CatChatCAT HAVEN’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE | December 16

FOOD PUZZLESHow to make feeding more natural

GROOMINGTIPSThe benefits of grooming

‘Tis the Season to have Kittens!

Kitten Season

OUR PATRONHon Michael Mischin MLC

ContentsMessage from Roz Robinson 2

Christmas Message from our Patron, Hon. Michael Mischin MLC 4

‘Tis the Season to have Kittens! 5

Found a cat or kittens 6

Fundraising & Events 8

Adopt a cat today 10

Community 12

More cat Stories 14

Sponsors 15

Food Puzzles for cats 16

Grooming tips for caring for your cat’s coat 17

Volunteer Focus: Carol Hudson 18

Staff Focus: Stephanie Lewis 19

Message from Roz Robinson Cat Haven CEO

Hi Everyone

What a difference three months can make. After our long, cold winter we are well into kitten season with kittens regularly coming in. But it was a slower start to kitten season than normal. Perhaps it was the cold winter which has delayed them, or maybe our sterilisation message is at long last getting through!

Sadly there are still many people in the community who do not have their cats desexed and advertise “free kittens” regularly on Gumtree. Our concern with this is that the cycle of excess kittens is not being broken and it would appear that breaches of the Cat Law are happening. We have a small group, lead by one of our most committed volunteers, who actively seek out “free kittens” on websites like Gumtree and try to persuade the owners to surrender the kittens to Cat Haven and organise sterilisation of the mother cat, usually at our on-site clinic. It is an amazing job done by a dedicated group of volunteers.

What a fantastic result we had for Wet Nose Day and a huge thank you to all concerned. Special thanks to Shirley Patrick and Katy Jaksic who both put in so much personal time, to make it the most successful Wet Nose Day raising an incredible $30,000. Unfortunately I was in the UK on family matters so missed it all. There is always next year!

As part of securing a more regular income stream, we have extended our giftware range to include all of the Ashdene range of cat-centric products as well as Anabel Trends products and many more. Many of the items are priced below the recommended retail price, so if you are like me and haven’t even thought about Christmas shopping, why don’t you come down and see the range we have. We will be open until 7.00pm Monday to Friday for summer and until 5.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Promise you won’t be disappointed!

We welcome another Pet Barn External Adoption Centre at Baldivis. This gives us the opportunity to rehome Cat Haven cats in a location where we haven’t been represented before. Pet Barn/City Farmers are very generous with the full adoption fee coming back to Cat Haven.

As this year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on another year at Cat Haven and the successes, as well as the difficulties, we face each and every day. It couldn’t be done without the efforts of so many. We are very lucky to have an understanding, empathetic and professional Board of Management heading the organisation. We have a workforce of dedicated and loyal staff who sometimes work under very trying conditions and ride an emotional rollercoaster. And of course we have our large number of amazing members and volunteers who help us do the things we just wouldn’t be able to do without their help. Thank you to each and every one of you for all you do. We all have one overriding motivation - we love cats and want to improve their lives in WA.

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Christmas with loved ones, and that the New Year holds joy and happiness for you.

Kind Regards,

Roz Robinson

CEO

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Magazine created by Design City. Supporting Cat Haven’s brand since 2005.

Visit: designcity.com.au

Cover photo thanks to Alma Sarhan.

Please call Chandra Woodley on 0412 115 937 if you are interested in advertising in Cat Chat.

ReceptionPh (08) 9442 3600admin@cathaven.com.au

BoardingPh (08) 9442 3655boarding@cathaven.com.au

Open 7 days a week

(Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday) Please see our website for opening hours. www.cathaven.com.au

23 Lemnos Street, Shenton Park WA 6008

2 | Cat Chat December 2016

I would like to donate:

$ _________________ each month from my credit card

$ _________________ as a one-off donation

$10 will provide flea and worm treatment for a cat

$25 will feed a cat for a week

$50 will help fund a foster care place for an extended amount of time

$100 will contribute towards vital vet care

$200 will provide a subsidised sterilisation and a microchip for two cats

I’d like to leave a bequest to Cat Haven in my Will. Please tell me how.

I have already left Cat Haven a bequest in my Will.

Your details

NAME: ____________________________________________________________________

EMAIL: ____________________________________________________________________

PHONE: ___________________________

Type of Card: Visa MasterCard

Credit card number ________-________-________-________ EXP. DATE: _______/_______

Signature __________________________________________

Donations of $2.00 or more are tax deductible

To donate online, please visit: www.cathaven.com.au/store/donation/ Or simply complete this form and either mail or email to us.

Send form to:Cat Haven

Reply Paid 8388123 Lemnos Street

Shenton Park WA 6008

Cat Haven is rescuing and rehoming over a thousand more cats a year thanks to our innovative programs but this is costing us far too much to continue on a regular basis. We have come too far in our quest to reduce the rate of euthanasia in shelter cats from 70% to just over 10% and we won’t go back to euthanasing healthy cats simply because we don’t have enough money.

But we desperately need your help to keep this focus - please make a regular monthly donation from your bank, credit card or payroll – as little as $5 a month can make a huge difference.

Please make a regular monthly donation to Cat Haven. As little as $5 per month can help save a cat’s life - it’s just the cost of a Christmas Mince Pie!

Visit: www.cathaven.com.auCLICK THE BIG RED ‘DONATE BUTTON’.

HELP A CAT TODAY, DONATE:

It has been a great honour to be Patron of the Cat Welfare Society Inc (Cat Haven) for another year. I’ve enjoyed my many visits to Cat Haven this year and congratulate all our staff and volunteers on the remarkable job they’ve done on behalf of our companion animals.

It has been a ground-breaking year, with record low euthanasia rates, record high re-homing rates and the adoption of many novel fund-raising activities like the ‘Coffee and Chat’ sponsorship program to which I am proud to be a regular donor.

At this time of the year I’m reminded of a touching story that came to my attention some years ago.

It was about a young autistic English girl (Iris Grace, 5) who painted wonderful impressionist images that caught the public’s attention (last time I looked, the story on boredpanda.com had received around 4 million ‘likes’). What the original article didn’t say (but which was revealed in a later posting) was that much of Iris’ talent (and the sense of calmness captured in her paintings) could be put down to her adoption of a ‘therapy’ cat.

Iris’ parents noticed how taken Iris seemed to be with a cat that the family ‘cat-sat’ one Christmas. They decided to get Iris a

companion of her own. Thula, the Maine Coon, and Iris have been inseparable ever since (see accompanying pictures).

I know most of us have families that we especially enjoy sharing Christmas with. Catching up and sharing and showing our love is, after all, what Christmas really means to most of us. But bear a thought for the many in our community who, for one reason or another, might not have ready access to close family. Or who may, like little Iris, be ‘isolated’ from others for other reasons. Devoted friends like Thula keep them company when they are alone and they provide that unconditional (well, mostly unconditional!) affection, and patently unconditional trust, that we so value from our companion animals.

So, to cats and cat owners everywhere (especially to everyone involved with the WA Cat Welfare Society and Perth Cat Haven) I wish you a merry (and furry) Christmas and a happy (and purry) New Year.

Michael

Images courtesy of boredpanda.com

Christmas Message from our Patron, Hon Michael Mischin MLC LLB (Hons) BJuris (Hons)

4 | Cat Chat December 2016

Feature

Protecting every Tom,

Felix and Kitty

To help keep your feline friend happy and healthy, don’t miss their annual vaccination booster and health check at Cat Haven.

G950_Virbac Cat Haven 1/3 Vertical Ad_1b.indd 1 16/06/2016 3:13 pm

‘Tis the Season to have Kittens! Kitten season has well and truly started, with hundreds of kittens coming into Cat Haven each week over the last month. The kittens are still very young as the breeding season was very late this year due to the cold weather, but they will all be old enough to adopt out to a new home for Christmas. “We don’t recommend buying a pet as a surprise gift for someone for Christmas, but if you know you want one anyway, Christmas is a great time to adopt – you normally have more time in the holiday season to spend with them and there are so many gorgeous cats or kittens to choose from!” Cat Haven CEO Roz Robinson said.

Our front cover star - Bort’s new mum,

Larissa, has been following Cat Haven on

Instagram for a while now and came in

to Cat Haven recently just to pick up some

fundraising chocolates to sell. While she

was here she casually had a little look at

the cats in the adoption sheds, and once

she saw Bort, she was smitten and

‘bought’ him there and then.

We think it was meant to be!

• Contactyourlocalcouncil because they are responsible for collecting stray cats (This has been the case since November 2013 when the Cat Act became effective).

• Speakwithyourneighbours(within a ten house radius) to ensure the cat doesn’t belong to a nearby household.

• Phonevetclinicsintheareato see if they have received a lost report for the cat.

If you have no luck finding the cat’s owner and if you are in a position to keep the cat, even if temporarily, we suggest that you place a post on Perth Pets Lost and Found on Facebook, plus, complete Cat Haven’s Found Cat Report downloadable from our website, and forward it to us by email. You could also distribute posters and flyers around your neighbourhood, vets and shopping centres. If you are not in a position to keep the cat, you can make an appointment to bring the cat into Cat Haven.

We are open for surrenders daily by appointment ONLY. To make an appointment, please phone reception on (08) 9442 3600.

6 | Cat Chat December 2016

Feature

Found a Cat or Kittens? Sadly at this time of year, there are more stray cats or kittens found in the Perth metro area, bushland and industrial estates than usual so please keep your eyes and ears open if you are walking or working near bushland or large skip bins. If you find a stray cat, there are several actions to take to find a happy solution.

Cat Haven is committed to the goal of Getting to Zero euthanasia of healthy and treatable cats and kittens.

Latest Cat Stats:

Euthanasia rate 19% for July 2016 - Sep 2016 quarter.

We are currently caring for 170 cats at the shelter and 400 in foster care.

If you find stray kittens please consider the following guidelines:

Please do not to touch them - please call Cat Haven straight away. They may not actually be orphaned kittens and the mother cat will probably be nearby. 1. Assess the situation but do not touch the kittens. If you have

already moved the kittens, please put them back straight away. If the kittens are in a dangerous area, gently move them to somewhere safe but in the immediate area so the mother cat can still find them. Also take note of the kittens’ body condition i.e. are they clean, plump and content or are they dirty, cold and crying?

2. Monitor the area. Step right back and keep an eye on the area for a few hours, checking every hour if you can. There is a very high chance that the mum is coming back and is just out hunting, hiding from you, or in the process of moving the litter one by one.

3. If the mother cat is around. Then let her take care of the kittens. It is crucial for newborn kittens to receive the nutrition from the mother cat’s milk during the first couple of days of their lives. Many kittens will not survive if separated from the mother during the first week of their life. Put some food and water out for the mum, so that she can devote herself to her babies. Cat Haven can advise you and may be able to organize to send out a ranger to trap the mother first and then get the kittens. It can be very dangerous to the kittens’ lives if you bring them in first and then try to catch the mum.

4. Still no sign of the mother. If, after many hours there are still no signs that a mother cat is around, then you can consider the kittens abandoned. Place them in a clean and dry box with plenty of bedding and if possible, a covered hot water bottle. Newborn kittens cannot generate their own heat so it is imperative that they have a source of heat to keep warm.

5. Shelter or rescue. Urgently contact your local council, an animal shelter or rescue group that can take the kittens as soon as possible. If they have been without their mother for a while they may be cold and hungry, and in need of urgent attention.

Help Reduce Unwanted Litters – Sterilise Your Cat Now! Please help spread the word to sterilise, microchip and register your cat to comply with the Cat Act. This is essential to assist with reducing the number of unwanted, stray and feral cats in WA. Ask Cat Haven about Snip and Chip specials and remember concession card holders receive a discount. It is also worth contacting your local council to see if they offer any discounts.

opinion

Cat Chat December 2016 | 7

Past events

Woogi Kitties in the City Thanks to Frank and the wonderful staff at Woogi Espresso at Kings Square, we held a successful ‘Kitties in the City’ event in October, where we saw nearly a hundred people come through to pat a cat. We raised a total of $1,667 on the day thanks to a team of kind supporters who baked hundreds of cakes, slices and biscuits for us to sell.

Wet Nose DayA record $30,000 raised on Wet Nose Day!

Wet Nose Day was held a month earlier than usual in October this year and the perfect weather drew a larger than normal crowd of cat fans and bargain hunters. A record $30,000 was raised from the event! Thank you to our tireless fundraising volunteers who worked so hard to make the event a huge success.

Corporate Kitten Days Deloitte and the new Perth City Library held two successful kitten de-stress days for their staff and the students at the library. Everyone loved spending time with the adorable kittens and donated gold coins to play, and of course, went back to work or study completely de-stressed!

If you are interested in a corporate kitten visit, please contact chandra.woodley@cathaven.com.au

Fundraising & Events

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

01

02 03 04 05 06 07 08

09 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30

April

ANZAC DayTerm 2 begins

Term 1 Ends School Holidays Start

Good Friday

Easter Monday

Of course I know where to go for purrfect designs!

If you can assist at our functions, please

contact Shirley on shirl50@bigpond.net.au

Christmas Gift Wrapping at Karrinyup Shopping Centre Calling all creative wrappers! We are looking for help from people who are nifty with their fingers and have time to wrap Christmas presents at Karrinyup Shopping Centre in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Thank you to those volunteers who currently help out – we raise thousands of dollars from this event each year.

If you would like to help please contact samantha.holliday@cathaven.com.au.

8 | Cat Chat December 2016

Fundraising & Events

Future Events

2017 Cat Calendar for sale Our beautiful 2017 calendar is on sale at our retail shop and online for only $9.95 – all proceeds go directly to the wellbeing of the cats at Cat Haven.

Our generous calendar sponsors are:

And a big thank you to 27 local vet clinics who are also selling the calendars for us and to our tireless volunteer, Sonya Edelman for her hard work in delivering them!

Alma SarhanDesign CityAllpetKott GunningZoetis RevolutionHills

Virbac100 St Georges TerraceHall & PriorThe Gastevich FamilyWe Print It

Christmas Gifts Available from Cat Haven Not sure what to buy as a present for someone or want to buy a gift for a cat lover? Buy a fantastic present or a gift voucher from our store or online. All proceeds go directly towards helping the cats at Cat Haven.

Go to our online store to buy the purrfect Christmas gifts, gift vouchers and Christmas cards for your cat loving family and friends.

visit: www.cathaven.com.au

Kong Wobbler $31.00

Catit Food Tree $33.80

PetSafe Treat Ball $6.00

Annabel Trends Cosmetic Bag $17.95

Annabel Trends Shower Cap $19.50

Annabella Handmade French tapestry Cosmetic Bag $36.20

Little Trends Adjustable Bandana Bibs $24.95

Tippy Toes Baby Gift Set $23.50

Cat Haven Key Ring $5.00

Christmas Cards $8.95

Please Donate, Adopt, Foster, Bequeath, Volunteer.9442 3600www.cathaven.com.au

MERRY

CHRISTMAS

Please Donate, Adopt, Foster, Bequeath, Volunteer.

9442 3600

www.cathaven.com.au

MaybellLuluLu Nancy

Give a Cat a Second Chance– Adopt a Cat Today.Cat Haven has hundreds of cats and kittens in need of a good home. Please come into Cat Haven to meet your new friend or see our website: www.cathaven.com.au

Austin Powers Bethany

Constance DoctorDale Fabianski

Bessa Big Boss

Rogue ShadowSally Socks

10 | Cat Chat December 2016

Adoption

Trix Veramay Xavier

Kadabra

Pickle

Hector Honey Mustard Jeanie

Nimue Oliver

Chloe & StanleyBlanquismo Boof

Qadira

Missy and Bella came to Cat Haven way back in September 2015! They are beautiful, lazy, older girls, who love snuggles and food. If you’re looking for a laid back bonded pair, these girls are pretty puurrfect! They are a real pair of princesses and would like a calm home, with no other pets or young children, where the can be lavished with the love they deserve! Their Foster Carer can’t believe they are still waiting for their forever home! Missy is on the Animal Support Program, as she has hyperthyroidism. However this is easily managed by daily medication in her food! Cat Haven covers all costs relating to this, so please don’t let it put you off!

Please email fostercare@cathaven.com.au and ask about us today!

Buckley

Tiggy

Long term foster cats longing for a forever home…

Missy Bella

Cat Chat December 2016 | 11

Gorgeous George - Missing in Action for a whole year then reunited

When their cat George went missing over a year ago, Valerie and Mauricio refused to give up trying to find him. They checked the Cat Haven lost and found website every single day and every time a ginger cat would come in, Valerie would ask for more photos or even come down to the shelter to see if it was their George. After many months of endless searching, a few weeks ago we noticed that a cat had come into the shelter that had very similar markings to George. Valerie and Mauricio came down to Cat Haven to view the cat; they asked one of our staff members to check his ear for the little hole and chip...and miraculously, it was George! We advised them that as George had been missing for over a year, his hard life of living on the streets may have changed him, as he seemed very shy and scared. Last month, Valerie and Mauricio finally took their beloved George home and they have informed us that within five minutes of being home, he was cuddling, following them around the house and had even jumped back into his favourite box with his blankets. We are all so happy George has been re-united with his family

** Update - George has completely settled back into normal life with his owners and he adores cuddling with them on the couch and sleeping in his favourite box which Valerie had saved the whole time he was missing **

Koko the Loudest Siamese!Koko, a pure bred lilac point Siamese cat, came in to Cat Haven in July 2016 after his owner died. He was very unhappy in the adoption sheds and being twelve years old, he was overlooked by visitors looking to adopt a cat. So the staff took him under their wing in the administration office at Cat Haven, where he loudly chatted to them all day, every day.

He was adopted in August but had to come back in to have dental work done. His new owner wasn’t coping with how vocal he was and said she wanted to surrender him back.

She tried one more time to keep him, with some counselling about how to let him settle in as he’d been through so much change and stress, but sadly he was again surrendered and spent a month in the foster care office chatting to everyone again.

Luckily for Koko a lady came in one day, who had previously owned Siamese cats and fell in love with him, and he was adopted by her in September. She initially struggled with how vocal he was, but with advice and support on how to help him settle in, he relaxed and he is now in his forever home.

COMMUNITY Your cat, your stories

12 | Cat Chat December 2016

Cat Community

kottgunn.com.au

Our Lifetime Estate Support Services include:

Advance Health Directives

Business Succession Documents

Daily Death Notice Checks

Discretionary and Unit Trusts

Enduring Powers of Attorney

Enduring Powers of Guardianship

Estate Dispute Advice

Estates

Executor Services

Secure Storage of Documents

Litigation

Probate

Self-Managed Super Funds

Superannuation Benefit Nominations

Trusts

Wealth Protection Plans

Wills

Cat Haven supporters receive a free Estate Health Check.

To make an appointment with lawyer Claire Hawke-Gundill, ring 08 9483 0913.

Cat Custodian Service - We will look after your cat if you pass away.Cat Custodians is a service provided by Cat Haven aimed at giving you peace of mind if you are concerned about what might happen if you pass away before your cat. It is a free service where we guarantee we will look after your cat and try to rehome it to the best possible home. All we ask is that you leave a bequest to Cat Haven in your Will to help cover the cost of this service.

For more information, please contact Chandra Woodley or Roz Robinson at Cat Haven on 9442 3600.

Make a Difference –

Leave Cat Haven a Lasting

Legacy in Your Will.

Percy’s Slave - A Letter Submitted to Cat Haven by Christine Allen

I recently cleaned out my shed and found The Man In My Life’s adoption papers. Sir Percival (Percy) was six weeks old when he hitch-hiked from Cat Haven to my house in 1999. I have now reached the conclusion that he is completely untrainable and I’d like to get my money back please.

1. He wakes me up at various times of the night for a chat and despite requests to wait till morning, he continues to talk - loud purring and claw flexing from under the doona.

2. He inhales $19.99 a kilo beef for several days in a row, then denies that he has ever liked the stuff (“I’m offended - what IS this stuff?” “It’s good beef Percy. You love it.” “No I don’t. I never have. What else is there?”)

3. He tells lies. When I get home from work he meets me at the door and complains that I haven’t been home for THREE MONTHS and that he hasn’t had ANYTHING TO EAT in ALL THAT TIME. In reality, he has been alone for about eight hours in a comfortable house, with his own cat door and a fully fenced yard that keeps him safe and secure.

4. He is rude to my guests. If someone sits in his chair (which is every single chair in the house), he gives them the death stare. No words, no blinking - just a very direct message. Fearing for the safety of my guests, I have to ask them to move because they’re trespassing in Percy’s personal space.

I can see that it’s actually me with the problem, not Percy. He has faithfully and resolutely worked on training me for seventeen years and I’m still pretty rough around the edges. Best I go and apologise to him and buy some salmon, beef and liver treats for his dinner. And make some vegemite sandwiches for mine.

On behalf of Percy and myself, thank you for the work you do at the Cat Haven. I’ve had seventeen years of unconditional love. And so has Percy.

Kind regards, Percy’s Slave

Three Legged Pudoo

How lucky am I to have the pimp with the limp, who powers along on three legs faster than any of his four-legged foes.

His Cat Haven name was Wizard, being a whiz on three legs, but he never responded to it. I guess the Kiwi accent didn’t help so while we thought of something else he was just called Pud and this morphed into Pudoo. Often he’s also Bobcat and Marbello but mostly he’s my Sweetpea. Perhaps every cat has a name for all their nine lives?

Pudoo got the quiet and consistent forever home that Cat Haven said he needed, but even though I knew he’d been through a lot, I often wondered if he’d always be in pain – psychological as well as physical pain. For a long time he seemed to be suffering from PTSD and I knew it could be permanent.

How the proverbial tables have turned! Three years on he’s such a strong and confident cat, with a generously affectionate nature that makes my heart almost burst with joy from the gift of his presence in my life.

After a year’s battle with cancer, my Mum died in late 2014 and Pud was there for me in the most remarkable way. For all this time I believed I was the one saving him but recently he’s the one who saved me.

More cat stories...

Pudoo was adopted from Cat Haven in

July 2013 by Joelle and she has given us

a lovely update on his happiness and

the joy he brings, despite his disability.

He was surrendered, then adopted, then

soon surrendered again due to his new

owners not being able to afford to treat

the osteosarcoma on his hind leg. Cat

Haven amputated the leg and he spent

a while in foster care recovering from

that and flu. Joelle had been thinking of

adopting and they were so obviously the

right match.

14 | Cat Chat December 2016

Cat Community

No Ordinary Cat - Submitted by C. Tapper

“You’re just an ordinary little cat” my husband teased while retrieving the eraser Cindy had whipped off the coffee table to play soccer with. Mum adopted Cindy from Cat Haven and when Mum went into aged care we took Cindy home. She liked sitting in front of our windows watching ants and skinks dart along the decking, and studying any birdlife splashing in our bird bath.

You could tell she was a lady; she had a bag fetish and would sit possessively on any retailer’s bag I brought home. When a broken foot hampered my movements she sat curled up alongside my cast or moonboot and purred like an engine. I learned that a cat’s purr has healing properties.

In a 2006 Fauna Communications study, researchers discovered that the frequency of a cat’s purr (between 25 and 140 Hz), corresponds with frequencies therapeutic to bone growth and fracture healing, pain relief, swelling reduction, muscle and tendon repair and joint mobility.

Cindy must have sensed I couldn’t attend to her needs and turned to Ron who set up her bowls and litter tray in the small cellar next to our bedroom. It’s now Cindy’s Room. Each morning, during breakfast she sits by his side and taps his thigh with her paw until he follows her. “It’s like she wants room service.” I said recently as she led him away, striped tail at high mast. “Perhaps she’d like a hotel doorknob sign - Please Clean My Room. And on the flip side - Do Not Disturb (for use during catnaps).”

Cats like Cindy are everywhere, even on tins and packets of feline food, that’s why my husband fondly called her an ‘an ordinary cat.’ Then he saw a TV documentary about Scottish Wild Cats and noticed that they looked like Cindy. Dark rings encircled their tails too, but theirs were bushy and blunt. The ‘Save the Scottish Wildcat Campaign’ estimates there are less than 100 left out in the wild.

Ron teased Cindy about having wild ancestors in Scotland. “Maybe you’re not so ordinary after all.” I jested. “Oh Cindy, next thing we know, he’ll call you Fiona or Bonnie, buy you a kilt and teach you the Highland fling.”

We laughed; she purred. Cindy could have Scottish blood in her ancestry, who knows? She’s hardly rare but does have her own personality traits and quirks. I might buy her a tartan collar just for fun … and a tartan bag.

Calming Your Kitty

Reduce your cat’s stress level - no more stressed kitties, missed veterinary visits, or cat fights.

iCalmCat provides feline sound therapy on a compact portable player, great for playing at home and anywhere!

Specially designed classical music arrangements reduce stress in chaotic and unsettling environments. Simply press play and the serene solo piano of iCalmCat brings the constancy needed for feline health and behaviour.

The iCalmCat CD’s are now in stock at Cat Haven. We use these in all our adoption sheds and boarding as they are great for stress relief. We also have the stimulation and noise phobia CD’s on sale in our store.

The frequency of a cat’s purr

(between 25 and 140 Hz),

corresponds with frequencies

therapeutic to bone growth and

fracture healing, pain relief, swelling

reduction, muscle and tendon repair

and joint mobility.

Pudoo was adopted from Cat Haven in

July 2013 by Joelle and she has given us

a lovely update on his happiness and

the joy he brings, despite his disability.

He was surrendered, then adopted, then

soon surrendered again due to his new

owners not being able to afford to treat

the osteosarcoma on his hind leg. Cat

Haven amputated the leg and he spent

a while in foster care recovering from

that and flu. Joelle had been thinking of

adopting and they were so obviously the

right match.

Cat Community

Cat Chat December 2016 | 15

Latest SponsorsOur sincere thanks to the following cat pen sponsors, who have helped Cat Haven cope with the cost of looking after numerous cats staying in our shelter so far this year:

Corporate Sponsor: Chandler Pet Litter

New Personal Cat Pen Sponsor: Jane Gibbs

Please call us if you would like to become a cat pen sponsor; it’s only $750 a year for corporate sponsorship and $450 a year for personal sponsorship, or our new Vet Clinic sponsorship is only $100.

All sponsors receive an engraved plaque on their sponsored cat pen.

Housing cats in an indoor environment has been associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes mellitus, joint problems and chronic lower urinary tract symptoms. Furthermore, the risk of behavioural and mental health problems may increase with confinement. Commonly reported behavioural concerns from cat owners include aggression, attention-seeking behaviours and stress-related behaviours such as house-soiling and over-grooming.

Cats in the wild typically eat ten to twenty small meals throughout the day and night, with hours of foraging time each day.

By simulating this natural

feeding behaviour we can ensure our

cats receive exercise and help prevent

behavioural problems associated with

lack of problem solving activity.

Food puzzles are an excellent way to give cats a new, more natural way to obtain their food by ‘hunting’ for it. Food puzzles typically come in two styles: rolling and stationary. You can buy a range at Perth Cat Hospital, Cat Haven, good pet stores and other vets, or alternatively you can make your own. Food puzzles can be used with both dry and wet food.

Successfully introducing puzzle feeding does require some planning. Cats will often have individual preferences on the type of puzzle (rolling or stationary) and how they like to interact with it (using their paws or their nose). Ideally, as with other toys, aim to use a number of types of puzzles and adjust their difficulty with the abilities of your cat as your cat learns.

Tips for BeginnersTo begin, make it easy and avoid frustrating your cat. In the early stages, your cat should have to do very little work to get the food. Once they have learnt how to use the puzzle, slowly increase the difficulty.

For nervous cats, use the puzzle in a quiet area where they will not be interrupted.

Some cats prefer to be introduced to food puzzles in the usual location of their food bowl. Start your training when your cat is hungry and has a higher motivation to eat.

With rolling puzzles, start with clear puzzles or ones with larger openings so that your cat can see, smell and hear that there is food inside and will be rewarded with food for even gently nudging it. Catit treatballs have different aperture sizes to allow for increasing difficulty. NoBowl feeding systems come complete with a training NoBowl for beginners, before they graduate onto the real thing!

Puzzles should be at least one-half to three quarters of the way full so the food easily dispenses. An almost empty puzzle can be too challenging and can lead to frustration.

Sprinkle some dried food around the puzzle so your cat can acquire a few pieces and nudge the puzzle for more. Your cat will make the connection between moving the puzzle and obtaining food.

For slow starters, place small handfuls of food in locations around your house that are frequented by your cat such as window sills, beds and book shelving. This allows your cat to discover food in novel places and can teach them to start to look for more.

Stationary puzzles can be great for cats on a wet food or raw diet, but can also be used for dry food too. Begin with simple puzzles like egg cartons, muffin pans or ice cube trays. Alternatively, you can use commercially available puzzles such as the Catch by Northmate or a slow feeder bowl. Once your cat has grasped the basics of using their puzzle feeders, gradually increase the challenge.

• Use opaque puzzles, or ones with fewer or smaller holes.

• Use puzzles that are unique shapes such as cubes which makes them more difficult to manipulate.

• Hide the puzzles around the house.

• Double up objects by filling a smaller puzzle and placing it in a larger puzzle so your cat has to work harder.

• Place a small weight or object such as a ping pong ball inside the puzzle to increase the challenge.

The aim should be to gradually move to feeding most, if not all, of your cat’s meals from various food puzzles. Food puzzles increase your cat’s exercise, allow them to use their minds to obtain food which helps fulfil their hunting instincts and provide entertainment to both you and your cat.

16 | Cat Chat December 2016

Food Puzzles for Cats How to make feeding more natural.Article supplied by Perth Cat Hospital.

Vet’s Voice

Grooming tips for caring for your cat’s coat Article supplied by vetwest.com.au.

Benefits of Grooming Your Cat Grooming your cat has a number of benefits:

• Prevents formation of hairballs which can cause intestinal blockages.

• Stimulates oil production for a healthy, shiny coat.• Provides the opportunity to check for fleas, ear mites,

lumps or bumps.• Reinforces the bond between you and your cat.

Start EarlyIf you acquire a kitten, it is a good idea to get your cat accustomed to being groomed from a very early age. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend grooming your cat until it becomes a part of your cat’s daily routine.

Avoid forcible grooming or restraint as this can cause stress and grooming will become a negative experience for your cat.

Shorthaired CatsEquipment: Fine-toothed flea/tick comb, bristle brush, rubber mitten or grooming pad, damp cotton or rubber glove.

How Often: Once a weekEnsure your cat is relaxed and happy. Use the flea comb to check for flea excreta (flea dirt). If you find any, speak to your vet about flea control options.

Use your fingers to loosen dead hair by massaging in the direction of the cat’s head. Then start to use the brush or grooming pad to gently brush from the head down to the tail, removing the dead hair and stimulating the blood supply to the skin. Remove loose hairs with the damp cotton or rubber glove. Finish on a positive note with treats and praise.

Longhaired CatsEquipment: Wide-toothed comb, rubber mitten or grooming pad. There are also a number of different grooming products available, for example rakes, slickers and detangle sprays. Try a range of different products to find what works best for you and your cat.

How often: Once a dayAs for shorthaired cats, ensure your cat is relaxed and happy. Before grooming, massage the skin thoroughly by gently rubbing your fingers against the hair growth from tail to head, checking for flea excreta. If you are concerned about fleas, contact your vet for advice on flea control options. Use the wide-tooth comb to remove dead hair, taking extra care of the thin, sensitive skin under the cat’s armpits and between the hind legs.

Use the rubber mitten or pad to remove excess dead hair and do a final sweep over the coat with a damp cotton or rubber glove to remove any loose hairs that remain. If your cat becomes restless or stressed, stop and then start again when your cat is relaxed. Reward with praise and treats.

DemattingMatts (or knots) can be extremely uncomfortable for a cat and difficult to remove at home. Preventative grooming is the key, however if you do come across a matt, tease it apart gently using your fingers, working slowly from the root towards the end of the hair. Do not be tempted to use scissors as it is very easy to cut your cat!

More severe matts will need to be shaved off and this will usually need to be done by a vet.

BathingMost cats do not tolerate bathing well, so if your cat is healthy there is usually no reason to give your cat a bath. For some cats, bathing can make life easier for those people who are allergic to cats. With longhaired cats it is advisable to keep the hair trimmed short around the bottom to prevent occasional soiling by faeces.

Signs of Stress - When to stopThe following are some of the more subtle indications that the cat may be feeling uncomfortable. Grooming should be stopped when any of these signs are visible.

• Skin rippling or twitching.• Tail swishing, thumping or twitching at the end.• Sharp turn of cat’s head to face your hand or the brush.• Cat suddenly freezes or becomes tense.• Cat’s ears flick or rotate backwards.• Cat swallows or licks lips.• Cat shakes its head.• Cat performs a short lasting but rapid burst of grooming

to body.• Cat growls or hisses.

Help! If you are unable to groom your cat at home.Sometimes cats require grooming under sedation. This is often the case with cats who have matted coats. In these circumstances your cat will require a veterinary check-up prior to the sedation/anaesthetic. When your cat is under sedation a ‘lion clip’ will be performed, leaving your cat with fur on the tail, head and lower legs.

Cats are notorious for effective self-grooming. However, there are times when you may

need to intervene. Learn about the benefits of grooming your cat, how to get started,

when to groom, the equipment you can use, bathing your cat and when to stop.

Cat Chat December 2016 | 17

Vet’s Voice

Carol Hudson My life as a Cat Haven volunteer by Carol Hudson

I have been a volunteer since 1985 and joined the team to help stop the dumping of kittens and pregnant females in bush and in rocks along our beaches. I thought Cat Haven’s policy - ‘we never say no’ - was a humane attitude and I supported their policy of euthanasia of homeless cats and kittens. This was a much gentler and more humane way to die than by starvation. Other shelters were sending cats and kittens away to an unknown fate once their kennels were full.

In summary, I served as a volunteer in many ways: as a street appeal tin rattler, in the kennels, on the committee, as treasurer, in the office to support the General Secretary, as a stall-holder on fete days, on information tables in shopping centres, as a pick-up representative, in schools to talk to young children, as editor of Cat Chat and, most recently, as a pre-Christmas fund-raising gift wrapper at Karrinyup shopping centre.

In the early days, Cat Haven was closed on Sundays because of the cost of wages. A group of business and professional people - mainly female - visited the shelter on Sundays to dish up breakfast, wash dishes, replace kitty litter, clean and wash litter trays (by hand in a deep trough!), replace soiled bedding and, if time allowed, give a cuddle to some of the needy cats and kittens.

Then I was recruited to serve on the committee. At that time, I was working full time as an Account Executive in an advertising agency. When the faithful treasurer had a health breakdown our president, erroneously thinking I was an accountant (an entirely different discipline), asked me to step into the breach. Luckily, I understood basic bookkeeping so I was able to take over. At that time, I did not have a computer and did bookwork by hand which was quite a headache sometimes when trying to get the figures to balance.

I also joined a program initiated by the Australian Veterinary Association to visit primary schools and give entertaining and educational talks to children.

During this time, all of us at Cat Haven agitated for some kind of government-sponsored program to encourage sterilisation of cats. WA now has compulsory sterilisation and microchipping and we are looking to the day when our enthanasia rate is down to nil.

Ongoing to today I perform the role of pick-up volunteer. Pick-up volunteers give their time to follow up on calls from the community for help in transporting their cats into Cat Haven. These are instances where the skills of a Ranger are not necessary, but people need help for a variety of reasons, and local councils frequently asked for help. Even while working full time I visited people before work, during my lunch hour and after work.

Here are some of my pick-up stories from over the years.

• InComoawomanhadastraylivinginhergarden.Itwasacatthat had moved away with its owner but had managed to find its way back to its old home. Somewhere along the way it had suffered trauma and was now blind. I cared for it overnight before delivering it to Cat Haven before work the next day.

• AnotherwomaninSouthPerthwasfeedinganumberofstraysand had been told by the council to desist. Each afternoon after work I delivered two cat traps to her and each morning I picked them up and delivered them to Cat Haven. We did this over several days until all the stray cats were cleared.

• Awomanintheeasternsuburbscalledforhelpwithamothercat and several kittens. When I arrived she had put them into a wheelie bin with the lid closed ... a death sentence for the cats on a hot summer day. Being short, it was difficult for me to dive head first into the bin to rescue these mites, but I did it!

• Oneinstancegoesbackmanyyearstoanagedladyinaretirement village in White Gum Valley. She cried in my arms when surrendering her beloved cat because two of her neighbours had complained about it sitting on their wall.

• InComoaresidentnoticedalitterofyoungkittenslivingonthe broad, flat trunk of an old peppermint tree. The tame mother was being fed by a neighbour and had obviously been dumped at the nearby school. The kittens were wild but still quite small. A local boy scaled the tree and handed the spitting, hissing kittens to me one by one, while the mother was placidly waiting in a separate carrier ready to go.

Cat Haven relies heavily on the assistance of a large team of fabulous volunteers to help run the shelter and raise essential funds. Currently we have about 200 volunteers who help out in a number of roles ranging from reception & admin, on grounds, cleaning, fundraising and in boarding and vet clinic.

Volunteers

18 | Cat Chat December 2016

People Focus

• Aweekendcall-outwastoawomanwhohadhumanelycaptured a white cat suffering from advanced face cancer. I couldn’t drive fast enough to the Haven to ensure the poor thing was put out of its misery at the absolute earliest.

• OnestrangecallwastoahouseinOsborneParkwhereapolice drug raid had resulted in abandoned dogs and a cat. I called to take the cat to emergency accommodation at Cat Haven, only to find there was a second cat that had been overlooked. I made a second trip the next day to catch it. The house was in an appalling state, with dog and cat faeces throughout and frozen food emptied from the fridge onto the kitchen floor.

• AvisittoafamilyinLockridgewasparticularlydistressing.Someone unknown had poured a chemical over their cat. The cost of vet treatment was beyond their means so the cat had been surrendered to Cat Haven.

There are many more stories I could tell, but maybe this sample is sufficient to give an insight into why pick-up volunteers in those days did what they did. Today, pick-up volunteers can still help with the easy jobs not needing Cat Haven’s team of skilled Rangers.

Stephanie Lewis New Kid on the Boarding Block

Stephanie has lived in Australia for about three and half years since moving here from Liverpool in the UK. She has been working as Boarding Supervisor at Cat Haven for the last two months, since leaving her role as Retail Sales Manager at Sportscraft. Here she tells us a little bit about herself and her role at Cat Haven.

Why did you choose to work at Cat Haven?

I really wanted a change from the retail industry and it was actually my husband who saw the role and told me about it, as he knows how obsessed I am with cats! I came in to the job interview with an open mind to see what the job was all about. I was given a good insight into the role and I got a really good vibe about Cat Haven. It had been a while since I felt so good about a job and it seemed like something completely different. I only have one cat at home: a Ragdoll called Thor, so now I get to see so many more cats.

What do you do in your role as Boarding Supervisor?

Each morning, I make sure that the cats have had a good night and that nothing untoward has happened, and that they are all well and happy. I am involved in the morning feed and clean, performing all the cats’ health checks and giving any medication required. In the afternoon, I then spend time with any of the cats that want attention and I let them roam and play whilst I am doing my paperwork, invoices, emails and customer phone calls. Any extra time is used for planning changes to the boarding kennels such as painting, spring cleaning, renovations and so forth.

What are the qualities you need to work as Boarding Supervisor?

You need management experience and to be very organised, plus you need to be able to prioritise as you never have enough time to do everything in the day. A basic knowledge about cats is useful too.

You also can’t take things too seriously as things don’t always go your way when you work in a charity with a minimal budget and sometimes you just have to ‘let it go’.

What do you like most about working at Cat Haven?

I had always donated to charity in the UK but working at Cat Haven has really opened my eyes to how much work that charities actually do. Everyone who works here goes above and beyond their role – they work so hard. I also like that Cat Haven tries different ideas like introducing Kudos cards to recognise their staff rather than provide financial incentives, as it simply doesn’t have the money, but it is important to reward staff for hard work and going the extra mile.

What is the best part of your role?

I just love seeing the cats; I’m like a kid and they’re all so different. I enjoy having so much freedom in the job as no day is the same and you have to roll with the day. It all depends on the needs of the cats.

Is there anything you don’t like about the job?

The only thing that gets me down is if a cat is unwell and has to go to the vet clinic – it is out of our control and it’s hard as you feel you really want to help them but often you can’t do much.

What is your wish for Cat Haven?

I would love to achieve the goals I have set myself - to see the boarding kennels constantly busy and to renovate the premises so it’s much brighter and cleaner looking to attract more customers.

PLEASE NOTE: BOARDING IS FULL FROM MID DECEMBER TO MID JANUARY

Staff Focus

Cat Chat December 2016 | 19

People Focus

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