Welfare of cats: code of practice

Section 5: the need to be protected from suffering, injury and disease

Make sure you receive regular health care advice about your cat

5.1. This section offers guidance on the health and welfare of your cat.

Health care

5.2. Good health is an essential part of good cat welfare. Your vet is the best person to advise you about routine health care, such as neutering, vaccination, and internal and external parasite control. The vet will also be able to advise on any health problems your cat may have.

5.3. As the person responsible for your cat's welfare you need to consider:

• prevention of disease. Vaccinations are available to protect your cat from certain serious diseases. Your vet will be able to provide advice about which are appropriate for your cat
• prevention of parasite problems - many worming and flea preparations are available. Your veterinary surgeon or pet care specialist will be able to advise you about which are suitable for your cat. You should never use treatments on your cat that have been designed for use on dogs
• provision of a healthy balanced diet (see Section 2)
• provision of the right environment that minimises the risk of injury and disease (see Section 1)
• prompt action if your cat becomes ill or begins to behave in an unusual way
• good dental hygiene. Cats that develop inflamed gums, deposits on their teeth or bad breath may benefit from a health check by a vet

Illness

Be aware of the signs of illness and if you notice any take your cat to a vet as soon as possible

5.4. It is important that you are aware of the signs of illness in your cat, and that you consult a vet promptly if you notice any.

Indications of illness include:

• a change in behaviour, such as hiding behind furniture, soiling indoors or becoming quiet or withdrawn
• a change in eating or drinking habits, such as a lack of appetite or excessive thirst
• a change in weight in either direction
• signs of injury such as a swollen limb or walking in an abnormal way
• signs of disease, such as a discharge from the eye, ear or nose, difficulty in going to the toilet, sickness and diarrhoea
• signs of pain, such as not wanting to be touched in a sensitive area

Grooming

You should ensure your cat's coat is properly groomed

5.5. Other natural cat behaviours include grooming and keeping their coats free from tangles. However, some cats need help with their coat care. If you have a longhaired cat, remember that you will have to groom the coat at least once a day to avoid matts and tangles. Your cat may also need special attention when recovering from an illness or injury. When cats stop grooming themselves, owners should seek advice from their vet as this can be a sign of stress or disease.

Neutering

You should consider having your cat neutered

5.6. One particularly important consideration is preventing the birth of unwanted kittens. You should, therefore, consider having your cat neutered. Cats can be neutered from about four months old onwards, but your vet will be able to advise you about the best age. With female cats, it is best to have them neutered before their first season. This usually happens from six months onwards but can happen as early as four months old.

5.7. Having your cat neutered has many benefits:

• female cats can have as many as three litters a year if not neutered. A cat can have up to six kittens per litter, potentially producing up to 18 possibly unwanted kittens a year so you may end up with more cats than you can properly care for
• motherhood takes a lot out of a cat and having repeated litters may shorten her life expectancy
• neutering female cats means they will not suffer from infections of the uterus later in life
• un-neutered male cats are more likely to mark by spraying strong smelling urine inside their homes
• un-neutered male cats are more likely to wander widely and to fight. Neutering them reduces the risk of abscesses from bites and other wounds
• un-neutered male cats can annoy neighbours by spraying near their homes, fighting with their pet cats and being noisy
• reproductive hormones can influence the behaviour of un-neutered male and female cats. This can result in the cat advertising their availability by making loud sounds ('calling') as well as fighting, wandering and marking their territory
• Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are serious diseases spread through saliva. As neutered cats are less likely to wander and fight, there is less likelihood of them becoming infected or spreading these diseases to other cats
• neutering prevents the development of uterine and testicular cancer and reduces the risk of female cats developing mammary tumours

Identification

Your cat should be identified

5.8 Cats are generally identified by two methods which can be used in combination to help trace their owner should they become lost. These are:

• microchipping - this is the preferred method of identification. A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice, that contains a unique identification number. It is injected under the skin of a pet by a vet or trained pet care specialist and the owner's details are kept on a database. This will help you to be re-united if your cat is lost as, when a pet is found and taken to a rescue centre or a vet, it will be scanned with a reader to see if there is a chip under the skin. The number shown on the reader will then enable the owner to be traced. Owners should remember to update database details as necessary, for example, a change of address
• wearing a collar that has the cat owner's contact details. A 'quick release' or snap opening collar is better than an elasticated collar, as the cat is less likely to be trapped should the collar become caught or tangled. A cat's leg or jaw may become caught in an elasticated or ill-fitting collar and this can result in serious injury. The collar should be the correct size and you should be able to place two fingers underneath it when the cat is wearing it. However, identifying a cat with only a collar is far from secure since collars are frequently lost

What to do if your cat is missing

5.9. If your cat is missing you should not just contact local vets and pet rescue centres; it is also worth contacting those further afield as cats can travel for some considerable distance when lost. You can also put up notices locally or, if you have recently moved house, in the previous location, and ask your neighbours to look in their sheds, garages or other outbuildings in case your cat has been accidentally shut in. If your cat is microchipped it will be identified as yours when scanned by a microchip reader and this will speed up its return to you. Once your cat has been found any notices that you have put up should be removed.

Euthanasia

5.10. It may be necessary, in the event of incurable illness, old age related problems or, more suddenly, in the event of an accident, to arrange the euthanasia of your cat. The cat's welfare must always come first. Therefore, in the best interests of your cat, you must give the issue your full consideration well before the time comes to make a decision to prevent your cat suffering unnecessary pain and distress. Where, in the opinion of a veterinary surgeon, your cat will not respond to treatment for any serious injury or condition involving significant pain, or is in such a condition that it would be cruel to keep it alive, the animal should be humanely destroyed by a vet or other qualified person without delay.

5.11. In a non-emergency situation, where your cat is permanently unsound or has a recurring or permanent and steadily worsening condition, a rational and humane decision should be made with due regard for the animal's future and welfare. In some cases it may be kinder to have your cat painlessly destroyed by a vet.