Naomi Opalinska Cat Behaviourist

09/12/2024

Some helpful tips for the festive season!

27/11/2024

Just had to share this gorgeous photo of my friend’s cats. I think they are pretending to be ornaments! 😻😻😻

23/11/2024

21/11/2024

Anti-freeze warning!

Antifreeze spills and leaky engines are a lethal threat to our pets. Ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze, is extremely toxic. Unfortunately, it is naturally sweet, which is why pets are tempted to drink it. As the weather continues to drop colder, please be extremely cautious of spills and leaks ❄️

Ethylene glycol is also found in car screen wash, brake fluid, radiator fluid and some garden water features. Even small amounts, if swallowed, is deadly as it causes permanent damage to the kidneys.

Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning in dogs and cats:
- Wobbliness and weakness
- Vomiting
- Low energy (lethargy)
- Drinking and weeing more to begin, and then less than normal
- Difficulty breathing or fast breathing
- Seizures (fits)
- Collapse

Sadly, antifreeze poisoning is usually fatal unless it’s treated extremely quickly. Call your vet immediately if you think your pet has come into contact with antifreeze - don't wait for symptoms to appear!⚠️

[Visual description: A ginger and white tabby cat walks by a car in the snow, looking to the ground. Text on the image reads: antifreeze warning.]

13/11/2024

Darker nights mean cats are more at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident during autumn and winter. Here are five tips from our vets to help your cat to stay safe 🐱

[Visual description: Infographic detailing five dark evening safety tips for cats. 1. Be prepared - make sure your cat is microchipped and is covered by pet insurance should anything happen. 2 - Neuter - By neutering your cat they’ll be much less likely to roam in search of a mate or get into fights. 3. Daylight - Keep your cat indoors at night and let them out during daylight hours. To help with this, you can try feeding your cat when it starts to get dark so they’ll come back for the night. 4. The secure outdoors - If you live in a busy area with lots of traffic, consider only letting your cat out into a secure garden or safe outdoor area. 5. Visibility - Reflective collars can help drivers see cats in the dark or in poor light. Choose a break-away style collar which will open if your cat catches it on a fence, branch or other object while they’re out exploring.]

10/11/2024

03/11/2024

Silent fireworks are definitely the answer!

02/11/2024

Such an honour to get this lovely 5 Star review! ❤️

30/10/2024

The bright flashes and loud bangs of fireworks can be exciting and fun for us, but for our cats, they can be confusing and frightening 😿

It’s difficult for them to understand that they aren’t in danger when they hear or see them, and since their senses are much better than ours, they experience fireworks more intensely than we do!

Here are our top tips to help your feline friend feel happy and safe during fireworks season, proudly supported by Ever Clean UK 🎆

[Visual description: An infographic explaining how to keep your cat calm during fireworks. There is a picture of a grey stripy animated cat in the middle of the picture, with gold sparks surrounding it. Points around the cat include: Get them inside well before dark and make sure all windows and cat flaps are shut/locked so they can’t get back out. Don’t pick up cats or restrain them if they are scared: cats prefer to control how they cope. Close your curtains before it gets dark and leave the lights on to hide the flashes. Try to stick to normal routines and behave normally. But if it helps, distract them with something fun to do. Make them a den to hide in if they wish. Provide a litter tray nearby. Comfort them if they come to you for reassurance, don’t ignore them. Give them a litter tray near their den. Even if they normally toilet outside, provide a litter tray inside. If you have more than one cat, give them a tray each plus a spare. Never punish them for anything they do when they’re scared. Play music to drown out the noises from fireworks. Keep them calm with pheromone diffusers. Try not to confine them to one room.]

30/10/2024

Let's not frighten our pets this Halloween 🎃

It's the most spooktacular time of the year and our vets have pulled together the ultimate pet’s Halloween Survival Guide: http://pdsa.me/PV9z

[Visual description: An infographic that outlines how to keep your pets safe at Halloween. This includes: keep Halloween treats out of paws' reach, be home before dark, leave treats for trick-or-treaters outside, move candle-lit pumpkins out of the way and create a safe space for your pets. Each point has a Halloween-themed image next to it.]

29/10/2024

I thought this was every day! 😻

27/10/2024

Remembering our beautiful Sid today ❤️

11/09/2024

Had such a lovely coffee morning visiting these two beauties and their cat carer. I made so many wonderful friends while running Cats Cradle. 😻❤️😻

05/09/2024

Just had to share this very handsome Cornish cat! Enjoying the sea air down by the harbour in Porthleven, Cornwall, UK