Lina's Cat Rescue

What to do if you think your cat is missing

April 10, 2015 Leave a comment

It’s every cat owner’s worst nightmare. You let Felix out in the morning, and he doesn’t come home as usual in the evening. Or perhaps you realise too late that you left the window open and Badger has disappeared. Your imagination begins to run away with you and you envisage him trapped in a garage, lost in the next village, or -worst of all- in an accident.

But a little bit of knowledge will hopefully help you put these terrifying hours to good use. Instead of sitting worrying about what to do, follow these simple instructions to ensure that people are on the look out and you have the best chance of getting Kitty back.

Hints and Tips

1. It sounds stupid, but make sure your cat is actually missing. Check all the usual hiding places, and anywhere else you can think of. Try calling your cat and shaking a treat pack or tapping a food tin- anything you can think of to get them to come running.

2. Hopefully you got your cat microchipped. Phone your microchip provider and report him missing- this means he will get flagged up on their website and will be returned more quickly if he is found.

3. Report your missing cat on www.cataware.co.uk. Find a photo of your cat and post with details on the Petlog facebook page and any local rescue centres or lost and found pages- including us! There are many Facebook pages for missing cats, find a few that are local to your area and post there. You can also try Tweeting- many rescues local to you will retweet a lost cat post. Make sure you add as much information as possible- see the next tip for a template!

4. Call your local vets and rescue centres with a GOOD description of the cat. ‘Male tabby’ is not good enough as vets see these every day. If possible, give them the following information:

Name of cat
Age of cat
Gender and whether neutered
Colour- be descriptive! ‘Black and white’ isn’t as good as ‘mostly black with white feet, longhaired’
Whether she/he has a chip
Whether she/he was wearing a collar
Any distinguishing features (especially if not chipped!)- nicks in ears, eye colour etc

5. Walk door-to-door and talk to your neighbours. Ask them to check their garages and conservatories, or any other place your cat might have sheltered and got locked in. Don’t forget to take a photo so that they’ll recognise your cat if they see them. Leave them your phone number so that they can contact you if he’s found. It’s a good idea to take leaflets with you- sometimes people let in a cat they think is a stray and let it out again once they realise it has a home!

5. Chat to the local postman- remember he covers a large area, often on foot, and so may have spotted your cat around. Even if they can give you a rough idea of where your cat is it will help you to focus your search.

6. You could also produce posters and distribute them in local stores, post offices and houses. There are templates available for this online.

Most of all, remember not to give up hope. Cats are known to come back after months or even years of going missing, totally unharmed!

Good luck!

Introducing A New Cat- Hints and Tips!

March 27, 2015 Leave a comment

So you’ve picked up that new cat or kitten, and you can’t wait to get it home and introduce it to everybody- including his feline family! Not so fast! Introducing a new pet can be tricky and making sure all involved are comfrotable is the first step to making sure you have a happy home.

So what do I do when I first bring him or her home?

Choose a quiet room for your cat. If you have other pets, they should not have access to this room. Ensure there are some hiding places to help your cat feel comfortable. The cat’s food and litter should go in here as well.
If the house has outdoor access (i.e open windows, a cat flap) or other pets in the house, you should confine the cat to the room for at least a week to help them get used to the new smells, sights, and you! Don’t isolate them though- make sure you go in and spend time with your cat so that they feel comfortable around you!
Once you have released your cat from his carrier, you should leave them alone to become accustomed to the space. If you have no other pets and there is no outside access, you can leave the door to the room open and allow your cat to explore at his own pace. Don’t pester the cat- just let him approach you.

Letting your new cat go outside

Firstly, never let your cat go outside until you are confident they understand who is feeding them. Cats may run away and try to get back to what they think of as ‘home’ if let out too quickly. We usually suggest 2 weeks is enough time, but if your cat is still very timid, leave them indoors for longer! During this time, train them to come when called by giving them treats when they respond.
Let them out on a dry day just before a mealtime- they won’t go too far if they know dinner’s not far off! Leave them for around an hour, then call them in for dinner. Shut them in for the night.
Repeat this routine for a few days, then start gradually increasing the amount of time they spend outside.

Introducing your new cat to another pet

Try to allow your new cat and other pets to smell one another without meeting face to face. The best way to do this is to feed them either side of the same door, so that they associate a good thing (food) with the scent. You may also swap blankets from your pets to allow them to get used to one another’s scents, and ensure that you spend time with all of them so that they can smell one another on you.
After about a week, when your cat is comfortable with you and the smell of your other pets, you should allow your cat to explore the rest of the house. Confine your other pets so that they can do this in peace. They’ll have time to identify hidey-holes and smell areas that the other pets have marked as their own, so that they know where they can and can’t go.
Let your pets meet in a controlled manner. First, ensure your cat has an ‘escape route’ to his room, as well as a high shelf or a cardboard box ‘den’. If you have a dog, put it on a lead and ask him to lie down. Then allow your cat to approach at his own pace. If you have other cats, let them approach at their own pace, ensuring that there are enough ‘hiding places’ to allow them to all escape if scared.
If at any point the interaction begins to become aggressive, separate the animals. Do not put yourself in danger by directly separating the animals- instead throw something soft, make a loud noise, or squirt them with a bottle of water. If these situations are allowed to develop, it becomes a cycle of fear and aggression, and will not resolve. Allow the animals to calm down and start again from the beginning, moving more slowly through the steps this time.

Of course, these steps aren’t foolproof and it’s always a difficult time for any cat, but most will get used to new things given time. Getting a plug in ‘Feliway’ can help keep everybody calm, and is available at most vets and many pharmacies.

Antifreeze Poisoning- What to Do

March 13, 2015 Leave a comment

This is not a subsitute for proper veterinary care. If you suspect your cat has antifreeze poisoning, please don’t sit around googling and reading this- go to your vets NOW, as this is very commonly fatal. 90% of cats die after drinking antifreeze.

Antifreeze is the most common poison during the winter months, and can kill dogs, cats, and even humans, as well as a multitude of other creatures. A lot of people assume that these poisonings are purposeful, but that is not always the case- antifreeze has a sweet smell and taste, which attracts cats more than normal water. Some people use it to stop their water features freezing over, or it might spill whilst they’re filling the windscreen washer in their car- there are many places an inquisitive and thirsty pet can find antifreeze!

To make things worse, a 4kg cat only needs to drink about 5ml of antifreeze for it to be toxic- that’s about a teaspoonful! They can get this simply by licking their paws after walking through it, so it’s very hard to say how a cat got poisoned!

The Science

Antifreeze is usually made of a substance called Ethylene Glycol, which in itself isn’t actually all that poisonous- it’s actually a type of alcohol! Unfortunately, your body tries to metabolise it- like it does with anything else- using an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. The product that is formed when it does this is extremely poisonous and causes fatal kidney damage.

The Signs to Watch Out For

The first signs, which occur 30mins to 3 hours after drinking antifreeze, are caused by the Ethylene Glycol itself. These are signs that you would associate with being drunk, for instance:

Vomiting
Seeming depressed/sleepy
Appearing uncoordinated
Increased thirst
Increased urination

These will steadily get worse, although a brief recovery has been reported in some dogs. Signs of damage to the nervous system usually occur next, such as:

Stumbling
Weakness
Slow responses
Stopping drinking and urination

Then, as the body starts to metabolise the drug, the signs turn more serious. 12 to 24 hours after drinking, the cat may show:

Oral ulcers
Salivation
Seizures
Coma

First Aid:

There is no question about what to do in any poisoning case- take your pet straight to the vet, every minute can count. Call them as you leave the house, explaining the emergency- this will give them a chance to get things ready. They may also give you first aid advice over the phone.

On your way out the door, grab a bottle of vodka or gin if you have it to hand- no, it’s not for you! The vet may be able to use it to help your cat, and having an extra bottle to hand can help.

What Your Vet Will Do:

What your vet does depends on the stage your pet is at. If you’ve only just caught them drinking it, they may encourage the cat to vomit or provide something to try to bind the antifreeze and stop it being absorbed.

If your cat is showing signs of having drunk antifreeze a little while ago, the vet will try other things, which may include getting your cat drunk- and this is where that bottle of Vodka comes in! Ethanol is metabolised by the same enzymes in the liver as Ethylene Glycol, but it takes priority so it out-competes the Ethylene Glycol for the receptors. If the vet can keep your cat drunk on a drip for long enough, the Ethylene Glycol will be lost from the body before it can be metabolised into dangerous chemicals. The vet may also place your cat on a fluid drip to protect your cat’s kidneys by keeping them well hydrated.

FIV+ Cats- Debunking the Myth

February 27, 2015 Leave a comment

Written by: Helen McCallum
Helen is a third year veterinary student at the University of Nottingham. She has an interest in feline medicine, has recently completed a dissertation on FIV in cats, and would like to go into small animal practice when she graduates.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a virus which infects domestic cats worldwide. A cat that is infected is FIV positive (FIV+), and non-infected cats are FIV negative. Unfortunately, FIV positive cats can be overlooked at adoption centres, or are put to sleep unnecessarily because of health concerns or a lack of people looking to take them on. Lina’s is proud that we accept FIV+ cats… but what does that mean for you?

How is the virus spread from cat to cat?
The virus is spread by biting. Generally, FIV is regarded as a virus of fighting cats, with stray and male cats having a greater risk of contracting the virus.

What happens after a cat is infected?
It’s difficult to determine exactly what happens as FIV can cause an array of conditions, which may affect many parts of the body. The majority of the disease course has no symptoms, lasting a long time (often the majority of the cat’s life). Overall, the virus causes immunosuppression, so infected cats are more likely to suffer recurrent health problems, especially later in life.

When the terminal stage is reached clinical disease is seen, which may include dental disease, skin conditions, cancer, neurological disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, upper respiratory tract and urinary infections. However, as can be seen from this list, these could be experienced by any cat, FIV+ or not! A cat can’t be cured of the virus – it is there in the body for a lifetime.
How do I know a cat is infected?
A SNAP test carried out by a vet will be able to tell you if a cat is infected or not. These SNAP tests often test for Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) as well, which is not to be confused with FIV. Vets will often test stray, male cats they may come across, as these are at higher risk of being positive.

How long do FIV+ cats live for?
No one can predict the lifespan of an FIV+ cat, just in the same way that no one can predict the lifespan of a healthy cat. However, studies have found that FIV infection does not adversely affect lifespan when compared to FIV negative cats. This means FIV cats can live to similar ages to non-infected cats.

So what do I have to do with my FIV+ cat?
Health Monitoring
Health monitoring is important as FIV+ cats are more likely suffer recurrent health problems. Taking them to the vet at the first sign of anything out of the normal is crucial. A vet may prescribe medication for any conditions the cat is suffering, or carry out any procedures that are required, like dentals in the case of dental disease.
Practicalities of Keeping FIV+ Cats
FIV+ cats should be kept indoors to stop them spreading the virus to outdoor cats through biting. This will also keep them safe from anything which could infect them, such as parasites they could pick up from hunting, or indeed viruses they may contract from other cats. Some say that FIV+ cats should be kept as a single cat or segregated from any other cats in the same household, to prevent the virus spreading. However, as the virus spreads via bites, some say that FIV+ and negative cats can mix in a household as long as they get on and do not fight. However, bear in mind that FIV+ cats should be isolated if an infection is present amongst any other household cats. This is because an infection could pass to the FIV+ cat, causing further complications.

So having an FIV+ cat is not the end of the world- in fact, people often don’t even know they’ve got an FIV+ cat! This disease usually only causes problems towards the end of a cat’s life- when all cats become more likely to get diseases! FIV+ cats make fantastic pets, just like any other cat, so please don’t pass over them!

Lina’s accept FIV+ cats, and do an FIV/FeLV check when we first get an at-risk cat brought in. We will declare whether a cat is FIV+ on enquiry or during your home visit.

Things to Look Out for in Your Ageing Cat

February 13, 2015 Leave a comment

Written by Sophia Beeley- Sophia is a second year veterinary student at the University of Nottingham who has a special interest in feline medicine. At home she has 9 rescued stray cats, which are a handful but a huge part of her family! In her free time she enjoys swimming and curling up with a good book!

Kittens are understandably adorable, but what happens when your cat has reached an elderly age? A senior cat has different needs to a younger one, and it’s essential to monitor your pet’s health to make sure that any health issues are detected early on, and so can be managed. Make sure you organise regular vet visits, as even though your cat may seem healthy there may be underlying health issues.

Common Diseases & How to Spot Them

Teeth
An important activity is checking up on your cat’s teeth. Dental disease can be very painful, and also may cause your pet to lose their appetite. If your cat starts to lose weight, drool more than usual and has particularly bad-smelling breath then it may have issues with it’s teeth and gums, and a trip to the vets is recommended. A preventative option is to brush your cat’s teeth, but as that is likely to be difficult, specialised dental treats may be a safer option!

Joints
An older cat may start developing arthritis, which will affect its lifestyle. Your pet may be more reluctant to jump off heights, or generally become less active due to pain in their joints. They may also become more irritable, which is a sign of pain. Your vet will be able to provide painkillers, but a lifestyle change is also necessary. One way of reducing the strain on their bones is to make sure their food and water is at ground-level, and give them soft bedding and litter boxes with lower sides.

Kidney Disease
Another very common disease in senior cats is kidney disease. The major warning sign for this is if your pet starts to drink more water than usual. Kidney disease is managed, rather than treated, and there are many specific and prescription pet foods that can benefit your cat in this situation.

Weight
Keeping your elderly cat’s weight normal is essential for its health. For some cats, a more inactive lifestyle caused by age and arthritis will cause it to gain weight. This not only puts more strain on the joints, making the arthritis worse, but can also result in diabetes, which can become a condition your cat will have to live with if not discovered. Low-calorie foods and dieting are the best bet!
For other cats, diseases affecting the kidneys or the heart cause weight loss. Extreme weight loss and hyperactivity can also be a sign of a thyroid disorder. If you see any weight loss in your cat, you should go to the vet, as this can be serious.

Special pet food for specific conditions can be bought, which will help maintain your pet’s health.

Aging is a natural process and your cat will greatly benefit from you as an owner making small adjustments to accommodate your pet’s changing lifestyle. And never forget, your pet may be older in years, but that doesn’t change it’s personality and character and they could easily be around for many more years!

Diary of a Fosterer

January 30, 2015 Leave a comment

For those of you who aren’t sure whether or not to foster, read this ‘Diary of a Fosterer’, which has been written by one of our new foster-carers this year.

15th November
We picked our foster cat up today! He cried for the whole car journey, and disappeared as soon as I let him out. I don’t know where he hid, but within the hour he was nervously exploring- he found me waiting with a bag of treats! He’s found his litter tray and is already using it- yay! He seems to be eating well and I get the feeling he won’t let me forget when it’s mealtime!

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16th November
He’s already settling in, sleeping on my lap or right next to me. He lets me pick him up too! He doesn’t seem interested in playing though, and he still jumps if somebody walks past the road outside, or if the door opens! He’s got several hidey-holes that he goes to, but he’s spending more time out of them than in them!

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24th November
Caesar had to go for his second lot of vaccinations today. He didn’t want to go in his carrier and cried the whole way to the vets. The vet reckons he’s healthy though, and he didn’t even notice his vaccinations being done! I asked about his teeth as he seems to be drooling a bit, but the vet said they’re fine! I also had to flea treat him when we got home, but that was easy enough!

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26th November
He had a very busy day today, as somebody came to view him for adoption. I picked him up and explained that he’s very gentle, but he’s such a big boy I think they were put off. I boiled him up a little pheasant and he devoured it, and he’s now showing how much he loves me by sitting on my feet!

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10th December
I’ve been doing a lot of wrapping on the floor and Caesar seems to love it! He’s started playing with the ribbon or climbing into my lap when I’m cross-legged! He provides us with so much entertainment, especially as he’s started ‘hunting’- watching him pounce on his toys and wrestle with them makes us so happy!

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18th December
We’re going away for Christmas, so Lina’s have organised somebody else to have him whilst we’re away. She came over to collect him this afternoon. He didn’t want to leave, but I’m sure he’s going to have an amazing Christmas and be spoilt rotten! We miss him already though- it’s going to be hard to give him up when somebody adopts him, but at least we’ll have another incoming cat and we get to help more!

28th December
We picked Caesar up from his Christmas foster home. He’s had a lovely time and has been very well looked after- he didn’t want to leave! He’s home now and back to lying on the sofa- that didn’t take long! He had to have his flea treatment as well, which he didn’t enjoy- I’m now not the favourite parent!

20th January
Caesar had another visit today, and this time he got lucky and was reserved! I’m so proud of him but really sad that he’ll be leaving us soon. His new owner seems lovely though, so I’m sure he’ll be happy!

30th January
Caesar’s new mum has passed her home visit. Now all that’s left to do is to organise his vet check and collection. I’ve come around to the idea that he’s leaving now- I’m looking forward to seeing who my next ward will be!

Foster homes needed

September 1, 2013 1 Comment

We are still looking for more foster homes – we can never have enough as we are completely foster home based.

If you can open your home to a cat or kitten please get in touch and visit the Foster for us page for some more information. Any questions or enquiries – just ask! We will be happy to send someone round for an informal chat and to assess your home with no pressure to make a decision. The home visit is as much for your benefit as it is for ours.

Here are just a few of the cats currently on our waiting list for a foster home…