Essentials - As a cat pet owner you can't do without

Well today whilst going through the house work I found my mum's old sofa looking a bit cat haired usually I use the hoover on it however I chose to use a sponge which I'd bought a little while ago from Pets at Home, well I'd forgotten how great it was. With a cursory rub the hair just attaches itself so all the dimpled areas that gather fluff like a belly button was easy to clean with a quick brush over.

So it got me thinking what other things have I found so useful or really used…….

• Zooplus Relax Scratch Bed £7.99. Wow, these are the most used items in the whole house. We have four, we gave one to my Sister in Law now she is buying two extra!!! As I speak all four are actually in use.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/scratching_posts/cardboard_cat_furniture/315507

• Hair and Lint remover, Simple solutions. This is the sponge which I used to wipe off a coatful of hair from the sofa. £5.00

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/hair-and-lint-remover

• Flying toys - Dabird, Flying frenzy and Neko Flies. All these are excellent for keeping cats amused. love the Dabird flying range plus their mousey. Flying Frenzy to an extensive range of lovely attachments on their own rods or Dabirds, no reason for them to get bored at all. Neko Flies, just love them a lot but they are a little pricey but the quality speaks for itself.

http://www.da-bird.co.uk

http://purrfecthomes.co.uk/index.php?id_category=11&controller=category&id_lang=2

• Thrives freeze dried treats are the favourite for all the cats. They come at the rattle of the tube and bite your fingers off for them, they are however horrendously expensive. Get them whenever there is a special on such as Amazon 15% of pet treats occasionally or voucher codes!! I even work out which of their range has most in a tube, you have to look as the same size tube will hold different weights of product. I believe the Chicken works out best which is lucky as this is their favourite. Waitrose at the moment do them the cheapest - £ 2.99 a small tube.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrive-100-Chicken-Treats-MaxiTube/dp/B007IGMZD4

• Worlds best cat litter just goes on and on and on. I converted to this litter from a well known white brand available in supermarkets, well is was a revelation and this was no exaggeration. The litter tray was needing to be changed weekly at least (and with five that would be a lot of litter trays!!) at £6.99 a tray of the old brand and it did still smell. Well I changed to Worlds Best which on the face of it is ridiculously expensive (although from Zooplus it is much better priced) however the clumping nature of the litter means you ONLY remove the tainted litter ( wee clumps into doughnut shapes etc) and the multicat formula lasts and lasts and lasts and lasts. A tray just needs topping up when it gets low and only a change when you feel it needs it. It lasts absurdly long. Saying that I do like Natures Calling as well, Walnut based as opposed to Corn Kernel, which is new and cheaper. The best thing is that they are both licensed for the used litter to be flushed down the toilet so no huge litter waste in the bins and they are both from renewable sources.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/worlds_best_cat_litter

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/clumping_litter/other_brands/387466

• A really good cat tree. After three shop bought cat trees that died within months of having them I came to the decisions of buying a large solid German made cat tree, and it's the best decision we made by far. In general the shop ones although cheap are not meant to take the weight of adult BSHs etc. There is a British make which is of fabulous quality, Tigga Towers, however the cost is exceptional. They do however have granite and solid wood parts. There are a variety of German makes some do use solid wood etc however to reduce the price some have plywood etc, the prices, even with delivery are much much cheaper.

http://shop.petfun.de/en/

http://www.kratzbaeume.de/Kratzbaeume/Holzbaeume-Multiplex-Buche-/

http://www.katzenglueck.de/xtm/

• For RAW feeding specifically mincing of bones and meat then a grinder is great. Bones being a challenge then one with a power motor is needed. The one we have will go through Rabbit and Chicken bones well especially on a coarse and them fine ground.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Electric-Vegetable-Attachment/dp/B0063CF80G

• Fortiflora is described as a Feline Probiotic however it is used in this house when the tribes appetite is suppressed i.e. During hot weather. The product comes in sachets in minute qualities however a quick sprinkle over food will encourage most fussy eaters.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FortiFlora-Feline-Nutritional-Complement-Kittens/dp/B004FGCVA2

If I think of more I will add them……...

How to de stress a cat? Possibly!!! Pills, potions or actions

I've just been reading an entry on a cousins Facebook page where they have just got the most beautiful new puppy, who is just perfect, however the resident cat has just taken to sitting in her litter tray!!

She is used to dogs so it is only the fact that the puppy is new and probably somewhat more active than she has been used to for many years. She has probably taken to her tray as this is where her smell is and she feels safe but as cats are so fastidious she obviously won't want to be there.

So I wondered what could be done!!

Options - Actions

A bouncing puppy full of energy is probably frightening to an older slower cat so to open up physical escape routes where she can watch but not get approached
may help. Bring some height into her world where the puppy cannot reach, easy access to shelves, tops of units, backs of settees, across mantlepieces, and up cat trees. Here she has gained a whole new level of a world where he cannot get her but she can watch him. It might affect the aesthetics of the room but it can be done.

Place the litter tray where she can use it without fear of an approach, she is feeling insecure. Also add one more litter tray and if it can be given some height or turn it, if it is hooded, so access is restricted for the puppy.

Use a feather rod toy to get her to play AROUND the new puppy but not necessarily with ( Da bird or Frenzy rods, great flying action and most likely to get a response than the short ones in the shops 

http://www.da-bird.co.uk).

It will pull her out of the litter tray, she will see him as nothing to be scared of. Play with him at the same time but with something else, a game where he is not prancing around, maybe a training session of sit and down etc.

Potions and Pills


Zylkene can be bought from the vets or online as it is non-prescription. Online is far far cheaper. Its use is to calm and destress animals such as dogs, cats and horses. Most people I have known use it when moving, when fireworks are going to be about and when introducing new cats, dogs or babies to a household. Unless your cat is an angel at taking pills I have found the best way to use it is in food or treats, I use Webbox lick e lix tubes, a yoghurt like liquid which I break the capsule into. Expect it to  take a couple of weeks to work and does not work on all animals. However our household now does include five cats and so far so good!!! because of the cost I am sneaky I buy the ones for dogs and divide the capsule contents up as it is the same product for all animals just in different quantities and the capsules are not time release. This should just calm her.

Also Feliway ( http://www.feliway.com/uk/ )can be used or Pet Remedy diffusers ( http://www.petremedy.co.uk ). Feliway comes as a spray to be used in travel boxes or where a plugin cannot be used or a plug in diffuser. The evidence for success is anecdotal, some people swear of its success others say it hasn't done a thing!! Whereas Feliway is a pheromone Pet Remedy is herbal i.e. it includes Valerian etc, it smells like old socks a bit but I have to say if I spray this around their beds they do seem to use them, this also comes as a diffuser as well.



Time to use the vets!

Cystitis is horrible and cats are prone to getting it when stressed, just keep a check on the litter tray for blood or even straining by her. Cats are very, very good at hiding pain. She maybe in there NOT to hide but has the need to go. If  she has got cystitis the vets may recommend Cystaid

( http://www.vetuk.co.uk/pet-cystitis-cat-cystitis-c-5_7_1280/cystaid-plus-cystitis-glucosamine-capsules-for-cats-240-pack-p-41 )

 be added to her diet and a specific expensive dry cat food. I personally would add a water fountain to encourage fluid drinking, withdraw normal dry food and only feed wet tinned or RAW. Even add more water to the tinned if you can. If she is  a kibble only cat try buying "Fortiflora" this is a powder which you can dust over the tinned food to encourage eating and tastes similar to the stuff they blast the kibble with.

I know this is focussed on only the cat, when such a lovely puppy has entered the house, however she is confused and stressed.

I hope this helps a little, just a few ideas.