Paws off the garden birds!
Feline lovers who also enjoy watching their feathered garden visitors from their windows can help to create a sustainable environment in which both can live side by side. Many cat owners receive ‘presents’ from their pets such as dead birds left on the lawn or sometimes dragged through the cat flap. Our love for cats and birds is not mutually exclusive, so the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has produced a free guide on cats and garden birds offering advice in a number of practical steps to take into consideration.
An estimated 55 million birds are killed by cats every year, which in the long term can result in the decline of familiar birds such as House Sparrows. Cats do not depend on birds for food as they are well fed at home so their numbers are not threatened. We provide birds with food, bird baths, boxes for nesting, so it is a good idea to give a thought to their safety too. BTO recommends that householders space bird feeders around their gardens so that flocks are spread out and can spot cats easily. Hanging and pole-mounted feeders and bird tables are quite safe for birds, but ground-feeding species are more vulnerable so if you do put food on the ground, make sure it is an open space and away from places where cats can hide. Nesting boxes can be placed in thorny vegetation or protected by chicken wire which will give nesting birds protection from our feline friends. It is good to discourage cats, but do not apply any devices that may harm them. Cats like to have fun in their garden territory and get plenty of exercise climbing and playing and by following a few simple steps, you will be less likely to get a feathery present next time you wake up!
Have you just purchased a kitten from a Breeders Association registered cat breeder? Make sure you register your kitten for a 12 week free insurance within 48 hours of picking your pet up from the breeder. Visit www.cat-breeds.co.uk and you can choose from the standard Essential or the lifetime Essential + covers.
Pensioner refused to be allowed to have kitten due to her postcode
After her the death of her husband, Margaret Baker aged 75 desperately wanted a cat for companionship.
She picked out Lily, a Bengal from an animal shelter and agreed to go through a standard vetting procedure. To her horror, she was told that her application has been refused due to her home of 38 years in Norfolk is in too rough an area.
Mrs Baker said in response to the news, “I was numb and just burst into tears.” Molly Cutmore from the Feline Care East Harling, Norfolk, last night defended the charity’s decision. Mrs Cutmore said, 'We don't want to stop people who want one having a cat, but can't re-home them if we think something will happen.'
She added: 'We've heard reports of people training their dogs to attack cats and there have been cruelty cases on the estate. All of our policies exist for good reasons.'
Mrs Baker has now adopted a cat called Smokey, said: 'When I went out I realised that when I came back home I hated it. There was nothing to come back to. You could say Ted and I were joined at the hip and we did everything together. Now I've got Smokey I don't mind coming home any more.'
Have you just bought a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. Join and receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
Cat gets lost in transit
What would you do, if you're new kitten got lost in transit?
A couple from North Yorkshire whose cat escaped and went missing for several hours at Athens airport have heavily criticise British Airways for their handling of pets.
Kit and Megan Peel have been living in Greece for several years when they decided to return to their home in the Uk in Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire with their two cats Spartacus and Tancredi.
Whilst BA pride themselves on their handling of animals, Kit and Megan Peel claim that BA’s handling of Spartacus was completely unacceptable.
Mr Peel was travelling through Athens airport and had arranged for the cats to travel on BA Cargo, paying more than 700 Euros for pet tickets.
Whilst their cages were being x-rayed, Spartacus became frightened and broke free from his cage, Mr Peel said, “There was a motorway on one end, there was an airport on the other end, there were lorries being unloaded. It was about the worst possible place you can imagine to lose a cat.”
Mr Peel flew back to the Uk with Tancredi, the Peel’s asked their Greek friends to try and fins Spartacus. Hours later Spartacus was found. Mr Peel flew back to Athens the nest day and was reunited with Spartacus.
BA has released a statement, “ Our staff ar Athens airport searched for Spartacus for 45minutes and used his favourite food to try and lure him back. We were delighted he was found safe the next day and flew him back to London without charge.”
“ BA carries thousands of pets on our global network each year and our cargo team in Athens has received accolades for their handing of pets.”
Kit and Megan Peel have set up a Facebook group called Justice for Spartacus to get better facilities for pets travelling on airlines.
If you own a cat or a kitten, make sure you get cat insurance to cover your beloved pet against many unexpected eventualities.
Have you just bought a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. Join and receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
Napping cat goes under the hammer
Some of the things that buyers look out for at car auctions are: air conditioning, ABS, heated seats and CD players…for one buyer from the West Midlands a snoozing tabby cat could be added to that list.
A tabby cat unwittingly decided to take a cat nap in a car about to go up for auction at Blue Cycle salvage dealers in Doncaster. The sleeping cat was blissfully unaware of the bidding war that had started, continuing to sleep quietly on the back seat.
The new owner of the car only noticed the sleeping kitty when he arrived home in his new car, after a 100 mile trip.
The cat is now with the RSPCA at Weoley Castle, Birmingham where staff have called her Doris.
The Auction house is now putting up posters to help find Doris’ original owners.
This story proves that even the sleepiest cat can get itself in to all sorts of trouble. If you are considering adding a kitten to your family make sure you take out insurance straight away. If you purchase a kitten from a breeder registered with the Cat Breeders Association we will give you 12 weeks Free Breeder Choice insurance when you register with us upto 48 hours after collecting your cat, visit www.cat-breeds.co.uk for more information.
One Cat’s Delivery Adventure
A tabby cat from Milton Keyes has been reunited with his owners after a 5 month delivery adventure saw him stranded over 40 miles away.
Gerry had been playing outside of his owner’s, the Tadman’s, home when he decided to explore a delivery van which was dropping off a neighbour’s new sofa.
The curious Kitty then became trapped inside the lorry as it went on a delivery run across three counties.
Unseen by the driver Gerry was only spotted when he escaped at the depot in Tongwell. The concerned driver then rang around his previous deliveries to find out who the cat was and eventually the Tadman family were notified of their beloved moggy’s adventure.
The family began a frantic search for Gerry, leaving out food and putting up posters.
Despite their extensive search efforts it was thanks to Gerry’s microchip that the missing cat was found. Gerry had been meowing outside a lady in Corby’s house.
Taking pity on the crying cat the lady let Gerry into her house and took him to a local vet who scanned the micro-chip and contacted the Tadman family.
Speaking at her joy at being reunited with the Gerry, Janice Tadman said:
“I was ecstatic. I said to the lady who found him ‘can I come and get him now, where do you live’ thinking she would say Willen or Newport Pagnell, she said ‘yes, I’m in Corby’. So I went on the forty mile trip there and forty miles back to collect him.’”
Like Gerry many cats have an inquisitive nature and they are perhaps at their most mischievous when they are kittens. If you are considering adding a kitten to your family make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk/. Join and receive 12 weeks Free Breeder Choice insurance.
Coronation Street Cat’s Ashes
The ashes of a cat who starred in Coronation Street were sold at almost six times the expected price at a recent auction.
The late cat named Frisky starred in the beginning sequence of the soap which was aired over 1000 episodes.
Frisky’s owner John Rimington from Leeds said before the auction, that “he hoped the ashes would go to an avid Corrie fan”.
Frisky was clearly an exceptional cat. He won the his place on Coronation Street by beating over 5000 cats for the role.
Chris Albury, of Dominic Winter Auctioneers, in South Cerney, said: "Not only was Frisky one of the most recognised cats in the country for over a decade, but he also became synonymous with one of the nation's favourite soaps."
Frisky died in 2000of stomach cancer at the age of 14. His ashes were sold at the auction in Gloucestershire to a private bidder for £844.
Have you just bought a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. Join and receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
Kristen Stewart takes cat everywhere she goes
Twilight Saga star Kristen Stewart revealed that she takes het pet cat Max with her wherever she goes, even if she has to fly. She explained that even though Max lashes out with his claws during every journey, she doesn’t like to be separated from him.
A cat lover, Kristen said: ‘I really like him. It’s frustrating when you travel, though, and especially because my cat is insane.’ ‘He sits in a carrier under the seat in front of me on the plane, but it’s really not cool to have him in the cabin because he screams’.
Have you just acquired a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. You will also receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
How much can you mourn a pet?
Some believe that the mourning process should be limited to only humans. However, when Roy Hattersley, the writer, broadcaster and former Labour deputy leader Lord Hattersley wrote this week in a newspaper about his grief for Buster his canine companion of 15 years, who died late last year. From the eye brows that were raised, it seems that there is a bit if a stigma in admitting to the deep emotional bond that mans shares with his pet.
"I sat in the first floor room in which I work, watching my neighbours go about their lives, amazed and furious that they were behaving as if it was a normal day," wrote Hattersley. "Stop all the clocks. Buster was dead."
Margot Clarke, manager of the Pet Bereavement Support Service says, ‘For anybody who has had a pet in their life they form a unique and very special member of the family, and remain so. In terms of that very special bond that individuals share it's like any bond, once it's broken, individuals feel that loss. That is expressed as grief.’
It was noted that many people that contacted the Pet Bereavement Support Service, that there was a great disappointment by the reaction of those around them to their loss.
This grief is seen to be compounded by the fact that there are beliefs systems set up for the loss of a human being like the idea of meeting your loved ones in heaven. However, the loss of pet is a less talked about concept which people sometimes feel uncomfortable opening up about.
Rev Prof Andrew Linzey and Anglican priest and director of Oxford Centre of Animal Ethics feels that the church has been slow to acknowledge the human-animal bond. However, he readdressed this issue when his pet dog Barney died and he wrote the book, animal rites.
Have you just got a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. You will also receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
Cat lost for 16 days survives!
Cat lover, Tracey Hastings was devastated when she thought her pedigree British Blue Simba had been stolen after he disappeared for over two weeks.
So you can imagine her utter disbelief and elation when she discovered her Simba has got himself stuck in the fireplace of a nearby pub. The landlady had heard a mewing from inside the chimney and sure enough Simba was there.
Tracy from St Osyth in Essex said, ‘He was chasing a bird, lost his footing an feel down. They has to dismantle the fireplace and there ha was sitting on a ledge. I called to him and he jumped down in a cloud of soot. This has used up one of his nine lives.’
Have you just got a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. You will also receive 12 weeks Free insurance.
Vegetarian cats
With National Vegetarian Week now in full flow celebrating all things vegetarian, some have asked the question, what about pets and a vegetarian diet?
Is it ethical to impose a vegetarian diet on your pet? And if so, is it healthy? The health issue much more straightforward for dogs than cats as they are omnivores whereas cats are absolute carnivores, and get all nutrition from meat.
However, a study carried out in 2006 found that the 34 vegetarian cats it examined were healthy. One of the biggest risks for cats is the risk of taurine deficiency, which can lead to blindness. Whilst another essential nutrient for cats found in meat is arachidonic. Both these nutrients can be bought as supplements.
Even animal rights organisations are unsure whereas others would favour the move. Many would recommend lowering your pets meat intake by changing their diet to half vegetarian, half meat.
Many pet owners will be up in arms about this issue. You may hear,’ It’s not natural’ and ‘its unfair to the cat’. That being said, Pet food is not regulated in the same way human food is and “EC permitted additives” covers a multitude of sins including 4000 chemicals and artificial colours banned from human consumption.
If you do decide to give your cat a vegetarian diet, do your homework first and consult a vet if you have any concerns about your pets health.
Have you just got a pet kitten from a breeder? Make sure you insure your kitten within 48 hours of collection either via telephone or at www.cat-breeds.co.uk. You will also receive 12 weeks Free insurance.