Thinking - the history of cat food.

Me. Deep in thought.

Pondering the cat-human relationship, I have decided it is much improved. Why? While nosing around the book shelves of my human, I came across this small pamphlet, issued by a maker of "Tibs," vitamin pills for cats. It is probably more than half a century old.

We know that humans are dumb animals. But in the l950s they were even dumber than nowadays when it comes to cats. Some of them thought that kitchen scraps (delightful though they are) were sufficient food for cats. Others believed a bowl of milk was sufficient.

Nowadays we know that cows' milk

can be very indigestible to many cats. If humans want to feed us milk, they should buy cat milk.  And kitchen scraps (preferably stolen) are no substitute for a bowl of the most expensive kind of cat food. Scraps yes, but as well as not instead of proper cat food!

We also know that cats require some specific ingredients* in their diets - ingredients which are found in a natural diet of rodents but were not found in l950s cat food.

Yes humans are dumb animals but not as dumb as they once were.

* Amino-acids which are taurine, arginine, methionine, and cysteine

Stand up for rescue cats - different solutions for different cats.

We cats are not all the same. Some of us don't need rescuing, if that means putting us in a pen and trying to tame us.

True feral cats need neutering, spaying and putting back somewhere where they can be fed. Feral cats, left to survive on their own without extra food and neutering, have short lives full of pregnancies, near starvation and disease.

The cats in this photo were kept on a site, where the owner would not let rescuers help with neutering. When food was put out for them, they rushed to get it. They were surviving on a diet of rodents and waste products but they were far from flourishing. And all the females were pregnant.

So wise up, humans.

Learn how to rescue cats the right way.  Don't put true ferals in pens. Put them back into farms or stables, where someone will feed them.

Different cats have different needs - learn about it here. International Cat Care is trying to educate rescuers round the world. Pass on this knowledge to your human.

• Buy my book on how to manage humans here
  

Stand up for cats in rescue.... keep us apart and safe.

Cats in rescue ought to be kept in single houses - unless they already know their companions. Just dumping us in a pen full of strange cats is enormously stressful.

It may seem like a good idea to save money, or just to rescue more cats, but it doesn't pay off.

More stress means more disease. More disease means more vets bills. More disease also means more cats are euthanised.

Scientists have measured our stress levels in rescue, and a pen full of cats - coming in and going out to new homes - is the worst possible accomodation.

So, rescues, start thinking smart not fast. Build proper premises. Take in fewer cats, concentrate on homing them out fast.You will save money and you will save more cats.

And saving more cats is what we all want.

• For more feline thoughts on human behaviour go here.
  

Stand up for cats in rescue.... hideaways

Cats in a rescue shelter or a vet's surgery need a hideaway. They shouldn't be left without privacy, on a shelf being stared at by passing humans. Staring is very intimidating to us cats.

If we have somewhere to hide, we feel happier about coming out to interact with humans. And then we are more likely to be adopted.

So why don't humans give us a hiding place? Because they don't think like a cat. And they don't bother to find out what we need or read up on the topic.

It doesn't cost much. There is an excellent Feline Fort which should be in every vet surgery. It's got a perch and a hiding place. And for rescue shelters who have too little money, a box will do just as well.

Better still, it can go to the new home with the cat, so that the new home has a bed with a familiar smell. Smell matters.

Educate your local rescue....

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• For more information on human management techniques buy this book here.
  

Humans are getting hairier... and worse dressed

Jasmine has kept her fur beautifully groomed.

Are humans losing it? They seem to be getting hairier! Or is it just that they cannot groom themselves?

Look around at the humans you know, the ones that are now staying indoors most of the time. The fur on their head is growing longer and seems to be changing colour too - grey and brown instead of blonde.

The men are trying to grow whiskers. Poor things can only manage stubby facial fur not proper long and beautiful whiskers.

Compare this to your own fur -- still delightfully untangled, unchanged in colour, beautifully and sensitively styled and groomed. By you. Strong and sensitive whiskers, each tapered at the end for extra finesse.

And their clothes, that they cover their bodies with because they can't grow proper fur, seem to be changing too. Many of them are staying in dressing gowns or pyjamas or night clothes all day.

I have tried to set a good example by rigorous and stylish grooming all over my body. Not forgetting those tricky bits on the belly and lower down.

Humans seem to be losing what little self respect they once had, and becoming unable to care for themselves.

What can we cats do about this?

• For more on managing your human get my book here.