of some of the fund-raising activities of our cat rescue centres along with a useful summer bdquotip of the month‟ There‟s some product reviews and did you hear the one about the cat that helped it‟s fe-line friend give birth For these and lots more practical and in-formative features read on We hope you enjoy itrdquo Vicky

ldquoFor many of us it‟s that time of year when we start to see less of our feline family member who may be spending more time outdoors

So whilst the cat‟s away why not take a little time out to read our bumper summer edition of bdquoCat Confi-dential‟

In this edition we offer you a plethora of new features and interesting insights Did you know there‟s a recognised

Following on from a dis-cussion on Vicky‟s Face-book Group about be-coming a Cat Behaviour Counsellor we give you details of some great courses

As summer‟s finally here we also bring you details

Bumper Summer Edition

Do You Own an Indoor-Only Cat

Our August ezine will be an bdquoindoor cat‟ special So we‟d love to hear stories about your indoor cats

Perhaps you could tell us why your cat stays indoors Is he a spe-cial breed Does he have a disability or illness such as FIV

Summer Sizzler

Vicky Halls

CAT CONFIDENTIAL

The Ezine Your Cat Would Want You To Read

Inside This

Issue

Special Features

COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses

Cats Protection Grand Craft Bazaar

The Story of Two

Pregnant Cats

Cool for Cats

New Cat Puzzle Feeder - Our Review

IPAWS - Cattery Rating Scheme

How Confident is

Your Cat

Using Feliway Spray General Advice

The Story of Willow

and Dylan

Your Cat Magazine -

Brand New Look

Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith

Cat Webinarlsquo

Regular Features

Cat Behaviour Facebook Group

June Prize Draw

Tip of the Month

Cat of The Month

Breed Profile

Video of the Month

Rehoming Stories and

Happy Endings

June 2011 Click here to share Your Cat Behaviour Stories At Vickylsquos

Facebook Community httpwwwfacebookcom23

groupphpgid=68810031153

rating system for cat-teries We tell you more

How has he adjusted to life indoors and have you adapted your house in any way to cater for his indoor needs We‟d love to find out so please send your stories and photos to clarevickyhallsnet

COAPE Feline Behaviour CoursesCOAPE Feline Behaviour Courses

The Centre of Applied Pet

Ethology (wwwcoapeorg) of-

fers a wide range of feline be-

haviour courses for everyone

interested in the behaviour of

the cat

Whether youlsquore a practising or

aspiring companion animal behav-

iour professional a Veterinary

Nurse working with cats in prac-tice or youlsquore just interested in

learning more about your own

pets behaviour COAPE can offer

you a fascinating challenging and

fully accredited course to suit If

you are a vet or a vet nurse our

accredited courses count towards

your annual CPD (Continuing

Professional Development) re-

quirement

Courses for Veterinary

Nurses

The first dis-

tance learning

courses writ-

ten to meet

Nurses needs

of ongoing

education and

CPD that

bring together

all aspects of

feline friendly

nursing from behaviour and han-

dling to nutrition and clinical man-

agement from the welfare per-

spective These courses are writ-

ten by the Feline Advisory Bureau

(FABESFM) in association with

COAPE and others

FAB10 Foundation Award in

Feline Friendly Nursing - Essen-

tial Cattitude

FAB12 Advanced Award in

Feline Friendly Nursing

An Advanced Award in

Canine Friendly Nursing is

also now available

Advanced Certificate

Courses The professional dedicated quali-

fication for anyone seeking to

become a pet behaviour thera-

pist

CDP Advanced Diploma

Stage 1 - The Theoretical As-

pects of Companion Animal Be-

haviour and Training - DipCABT

CDPH Advanced Diploma

Stage 2 - The Practical Aspects

of Companion Animal Behaviour

and Training ndash DipCABT (Hons)

Feline Courses Courses for owners vets vet

nurses and other professionals

and graduates who want to de-

velop their knowledge and skills

in the field of feline behaviour

and behaviour therapy

C03 Think Cat Stage 1 - Hom-

ing in on The Highly Specialised

Yet Enigmatic Nature of the Pet

Cat - understanding more about

feline predatory and social be-

haviour and the fascinating rela-

tionship between cats and their

owners

C04 Think Cat Stage 2 - Psy-

chological And Physiological

Processes Exploring Feline Psy-

chology and the Inner

workings of the Cats Mind ndash

developing your knowledge

and skills of interpretation of

the behaviour of the cat

C07 Advanced Diploma

Qualifying Entry Course - An

Advanced Award With Spe-

cially Selected Units in a range

of topics including feline be-

haviour

AB01 You And Your Cat -

A course to help you under-

stand the true nature of your cat Explore your relationship

with this cuddle-loving yet

supremely designed top-of-

the-food chain predator

AB02 You and Your Rescue

Cat - A course for anyone

who is thinking of adopting a

new bundle of feline fun from

a rescue shelter or who al-

ready has one and wants to

understand and cater better

for their rescuelsquo cat or kitten

All COAPE courses are writ-

ten and tutored by interna-

tionally recognised practical

academic and practising au-

thorities

COAPE has been approved by the National Open College

Network (NOCN) as a Cen-

tre recognised to deliver ac-

credited learning meeting na-

tional quality standards

COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses (continued)(continued)

COAPE is also an Accredited Course Provider

for the British Veterinary Nursing Association

(BVNA) as part of their Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) Partners Scheme

Please visit the COAPE website for more details

at wwwcoapeorg

Students listen attentively during a

COAPE study session

Vicky says ldquoCOAPE has been a big

name in companion animal behaviour

training for many years and its range

of courses is so extensive now there

should be something for everyone The

bdquoThink Cat‟ and Advanced Diploma

Courses are particularly relevant to

those wishing to pursue Cat Behaviour

Counselling as a careerrdquo

Cats Protection Cats Protection -- Grand Craft BazaarGrand Craft Bazaar

Following the success of previous years events the Friends of Cat Protections Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre are organising a Grand Craft Fair The Craft Fair will take place at their Centre in Matts Hill Road (just outside Bredhurst village) ME9 7XA Kent UK on SUNDAY JUNE 5th from 11am - 4pm

There will be a huge variety of Kentish products on sale in-cluding plants home-made jams local honey and cakes ceramics textiles handcrafted glass and jewellery - the list goes on

To add to the fun there will be Face Painting and Scottys Circus Workshop for the youngsters as well as top quality refreshments ice creams and BBQ plus bric-a-brac galore books raffles tombolas and games In fact something for every-one in the lovely setting of the Adoption Centre grounds With free parking nearby and entrance only 50p per person why not come along and make a day of it whilst supporting a really good cause

COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses COAPE Feline Behaviour Courses (continued)(continued)

COAPE is also an Accredited Course Provider

for the British Veterinary Nursing Association

(BVNA) as part of their Continuing Professional

Development (CPD) Partners Scheme

Please visit the COAPE website for more details

at wwwcoapeorg

Students listen attentively during a

COAPE study session

Vicky says ldquoCOAPE has been a big

name in companion animal behaviour

training for many years and its range

of courses is so extensive now there

should be something for everyone The

bdquoThink Cat‟ and Advanced Diploma

Courses are particularly relevant to

those wishing to pursue Cat Behaviour

Counselling as a careerrdquo

Cats Protection Cats Protection -- Grand Craft BazaarGrand Craft Bazaar

Following the success of previous years events the Friends of Cat Protections Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre are organising a Grand Craft Fair The Craft Fair will take place at their Centre in Matts Hill Road (just outside Bredhurst village) ME9 7XA Kent UK on SUNDAY JUNE 5th from 11am - 4pm

There will be a huge variety of Kentish products on sale in-cluding plants home-made jams local honey and cakes ceramics textiles handcrafted glass and jewellery - the list goes on

To add to the fun there will be Face Painting and Scottys Circus Workshop for the youngsters as well as top quality refreshments ice creams and BBQ plus bric-a-brac galore books raffles tombolas and games In fact something for every-one in the lovely setting of the Adoption Centre grounds With free parking nearby and entrance only 50p per person why not come along and make a day of it whilst supporting a really good cause

This is the story of Nelly and Mischea whose bond was so close that one even helped her soul mate give birth ldquoThough I have always en-joyed breeding my Russian Blues I have never experi-enced such joy as when my two Kimara girls came to live with me Born and bred in the same house these two girls have a bond stronger than I have ever seen amongst my family group of Russians They share every-thing The latter became even more evident when both girls were pregnant Mischea gave birth first to 5 healthy kittens Nelly was awed by it and did not come close for a while

One Cats Helps Another Give BirthOne Cats Helps Another Give Birth

Two of Nelly‟s 5 kittens now 8 months old remain in our house and enjoy the care of both cats equally Even though Nelly‟s son Leo is al-ready bigger than his mom he still sometimes drinks with her and asks for cuddles and a washing which she we give him gladly Mischea will not suckle him but will cuddle up with him and wash him The same goes for Nelly‟s little daughter Lyusya Thanks to Yasmin Trok-Wijnands Netherlands for sharing this story with us

Nelly and Mischea help each other

with the washing up

About 3 weeks later it was her turn to give birth and the strong bond between them was fully restored During the whole birthing process Mischea left her own small kittens alone to help her best friend give birth She sup-ported Nelly cleaned up bit umbilical cords and ate after-births

Cats of Claw Hill Makes a ComebackCats of Claw Hill Makes a Comeback

When all was over Mischea gave her a thorough washing from ear to tail before she went back to her own brood Within days both mothers shared the tasks of caring for their kittens

Yes it‟s back by popular demand The success of bdquoCats of Claw Hill‟ means that the entire series is be-ing repeated this month The series featuring Vicky will run from 31st May to 9th June on Animal Planet airing at 4pm every weekday (one episode a day) repeating the next day at 9am

On Saturday 18th June the whole series repeats in one go starting at 1pm and finishing at 5pm

Of course this can be subject to last minute schedule changes but we have been informed that this is unlikely

So if you missed it first time round here‟s a second chance to catch it

And if you do watch it please do let us know what you think

There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-

vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group

Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update

ldquoCome and join in

our discussions or

write Something on

my Wall Vickyrdquo

As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget

And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153

June Prize Draw June Prize Draw

This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline

Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin

Your cat will go mad for them them

Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw

And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in

There‟s been an interesting and frank conversation between two members of Vicky‟s Facebook Group who are now living in the Middle East They compare views on the treatment of cats in this part of the world So if you are new to another country and would like to understand the views of the local people towards cats from someone in a similar position you might want to try posting to the Group to see if there‟s anyone who can help We had a plea for help from one member of the Group whose cats were not happy since the arrival of a new baby In this instance the situa-tion had become very severe with one of the cats house-soiling and be-having aggressively In these situa-tions it‟s vital to speak to a behav-iourist who will talk you through your options In general though pre-

vention is better than cure and if you‟re going to have a baby planning ahead can help ease the cats through this period of change We‟ve had a large number of enquiries recently relat-ing to inter-cat aggres-sion and this problem is also reflected in the Group

Facebook Facebook ndashndash Cat Behaviour Group UpdateCat Behaviour Group Update

ldquoCome and join in

our discussions or

write Something on

my Wall Vickyrdquo

As you‟ll know if you‟ve read any of Vicky‟s books inter-cat aggression is a common be-havioural symptom of multi-cat households Each situation can be very different depend-ing on the environment the feline relationships and how us humans respond to the situa-tion and usually requires a thorough investigation by a behaviourist If you have something that you‟d like to discuss with like-minded feline fans please be-come a member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group by clicking on the Facebook widget

And be sure to check out Vicky‟s handy video tips on her Facebook page httpwwwfacebookcom23groupphpgid=68810031153

June Prize Draw June Prize Draw

This month we‟ve got a ‟stinky‟ prize to offer your catnip-loving feline

Yeowww have brought out a new super-strength catnip product called Sardine Stinkies which we‟re offer-ing to you in a whacky pres-entation tin

Your cat will go mad for them them

Pill aid is a 4 in 1 splitter crusher cup and container for your cat‟s tablets All subscribers to the ezine as at midday on Monday 25th July will be entered into the draw

And for those of you whose cats need to take regular tablets we have a handy little gadget that we‟re also throwing in

Continuing the summery theme we thought we‟d share with you an idea sent in by Melanie one of our Ezine readers for allowing cats a shady spot out of the sun ldquoI obtained this for the garden so in the good and bad weather the cats if they don‟t want to come indoors can stay in the gar-den Of course they usually sit under a bush straight on the mud but I always like to provide cover It‟s plastic but stays rather cool for them

Its quite basic really - called the Cat Igloo It still has to be placed in the shade as it‟s plastic and will warm up but under a bush or staircase its purrfect

Tip of The MonthTip of The Month

Cool For Cats Cool For Cats

Now the summer is here dont forget your cat can suffer from sunburn too Susceptible cats are those with white or pale-coloured ears and faces

If they are exposed to pro-longed periods of sunlight they will get sore scaly skin particularly on the ear tips

This can lead to ulceration referred to as solar dermatitis and eventually to skin cancer in severe cases so its not to be taken lightly

Prevention is better than cure so a little waterproof sunscreen on your cats ears before going

out may be helpful although cats usually groom this off fairly quickly Check with your vet for a recom-mendation of the appropriate sun block to use However the only really effective measure once symptoms are seen is confinement indoors during the daytime

ldquoAttention owners of

pale cats Too much

sun can be bad for your

cat toordquo

My cat Fizz loves it rain or shine and I also used it in the recent bad weather for a stray cat that I couldn‟t catch to give him some shelter from the snow

I placed a piece of vet bed in there to make it cosier and given the choice in the nice weather they laze about in it rdquo

Please Note this is a reader sugges-tion and not something that Vicky is able to recommend as she hasnrsquot seen it or tested it first hand

It‟s for your own good Jimmy

Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and

Jimmy

―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately

successful in their initial attempts Being used to

puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from

the sides of a feeder this posed an extra

challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as

they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at

the side This left them distinctly grumpy and

they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to

sulk instead However hunger got the better of

them and they gave it another go

They each had their distinct way of using it Billy

thought brute force was the order of the day

dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-

ing to use the top tray where the majority of the

biscuits were and where he had the best chance

of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom

Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray

though they both also thought the round bumprsquo

in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so

itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would

work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to

the bottom and the other eating them

On a practical note the tall design means it

doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as

Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled

over The plastic mat is great for stopping the

spread of those half eaten bits and the gently

sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not

too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All

in all this really is a great tool to get cats working

for their food Clare

New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review

Focussed Mangus

A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we

were very excited to receive one of the latest

Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR

Design Senses Food Maze

Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe

it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart

way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-

culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves

the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it

through the side openings until it drops down to the

food trayrdquo

So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and

Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat

Mangus went first

―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-

asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-

cuits on the upper level

She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)

that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-

tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying

to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably

thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was

worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell

through to the bottom and she eventually ate these

I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-

ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners

to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to

access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as

the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-

larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky

Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-

whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional

lsquopaw approachrsquo

Next it was the turn of Clarelsquos cats Billy and

Jimmy

―Well Billy and Jimmy were not as immediately

successful in their initial attempts Being used to

puzzle feeders where the food is retrieved from

the sides of a feeder this posed an extra

challenge as they realised they couldnlsquot (try as

they might) drag the biscuits out of the holes at

the side This left them distinctly grumpy and

they abandoned it for a whole day choosing to

sulk instead However hunger got the better of

them and they gave it another go

They each had their distinct way of using it Billy

thought brute force was the order of the day

dragging the feeder across the floor before opt-

ing to use the top tray where the majority of the

biscuits were and where he had the best chance

of getting the biscuits to drop to the bottom

Jimmy meanwhile preferred the bottom tray

though they both also thought the round bumprsquo

in the centre of the middle tray was a biscuit - so

itlsquos not just you Mangus At times they would

work as a teamlsquo with one pushing the biscuits to

the bottom and the other eating them

On a practical note the tall design means it

doesnlsquot take up too much floor space although as

Billy demonstrated with effort it could be pulled

over The plastic mat is great for stopping the

spread of those half eaten bits and the gently

sloping tray at the bottom means that itlsquos not

too difficult for a cat to scoop the biscuit out All

in all this really is a great tool to get cats working

for their food Clare

New Cat Puzzle Feeder New Cat Puzzle Feeder -- Our ReviewOur Review

Focussed Mangus

A few weeks ago here at Vickylsquos office we

were very excited to receive one of the latest

Cat Puzzle Feeders to the market - the CatitR

Design Senses Food Maze

Herersquos how Hagen the makers of the Maze describe

it ldquoThe CatitR Design Senses Food Maze is the smart

way to feed your cat and offer various levels of diffi-

culty to challenge your cats abilities The cat moves

the food or treats through the maze by pawing at it

through the side openings until it drops down to the

food trayrdquo

So with cats experienced in puzzle feeding Vicky and

Clare decided theylsquod both like to test it out Vickylsquos cat

Mangus went first

―Mangus approached the Cat-It Maze with great enthusi-

asm and watched me carefully as I distributed the bis-

cuits on the upper level

She quickly realised (more by accident I would suggest)

that the biscuits were falling through to the middle sec-

tion but rather embarrassingly spent far too long trying

to extract the central bump on the plastic tray probably

thinking this looked like an extra big treat that was

worth the effort Whilst doing this a few kibbles fell

through to the bottom and she eventually ate these

I think the Maze is great the rubber base gives it stabil-

ity and the 360 degree construction encourages owners

to place it away from a wall thereby enabling cats to

access it from any angle This is a good idea anyway as

the cat can then choose where it faces to eat particu-

larly useful in multi-cat households Vicky

Billy adopts the lsquostare the biscuits outrsquo method-

whilst Jimmy goes for the more conventional

lsquopaw approachrsquo

When you love your cats

to bits then the thought of

leaving them for a short

while causes an avalanche

of guilt and anxiety

Even if the time away is not being spent stretched out on

silver sand somewhere

(where at least you could

worry in comfort) but some-

thing forced upon you by cir-

cumstances the thought that

one very important member

of the family canlsquot come too

is enough to make you cancel

the whole thing and spend a

staycation at home doing in-

teresting things with catnip

and cardboard boxes

The dilemma of leaving a

much loved cat in the hands

of someone else is a hard

one Welsquove all put in the time

asking everyone we know

poring over the Yellow Pages or trying to estimate the

chances of our cat being

happy based on some dodgy

online photos and one de-

scriptive sentence on a

strange cattery website

Would you choose to leave

your cat here

Why oh why we ask our-

selves isnlsquot there an easy-to-use

resource that actually has all the

information in one place All we

want is a list of licensed catteries

in Britain that have been

checked to make sure they are

safe warm and comfortable Ide-ally with options to cherry pick

the ones that will treat our cat

like royalty searchable by loca-

tion and with reviews and feed-

back from other users

How about some kind of star

rating system too They do it for

hotels imagine trying to find a

hotel today without the aid of

star ratings Surely it isnlsquot too

much to ask that the same could

be applied to catteries (and ken-

nels) and that someone some-

where has the initiative to create

a kind of national register and

rating scheme

Well step forward iPAWS

which stands for Independent

Pet Accommodation Welfare

Standard Shooting for the

Stars iPAWS is aiming for

stellar change in cat boarding

The concept of iPAWS is

breathtakingly simple It will be

home to the UKlsquos first ever na-

tional register of licensed catteries and kennels With

information on whether they fail

meet or exceed the UKlsquos mini-

mum standards

iPaws iPaws -- New Rating Scheme For CatteriesNew Rating Scheme For Catteries

This is more like it Photo courtesy of Abi Purser Longcroft

Cat Hotel

As well as compiling this officiallsquo

information in the future pet

owners will be encouraged to

post reviews photos and videos

to name and shame but also to

laud and applaud

Every council in Britain has been

asked for basic information on

the catteries and kennels theylsquove

licensed and shortly they will be

surveyed on the premises them-

selves Staggeringly councils are

not obliged to actually use the UKrsquos

minimum guidelines to license pet

accommodation

The Good rsquo Photos courtesy of Marc amp Iris Wheeldon

Westlodge Boarding Cattery

Now wherelsquos my suncream

iPaws iPaws (cont)(cont)

iPAWS has a pretty impressive background

in improving all-things-catteryhellip

Initiated at Kennel amp Cattery Design a part-

nership whose mission is to raise standards

by helping new cattery owners create cat-

safe-havens and cat-welfare-heavens the

idea is to encourage catteries not just to

meet the minimum UK standards - but to

leave them light years behind

With an expert panel made up of the top

movers and shakers in the UK pet world

including Cats Protection Dogs Trust and

our very own Vicky Halls iPAWS is trail-

blazing its way towards giving pets the ac-

commodation they deserve owners the information they need and catteries and

kennels the knowledge and very public mo-

tivation to improve

Finally choosing a boarding cattery will not

just be down to the luck of the draw

wwwipawsorguk

lsquoThe Bad rsquo

lsquoThe Ugly rsquo

How Confident is Your CatHow Confident is Your Cat

Researchers in feline behaviour and welfare at the University of Lincoln are currently embarking on a new exciting behaviour study examining the effect of an environmental product on the confidence of cats and we are looking for feline volunteers in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas The study involves two researchers visiting your home and observing your cat‟s behav-iour via a remote video camera while the cat is free to move from a cat carrier into a pen with a single exit tunnel from it The exit is a tunnel leading back into the room and we are interested in whether a behav-iour product improves your cat‟s confi-dence in helping it move from a novel pen to the familiarity of the room within the home

As part of the study your cat may be exposed through the air to a behaviour product based on a natural signal which cats use to reassure themselves The whole visit will take no longer than two hours and your cat will only be in the pen for a maximum of 15 minutes We are looking for cats older than 10 months but younger than 12 years and of any breed and sex For more information please contact Dr Sarah Ellis on 01522 895307 or email sellislincolnacuk

ldquoThe team conduct-

ing this research

are recruiting in the

first instance

mainly from the

following places in

the UK East Mid-

lands or anywhere

that can be trav-

elled to and from in

a day from Lincoln

but will consider

people further

awayrdquo

General advice to consider

when using Feliwayreg Spray

When using the Feliwayreg

Spray you must keep in mind

the problem you are trying to

reduce or prevent

If your cat is

urine spraying

First consult a vet-

erinary surgeon to

confirm that your

cats problem is not

of a clinical origin

Then after removing the cat

from the room clean the areas

marked with urine using either

a mixture of water and surgical

spirits or a warm dilute solu-

tion of non-biological washing

powder

Never use strong smelling dis-

infectants bleach biological

washing powder detergents or

deodorisers to clean the af-

fected areas They may inter-

fere with the action of Feli-

wayreg and the strong smell may

upset your cat further

Shake the bottle and apply the

spray daily for at least 30 days

Do not stop when you notice

improvement

Wait 15 minutes before letting

the cat re-enter the area to

allow time for the alcohol car-

rier in Feliwayreg to evaporate

off

If you need to apply Feliwayreg

Using Feliway Spray Using Feliway Spray -- General AdviceGeneral Advice

Feliway 60ml Spray

to electrical equipment switch off

the appliance allow it to cool

down and then ensure it is com-

pletely dry before switching it on

again

To prevent new furniture freshly

painted walls or other objects be-

coming the target of urine spray-

ing activity spray daily for the first

2 weeks or until the cat is seen to

rub hisher head against the ob-

ject

Remember Feliwayreg does not

cover or mask bad smells

If your cat is scratch marking

Remove the cat from the room

Shake the bottle and apply the

spray to the marked area daily for

at least 30 days Do not stop

when you notice improvement

Wait 15 minutes before letting the

cat re-enter the area to allow time

for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg

to evaporate off

To prevent new furniture freshly

painted walls or other objects be-

coming the target of scratch mark-

ing activity spray daily for the first

2 weeks or until the cat is seen to

rub hisher head against the ob-

ject

Never punish your cat for urine

or scratch marking as this will only

increase their level of distress and

will not reduce the problem but

may make it worse

If your cat lives in a multi-cat

household

Use as above but extend period of

use to at least 45 days and increase

the frequency of application to twice

daily

Consider using a Feliwayreg Diffuser

to reduce the overall stress levels of

all your cats

To give more general

reassurance

Apply Feliwayreg Spray to the door-

ways cat-flap windows sills and to

other prominent objects within your

home

Shake the bottle and spray at a height

of about 20 cm from the floor

Wait 15 minutes before letting the

cat re-enter the area to allow time

for the alcohol carrier in Feliwayreg to

evaporate off

Feliwayreg should not stain furnishings

but it is recommended to test on a

sample before use

Find out more at

wwwfeliwaycom or

PS Keep an eye on the Facebook

page for That Purple Cat‟ as

every so often depending on his

mood he runs a competition to

win free prizes

httptwittercom

thatpurplecat

http

wwwfacebookcom

pagesThat-purple-

cat128359890788

ref=ts

―Just take a second and

think ― was the advice given

to me before I brought

home a kitten called Wil-

low

From day one she never acted

normal The first clue was the

urine puddle that appeared each

morning on the floor I cleaned it

with no thought to any behaviour

issues she genuinely believed that

the carpet was somewhere to pee

My mum passed away on the 30th

March 2005 Family came from all

over and filled our house throw-

ing everyonelsquos world into chaos

Willowlsquos feelings got left behind

she was petrified and confused

One day she went missing I didnlsquot

know what to do Willow would

rather hide and stay quiet than be

found A month passed and a

neighbour spotted her in a ditch I

frantically called her name her

face appeared looking weary and

sad Seeing me she lit up leaping

straight into my arms When ex-

amined by the vet it was evident

that Willow had sat in that ditch

and not movedwaiting to be

found

Willow got lost regularly I would

find her in all manner of places

often stuck in a bush She always

just satwaiting to be rescued

She eventually learnt to never

leave the garden Her routine was

to eat walk to the bottom of the

garden eat and sleep

One day that all changed It had

been very windy and Willow was

headed for the cat flap (I add that

it was a hole in the wall as try

beyond belief I couldnlsquot get her to

use a cat flap) A Labrador leapt

and attacked Willow Dad

punched the dog off scooped her

The Story of Willow and DylanThe Story of Willow and Dylan

The tendons in her back leg had been

ripped surgery was required to see if

the leg could survive the blood loss I

was petrified Not everyone under-

stood her habits I didnlsquot want the

nurses to treat her differently Willow

had to go back every day for the

wound to be examined She had to be

sedated due to her screaming and

crying

She stayed confined in my room for a

month Her first hour was spent

throwing herself against the wall

Eventually she fell asleep under a Feli-

way plug-in

Every morning I would clean up the

various accidents an unused tray left

in the corner

The month passed and the leg healed

However her problems with the cat-

flap and litter tray continued She

scratched at the floor until you

snapped her out of it and was often

found staring at the wall for hours It

wasnlsquot until a kitten arrived that I re-

alised how odd Willows behaviour

was

As soon as Dylan arrived he used the

litter tray In Willows 4 years she

hadnlsquot used a tray once Dylan was

free to roam the house during the

day being shut in a room at night I

mixed scents changed bowls every-

thing by the book All was left was the

introduction

Willow saw Dylan and curled herself

in a ball crying Dylan tried to play

but Willow stuck fast All Dylan needed

was a wallop from Willow but that was

never going to happen When Dylan

grew too feisty I would tap his ear Wil-

low grew more confident hissing from

the safety of my lap However Dylan was

persistent Progress was slow Willow

eventually progressed to freezing when

Dylan went near her not moving until he

passed They were not friends but they

coped

At a new vet surgery for her booster

Willow immediately curled up and cried

The vet was baffled he had never seen a

cat like it I explained Willows odd be-

haviours The vet guessed she had suf-

fered in the womb preventing her brain

from developing properly He dispensed

some tablets to help her

One major change was that Willow used

the litter tray Though she spent the

next 15minutes scratching at the floor

Willowlsquos tray usage was sporadic She

would still wee on the floor every

morning without fail The vet changed

her medication Willow turned confident

and vocal She used the litter tray all the

time and mastered the cat flap She stuck

her head and forelimbs in the hole and

wiggled her way through She has used it

ever since I was worried that stopping

the tablets would revert her back to her

neurotic self But it didnlsquot

Some of Willows behaviours I cannot

help She scratches on the patio until her

claws bleed She goes into a trance and

wonlsquot stop She also cannot groom a job

that is done by me

Willow has just turned 6years old and

has achieved what a kitten would have by

8weeks She will never be normal but

she will forever be my misunderstood

little girl

Thank you to our reader Amelia for

sharing Willow‟s story with us

Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling

cat magazine gets a makeover

Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-

formation to help them care for their pet in

the new look Your Cat magazine now out

(June issue)

The new Catcare section features health and

behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-

tions answered by leading experts This 16-

page section set to be a must-read includes a

new regular feature focusing on weight issues

a diary of a general practice vet health news

and tips from readers There will also be fur-

ther regular columns with topics including

senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly

gardening

In the new look June issue (out now) topics

covered include using a body condition score

rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate

weight understanding chronic kidney disease

over-grooming and sowing plants with cat

appeal

All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-

ments remain so regular readers will not be

disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat

tales can be found grouped together in a sec-

tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline

fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle

page Other new elements are CatsHeart

with its star interview and celebrity cat owner

gossip and a four-page charity section which

will include features appeals and events listing

plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-

ing for new homes

―We think the new look Your Cat has real

wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from

the stunning white cat on the cover to the

new full page at the back If you love cats

youlsquoll definitely love this

Star features in the June issue include an arti-

cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the

gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap

Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue

tells us how she got Coco the role and gives

us an insight into what goes on behind the

scenes

New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine

And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-

gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from

the owners of cats who have become stars in their

own right

In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a

reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed

her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly

wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing

the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she

is not alone and her situation is not uncommon

Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-

one in a similar position

Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and

larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-

zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the

website wwwyourcatcouk for more information

Your Cat magazine Britainlsquos best-selling

cat magazine gets a makeover

Cat lovers can expect to find more quality in-

formation to help them care for their pet in

the new look Your Cat magazine now out

(June issue)

The new Catcare section features health and

behaviour articles along with readerslsquo ques-

tions answered by leading experts This 16-

page section set to be a must-read includes a

new regular feature focusing on weight issues

a diary of a general practice vet health news

and tips from readers There will also be fur-

ther regular columns with topics including

senior cat care dental health and cat-friendly

gardening

In the new look June issue (out now) topics

covered include using a body condition score

rather than scales to assess a catlsquos appropriate

weight understanding chronic kidney disease

over-grooming and sowing plants with cat

appeal

All of Your Cat magazinelsquos most popular ele-

ments remain so regular readers will not be

disappointed mdash favourites such as true cat

tales can be found grouped together in a sec-

tion called You amp Your Catlsquo along with feline

fiction readerslsquo photos and a new puzzle

page Other new elements are CatsHeart

with its star interview and celebrity cat owner

gossip and a four-page charity section which

will include features appeals and events listing

plus a charity directory and rescue cats look-

ing for new homes

―We think the new look Your Cat has real

wow factorlsquo says editor Sue Parslow ―from

the stunning white cat on the cover to the

new full page at the back If you love cats

youlsquoll definitely love this

Star features in the June issue include an arti-

cle written by Sue Coad the owner of the

gorgeous Birman who appears in TV soap

Neighbourslsquo Editor Sue Parslow says ―Sue

tells us how she got Coco the role and gives

us an insight into what goes on behind the

scenes

New Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo MagazineNew Look For lsquoYour Catrsquo Magazine

And if you too would like to make your cat a star An-

gela Lowe has gathered a range of tips and advice from

the owners of cats who have become stars in their

own right

In the first feature in our new Real Liveslsquo section a

reader shares the story of how a cute kitten changed

her relationship with her husband In My cat nearly

wrecked my marriagelsquo she shares the horror of hearing

the words Itlsquos me or the catlsquo Yet as we discover she

is not alone and her situation is not uncommon

Therelsquos some practical information to pass on to any-

one in a similar position

Your Cat magazine can be found in newsagents and

larger supermarkets priced at pound325 Your Cat maga-

zine is also available to overseas subscribers See the

website wwwyourcatcouk for more information

―Sunny Harbour Kitten and Cat

Rescue is a small family-run rescue

operating in the East Central Scot-

land founded by Sarah and Paul

Ross Matthew and I adopted our IndyCat from

Sunny Harbour and we were humbled by

the amazing and tireless work that Sarah

Paul and all the Sunny Harbour volun-

teers do to provide a safe nurturing envi-

ronment for abused and abandoned cats

I first discovered the Sunny Harbour

website about a year ago I always knew I

wanted to adopt a rescue cat but I was

very specific about the type of cat I

wanted and I spent a large amount of

time researching different rescue centres

and different cats What instantly ap-

pealed to me about the Sunny Harbour

website is the exquisite and personalised

descriptions of the cats in their care and

this is testament to the time and atten-

tion that Sarah and Paul spend nurturing

their feline charges They appreciate the

individual needs of the cats and try their

best to match them to suitable loving new

homes

Beyond re-homing Sunny Harbour offers

practical support and advice for cat own-

ers This is a valuable resource for new

owners that need a little gentle reassur-

ance Sunny Harbour also has a

facebook group with a flourish-

ing community that enjoys keep-

ing up to date with the Harbour

news sharing photos and stories

of our Harbour babies and con-

tributing to an active discussion

board to share information such

as recommendations for local

veterinary clinics and catteries

ideas for new cat toys and for

organizing fund raising events

IndyCat found his way to the

Harbour as a stray with a bro-

ken femur and he needed pain

medication neutering and nine

weeks of cage rest before going

forward for re-homing

Paul described our IndyCat as a

―bombproof cat We have had

him for almost a year He is a

confident social little ball of

ginger mischief that loves to wel-

come you home with head-

bumps

Cat Rescuers Take a Leap of FaithCat Rescuers Take a Leap of Faith

IndyCat takes a snooze

Sunny Harbour is a small inde-

pendent rescue that currently

receives no grant funding All

funds are raised by fundraising

activities and through the kind-

ness of public donations

To try and raise much needed

funds Paul myself and eight

other brave souls will be under-

taking a Free Fall Abseil event

on the 19th June 2011

The event involves a 165ft SAS

style abseil from the top of one

of the brick pillars of the Forth

Rail Bridge to the sandy beach

of South Queensferry below

He makes us smile and laugh

everyday We are very grateful

to Sarah and Paul for caring

loving and nursing IndyCat back

to health and for subsequently

nurturing us as new parents

And we wish nothing more than

for Sunny Harbour to be able to

continue its good work

Sunny Harbour Residents Meeting

All funds raised through this

event will go directly to the cats

and kittens to help with the an-

nual veterinary and care costs

If you would like to sponsor us

please visit our donation site

httpsmydonatebtcomevents

abseil4cats50188

For further information please

visit the Sunny Harbour web-

site

httpwwwsunnyharbourorguk

Or follow the Harbour kitties

on facebook

httpswwwfacebookcom

pagesSunny-Harbour-Cat-

Kitten-Rescue27992174999 ―

Thanks to Lisa for telling us

about Sunny Harbour and I‟m

sure we‟d all like to wish her

lots of luck with her abseil

Cat Of The MonthCat Of The Month

Our April Cat of the Month is ldquoLucierdquo

Lucie‟s story is told in the words of her owner Lynsey

ldquoMy cat Lucie is now 10 years old and I couldnt imagine a life without her Nine and a half years ago I found her sitting in my garden and it was love at first sight The poor thing was totally dehydrated and was ap-parently abandoned by her for-mer owners She directly ran to-wards me and sat on my lap as if she knew me her whole live From that moment on she never left me At that point she must have been about 6 months old according to what the vet told me A few years later I moved to another country (Austria) and there was no doubt that I would take her with me

Here is a picture of my mira-cle as I use to call her I have read your book ldquoCat Confidentialrdquo and at the end you describe the difficulties concerning losing loved ones This part was very helpful to me in order to face what is eventually inevitable Now Lucie is still of very good health but one day she will leave Seven years ago I lost my dearly beloved grandmother and during this tough period Lucy never left my side com-forted me and also made me laugh Thanks again for this marvel-lous book and thanks for taking the time to read my little storyrdquo Lynsey

lsquoMiraclersquo Lucie

We live in a small village in Carinthia in a wonderful land-scape surrounded by the Alps Unfortunately Im not able to let her out because after sterili-sation she developed a wheat allergy I also live in an apartment building which makes it even more difficult But we spend a lot of time together because luckily Im able to work at home as a translator

Cat lsquoWebinarrsquoCat lsquoWebinarrsquo

Welsquore delighted to announce that Dr Sarah

Ellis of the University of Lincoln will be run-

ning the following Webinarlsquo on behalf of

CEVA Animal Health

Feline Training for Positive Welfare

This webinar will help you to

Understand the basis of learning theory and its practical

application with the cat

Identify a range of situations where training can promote

the welfare of the cat

Appreciate the skills involved in simple training tasks with

the cat

The webinar is being held on Wednesday 29th June at

730pm BST and if youlsquore interested in registering

please follow this link

httpwwweventelephantcomeebookingstickets

indexhtmsiteurl=Pheromonatherapy

This month we‟re con-tinuing our A-Z Breed Profile feature with the

Bengal

Bengal

What The Breeders Tell You

GCCF breed classification Foreign

Country of Origin

USA

In the early 1980s an American geneticist Dr Centerwall bred the Asian Leopard cat with a domestic cat durng the course of research into feline leukae-mia The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed ap-

parently was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its wild ancestor yet produce a pleasant and trustworthy family companion

The first few generations referred to as F1 F2 and F3 are certainly not pets in the true sense of the word despite the attempts of many unsuspecting owners to make them fit into a domestic household

Lifespan 20 to 15 years Physical Traits The Bengal is large muscular cat with hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders The coat is thick and soft with a spotted or marbled pattern Character Traits Originally very shy (hardly surprising given their ancestry) but successive generations are becoming friendly and playful They are extremely active and vocal cats (with quite a harsh cry) that love water

Breed ProfileBreed Profile

Videos of the MonthVideos of the Month

What the Breeders May Not Tell You These cats prefer the delights of the great out-doors to a life of confinement This may not be the general advice of the breeders but in my experience these cats love to be outside Reported inherited and con-genital defects None con-firmed but suspected condi-tions include distal neuropathy Undesirable Behaviour If you get a good one it is fan-tastic but I see a dispropor-tionate number of Bengals on referral for territorial aggres-sion inter-cat aggression inap-propriate urination or defeca-tion and urine-spraying in-doors

Two very different but nonethe-less brilliant videos for you to wonder at and laugh at

Firstly some stunning footage of one cat‟s response to an aquatic friend Seems like it‟s not just us humans that have a special affec-tion for Dolphins

ldquoTo view the videos just

click the linksrdquo

NEW

We think this video will produce the biggest aaah you‟ll utter this year httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Vw4KVoEVcr0ampfeature=aso

httpwwwyoutubecom

watchv=rynvewVe21Y

Introducing Magnum Fizz

and Raven who are cur-rently in the care of the Cats Protection‟s Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre Here are their stories

MAGNUM ldquoThis charm-ing little man is Mag-num He is 12 years old and a very

special cat Because of his very endearing nature Mag-num has a lot of human friends at the National Cat Adoption Centre Until re-cently Magnum was diabetic but now we are pleased to say that his diabetes is in remission This means that he no longer requires insu-lin injections only regular monitoring for the time be-ing With the fantastic news of Magnum‟s diabetes in remission we are now keep-ing our fingers crossed that he will finally find the lov-ing home he so deserves very soon

You could not wish for a friendlier cat and if you are looking for a lap cat - Mag-num is your man Please make his wishes come true and offer this little cat with a big heart a home

FIZZ

When Fizz came into our care we were shocked at the terri-ble state this little cat was in the claws on her front paws were growing into her pads and needed immediate veteri-nary treatment She was rid-dled with fleas and it turned out she was anaemic due to the parasitic infestation As if this wasn‟t bad enough Fizz is also blind in her left eye as partially sighted in her right

This 5 year old poppet was so scared she went into hiding straightaway and it became apparent that she had not had a good life so far and was in urgent need of lots of loving care and reassurance The flea infestation was soon under control and her overall health improved vastly fairly quickly It is difficult to describe Fizz - when you see her ‟in the flesh‟ you cannot help but fall in love with her

Her perfect home would be with caring patient people who will give her all the love she has never experienced be-fore and who are willing to give her time to settle into her new home Because of her very poor eyesight Fizz could live as an indoor cat but she

Rehoming Stories From the Cats ProtectionRehoming Stories From the Cats Protection

For more information on Magnum Fizz Raven or any of the cats at the

National Cat Adoption Centre please call 01825 741330 or visit their web

site wwwncaccatsorguk

might enjoy having supervised ac-cess to a safe secure and enclosed garden Fizz‟s story is a very sad one indeed but we are hopeful it will have a happy ending very soon for this special beautiful lit-tle girl RAVEN

ldquoHello I‟m Raven I am 8 years old and was brought into the care

of the Na-tional Cat Adoption Centre last October when my owner was unable to care for me any longer

You see I have a condition called diabetes This means I need two insulin injections every day to keep me bright happy and healthy A lot of people cannot guarantee that they can do this because of work and other commitments etc so I have been waiting for the right home for months If I could give myself the insulin I would but I do not have hands like you so I need someone to do this for me I do not mind being given my injections as long as I get a cuddle afterwards I am a chirpy pretty girl and I love a good fuss but I also like my own space

I need that special someone to care for me and love me for the beautiful girl that I amrdquo

Happy EndingsHappy Endings

Thank You For Reading Our EzineThank You For Reading Our Ezine

As you know in each edi-tion we feature cats from the CP that are looking for homes but we don‟t always get to find out what the outcomes were for them Well their lovely carer Michaela has kindly given us an update on these two love-lies

Suzy amp Smudge ldquoAnother pair of cats who were on our long-stay list whose luck finally changed A cat-loving lady from Brigh-ton saw their appeal poster in a shop and decided to give these two darlings a good loving homerdquo

and found Frodo who was on his best behaviour in our socialising room (where cats can meet their prospective new owners) Im sure he knew it was his big chance - we were so pleased to see him go to a home after almost one year in CP carerdquo

Frodo

Suzy amp Smudge

Frodo ldquoTerrific news A former cat cuddler and her partner came to his rescue and gave this young lad the home he never had The couple were look-ing for a young black tomcat

Alice tries to find out what she can do about a cat that doesnlsquot like her