News

Newspaper CatWhat is going on in the world of Welwyn Hatfield Cats Protection? Here’s the place to find out!

Autumn - Interesting facts

03 December 2018

Whether walking down the stairs or stepping into the litter tray, cats have a preference for which paw they put forward first. Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed, while female cats are more likely to be right-pawed. Most members of the cat family have claws that curve downward, which means that they can’t climb down trees head-first. One exception to this is the Margay, a small wildcat from Central and South America, which has specially adapted ankle joints that can move ...
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How to give your cat a tablet

11 November 2018

There will usually be a time in your cat's life where you will need to give them a tablet by mouth. Not all tablets are suitable for crushing or giving with a meal, as food in the gut may hinder proper absorption of the medication. In other circumstances, your cat may simply refuse to take the tablet no matter how much tasty food you try to disguise it in. Giving a tablet by mouth is often a daunting prospect, as cats are more likely than dogs to struggle ...
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Cats and Anti-Freeze

02 June 2018

Do you know that anti-freeze, which is regularly used in your vehicle radiator, is one of the main reasons of feline accidental poisoning? Around 95% of commercial anti-freeze available contains ethylene glycol and this is a toxin. In itself it isn’t poisonous, but as the body breaks it down and absorbs it this can lead to fatal kidney failure. You can buy a propylene glycol based anti-freeze, which although it is still toxic, has been found to be safer than ethylene glycol based ...
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General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

13 May 2018

You will no doubt be aware of GDPR coming into effect from 25 May 2018. This updated data protection ensures that personal data cannot be used or shared without the express permission of the owner.For example you will notice that instead of having to tick a box to say that you do not want to receive communications, you will now have to tick to say that you do want them. This is a great step forward to reducing unsolicited communications.You currently receive ...
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How Your Health can Benefit from Owning a Cat

22 April 2018

Helping your cat cope with a serious health complaint can end up being both an emotional and financial drain. Yet seeing the positive effect of its treatment can be very rewarding, and make the continued expense seem every bit worthwhile. This is our conscious contribution to our cats, yet in times of need, without knowing it themselves, it is our cats that contribute best to the welfare of us.Research has been carried out on the human benefits of owning a pet,...
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PAT Testing Assistance

01 April 2018

The branch was advised by Cats Protection HO that we must undertake Portable Appliance Testing by a qualified electrician in accordance with Health and Safety rules. At the end of November, John Malone, a self employed qualified electrician and partner of fundraising volunteer, Debbie, agreed to do not only the testing but to also carry out some maintenance and repairs to one of our cat pens. We are extremely grateful to John for giving his time so generously; and freely, as he stated that...
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Why is my cat overweight?

20 January 2018

Going back 30 or 40 years, cats in the UK did not get overweight. They were probably just as loved and cared for then as now, but they were slimmer. Historically, “Appetite is an expression of physiological need,” was another way of saying that cats only eat as much as they need to keep going – they would not eat to excess and get fat.The fact is that now many cats are significantly obese, and most are probably at least moderately overweight. Back in the 1970s the average UK ...
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Unvaccinated cats

09 December 2017

In a recent survey by the PDSA, it was found that 35% of cats received no vaccinations when young; up from 28% in 2011. Please help stop pets suffering needlessly due to not being vaccinated when young. All cats and kittens adopted from Cats Protection will have had their first vaccination and the second vaccination, which follows within 21 – 28 days of the first, is included in the adoption fee if it has not already been completed.As the number of pets going unvaccinated continues to ...
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Blocked Cats

18 November 2017

Some cats can suffer from a condition where blockages stop them urinating. This is often when they don’t drink enough water, perhaps when it is hot. This can encourage small stones and other material to form, blocking the flow of urine from the bladder. Feline urethral obstruction, or the ‘blocked cat’, is potentially fatal if not treated, so if you notice any of these signs, get your cat checked by your vet immediately. Trying to urinate but nothing coming out Tense ...
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Does Anyone Speak International Cat?

11 November 2017

On 5th July we received a call to our helpline from Denis who reported that his cat, Ryzhiy, had gone missing from the Hatfield area on 1st June and could we offer any help? He said that he had brought the cat over from Estonia and that the cat was a neutered and microchipped young ginger boy, but the microchip was still registered in Estonia. Glenn, our welfare officer, gave him advice on what to do and suggested that if he could get some photos of the cat ...
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Going on Holiday?

08 August 2017

Home-stay vs. cattery - what are your options? Going on holiday should be a time for relaxing and forgetting your worries, but when you have a cat that isn’t going with you, arranging its care in your absence can be a stressful time. If you’ve never left your cat before, knowing what the best option is can be tricky, with no way of predicting how he or she will cope. When planning your cat’s care, the less upheaval the better. This isn’t always achievable but forward ...
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The Importance of Microchips

01 May 2017

In the winter edition of our newsletter we had an article about a cat, Lou Lou, who was returned to her owners four years after she went missing as a result of the information on her microchip.In the latest edition we have another tale of Jake, who also went missing and who was also reunited with his owner because he had a microchip, but sadly we also have the story of a young mum who is not chipped and wecannot readily locate her owners.Last year, we were able...
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