsible cat owners should make sure their c at i s :

neutered
Ł

vaccinated against disease

Ł

microchipp ed
Ł
regularly treated against p aras i tes
Ł

seen by a vet for regular health che ck s a nd when ill or

injured

Find a vet
You™ll need to regi ster your c at
wi th a vet as soon as poss ible.

A re com m endation from a

friend or neighbour i s a great

plac e to st art; otherwi se

you coul d phone around or

pop in and see them b efore

making your cho ic e. Veterinary

practices are also regi stered

wi th the Royal College o f

Veterinary Surgeons and you

c an ˚nd details o f your loc al

practices at www.rcvs . org.uk .

It i s importa nt that you get on

wi th your vet, are able to ask

questions a nd ha ve fai th in

the c are they c an o ffer. M ore

information i s a vailable in Cats

Prote ction™s

Veterinary Guide:
Your cat and your vet

.
Neutering
Cats Prote ction generally re commends that c ats are neutered
at around four m onths o f age or younger. Thi s i s a s imple

op eration which has many health b ene˚ts for your c at. It is

essential to prevent unwanted ki ttens and redu c e the spread

o f di sease, wandering and terri torial beha viour su ch as

scratching, spraying and ˚ghting. A ll adult c ats from

Cats Prote ction will ha ve b een neutered prior to b eing

rehomed. For more information see Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Neutering: family planning for felines

Vaccinations
Ki ttens and adult c ats should b e vaccinated to help them stay
healthy and help stop the spread o f dis ease. Vaccinations are

a vailable against:
Feline infe ctious enteritis (also known as feline parvovirus or
panleucopenia)
Πa severe and potentiall y fatal gut infe ction

Cat ˜u
Πvaccinations are a vailable against s everal o f the micro-
organi s ms which c ause thi s comm on respiratory syndrome

which c an ha ve severe and lasting effe cts

Feline l eukaemi a virus (FeLV)

Πa devastating fatal di s ease that

damages the c at ™s immune system and c an c ause c ancer

C hl amydophil a
Πa bacteria that c auses s evere conj unctivi ti s,

along wi th mild sneezing and nasal di scharge

Ki ttens need their ˚rst vaccine at around eight to nine w eek s
old and a se cond dose at 12 w eek s . Your cat should also re ceive

regular booster vaccinations throughout their life to help

maintain their prote ction against these di seases . Consult your

vet for m or e advic e.

For m ore information on vaccinations see Cats Prote ction™s

Veterinary Guide: Infec tious disease and vacc ination

Microchipping
Cats Prote ction re commends microchipping as the safest
and s implest means o f p ermanently i dentifying your c at. A

microchip i s no bigger than a grain o f ric e and i s inserted

under the c at ™s skin b etw een their shoulder blades . The

microchip c arries a uni que ID numb er linked to a datab ase

holding your contact details, allowing you to b e quickl y trac ed

should they stray and b e sc anned. So, don™t forget to up date

your details if you m ove house or change phone numb ers.

For m ore information on microchipping see Cats Pr ote ction™s

Essential Guide: Micro chipping

.
If you do choose to put a colla r on your c at, use a ‚quick
release™ collar to allow your c at to free themselves should the

collar get caught on something. Fi t i t c arefully Œ two ˚ngers

should snugly ˚t b etw een your cat ™s ne ck and the collar. Sadly,

severe inj uries resulting from poorly ˚tted collars or those wi th

no quick release function are not uncomm on.

Fleas
Fleas are very comm on in c ats but can b e hard to spot. It ™s

advi sable to cons i der treating your cat regularly for ˜ eas,

whether they ha ve them or not, as i t i s far harder to deal

wi th an infestation than to prevent one. Many different ˜ ea

treatments a re a vailable and the m ost effe ctive produ cts to

treat and pr event ˜ eas are a vailable from your vet, so seek

their advice.
Never use a dog ˜ea treatm ent on your cat as

some can be rapidly fatal and don™t let your cat c ome into

c ontact w ith a dog that has been treated for ˜eas until the

product has dri ed .

If you do ha ve a ˜ ea outbreak, you will need to treat all the

p ets in the home and de- ˜ ea your home, too. Treat c arp ets,

the bottoms o f curtains, furni ture, your c at ™s b edding and all

their favouri te sleeping plac es .
Worms
Cats c an b e come infe cted wi th various internal worms . There

are many different treatments a vailable and your vet will b e

able to advi se you about how o ften to de-worm your c at and

the m ost sui table, effe ctive produ ct to use, which may dep end

on your c a t ™s lifestyle.
For m ore information on ˜ eas and worms, see Cats Prote ction™s

Veterinary Guide: Fleas and other parasites

Dent al care
Dental di sease is qui te comm on in c ats, esp e cially as they get
older. You should get your c at ™s teeth regularly che cked by

your vet. M a ny c ats do not show obvious di scomfort, although

s igns o f dental di sease may incl ude:

Ł

reduced appetite
Ł

hali tos i s (b ad breath)

Ł

dropping food or dif˚culty in eating

Ł

blood- tinged saliva or drooling

Ł

unusual face rubbing or p awing at the m outh

Ł

b eha vioural changes, su ch as b e coming quieter or m or e

aggressive
Ł

redu ced grooming

Ł

sneezing, nasal discharge or facial sw elling

Dental di sease c an b e p ainful and seriously affe ct your cat™s

health and welfare. Bacteria c an enter the c at ™s bloodstream

and affe ct its heart and ki dneys . Consult your vet for

m ore adv ice.

For m ore information on your cat ™s m outh, see Cats
Prote ction™s

Veterinary Guide: Teeth and ora l hea lth

Insurance
Pet insuranc e c an cover veterinary costs for illness, acci dents
and emergencies . There are plenty o f options a vailable. Some

policies won™t insure older p ets over a certain age, so che ck

the s mall print. Rememb er that prevent a tive treatment su ch

as vaccination i s not covered and nei ther i s treatment for

condi tions which ha ve occurred prior to the policy b eing taken

out. It i s worth taking the time to ensure you get the cover you

require. Your vet may b e able to o ffer some advic e.

Type, age, character and

where you live

A ll c ats are indivi duals . De ci ding that you want a c at i s j ust
the ˚rst step and choos ing the right c at for you is just as

important. Here are some po ints to cons i der:

Fur length
Long-haired cats will need daily grooming and short-haired

c ats will b ene˚t from w eekly grooming.

Age and sex
A ki tten may need m ore attention than an older c at as they

tend to ha ve m ore energy. You shoul d also make sure that you

are able to che ck and replac e their food four times a day until

they are about 12 week s old and three times a day until they

are about six m onths old. Older c ats tend to b e c almer and

they are less likely to need sup ervi s ion. For m ore information

on the c are o f ki ttens and elderly cats, see the Cats Prote ction

Essentia l Guides: Caring for your kitten

and

Elderly cat s

. As
regards the s ex o f your c at, there is very li ttle differenc e in
b eha viour onc e they ha ve b een neutered, so thi s comes down

to p ersonal preference.

Character
Cats c an vary qui te cons i derably from lap c at to feral. Their
character and b eha viour i s in˜uenc ed by both nature and

nurture. Everybody™s needs and wi shes are different so

when you come to see the c ats at a Cats Prote ction branch or

adoption centre, talk to the Cat Car e Ass i stant or vol unteer

about what you are looking for so that they c an match you
wi th a sui table cat.
Do b ear in mind c ats b eha ve differently in different
environments . For m ore information, see Cats Prote ction™s

Essentia l Guide: Under standing your cat ™s behaviour

Remember, owners have a l egal dut y of care to provide

for their cat™s ˚ve wel fare needs Œ see Cats Prote ction™s

Es sential Guide: Cats and the law

.
Pedigree or moggy?
While many p edigree c ats are healthy, there i s a mi sconc eption
that, som ehow, they are b etter or stronger than m oggies, but

adopting a pedigree i s not a guarantee o f good health. The

word p edigree s imply means i t i s from a family o f c ats which

ha ve b een bred to m eet sp e ci˚c cri teria Œ usually in relation to

their app earanc e. They ha ve rarely b een sele cted for sp e ci˚c

health or temp erament b ene˚ts . If selecting a p edigree

c at, w e strongly re commend tha t you take time to learn

about the breed to ensure you will both enjoy a lasting and

happy relationship.
Health
Make sure you get as mu ch hi story as you c an about a c a t you

are interested in. While i t i s imposs ible to give a guarantee o f

good health, try and ˚nd out whether a c at has any k nown

previous condi tions which are likely to re cur, or ongoing

medic al condi tions which might require sp e cial trea tment.

Rememb er the tiny runt o f a li tter may look cute, but there

may b e an underl ying reason for i t b eing s mall. Healthy c ats

are generally alert and ha ve a good body coa t condi tion and

clear eyes, wi thout di scharges from the eyes or nose, ha ve

good appeti tes and do not ob je ct to b eing handled. For cats

wi th ongo ing condi tions, make sure you are prep ared for the

potential veterinary costs and trips to the vet.

Adopt with con˜dence

Every year thousands o f p eople put their fai th and trust in
Cats Prote ction when looking for a new addi tion to the family.

Behind each vol unteer and memb er of staff i s a w ealth o f

exp erienc e and experti se which means when you adopt one

o f our c ats, you c an feel safe in the k nowledge that they ha ve

b een given the b est poss ible c are.

Cats Prote ction has agreed a set of Minimum Veterinary
Standards for the health and w elfare of all c ats in our c are.

Thi s means when a c at lea ves Cats Prote ction, i t will ha ve b een

treated to a top- to- tail medic al, incl uding:

Ł

examination by a veterinary surgeon

Ł

vaccination a t least onc e against cat ˜u

and enteritis
Ł

treatment against ˜ eas and worms

Ł
neutering if old enough
Ł

microchipping if old enough

We endea vour to ensure you are

aware o f any k nown health

i ssues the c at may ha ve had

and also prov ide

four w eek s™ free

insurance, giving

inval uable

p eac e o f mind

and reassura nc e

Πterms and

conditions apply.

Where to get your cat from

If you de cide to go ahead wi th getting a c at please cons i der
one o f the thousands o f c ats a nd ki ttens that w e ha ve in our

c are Πw e ha ve branches and adoption c entres nationwi de.

Find contact details for your nearest branch by phoning our

Helpline 0 3000 12 12 12.

Before taking a new c at home, please read Cats Prote ction™s

Essential Guide: Welcome home

which provi des information

and tips on su cc essfully integrating your new feline comp anion
into your household, to ensure you both enjoy a happy and
lasting relationship.
Learn more about your cat online!
Take a look at our free interactive tool to help you
understand cats ™ origins and their behaviour within our

home s. http://l earnonline.cats.org .uk/content/ufo

R eg C harity 203644 ( England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)

FEB-15 CODE:
84001
For more information about Cats Prote ction or to
make a donation, pl ease visit www.cats.org .uk or

phone our Helpline on 03000 12 12 12.

ESSENTIAL GUIDES
1

Caring for you r cat

84001
2

Welcome home
84002
3

Moving house
84003
4

Fe e ding and obesity

84004
5

Ke eping you r cat safe

84005
6

Neutering Πfamily planning

for felines
84006
7
When to let go
84007
8

Mic roc hipping

84008
9

Understanding you r cat™s

behaviour
84009
10

Managing you r cat™s

behaviour
84010
11

Cats living together

84011
12

Indoor and outdoor cats

84012
13

Cats and the law

84013
14

Cats and people

84014
15

Caring for you r kitten

84015
16

Elderly cats
84016
17

Feral cats
84017
18

Pre g nant cats, birth and care

of you ng kittens
84018

VETERINARY GUIDES
1

Arthritis
83201
2

Feline L ower Urinary Tract

Disease (FLU TD)

83202
3

Diabetes
83203
4

Itc hy cats and skin disorders

83204
5

Feline Parv ovirus (FPV)

83205
6

Kid ne y or renal d isease

8320 6
7

Cats with disabiliti es

83207
8

Hypertension
83208
9

Feline Immu node˚ ci ency Virus

(FIV) and Feline Leu kaemia
Virus (FeLV)
83209
10

Feline Coronavirus (F CoV) and

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
83210
11

Heart mu rm u rs and heart

disease
83211
12

Hyperthyroidism
83212
13

Feline asthma
83213
14

Te eth and oral health

83214
15

Fleas and other parasites

83215
16

Cat ˜u
83216
17

Infectious disease and

vaccination
83217
18

Di gestive dis orders Πv omiting

and diarrhoea
83218
19

You and you r vet

83219
20

Cats and pre gnant women Œ

Toxoplasmosis
83220