Poop & Scoop

In the above image ideally would be how we would like to teach our cats to use the loo, and pull the flush. However,I think that's just asking for a little too much, personally I wouldn't want to share my toilet with a cat anyway.

So to the nitty gritty.

To start training your kitty, lift them into the litter tray first thing in the morning, after meals and before going to bed.  Praise your cat, give a little treat if you like for her hard work.

Most important of all is a clean litter tray.  There are many litter products out there, I especially like the wood based pellet types but there are numerous types to choose from.  I also like to use litter box liners, then all you have to do is pull the bag together and throw away - job done.  Also useful to have a poop scoop for in between bag changes.

And that folks is the way forward for a happy crapping cat, of course it's much better if they go outside.

Micro-chipping Your Cat Or Dog

Why Microchip

As the image above says 1 in 3 pet's will not return home without identification.  The microchip can undisputably track your pet back to you - the rightful owner.  And unlike a collar tag which can be taken off or lost your details can be tracked back to you.  Cat's can feel disorientated when moving house or just lose their way home and for these reason's alone is why it's a good idea to get your pet's  micro-chipped.

What Is Micro-chipping

The microchip is placed using an injection between the shoulder blades and is almost the size of a small grain of rice.  Prices can vary, we got our two cat's done for I think it was around £20 each, it was a reduced offer at our local vet's.  The process didn't take more than five minutes and there were no allergic reactions which I was a little worried about.

The vet will then give you the information of the on-line website in connection with the microchip, then you just log-on to the microchip website, fill out yours and the microchip details on their database and voila - done.  As simple as that.

Also when going for a routine check-up your pet can get scanned for their temperature as well,  making it a lot less stressful for your pet.  They can also link the chip together with a cat flap which will let your cat in and out, this is optional and can be done at a later date - don't know about you but would certainly save a lot of window and door opening - you know what I'm saying, cat's can be indecisive at the best of times.

When To Microchip

The recommended age for getting a cat  chipped is 10-12 weeks depending on size and a good idea to get at the time of their routine vaccination, you can always discuss the options with your vet.  

Stray Or Not A Stray?

How do you solve the problem of a stray cat?  How can you tell if they are?  Firstly are they friendly? If so then in all likelihood they may have a home where they're loved and better to let them be.  But what if they're not friendly.  Then the possibility is that they're probably homeless.

We have a cat that turns up routinely everyday without fail.  Our stray is a bad tempered badass, or maybe just not from a very loving home.  I'd like to think it's the former, better a badass than an neglected cat. 

We feed him wet and dry food but he especially loves milk, he prefers it to anthing else.  Tom, that's the adoptive name we've given him (I know original but very apt) is a scruffy soul.  He's a black cat, I'd say about 8-10 years old, he doesn't have any signs of illness but does have an unkempt look about him and he doesn't like me touching him.  At first he'd hiss (he's not the type to mess with) but now he just quickly moves out the way as if to say, what do you think your doing!  He has entered the house unbeknown to us on hot summer days, when we leave the back door open to let some cool air in, he'll amble in leaving his beautiful scent - having his full tackle is another clue that maybe he is a stray.

But sometimes we mistake him for Marsbar our beloved black cat as at first glance you can easily mistake them for one and the same - like twins.

Question is do we keep feeding him indefinitely.  I don't think we've adopted him so much as he's decided we're now his family but it's the effect it has on our other cats, it causes territory problems, no real problems yet just a bit of hissy fighting but we don't want our boys upset, they want a home to feel like their home and not intruded upon by some chancer.  Do we take him in, shall we have him neutuered, what if he's happy roaming?  It's a toughie.

I don't know what the outcome will be but we will help him all we can.

Marsbar & Tom, on the right - last year.

This isn't our first encounter with a stray about two summers ago, again leaving the back door open, this cat walked in, as he caught my eye, I looked at him and I have never been so shocked at what I saw, emaciated, patchy fur, he had a tumor on his face the size of a golf ball.  I opened up a can of tuna gave the lad some milk and took him to the vet.  He's having a long sleep now.   Do these poor cats just get lost, or do people just not care.