Dana Bay Veterinary Clinic

Katte en hulle dinge 

1.Thought to consider before buying a cat ?

• A cat’s life span is normally 15-18 years – are you and your family willing to commit to such a time span ?
• Have all the family members agreed to having a cat ?
• Do you own the home or are you renting ? Are cats allowed on the premises / apartment blocks / wildlife area ?
• Is your home large enough and are you willing to have cat accessories – like scratching posts / beds / toys etc standing around in the place ?
• Do you have enough time to spend with the cat ? Full time working with active outdoor hobbies might not be the ideal candidate –   Although many cats are independent and need less interaction than dogs, your cat can still become lonely and bored if left alone all day
• Are you able to provide for preventative and medical veterinary care ?
• Are you able to financially care for the cat – not just buying it but also paying for good balanced diets / sterilization / vaccinations and toys + accessories ?
• Are you willing to walk that extra mile ? Behavioural issues etc that creep up might require a lot of patience and expert advice .
• Are there any allergies in the family to cats ? Hair-less vs short haired vs long haired breeds ? You have to spend at least a few hours with cats and rubbing on their fur , to determine if there is a possible allergy. Are any of your friends allergic to cats ?
• Do you have very young / small children that might not know how to play with them and in the process might hurt the animal and sustain a bite / scratch ? Are you willing to spend time teaching your children how to handle cats and observe them until safe ?
• Cats shed hair – will you cope with short / long hair on your carpets / urtains / bedding etc ?
• You need at least one litter tray / cat in the house – are you willing to provide that or alternative means for cats toileting needs. Can you safely guard the trays against small children ?
• Will you accept the odd scratch on your furniture / carpet ? The need to scratch and claw to get rid of old nail tissue ; it also a way of exercising .
• What will you do when you go on vacation ? Are the suitable catteries / neighbours who can care for your cat ?

2. Kitten vs Adult

Most people take one look at that adorable, fluffy kitten and fall in love. Since kittens have not developed bad habits, a kitten could be the perfect choice for people who have time to litter box train their new pet.

Young kittens will require vaccinations , deworming and sterilization as they grow a bit older. They tend to be bundles of life and energy and will most likely be suitable for active and energetic people. As a rule they play , sleep and eat.

Older cats are a good choice for people who want a slightly less energetic pet and do not have time to train their cats to use the litter box. They generally make lovely gentle companions. Healthy older cats will only need their annual vaccinations and a good healthy diet with regular flea and worming treatment.

3. Where to find ?

Again as before – mixed domestic cats are usually available for the SPCA  - they will have received a vaccination , been sterilised and have had basic treatments done if necessary – on adoption. By spending a few hours with the cats in the cages one can quite accurately judge their characters and match suitability in characters.

Pure breeds will normally be advertised in the papers / magazine / internet etc – they will generally be much more expensive. Cat shows are also a good source for exposure to the breeds and possible offspring.

The general rule when buying a kitten from a reputable breeder : do they appear bright and healthy ? are their coats clean and without fleas and ticks ? are their eyes glistening ? are they playful and have a good appetite ? how do thelitter mates compare ? are they already on solids and eating well on their own ? what is the hygiene like ? what do the parents look like ?

4. Advatages of having cats as pets ?

• Cats don't require as much care as many other pets such as dogs because they are very independant and can use a litter box if you are not home.
• Cats clean / groom themselves. You could give them a bath once a year if you so desire but it is not necessary because they are very capable of keeping themselves very clean. Their tongues were created with little spicules ( like a brush ) to comb through their hair and remove dead / loose hair. A healthy cat will groom himself with occasional intervention required – more so with long haired cats.
• Current research has demonstrated that pets can provide many physical and psychological benefits. Cats decrease blood pressure and can even lower cholesterol. They can also reduce the mortality rate related to heart disease. Cat ownership can lead to fewer office visits to the doctor and a significant reduction in minor health problems – especially allergies in children and a healthier immune system.
• Cats can also provide emotional support. People who suffer from diseases can feel alone and a cat can decrease these feelings by creating intimacy with its owner. They provide unconditional love to their owner and other members of the family. They tend to not get mad or hold grudges and are normally good listeners.
• Cat companionship helps reduce the isolation that can accompany depression. The attachment that a cat provides can reduce feelings of stress and loneliness that are associated with depression, one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions. 
• Elderly people who find it hard to get out and visit others can experience loneliness. Cats offer great companionship and help establish self worth.
• Children who live with cats show more empathy for others and help others more. This translates to being able to understand others and get along better. Children who live with animals develop a better understanding of body language and other non-verbal cues. 
• Children who own pets in general,  are more likely to be involved in sports, hobbies, clubs and other social activities
• Owning a cat will encourage a sense of responsibility – the cat needs feeding , occasional grooming , cleaning of the litter tray and at least one healthy play session / day.
• Amongst cats there is far less variation in weight than amongst various dog breeds – the average cat weight 4kg and is fed accordingly . The feeding cost of for instance 3 cats is substantially less than having to feed 3 large breed dogs on a similar type diet ( dried / tinned / semi-moist )
• They can certainly help with pest control – rats / mice etc . You have to consider wildlife and birds though as those can also end up being stalked / caught.

5. Are cats suitable for children / older people ?

Yes they are – answered in above questions

6.   Behoeftes van n’ kat tov ruimte / kos / aandag ?

      Beantwoord in bogenoemde antwoorde

7. Hoe duur sal onderhoud wees ?

• Eerstens die koopprys – hulle kan van duisende rande tot verniet wees afhangende van waarna jy soek. 
• Entings – alle katte kry aanvanklik 2 stelle entings en daarna jaarlikse skraagdosisse van daardie entings – dit beloop gemiddeld R250 / enting
• Ontwurming ideaal elke 3 maande
• Vlooi – en bosluisbeheer ideaal maandeliks ( elke 28 – 30 dae )
• Sterilisering van mannetjies en wyfies op 6 maande oud
• Goeie kwaliteit kos – droë gebalanseerde volledige dieëte is gewoonlik goedkoper as jou geblikte / pakkieskosse. Huiskos / kookkos werk gewoonlik as die duuste opsie uit.
• Speelgoed en toys – n' absolute MOET vir enige jong kat andersins gaan jou meubels en grodyne dalk net moet doen daarvoor.
• Veeartskostes – beide beplan en onvoorsiene noodgevalle bo en behalwe die jaarlikse entings

8. Hoe kies jy die regte kos ?

Daar is verskillende faktore wat in ag geneem moet word . Ons sou altyd voorstel dat jy met jou veearts praat oor watter kos mees geskik sou wees vir jou kat en sy behoeftes. 

Dinge om in ag te neem :

• ouderdom van jou kat ( kitten / junior / adult / senior )
• mannetjie / wyfie
• gesteriliseer of nie ( hulle metabolisme neem met omtrent 20% af na sterilisasie en kosse moet dienooreenkomstig aangepas word )
• mediese probleme ? - slegte tande of asem , orgaan-verwante siektes soos met die lewer of niere ens , blaasstene , herhaaldelike infeksies in die blaas , allergieë , probleme met spysvertering ens ….
• koste – jou gebalanseerde ingevoerde kosse is aansienlik duurder as kommersiële produkte – die algemene reël – vind n' kos wat jou kat en sak pas – en hou daarby.

9. Hoe kies jy die regte speelgoed ?

• Kyk eerstens na jou kat – waarmee speel hulle op hulle eie ? Dit gaan jou n' leidraad gee oor waarmee hulle wil speel.
• Kies iets wat hulle maklik kan beweeg – swaai / ratel / balle ens – beweging trek hulle aandag.
• Indien jy graag self met hulle wil speel – kies n' speelding wat daardie doel sal dien. Voorbeelde – veer op n' stok vasgebind met tou , n' bal op n' rekkie , kos of n' ratel in n' sykous , afstandbeheerde speelgoed – daar is n' menigte speelgoed waarvan beide die kat en hul eienaar sal hou.
• Stimuleer hulle jaginstink – speelgoedmuise / voëltjies / speelgoed wat geraas maak …. hulle is geteel om jagters te wees !!
• Maak jou eie speelgoed – toiletpapierrolle , garingtolletjies , tafeltennisballetjies , papierballe , foelieballe  ens – tonne plesier uit eenvoudige speelgoed