Category Archives: Living with cats

DIY secure window

How to aerate the house in the evening to let in the freshness without Zorro tries to jump into the garden through the open window (and without I try to follow him) ?

It’s the big question since the beginning of the heat wave, and Claire finally imagined an answer. It’s her who built our two window protections, because Momo went on Wednesday to be operated to remove three plates he had in his right wrist. Everything went well, but he cannot do much.

Claire used wooden small boards, wood lattice for vine creepers, and safety net for cat. She wanted to make something which is light, easy to set up or to remove, and little blocking. After an afternoon working, here is the result :

The window protection holds thanks to two small boards which overtake on a side and skip behind the shutter which is opened ; it leans on the other side against the inside of the shutter which is closed. Ingenious, right ?

Why does my cat sleep so much ?

We, grown-up cats, sleep on average 16 hours a day. It represents two thirds of our life ! Old cats sleep even more.

Phases of deep sleep (20 in 30 minutes) represent 9 at 12 hours of sleep time. They alternate with phases of REM sleep (the time of dreams).

During the deep sleep, we’re completely relaxed ; our eyelids are closed, and our breath slows down.

During the REM sleep, we also sleep, but our eyes, our tail, our paws, and our whiskers can stir.

Our habits of sleep come to us from our wild ancestors, who had to go hunting to feed. These habits are vital for cats which have to manage all alone even today.

We sleep to recover and save our energy between our meals, because the hunting represents an enormous and exhausting energy expenditure. The deep sleep contributes to our good general health. It’s important to respect our sleep.

A sudden modification of our time of usual sleep is the sign of a health problem ; quickly contact the veterinarian.

Why is it important to spay or neuter your cat

Blog The Change is for writers and readers alike. This event takes place on the 15th of January, April, July, and October every year. It offers an overview of the various aspects of animal welfare as reported by those who take part : personal actions, promotion of a shelter in need, … Your participation (blogpost, comment, share) makes a difference in keeping the spirit of change alive.

According to a recent article of the newspaper Le Matin, the shelters of French-speaking Switzerland are full of kittens. The arrivals don’t stop since June. Why don’t people neuter their cat ?

“I have no money for this operation” : we regret being also categorical, but in our opinion, if you cannot meet the basic expenses of a healthy animal (food, neutering, and annual visit at the veterinarian), show yourselves responsible : don’t adopt an animal if you can’t afford to take care of him.

“A cat has to have a litter before being neutered” : it’s a common myth, and totally erroneous. Your cat will feel neither decreased, nor unfortunate of being neutered. The risk of health problems bound to the secretion of sex hormones as ovarian or mammary tumors for example will be reduced. Do you find I look unhappy, me ?

“My tomcat will not be any more a tomcat” : certainly, but as he will less want to run away and fight, the risk of wound will be reduced, and his quality of life will be improved there. The abolition of the marking will be also appreciated inside your house…

“Kittens are too cute” : completely agree ! But kittens grow up : did you leave your children to the orphanage when they were transformed into pimple-faced teenagers ? You maybe wanted to do it certain days, but you did not ! All the members of your family have right for the same respects.

Angel Céleste, August 2008, 4 months old

“Kittens are easy to give” : yes, but an indoor cat lives between 15 and 20 years on average ; adopting is making a commitment to take well care of a kitten during one year, of a grown-up cat during eight years, of an old cat during five years, and of a very old cat during the next years. On second thought, everybody doesn’t want to have a cat, even if as we have already said it, kittens are cute.

To avoid the proliferation of kittens in shelters, to protect the health of your cat, to decrease the risk of wound, and to avoid the abandonments of kittens and grown-up cats, please spay or neuter your cat.

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