Blog News

February 18, 2014
large white cat with golden eyes

Love is in the air!

Mika has been trying to find a way out into the wild world for the past 3 days. Her yowling, rolling and over-the-top affection are driving her family crazy. Although she is only 4 months old she has come into season and could fall pregnant if she found a tomcat outside. Cats will often start to cycle as the days get longer in August and September, even if they are barely out of kittenhood themselves. Mika's carers have booked her in for a spey next week. Once cats start cycling they keep it up every 2-3 weeks until they fall pregnant - and Mika's owners don't want their beautiful Burmese to have motley kittens!
February 14, 2014

Blood pressure checks

Tiny is just on his way home after having his blood pressure checked. He sat quietly while we wrapped a cuff around his arm. He thought the cold gel we put on his wrist for the Doppler probe was the worst part. Because a cat's pulse is so small we have to amplify it with the Doppler. We pump the cuff up until we cannot hear the pulse and then slowly let the air out until we hear the pulse. At this point we read his blood pressure from the dial. Tiny has a heart murmur and kidney problems. Heart disease often lowers the blood pressure but kidney failure increases it. Fortunately Dr Kate found that Tiger's blood pressure is quite normal.
February 13, 2014
Old cat resting

Pancakes on their minds…

Gustav (Gus to his friends) and his brother Klaus came for their annual checkup this morning - and nearly broke the scales! Between them they have put on 1.5 kg in a year. Their diet hadn't changed much since last year.... or so I thought until their family divulged a deep dark secret. The family used to make pancakes and leave them covered with a tea towel on the bench overnight so they could have a quick breakfast each morning. Until one morning all that was left on the bench was the tea towel, a few sticky crumbs and two sleepy cats. Fortunately they hadn't added maple syrup! Pancakes have been eliminated from the cats' diet and they are on kangaroo meat and low fat biscuits. The family are moving into a house with a yard soon and plan to build an outdoor play area for the cats. More exercise, less food and no pancakes should equal slimmer, more active and healthier cats. Smile Gus!