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It is a great pleasure to own a cat and a happy cat will be a joy to the whole family, but owning a pet is also a responsibility. The Lost Dogs´ Home has some fundamental suggestions to help you enjoy looking after your pet correctly.

Health
A common health problem in cats is gastroenteritis which may cause a variety of symptoms including: vomiting, diarrhoea, depression and the causes are numerous. Diarrhoea with an unwell or listless cat, diarrhoea and vomiting or persistent vomiting on its own are cause for concern and the cat should be checked and treated with your veterinarian. Feline Respiratory disease (cat flu) is a contagious disease of cats which can cause sneezing, coughing, running eyes etc. Should your cat lose its appetite or thirst, become congested or develop runny eyes, examination and treatment will be required. If you have concerns with your pets behaviour or health, it is always best to contact your veterinarian.

Vaccination
Your cat should be vaccinated and annual boosters are required for Feline Respiratory disease (Cat Flu) and Feline Enteritis. Vaccination against Feline Respiratory disease does not guarantee complete protection against the disease. You should keep a record of the vaccination history of your cat.

Worming
Worms can have a serious effect on the growth and health of your cat. Your cat can be wormed for the common intestinal worms on the same day as it receives its vaccination. We recommend that you worm your cat regularly and with a broad spectrum worming preparation which are best obtained from your veterinarian.

Identification
A cat from The Lost Dogs´ Home may have been lost, abandoned or simply surrendered. There are many forms of identification. It is necessary to ensure that if your cat strays or is injured while you are not present, you can then be contacted.

Identification tags can be obtained online, free of charge through The Lost Dogs´ Home’s National Pet Register.

An identification tag with the cats name and your name, address and phone number; a microchip and an identification tattoo are all forms of useful identification. Here at the Home all our animals adopted out receive all three forms of identification mentioned.

Fleas
There are a vast array of flea products designed for flea control ranging from flea collars to shampoos to oral preparations. Your veterinary clinic will help you choose an appropriate preparation for your cat.

Transportation
Transporting a cat in your arms or loose in the car is inviting disaster. We recommend purchase of a durable sturdy wire or plastic cage. Failing this, a zip up sports bag or school bag with some ventilation is adequate. Cats can easily destroy and escape from inadequate restraints. The aim is to make your cat secure and comfortable and with this your cat will feel much happier travelling outside the home.

House Training
When using a litter tray for house training, it must be kept in the same place, be kept clean and be easily accessible for the cat. Watch for signs of the need to use the litter tray such as digging, sniffing or squatting. When this is noticed, take the cat straight to the litter tray. Your cat will soon learn to make its own way to the tray.

Desexing
It is an excellent idea to get your cat desexed for a number of reasons, including the animals health and to discourage the cat from roaming, fighting, spraying urine and to prevent the stray cat population from getting worse. A suitable age for desexing of both male and female cats is 6 months. See Desexing - (a separate topic) for more information.

Registration

In Victoria (Australia), it is now a legal requirement to register your cat at 12 weeks of age with your local council. The new legislation has a clause which states that cats are not permitted to cause a nuisance. Owners would be wise to train their cats to stay indoors of an evening.

Diet
Nutritionally balanced food should be fed to your cat and there are good quality brand canned and dry foods that are nutritionally balanced and do not require the addition of mineral and vitamin supplements. Meat can be given to cats once or twice a week but should not be their sole source of food. Chicken wings may be given and are useful for dental hygiene.