Happy Pets

Short-haired cats

The short-haired breeds do not need so much time spent on grooming. The method is the same as for Longhairs, except that combing and brushing should be from front to back in a horizontal direction — though some cats, especially Siamese, seem to enjoy having their fur brushed in all directions and a vigorous scalp massage with the fingertips from someone who has gained their confidence. (more…)

Grooming

All cats wash themselves – well, almost all; there are one or two that seem to prefer to rely on their fellows to do it for them – but this does not relieve you of the task of grooming to keep their coats in good condition. It will not only help to keep the cat clean and healthy, but will keep hairs off your furnishings as well. Do not think the occasional visit to an expensive pussy parlour will let you off the chore (if you have such establishments in your part of town). Unless the chauffeur takes the cat round every day, someone will still be lumbered with the job – or have you got staff to spare? You certainly need a healthy private income to keep on paying for a de luxe wash and set. (more…)

Travelling abroad

If you plan to go abroad for a holiday, far better to leave your cat behind than to subject it to sea or air travel, and if you live in Britain, Hawaii, or any other territory that is free of rabies and has strict quarantine regulations, you will have no choice. To keep out rabies, these countries insist that on entry rabies- prone livestock must go into isolation in specially licensed quarantine areas until they can be declared free of any infection. There are heavy penalties for those who smuggle animals in. This means that a British cat, for example, can be taken freely with you to France or Spain, but on its return would be separated from you for six months — during which time you would not even be allowed to touch it. Any cat would prefer to be parted from you for your holiday rather than for the six months after you come back, and no doubt you would prefer the cost of boarding to the substantial expense of putting it in quarantine. (more…)

Travelling baskets, leads and the need to have complete control over your cat when you are travelling. It is wise to avoid feeding for about six hours before a long journey. To reduce the stress upon the cat, and especially if for some reason you are forced to send a cat without anyone to look after it, your vet may recommend some type of sedative for the journey.

Cats do not normally suffer from travel sickness (though there are exceptions); they seem to have a more developed sense of balance than dogs and humans, which can be car-, sea- and air-sick,due to a different structure in the inner ear. (more…)