Poggies help for Moggies. Cat behaviour advice and cat sitting by Leanne

24/08/2024

Did you know that your cats dream too?

It is thought that they dream for similar reasons to why we do. To help them process and understand the days events.
They could be dreaming about the play session they had with you, the bird they saw from the window or rehearsing their next hunting session ❤️
Signs your cat is dreaming include:
🐈 facial and body twitching like in the below video 👇👇👇
🐈 little vocalisations such as chattering
🐈 eye movements under the eyelids
🐈 snoring 😂
🐈 funny sleep positions

What does your cat do when they are dreaming?
#

23/08/2024

Please see our below position statement, as part of The Cat Group, on ‘Bully’ and ‘Dwelf’ cats.

The Cat Group is a collection of professional organisations dedicated to feline welfare through joint campaigns and collaborative research, making expert recommendations on the care and keeping of all cats.

The Cat Group is very concerned about the breeding and promotion of so-called ‘Bully’ or ‘Dwelf’ cats.
We are completely opposed to the breeding of cats with extreme physical characteristics that negatively impact on their welfare and quality of life.

‘Bully’ and ‘Dwelf’ cats suffer from physical deformities, including hairlessness and distorted limbs, among other defects. Breeding for deformity is unethical and causes unacceptable pain and suffering. These defects, particularly limb deformities (short, bowed legs) and abnormal joints are painful and restrict mobility, thus preventing these cats from carrying out normal behaviours essential for their welfare and their ability to live a good quality of life.

The Cat Group strongly urges breeders to cease breeding ‘Bully’ or ‘Dwelf’ cats. These cats should not be promoted in any way, for example through social media, or by their presence at cat shows.

We ask the public not to buy these cats under any circumstances; doing so is irresponsible as it promotes popularity and leads to more cats with these issues being born to suffer.

More information about the health issues affecting ‘Bully’ and ‘Dwelf’ cats is available on the iCatCare website
https://icatcare.org/advice/dwelf/?fbclid=IwAR0WJl3yNt7wFWIfMThOxP44oPkPwzKR_oPTaptKbQUM6b-9NtZoEDNeTt8

20/08/2024

This week Pog is celebrating his 17th birthday. I don't know his exact date as he was found abandoned in a box in a bush with his little brother Spike when they were just a few weeks old 😔
You were a cheeky little kitten, escaping your crate when I was trying to slowly introduce you to Reggie, getting into cupboards so I had to baby proof them 😂 but you have always been the sweetest and gentlest and have grown into the loveliest gentleman. If it's even possible I love you more every day Pog. Happy Birthday 😻❤️

08/08/2024

Happy from Pog ❤️

26/06/2024

Need some cat sitting. I have availability. Including over the summer holidays. I am also registered with Cat in a Flat
https://catinaflat.co.uk/pet-sitter/668213

Cat sitter in St Albans: Poggies Moggies

24/06/2024

23/06/2024

Finally we have some good weather, some I thought it would be a good time to reshare my post

27/05/2024

Did you know that providing your🐈‍⬛with safe places, and resting places form part of the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment?
😸 some cats like places that are raised off the ground
😸they like warm places
😸they like comfy places such as beds and soft warm blankets
😸there may be times when they wish to retreat either for perceived protection or to have some alone time
There are many ways that you can provide such places like:
🐈‍⬛Perches, cat trees, shelves
🐈‍⬛Snuggle beds, Igloos, blankets on the bed and sofas
🐈‍⬛Cardboard boxes
🐈‍⬛Open cat carriers (with or without the top on)
🐈‍⬛Leaving doors ajar so they can hide such as in wardrobes or under the bed

Further reading on the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment can be found here 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1098612X13477537

Please share in the comments photos of your cats safe and resting places 😊

21/05/2024

🐾 The pads on a cat’s paw, or their ‘toe beans’ as they have become affectionately known across the internet, are tightly packed full of nerve endings that collect and send messages to their brain about what they are touching.

The extremely sensitive pads act as shock absorbers when a cat jumps down from a high surface, they help with hunting and playing with toys (or swiping your cup off the table!). A cat’s pads can even pick up vibrations from things like footsteps, which can help them cope with hearing loss. Their pads can also play a vital role in communication with other cats, as the glands here produce pheromones.

You can train your cat to become more comfortable with having their paws touched for situations like veterinary examinations. But because their paw pads are so sensitive, it can be an uncomfortable surprise for a cat to have their toes touched unexpectedly. So, even though it may be tempting to touch the toe beans, we need to respect where our cats do and do not like to be petted. 🐈

19/05/2024

Cat sitter in St Albans: Poggies Moggies

05/05/2024

Enriching your🐈‍⬛life-through play

Being in his senior years Pog doesn't play as much or for as long as he did when he was much younger, however he does still enjoy a little play session. Here are a few images and videos of Pog playing.
I have to change things up regularly as he habituates to his toys very quickly. He enjoys playing with wand toys, interactive toys, and manipulating small toys that are placed in sprinkled cat nip.
What are some of the benefits of play 🙋‍♀️

😸It allows your cat to practice their natural behaviour of hunting. There is some research that suggests having the opportunity to do so in the home environment may reduce the incidence of your cat hunting and catching prey species.
😸It is physically stimulating, allowing your cat to use and stretch their muscles and joints. Which can help with weight control, and if your cat is older help keeping them more mobile.
😸It is mentally stimulating, reducing boredom and any behaviours associated with it.
😸It can strengthen the cat human bond.
😸Playing with your cat van be very rewarding and fun.

Please share any images or videos you have of your cat playing.

04/05/2024

Enriching your 🐈‍⬛ life-through feeding.

Its been some years since my Pog has eaten from a food bowl.
Here are a few images and videos of some of the ways I feed Pog including feeding balls, feeding mice, slow feeders and home made puzzle feeders.

So what can be some of the benefits of feeding your cats this way
🐈‍⬛it provides the cat with the opportunity to search and hunt for food, something they are designed for.
🐈‍⬛it can reduce boredom and behaviours associated with this.
🐈‍⬛Provides mental and physical stimulation.
🐈‍⬛It can slow the cat down when eating, which can help reduce vomiting that some cats get when they eat too much in one go. It also gives the cat time to satiate, which can help with weight control.
🐈‍⬛It can promote a more natural way for the cat to eat by having several small meals throughout the day instead of just one or two large meals.
🐈‍⬛If you enjoy being creative, then making homemade puzzle feeders can be rewarding, especially when you see your cat using them.
🐈‍⬛From personal experience it also removed the issue of my cat waking me up in the early hours of the morning for food💤

Please share the interesting ways in which you feed your kitty's

28/04/2024

Now available on https://www.petcarenearme.co.uk
scan the QR code to find me.
You can also find me on the Zumi app

11/04/2024

More useful guides from International Cat Care 👇🐈👇🐈

Three new FREE guides for cat caregivers are now available! 📚 🐈 Created to help you with the important role you play in caring for your cat, the latest guides focus on providing care for cats that receive long-term pain relief medication with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for conditions like arthritis.

Our new cat caregiver guides are:
🐾 Home modifications
🐾 Increasing water intake
🐾 Treating pain with NSAIDs

Written by leading feline experts, the guides will also be useful for those caring for cats with mobility problems (home modifications), or cats with bladder or kidney problems (increasing water intake).

Download them here 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice-cat-carer-guides/

08/04/2024

Here's why I don't recommend using ANY type of muzzle when interacting with cats 👇

🐱As self-sufficient survivalists cats need to feel in control over any what is happening to them and any interactions they have with people or animals.

😺 This means giving cats a sense of control and choice in order to miminise the impact of any distress caused by being in an unfamiliar environment (such as the veterinary clinic), or interactions with people when carrying out procedures, be that in a home or clinic environment ie trimming nails, grooming etc.

😿 By placing a muzzle over a cat's head, we remove the control and choice they need. Some cats will panic, and claw at their head or try and escape. Other cats will freeze - but this is a coping strategy and doesn't necessarily mean the cat is dealing well with wearing a muzzle.

😿All muzzles, be they made of nylon, leather or plastic are restrictive in some form or another. If they completely cover a cat's head they can be tight, uncomfortable and interfere with normal breathing, they also can also squash their whiskers, which are very sensitive .Plastic dome muzzles also be scary for cats because they are forced to look at wherever they are finding aversive, and they can bash against people and equipment, which can be noisy and disorientating.

So what can we use instead? 🤔

Nowadays we have several options:

🐈‍⬛ Cooperative care - this involves training cats to create positive associations with certain contexts or situations. This allows cats to feel in control and comfortable with any examinations or procedures - it is possible to train cats!

🐈‍⬛Using gentle handling techniques, working around cats and allowing them to position themselves however they feel most comfortable.

🐈‍⬛ If necessary, using a large soft towel to allow cats to hide or facilitate examinations or procedures (towels also protect the handler)

🐈‍⬛The use of sedation for emotionally challenged or protective cats. Oral sedation can be given at home prior to veterinary visit or upon arrival at the clinic.

*don't forget to make the environment cat-friendly too!

For more details read the AAFP and ISFM Cat Friendly Interactions Guidelines 💕🐈‍⬛👇
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X221128760

Or the AAFP and ISFM Cat Friendly Environment Guidelines 💕🐈‍⬛👇
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X221128763

30/03/2024

Well, to answer that question – yes cats do experience emotions. However, cats cannot tell us what emotions they are experiencing as they are non-verbal and cannot consciously describe them to us 💭🗣️

Cats use their highly attuned senses to help interpret the world around them and are guided by their instincts to survive 🐈‍⬛

It’s thought cats' emotions are activated by motivational-emotional systems in neural pathways of the brain 🧠 and that these are responsible for the instinctual emotional arousal that then drives their behaviour, rather than emotional ‘feelings’ like us humans, as we have the cognitive ability to think about our emotions and express how we are ‘feeling' 💭😭😁

These motivational-emotional systems are classed as either engaging (positive) emotional motivations or protective (negative) emotional motivations and they serve a really important function - to help cats survive 💪

😺If engaging, these systems motivate cats to search for and obtain resources such as food, water and shelter, develop social skills, reproduce, and help mother cats care for their kittens, all of which aid with survival.

😾If protective, these systems motivate cats to avoid danger and defend themselves, stay safe, retain control over their environment and resources or protect themselves from further harm if they are ill or injured, which again, is important for cats who are genetically programmed as self-sufficient survivalists.

It’s thought cats can experience emotions that humans are familiar with, such as pleasure, anxiety, fear, frustration and pain (which is both an emotional and sensory experience) 🐈‍⬛

Cats are not thought to experience more complex emotions such as jealousy, spite, guilt or remorse, as they live in the now, and do not possess the same advanced cognitive abilities as humans 🧠

So, if a cat performs unwanted behaviours such as scratching on undesired surfaces, urine marking in the home, or even biting or scratching humans, there will be a different emotional motivation behind this behaviour, and usually the cat’s needs have not been met in one way or another🐈‍⬛

📚References and recommended reading:

Ellis, S.L. (2018) ‘Recognising and assessing feline emotions during the consultation: History, body language and behaviour’, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 20(5), pp. 445–456. doi:10.1177/1098612x18771206.

Heath, S. (2018) ‘Understanding feline emotions: … and their role in problem behaviours’, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 20(5), pp. 437–444. doi:10.1177/1098612x18771205.

30/03/2024

Have you ever considered contacting a pet bereavement support service?

When a beloved pet passes over the🌈bridge we can feel intense feelings of loss and grief. We can also feel this way when caring for a pet with a life limiting condition.

Some people may not understand these feelings, but I can assure you they are normal. It shows what a profound bond you have with your pet.

If you are struggling with the grieving process there is advice and support out there. See below 👇👇👇

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/how-to-cope-with-the-loss-of-a-pet
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss
https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/grief/advice

Obligatory photo of my lovely Reggie who passed away 9 years ago 😱 but is in my thoughts every day ❤️

25/03/2024

Find out the best advice on how to play with your from the professionals themselves. Sarah Ellis from shares her insight into feline behaviour and her top tips on successful play 🧶🐈

Read the full blog http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/post/blog-playing-with-cats-saves-birds-lives

05/03/2024

March is ☠️🐾

⚠️Don't forget to keep lilies away from cats this Mother's Day in the UK

🌺Lilies are nephrotoxic to cats, meaning they are toxic to the kidneys, causing kidney damage and failure

🌺ALL PARTS OF THE LILY ARE POISONOUS TO CATS, including the pollen, which they can easily get on their coat and then just lick off

🐈Cats can be successfully treated for ingesting lillies, but only if they are treated early

Common signs of lily toxicity include:

😿Yellow or orange pollen staining on the coat (especially the face and paws)
😿Vomiting
😿Lethargy
😿Anorexia (not eating)
😿Dehydration (skin tenting, sunken eyes, dry gums, reduced urine output )
😿Painful, swollen kidneys
😿Avoiding human contact and hiding

Less common signs:

😿Ataxia (wobbly when walking)
😿Seizures
😿Head pressing
😿Swollen paws/face

⚠️If you suspect your cat had ingested ANY part of a lily plant you must seek veterinary attention immediately

🐈Cats suffering from lily poisoning will likely need to be hospitalised for decontamination, intravenous fluid therapy, anti-sickness medication, nutritional support and intensive nursing care. They will also require blood tests to assess kidney function

⚠️Because lilies are so toxic it's best to not kept them in the household with cats, even if the lilies are a gift. Lilies can be removed from and flower bouquets or given to someone who doesn't have any cats. Most supermarkets and florists supply lily free bouquets now too 👍

📚Reference:
Cannon, M., 2013. Toxins–common feline poisonings. In BSAVA Manual of Feline Practice (pp. 138-142). BSAVA Library.

16/02/2024

With the release of the new Argylle movie, you might have noticed headlines about its biggest star – a Scottish Fold cat. 🐈 We’ve joined forces with other animal welfare organisations to voice our concerns about the impact using this breed in a Hollywood movie will have on increasing their popularity with cat owners.

So, what’s the issue? 🤔

All Scottish Folds carry a genetic mutation that causes abnormal cartilage development, which is why their ears fold forward. This mutation affects all of the cartilage in their bodies, leading to the development of severe and painful arthritis in their joints, even from a young age. This is such a serious health and welfare concern that breeding them is banned in some countries.

Learn more about the problems this breed faces 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/scottish-fold-disease-osteochondrodysplasia/

Read our press statement on the Argylle movie here 👉 https://icatcare.org/argylle-movie/

16/02/2024

My Poglet has found moving home 🏡 this week and the days leading up to it quite difficult.
He hated the short time he spent in the cat carrier too. Although we had done some positive cat carrier training, having him happy to go into the carrier on his own, there wasn't time to do more such as moving around with him in it. Nearly broke my heart 💔hearing him sound so distressed.

He has decided he feels safer in the bedroom at the moment due to the familiarity of the bed and bedding, spending a lot of the time under the duvet.
He bairly ate on his own the first 24 hours, so I had to bring his food and favourite treats to him. He got to have breakfast in bed 😂

There has been progress today, he is eating more, and spent sometime with me in the living room this morning, even had a brief play session with his wand toy.

Cats are territorial by nature so it is likely that any changes to their territory or a complete change will cause them some distress.
So what can we do to make things easier for them 🤔. Below 👇👇👇👇are some tips.

🐈 Positive cat carrier training. Making use of toys and favourite treats you can gradually build up to your cat fully accepting being in a carrier.

🏠 It may be worth, if possible, gradually packing up your home. For some cats a gradual change may be less overwhelming.

🐈 On the day of the move make sure your cat is in a safe, secure location, where access by others is not needed. With all their vital resources to hand. This stops them getting in the way of the removal people, and prevents the risk of them running off somewhere.

🏠 Make use of pheromontherapy, valerian based sprays, calming medications and cat music 🎶 to help keep them calm.

🐈 Place items with your cats scent, such as bedding, toys and scratching posts, around your new home.

🏠 Provide hiding places for your cat where they can feel secure. Making use of boxes, igloo beds, inside wardrobes or under the bed.

🐈 Try and stick to your cats usual routines, such as feeding times, play and grooming sessions.

🏠 If your cats appetite is reduced try stimulating them with some of their favourite food and treats.

🐈 If your cat is particularly bonded to you, then having a few days off work so you can spend time with them in the new home may help them feel more secure and adjust to the new environment.

Please share in the comments section any tips you have 🙂

06/02/2024

February is ❤️🐾

Most people understand that neutering cats prevents unwanted pregnancies. With so many cats and kittens in rescue centres needing homes or veterinary treatment neutering plays a very important role in feline welfare, but did you know that neutering your cat can have a really positive effect on their overall wellbeing? 😺

Let’s look at this in a bit more detail…..🧐

Neutering cats also helps to:

🐈‍⬛Prevent mammary tumours and womb infections (pyometra) in female cats

🐈‍⬛Reduce the likelihood of male and female cats contracting infectious diseases such as FeLV, FIV and cat flu

🐈‍⬛Prevent male cats from roaming far from home to search for females and becoming injured or lost

🐈‍⬛Reduce the likelihood of male cats becoming injured from fighting over territory

🐈‍⬛Reduce the likelihood of unwanted behaviours such as urine spraying in both male and female cats, as well as aggression towards humans and other cats

Neutering your cat can help reduce how often they might need veterinary care due to injury or illness 🩺.

Many charities and veterinary professionals now recommend neutering cats at around 4 months of age. Speak to your veterinary team if you are not sure👍

📱💻For more information go to:

https://icatcare.org/advice/neutering-your-cat
https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/neutering

Do you think all pet and free roaming cats benefit from being neutered? 🤔

25/01/2024

There seems to be a recent trend in cats being transported in backpack carriers 😕 No doubt there will be a surge in popularity again due to the new Argylle movie 😿

They may seem like a fun way to move a cat from one place to another, but I would urge caregivers to take a moment to think about their cat's wellbeing before purchasing a backpack carrier - the bubble carriers are particularly unpleasant for cats.

Issues with backpack carriers include:

😿They are usually too small for cats to turn around in and position themselves in a way they feel most comfortable

😿They move around a lot during transportation, which is stressful and uncomfortable for cats - most of these carriers are not very sturdy either

😿There is no opportunity for cats to hide, they are almost forced to look out through the bubble window. This means cats have to face lots of things they might find frightening during their journey, such as dogs, unfamiliar people and cars

😿The carrier is facing backward, which can be very disorientating for cats - some will experience nausea and vomit

😿 The carriers are not easy to clean, making them less hygienic

😿 Air circulation is poor, which can make cats overheat

😿Cats can arrive at their destination in a high state of arousal due to experiencing intense emotions of anxiety, fear, or frustration - this makes examinations by the veterinary team more difficult, which could impact the effectiveness of any care that cats receive (and need)

Although there are some differences in these types of carriers (ie some are a bit larger or stronger), cats can be trained to use different types of carriers and every cat and their caregiver is different, most backpack carriers are not cat friendly for the average cat. Unless this is the only way a cat can be transported to the vet in an emergency they should be avoided 🚑

😻There is plenty of useful information on what type of carrier to choose and how minimise stress during travel on this International Cat Care webpage👇 https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/icd-2022/travel-tips/
Or visit this webpage to access the International Cat Care guides, which includes a handy downloadable guide on taking your cat to the vet 👇
https://icatcare.org/advice-cat-carer-guides/

25/01/2024

International Cat Care and other leading UK animal charities and welfare groups are expressing their joint concerns over popularising Scottish Fold cats and potentially harmful behaviours shown towards cats in the trailer for the upcoming film Argylle.

Read the full statement here https://icatcare.org/argylle-movie/

Cats Protection PDSA BSAVA Battersea Woodgreen Pets Charity Blue Cross UK RSPCA (England & Wales) The Animal Behaviour and Training Council The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy Pet Industry Federation - PIF

14/01/2024

Today is national dress up your pet day in the US. It's meant to be a fun day where people get to share cute pics of their pets in little outfits. Lots of caregivers from all over the world dress up their pets - but how enjoyable is this for cats? 🤔🐈

I remember putting a little Christmas outfit on my own cat many years ago - I thought it was cute at the time, but now I wouldn't do this because I have learned that cats like to feel in control and doing this takes away their choice to move away from something unfamiliar and restrictive 👍

Even if a cat keeps still, it doesn't mean they enjoy wearing clothes - many cats look tense in the photos I have seen of them wearing outfits 😿

Yes, sometimes caregivers train certain breeds of cats such as the Sphynx to wear coats in order to keep them warm, or cats that have had surgery may need to wear protective clothing to prevent them licking wounds. (a lot of cats struggle with these too - experts now recommend soft collars to prevent self mutilation as these are better tolerated), so there may be exceptions, but we can still ask ourselves - should we be dressing cats up for our own entertainment? 💭🐈‍⬛

Reasons we might want to reconsider dressing cats up include:

🐈The process of forcing clothes on a cat could be challenging and stressful. Cats will likely experience emotions such as fear, frustration or even pain if they are elderly and arthritic. They could struggle and injure themselves and this could really damage the relationship between the cat and their caregiver.

🐈Clothing is restrictive for cats. It can prevent them moving around normally, which can make them feel extremely vulnerable as they might struggle to move to a place of safety.

🐈 Tight clothing may prevent cats from performing normal cat behaviours such as grooming, climbing or playing.

🐈If a cat lives in a multi cat household and is dressed up they will look and smell unfamiliar to the other cats, which could startle them and negatively affect their relationship.

🐈Clothes can be uncomfortable for cats to wear, especially if they squashes their whiskers and ears.

Maybe it's time to stop dressing up cats ❤️🐈‍⬛

10/01/2024

Playing with your cat 🐈 allows them to practice natural hunting behaviours. This will benefit both their mental and physical health.
It also helps build a strong bond between you and your cat.

As you can see below senior cats also still enjoy a good play session and benefit from it in the same way. The sessions may not last as long but provide a great way to keep your oldies mobile, helping stretch their muscles and joints.
When playing with a senior cat the following may be useful.
🐈 Have short, frequent sessions.
🐈 Play on a non slip surface (such as the rug in this video)
🐈 If your cat does suffer with arthritis you may wish to keep the play at ground level to avoid encouraging your cat to jump. Fortunately Pog does not yet suffer from this ailment so does still enjoy a bit of a jump, although admittedly not as high as when he was a young man.