IDENTIFICATION

All cats should be, micro chipped as it is the only safe
and permanent method of identifying a cat, should he or she become lost.

We recommend all cats are kept indoors after dark as most accidents
and thefts occur then.
If, however, the plan is to protect wildlife, then keeping
the cat in at night and in the early morning can help reduce cat predation.
If you decide to put a collar on your cat please be sure to purchase a quick release collar
which will stop the risk of injury to your cat and always attach an identification tag
with your contact telephone number.

INTRODUCING YOUR NEW CAT

When introducing a cat into your home, for the first few days keep your cat confined
to one area with doors and windows closed until he/she is settled.
Have a litter tray ready in a private corner before you even let he/she out of the carrier.
Keep the bed and feeding bowls away from draughts.
Close bedroom doors because a timid cat will want to hide under a bed
After a few days they may then be allowed to explore the rest of the house.
Cats must be kept in for at least 2 weeks before you begin to introduce them outside.

To introduce your cat to the garden, do not feed him/her, the morning you are going to begin,
this is just a safe guard so he/she will not venture far, because they are hungry.
Always introduce them through the back door, leave the door open and go into the garden with them.
Do not carry the cat outdoors in your arms; if necessary try a harness instead.

DIET

All our cats and kittens are fed on Franks Pro Gold cat food, and its an excellent food source.
Your cat should be fed twice a day, and you must always have water available.
Some cats enjoy milk but most lose the ability to digest it properly after weaning, causing diarrhoea,
. If you want to give your cat a treat there are plenty of cat milks on the market.
If you clean their bowls with detergents make sure they are thoroughly rinsed as cats have a keen
sense of smell, and a detergent may well put them off eating out of their bowls
Stainless steel or ceramic bowls are recommended as they don't retain any smell.

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KITTENS

On arrival, show the kitten its litter tray and bed and offer him a little food,
kittens should be fed four times a day, and water must always be available.
Kittens will not over feed, on a balanced diet.

It is important that your kitten is vaccinated against cat flu, feline enteritis and feline leukemia.
These can be given at 9 and 12 weeks old, and kittens must stay inside until all injections are completed.
Kittens must also be kept a close eye on until the are neutered at 5 months old.
NEVER leave a dog and a kitten alone together.
Be sure to continue with your kittens worming and de-fleaing program as advised by your vet.

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INTRODUCING OTHER PETS

If you have another pet, give them time to get used to each other.
It may not be love at first sight, but normally pets find their own level.
Make the introduction gradual. let each pet get a view or scent of the other
without any actual confrontation and never allow a cat or kitten near a dogs food
If in the same room, make sure there are places to hide, so that eye to eye contact is avoided.
NEVER lavish too much attention on the newcomer.

FOUND CATS

Many of us have suffered those days of anxiety and frantic searching when a pet goes missing,
and that awful feeling when absolutely no trace of them can be found even weeks later.
It is such a relief when they walk back in the door or someone finds them for us.
This is why we are asking you for any help with sightings of cats which have appeared in the area
which don't appear to belong to anyone. We might just be able to match them up with a distraught owner.
BUT if you find a cat, make sure that it is a stray, and unless it is obviously starving (i.e. very skinny),
don't feed it the first time you see it. It may have a home to go back to, and you don't want to tempt
a scrounging cat away from a perfectly good home. Talk to neighbors, children and local trades
people about the cat. Notify us and be ready to give as full a description as possible.
Don't forget to ring back if the cat is reunited with its owner
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LOST CATS

If your cat goes missing, tell as many people as possible as soon as possible. Talk to local shop keepers,
the postman, the milkman, the window cleaner - anyone who talks to a lot of different people.
Let the local children know that you are looking for your cat.
Make up leaflets with your cat's details, and the date that she went missing, and post them through
neighbours' letter boxes - ask them to check sheds, garages and other outhouses.
Also ask anyone who has had recent building work done to make sure the cat hasn't been trapped
under floorboards etc.! Put up posters in shops, and advertise in the local papers and on local radio.
Radio Lancashire's Action Line is very good for this. Tell US! Ring our Help line,
but please don't ring us on the first night that your cat is missing -
most cats come back within 24 hours, and nothing will be gained by notifying us immediately -
it would be extremely unlikely that anyone would have reported it as found in such a short period of time.
Notify all the vets in your town AND in surrounding areas -
people in cars who see a wounded cat are more likely to take it to
their own vet than to the nearest one.

If you find your cat, please remember to let us know, phone us on 01704 823293