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Going to the toilet is very natural, but for your cat there’s more to it than you might think. Increasingly, the role of stress and anxiety in many feline urinary problems is becoming understood!

Urine marking (or spraying), toileting outside the litter tray or demonstrating signs of stress whilst going to the toilet are obviously all causes for concern. However the underlying issues may be very different.

We encounter many cats with toileting and other behavioural problems who respond well to anti-anxiety medication, "pheromonatherapy" and/or environmental change.

In an exciting new development Hill's have recently launched a diet to assist stressed cats, it works by altering the proteins and chemical messengers at work in the feline brain.

Contact us if your cat shows signs of toileting or behavioural problems and make sure you check out our top tips below, put an end to a stressful issue!

CONGRATULATIONS TO LEO

OUR HEALTHY HEART WINNER!

Healthy Hearts galore at Prahran last month, with lots of petowners taking advantage of free heartworm testing!

Our #healthyheartfriday facebook photo competition saw some fantastic entries, ultimately though there could be only one winner: Meet dapper little Leo who stole our hearts and won his mum a year supply of heartworm prevention.

Cats Wearing Scrunchies: saving lives

West Australian researchers recently published encouraging results suggesting that cats wearing brightly coloured scrunchies kill far fewer birds and reptiles.

But before you go looking through your drawers for that hair accessory the 90's forgot, keep in mind only scrunchies designed to fit special safety collars are advised, the wrong scrunchy could not only be unfashionable but potentially fatal, if your cat gets it tangled. Check out these ones made by birdbesafe, rainbow patterned ones were found to work best

Top tips for feline stress relief

▪ Satisfy your cat's urge to scratch. Scratching on a scratching post releases pheromones and makes her feel happy.
▪ Make sure your cat’s litter tray is inviting! It should be sparkling, clean and spacious - at least 1.5x his body length. Litter should be a minimum 3cm deep.

▪ Create a playground with a variety of toys and other safe items to keep your cat active and entertained.
▪ Create a window seat. Indoor cats can get bored without a change of scenery, so give yours a view.
▪ Accidents happen, but be sure to praise good behaviour by making a fuss of her when she’s done right – you know she’ll love the appreciation!

▪ Create high places and private spaces your cat can climb to.
▪ Mind your place settings! Place litter trays in quiet places far from food bowls. After all, eating in the toilet isn’t something we’d do, so why would your cat?
▪ Be his personal trainer! Keep your cat in tip-top condition by encouraging him to jump and play, regulate food intake to maintain an optimal weight.

▪ A place away from it all! Create a quiet retreat where your cat can feel safe and secure, a place where she can simply get away from it all – like when she needs to escape the scary vacuum cleaner.
▪ If you have more than one cat, make sure you have enough food, water, litter trays and safe places for everyone!

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