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- They may get lost – if your cat’s not particularly aware of their area they may end up going too far and getting lost.
- More likely to encounter toxic substances – people often use chemicals in their gardens such as slug pellets, anti-freeze, rodent poisons or have toxic plants.
- Increased risk of fighting – this is more of a problem in built up areas as each individual cat’s territory overlaps with another.
- Increased risk of coming into contact of disease, ticks, fleas or worms – largely due to increased exposure to other cats and the outdoor environment.
Keeping your outdoor cat safe
As a pet owner, it’s only natural that you want to ensure that they’re kept as safe as possible when outdoors enjoying all the sights and smells. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make sure they’re living their best possible life and staying safe.
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Keep up to date with vaccinations, flea and worming treatment
Because of the fact they’re more likely to come into contact with other cats, keeping their vaccinations up to date is more important than ever. Additionally, you should also ensure that you’re regularly administering flea and worming treatment to ensure that they’re kept happy and healthy.
Install a cat flap
If there’s no-one home during the day to let your cat back in if they feel threatened by something outside, installing a cat flap is essential. If you’re concerned that other cats in your neighbourhood will use it, you can get ones that are programmed to only respond and open for your cat’s microchip or collar.
Get your cat microchipped
For outdoor cats it’s vital to get them microchipped. If your kitty ever wanders too far from your home or happens to get stuck in someone’s garage or shed, a microchip will greatly increase your chances of being reunited with your cat. Then anyone who finds your cat just needs to take them to the vet where they can scan the chip to get your contact details.
Safety collar and tag
As well as your cat’s microchip, you should also get them a safety collar and tag for outdoor cats. Always ensure that you get them a break-free collar so that if they ever get stuck on something – which can happen when they’re climbing and exploring – it’ll simply undo and let your cat free. Reflective collars are good too as these will increase their visibility if they’re ever outside at night. If you have a tag with your contact details it may also help you to be reunited with your kitty much sooner.
Get your cat neutered
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It’s generally a good idea to get your cat neutered if they’re going to be outside. If they’re un-neutered it increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy and they’re more likely to travel further from home as they’ll be searching for a potential mate. Additionally, unneutered males are known to be much more territorial and have issues with marking and spraying, as well as getting into fights with other cats.
Grow cat-friendly plants
If you have cat-friendly plants in your garden for them to enjoy, it’s much less likely that they’ll try to eat toxic or poisonous ones. Grow plants such as catnip, catmint, lavender and cat grass and always ensure that the products you use on any of your plants are non-toxic and organic.
Want to find out how your new cat or kitten interprets their surroundings? Read our article on how your cat experiences the world.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor