Staying cool this summer

Hot weather tips for cats

Summertime is not always an easy time for our animal friends. Cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do, such as overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can celebrate the season and keep your pets happy and healthy.  

Never leave your pet alone in a vehicle 

Hyperthermia can be fatal. Even with the windows open, a parked automobile can quickly become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day. Always carry a bottle filled with cold, fresh water when travelling with your pet.

The right time for playtime is in the cool of the early morning or evening, but never after a meal or when the weather is humid.

Provide fresh water and plenty of shade for animals kept outdoors 

Bring your cat inside during the heat of the day to rest in a cool part of the house. Be especially sensitive to older and overweight animals in hot weather. 

Good grooming - Cats should be brushed often, this will reduce the build of dead hair and will keep your cat cooler.

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labelled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, diarrhoea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Having a backyard barbecue? Always keep matches, lighter fluid, citronella candles and insect coils out of pets’ reach.

Stay alert for signs of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature.

Older cats can become disorientated quickly during the hot weather. Recently we have has a few incidents of older cats being brought into the centre looking rather tatty. Even though an older cat can look neglected they are sometimes just old! Their bodies are starting to pack up and they loose condition. Having said that it is very important to keep older cats cool and well hydrated in hot weather. So please be vigilant.

Older cats

Age is just a number

Take a look at our new video, find it in your heart to give an older cat a chance of happiness. All of the cats featured have not been reserved yet. People are often put off by their age, but what is age but a number? These cats are some of the most loving that we have here at our centre. So please we urge you to come up and meet them. We challenge you not to feel sad when you watch this video. It can be very depressing for us seeing the same cats sat in their white boxes day in day out whilst others come in and go out in a flash. So now let the cats tell their story...

Older cats

Not yet over the hill

We currently have some older cats in our care. Despite their age they are healthy and deserve a chance to be happy. A lot of people overlook the golden oldies in favour of younger cats. We must remember however that all cats will become elderly. 

In their senior years cats are often better companions and they are very loyal. This is why it is so sad when one has to find a new home with us. Often the poor cat is left heartbroken. This may be due to the death of their owner or change in circumstances. Older cats need your love as well, if not even more.

We wonder if you can guess the age of these senior ladies. Katie (top left) Nala (top right) and Molly (left). They are still waiting to find their purr-fect companions.

To find more about them please visit our website, thank you.

Beauty

There's still life in the old gal yet! 

Beauty came into the centre covered in fleas and a lot of her fur was missing. Since then she has been pampered and her coat looks so much better and all her fleas have gone. For an old girl of 19 years she is surprisingly active and agile still. What an amazing little cat she is.

So please see past her age, she deserves to be happy and live out her last years in a loving home. She would make an ideal companion, she loves attention. She loves her food, she leaps out of bed when its dinner time! She sleeps most of the time so would suit a quiet household. She would love someone to cuddle up too and purr the nights away with. 

Please come along to the centre to meet her, we are open everyday from 11am - 3pm. 

Forgotten feline pensioners left on the shelf

Pensioner crisis

Cats Protection is being gripped by a pensioner crisis – no-one wants to adopt its feline senior citizens.

Cats Protection says that its unwanted older cats aged 12 years and above - 65 years and over in human terms - now wait, on average, 96 days before being adopted – 32 per cent longer than in 2010 and well above the charity’s average adoption rate of 40 days.

This has led the organisation to issue an appeal for people to adopt a feline senior citizen or make a donation towards the cost of their care.

“We’ve seen the situation for unwanted older cats get gradually worse over the past few years but we’ve hit an all-time low in the last 12 months,” explained Peter Hepburn, Cats Protection’s Chief Executive. “Sadly, it’s now not uncommon for a fit and healthy older cat to spend as much as six months or more with us because no-one wants to adopt them. Feedback from our volunteers and staff reveals that people seem reluctant to take on an older cat because they fear an older cat will be too expensive to look after, particularly if the cat develops a condition that will require veterinary treatment, and this fear appears to be down to the current economic climate.

“It is a great shame because they make wonderful pets and companions, and improvements in cat care have greatly raised the life expectancy and quality of life for many cats, meaning that many now live to their late teens and early 20s in remarkably good health. However, it’s always worth considering taking out pet insurance for your older cat, checking that it will cover the cat in case of any illness that may arise in the future.”

As older cats take up pen spaces for many months, it costs Cats Protection more to care for them and prevents other needy cats from being helped. However, older cats have a lot to offer owners because of their settled and laid-back natures and liking for human company so a new home or a donation would really help – just £6 could feed an older cat for a month.

Older cats currently waiting for new homes at our centre are - Captain and Poppy two cuddly cats who were abandoned in our car park. Rupert a loving lad with regal good looks. Molly a friendly tortie girl of 10yrs who has plenty of love still to give. Of course we have many, many more so please come along to the centre to meet them. You can view the cats on our website too.