International Cat Day

With millions of Aussie households owning a pet, it's no wonder pets are becoming more humanised and entrenched as 'part of the family'.

According to the latest report by Animal Medicines Australia1, more than 62% of Australian households own a pet. Of these, 29% are cat owners.

To help cat lovers across the country celebrate feline friendships on International Cat Day (8 August), PETstock VET Dr Emily Chan has compiled a list of care tips to keep kittens and cats happy and healthy.

Fun training for your cat
Cats are intelligent animals and can be easily trained in a similar way to a dog to learn new tricks such as sit, shake paws and more. There are many benefits to training your cat: You are providing them with positive mental stimulation, improving your relationship with them, encouraging positive behaviours, such as coming to you when you call them, and discouraging negative behaviours, such as jumping up on tabletops.

Playtime
Indoor cats need a lot of environmental enrichment. Cats love chasing toys however owners need to be careful of toys that are attached to string or toys that are small enough to swallow, as they can get obstructions from chewing and eating them.

Cats love to sit up high so they can overlook their 'kingdom'. A large multi-level scratch post, especially located with a window view, is a great way to keep your cat happy and to give them a nice spot to snooze during the day. An automated laser pointer for your curious cat will provide lots of fun.

Fresh water
Cats love running water– a pet friendly water fountain is a great way to encourage cats to drink more water, as well as multiple water stations around the house.

Grooming
Cats need regular brushing and grooming to prevent hairballs as well as matting to the fur. Long hair cats need daily brushing.

Stress and anxiety can affect your cat in similar ways that it can affect humans. It is important to ensure you give your buddy time to adapt to changes and keep an eye out for any behaviour that may be telling you that your fur-baby is suffering from anxiety. If in doubt visit your local vet.

Photo by Raul Varzar on Unsplash