Newsletter for the Telford & District Cats Protection
Our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs
Hi Cats Protection;
s r e t t e L
Dear Cats Protection League;
I’ve recently adopted a brand new feline friend, six months old and already a terror. My new little bundle of fluff is also a bundle of energy and in the recent economic situation I cant afford to buy my kitten toys. I don’t want to come home to shredded sofas and mutilated pillows, what can I do? Jane - Wellington Young pets tend to attempt to destroy things on a regular basis and it’s not easy to completely avoid this. However toys do help, and while it’s a good idea to invest in a good scratching post there are lots of different places you can go for cheap cat toys. Pound and 99p stores nearly always have a pets aisle that have a selection of toys, or a local market may have a range of cheaper toys. Alternatively, we’ve found that homemade pet toys are almost more popular with the feline community than bought ones. You could spend pounds on buying toys for your kitten only to find that a tightly rolled up ball of tin foil would entertain them for even longer. Tie it onto a length of wool, and you’ve got fun and games for hours. Accessorise with novelty feathers or bells that are easy to pick up from any arts and crafts stores, or using the same theory some coloured tissue. Being bright and light will really attract your pets attention! Your other alternative doesn’t involve any physical toy at all. A light pen can be very effective. Make sure to always keep it pointed at the floor though, and don’t let your cat get too worn out playing.
I have come across my cat Sally finishing off my bowl of Weetabix the other week and since then I get pestered at breakfast for a little taste. I’m not sure that it’s good for her? I was just wondering whether anyone else has pets with strange tastes Jenna - Muxton All pets have their own little preferences in the same was as they have their own personalities. I know plenty of cats who have strange feeding habits – my own like small amounts of Ready Brek and cool tea, only if it has sugar in though! And a previous Siamese of mine used to enjoy the odd cheese and onion crisp and a bite of a Mars Bar! In terms of healthiness, feeding your cat entirely on Weetabix, Mars Bars and cheese and onion crisps is definitely not a good idea. However, if your pet doesn’t seem to be suffering any ill effects from the food and if they enjoy it, so long as you carefully moderate the food they have, there’s no reason why as a very occasional treat they can’t have it. There are certain foods that cats are biologically unable to take – Root vegetables such as onions and garlic, raisins and grapes, raw tomatoes and potatoes, chocolate and milk can be extremely toxic to cats, or at least give them a rough stomach for a couple of days. So be cautious, and do your research onto what’s good for your cat and what isn’t, but don’t by any means frighten yourself from giving them the odd treat. If your cat likes Weetabix, try and limit the amount of milk they take with it as much as possible, and be careful not to allow them to develop a regular bad habit – It wouldn’t do to have great aunt Gertrude over and your pet jump up onto her lap, expecting to swallow down her meal! Everything in moderation, and with a little bit of research you can give your pet a nice treat that they can enjoy and you won’t worry yourself over. Thanks for s to n o i t writing in. ues om
d q mail.c n a s g tter ction@ e l our prote y u s d yo pr.cat n e S
• Do you stand at the computer because the cat is sleeping on the chair? • Do you always make sure there’s plenty of kitty litter in the house, even though you may not notice that you have run out of toilet paper until it’s too late? • Do you go stay in uncomfortable positions or continue to stay in one place because the cat is curled up on your lap asleep? • Do you keep old, empty boxes all over the house instead of throwing them away, because the cat likes to sleep in them? • Did you buy a video of fish swimming in an aquarium to entertain your cat? • Do you buy more than 50 pounds of cat litter a month? • Do you climb out of bed like Spiderman to avoid disturbing your sleeping cat?
• Do you put off making the bed until the cat gets up? • Do you stand at the open door, patiently, in the freezing rain while your cat sniffs the door, deciding whether to go out or come in? • Do you give your cat Christmas presents and stuff a stocking full of toys? • Do you spend more for your cat than you do for your spouse? • Do you have more than four opened but rejected cans of cat food in the refrigerator? • Do you microwave your cat’s food or better yet, prepare it from scratch? • Will you sleep in the same position all night because it disturbs your cats when you move?
Cats Protection iPhone App A brand new and exciting item detailing the launch of the Cats Protection League’s first iPhone application, enabling cat lovers around the world to create and play with a virtual feline friend. In this article we will discuss the three main concepts behind the app – Creation, Interaction and Sharing! Entitled MyMog, this new free-of-charge application, which is also available for iPod Touch and iPad, allows people to create their very own digital cat. Your pet can be completely customised, as users you will have the ability to change its colours, style and even facial expressions.
The final part of the MyMog application is sharing! Created cats can be uploaded onto social network sites Facebook and Twitter – from there your creations can be shared with your friends, and users can also, via the application, make a small donation to Cats Protection. This can be done through text messaging or by visiting the Cats Protection League’s main website and by following the dedicated link. To download, search for MyMog in UK iTunes or the UK Apple app store, or visit: http:// www.cats.org.uk/get-involved/mymog-menu
But that’s not all, because once created, your virtual cat can be equipped with fun accessories such as glasses or a top hat, and placed in different locations such as a park, a beach or a birthday party. Make a black and white aristocrat taking a stroll through the park, or have a gorgeous white lady feline stretched out on a beach. Interaction with the MyMog is also a really important part of the creation. Your cat can be stroked by running fingers across the screen, resulting in a purr of approval if you get it right but be warned! If you brush your cat’s fur up the wrong way you’ll get yourself a hiss of disapproval. So don’t get it wrong!
Technology Review
Remember, Remember Your cats this November... We all know how incredible a well done firework display is. Over the late October and early November period they are unavoidable, good news for us bad news for our pets.
Cats with their enhanced hearing find the loud noises of fireworks particularly terrifying, and with hundreds of cases of animals being hurt or going missing over this time, we at the Cat’s Protection League have put together a 5 step guide for keeping your moggies safe and out of harms way this November.
1
Keep your cats indoors – This one’s a given, but as any good cat owner knows once a feline is out getting them back inside again isn’t always an easy task. Add to the mix the erratic noises of a few Catherine Wheels and it’s a recipe for disaster, so try and keep them inside from Dusk onwards. A double-door method might be a good plan; if your pet has a regular sleeping place or hidey hole somewhere in the house such as a favourite chair or blanket, try and confine them to that area of the house specifically, as well as keeping the front door shut. Cats are fast when skittish, and can be outside before you know it if you’re not careful.
2
Make sure all your felines amenities are on hand – If they are used to spending a lot of time outdoors make sure they have a litter tray within easy access, as well as food and a little water. Any favourite toys might also be a thought, if it helps settle them. So long as they have everything they need on hand keeping an eye on them shouldn’t be too difficult.
3 4
Ensure all doors and windows are fastened securely – Aside from just keeping them indoors this will help reduce the noise from any outside parties. It might also be a good idea to leave a television on for them, or some soft music as a way of keeping out the loud crashes and bangs from the fire crackers outside.
I f your cat or kitten is a new edition to the family, or you’ve recently moved home, then they are more likely to be skittish. Keep a closer eye on them, if you have any other more boisterous pets try and keep them separated. If you’re particularly concerned about how your animal handles the ruckus of the Halloween and Bonfire night period it may be a good idea to discuss this with your local vet and of course do the same if you think that your pet may be suffering badly from the stress even after the main events.
5
N aturally we wouldn’t recommend large firework night parties if you are a pet owner, but if you do have a gathering try and keep the fireworks themselves to a minimum, and handheld cascading ones rather than the noise making variety.
You may still find difficulties with your pets behaviour but following these steps should decrease the risk of any real harm coming to your furry friends. Prevention is of course always the best protection, so just keep your pets inside and check up on them if the fireworks in your area are particularly bad and refer to your vet if there are any serious problems.
Don’t miss out on your chance to win one of these fabulous Cat Playhouses. Over the next four issues we are giving you the chance to win one of these four amazing vehicles, starting with the Fire Engine. All you need to do to win is sign up for our digital newsletter and send us an email to pr.catsprotection@gmail.com with the title subject “sign up”. Fingers crossed you an your kitty could be the owner of one of these fantastic prizes!
Our 4 prizes were provided by ‘SUCKUK’ visit them at
www.suck.uk.com
or call them on
020 7923 0011
We all like to treat our moggies, and while we know they all have different tastes we also know that certain products are not good for their digestive system. Cats bodies are not meant to cope with most dairy products, fatty food stuffs or things such as grapes and raisins. Naturally, everything in moderation, but all the same here we have found a tasty home-made recipe for cat biscuits that your cats will love, won’t break the bank and with healthy ingredients.
Ingredients: 1 tin of sardines in oil 60 g of bran flakes crushed (these can be substituted for the cereal) 55 ml of skimmed milk
Method: 1. Preheat oven to 175oC and grease a baking tray lightly 2. M ix all ingredients together well in a mixing bowl – if the mix is too wet ad more bran flakes, if its to dry add more milk. It should be the consistency of cookie dough and malleable.
3. R oll out small amounts of the mixture (roughly about half a teaspoon) into small balls
4. P lace each ball on the baking tray, keeping them at least 1 and a half centimetres apart then flatten with the back of a spoon
5. P lace in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown
6. W hen done, remove and place on a cooling tray until cold, then store in an airtight container This recipe makes roughly 10 cat treats although this number can vary with size. Remember to keep them stored in a cool dry place so that they make a great, but occasional, treat for your furry friend.
Neutering Telford and District Cats Protection are launching a £10 neutering campaign in November. This financial assistance will be available:-
If you live in a TF postcode area and you are one of the following groups:
• OAP’s
• Students
• Cases of genuine financial hardship
• Families or individuals on state benefits
Neutering for male and female cats is a routine operation which has numerous health benefits and is essential to keep the population of unwanted cats and kittens down. Contact our neutering phone number to find out more information.
1 Cats make about 100 different sounds, Dogs make only about 10 2 A cat can travel at a top speed of approximately 31 mph (49 km) over a short distance 3 A cat can jump up to five times its own height in a single bound 4 A cat almost never meows at another cat, mostly just humans. Cats typically will spit, purr, and hiss at other cats 5 One reason that kittens sleep so much is because a growth hormone is released only during sleep
Word Search Find the word ‘Cat’ from languages around the world. 1. Arabic - Kitte 2. Bulgarian - Kotka 3. Chinese - Miu 4. English - Cat 5. Estonian - Kiisu 6. French - Chat 7. Hawaiian - Popoki 8. Italian - Gatto 9. Russian - Koshka 10. Spanish - Gato 11. Welsh - Cath 12. Pakistani - Shimii 13. Romanian - Pisica 14. Ethiopian - Domadh 15. Gypsy - Muca 16. Hindi - Billi 17. Norwegian - Katt 18. Indonesian - Kuching 19. Maltese - Qattus 20. Polish - Kot
H
M
I
U
D
O
M
A
D
H
S
W
C
A
T
H
G
A
T
O
A
K
H
S
O
K
A
T
T
T
W
K
U
A
C
I
S
I
P
O
U
I
Q
A
T
T
U
S
M
K
S
T
P
O
P
O
K
I
U
O
I
T
T
O
T
T
A
G
C
T
I
E
A
B
I
L
L
I
A
K
K
Y
H
S
H
I
M
I
I
A
I
I
C
G
N
I
H
C
U
K
n l g i n a e i e r o p c o p F a If you have been on holiday or abroad on business this summer and have some foreign change left over we would be grateful of any spare currency you may have. Even if its a few euro’s or dollars which would not be worth changing back to sterling due to charges made.
Thank You... Photo: Coins by Petr Kratochvil