International Cat Day

Cats have overtaken dogs as the UK's most popular pet and it is currently estimated that there are 10.3 million cats living in the UK (PDSA PAW report 2017). However, this figure only takes into account pet cats and not those belonging to the unowned cat population which is made up of the stray, feral and community cats living on our streets and farms.

The global population of cats is estimated to be anywhere between 400-600 million cats, suffice to say there are currently a lot of cats in the world!

Today's domestic cat is descended from the African wildcat; originally from the Fertile Crescent region in the Middle East, it's thought to have self-domesticated around 10,000 years ago. We'll look at the history of the modern-day cat in a coming blog.

Let's celebrate the domestic cat on International Cat Day and take time to learn more about them - they need our understanding.  I've popped a couple of good books on the site, which I'd thoroughly recommend you take a look at.

International Cat Day is about remembering all cats around the world, both those in loving homes and those with no homes or owners, which may need our help.

I spent some time in Malta last year and got to see some of their street cats first-hand. Thankfully some of the locals are feeding a number of these cats and providing basic veterinary care, here's a glimpse of one of them in the photo above.

So, on International Cat Day, it's time to think 'cat' and pay homage to our feline friends - I've added a few fabulous cat emblazoned items in the gift section, I'm sure you'll love them!

Cats and children

We went to visit family at the weekend and watching my daughter interacting with Alfie (one of our trusted feline testers) made me think about how far we’ve come since first introducing our cats to children.

It’s now nearly eight years on since our two cats, who up until this point had led very quiet and contented lives, suddenly found the familiar home they were used to change quite dramatically with the introduction of a small, yet incredibly noisy and disruptive human being.

There have been ups and downs, but I think we’ve now reached a point where both children understand and respect cats. It was surprising how quickly the cats adjusted to the new little people in the house and I have to admit it’s been an interesting journey for me!

Bringing a new baby into the household, will without doubt impact on your cat, but how much will depend on your cat’s personality and the preparation you put in beforehand to get your cat ready for the arrival of your new bundle of joy.

This is the first in a series of blogs providing tips and advice on the relationship between cats and children – my next blog will look at how best to prepare your cat for the impending change, when there’s a baby on the way….

World Spay Day 2017

It’s the 23rd annual World Spay Day today, set up to raise awareness of affordable and accessible neutering for all cats.

Recent research from the PDSA PAW Report 2016 suggests 68% of litters of kittens born in the UK are unplanned.  Sadly with all these unplanned litters there are just too many cats and not enough homes in the UK right now.  Spaying, to stop a female cat falling pregnant is the kindest method for controlling and reducing the number of unwanted cats.  It's not just the girls that need spaying though, castrating the male cats also has its benefits.   As well as reducing the number of unwanted cats, neutering helps to stop some of the undesirable behaviours seen in cats and can have health benefits too, by reducing the risk of catching certain diseases such as FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). 

Photo courtesy of Doodlecats

Did you know nine of the UK’s animal welfare charities have joined forces to encourage cat owners to have their cats spayed and castrated from 4 months of age?  These include Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Celia Hammond Animal Trust, International Cat Care, The Mayhew Animal Home, PDSA, RSPCA and Wood Green Animal Charity.  Click here for more information on how to get help with the costs of neutering your cat.

If you care about your cat and want to help make a difference, support World Spay Day and make neutering your cat a priority today.