Care for your Cat
Published in association with the RSPCA, the UK’s leading animal welfare charity, this practical family guide is full of expert advice on how to choose a cat and how best to look after it.If you already own or are planning to buy a cat this easy-to-use introductory guide is a must. Clearly illustrated with colour photographs throughout, it covers all aspects of daily care including housing, feeding, hygiene, grooming, health and first aid.Published in association with the experts at the RSPCA, this book will help you ensure that you are giving your cat the best possible care.
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Care for your
Cat
New 3rd Edition
First published in 2005 by
Collins, an imprint of
HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
The Collins website is www.harpercollins.co.uk
Collins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Limited
First published as Care for your Cat in 1980 by William Collins Sons & Co Ltd, London
Second edition published in 1990
Reprinted in 1991 by
HarperCollinsPublishers
and subsequently reprinted 12 times
© Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 1981, 1990, 2005
The RSPCA is a registered charity (no. 219099)
The RSPCA website is www.rspca.org.uk
Designed by: SP Creative Design
Editor: Heather Thomas
Design: Rolando Ugolini
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Source ISBN 9780007193561
Ebook Edition © AUGUST 2015 ISBN: 9780008161194
Version: 2015-11-12
HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication.
Contents
Owning a cat is great fun but a huge responsibility. All animals need a regular routine and lots of love and attention. But most importantly, pets need owners who are going to stay interested in them and committed to them all their lives.
Anyone who has ever enjoyed the company of a pet knows just how strong the bond can be. Children learn the meaning of loyalty, unselfishness and friendship by growing up with animals. Elderly or lonely people often depend on a pet for company and it has been proved that animals can help in the prevention of and recovery from physical or mental illness.
The decision to bring a pet into your home should always be discussed and agreed by everyone in the family. Bear in mind that parents are ultimately responsible for the health and well-being of the animal for the whole of its lifetime. If you are not prepared for the inevitable expense, time, patience and occasional frustration involved, then the RSPCA would much rather that you didnât have a pet.
Being responsible for a pet will completely change your life but if you make the decision to go ahead, think about offering a home to one of the thousands of animals in RSPCA animal centres throughout England and Wales. There are no animals more deserving of loving owners.
As for the care of your pet, this book should provide you with all the information you need to know to keep it happy and healthy for many years to come. Enjoy the experience!
Steve Cheetham MA, VetMB, MRCVS Chief Veterinary Officer, RSPCA
Cats were first domesticated about 4,000 years ago by the Egyptians, and it is known from ancient works of art that have survived from those times that the Abyssinian, with its agouti coat, most resembles the cats of Ancient Egypt.
Cats were not domesticated in Europe before Roman times. In Europe, the Tabbies are thought to have been early mutations, and tabby markings still show on the kittens of the many later breeds that are descended from them.
Today there are about 100 varieties of pedigree cat to choose from, but by far the greatest number of household cats are mongrel. The breeding propensity of the cat, together with its independent lifestyle, makes a very high percentage of mongrel kittens inevitable.
Cats are perhaps the easiest of all the household pets to own, and yet because they are independent, mostly undemanding, largely self-sufficient and good survivors, some owners tend to be more casual and irresponsible about them than any other animal.
The cat is not a good choice of pet for people who are out at work all day; nor is it a good choice for a family living in a house where the cat has easy access to a busy road. You should also recognize that it is irresponsible to allow your cat to mix with others without first having been neutered.
Cats are generally easy to care for and undemanding, but their reputation for being independent does not mean that they can be neglected. Given a good home, they will provide you with many years of rewarding companionship.
