Tag Archives: feeding

Summer News 2020

Worming your new pet.

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Worming your new pet.

 

It is very important to treat puppies and kittens for roundworms since they can acquire these from their mothers early in life. We’ve put together a short ‘to – do’ list for all expectant pet owners. From worming to life style diets, our to – do list will help your new family member settle smoothly into your home.

 

Are you new to our surgeries? Register yourself and your new pet before you visit, ask us about our Puppy and Kitten Packs – Giving your new pet the healthiest start to life at home with you and your family.

 

 

Worming your new pet.

 

Kennel Cough

 

Kennel Cough is a highly contagious disease and can be picked up from a wide variety of places. Our Spring News discusses the symptoms and precaution you can take to reduce the chance of your dog catching it. If you need more advice, or suspect your dog has Kennel Cough, please do not hesitate to call our friendly team for more advice on your pets individual case.

 

Kennel Cough

 

 

Spring has Sprung

 

Our latest newsletter includes the Springtime dangers you need to be aware of, particularly if you are green fingered and like to be out and about in your garden, from weed killer to bulbs beware of the potential pet poisons lurking in your garden.

If you suspect your pet has ingested something they shouldn’t of the please visit our Pet Poisons Guide immediately.

 

 

Little Lily

 

We hope you enjoy reading our Spring newsletter, if you have a question about any of the articles mentioned please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team for more information.

 

Please use the #Youngvets to tag us in your Insta stories – we love seeing what your pets are up to when they are out and about. 

Can you rely on an automatic cat feeder?

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Can you rely on an automatic cat feeder?

 

However selective they are with their own affection, we love having cats around, but like many other duties during the average working day, sometimes it is hard to make time for feeding them. All it takes is a meeting which drags on, that post-work ‘drink’ which turns into a few, or an unexpected invitation, and your cat can be left alone and food-less because your busy lifestyle prevents you from serving up their next meal.

In come automatic cat feeders, which, like so many other modern inventions, are designed to save time by fulfilling a daily task on your behalf. The typical automatic cat feeder is capable of storing and dispensing controlled portions at the time of your choosing. Features vary from device to device, from fully digital, technological wonders, to more rudimentary versions which do the job adequately.

In this article, we take a look at some pros and cons of the automatic cat feeder, differentiate between the different types, and examine the effectiveness of some of the latest technologies.

 

 

Pros

  • Convenience – the standout benefit of the automatic pet feeder is its convenience, allowing your to feed your cat in the middle of the day when you aren’t there, negating the need to rope in a friend or neighbour to do the honours.
  • Preventing bloat – the unwanted side effects of your cat being bloated can be avoided by the automatic feeder’s ability to dispense smaller meals. This may be more beneficial than the ‘vacuuming’ of one big meal when you come home.
  • Medical value – automatic pet feeders have even made it onto the recommendation list of some vets, who can suggest that automatic cat feeders are a good way to regulate food consumption in cats suffering from medical conditions eg Diabetes.
  • Complete personalisation – if you are a cat owner who wishes to have control of every detail, automatic cat feeders allow you to dictate both the size and regularity of your cat’s meals, giving you complete control at the press of a button.
  • ‘Pet detectors’ – we will cover them in more detail further on in this piece, but many automatic cat feeders come with a microchip detection system which ensures that only the cat you intend a meal for gets their lips around it. This can come in handy for owners with multiple cats, or multiple pets.

 

Cons

  • ‘Dehumanisation’ – it may not have occurred to you, but one of the reasons your cat can see you as the ‘leader of the house’ is your role of personally feeding them. Rather than just an insignificant daily routine, mealtime is a form of training which lets your cat know you are the person with access to food. This control influences behaviour, so ceding the dispensing of meals to a machine could see your cat’s behaviour change.
  • Noise – while there have certainly been some models which have sought to address the problem, automatic cat feeders can be noisy. If your cat is sensitive to noise, they may develop a dislike for the device. Then again, if they associate it with mealtime, it might bring about feelings of happiness rather than resentfulness.
  • Stability – depending on the model, and the strength of your cat, a dispenser might be easily tipped over and spilt or opened in the process.
  • Jams – use the wrong food with certain dispensers and you might find you have a jam on your hands.
  • Cost – aside from buying food, is feeding the cat really something you wish to spend money on? If meal time is a job which you can get done, by hook or by crook, an automatic cat feeder might be low down on your list of priorities, and understandably so.

Types of automatic cat feeder

 

 

Let’s take a look at the main types of automatic cat feeders currently on the market:

  • Budget – these automatic cat feeders work thanks to gravity. The cat feeding station is automatically refilled from the container above as and when your cat makes space in the bowl by eating the food. These types of dispensers are suitable for owners whose sole aim is food availability via a full bowl, as they do not offer the opportunity to regulate portions or timings.
  • Electronic – more intelligent in their design are the electronic food bowl models, which allow the owner to program mealtime, fill a bowl beforehand with the desired amount of food, and then rest assured that your cat will be fed. When mealtime comes, access is usually enabled in timed cat feeders by a lid which automatically slides or lifts off – ta-da!
  • Advanced programmable – for owners who want their cats sticking to a set schedule for their meals, and who wish to give multiple portion sizes, the top of the range breed of automatic cat feeders will do the job. While you are likely to fork out considerably more for these clever machines, you will be able to keep close control on what your cat consumes, irrespective of if you are at home.

How long can you leave an automatic cat feeder?

The length of time you can leave an automatic cat feeder to look after your cat’s meals is entirely dependent on the model. Perhaps ironically, some of the most basic designs which continuously fill up the bowl from a large container can be left to their own devices for longer. While some of the digital models can be programmed for several days, you must make sure that the food container, or separate portion spaces, can carry enough food to sustain the cat for a few days. If you want to feed a cat over a long period, it might be best to go basic.

 

Microchip controlled: a gimmick or not?

One of the advents in automatic cat feeders which has made waves recently is a microchip which is placed on a cat’s collar, allowing it to be identified when it approaches a dispenser, at which point food is made available. Many of these microchip cat feeders use RFID technology – an identification method which is used across a huge range of industries nowadays – which makes the system fairly error-proof. Many of the dispensers are sealed when the cat is not at the bowl, meaning you can keep food free from insects and prevent it from smelling bad. On the whole, automatic cat feeders of this nature work well, and you can rely on those fitted with RFID to do the job. It should be noted that some of the bowls on these dispensers are not removable for cleaning.

Detection techniques go even further in some RFID enabled microchip cat feeders, being able to sense ‘intruders’ – that is cats not permitted to be eating – and shut the lid on the bowl to prevent food being eaten by the wrong cat. Two in one food and water dispensers are another variety of automatic cat feeders to come on the scene; they allow you to stock your feline friend up with all the refreshments they need for the day!

 

Automatic cat feeders: a summary

On the whole, automatic cat feeders do the job perfectly well. However, don’t expect a basic model to revolutionise your cat’s diet, and if you go for a more advanced variety, make sure you have enough patience to learn its nuances in order to get the most out of it.

 

Have you got a new cat or kitten? Are you confused by the different diets available for your cat? All of our four West London surgeries offer free weight checks for your pet, so why not contact us to discuss your cats individual diet needs with our friendly team.

 

Blog & images supplied from Zoetis.

Written by Edwina Gildea MVB, MRCVS.

 

What To Do When Someone Else Is Feeding Your Cat

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What To Do If Someone Else Is Feeding Your Cat

Here at Young Veterinary Partnership, we’ve noticed an increasingly common problem amongst UK cat owners: other people feeding your felines. Although on the surface this doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue, it can actually have some pretty serious consequences, whether those putting out food realise it or not.

The actual act of feeding local felines usually comes with good intentions, but that can make it all the harder to address. Potentially leading to obesity, ill health, and even straying, it’s a kind act that can have dire consequences, but lots of pet owners don’t know how to prevent it.

Is it a bad thing for someone else to feed your cat?

If it’s never happened to you, you might be wondering why having someone else feed your cat poses such an issue, but it can have some pretty upsetting consequences. Aside from causing your cat to gain unwanted weight, and suffer the potential health problems associated with this, it can also, for some felines, exacerbate existing digestive issues, especially if those doing the feeding are putting out unsuitable foods and liquids. This can be the case with any food that’s not been specifically designed for cats and which can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, and appetite loss, as well as the resultant costly vet visit to treat this.

On a secondary note, it can also lead to your cat either refusing to eat at home, as it prefers the food it’s finding elsewhere, or no longer coming home at all. This is obviously a very upsetting scenario for pet owners who find that someone else has taken it upon themselves to care for their pet, and thus, in effect, made it their own.

How it can affect your feline

We’ve already explained above why somebody else feeding your cat can be detrimental to them, but now let’s look at its effects in a little more detail. There are some very good reasons why experts encourage individuals not to do this, and one of the first is that it can trigger an unneeded vets trip. This is because your furry friend is likely to eat less at home, a symptom that causes many a vigilant owner to fear that their animal is unwell and to take their pet to the professionals. As well as the emotional and financial consequences for you, this can cause unnecessary stress for your cat too.

The other side of the coin here is that your cat doesn’t eat less, and risks obesity and the additional stress this puts on the heart and joints. This can lead not only to an increased risk of cardiac problems, but also a greater likelihood that your feline will develop painful arthritis later in its life.

The risks are even greater if your feline has a diet-controlled health condition, such as dietary sensitivity or diabetes, which may be jeopardised by such actions.

A further danger arises if the individual feeding your cat gives them raw meat. Although this may seem like a natural part of a feline diet, it can actually carry diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which can not only affect your pet but can also be transmitted to humans and poses a serious health risk during pregnancy.

Increased risk of straying

Finally, there is the increased risk of straying. Not only can this mean that your beloved pet stops coming home altogether, but also that they are more likely to cross roads, and be involved in an accident as a result, becoming one of the 300,000 plus cats that are killed on UK roads each year.

 

 

How to tell if your cat is overweight

One of the main risks that you run when other people feed your cat is that they end up becoming obese. To work out whether your feline would be classed as such, and is thus at risk of the health problems associated with being an overweight cat, you ought to look out for the following:

  • Looking at your cat from above, can you see a noticeable ‘waist’ between their ribcage and hips? If fluff is getting in the way of you performing such an appraisal, lightly run your hands along your cat’s sides to feel for this indentation. If you cannot find it, he or she is likely overweight.
  • Looking at your cat from the side, do they have an upwards slope from their ribcage to their back legs? If not, and you can see a tummy pouch instead, they might need to go on an overweight cat diet.
  • Finally, can you feel your cat’s spine and ribs without pressing too hard? If not, they’re probably too fat for their own good.

How to help your cat lose weight

If, based on the checklist above, you feel that your cat is too fat, we advise that you try the following cat weight loss tips to help them regain their formerly trim figure:

  • Feed little and often with specially formulated cat food for overweight cats.
  • Don’t give them any scraps from your own table.
  • Reduce their treats.
  • Only feed your cat from his or her bowl, so that you can more easily monitor how much they’re getting.
  • Give your furry friend some extra attention so that they don’t eat extra because they’re bored.
  • Pop in, all of our surgeries off FREE weight checks and diet advice.

And, most importantly, consider ways to stop others from feeding your cat (more on that below).

How to prevent it happening again

Knowing that someone else is feeding your cat, and stopping them from doing so, are two entirely different matters, especially if you’re unsure of who exactly the culprit is. Begin by seeing if you can discover their identity by knocking on doors locally or putting up posters. Hopefully this will help you to find the person who’s responsible, or at least make them aware of the issue so that they stop giving your pet unneeded extras.

You might also want to put a paper collar on your pet, one with a message requesting that they are not fed, along with your contact details in case the person who was doing so wants to get in touch and let you know where they’ve been.

Additionally, try posting on local Facebook lost and found groups, as a lot of the individuals who feed other people’s pets do so because they see them around the area and mistake them for strays. Many will post on these sites to see if your feline has a home, so it may be that you have the chance to inform them that they do.

Finally, if you really can’t get a handle on the problem, you might want to consider keeping your cat as an indoor-only pet. This way, you know for sure that nobody but you is in charge of their diet and that their needs are being properly met.

Follow our top tips and tricks today to get on top of the problem and keep your pet looking and feeling fabulous. If you have any questions about this article please don’t hesitate to contact our knowledgeable team for more advice.

 

Blog and images supplied by Zoetis.

Written by  Edwin Gildea MVB MRCVS.

 

 

 

Getting a Rabbit- what do I need to know ?

rabbit vaccination

 

Getting a Rabbit:

  • Rabbits are becoming increasingly popular as pets for both children and adults in the UK. They are very sociable animals and should be kept in pairs if possible. Animals from the same litter will normally get on well, but any pair that are newly introduced must be monitored closely. Females will tolerate each other, but un-castrated males will fight. It is not recommended to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together, as both have very different requirements.
  • The average bunny will live for 5 – 10 years, so they are a big commitment.

What to feed your new bunny:

  • The most important part of a rabbit’s diet is hay, alongside fresh grass. Rabbits should be allowed to eat as much hay and grass as they like. Their teeth grow continuously throughout their life, and so hay is vitally important to keep them worn down. Rabbits that are not fed enough hay will often encounter painful problems with overgrown teeth later in life, which can be very difficult to resolve.
  • You should also feed green leafy foods and vegetables, such as cabbage, chard, parsley, watercress, broccoli, basil, carrot, brambles, and dandelions. All of these foods should be washed before feeding to your pet. Fruits should be avoided as they are very sugary.
  • Rabbits can also be fed a pre-packaged food in the form of pellets or muesli. This is the least important part of the diet, and only a small handful should be given daily. Pelleted rabbit foods are better than mueslies, as they cannot pick and choose what to eat out of the bowl!
  • Always ensure fresh water is available.

Neutering your rabbit:

  • Rabbits can be neutered from 4 months of age. In female rabbits, this prevents uterine tumours and can greatly reduce the chances of mammary tumours developing. It also stops any unwanted pregnancies. In male rabbits, castration prevents aggressive behaviour and inappropriate mounting of objects.

Rabbit.

Does my rabbit need vaccinations:

  • Rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD). Even rabbits who live indoors should be vaccinated, as the viruses can be spread via contact with flies, and biting insects. Rabbits can be vaccinated from 5 weeks of age. Vaccinations should be repeated annually to ensure protection is maintained.

The signs to look out for to avoid Flystrike:

  • Rabbits will naturally eat some of their faeces (called caecotrophs) daily. These are the soft pellets that are normally passed at night so you may not see them. However, if a rabbit suffers from certain conditions such as obesity, arthritis, etc, it will be unable to reach around to it’s rear end to collect them. This can lead to a build up of sticky faeces, which will attract flies. If the flies lay eggs onto the rabbit’s coat, the developing maggots will eat away at the rabbit’s skin. This is an extremely painful condition called flystrike and needs prompt treatment from your vet. It is therefore important to check a rabbit’s rear end everyday for faeces and to bathe away anything that becomes stuck.
  • We recommend protecting rabbits from flystrike by using an insecticide twice yearly, which can be picked up from the surgery in May and July.