Advice for Cat Owners

Neutering

Inverness Cat Rescue strongly advises all cat owners to have their cats neutered at age 4-6 months. This will not only prevent more unwanted kittens in the future, but will help your cat to live a longer healthier life. Un-neutered male cats are at high risk of contracting fatal diseases such as F.I.V. (Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus), as well as requiring periodic treatment at the Vets for bite wounds inflicted by other cats while fighting. Neutered males tend to be more home-loving, and do not have the unpleasant habit of spraying their territory with foul smelling urine. Females also run the risk of catching life-threatening diseases if they are allowed to mate freely with whichever tomcats happen to be in the area, and one female cat can, in her lifetime, be responsible for 20,000 descendants. There are just not enough homes to go around for them all.

Pet Insurance

Inverness Cat Rescue strongly advises that all new cat owners take advantage of Petplan’s free 4 weeks insurance cover, and the appropriate paperwork is given out with each cat or kitten we re-home. We would all like our cats to have long healthy lives, but accidents and illnesses can occur unexpectedly, and this is when pet insurance can be a life saver. If a cat needs extensive veterinary treatment the costs can soar well above the means of many owners, but if the cat is insured the owner can give the go-ahead for the Vet to give whatever treatment is necessary, without having to worry about the expense.

For more details on Petplan’s free 4 week insurance cover for new and existing cat owners please click on the link below. Not only will you gain peace of mind, but every insurance policy generated through our link will result in a valuable donation towards the cats in our care.

Pet Plan Cat Insurance

Pet Plan 4 week trial information

Cats and Babies / Pregnancy

We receive many calls from cat owners wishing to re-home their cats because the owner is pregnant or has just had a new baby. Toxoplasmosis is a very unpleasant disease which can affect unborn babies, and can be transmitted from several sources including cat faeces. But if normal rules of hygiene are followed, there is no need to get rid of the cat. Rubber gloves should be worn when cleaning the cat’s litter tray, or hands washed thoroughly afterwards.

As with all children, babies should always be supervised whilst in the company of any animal. Having spoken to several GPs, there is no evidence that a cat is likely to lie on a baby’s face and smother it! Children can benefit from growing up with animals by being taught to respect them and help to look after them.

Allergies and Asthma

Many of the calls we get at Inverness Cat Rescue are from owners anxious to re-home their cat because of a family member having asthma or allergic reactions. Very often their doctor jumps to the conclusion that the problem is caused by the cat, but this is very often not the case. Tests can be done to ascertain the cause of the allergy, and the parting from a beloved pet can often be avoided.

Further Advice

Having many years of experience in dealing with cat related problems, Inverness Cat Rescue is happy to offer advice to owners, but if you are worried about any aspect of your cat’s health, veterinary advice should always be sought.