General tips on looking after your cat and keeping him safe

• Please also check out our National Cat Centre's 'Cat Care' web pages; an excellent reference source:

• http://www.cats.org.uk/catcare/index.asp

• Please get your cat microchipped:

• If he is handed in to a charity, or a vet, or the worst happens, he is collected by the Local Council (Cleansing Department), he will usually be scanned for a microchip. Even if the news is bad, at least you will know what happened to your pet.

• We strongly recommend the neutering of male and female cats (usually between four and six months of age) that are not required for breeding purposes. However, it is important to note that the vet responsible for your cat will specify when they are prepared to carry out the neutering operation :

• Unneutered cats will clear off at the blink of an eye looking for animals of the opposite sex. They also fight over them, resulting in some unbelievable injuries.
• An unneutered cat can be responsible for 20,000 descendants during his/her lifetime. That is an awful lot of cats for us to home, so please be a responsible owner and have your cat neutered ASAP. If you are on a low income or benefits, we can help you by providing you with a voucher to help with the cost. Please phone 01242 577799 for more info.

• There are a few other things you can do:

• Keep your cat interested in his home by making time to play with him daily.
• NEVER put your cat out at night. Cats are more at risk of wandering, and of becoming prey to other animals at night. They are also significantly more at risk of road traffic accidents, the majority of which take place at night.

• Keep your cat interested and happy in his territory by:

• Providing an area in the garden for him to do his business and providing a litter tray.
• Planting some Cocksfoot Grass (available free from our CP Shop). Cats love this and will eat it and roll in it. You can even plant this in a window trough indoors for indoor cats. Put it on a sunny windowsill and you'll find your furry friend sleeping in it!
• Catnip is also a great thing to plant, indoors or out. Most cats just can't resist it! A small trough of this on your windowsill or in your garden will make a huge difference to your cat.
• Provide one or more scratching posts. Cats have a fundamental need to sharpen their claws, and this also marks their territory (which they then have to protect) so if they scratch indoors it will minimise their need to patrol outside.
• Provide plenty of fresh drinking water. Cats need to drink but are fussy about drinking water that has been out for a while. Personally, I have found that a drinking fountain has made a big difference in encouraging my cats to drink.
• Ensure your cat has shelter from the elements and somewhere safe that he can hide if he is scared. If he has nowhere safe to hide at home, then he'll find a safe place somewhere else.
• Provide somewhere high but accessible for your cat to survey his territory. He will love this.

• Additional tips/information:

• Collars - if you choose to put a collar on your cat(s), please ensure that it fits fairly snug or better still, purchase a quick release collar, as cats can get their jaws caught when washing themselves; also, their hind legs can get caught on the collar when scratching and create terrible injuries.
• If you have a new addition to the family (human or otherwise), ensure that you make time to spend with your cat. He is easily upset and will leave home in an instant if he feels that someone/something else has taken the role of "Top Cat".
• If you move home, keep your cat inside for at least 2 weeks to ensure he is familiar with his new home before letting him out. When you do let him out, do it in a controlled manner, i.e. a few short outings when he is hungry (and you have the food) will minimise his chances of wandering.
• Cats hunt most in their first 2-3 years. Keeping younger cats indoors overnight and during the early morning will minimise their chances of wandering off after prey.
• Be careful when using pesticides/insecticides/slug or snail deterrents in your garden, as many of them are poisonous to animals.
• There is a product called Feliway that can help settle a difficult cat, e.g. a new home, changed circumstances, etc. It is a synthetic hormone (i.e. a fake "happy cat" smell) and should be available from your vet. It's not cheap (about £20) but it does make a difference. There is no guarantee that it will work with your cat, but it has proved to be quite successful with many stressed cats.