Missy's birthday cupcakes

Missy turned 13 years today and she and her human baked us these delicious cupcakes to celebrate!

Working at a veterinary hospital is a constant delight - particularly when our patients (and clients) spoil us like this!  Thankyou Missy!

Meet Sir James and his lady friend

Some cats are remarkably tolerant! - a combination of genes, early socialisation to children, good nature and good luck!!

The Ten Commandments - according to Oliver

Beautiful black cat Oliver dropped this in during the week and thought you should know:

1. Thou shalt not feed me the same food twice
2. Thou shalt not tell me what to do EVER
3. Thou shalt not sit on my chair without my permission
4. Thou shalt not feed the birds until I have positioned myself under a nearby bush
5. Thou shalt not take me to the vet in a cardboard box
6. Thou shalt not bring a dog into my house
7. Thou shalt not rev up the car when I am under it
8. Thou shalt not put a lid on the goldfish bowl
9. Thou shalt not move me from the pillow in the middle of the night 
10. Thou shalt obey the above or I will piddle in places you will not find!

Cup Cake Day at Hall Vet Surgery

Some of the amazing cup cakes our staff baked to raise money for the RSPCA today!!!
Thanks to everyone who gave a home to a stray cup cake and helped the RSPCA with the amazing work they do every day of the year.
If you rush in early tomorrow there may still be a few left for morning tea...

Fizzy Izzy

My daughter’s cat, Fizzy Izzy, has a nasty habit of biting. One moment she seems to be relaxed and enjoying being petted and stroked. Then out of the blue she turns and attacks the offending hand.
Accepting stroking is a learned response rather than natural behaviour. Cats have to relax and trust the human who is petting them. When some cats relax beyond a certain point they feel vulnerable and react defensively by biting.
Izzy was adopted at 4 months of age and may not have been socialized to humans adequately.
Younger cats may calm down as they mature. Older cats who are set in their ways are harder to help. Reading your cat’s body language and not deliberately provoking a reaction is imperative. If Izzy’s ears twitch or turn back or if she suddenly becomes tense we stop stroking her immediately.
My daughter is trying to help her feel more secure with physical attention by sitting quietly with her, moving slowly and staying calm. When Izzy stays relaxed she scores a cat treat. We don’t stretch the point and stay tuned to the amount of tension in her body.
Punishment only reinforces this type of cat’s belief that humans are a threat and cannot be trusted.
We warn all visitors to only minimally pet her even if she invites it.
I snapped Izzy in her terrace garden earlier this week and posted the pic below. She has been a much happier and relaxed puss since she moved into a terrace with a garden. Lots of diversions and natural things to play with have helped her trust and relax with the humans in her life.
Some of this article was adapted from the FAB cats information site on cat behaviour- visit it today and see what else you can find!
FABcats on cat behaviour

FAB cats

I've just found another fabulous and, more importantly, reliable and accurate cat information site.  The Feline Advisory Bureau - FAB - have partnered with the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) to provide information on all aspects of cat care, diseases, breeding and behaviour. I've put the link under Purrfect places to visit as well.
FAB cats

and on a lighter note...

Nine Reasons to Adopt a Black Cat


1. You can always find them in the snow.
2. Black goes with everything.
3. Holding a black cat is very slimming.
4. Black cats look like little panthers.
5. No one will notice the black hair on your black pants.
6. They don't care about the color of your hair.
7. Black cats don't show dirt.
8. B.L.A.C.K. = Beautiful Loving Adorable Cats and Kittens
9. They are the least likely to be adopted.

From: "Paws in Print"
Newsletter of The Coastal Humane Society Brunswick, ME

Bladder problems

We have seen an upsurge in the number of bladder problems and blockages in young male cats this winter. Cats don’t like braving the rain and the mud to toilet and some male cats don’t urinate often enough. Crystals and mucous then plug up the urethra and prevent the passage of urine.
The urethra is the passage urine takes from the bladder out through the penis. It is very narrow in male cats and easily blocked in some individuals.
If you see your male cat straining to urinate, licking his penis a lot or squatting repeatedly he needs immediate veterinary attention. Blocked cats soon lose their appetite and become weak because of the build-up of toxins in the blood. If they are left too long they become dehydrated and weak and go into shock.
We treat blocked cats as an emergency. They need a drip and relief from a very full bladder as soon as possible. If left blown up for too long the bladder can burst making the cat even more toxic.
A catheter into the bladder is left in place for a day and treatment to prevent re-blockage is started.
There are many other causes of blocked urethras. Some cats block up when stressed or anxious. Others refuse to toilet outside or in certain litter trays because of rival cats or fear of disturbance. Whenever the urine doesn’t regularly flush the urethra the risk of blockage in male cats increases.
To increase the amount of urine produced we must increase fluid intake. Cats do not have a very strong thirst drive. They ingest most of their fluid needs in their food so the easiest way to increase fluid intake is to increase the amount of wet food in the diet. Canned and sachet food, and raw meat are great because they contain the same amount of water as natural prey like mice, rats and birds.
Water fountains or water flavoured with chicken stock also help increase fluid intake.
Avoid dry cat kibble or biscuits because they cause low level chronic dehydration, induce concentrated urine and may increase the chances of a blocked urethra.

Inner City Tiger

My daughter's cat, whoops Tiger, Isabella, known to family as Fizzy Izzie, out in the jungles of an inner Sydney terrace courtyard, keeping fit and watching out for flies.