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SECTION 5: THE NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM PAIN, SUFFERING, INJURY AND DISEASE
Make sure you have regular health care advice about your cat
5.1. 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.
5.2. As the person responsible for your cat's welfare you need to consider:
- prevention of disease. There are various vaccinations that are designed to protect your cat from certain diseases;
- 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;
- 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.
You should consider having your cat neutered
5.3. 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 when they are between four to six months old.
5.4. 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 five or 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 and injuries from road traffic accidents;
- un-neutered male cats can cause distress to 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.
Illness
Be aware of the signs of illness and take your cat to a vet as soon as possible if you notice them
5.5. It is important that you are aware of the signs of illness in your cat, and that you consult a vet promptly if these occur.
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;
- 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.
Euthanasia
5.6 It may be necessary, in the event of incurable illness, old age 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 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 without delay.
5.7 In a non-emergency situation, where your cat is permanently unsound or has a recurring or permanent and steadily worsening condition, a rational decision must be made with due regard for the animal's future and welfare. In some cases it will be kinder to have your cat painlessly destroyed by a vet.
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