St.Simon Veterinary Practice

13/08/2024

12/07/2024

Teddy the cute teddy bear in for his yearly check up and vaccination!😊

22/05/2024

🐾 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. 🐈

17/05/2024

Many plants that share the same common name are in different families and have different levels of toxicity. Save and share this infographic with pet owners to remind them to choose their houseplants wisely!

Learn more: https://msdmnls.co/3WwREDQ

14/03/2024

Did you know cats don’t show signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD) until around two-thirds of their total kidney function has been lost? 😿

CKD is one of the most common conditions seen in older cats, with 20-50% over the age of 15 years affected.

🏥 Routine screening of all mature cats can help early diagnosis, which may prolong a good quality of life. Yearly or twice-yearly routine veterinary health checks are important, and as cats age, urine tests and body weight should be monitored regularly, as these can reveal early signs that CKD is developing.

Find out more 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/chronic-kidney-disease/

CatCharity

07/03/2024

eat grass? 🌱 As carnivores, cats don’t usually volunteer to eat fruit or vegetables, but they do like to eat grass!

Eating grass is a normal behaviour in cats but we don’t fully understand it – we generally think that it helps to move food or hairballs through the digestive tract (either up ⬆️ or down ⬇️). It may also provide them with essential trace elements in their diet.

🪴 We recommend that cats without access to grass outdoors are provided with a source indoors. This can be a commercial pack of ‘cat grass’ or a pot in which grass seeds or grass from the garden can be grown.

Indoor cats without access to grass may chew other potted plants they would usually ignore or avoid – some of these plants may be poisonous! 🙀

Learn more 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/cats-and-poisonous-plants/

27/01/2024

19/12/2023

⚠️👇Festive foods to keep away from cats👇⚠️

🍫 Chocolate
🍖 Turkey and chicken bones
🍷 Alcohol
🍇 Grapes, currant, raisins and dried vine fruits
🧅 Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots and chives
🧀 Excessive treats (human food and cat treats)

🚨If you think your cat has eaten potentially toxic food, contact your vet immediately 🚨

More Christmas safety tips 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/christmas-safety/

Share this to make sure your food-loving friends keep their cats safe! 😻

15/12/2023

🎄Did you know some festive plants can be harmful to cats?🙀Keep these ones out of reach during the holidays 👇

🌺Poinsettia
🍒Christmas cherry
🌲Pine trees
🌺Amaryllis
🌿Mistletoe
🌿Holly
🌿Ivy
🌸Lilies

☎️ If you think your cat has eaten a plant they shouldn’t have, contact your veterinary clinic immediately for advice
Artificial plants could be a good alternative that can be reused every year ♻️

More tips to keep cats safe at Christmas ➡️ https://icatcare.org/advice/christmas-safety/

😻Share this with your friends to keep Christmas cat friendly😻

07/10/2023

not want to go in their carrier at home but don’t want to leave it at the vet clinic?

🐈 Cats are territorial and feel safe at home. So, it’s no surprise that when the carrier comes out it creates a negative response because your cat associates it with leaving.

When you get to the vet clinic, the carrier is now the most familiar thing in an unfamiliar place and it gives them a place to hide from the new sights, sounds and smells.

🌟 Top tip🌟
Leave the carrier out somewhere quiet at home, with a comfy blanket inside, the door open and a few favourite treats and toys inside so they can choose to interact with it if they want to. Even just seeing the carrier every day will help form positive associations with it.

More travel tips and cat carrier training 👉 https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/icd-2022/travel-tips/

Put your cat’s carrier out somewhere at home and show us in the comments 😺👇

19/09/2023

🐱 Most cats don’t need any help with their eyes because regular grooming keeps everything clean, but runny or watery eyes can be a sign a cat has an eye infection. Conjunctivitis is the most commonly diagnosed eye infection in cats.

👀 You may notice your cat squinting, pawing at or rubbing their eye because of the pain and discomfort it causes. The discharge from the eyes could dry to form a crust and the areas around the eyes will be red and swollen.

🩺 If left untreated, conjunctivitis can lead to eye damage, vision loss and even permanent blindness.

Find out more 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/runny-eyes/

03/08/2023

😼 Research has shown that when cats don’t have enough opportunities to play, they can turn to destructive and attention seeking behaviours, such as scratching the furniture or increased vocalisation. This can be frustrating for both you and your cat.

All cats need physical and mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Getting plenty of opportunities to use their inquisitive minds and natural hunting instincts through play is an excellent way to:

🐾 Reduce hunting behaviour - a recent study suggested that 5-10 minutes of daily play reduced hunting behaviour by up to 25%!

🐾 Encourage exercise and promote a healthy bodyweight

🐾 Improve mental wellbeing and reduce attention seeking behaviours

🐾 Strengthen the human-animal bond

Find out more about the importance of play and the benefits of addressing problem behaviours 👉 https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/

23/06/2023

The temperature is heating up! ☀️ Think CHATS to keep cats safe in the summer heat 👇

COOL️ ➡️ provide shade in the home and garden using things like umbrellas, boxes, shrubs, closed curtains/blinds and cool mats ⛱️ (Tip: use a frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel)

HYDRATE ➡️ provide plenty of fresh water in different spots – bowls, fountains, dripping taps💧

AIR ➡️ circulate air by opening windows or doors (if safe), or use fans 💨

TIME ➡️ keep cats inside at the hottest times of day ⌚️

SUNSCREEN ➡️ use a cat safe one on the nose and ear tips 🧴

🥵 If your cat is showing signs of heatstroke – panting, restlessness, drooling, red gums or tongue, increased heart rate and vomiting or diarrhoea - contact your vet immediately❗️

How do you keep your cat safe in hot weather? 😸

14/02/2023

Looking to share a Valentine with your pet? How about this one:

"Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm sorry but this chocolate is not for you."

No matter the type of chocolate, the best thing to do if you think your pet may have gotten into some of your chocolate is call your veterinarian. Have a safe and ! ❤️🐶🐱❤️

24/12/2022

27/07/2022

🚽 Cats need a safe place to toilet and providing cat friendly litter facilities can help prevent issues like conflict between cats, cystitis and house soiling.

📍 Location 📍
Cats like to toilet in private areas. Ensure litter trays are placed in various locations around the home, away from busy areas, noise and strong smells.

📏 Size 📏
Litter trays should be 1.5 times the length of a cat from its nose to the base of its tail. Cats need to turn around and dig comfortably whilst using their tray. Hooded trays restrict movement more than open trays.

🔢 Number 🔢
Cats like to urinate and defecate in different areas, so there should be at least one litter tray per cat plus one extra.

🐈 Type 🐈
Open trays are more suitable than covered trays for multi-cat households as increased visibility reduces the likelihood of ambushing by other cats.

Self-cleaning litter trays are not recommended as they are generally too small, can make sudden noises and movements that startle cats and are difficult to deep clean.

🐾 Litter choice 🐾
Consider soft, granular/sand-like clumping litter. This is comfortable on a cat’s pads and makes removing soiled matter easy - however, each cat has its own preference.

Scented litter or fresheners should be avoided as they can smell offensive to cats.

Tray liners can get caught in a cat’s claws and lead aversions of using the litter tray.

✨ Cleaning ✨
Litter trays containing clumping litter should have soiled material scooped out daily and completely emptied, cleaned and refilled weekly. However, litter trays containing non-clumping litter need to go through the same empty, clean and refill process every 2-3 days.

🐈‍⬛ What preferences does your cat have? 🐈‍⬛

Here are our top litter tray recommendations 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/litter-trays/

02/11/2021

Tips for Puppy Socialisation 🐶🐾

Socialisation involves introducing a puppy to different people, situations and experiences in an appropriate and positive manner so that they are able to better cope in later life, rather than being fearful or shy.

Read the full article from our educational partner BSAVA and find useful tips, Q&A and other resources like chapters, podcasts and leaflets covering the reasons behind the socialisation of puppies and how to do it successfully 👉 https://buff.ly/3bzLEBK

You can also access directly the Top 10 Tips on here: https://buff.ly/3w8qdku

02/07/2021

Fish hook successfully removed….

15/05/2021

Fish hook successfully removed from this 28 kg turtle brought in by Nature Trust

03/05/2021

Please note that the clinic will be closed on Tuesday 4th May 2021.