Home Care

Holiday provisions

Preparing for a holiday has to be done well in advance. Are you taking your cat with you, and if so have you checked out the hotel? Are you putting your cat in a cattery? If so, find out what vaccinations may be necessary and book a place well in advance - good catteries get booked up very quickly.

In either of these cases, your cat will have to travel with you for either a short or a long distance. Getting your cat used to the pet carrier well in advance helps, and make sure you have water available whilst travelling. And never, ever let your cat stay in a hot car whilst you go sightseeing!

Are you getting a house-sitter? Check out the references, and make sure all eventualities are covered.

Parasite prevention care programme

A regular worming, flea and other ectoparasite control programme can be suggested by your vet.

It is quite common for a cat to have fleas, and every cat is likely to become infected at some stage in its life. You will either see flecks of dried blood ('flea dirt') in the coat, or fleas themselves, and for every flea you see running through your cat's fur there may be hundreds of young fleas waiting to jump aboard a passing pet! Young fleas can live for over a year without feeding, so it is particularly important to treat the house and all pets in a flea control programme. The secret is to treat both the cat and the environment with effective products that kill both adult and immature fleas all year round. Some cats also react very strongly to the fleas' saliva, causing a severe dermatitis, and fleas are part of the tapeworm life cycle. Your vet will be able to advise on the best flea control programme for your cat.

It is also essential to worm your cat regularly. Internal parasites can be prevented with medicines obtained from the vet every 2-3 months 

Road accidents

Some cats may be involved in road accidents in spite of every sensible precaution a responsible owner takes. A reflective collar or cat coat may help in increasing their visibility.