Your Cat May 2023

THE STORY BEHIND THE PIC During an event at Downing Street on 24 February, 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with his wife Akshata, led a minute’s silence to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Sunak was joined outside 10 Downing Street by the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and Ukrainian singers. During the event, resident political cat Larry joined the gathering, much to the delight of the Ukrainian visitors who cuddled and stroked the feline.…

As I sit writing this, the clocks have gone forward and already I am enjoying the extended daylight hours. We’re not too far from the weather getting warmer either. We’ll all soon be out enjoying our gardens, heading on holidays, and eating outside. It’s the perfect time to think about how we can help our cats enjoy the outdoors too. The lead feature this month looks at how to create a cat-friendly garden. With just a few tweaks and features, you can genuinely make it a paradise for your cat. You won’t have to landscape your garden (you can if you are inclined to!) but just thinking about your garden from your cat’s perspective can be game changing. A cat-friendly garden will stimulate your cat, make them feel safer, and improve…

LAW Mandatory microchipping comes into force Pet owners will be legally required to ensure their cats are microchipped from next summer under new proposals that went before Parliament in March. The planned measure, which aims to help reunite more families with pets who go missing, is similar to the rule for dogs that has been in place since 2016. Once the measure is implemented, from 10 June 2024, all owned cats will need to be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old. Any owners whose cat is found to not have a chip by that date could face a fine of up to £500. UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss says: “Microchipping is by far the most effective and quickest way of identifying lost pets. “As we’ve seen with dog…

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, it can provide your kitty with the perfect place to do all the things a cat instinctively loves to do. Your pet can find an exciting world of stimulation in your garden — if we make it feline friendly. What we like in our garden might not be what our cats will enjoy. Cats need to be safe, feel some sense of control, and be excited by what they can do in their outdoor space. We spoke to Samantha Prior, Cat Advisor at Woodgreen Pets Charity, to find out what it is cats want from their garden… WHY MAKE A CAT-FRIENDLY GARDEN? Having access to the outdoors can be a really powerful way of stimulating cats, giving them a fulfilled life,…

“Currently, we are at bursting point with so many animals…” Your Cat Good Causes has donated a supply of brand new Rosewood Pet Products cat beds to Changing Lives at Carrington, to provide the cats in their care with a comfortable safe haven as they recover from trauma. Changing Lives at Carrington, based in Manchester, began rescuing animals in 2020 as the covid-19 pandemic led to a dramatic increase in the need to save, care for, and rehome animals. To date, they have successfully rehomed more than 1,400 animals, with even more pending on their waiting lists. Nicole McGawley, the centre’s manager, said: “The success of our rescue centre is attributed to the dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers, sponsors, and members of our community who endlessly help…

Handsome tabby Tika first came into Caity Munday’s life in 2011 when her family adopted him and his brother Toffee, from the RSPCA, as kittens. “We’ve pretty much grown up together,” said Caity, 19. “Tika was much more the outgoing of the two and more adventurous, whereas Toffee was more of a homebody and cuddlier. But they would always cuddle up together.” Sadly, Toffee died in 2018 after he was hit by a car and Caity said Tika became more affectionate to her after his brother was gone. Tika soon settled into life with two new feline housemates at their home in Weymouth, Dorset, after the acquisition of two new kittens, Teddy and Donut, later that year. A SPOT OF BOTHER At the grand age of 12, the first sign…