The RSPCA strongly recommends that you seek veterinary advice to ensure that your cat and kittens receive the best care possible. Following birth, newborn kittens and their mother are very vulnerable. Risks include post-birthing complications, infections, eclampsia (low calcium), hypothermia (low body temperature), hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), and dehydration (low…
First consider if it would be safe and appropriate to have both a dog and cat as part of your family. While dogs and cats can live together in harmony and even become friends, in some cases individual dogs may not be compatible with cats. It is important that you…
Kittens are dependent on their mother. For example, feral kittens wean by about eight weeks of age but often stay with their mother for several months [1]. Domesticated kittens are routinely separated from their mother at a much younger age. It is essential for cats’ physical, psychological and social development…
While most companion cats will groom themselves, maintaining a regular grooming routine will benefit their health and welfare. How, and how often, you need to groom your cat will vary depending on the individual cat. Grooming requirements are usually greater for long-haired and medium-haired cats and increase for all cats during…
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) are retroviruses that attack the immune system, the same group of viruses as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). How common are FIV and FeLV? FIV has been found to be common among companion cats in Australia aged two years or older with…
Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin and hair. Ringworm spreads rapidly, and is zoonotic which means that it can spread from animals to people. How do animals get ringworm? The ringworm fungus can cause infection when there is a minor break in the skin or exposure to ongoing…
The Scottish Fold breed of cat has a very distinctive appearance and is a popular companion cat in some countries. These cats have flattened ears that fold forward and downward, sitting like a cap and giving the quaint look of an owl. This ear fold is the result of a…
Cat flu is a general term for a highly contagious upper airway disease that affects cats and kittens. This disease is caused by one or more viruses including Feline Herpes Virus 1 (FHV1) and Feline Calicivirus (FCV) in the majority of cases. In some cases, other organisms may be involved,…
Breed specific legislation (BSL) consists of legal restrictions on the importation, sale, keeping and rehoming of certain types of dogs (‘restricted breeds’), irrespective of their actual behaviour. BSL is based on assumptions that certain breeds of dog are inherently dangerous, that those breeds can be readily identified, and that banning…
Rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together in the same enclosure. While they are often regarded as similar, rabbits and guinea pigs are actually totally different kinds of animals, with different (and often conflicting) needs. Different Order – Rabbits and guinea pigs aren’t just different species, they’re different…