Tiggy's Pet Care Services

28/07/2024

📞 An update! I’ve finally swapped my old, broken phone for a shiny new one which means I can enjoy taking lots of pictures of animals again and can finish off doing all my invoices. I didn’t know how much I needed a new phone until last week when I couldn’t even do my invoices without it freezing and complaining of storage problems. So here we are! Ted has been posing for the camera to test it out and says it produces some pretty nice pictures (IF the subject is cute, like him!). Tomorrow will be spent catching up on invoices and any messages I’ve missed so thank you for your patience as ever ❤️

☀️It’s going to be HOT tomorrow and Tuesday and warm for the rest of the week. Will chat to clients individually about walking plans for dogs as it will likely be much too warm to be walking.

💦 If you can, please leave a shallow bowl of water outside for the wildlife! Hedgehogs especially will thank you for keeping them hydrated in the heat. I found an adorable shallow bowl in B&M that has hedgehogs printed on it - it was only £2! It now has pride of place in the garden with the hope it may help some thirsty pals ❤️

🐶 Also remember that the new advice for treatment of heatstroke in dogs is immediate immersion in COLD water and then straight to the vets. Please don’t risk walking your dogs in the heat. If in doubt - don’t go out!

23/07/2024

It was breezy and cool this morning but has gotten a few degrees warmer in the last hour! Will be walking dogs in the shade wherever possible for the rest of the day and cutting walks short if I think the dogs are getting too warm ☀️

18/07/2024

❌Tomorrow is a no-go for walks!❌ Forecast says it will be much too warm for doggies so all walks will be swapped to pop-ins. Enjoy a little picture of sweet Rose enjoying some playtime in the garden earlier today 💖

If you’re going to walk tomorrow please do it early in the morning as that will be the coolest time of day. If in doubt - don’t take them out! Our Ted is only just starting to wee in the garden (previously he’d only do it on walks!) and it is only when he’s desperate, so we have a yearly summer struggle when it’s hot as we don’t want him holding it and getting a UTI but also don’t want him walking and getting heatstroke. In previous years I’ve carried him to a shaded spot, he’s had a wee, and been carried home and cooled off in his paddling pool. Tomorrow I’m hoping some garden time will be all that’s needed, so please cross your fingers for me! 🙈

💧 *Reminder that recent research is suggesting that immersion in COLD water is the best treatment for heatstroke and increases survival rates* 💧

17/07/2024

❗️IMPORTANT❗️ Latest advice for the treatment of heat stroke in dogs is to immerse them in COLD water as soon as possible and then transport to the vet.

Previous advice was always to cool them down slowly but new research is showing that cold immersion is the best treatment and gives the biggest chances of survival.

☀️ It’s going to be warm for the rest of the week ☀️

Today looks to be getting to 22°C. I’ll be assessing the temperature before each walk and making a judgement on whether it is safe to go ahead. It is thought that around 21°C there is a developing risk of heat stroke, particularly for larger breeds, those with underlying health conditions and brachycephalic breeds. It looks to be safe up until lunchtime / early afternoon but we’ll see how we go.

Enjoy the lovely sunshine and keep your furry friends safe ☀️❤️

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

11/07/2024

A big thank you to all my clients for being so understanding today and allowing me to reschedule, cut down or cancel walks and meet and greets. I am so grateful to each and every one of you ❤️ I was hoping to battle through today but felt so poorly this morning that I knew I couldn’t manage a full day. I never had any qualms about calling in sick in my previous jobs, but it’s something that gives me major anxiety these days as your animals are so important to me and I hate letting any of you down. So, genuinely, thank you ❤️

On a side note - did you know that gerbils can catch colds from humans? Sweet Luna is happy happy and safe in the spare bedroom, shut away from me and my germs, and is being fed by my other half so I don’t risk passing anything on to her. Thankfully, viruses and bacteria responsible for human colds typically don’t affect dogs, so Ted has been snuggled up with me this morning and has been good company whilst everyone else is avoiding me like the plague 🙈

09/07/2024

What a difference a day makes! ☔️ Just yesterday Ozzy and I were enjoying a walk full of sunshine and singing birds, but this morning we were greeted with rain and ankle deep puddles! Thankfully, Ozzy is not one to let a bit of rain get him down, and we had a lovely walk/swim 🐶

Now off to see the rest of my lovely doggies and hope that the rain clears up. Have a lovely day all!

06/07/2024

Please give a very warm welcome to sweet Luna, my latest foster animal! 💜 Luna is a sweet little gerbil who is 1 year and 11 months old. She is currently a lone gerbil who is looking for her forever home where she can be bonded with another single female gerbil, or a single neutered male gerbil. Luna is super confident and very friendly. Her colouring is absolutely gorgeous, just like her personality; she has completely stolen my heart.

Gerbils require spacious enclosures that are a minimum of 100x40x40cm with plenty of deep bedding to allow them to burrow. They should be kept in pairs or trios, but females do best in pairs. Gerbils can only be bonded 1-1, unless they are under 10 weeks old. Bonding should only be done via the split cage method and can take a lot of time and patience (minimum 2 weeks). Blue Cross are absolutely fabulous and can offer lots of advice and guidance to anyone interested in adopting Luna.

If you are interested in giving this beautiful girl her forever home please click the link and send in an application: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet/luna-5159194

02/07/2024

Is it okay to boast that I’ve done just under 30,000 steps today? 😉 It’s been a busy one today which is unusual for a Tuesday, but no complaints here 🥰 My phone has been complaining of low storage so unfortunately not as many photos as usual until I get it sorted! It might be time to accept I need a new one if I want to keep up my part time hobby of pet photography 😂

Got lots of small bits to update on, plus some photos to share from my wonderful trip to Hillside Animal Sanctuary last week, but for now it’s feet up to watch the football with a cup of tea in my hand and a snoozing dog on my lap. Have a lovely evening all ❤️

21/06/2024

❗️ WARM WEATHER ❗️ I got back from walking our Ted at 7:45 this morning and it was already feeling VERY warm outside. Forecast says it will go up to 21°C but is likely to feel warmer. I’m only working up until 1:30PM today due to us leaving for our little holiday later this afternoon. Clients with walks booked in have been contacted to either cancel walks that I think might be too risky due to the heat or swap them for garden playtime.

Each year I have the dilemma of risking being overly cautious or risking heat stroke in my dogs, and I’d much rather be overly cautious than have to make a horrendous phone call to an owner. Dog welfare is always my biggest priority so please understand if I message you regarding the warm weather in the next few months. We’ve gotten away with cool weather and (annoyingly!) lots of rain so far, but it looks like things might be turning a corner ☀️ Good news for my sun tan, not such good news for my midday walks!

🐹 SMALL ANIMALS 🐹 Please remember that your small animals feel the heat too! Keep their enclosures away from direct sunlight and in a cool part of the home. Something that always worked a treat to keep my gerbils cool was putting a ceramic plate in the fridge for a few hours and then popping it in their enclosure. If you have rabbits/guinea pigs/chickens outside please ensure they have a well shaded, cool area to rest in and check on them regularly.

Last of all, enjoy this glorious weather! It feels like we have waited an eternity for some nice sunshine so soak it up! ☀️

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend ❤️

Meg x

19/06/2024

So how was your Tuesday evening? 😂 At 9pm I went to check on the foster animals one last time before bed, only to find Haribo sat in the cage by herself looking very worried. All had been as normal when I popped my head in a few hours before. I poked around looking for her sisters, before I spotted a huge hole in the side of their cage. It turned out that her two pals had chewed their way out and were now somewhere in the bedroom. A frantic phone call to my mum and a two hour steak-out then commenced to capture Skittles and Starburst. Catching frightened rats is not easy. Poor babies were petrified, but unharmed, and we managed to get all three reunited and into a temporary cage. It was 11:20pm when I finally fell into bed and then spent the night having dreams about them escaping again 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣

Three messages from this saga!
1) Never trust quiet rats. They may be shy but they are very clever and VERY good at hiding! And seemingly can escape even the most secure of cages!
2) Mums are the best. My mum isn’t a fan of small animals that run fast, but she rose to the challenge and came to my rescue!
3) Mess doesn’t matter! I’m already trying to be more ‘chill’ about things, and this has propelled me further in that direction 🙈 There is rat poo in my clothes draws, mealworms scattered around the floor and furniture all out of place where we had to move things to search. But best of all, I don’t care! 🤷🏻‍♀️ We found the rats (thank GOD!) and they are safe and uninjured. Nothing else matters. This is your reminder to care less about trivial stuff. It will get done, just not this very second!

* Blue Cross are aware of the rats’ late night antics 😂 They are being collected in the morning to go back to the centre for a weeks holiday and to get a new cage!
* The cage on the left is MUCH too small for any animal, but it was the only option I had at 11pm at night. It’s an emergency cage that I‘ve had in the loft for years. Please don’t use this cage or any similarly small ones for any animals unless it’s an emergency. Minimum cage requirements for individual species can be found on the RSPCA or Blue Cross websites. A rat cage should be at least 90cm (L) x 60cm (D) x 120cm (H) for two to five rats (larger for bigger groups).

17/06/2024

A bit of an update post! Featuring a picture of our lovely Ted 🐶

First of all, I want to apologise for how slow I’ve been at replying to messages sometimes! When I was younger my dad used to say he’d have my phone “surgically removed from my hand” as it appeared that it was “sewn on” because I “never put it down!”. These days I get too caught up in everyday life, dogs, cats, rats and all, and don’t know where it is half the time. But that’s not a good way to run a business! Clients shouldn’t have to wait for replies from me for longer than necessary, and it’s my fault that they have! So I am attempting to be more ‘on it’ to make sure that I provide the good service that I want to. Sorry, Dad, but that might mean I look like a teenager buried in her phone again!

Also - invoices! The big one. I’m good at walking dogs, but not so good at paperwork and invoices. My other half is helping me create a handy-dandy spreadsheet that will help me keep on top of sending invoices on time, so watch this space for the newly organised me!

Something that’s getting me down lately is the sheer volume of animals ending up in rescue, or being put to sleep because the system simply doesn’t have capacity for them. It feels like a never ending task to try and educate the public about responsible pet ownership and how a dog, or any animal, is for life. Animals are being seen as commodities that can be disposed of when someone can’t be bothered anymore or hasn’t got the time, and it’s putting more pressure on an already crumbling system. Sometimes it feels like we are fighting a losing battle. Please remember that animals are here with us, not for us ❤️ And if you work in rescue - thank you. You are amazing and because of you so many animals are safe, warm, and loved tonight. Many rescues in our local area are doing incredible work, so if you can ever spare a small donation or even just boost their social media followings, I know it will be hugely appreciated. Our nearest rescue is Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, but there are serval other rescues nearby too, like Cat-CHING Sheffield, Mansfield Wildlife Rescue UK, Helping Yorkshire Poundies - HYPS, Blue Cross Sheffield Rehoming and Advice Unit, Rain Rescue and many many more.

Now the happy things! 🎉

Since starting fostering for the Blue Cross back in January I’ve had 6 little furries come to stay and then go on to their new home! 🐹 I’m so proud of how well they all did and they are all now thriving in their forever homes. Currently we have 3 rats and a chubby (sorry - big b***d!) hamster called Sausage staying with us. I don’t eat meat, so rest assured that Sausage is in safe hands here! 😉 We had a big breakthrough this weekend when the three rats, Starburst, Skittles and Haribo, bravely came out to say hello to me after their cage clean. This might not sound like a big deal, but they were very timid little loves when they arrived and for the last 6 weeks I have only ever seen their little eyes poking out from their hidey house, as they’ve refused to come out and play when I’m around. It is so rewarding watching them grow in confidence and they are a great reminder that slow progress is still progress! They will be going back to Blue Cross for a holiday whilst we are away next week, and may even fall lucky and find a new home in that time, as they have all been waiting quite a while, so please cross your fingers! If you’d like to adopt a small animal, please visit: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/rehome-pet
If you’d like to know more or apply to be a fosterer for animals at Blue Cross please go here: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/volunteer-pet-foster-carer I can promise it is extremely rewarding and the team at Blue Cross are wonderful 💙

We’ve also had some proud moments with our little Ted lately; most recently, he went to the pub with his Dad and sat very nicely whilst Dad had a pint 🐶 This is something we could only dream of when we first got him, as he was frightened of and reactive to strangers, and wasn’t sure on other dogs, either. He handled his pub visit like a champ and even made a couple of new friends 🥹 He still has days where he’s not so sure on things, and we still have to cross the road a lot when there are men/dogs walking towards us, but for the most part he is a happy little lad who enjoys his life now and we couldn’t be prouder.

I’m still running (slowly!) but have picked up a few small injuries as of late so am plodding along and hoping to manage those so that they don’t turn into anything nasty. Before I started TPCS getting injured wasn’t a huge deal, but now it’s the difference between being able to work or not, I need to be stricter with myself and be careful! I’m very sorry to anyone who has the unfortunate luck of seeing me out running; I look like a tomato that’s having a bad day 🏃🏻‍♀️

Whilst I’m away on my jollies next week I’ll be visiting my favourite place in the world, Hillside Animal Sanctuary. When I first went a few years ago it left my heart feeling full for days afterwards. All of the animals are rescues, with many coming from the most horrendous of circumstances, but they are all given truly incredible, natural lives at the sanctuary. The sanctuary is a non-profit, peaceful, but educational, place that provides a forever home to thousands of horses, cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, birds and many more animals. They also rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife, and fund their own undercover investigations into poor welfare standards on farms. It truly feels like I am at home when I visit Hillside. If anyone is ever near Norfolk, do pay it a visit. It will restore your faith in kindness and joy!

Phew, I think that’s about everything. I’ll sign off my ramblings now and normal service will resume. My inbox is always open for enquiries, questions or if anyone needs signposting to help/services for animals. Hope everyone has a lovely week!

Meg x

05/06/2024

Sweet Rose got quite the surprise today when she bumped into a baby blackbird in the garden! Thankfully, she merely stared at the little thing before I realised what was going on and scooped her up to take her back indoors. She was very sad to not be allowed to stay with her new friend, but I explained that the bird was too young to be going on play dates with dogs!

I could hear the baby’s parents chirping warning sounds, so knew they were nearby. I kept an eye out but didn’t see them return to feed the baby. I let Rose’s mum know, who kindly said she’d keep an eye out and let me know how things were. A few hours later I got a lovely message to say that the little one had gone and the little family were chirping happily nearby! ❤️

Rose would like to let everyone know that many baby birds will naturally leave the nest before they are able to properly fly. Their parents will be nearby and able to locate and feed them and they should master the art of flying in just a few days. Many people spot small baby birds, unable to fly, and want to rescue them, but the advice is always to leave them well alone unless they are clearly injured. By touching them or hanging around near them you will likely frighten the parents enough that they will abandon the baby. Leave the baby alone and let mum and dad carry on doing their job and hopefully in a few days time the little one will be fluttering around 🐦 You can monitor from a distance to check that mum and dad are attending to the baby, and contact a local rescue if the parents haven’t been back to it within a couple of hours.

For more information on fledgelings, take a look here: https://www.helpwildlife.co.uk/advice/fledgling-garden-birds/

04/06/2024

Mabel didn’t let the rain get her down today! ☔️

22/05/2024

Lovely Lola, looking to see if the rain has stopped yet 💙☔️

20/05/2024

Starting off the week with lots of happy faces!

It’s been a busy day and the rest of the week is looking busy too, so please bear with me if replies are slow whilst I’m out with the animals ❤️

18/05/2024

Todays new arrivals ❤️
These little loves arrived to me on foster today from the Blue Cross. Three baby female rats and two baby male gerbils. My heart always feels full when the spare room has little friends in it. I’m leaving them in peace to settle in for a day or two as the rats especially are very shy and confused about what’s going on. They will all be available to adopt soon so keep an eye on the Blue Cross website for their profiles! 💙

18/05/2024

The rain this week meant that many of our shelled friends came out for a wander 🐌 It meant that many of my dog walks were more like tip toes as I was determined not to step on any!

I have to admit, snails are one of my unusual interests. When I was young I kept around 10 garden snails as pets and adored just watching them go about their business in their enclosure. When we went on holiday they would go to my grandparents’ house where my Grandad, under strict instructions from me, would “let them out for a run around” each day on the garden. If I’m honest, I would love to keep snails again, but:
1) It’s unethical; they’re supposed to be in the wild
2) My other half wouldn’t be too pleased 😂

❗️Something to remember: Dogs can become infected with lungworm through eating slugs and snails as they can carry the lavae of the parasites. Thankfully, most dogs don’t have an interest in chomping on these shelled friends, but always keep an eye out in case they do become tempted to have a taste!❗️

17/05/2024

Ozzie had his first walk with me today and was a very good boy! He is a happy-go-lucky chap who likes to run through the long grass and stop and smell the flowers. I think we could all learn a thing or two from this handsome boy! 🐶

13/05/2024

Some happy news for your feed this Monday! Miss P went to her lovely new home this morning 🎉 She is a Syrian hamster who I fostered for around 3-4 weeks before she found the perfect home. I was sad to see her go but excited for her to start this new chapter of her life! ❤️ Good luck in your new home sweet girl 🍀

03/05/2024

Happy Friday! I will be talking a small break from work to rest and recover from the last few busy months, but will be back to normal duties on 13th May. If you need to get in touch please don’t hesitate, but just know I may take a little longer to reply than usual.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend ❤️

03/05/2024

💥 Factual Friday 💥

Goldfinch numbers have increased by 10% over the last decade, with Great T**s also increasing in number, up 54% since 1979!

Each year, the RSPB runs the ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’, a national wildlife survey that that is done by members of the public over the last weekend in January. It has been running since 1979, and around 700,000 people partake each year. People are asked to sit and observe, record and report the birds in their garden, or local park, for 1 hour. Simply note down the species of bird seen and how many, then report results to the RSPB online. This survey helps to paint a picture of bird life across the UK, showing where certain birds are thriving, and others are diminishing in number. The results allow for a supportive foundation for potential bird conservation measures, but also reassurance that some species are making a slow comeback.

See the article discussing Goldfinch and Great Tit numbers here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch/the-bigger-picture

Unfortunately, many birds are in decline across the UK. Most of the declining species are farmland birds, with studies suggesting that intensive farming practices are largely to blame for these declining numbers. The RSPB does a lot of work to identify problems impacting bird populations, and what can be done to help. Take a look at their website for more information: www.rspb.org.uk

The more people that take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, the better! More people surveying birds = a more accurate representation of bird numbers. If you’d like to take part, the next Big Garden Birdwatch will take place on the last weekend in January 2025. Keep an eye on the RSPB website for more information nearer the time.

02/05/2024

Teddy says “don’t forget to vote!”

01/05/2024

Just a few of the friends I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with this week 💙

26/04/2024

💥 Factual Friday! 💥

The 2024 London Marathon raised a record breaking £67 million for charity. Many animal charities will benefit from participants’ hard fundraising and running efforts, at a time when funds are much needed.

Click here to read the TCS report on the fundraising for the 2024 London Marathon: https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/news-and-media/latest-news/2024-edition-to-set-new-world-record-for-biggest-annual-one-day-fundraising-event

Some of the big animal charities gaining fundraising donations are: The Dogs Trust; Cats Protection; WWF; Blue Cross UK and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Many animal charities are experience a surge in animals and people needing support during the cost of living crisis, and are doing invaluable work. There are a number local to us that deserve huge respect for their tireless work and who I’m sure would be extremely grateful for any donations. These include:
- Mansfield Wildlife Rescue (they helped treat and release Matilda the Moorhen who I found injured at the side of the road last year!)
- CAT-Ching
- Mansfield Cat Rescue
- Helping Yorkshire Poundies
- Mayflower Sanctuary
- Blue Cross Sheffield
- Thornberry Animal Sanctuary
- Pet Samaritans Chesterfield

Well done to everyone who ran the London Marathon this year! Remember that you only have until 9PM tonight to enter the ballot for 2025 here: https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/the-ballot-explained

Alternatively, many large charities are given a set number of places. They allocate those places to runners who, in return, agree to raise a minimum amount of money for that charity. Find out more about charity places here: https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/charity-entry

25/04/2024

A big thank you to all my lovely clients for your continued support ❤️ An extra special thank you to those that have allowed me to adjust timings for dog walks this week so that I could finish off my dental treatment. Hopefully this pesky tooth won’t cause me any more issues for the foreseeable future! 🦷 It has been a very busy few weeks but I’m nearly on top of messages, invoices, and organising the calendar, but do give me a nudge if I’ve missed anything!

Please know that your support, whether it be custom, recommending me to friends, likes on Facebook or stopping to give one of my dogs a cuddle, is hugely appreciated. Animals have an incredible ability to bring people together and create so much joy, and I’m so grateful to be part of that; all thanks to you ❤️

19/04/2024

💥 Factual Friday! 💥

Did you know that bread is bad for ducks and other wildlife? Whilst historically we have often enjoyed visiting parks to feed bread to the wildlife, bread is not part of these animals’ natural diet and is not of nutritional value to them.

If ducks solely eat bread being fed by lots of visitors, they can develop vitamin deficiencies, as their diet is not varied enough. A condition called ‘Angel Wing’ can develop as a result of poor nutrition and a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars. This condition causes irreversible damage to adult birds’ wings, and is likely to be fatal, as it prevents the bird from flying. However, if the bird is young, and their diet is drastically changed to a more nutritious one, the damage can be reversed.

Bread is also very filling for ducks, so can stop them wanting to graze on other, more nutritional foods. A little bit of bread is considered OK for ducks, but in general, should be avoided in favour of more nutritional snacks.

Better foods to feed ducks include:
- Peas
- Rice
- Oats
- Chopped lettuce
- Halved grapes
- Corn
- Sweetcorn
- Bird seed

Find out more information on what to feed ducks here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/canal-and-river-wildlife/keeping-our-ducks-healthy/what-do-ducks-eat-6-things-you-can-feed-ducks

Find out more about Angel Wing here: https://www.westplace.org/post/what-is-angel-wing

And, as ever, find good quality information about a wide variety of birds on the RSPB website, here: https://www.rspb.org.uk

12/04/2024

💥 Factual Friday! 💥

Kittens from the same litter can have multiple biological fathers!

Female cats release multiple eggs during their heat cycle, and these can be fertilised by s***m from different male cats through mating. It is not unusual for female cats to mate with several males over the course of their heat cycle.

Getting your cat neutered/spayed is highly recommended. Currently, rescues are overrun with cats and are struggling to find all of them loving homes. Turning off the breeding 'tap' will help to relieve the rescue crisis somewhat, and prevent unwanted litters.

Neutering/spaying also has several other benefits, including:
😻 Reducing spraying
😻 Reduces fighting between cats (which can lead to expensive vet bills!)
😻 Reduces the risk of tumours and certain cancers
😻 Reduces the risk of getting other diseases passed on through mating, such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

Cats can start breeding from only four months of age, and female cats can have up to 18 kittens in a single year. Neutering/spaying cats is a generally straightforward routine procedure, and cats usually fully heal in around 10 days.

All reputable rescues will neuter/spay, vaccinate and microchip cats before rehoming, so if you're looking for a new feline companion, please consider adopting from a local rescue.

If you are struggling with the cost of neutering/spaying your cat, you may be eligible for help. Visit: https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/neutering/financial-assistance to find out more.

The 'Cats Protection' charity offers a wide range of free information, advice and support via their website, so do check it out if you have a moment! www.cats.org.uk