vicky halls cat confidential ezine june 2011
DESCRIPTION
Find out what makes your cat tick by subscribing to our free bi-monthly ezine featuring cat-related articles written by Vicky Halls and other experts, stories submitted by our readers, hints and tips for cat owners and competitions! It’s completely free and easy to subscribe. Just click here: http://www.vickyhalls.net/ezine.aspTRANSCRIPT
of some of the fund-raising activities of our cat rescue centres along with a useful summer bdquotip of the month‟ There‟s some product reviews and did you hear the one about the cat that helped it‟s fe-line friend give birth For these and lots more practical and in-formative features read on We hope you enjoy itrdquo Vicky
ldquoFor many of us it‟s that time of year when we start to see less of our feline family member who may be spending more time outdoors
So whilst the cat‟s away why not take a little time out to read our bumper summer edition of bdquoCat Confi-dential‟
In this edition we offer you a plethora of new features and interesting insights Did you know there‟s a recognised
Following on from a dis-cussion on Vicky‟s Face-book Group about be-coming a Cat Behaviour Counsellor we give you details of some great courses
As summer‟s finally here we also bring you details
Bumper Summer Edition
Do You Own an Indoor-Only Cat
Our August ezine will be an bdquoindoor cat‟ special So we‟d love to hear stories about your indoor cats
Perhaps you could tell us why your cat stays indoors Is he a spe-cial breed Does he have a disability or illness such as FIV
Summer Sizzler
Vicky Halls
CAT CONFIDENTIAL
The Ezine Your Cat Would Want You To Read
Inside This
Issue
Special Features
COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses
Cats Protection Grand Craft Bazaar
The Story of Two
Pregnant Cats
Cool for Cats
New Cat Puzzle Feeder - Our Review
IPAWS - Cattery Rating Scheme
How Confident is
Your Cat
Using Feliway Spray General Advice
The Story of Willow
and Dylan
Your Cat Magazine -
Brand New Look
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
Cat Webinarlsquo
Regular Features
Cat Behaviour Facebook Group
June Prize Draw
Tip of the Month
Cat of The Month
Breed Profile
Video of the Month
Rehoming Stories and
Happy Endings
June 2011 Click here to share Your Cat Behaviour Stories At Vickylsquos
Facebook Community httpwwwfacebookcom23
groupphpgid=68810031153
rating system for cat-teries We tell you more
How has he adjusted to life indoors and have you adapted your house in any way to cater for his indoor needs We‟d love to find out so please send your stories and photos to clarevickyhallsnet
COAPE Feline Behaviour CoursesCOAPE Feline Behaviour Courses
The Centre of Applied Pet
Ethology (wwwcoapeorg) of-
fers a wide range of feline be-
haviour courses for everyone
interested in the behaviour of
the cat
Whether youlsquore a practising or
aspiring companion animal behav-
iour professional a Veterinary
Nurse working with cats in prac-tice or youlsquore just interested in
learning more about your own
pets behaviour COAPE can offer
you a fascinating challenging and
fully accredited course to suit If
you are a vet or a vet nurse our
accredited courses count towards
your annual CPD (Continuing
Professional Development) re-
quirement
Courses for Veterinary
Nurses
The first dis-
tance learning
courses writ-
ten to meet
Nurses needs
of ongoing
education and
CPD that
bring together
all aspects of
feline friendly
nursing from behaviour and han-
dling to nutrition and clinical man-
agement from the welfare per-
spective These courses are writ-
ten by the Feline Advisory Bureau
(FABESFM) in association with
COAPE and others
FAB10 Foundation Award in
Feline Friendly Nursing - Essen-
tial Cattitude
FAB12 Advanced Award in
Feline Friendly Nursing
An Advanced Award in
Canine Friendly Nursing is
also now available
Advanced Certificate
Courses The professional dedicated quali-
fication for anyone seeking to
become a pet behaviour thera-
pist
CDP Advanced Diploma
Stage 1 - The Theoretical As-
pects of Companion Animal Be-
haviour and Training - DipCABT
CDPH Advanced Diploma
Stage 2 - The Practical Aspects
of Companion Animal Behaviour
and Training ndash DipCABT (Hons)
Feline Courses Courses for owners vets vet
nurses and other professionals
and graduates who want to de-
velop their knowledge and skills
in the field of feline behaviour
and behaviour therapy
C03 Think Cat Stage 1 - Hom-
ing in on The Highly Specialised
Yet Enigmatic Nature of the Pet
Cat - understanding more about
feline predatory and social be-
haviour and the fascinating rela-
tionship between cats and their
owners
C04 Think Cat Stage 2 - Psy-
chological And Physiological
Processes Exploring Feline Psy-
chology and the Inner
workings of the Cats Mind ndash
developing your knowledge
and skills of interpretation of
the behaviour of the cat
C07 Advanced Diploma
Qualifying Entry Course - An
Advanced Award With Spe-
cially Selected Units in a range
of topics including feline be-
haviour
AB01 You And Your Cat -
A course to help you under-
stand the true nature of your cat Explore your relationship
with this cuddle-loving yet
supremely designed top-of-
the-food chain predator
AB02 You and Your Rescue
Cat - A course for anyone
who is thinking of adopting a
new bundle of feline fun from
a rescue shelter or who al-
ready has one and wants to
understand and cater better
for their rescuelsquo cat or kitten
All COAPE courses are writ-
ten and tutored by interna-
tionally recognised practical
academic and practising au-
thorities
COAPE has been approved by the National Open College
Network (NOCN) as a Cen-
tre recognised to deliver ac-
credited learning meeting na-
tional quality standards
COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses (continued)(continued)
COAPE is also an Accredited Course Provider
for the British Veterinary Nursing Association
(BVNA) as part of their Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) Partners Scheme
Please visit the COAPE website for more details
at wwwcoapeorg
Students listen attentively during a
COAPE study session
Vicky says ldquoCOAPE has been a big
name in companion animal behaviour
training for many years and its range
of courses is so extensive now there
should be something for everyone The
bdquoThink Cat‟ and Advanced Diploma
Courses are particularly relevant to
those wishing to pursue Cat Behaviour
Counselling as a careerrdquo
Cats Protection Cats Protection -- Grand Craft BazaarGrand Craft Bazaar
Following the success of previous years events the Friends of Cat Protections Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre are organising a Grand Craft Fair The Craft Fair will take place at their Centre in Matts Hill Road (just outside Bredhurst village) ME9 7XA Kent UK on SUNDAY JUNE 5th from 11am - 4pm
There will be a huge variety of Kentish products on sale in-cluding plants home-made jams local honey and cakes ceramics textiles handcrafted glass and jewellery - the list goes on
To add to the fun there will be Face Painting and Scottys Circus Workshop for the youngsters as well as top quality refreshments ice creams and BBQ plus bric-a-brac galore books raffles tombolas and games In fact something for every-one in the lovely setting of the Adoption Centre grounds With free parking nearby and entrance only 50p per person why not come along and make a day of it whilst supporting a really good cause
This is the story of Nelly and Mischea whose bond was so close that one even helped her soul mate give birth ldquoThough I have always en-joyed breeding my Russian Blues I have never experi-enced such joy as when my two Kimara girls came to live with me Born and bred in the same house these two girls have a bond stronger than I have ever seen amongst my family group of Russians They share every-thing The latter became even more evident when both girls were pregnant Mischea gave birth first to 5 healthy kittens Nelly was awed by it and did not come close for a while
One Cats Helps Another Give BirthOne Cats Helps Another Give Birth
Two of Nelly‟s 5 kittens now 8 months old remain in our house and enjoy the care of both cats equally Even though Nelly‟s son Leo is al-ready bigger than his mom he still sometimes drinks with her and asks for cuddles and a washing which she we give him gladly Mischea will not suckle him but will cuddle up with him and wash him The same goes for Nelly‟s little daughter Lyusya Thanks to Yasmin Trok-Wijnands Netherlands for sharing this story with us
Nelly and Mischea help each other
with the washing up
About 3 weeks later it was her turn to give birth and the strong bond between them was fully restored During the whole birthing process Mischea left her own small kittens alone to help her best friend give birth She sup-ported Nelly cleaned up bit umbilical cords and ate after-births
Cats of Claw Hill Makes a ComebackCats of Claw Hill Makes a Comeback
When all was over Mischea gave her a thorough washing from ear to tail before she went back to her own brood Within days both mothers shared the tasks of caring for their kittens
Yes it‟s back by popular demand The success of bdquoCats of Claw Hill‟ means that the entire series is be-ing repeated this month The series featuring Vicky will run from 31st May to 9th June on Animal Planet airing at 4pm every weekday (one episode a day) repeating the next day at 9am
On Saturday 18th June the whole series repeats in one go starting at 1pm and finishing at 5pm
Of course this can be subject to last minute schedule changes but we have been informed that this is unlikely
So if you missed it first time round here‟s a second chance to catch it
And if you do watch it please do let us know what you think
There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-
vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group
Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update
ldquoCome and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall Vickyrdquo
As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget
And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153
June Prize Draw June Prize Draw
This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline
Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin
Your cat will go mad for them them
Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw
And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
COAPE Feline Behaviour CoursesCOAPE Feline Behaviour Courses
The Centre of Applied Pet
Ethology (wwwcoapeorg) of-
fers a wide range of feline be-
haviour courses for everyone
interested in the behaviour of
the cat
Whether youlsquore a practising or
aspiring companion animal behav-
iour professional a Veterinary
Nurse working with cats in prac-tice or youlsquore just interested in
learning more about your own
pets behaviour COAPE can offer
you a fascinating challenging and
fully accredited course to suit If
you are a vet or a vet nurse our
accredited courses count towards
your annual CPD (Continuing
Professional Development) re-
quirement
Courses for Veterinary
Nurses
The first dis-
tance learning
courses writ-
ten to meet
Nurses needs
of ongoing
education and
CPD that
bring together
all aspects of
feline friendly
nursing from behaviour and han-
dling to nutrition and clinical man-
agement from the welfare per-
spective These courses are writ-
ten by the Feline Advisory Bureau
(FABESFM) in association with
COAPE and others
FAB10 Foundation Award in
Feline Friendly Nursing - Essen-
tial Cattitude
FAB12 Advanced Award in
Feline Friendly Nursing
An Advanced Award in
Canine Friendly Nursing is
also now available
Advanced Certificate
Courses The professional dedicated quali-
fication for anyone seeking to
become a pet behaviour thera-
pist
CDP Advanced Diploma
Stage 1 - The Theoretical As-
pects of Companion Animal Be-
haviour and Training - DipCABT
CDPH Advanced Diploma
Stage 2 - The Practical Aspects
of Companion Animal Behaviour
and Training ndash DipCABT (Hons)
Feline Courses Courses for owners vets vet
nurses and other professionals
and graduates who want to de-
velop their knowledge and skills
in the field of feline behaviour
and behaviour therapy
C03 Think Cat Stage 1 - Hom-
ing in on The Highly Specialised
Yet Enigmatic Nature of the Pet
Cat - understanding more about
feline predatory and social be-
haviour and the fascinating rela-
tionship between cats and their
owners
C04 Think Cat Stage 2 - Psy-
chological And Physiological
Processes Exploring Feline Psy-
chology and the Inner
workings of the Cats Mind ndash
developing your knowledge
and skills of interpretation of
the behaviour of the cat
C07 Advanced Diploma
Qualifying Entry Course - An
Advanced Award With Spe-
cially Selected Units in a range
of topics including feline be-
haviour
AB01 You And Your Cat -
A course to help you under-
stand the true nature of your cat Explore your relationship
with this cuddle-loving yet
supremely designed top-of-
the-food chain predator
AB02 You and Your Rescue
Cat - A course for anyone
who is thinking of adopting a
new bundle of feline fun from
a rescue shelter or who al-
ready has one and wants to
understand and cater better
for their rescuelsquo cat or kitten
All COAPE courses are writ-
ten and tutored by interna-
tionally recognised practical
academic and practising au-
thorities
COAPE has been approved by the National Open College
Network (NOCN) as a Cen-
tre recognised to deliver ac-
credited learning meeting na-
tional quality standards
COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses (continued)(continued)
COAPE is also an Accredited Course Provider
for the British Veterinary Nursing Association
(BVNA) as part of their Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) Partners Scheme
Please visit the COAPE website for more details
at wwwcoapeorg
Students listen attentively during a
COAPE study session
Vicky says ldquoCOAPE has been a big
name in companion animal behaviour
training for many years and its range
of courses is so extensive now there
should be something for everyone The
bdquoThink Cat‟ and Advanced Diploma
Courses are particularly relevant to
those wishing to pursue Cat Behaviour
Counselling as a careerrdquo
Cats Protection Cats Protection -- Grand Craft BazaarGrand Craft Bazaar
Following the success of previous years events the Friends of Cat Protections Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre are organising a Grand Craft Fair The Craft Fair will take place at their Centre in Matts Hill Road (just outside Bredhurst village) ME9 7XA Kent UK on SUNDAY JUNE 5th from 11am - 4pm
There will be a huge variety of Kentish products on sale in-cluding plants home-made jams local honey and cakes ceramics textiles handcrafted glass and jewellery - the list goes on
To add to the fun there will be Face Painting and Scottys Circus Workshop for the youngsters as well as top quality refreshments ice creams and BBQ plus bric-a-brac galore books raffles tombolas and games In fact something for every-one in the lovely setting of the Adoption Centre grounds With free parking nearby and entrance only 50p per person why not come along and make a day of it whilst supporting a really good cause
This is the story of Nelly and Mischea whose bond was so close that one even helped her soul mate give birth ldquoThough I have always en-joyed breeding my Russian Blues I have never experi-enced such joy as when my two Kimara girls came to live with me Born and bred in the same house these two girls have a bond stronger than I have ever seen amongst my family group of Russians They share every-thing The latter became even more evident when both girls were pregnant Mischea gave birth first to 5 healthy kittens Nelly was awed by it and did not come close for a while
One Cats Helps Another Give BirthOne Cats Helps Another Give Birth
Two of Nelly‟s 5 kittens now 8 months old remain in our house and enjoy the care of both cats equally Even though Nelly‟s son Leo is al-ready bigger than his mom he still sometimes drinks with her and asks for cuddles and a washing which she we give him gladly Mischea will not suckle him but will cuddle up with him and wash him The same goes for Nelly‟s little daughter Lyusya Thanks to Yasmin Trok-Wijnands Netherlands for sharing this story with us
Nelly and Mischea help each other
with the washing up
About 3 weeks later it was her turn to give birth and the strong bond between them was fully restored During the whole birthing process Mischea left her own small kittens alone to help her best friend give birth She sup-ported Nelly cleaned up bit umbilical cords and ate after-births
Cats of Claw Hill Makes a ComebackCats of Claw Hill Makes a Comeback
When all was over Mischea gave her a thorough washing from ear to tail before she went back to her own brood Within days both mothers shared the tasks of caring for their kittens
Yes it‟s back by popular demand The success of bdquoCats of Claw Hill‟ means that the entire series is be-ing repeated this month The series featuring Vicky will run from 31st May to 9th June on Animal Planet airing at 4pm every weekday (one episode a day) repeating the next day at 9am
On Saturday 18th June the whole series repeats in one go starting at 1pm and finishing at 5pm
Of course this can be subject to last minute schedule changes but we have been informed that this is unlikely
So if you missed it first time round here‟s a second chance to catch it
And if you do watch it please do let us know what you think
There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-
vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group
Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update
ldquoCome and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall Vickyrdquo
As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget
And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153
June Prize Draw June Prize Draw
This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline
Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin
Your cat will go mad for them them
Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw
And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses (continued)(continued)
COAPE is also an Accredited Course Provider
for the British Veterinary Nursing Association
(BVNA) as part of their Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) Partners Scheme
Please visit the COAPE website for more details
at wwwcoapeorg
Students listen attentively during a
COAPE study session
Vicky says ldquoCOAPE has been a big
name in companion animal behaviour
training for many years and its range
of courses is so extensive now there
should be something for everyone The
bdquoThink Cat‟ and Advanced Diploma
Courses are particularly relevant to
those wishing to pursue Cat Behaviour
Counselling as a careerrdquo
Cats Protection Cats Protection -- Grand Craft BazaarGrand Craft Bazaar
Following the success of previous years events the Friends of Cat Protections Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre are organising a Grand Craft Fair The Craft Fair will take place at their Centre in Matts Hill Road (just outside Bredhurst village) ME9 7XA Kent UK on SUNDAY JUNE 5th from 11am - 4pm
There will be a huge variety of Kentish products on sale in-cluding plants home-made jams local honey and cakes ceramics textiles handcrafted glass and jewellery - the list goes on
To add to the fun there will be Face Painting and Scottys Circus Workshop for the youngsters as well as top quality refreshments ice creams and BBQ plus bric-a-brac galore books raffles tombolas and games In fact something for every-one in the lovely setting of the Adoption Centre grounds With free parking nearby and entrance only 50p per person why not come along and make a day of it whilst supporting a really good cause
This is the story of Nelly and Mischea whose bond was so close that one even helped her soul mate give birth ldquoThough I have always en-joyed breeding my Russian Blues I have never experi-enced such joy as when my two Kimara girls came to live with me Born and bred in the same house these two girls have a bond stronger than I have ever seen amongst my family group of Russians They share every-thing The latter became even more evident when both girls were pregnant Mischea gave birth first to 5 healthy kittens Nelly was awed by it and did not come close for a while
One Cats Helps Another Give BirthOne Cats Helps Another Give Birth
Two of Nelly‟s 5 kittens now 8 months old remain in our house and enjoy the care of both cats equally Even though Nelly‟s son Leo is al-ready bigger than his mom he still sometimes drinks with her and asks for cuddles and a washing which she we give him gladly Mischea will not suckle him but will cuddle up with him and wash him The same goes for Nelly‟s little daughter Lyusya Thanks to Yasmin Trok-Wijnands Netherlands for sharing this story with us
Nelly and Mischea help each other
with the washing up
About 3 weeks later it was her turn to give birth and the strong bond between them was fully restored During the whole birthing process Mischea left her own small kittens alone to help her best friend give birth She sup-ported Nelly cleaned up bit umbilical cords and ate after-births
Cats of Claw Hill Makes a ComebackCats of Claw Hill Makes a Comeback
When all was over Mischea gave her a thorough washing from ear to tail before she went back to her own brood Within days both mothers shared the tasks of caring for their kittens
Yes it‟s back by popular demand The success of bdquoCats of Claw Hill‟ means that the entire series is be-ing repeated this month The series featuring Vicky will run from 31st May to 9th June on Animal Planet airing at 4pm every weekday (one episode a day) repeating the next day at 9am
On Saturday 18th June the whole series repeats in one go starting at 1pm and finishing at 5pm
Of course this can be subject to last minute schedule changes but we have been informed that this is unlikely
So if you missed it first time round here‟s a second chance to catch it
And if you do watch it please do let us know what you think
There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-
vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group
Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update
ldquoCome and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall Vickyrdquo
As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget
And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153
June Prize Draw June Prize Draw
This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline
Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin
Your cat will go mad for them them
Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw
And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
This is the story of Nelly and Mischea whose bond was so close that one even helped her soul mate give birth ldquoThough I have always en-joyed breeding my Russian Blues I have never experi-enced such joy as when my two Kimara girls came to live with me Born and bred in the same house these two girls have a bond stronger than I have ever seen amongst my family group of Russians They share every-thing The latter became even more evident when both girls were pregnant Mischea gave birth first to 5 healthy kittens Nelly was awed by it and did not come close for a while
One Cats Helps Another Give BirthOne Cats Helps Another Give Birth
Two of Nelly‟s 5 kittens now 8 months old remain in our house and enjoy the care of both cats equally Even though Nelly‟s son Leo is al-ready bigger than his mom he still sometimes drinks with her and asks for cuddles and a washing which she we give him gladly Mischea will not suckle him but will cuddle up with him and wash him The same goes for Nelly‟s little daughter Lyusya Thanks to Yasmin Trok-Wijnands Netherlands for sharing this story with us
Nelly and Mischea help each other
with the washing up
About 3 weeks later it was her turn to give birth and the strong bond between them was fully restored During the whole birthing process Mischea left her own small kittens alone to help her best friend give birth She sup-ported Nelly cleaned up bit umbilical cords and ate after-births
Cats of Claw Hill Makes a ComebackCats of Claw Hill Makes a Comeback
When all was over Mischea gave her a thorough washing from ear to tail before she went back to her own brood Within days both mothers shared the tasks of caring for their kittens
Yes it‟s back by popular demand The success of bdquoCats of Claw Hill‟ means that the entire series is be-ing repeated this month The series featuring Vicky will run from 31st May to 9th June on Animal Planet airing at 4pm every weekday (one episode a day) repeating the next day at 9am
On Saturday 18th June the whole series repeats in one go starting at 1pm and finishing at 5pm
Of course this can be subject to last minute schedule changes but we have been informed that this is unlikely
So if you missed it first time round here‟s a second chance to catch it
And if you do watch it please do let us know what you think
There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-
vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group
Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update
ldquoCome and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall Vickyrdquo
As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget
And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153
June Prize Draw June Prize Draw
This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline
Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin
Your cat will go mad for them them
Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw
And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-
vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group
Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update
ldquoCome and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall Vickyrdquo
As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget
And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153
June Prize Draw June Prize Draw
This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline
Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin
Your cat will go mad for them them
Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw
And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them
Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect
Tip of The MonthTip of The Month
Cool For Cats Cool For Cats
Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces
If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips
This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly
Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going
out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime
ldquoAttention owners of
pale cats Too much
sun can be bad for your
cat toordquo
My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow
I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo
Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand
It‟s for your own good Jimmy
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and
Jimmy
―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately
successful in their initial attempts Being used to
puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from
the sides of a feeder this posed an extra
challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as
they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at
the side This left them distinctly grumpy and
they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to
sulk instead However hunger got the better of
them and they gave it another go
They each had their distinct way of using it Billy
thought brute force was the order of the day
dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-
ing to use the top tray where the majority of the
biscuits were and where he had the best chance
of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom
Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray
though they both also thought the round bumprsquo
in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so
itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would
work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to
the bottom and the other eating them
On a practical note the tall design means it
doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as
Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled
over The plastic mat is great for stopping the
spread of those half eaten bits and the gently
sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not
too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All
in all this really is a great tool to get cats working
for their food Clare
New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review
Focussed Mangus
A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we
were very excited to receive one of the latest
Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR
Design Senses Food Maze
Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe
it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart
way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-
culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves
the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it
through the side openings until it drops down to the
food trayrdquo
So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and
Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat
Mangus went first
―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-
asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-
cuits on the upper level
She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)
that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-
tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying
to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably
thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was
worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell
through to the bottom and she eventually ate these
I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-
ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners
to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to
access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as
the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-
larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky
Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-
whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional
lsquopaw approachrsquo
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
When you love your cats
to bits then the thought of
leaving them for a short
while causes an avalanche
of guilt and anxiety
Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on
silver sand somewhere
(where at least you could
worry in comfort) but some-
thing forced upon you by cir-
cumstances the thought that
one very important member
of the family canlsquot come too
is enough to make you cancel
the whole thing and spend a
staycation at home doing in-
teresting things with catnip
and cardboard boxes
The dilemma of leaving a
much loved cat in the hands
of someone else is a hard
one Welsquove all put in the time
asking everyone we know
poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the
chances of our cat being
happy based on some dodgy
online photos and one de-
scriptive sentence on a
strange cattery website
Would you choose to leave
your cat here
Why oh why we ask our-
selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use
resource that actually has all the
information in one place All we
want is a list of licensed catteries
in Britain that have been
checked to make sure they are
safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick
the ones that will treat our cat
like royalty searchable by loca-
tion and with reviews and feed-
back from other users
How about some kind of star
rating system too They do it for
hotels imagine trying to find a
hotel today without the aid of
star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too
much to ask that the same could
be applied to catteries (and ken-
nels) and that someone some-
where has the initiative to create
a kind of national register and
rating scheme
Well step forward iPAWS
which stands for Independent
Pet Accommodation Welfare
Standard Shooting for the
Stars iPAWS is aiming for
stellar change in cat boarding
The concept of iPAWS is
breathtakingly simple It will be
home to the UKlsquos first ever na-
tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With
information on whether they fail
meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-
mum standards
iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries
This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft
Cat Hotel
As well as compiling this officiallsquo
information in the future pet
owners will be encouraged to
post reviews photos and videos
to name and shame but also to
laud and applaud
Every council in Britain has been
asked for basic information on
the catteries and kennels theylsquove
licensed and shortly they will be
surveyed on the premises them-
selves Staggeringly councils are
not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos
minimum guidelines to license pet
accommodation
The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon
Westlodge Boarding Cattery
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Now wherelsquos my suncream
iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)
iPAWS has a pretty impressive background
in improving all-things-catteryhellip
Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-
nership whose mission is to raise standards
by helping new cattery owners create cat-
safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the
idea is to encourage catteries not just to
meet the minimum UK standards - but to
leave them light years behind
With an expert panel made up of the top
movers and shakers in the UK pet world
including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and
our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-
blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-
commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and
kennels the knowledge and very public mo-
tivation to improve
Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not
just be down to the luck of the draw
wwwipawsorguk
lsquoThe Bad rsquo
lsquoThe Ugly rsquo
How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat
Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home
As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk
ldquoThe team conduct-
ing this research
are recruiting in the
first instance
mainly from the
following places in
the UK East Mid-
lands or anywhere
that can be trav-
elled to and from in
a day from Lincoln
but will consider
people further
awayrdquo
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
General advice to consider
when using Feliwayreg Spray
When using the Feliwayreg
Spray you must keep in mind
the problem you are trying to
reduce or prevent
If your cat is
urine spraying
First consult a vet-
erinary surgeon to
confirm that your
cats problem is not
of a clinical origin
Then after removing the cat
from the room clean the areas
marked with urine using either
a mixture of water and surgical
spirits or a warm dilute solu-
tion of non-biological washing
powder
Never use strong smelling dis-
infectants bleach biological
washing powder detergents or
deodorisers to clean the af-
fected areas They may inter-
fere with the action of Feli-
wayreg and the strong smell may
upset your cat further
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray daily for at least 30 days
Do not stop when you notice
improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting
the cat re-enter the area to
allow time for the alcohol car-
rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate
off
If you need to apply Feliwayreg
Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice
Feliway 60ml Spray
to electrical equipment switch off
the appliance allow it to cool
down and then ensure it is com-
pletely dry before switching it on
again
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of urine spray-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Remember Feliwayreg does not
cover or mask bad smells
If your cat is scratch marking
Remove the cat from the room
Shake the bottle and apply the
spray to the marked area daily for
at least 30 days Do not stop
when you notice improvement
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg
to evaporate off
To prevent new furniture freshly
painted walls or other objects be-
coming the target of scratch mark-
ing activity spray daily for the first
2 weeks or until the cat is seen to
rub hisher head against the ob-
ject
Never punish your cat for urine
or scratch marking as this will only
increase their level of distress and
will not reduce the problem but
may make it worse
If your cat lives in a multi-cat
household
Use as above but extend period of
use to at least 45 days and increase
the frequency of application to twice
daily
Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser
to reduce the overall stress levels of
all your cats
To give more general
reassurance
Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-
ways cat-flap windows sills and to
other prominent objects within your
home
Shake the bottle and spray at a height
of about 20 cm from the floor
Wait 15 minutes before letting the
cat re-enter the area to allow time
for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to
evaporate off
Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings
but it is recommended to test on a
sample before use
Find out more at
wwwfeliwaycom or
PS Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for That Purple Cat‟ as
every so often depending on his
mood he runs a competition to
win free prizes
httptwittercom
thatpurplecat
http
wwwfacebookcom
pagesThat-purple-
cat128359890788
ref=ts
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
―Just take a second and
think ― was the advice given
to me before I brought
home a kitten called Wil-
low
From day one she never acted
normal The first clue was the
urine puddle that appeared each
morning on the floor I cleaned it
with no thought to any behaviour
issues she genuinely believed that
the carpet was somewhere to pee
My mum passed away on the 30th
March 2005 Family came from all
over and filled our house throw-
ing everyonelsquos world into chaos
Willowlsquos feelings got left behind
she was petrified and confused
One day she went missing I didnlsquot
know what to do Willow would
rather hide and stay quiet than be
found A month passed and a
neighbour spotted her in a ditch I
frantically called her name her
face appeared looking weary and
sad Seeing me she lit up leaping
straight into my arms When ex-
amined by the vet it was evident
that Willow had sat in that ditch
and not movedwaiting to be
found
Willow got lost regularly I would
find her in all manner of places
often stuck in a bush She always
just satwaiting to be rescued
She eventually learnt to never
leave the garden Her routine was
to eat walk to the bottom of the
garden eat and sleep
One day that all changed It had
been very windy and Willow was
headed for the cat flap (I add that
it was a hole in the wall as try
beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to
use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt
and attacked Willow Dad
punched the dog off scooped her
The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan
The tendons in her back leg had been
ripped surgery was required to see if
the leg could survive the blood loss I
was petrified Not everyone under-
stood her habits I didnlsquot want the
nurses to treat her differently Willow
had to go back every day for the
wound to be examined She had to be
sedated due to her screaming and
crying
She stayed confined in my room for a
month Her first hour was spent
throwing herself against the wall
Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-
way plug-in
Every morning I would clean up the
various accidents an unused tray left
in the corner
The month passed and the leg healed
However her problems with the cat-
flap and litter tray continued She
scratched at the floor until you
snapped her out of it and was often
found staring at the wall for hours It
wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-
alised how odd Willows behaviour
was
As soon as Dylan arrived he used the
litter tray In Willows 4 years she
hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was
free to roam the house during the
day being shut in a room at night I
mixed scents changed bowls every-
thing by the book All was left was the
introduction
Willow saw Dylan and curled herself
in a ball crying Dylan tried to play
but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed
was a wallop from Willow but that was
never going to happen When Dylan
grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-
low grew more confident hissing from
the safety of my lap However Dylan was
persistent Progress was slow Willow
eventually progressed to freezing when
Dylan went near her not moving until he
passed They were not friends but they
coped
At a new vet surgery for her booster
Willow immediately curled up and cried
The vet was baffled he had never seen a
cat like it I explained Willows odd be-
haviours The vet guessed she had suf-
fered in the womb preventing her brain
from developing properly He dispensed
some tablets to help her
One major change was that Willow used
the litter tray Though she spent the
next 15minutes scratching at the floor
Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She
would still wee on the floor every
morning without fail The vet changed
her medication Willow turned confident
and vocal She used the litter tray all the
time and mastered the cat flap She stuck
her head and forelimbs in the hole and
wiggled her way through She has used it
ever since I was worried that stopping
the tablets would revert her back to her
neurotic self But it didnlsquot
Some of Willows behaviours I cannot
help She scratches on the patio until her
claws bleed She goes into a trance and
wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job
that is done by me
Willow has just turned 6years old and
has achieved what a kitten would have by
8weeks She will never be normal but
she will forever be my misunderstood
little girl
Thank you to our reader Amelia for
sharing Willow‟s story with us
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling
cat magazine gets a makeover
Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-
formation to help them care for their pet in
the new look Your Cat magazine now out
(June issue)
The new Catcare section features health and
behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-
tions answered by leading experts This 16-
page section set to be a must-read includes a
new regular feature focusing on weight issues
a diary of a general practice vet health news
and tips from readers There will also be fur-
ther regular columns with topics including
senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly
gardening
In the new look June issue (out now) topics
covered include using a body condition score
rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate
weight understanding chronic kidney disease
over-grooming and sowing plants with cat
appeal
All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-
ments remain so regular readers will not be
disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat
tales can be found grouped together in a sec-
tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline
fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle
page Other new elements are CatsHeart
with its star interview and celebrity cat owner
gossip and a four-page charity section which
will include features appeals and events listing
plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-
ing for new homes
―We think the new look Your Cat has real
wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from
the stunning white cat on the cover to the
new full page at the back If you love cats
youlsquoll definitely love this
Star features in the June issue include an arti-
cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the
gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap
Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue
tells us how she got Coco the role and gives
us an insight into what goes on behind the
scenes
New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine
And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-
gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from
the owners of cats who have become stars in their
own right
In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a
reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed
her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly
wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing
the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she
is not alone and her situation is not uncommon
Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-
one in a similar position
Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and
larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-
zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the
website wwwyourcatcouk for more information
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat
Rescue is a small family-run rescue
operating in the East Central Scot-
land founded by Sarah and Paul
Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from
Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by
the amazing and tireless work that Sarah
Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-
teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-
ronment for abused and abandoned cats
I first discovered the Sunny Harbour
website about a year ago I always knew I
wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was
very specific about the type of cat I
wanted and I spent a large amount of
time researching different rescue centres
and different cats What instantly ap-
pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour
website is the exquisite and personalised
descriptions of the cats in their care and
this is testament to the time and atten-
tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing
their feline charges They appreciate the
individual needs of the cats and try their
best to match them to suitable loving new
homes
Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers
practical support and advice for cat own-
ers This is a valuable resource for new
owners that need a little gentle reassur-
ance Sunny Harbour also has a
facebook group with a flourish-
ing community that enjoys keep-
ing up to date with the Harbour
news sharing photos and stories
of our Harbour babies and con-
tributing to an active discussion
board to share information such
as recommendations for local
veterinary clinics and catteries
ideas for new cat toys and for
organizing fund raising events
IndyCat found his way to the
Harbour as a stray with a bro-
ken femur and he needed pain
medication neutering and nine
weeks of cage rest before going
forward for re-homing
Paul described our IndyCat as a
―bombproof cat We have had
him for almost a year He is a
confident social little ball of
ginger mischief that loves to wel-
come you home with head-
bumps
Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith
IndyCat takes a snooze
Sunny Harbour is a small inde-
pendent rescue that currently
receives no grant funding All
funds are raised by fundraising
activities and through the kind-
ness of public donations
To try and raise much needed
funds Paul myself and eight
other brave souls will be under-
taking a Free Fall Abseil event
on the 19th June 2011
The event involves a 165ft SAS
style abseil from the top of one
of the brick pillars of the Forth
Rail Bridge to the sandy beach
of South Queensferry below
He makes us smile and laugh
everyday We are very grateful
to Sarah and Paul for caring
loving and nursing IndyCat back
to health and for subsequently
nurturing us as new parents
And we wish nothing more than
for Sunny Harbour to be able to
continue its good work
Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting
All funds raised through this
event will go directly to the cats
and kittens to help with the an-
nual veterinary and care costs
If you would like to sponsor us
please visit our donation site
httpsmydonatebtcomevents
abseil4cats50188
For further information please
visit the Sunny Harbour web-
site
httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk
Or follow the Harbour kitties
on facebook
httpswwwfacebookcom
pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-
Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―
Thanks to Lisa for telling us
about Sunny Harbour and I‟m
sure we‟d all like to wish her
lots of luck with her abseil
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo
Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey
ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me
Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey
lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie
We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator
Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo
Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah
Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-
ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of
CEVA Animal Health
Feline Training for Positive Welfare
This webinar will help you to
Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical
application with the cat
Identify a range of situations where training can promote
the welfare of the cat
Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with
the cat
The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at
730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering
please follow this link
httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets
indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the
Bengal
Bengal
What The Breeders Tell You
GCCF breed classification Foreign
Country of Origin
USA
In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-
parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion
The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household
Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water
Breed ProfileBreed Profile
Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month
What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors
Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at
Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins
ldquoTo view the videos just
click the linksrdquo
NEW
We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso
httpwwwyoutubecom
watchv=rynvewVe21Y
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Introducing Magnum Fizz
and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories
MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very
special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon
You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home
FIZZ
When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right
This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her
Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she
Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the
National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web
site wwwncaccatsorguk
might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN
ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care
of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer
You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space
I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her
Happy EndingsHappy Endings
Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine
As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies
Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo
and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo
Frodo
Suzy amp Smudge
Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat
Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her