Saturday 11 August 2018

Cats Playing Football - Easy to Make DIY Toy

Cats can easily get bored and many cat toys can be costly. Donations from the public go on higher priority food and medical treatment so I enjoy keeping the rescue cats I foster stimulated and active by creating play activities that cost very little.

Most cats love boxes I've yet to work out why but I suspect it may be something to do with the facts that cats like to hide, pounce and ambush as part of their natural hunting behaviour. Any activity that mimics this is a winner with cats.

At work we took delivery of a large item and nobody minded that I took the box home. Meanwhile a bag of  table tennis ballscosting only pennies were on their way. Both Hildy and Enid interacted with this set up immediatley.  Curious at first but then chasing the balls around and jumping in and out of the box along with a few harmless cat fights along the way.

If you'd like to see them in action I did a short video of their cat capers which also demonstrates how easy this play activitity is to create. If you don't have a box this big one or two smaller boxes should do the trick.

 I'd love to hear if you tried this out - if you did comment below and let me know what happened.

Friday 3 August 2018

Fostering cats making an adoption video for Enid

Part of fostering cats is to provide potential adopters with some photographs and description of the cats personality. All our foster cats are displayed at catchat.org.

We could however go one step further and provide a video of each cat. And since videography is a hobby of mine it seemed a perfect way of helping the cats I foster and practicing a hobby I love. As Enid is a lively and playful I thought I'd try and capture shots of her more comical side. Hildy the other foster cat, by the way, is very laid back and quite aloof although very well behaved. Quite a contrast to Enid.

I did wonder if fostering cats would be difficult at first but so far it's turning out to be a fun way of helping our fellow creatures in distress. I think the cats like being filmed as well.

Saturday 28 July 2018

Rescue cats and a harness and leash experiment

Enid is ready for adoption now.  In the few months she's been with me I've got to know her personality.  She's a very sweet little cat, enjoys her food and loves her toys.    We recently an inquiry from a family who saw her adoption video and photos and thought Enid was great. 

The family lived near a main road so we agreed Enid would need a harness to keep her from running onto the road.  Enid loves to explore my garden which backs onto a field so it's safe for the cats I foster to roam.  Unfortunately Enid did not take to the harness at all.  I tried patiently but it became clear it was not for her.  Enid, once outside, loves to explore, chase flies and climb the small tree in my garden.  Perhaps if Enid liked to lounge around in the sun a harness would be fine.  It was very disappointing as the family seemed so excited to have Enid as a family member but sadly sometimes adoptions don't work out.  I felt bad for both the family and little Enid.  

So for now Enid remains chief toy tester in my foster home with Hildy usually looking amused at her antics.

Thank you for stopping by to meet the cats I foster visit Cat Buddy on Youtube

Thursday 5 July 2018

Cool Cats - Tips to Keep Your Cat Cool in Hot Weather

The weather in England is scorching with no end in site so here's just a few tips on how to keep your cats cool when the heat is on.  Alternatively watch the quick video - Hildy and Enid my two resident foster cats demonstrate.

Shade
Allow access to shade both inside and outside, shady cupboards, corners and bathrooms that don't have big windows.

If you don't have shaded areas in your garden you can create some with old bits of furniture or wooden crates.

Ice bottle
Freeze a bottle of water (leave room at the top for expansion of frozen water) and put the frozen bottle near your cat's favourite spots to cool the air where they hang out.

Damp stroke
Wet your hands or a cloth and gently stroke the cat to dampen their fur instantly cooling them down.

Water dishes
Put their water dishes in the shade to stop the water warming and evaporating too quickly.  Put ice cubes in their water dish to keep their drinking spots cool.

I've recently read reports about cats getting cancer and losing their ear tips due to sunburn so keep your cats inside wherever possible.  But especially around peak sun times 12pm to 3pm when the sun is at it's hottest.

If you have any other tips for cat care in hot weather please leave a comment below I'd love to hear them.

Thursday 26 April 2018

Barney the Bully Cat Found a Loving Home

Barney very vocal
A local farmer noticed a long haired white and ginger cat visiting his farm.  He'd not seen him before but after a few visits the farmer suspected the cat was lost.  He gave the some food and let him shelter in his barn.  The cat seemed happy to make his home there and since there were no reports of a lost white and ginger male cat the farmer figured a more permanent solution was needed.

He contacted his local cat rescue which is us and luckily for this little fella I had room in my house for another.  The farmer was a cheerful soul, sorry to see the cat go but knowing he would be in good hands.

As the cat's prior home was a barn I called him Bar
ney.  He was a little nervous and hid behind the loo for the first few days.  

Eventually Barney came round and made himself at home.  Barney was a very loving cat towards humans, very vocal in his greetings and loved to be stroked.  Barney was, however, not so friendly towards the other cat I was fostering,, Sophie ,a little aloof tortie.  He made her life very difficult eating her food and seemed to have no regard for Sophie's space at all.  

Sophie quickly showed signs of distress finding high up places to sleep. Not unusual for cats but in this Sophie's  case it was a change in her behaviour.  She started staying in her littler box after doing what she needed to do which was more evidence something was wrong.

So I decided to keep the two cats separate and would allow them to "take turns" in having the run of the house while the other was kept in a separate room.  This is not an ideal situation but it reduced the immediate threat that Barney presented to Sophie.

Barney, thankfully, was adopted quickly.  The family who adopted him had owned many cats  over the years and experienced enough to recognise and handle problematic cat behaviour.   Barney greeted the family's mum with a display of his belly as if agreeing that this should be his new family.    This kind family also made a very generous donation to the charity.  I was confident that Barney had found  his forever home and Sophie returned to her usual sleeping places quietly purring away.

Monday 9 April 2018

Enid - a quick update on the latest foster cat

Enid climbing on my exercise machine
Just a quick update on Enid the new resident foster cat. She's settled in very well and Hildy and Enid seem happy chasing each other round the house, burning off some young cat energy.

Occasionally they rub noses, a good sign of friendship, at other times I hear the sound of hissing usually coming from Hildy who is the grumpier of the two. Enid is very mischievous and loves to climb anything she can. She appears to dare herself to higher climbs and once or twice I've had to rescue her from the top of the wardrobe.

Enid was spayed last week with an overnight stay at the vets. She seemed tired but happy to be home the next day. Her stitches are healing well and I've been checking them a few times a day. I'm working on a short video to document her little "adventure" so I'll post that out soon as it's finished.

Hildy and Enid friends at last

Saturday 24 March 2018

Rescuing a Little Tabby on a Snowy Day

It's been a very cold winter in England this year so when I got a call to say that a little stray was wondering about the area I was only to happy to help out.  The little tabby was a stranger in the area and the locals made inquiries but nobody came forward to claim her.  The local who was feeding her could not keep her permanently but she gave the little cat shelter until I could collect.  

Mostly new cats can be nervous and unsure of their surroundings so they find a hiding place until they know it's safe.  However this was not the case with this little tabby girl. She made herself right at home in my bedroom climbing the different furniture and finding the most comfortable place for naps mainly my pillow.  

Hildy my other foster cat was kept separated from the new cat so I could introduce them slowly and therefor minimise tensions and fights between the two.  Hildy can be grumpy anyway so a new cat in her territory would have to be handled carefully.

A week into the fostering all was going well.  I kept periods the two cats were together short and strictly supervised.  As soon as hissing and growling started I would separate them again.  

I decided to call the new cat Enid, an old fashioned name that seemed to suit her.

Two weeks into fostering and both cats seem mostly at ease with each other.  They are not close friends but tolerate each other from a distance occasionally chasing each other round the house.  

I did a video of Enid's first few days which is available on my youtube channel.  

Visit Cat Buddy youtube channel  where you can find out more about the cats we've rescued. Thank you for reading.

Tuesday 13 March 2018

Cardboard Cat Carrier - Should you buy one?

Being a cat fosterer I can also be the go to cat person among friends and family.  So when a friend asked for help with a trip to the vets I was curious about the cardboard cat carrier she decided to buy.  I'd never seen them before and to be honest had my reservations about how safe they were.  I didn't want to offend and so we got her cat into the cardboard carrier and off we went.

The vet visit went fine and her cat was in good health but just thought it might be helpful to anyone considering a cardboard cat carrier what I thought were the  pros and cons below.  Alternatively an in- depth review and demo video version is available.

Pros

* Mostly are inexpensive a few pounds or so.  

* Top loading and quite easy to get your cat into.

* Well ventilated with lots of breathing holes at the top.

* Clearly signed that a pet is enclosed.

Cons

* Not very robust, I felt like I had to hold the bottom as well as the handle.

* Not scratch-proof, I noticed visible claw marks on the carrier bottom.

* Not waterproof which could weaken the box in rainy weather.

In summary a cardboard cat carrier has its purposes such as short infrequent journeys if you don't have a traditional carrier. And if it's just for a one off journey then probably a good buy.  However I felt the traditional cat carrier is a safer option and better investment if you transport cats more than one off single short journeys.


Tuesday 6 March 2018

Mark Twain Quotes about Cats


Mark Twain author of American classics Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Adventures of Tom Sawyer was also known for his love of cats. It is rumoured that Mark Twain loved cats so much he would even rent cats to keep him company when he was away from home.

When greeted by two cats in a doorway he said to them ‘Walk in, gentlemen. I always give precedence to royalty.’  Mark Twain's love and respect for cats is beautifully portrayed both in his life and writings.  What follows is some of his most famousMark Twain quotes about cats reminding me of the feline uniqueness and our human fascination with these mysterious and comical creatures.

“If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow; but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much.”

"If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."

"I simply can't resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest, cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course."
- quoted in Abroad with Mark Twain and Eugene Field, Fisher

"When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction."
An Incident Mark Twain

“Of all God's creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.”  

Do you have any favourite Mark Twain quotes about cats?  Leave a comment below.


Tuesday 13 February 2018

Indoor Cats: Tips to prevent boredom

Have you decided to keep your cat indoors?
If you're worried about whether to keep your cat indoors you're not alone.  There are risks involved in letting your cat roam your neighbourhood including predators, traffic, poison and accidents.  I'm lucky that my back garden backs onto a field with a beautiful view especially on a bright summer day.  Often I see the local cats jumping, running or relaxing in the long grass soaking up the the sun or honing their hunting skills.    As I don't live on a busy main road I do let established foster cats enjoy the calm and reasonably safe habitat where I live my with check up walkabouts to make sure they have not gone too far.

However many cat owners live in busy cities or areas with predatory wildlife roaming free presenting a bigger threat to their feline family members.   So if you have decided your cat is safer indoors what can you do keep them occupied and interested in life.

Let your cat have as much in your house as much as safely possible.  A larger territory gives them more to do, cats like to do their rounds and check all is well in their space.  

Toys don't have to be expensive but a variety will give them different experiences, things to chase, jump up for or pounce on all mimic their natural hunting behaviour.  Food forage toys seem to be especially popular but you can easily hide cat treats in safe places for them to hunt out.  

Boxes: It is still a mystery to me why cats love boxes so much although I suspect it is possibly because of warmth.  A simple box always appears to bring contentment to a cat.  So if you can bring your indoor cat a box home he'll be happy making his hideout from it.

Windows - cats loving looking out of the window as the world outside presents plenty of things for them to watch; passers by, other cats, birds or small insects along with observing the changes in weather that cats seem so sensitive to.  In the summer  you've probably noticed, your cats will lay in the spot where they can soak up the sunlight coming through the window.  Hildy, one of my less vocal, rescue cats started meowing at me a few days ago as it started to snow.  She must have thought it very important to provide me with this weather report.  

So just a few ideas to keep your indoors cats happy but if you have any ideas of your own then please leave a comment.  

Visit Cat Buddy youtube channel  where you can find out more about the cats we've rescued.

Sunday 4 February 2018

Cat tooth decay what to look for

If you're cat is showing unusual out of character behaviour and has a strange smell like rancid fish she or he may be suffering cat tooth decay.  

Mitsy, a 14 year old black and white female cat belonged to a relative.  Mitsy started displaying behavioural problems, she wanted to sleep outside more often and was toileting indoors.  Her coat was also in poor condition and we wondered if her flea allergy had returned yet, on inspection, found no fleas on the little cat.  My relative also noticed Mitsy had a strange smell like rancid fish adding to our confusion as to how to help Mitsy. We feared she was getting old and reluctantly, fearing the worst,  took her to the vet.  

The vet looked over Mitsy and concluded her heart was strong and he could see no obvious serious health problems.  However when I mentioned the other symptom of a strange smell the vet appeared to have a light bulb moment.  He inspected Mitsy's mouth and found the problem - cat tooth decay. 

Mitsy stayed at the vets overnight and I collected her the next day with the slightly shocking news that all of her teeth had been removed.  Mitsy didn't seem too concerned though the vet gave her a shot of strong pain killers and she seemed very happy to be back home.  Her diet for a few days was wet mushy cat food as per vets orders.

The difference in Mitsy from what must have been a very painful period was remarkable all the strange behavioural issues stopped, she uses her litter tray, mooches around my relatives home quite happily and her coat is shiny again.   Mitsy doesn't seem bothered over her lack of teeth at all in fact her calls for food even seem a little louder and bolder than they once were.  

Cat tooth decay is very distressing and the signs aren't always easy to spot but in this case the rancid smell was a clear indicator of a treatable problem.  If you have any tips for detecting cat tooth decay in cats please do comment below.

Thursday 11 January 2018

What to look for in a good cattery

Before you decide to book your cat into the cattery take a little time to research a good cattery so your feline family member will have the best chance of enjoying your holiday as well.

Ask family and friends if they can recommend a good cattery.  A good sign is that they use the came cattery every time they go away.

If you don't know anyone who can recommend one then it might be worth your time to visit local
catteries.
What should you look for?

1) Litter trays, food, water bowls and individual cat pens are clean and in good repair.


2) Cats that are boarding there when you visit look happy, stimulated and safe.


3) Pens have both a sleeping area and a run so they can exercise and rest.


4) Pens have enough room to keep litter tray and food bowls separate.


5) The cattery has working smoke alarms.


6) The cattery owners are happy and relaxed about you having a look round.


A good cattery can get full especially around holiday time so make sure you book well ahead of
time. It might be as well to research a few decent catteries so if your preferred one is booked you
have a second decent cattery for back up.

Lastly some cat shelters especially independent ones offer cattery services  to supplement the cost
of running their cat shelter.  This options means you're boarding fees will help other cats in your area.
Again don't be afraid to visit and check out their premises to make sure you'll be happy leaving your
cat in their care.

Thank you for reading - if you have any good tips please leave a comment.

Visit Cat Buddy youtube channel  where you can find out more about the cats we've rescued.

Tuesday 2 January 2018

Cat care basics food and treats

If you're thinking about getting a cat or new to cat owership here are just a few tips.

There is some debate on whether kibble (dry food) or wet food is better.  I use both but stick to high quality dry.  Dry means they can snack when they are hungry and wet food contains water so it keeps them hydrated.  Wet also has a better smell to cats encouraging a good appetite.

Feed at regular times and keep a routine.  I've fostered cats that have gobbled up food as soon as it's put down.  After a while, with many cats, this calms down.  It's as if they begin to trust that their servant owner will keep the food coming.

Finally keep spare food bowls so you can replace dirty bowls while you soak and clean them without your cat getting all in a tiz wondering where his food bowl went.



Visit Cat Buddy youtube channel  where you can find out more about the cats we've rescued.