Tag: indoor cats

Life as a Cat Sitter

From the Life of a Cat Sitter

In this series of posts I share some anecdotes from my life as a cat sitter. I promise these stories are all true, though the cats’ names have sometimes been changed to protect their identity 😉

Today: the cat that was stuck behind the kitchen cupboards!

It was my very first time looking after these two cats and during the meeting Phil was happy to see me, but Bagheera was very shy and wanted to hide. That is OK. I am patient and it takes as long as it takes for a cat to trust me and feel OK around me.

His owner showed me where Bagheera likes to hide (under the bed, in the wardrobe, but also behind the washing machine).

First visit: Bagheera was nowhere to be found! Impossible, because these are indoor only cats. Still, I did not see him anywhere despite looking everywhere, even inside the washing machine.

Then I heard something. It sounded like scratching. I realised where he was: behind the kitchen.

You might wonder how I knew this: he was not the first cat that had got stuck behind the kitchen. I knew of two others who had got stuck behind the tall cupboards of the kitchen (not on my watch I might add).

As much as I wanted to give Bagheera time to get used to me, I had to make sure he was OK and not injured. I had no idea whether he’d climbed down on purpose or fallen down accidentally. Time to put my DIY skills to use and remove the skirting board (a remarkably easy click-on system). I saw him stuck next to the fridge trying to climb back up but unable to get any grip. I got hold of him and gently pulled him out and checked him over. He was OK, no visible injuries and not showing any signs of pain when I checked him over.

I let go of him and soon the mystery of whether he’d climbed down or fallen was solved: he ran away, jumped onto the kitchen worktop, jumped onto the tall cupboard and went right back down again!

I left the skirting board off so at least Bagheera could come out after I’d left and would not be stuck in his predicament. However, I also blocked off the top of the tall cupboards to make sure they were cat proof.

Lesson learned: I now always ask whether the kitchen is cat proof or whether there are any gaps behind tall cupboards where the cat might get stuck.

Bagheera and I have since become friends 🙂
Health & Welfare

Cat Fencing for Bengals

* Originally written by Rebecca Owens for ProtectaPet

The beautiful Bengal cat is one of the top favourite picks for a family pet. This highly intelligent breed often turns heads due to its unique markings!

One of the defining characteristics of the Bengal is how agile this breed is, and for being strong and muscular. 

A concern we often receive here at ProtectaPet by Bengal owners is how can our system hold up with this powerful breed? Let us tell you how!

ProtectaPet have developed a range of cat containment products to keep cats contained in the garden. The ‘Bengal Bend’ on our 70cm overhang fencing bends in such a way that it is extremely difficult for even Bengals to climb over.

We also offer Catio‘s which are fully enclosed with galvanised and black powder coated steel for integral strength and durability.

ProtectaPet Fencing Brackets

  • Designed and Manufactured in Britain
  • Patented technology and optimum aesthetics
  • Minimal maintenance and long life in use with black gloss powdercoat
  • Bengal Bend on the 70cm overhang
  • ProtectaPet® logo as a marque of quality

ProtectaPet Cat Mesh 

  • Exclusively manufactured for ProtectaPet, our mesh has been designed specifically for keeping cats in safe outdoor territories
  • UV stable polypropylene with high tensile strength for longevity
  • Designed to flex to create instability if your Bengal attempts to climb it
  • Unobtrusive
  • Superior quality designed specifically for cat safety 

Keep your Bengal cat safe with ProtectaPet.

Health & Welfare

Cat Fencing for Maine Coons

* Originally written by Rebecca Owens for ProtectaPet

The majestic Maine Coon is one of the most recognisable breeds in the World. Bred to be big and strong to hunt vermin, this cat breed is referred to as being the dog of the cat world, and it’s easy to see why!

Although they are the biggest of the domestic cats recognised by GCCF, their sweet nature makes them extremely loyal companions, and they are also known as ‘gentle giants’.

It’s no surprise that this breed has grown in popularity in recent years, however as Maine Coons possess strength and admiration, cat owners have to think twice about keeping this beautiful breed protected and safe.

ProtectaPet have developed a range of cat containment products, with the first ever prototype designed for a Maine Coon! The protection of large and strong breeds is integral to ProtectaPet systems.

ProtectaPet Fencing Brackets

  • Designed and Manufactured in Britain
  • Patented technology and optimum aesthetics
  • Minimal maintenance and long life in use with black gloss powdercoat
  • Bengal Bend on the 70cm overhang
  • ProtectaPet® logo as a marque of quality

ProtectaPet Cat Mesh 

  • Exclusively manufactured for ProtectaPet, our mesh has been designed specifically for keeping cats in safe outdoor territories
  • UV stable polypropylene with high tensile strength for longevity
  • Designed to flex to create instability if your Maine Coon attempts to climb it
  • Unobtrusive
  • Superior quality designed specifically for cat safety 

Keep your Maine Coon cat safe with a ProtectaPet Cat Fence Barrier Kit!

Health & Welfare

Do Cat Fences Really Work?

* Originally written by Rebecca Owens for ProtectaPet

This is a question we get from cat owners all the time. When you first see an outdoor fence system designed to contain pets without a roof barrier, people are left scratching their heads as to why their cat can’t climb over. Let us tell you how it works!

The science

The movement required to climb over our cleverly designed overhang fencing doesn’t come naturally to a cat. In order to do so, a cat would need to climb and then flip over the lip of the fence.

Although cat’s are arboreal creatures and it’s in their nature to climb trees, we still hear of countless tales of cats becoming stuck and unable to get back down again. This is a similar problem for cats when it comes to cat fencing.

PetMD.com says; “It’s really easy for cats to climb trees—cat claws are the ideal tools for propelling them upwards… “A cat in a tree may have trouble coordinating their hind and front feet when they try to back down. It’s just not a movement cats normally do,” says Susan Bulanda, a canine and feline ethologist, author, and search and rescue trainer who lives in Maryland.”  

This doesn’t mean they won’t try! Your determined feline friend may try to get over the fence, but after a couple of failed attempts and a damaged ego, normally cats quickly become comfortable within their safe territory. 

Patented technology

We created our intuitive design to save pets out of love for our own. You can read more about out story here. Our products are patented and designed by international-leaders in cat proofing. We have been constantly improving our design of cat fence barriers and other containment systems since 2009.

The ProtectaPet® logo on your fencing brackets acts as an assurance of quality that you are receiving the very best in cat fencing solutions. 

Agile and strong breeds

We have developed the ‘Bengal Bend’ on our 70cm overhang. The double bend in the bracket gives enhanced protection for the strongest and most agile breeds.

If you’re concerned about your cat being able to break through the mesh or brackets due to strength, you can be assured in knowing that we use powder-coated steel for strength, sleek aesthetics and durability. The fencing is low maintenance and long life in use. The mesh is exclusively manufactured for ProtectaPet, so you won’t find it anywhere else!

ProtectaPet Disclaimer

We have kept over 17,000 cats safe within their garden, if you read our reviews you will be hard pushed to find an example of a cat escaping over the cat fence barrier. Escapes can happen if the barrier is not fitted according to the manual: there must be at least 6ft between the ground and the barrier and no plant pots or wheelie bins that could provide leap points. There are a few rare examples of particularly agile cats that have managed to get over the barrier. If you’re concerned that your cat would be able to get over the barrier after reading this post, then please get in touch for a bespoke quote for a catio or other mesh roofed solution.

Health & Welfare

Challenges of keeping indoor cats happy

* Originally written by me for citikiti.co.uk

From the ICatCare Conference

Vicky Halls, the well-known cat behaviour counsellor, was one of the expert speakers at the conference in Birmingham. One of her presentations focussed on keeping cats happy, especially indoors cats. My own cat lives indoors and so do many of our clients’ cats. There are many things we can do to keep our cats happy: activity feeders to prevent boredom and combat overeating, playing games with our cats and providing hiding & resting places for our cats.

The biggest challenge, however, is our relationship with cats and this was the topic of Vicky Halls’s talk.

I will be the first to admit that I talk to my cat and I also talk to your cats when I’m visiting. I say hello to let them know I’m there, they hear my voice and pick up on my energy and decide whether or not they want to coma and say hello to me. I am under no illusion, though: my cat has no idea what I’m talking about. He is, after all, a cat!

Sure, our cats know certain words. ‘Treats’ is one such example. My cat usually comes over when I use his name, but we all know that cats sometimes hear their name being called but choose to ignore it! So cats recognise some words and may respond to them, but this doesn’t mean they always understand what we are saying.

Picture the following ‘ conversation’ with your cat: “Hi sweet pea, I’m home!!! Where are you? Come on out. I’m so sorry I’m late, are you hungry? Did you miss me? Yes, you missed me, I missed you too! I’m sorry I was away all day, you must have been so lonely!”
We may not use those specific words or voice those feelings, but many of us feel guilty for leaving the cat alone all day and feel the need to give the cat quality time when we get home. We tend to think of our cats as family members. While it is great that we care so much about our cats, we should always keep in mind that a cat’s needs are not the same as our own. Or, as Vicky Halls put it, we shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking: me + love = happy cat.

When you read the ‘conversation’ I wrote above you can well imagine that the amount of love and focus and energy is all a bit too much for your cat. Cats are happiest when they have a sense of control over their environment and their interaction with us. Some cats enjoy a lot of fuss and cuddles, but most cats are quite happy just sitting in the same room with us or on the sofa next to us and just being stroked occasionally. They enjoy playing games with us, mainly games that mimic their natural behaviour such as hunting.

When your cat can go outside, they can ‘escape’ us for as long as they want to and they are quite happy on their own! Indoors cats don’t have the luxury of escape, so we should respect their need to control their environment and the quantity and quality of interaction they want. And who knows, your cat may well give you a slow blink to thank you!