Crewe and District Cat Rescue

Health and Welfare Questions and their Answers

Click on the question to see the answer.

  • Q: Where can I get information about cat health ?

    A: The Wikipedia pages on cat health provide a lot of information and links to other related pages: Cat Health Wiki

  • Q: Do I need Pet Insurance?

    A: Absolutely YES!! Dave's story is a great example of why it's so important...

    Dave is 3 years old, he was adopted from us as a kitten by the wonderful Pat, who is currently making beautiful cat beds and other goodies for us to sell to raise funds. Being the kind of owner who knows her cats inside out, Pat noticed one evening that Dave was very out of sorts; his breathing was very fast and laboured and he was quite obviously in a lot of distress. Pat took him along to Eden Vets in Shavington (out of hours, as emergencies often are!) where, after stabilizing him with oxygen,fluids and antibiotics, blood tests and scans found he had sepsis, fluid and pus in his chest cavity and collapsed lungs... Dave was very, very sick indeed. Thanks to the skill of the vets and nurses at Eden, after a week of intensive care Dave was on the mend and on his way home... a fantastic result, well done Eden Vets!

    The costs of this kind of medical treatment and care are huge... hence the need for pet insurance (for any pet, not just cats). Scans, x-rays, surgery, medication and aftercare easily run into four (even five) figure sums and this is where insurance is invaluable. It's not so important for the odd course of antibiotics etc as policy excesses often make it cheaper to pay the bill yourself... it's for the big stuff; the RTA cat needing expensive, specialist surgery, the cat with sudden kidney or heart problems who needs ongoing scans, blood tests, medications etc. Veterinary science is fantastic, but it comes at a price... insurance means you don't have to make heartbreaking decisions because you can't afford it. There are so many policies on the market now, shop around and you can find good cover for just a few pounds a month.

    You can read the full story of Dave's scary experience on the Eden Vets page. Much love to him and his family, we're thrilled he's back to his old self!

    Click to see a larger image
    Click to see a larger image

  • Q: Do I need to neuter my indoor cat?

    A: Yes, a thousand times YES!! We've had several calls over the last couple of weeks where indoor unspayed females have escaped, only to return with a few "little extras" on board, which now need homes! Cats are prolific breeders and will go to great lengths to find a way out when they're ready to mate...

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    Add to this the problem of un-neutered toms who'll roam for miles looking for a female and it's a recipe for disaster. Everyone thinks their cat will never get out but doors get left open, windows get left slightly ajar etc; it may be accidental but they WILL escape! They only need to be out for a short time and the damage will be done, sometimes by multiple tom cats which is extremely traumatic for any cat, especially those that are still little more than kittens themselves. Some are terrified and get chased away from home, lost and disorientated... and there you have it, yet another stray cat on the streets. And do we need to mention that there are already more cats than there are good homes for? Cats and kittens are suffering because there's nowhere for them to go.

    On top of this, unspayed females can suffer from life threatening cancers and uterine infections like pyometra, which WILL kill them without emergency surgery. The only treatment for this is spaying anyway, so why wait to get it done as an expensive emergency when your cat is desperately sick and may not survive? Prevention is better than cure! Neutering toms stops the antisocial behaviours such as spraying and fighting, keeping the population down as well as reducing FIV and FeLV infections.

    Costs vary between vets so shop around... and Cats Protection offer a voucher scheme to help those on low incomes and benefits, both males and females can be neutered and microchipped for as little as £10. Call them Monday - Friday between 9am - 1pm for details. Your cat will thank you for it!

  • Q: I'm on benefits/a low income.....is there help available to neuter my cat?

    A: ABSOLUTELY YES..... AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT!!

    The single biggest factor relating to cat rescue....the reason we and other rescues do what we do....is the sheer number of cats that need help. So much suffering could be avoided if ALL owners did this one simple thing.... NEUTER THEIR CATS!! Males AND females,(after all it takes two!), outdoor AND indoor cats,(see "Do I need to neuter my indoor cat?"), they ALL need to be done to:

    Reduce the numbers of unplanned kittens needing homes.

    Prevent antisocial behaviours,thus reducing the risk of injuries(abscesses, eye and ear injuries etc) and diseases caused through fighting and mating (FIV/FELV for example).

    Prevent life threatening uterine infections (such as pyometra) and cancers in females.

    Discourage male cats from roaming large distances looking for females, which increases their chances of being killed or injured on the road.

    Ease the burden on rescue centres who are always bursting at the seams with unwanted cats and kittens.....the costs involved with food, supplies and veterinary care are astronomical and many have to give up simply because of the financial, physical and emotional pressures.

    NEUTERING YOUR CAT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER!

    CATS PROTECTION is a long established charity who helps those on low incomes and most benefits* (listed below) by providing neutering AND microchipping for just £10. Remember, microchipping for pet cats will be a legal requirement from June 10th this year (2024) and fines may be issued to owners not complying. Also, a microchip is the best way to identify your cat if they go missing, so why wouldn't you have it done?!

    SO WHAT'S NEXT??

    SIMPLY CONTACT YOUR VET, ASK THEM IF THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE CATS PROTECTION NEUTERING & MICROCHIPPING SCHEME. They will ask a few questions to check you are eligible and arrange a convenient time for the operation. Simple!

    If your vet isn't part of the scheme, go to www.cats.org.uk to use the Cats Protection map showing all participating vets in your area. Alternatively, you can ring them on 03000 12 12 12 Monday-Friday between 9am-1pm, they will be happy to help.

    PLEASE DO THIS ONE SIMPLE THING THAT YOUR CAT (AND RESCUE CENTRES!) WILL THANK YOU FOR!!!

  • Q: Where can I find out about cat breeds?

    A: The Wikipedia entry on cat breeds is a good place to start: Cat Breed Wiki

  • Q: CATS PROTECTION NEUTERING & MICROCHIPPING SCHEME-WHO CAN APPLY?

    A: ANYONE IN RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING: UNIVERSAL CREDIT INCOME SUPPORT HOUSING BENEFIT COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT PENSION CREDIT INCOME BASED ESA INCOME BASED JSA WORKING TAX CREDITS CHILD TAX CREDITS

    HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF LESS THAN £25000

    FULL TIME STUDENTS

  • Q. How do we contact you ?
    A. Please send your comments or queries regarding this web-site via the Contact Us page.