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8 Firework Tips for cool cats and kittens

It's officially spring: the weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter and the flowers are finally blooming. This calls for celebration and what celebrations usually bring is... fireworks. 🎆 You may be wondering how we as cat parents can help our kittens stay cool this spring... Look no further – here are some of our favourite tips and tricks to ensure that your cat is feline calm. 😎 Create a cozy hiding space 💤 Our cats feel safe if they can hide. Provide them with a comfortable hiding spot such as a cardboard box with blankets, toys and paw-some treats! In true cat fashion, they feel safer higher up, so try placing the box on a secure platform with a good vantage point. Keep your cat indoors 🏠 Nobody wants their pet to be MIA… Ensure that your cat’s microchip has your correct details in case an escape does occur. Tune into the radio 🎵 Play some calming tunes or your favourite show to drown out any sudden sounds. Close those curtains 👀 Draw the blinds to block out any scary flashes from outside. Give them a new toy or treats as a distraction 🧶 Help to draw their focus away from any disturbances by offering new toys or tasty treats such as cooked chicken breast, this helps to reassure them that they’re safe and secure. Allow your cat in their regular rooms in the house 🐱 Allow your cat to explore their usual rooms in the house. Also try to avoid picking them up – our cats will feel most calm if we are. Use a pheromone diffuser🫶 Plug in a pheromone diffuser from the week leading up to the fireworks. This can help to settle their anxiety and keep them calm. Monitor their activity using Moggie 🐾 Monitoring your cat’s activity on Moggie can help you to tune into how your cat is feeling. If your cat is suffering from anxiety, please do not hesitate to seek further veterinary advice. You’re now ready to enjoy the fireworks! 💓

March 16, 2023

Cat tail language; what it means

Cats communicate with human folk through vocalising and body movement. 🐈‍⬛ Have you ever noticed how many different ways your moggie’s tail moves? Let’s decode what your cat is saying through their tail movements! 🐱 Our furry besties’ body language can be ambiguous at times. 🤔 Learning how to read our kitty’s postures and tail movements can give us cat parents an insight into their moods and emotions. 😽 Cat tails are highly mobile and expressive, which makes them a great signalling tool! Here are some tips on what the top ten tail movements mean... 🐾 1️⃣ Tail up - a clear sign of friendliness, affection and confidence. Your moggie is greeting you and happy to interact! 😻 2️⃣ Tail waving from side to side - if swishing slowly, your cat might be focussing on something and deciding whether to pounce on it! 🐭 3️⃣ Thumping tail - your moggie feels agitated or irritated. 😼 Something is bothering them - make sure it isn’t you 😹 (i.e. stop what you’re doing if you’re interacting with them) 4️⃣ Tail tip twitch - can occur when playing and hunting; however it can also be seen when your furry bestie is mildly irritated or annoyed (so read the room)! 👀 5️⃣ Tail tucked under - usually means your kitty is feeling threatened and may be about to lash out. 😾 6️⃣ Tail wrapped around body - your cat may just be a little chilly or want a cosy snooze; however it can also indicate they feel stress or anxiety and do not wish to interact. 🐈 7️⃣ Whole tail quivers - your furry bestie is especially excited to see you or whoever they are interacting with! 😻 Beware, that if their tail quivers while standing with their back end against a surface, they may be urine marking! 😱 8️⃣ Tail held low to the ground - can indicate fear and anxiety. 😾 9️⃣ Fluffed up tail 🎃 (the Halloween pose) - eek they are startled or frightened by a sudden and serious threat! 🔟 Tail wrapped around you - your moggie will curl their tail around you and other cats to show their willingness to socialize. 😸 Although your cat’s tail movements play the most expressive part in their body language, they should be interpreted alongside what the rest of the body is doing and the situation. 🐈‍

March 16, 2023

Cats and plants - what to pay attention to?

DYK that many indoor and outdoor plants are toxic to cats? 💐 Here are some of the most common shrubs to watch out for and suggestions for safer alternatives. 🚫 Common plants that are highly toxic to cats include: Acorns Conkers Cycads Daffodils Laburnum Lilies, including peace lily Pieris Rhododendron 🚫 Common plants that are toxic include: Christmas trees Chrysanthemum Crocus Fuchsia Holly Honeysuckle Hyacinth Ivy Mistletoe Roses Tulips FYI: This is no comprehensive list; simply the most common offenders! If your cat has plant poisoning, they might be showing any of these signs: Vomiting Diarrhoea Drooling Rash Swelling Tremoring Twitching Lethargy Hot or cold body temperature Drinking more than usual N.B. you may notice none or all of these signs if your cat has had a nibble on a toxic plant, so stay on your toes! If you suspect that your cat might have been poisoned: Monitor your moggie - for any of the signs of toxicity Contact your vet immediately - for advice or to book an emergency appointment Try to scoop up any urine or poo samples into a small pot - these might be useful for your vet to test or inspect If you saw the plant that your cat munched, take a sample with you to the vets Remember that many plants, even those which are not toxic, can cause tummy upset to your moggie, if munched on. 🤒 If in any doubt as to whether your cat has consumed something poisonous, you can contact the following 24-hour services: ☎️ UK: for paid advice contact the Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000. This usually costs £35-45 per call and is run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) US: for paid advice contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 Cat-friendly shrubs: If you are looking to add some nature to your home, some plant retailers or online florists have a pet-friendly section of their website. Our favourite non-toxics to our furry friends are spider plants and calatheas. ✅

March 8, 2023

Is my cat too lazy? How to recognise whether your cat is sleeping too much or just being lazy.

Have you ever looked at your cat snoozing on the sofa and wondered if they were sleeping too long or just being lazy? Cats naturally sleep longer than their cat parents however, if your kitty is sleeping longer than usual it could be a sign of a health problem. Are cats lazy? Our furry friends sleep a whopping 12 to 18 hours a day which was an evolutionary trait that allowed their wild ancestors to conserve energy in between hunts. 💤 Cats also have different sleep patterns to their humans and will be more active at night while we snooze; read our article on ‘Why does my cat wake me up at night?’ for more on this. So while they may appear to be lazy, they are actually catching up on sleep during cat parent waking hours. 👀 Indoor-only cats may have less mental stimulation if us folks aren’t around, so will sleep more if there’s nothing else to do. Energy levels can also vary across our furry friends, with some having higher energy level personalities than others. 😻 As cats get older they may sleep more as energy levels lower, which can lead to weight gain. Extra ‘cushioning’ will make moving around more of an effort which in turn will make our cat become lazy! 😼 What health conditions make my cat sleep longer? If you notice your furry bestie is sleeping more than normal, there may be more going on such as: 😏 Arthritis; feline oldies will sleep more if their joints feel achy Stress or grieving can alter sleep patterns Medication side effects Fever caused by bacterial or viral infections Pain Organ disease If you’re worried your cat’s sleeping habits have changed we would recommend you make an appointment with your vet who will examine your cat and advise on treatment if needed. 🩺 How can I make my cat more energetic? If you’re happy that your cat is physically well and just being lazy 😹, there are ways to encourage activity. Spend more time with your kitty if possible and observe what gets them excited and on their paws! 😻 Use toys to engage them in short bursts of activity. Switching to a better quality diet might also improve your furry besties energy levels. 🧶

March 8, 2023