Cat World Blog

A Backpacking Cat?

We've got an amazing story in the July issue about a cat that is backpacking its way around the world! The cat, called Kitty, was a stray and adopted a couple who were travelling America. They fell in love became inseparable. Now Kitty has joined the couple on their travels and even has a website to chart their journey. Read more about them in the July issue.....

  

One from the cat nerd

Heaven forbid that anyone should call me a cat nerd, but did you know that a cat’s sense of smell is around 14 times better than a human’s. That’s why kitty can always tell when you’ve opened a tin of something good!I love it when Fred pulls a funny grimace when he smells something. That’s his  Jacobson's Organ (oo’err misses).  All cats have them inside the mouth, behind the front teeth. The organ connects with the nasal cavity, so by opening their mouth slightly a cat can allow air to be sucked up into the cavity and kind of smell/tasted. Clever ol’ Fred.

Can cats become blood donors

I was asked an interesting question by a Cat World subscriber the other day (it happens you know!). And that was, 'Can my cat become a blood donor?' The answer is, yes they can! However there are very strict circumstances to qualifying and this could be of interest to other people - so here's the answer. The cat must be healthy and fully vaccinated, calm of temperament, weigh at least 4kg but not be fat and be aged between 1 and 8 years of age. They will need to be tested for Feline Leukaemia virus, Feline Immunodeficiency virus, Feline Infectious Anaemia and have been exclusively a resident in the UK. The cat's red cell count will be checked, if all is well the cat will then be sedated and given intravenous fluids at the same time to replace the blood taken. Just to put it into perspective, the amount of blood taken from human donors is 450ml, whereas feline donors donate 40-50ml. If you think your at qualifies and would make a calm donor, ask your vet for more details of how you can get involved.

Interesting facts

Here are some interesting facts I was sent today. I thought you might like to hear them: In the UK, 200 cats a day are taken in by The Cats Protection Charity. There are approximately 7.3 million cats kept as pets in the UK. There are more cat owners in the South of the UK and more dog owners in the North. Cat ownership in Scotland is the lowest in the UK. Nearly 55% of cat owners live in towns. Cat owners take their pets to the vet less than dog owners. The oldest cat on record was probably 'Puss', a tabby owned by a woman in Devon. He was 36 on November 28, 1939 and unfortunately died the next day. And finally, a sentimental one for you; the oldest living cat in the care of The Cats Protection is Mark, aged 28, who lives at their Haslemere Shelter. Right I better get back to work - more from me later.

Healing with honey

Did you know that apparently honey can be used to treat wounds in your pets? Honey has been known for its healing properties for thousands of years and recent scientific studies on medical grade Manuka honey have shown honey to be effective in encouraging healing on abscesses (from cat bites), burns and surgical wounds. Not only is Manuka honey yummy on toast, it has been shown to be effective against over 70 strains of bacteria commonly found in wounds, including the dreaded MRSA. So next time you are in your local supermarket, stock up on Manauka – one for you – one for the cat!