The Quiet Power of a Biodiverse Skin Microbiome

The skin is often described as the body’s largest organ, but it is also one of its most complex ecosystems. Living across its surface is a vast community of bacteria, fungi, and microscopic organisms that together form the skin microbiome. Far from being passive passengers, these microbes play an essential role in regulating immunity, maintaining barrier function, and protecting us from pathogens. A biodiverse microbiome is particularly important: the wider the variety of microbes, the more resilient the system becomes.

As we age, this diversity naturally declines. Reduced sebum production, drier skin, and slower cell turnover create a less hospitable environment for beneficial microbes. Modern habits—frequent washing, harsh soaps, indoor living, and limited environmental exposure—accelerate this loss. When diversity falls, the skin becomes more prone to irritation, inflammation, and slower healing. In this sense, maintaining a healthy microbiome is not cosmetic; it is a meaningful part of supporting whole‑body health.

One of the most effective ways to nurture microbial diversity is surprisingly simple: connect with nature. Outdoor environments expose the skin to a rich array of harmless environmental microbes—what immunologists call “old friends.” These organisms help train the immune system, reinforce microbial balance, and counteract the narrowing effect of indoor, sanitised environments. Even a daily walk in a park or woodland can subtly enrich the skin’s microbial landscape.

Equally important is reducing unnecessary disruption. Gentle, pH‑balanced cleansers, less frequent full‑body washing, and regular moisturising help preserve the skin’s natural habitat. A biodiverse microbiome thrives when the barrier is intact and the environment is stable.

In an age of over‑sterilisation, rediscovering the value of microbial diversity—on our skin and in the natural world—offers a quiet but powerful way to support long‑term health.

Recommended read: Rebecca Seal's book: The Allergy Epidemic and What We Can Do About It. Published on April 23rd 2026 by Headline Home at £22. This covers the issue of skin microbe biome and how it impacts the immune system. As does the stomach which is vital to maintaining a healthy immune system. Avoid antibiotics and protect your skin and stomach. 😉👍

A healthy cat caregiver is a better cat giver!! Sorry if that sounds like lecturing.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

Who 'owns' a domestic cat? Or does anyone?

There are countless examples of cat caregivers losing their cat because he/she has gone walkabout and disappeared only to have ended up in a new home not far away after being rescued by an animal lover with whom the lost cat lives contentedly for a long time until the 'original owner' discovers the new arrangement and complains; demanding the return of their cat and even employing a lawyer to threaten legal proceedings.

The cat is the innocent victim in a human dispute; having no knowledge of legal ownership. In this familiar story, the microchip embedded in the cat's neck if it exists is not evidence of ownership. Perhaps it is evidence of 'possession' no more.

Does a person who rescues and cares for a once 'owned' cat become legally entitled to claim ownership? The law is vague on this because if we are honest domestic cats are not really 'owned' like an inanimate 'chattel' such as a table and chairs or a television.

The concept of legal ownership does not really fit the the cat caregiving scenario. And the phrase 'cat caregiving' gives the game away. So called owners are in truth caregivers. The cat agrees to live with a caregiver in a mutually agreeable social contract. He gets fed and cared for and in return he provides companionship to the human caregiver.

There is not much more to it. To get into a tangle about ownership as happened in France recently with Pompon being rescued and cared for for 24 months and the 'true owner' trying to reclaim her cat named 'Flocon' is inappropriate I feel [see story below].

The cat decides who she/he is 'owned' by. If she is happy in her new home and is being cared for well - as is the case in the French story - she stays there. The former owner should be gracious enough to let their cat go. After all, in the French case Pompon had been missing for 2 years. That's enough to break the claim for ownership.

It is actually worse than that because the former owner claims that her cat was stolen. That is not uncommon either. It is wrong though. Cats can't trespass and cats can't be truly owned. In the case of cat rescue it is inappropriate to allege theft by the rescuer unless malicious intent can be firmly established.

The only time theft can be cited is when professional thieves steal a cat from the street for resale.

In disputes like this the answer is mediation to come to an agreeable solution with the welfare of the cat firmly in mind. A cat rescued 24 months ago and settled in a new home should remain in that home. And if a cat wanders from a home it might indicate lack of good caregiving. Another reason for the rescuer to be allowed to take possession.

The French cat story:

In the village of Augicourt in eastern France, a domestic cat has become the subject of a legal dispute between two women, each claiming ownership. Aimée Raclot says she found the animal, which she named Pompon, abandoned and in poor health in her barn. She paid for veterinary treatment and later had the cat microchipped in her own name. A neighbour, however, insists the cat is hers, called Flocon, and supports her claim with earlier veterinary records. She has filed a complaint alleging theft, prompting police involvement and legal proceedings. The case is now heading towards mediation. At its core, the dispute raises a familiar legal tension between possession and care on the one hand, and prior ownership on the other. While Raclot emphasises the rescue and welfare of the cat, the neighbour maintains that original ownership should prevail. The outcome will depend on how the competing evidence is assessed under French law.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

Can Purina LiveClear Help Cat Owners Ease Sinusitis? A Practical Test for Allergy‑Linked Symptoms

When Biological Clocks Collide: Humans, Cats, and the Quiet Strain of Shared Time

Humans and domestic cats live together in extraordinary intimacy, yet their relationship contains an often-overlooked structural tension. It is not about affection, training, or personality. It is about time itself.

Humans are a strongly diurnal species. Our biology expects daylight activity and consolidated sleep at night. Hormones, body temperature, alertness, and mood all follow this pattern. While modern life can bend these rhythms, it rarely does so without cost. Sleep fragmentation, in particular, erodes patience, emotional regulation, and cognitive resilience.

Cats operate on a different clock. Domestic cats are not truly nocturnal, nor are they continuously active. They are best described as crepuscular, with instinctive peaks of alertness and activity at dawn and dusk. These hours coincide with the natural activity patterns of their ancestral prey. Between these bursts, cats sleep lightly and frequently, often in short cycles that allow rapid reactivation.

This mismatch matters. Dawn and dusk are precisely the times when humans are biologically least inclined toward activity. Early morning is a low point for alertness and reaction time. Evening brings declining vision and physiological preparation for rest. What a cat experiences as opportunity, a human experiences as intrusion.

In a caregiving relationship, this divergence is magnified. The human controls food, warmth, safety, and stimulation. The cat therefore directs its biologically urgent behaviours toward the human, often at times when the human is least responsive. Vocalisation, pacing, scratching, and attention-seeking behaviours are not acts of defiance but attempts to close a feedback loop that evolution expects to function.

Over time, this can subtly undermine the relationship. Chronic sleep disturbance is not trivial. When irritation must be continually suppressed because the source is a loved animal, it often turns inward. The cat may be labelled “demanding” or “needy,” while the human frames themselves as a light sleeper or poor sleeper. What goes unnamed is the deeper issue: a chronic circadian misalignment embedded within an attachment bond.

This tension can be more pronounced in cats that experienced a feral or semi-feral early life. For these cats, dawn and dusk were not preferences but survival windows. Their nervous systems were shaped in environments where those hours carried heightened significance. When such cats later become socialised and domestic, the environment changes faster than the internal clock. Human routines, regular feeding, and artificial lighting can soften behaviour, but the crepuscular bias often remains sharper.

By contrast, cats raised entirely indoors from kittenhood tend to show more blurred rhythms. Their activity peaks are flatter, spread across the day by predictability and boredom rather than etched sharply into twilight.

None of this implies incompatibility or failure. Most human-cat relationships find workable compromises through routine, enrichment, feeding schedules, and acceptance. But recognising the biological roots of the tension matters. It reframes the problem not as stubbornness, bad behaviour, or personal inadequacy, but as two evolved chronologies sharing a living space.

The affection remains real. So does the friction. Understanding both allows the relationship to be managed with greater patience, realism, and compassion, for human and cat alike.

Your Obese Cat Is Dying Slowly And You’re the One Feeding the Disease

Here is a tough-talking article about domestic feline obesity in the modern age. 70 years ago cat obesity was rare. 70 years ago we might say the same about human obesity. Both ate less, ate more pure foods and exercise more indirectly. Here goes...

Let’s stop pretending your cat “just got a little chunky.” Let’s stop hiding behind cute internet slang like “chonker” and “floof.” Your cat isn’t adorable. Your cat is obese. And the reason is brutally simple:

You made it that way.

• Not fate.
• Not genetics.
• Not “he’s just hungry.”
• You.

Cats Were Built for Violence, Not Your Sofa

A cat is a precision‑engineered predator — a creature designed to stalk, sprint, leap, and kill. Their metabolism expects:

• protein
• fat
• movement
• unpredictability

Now look at the life you’ve given them.

They live in a climate‑controlled box.
They eat industrial pellets that crunch like cereal.
They sleep 20 hours a day because there’s nothing else to do.
Their biggest thrill is when the Amazon driver knocks.

You’ve taken a biological weapon and turned it into a throw pillow.

Obesity Isn’t an Accident — It’s the Environment You Built

• A cat doesn’t choose its food.
• A cat doesn’t portion its meals.
• A cat doesn’t decide to free‑feed on kibble all day.
• A cat doesn’t design a home with zero stimulation.

You do all of that.

So when your cat becomes obese, the cause isn’t mysterious. It’s not tragic. It’s not “one of those things.” It’s the direct result of the conditions you created.

• You didn’t mean to.
• You didn’t want to.
• But you did.

The Dark Mirror: Owners Pass Their Habits to Their Pets

Here’s the part people hate the most.

Cats often become obese for the same reason their owners do:

• too much processed food
• too little movement
• boredom mistaken for hunger
• emotional eating disguised as “treats”
• a warped sense of what a healthy body looks like

If overeating is normal in your home, overfeeding the cat feels normal too.
If you snack when you’re bored, you’ll feed the cat when it meows.
If you avoid exercise, you won’t create an active environment for your pet.

Your cat becomes a reflection of your lifestyle — a living, breathing mirror of your habits.

The Pet Food Industry Is Happy to Help You Kill Your Cat Slowly

Pet food companies know exactly what they’re doing.

• They sell calorie‑dense kibble because it’s cheap to produce and addictive to cats.
• They market treats as “love.”
• They print portion sizes that are laughably generous.
• They rely on the fact that most owners can’t tell the difference between “healthy” and “on the brink of diabetes.”

A lean cat looks “too skinny” to many people now. That’s how far the baseline has shifted.

The Excuses Are Pathetic

• “He’s fluffy.”
• “She’s a big girl.”
• “He hardly eats anything.”
• “She cries if I don’t feed her.”

These aren’t explanations. They’re denial.

• Cats beg because begging works.
• Cats overeat because the food is there.
• Cats gain weight because the calories exceed the output.

It’s not complicated. It’s just uncomfortable.

The Slow Death You Don’t Want to Think About

Obesity isn’t cute. It’s not harmless. It’s not a personality trait.

It’s:

• joint pain
• chronic inflammation
• diabetes
• heart strain
• reduced mobility
• shortened lifespan

Your cat isn’t “living its best life.”
It’s slowly dying in a body that can’t support itself — a body shaped by your choices.

The Brutal Bottom Line

If your cat is obese, it’s because the environment you created made obesity inevitable. Not because you’re cruel. Not because you don’t care. But because you control every variable that determines your cat’s health.

• Your cat can’t fix this.
• Your cat can’t change its environment.
• Your cat can’t say no to the bowl you keep filling.

You are the architect of its world — and its weight.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

Tea and coffee can improve your heart's health by suppressing inflammation

This is a piece of research which builds on previous studies and adds to mounting evidence which shows that caffeine in tea and coffee is good for overall health. This is due to its anti-inflammatory action as it binds with receptors on immune cells to suppress the production of inflammatory chemicals.

The study I'm referring to, the result of new research from Sapienza University in Rome and published in the journal Rheumatology, looked at 31 patients with lupus which is a condition in which the immune system attacks its own tissues raising the risk of heart disease.

In the study, it was found that caffeine appeared to promote the growth and regeneration of endothelial cells which line the inside of blood vessels in the heart. Having more of the cells helps to repair blood vessels and prevents the build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries.

This study is the first according to the report in The Times to "demonstrate a protective role of caffeine".

Scientists have been debating the role of caffeine in heart health because some thought that it might cause heart palpitations and increased blood pressure.

However, as mentioned, the evidence now points to benefits to heart health for both coffee and tea drinkers.

The experts have suggested that drinking 2 or 3 cups a day could now be added to traditional recommendations such as losing weight to help improve heart health.

We can say with some conviction that daily tea and coffee drinkers have better heart health because of the anti-inflammatory benefits of caffeine.

Dr. Fulvia Ceccarelli, the study leader, said it highlighted the "possible role of diet in controlling the disease". They added that "It will be necessary to confirm the results to a longitudinal study, aimed at assessing the real impact of coffee consumption on the disease course."

To do with cats? Of course: better health by cat caregivers leads to better cat caregiving. Simples...

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.

Cat food should not be more expensive than human food but it often is

This is a cross-post. The title almost says it all. The truth is that in the UK and perhaps in other countries cat food can often be more expensive than human food. This is entirely wrong. I'm not saying that cats are not as important as humans. I am not saying that cats aren't equal to humans. But I don't think, in all fairness, that mass produced cat food should be more expensive than specific items of human food on weight-cost basis.

Hill's Prescription dry cat food is as expensive as steak by Michael Broad

I'm referring, in this instance, to Hill's Prescription Diet dry cat food which as far as I am concerned is inordinately expensive and as expensive as a sirloin steak in the UK on a weight per cost basis.

This is cat food produced en masse in a factory using the carcasses of diseased cows and other dubious sources. Some of these foods are probably based on better quality sources but dry cat food of all types I allege and believe is sourced from dead animals considered too unhealthy for humans and is therefore cheap. 

If you shop at Sainsbury's you will find that sirloin steak costs the same.

And I would argue that the big dry cat food manufacturers such as Hill's are indirectly driving concerned cat owners to buying cheaper products. Cheap dry cat food served up all day long every day is not good for a domestic cat's health in my view particularly if the caregiver is away from home a lot. 

In this instance (a fairly common one) you have a double whammy of problems: separation anxiety potentially which causes stress which can lead to a bladder infection and idiopathic cystitis combined with dry cat food which does not contain enough water which also exacerbates the potential for developing cystitis, a bacterial bladder infection.

You can see how things work and a lot of people go for the convenience of dry cat food and also for its cheapness provided they avoid the big manufacturers such as Hill's.

Hill's should take their leading role more seriously. They have a very heavy responsibility regarding protecting the health and welfare of domestic cats. They promote the concept that their dry cat food is veterinarian approved and based upon "prescriptions". It's a false narrative. I would allege that their foods promote the opposite in many domestic cats owned by people on tight budgets with not a lot of disposable income.

Only the relatively well off can, arguably, afford Hill's dry cat food. This is unfair on the vast majority of cat owners many of whom are single people on limited budgets trying to cope as best he can in a highly competitive world.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

Veterinarian responds to woman's criticisms (while doing her makeup!)

This is quite a cool video firstly because the woman is confident enough to criticise vets in general on social media (TikTok) while doing her makeup! Why do it like that? Is he making a statement? I think she is and it is this: it is a feminist statement saying 'I am a woman and confident in my own skin. Listen to me...' Just a thought.

And I like this very erudite veterinarian. He sits in his car to make a TikTok video in responding to the woman's criticisms. I think the vet's only place (space) of privacy while at work is his car! Good idea.

He responds very nicely. The woman is a bit extravagant in her criticisms. He picks holes in them with ease.

Last point: vets in the UK are currently being criticised in exactly the same way. Too expensive. Rip off businesses because they are often owned and run by big corporations who focus on profit first and foremost and it shows. This video is relevant to the UK situation despite it being made in the USA.

Note: these videos from social media sometimes stop working. Sorry if that has happened.

@thejunglevet lets talk, im genuinely curious to hear you guys’ experiences with your vet #fyp #viral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #veterinary #veterinarian #vettok #petowner #petparents #vetoffice #vetclinic #vets #vetdoctor #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound - Dr. Drew | Veterinarian

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

Cat faeces 'logs' in litter tray block another cat's toileting routine

This is a cross-post as I think it is an interesting topic for cat caregivers.

As a cat caregiver you must have heard about the need to keep the litter tray clean. This applies particularly in homes where there are several cats. And in those homes if cats are sharing a litter tray or there are less litter trays than cats and one cat has used the litter tray, the next cat will be put off by the sight of faeces logs in the litter substrate but not by the smell of the logs.

This image summarises the study findings. Image: MikeB. Words: the study.

And in being put off by the sight of the faeces they may not use the litter tray and may even defecate outside the litter tray (inappropriate elimination).

The interesting aspect of the study which discovered this (see citation below) is that the problem for cats sharing litter trays is the physical presence of the faeces in the substrate not the odour of the other cat's faeces. 

This surprised me as cats have very effective noses and they scent mark with urine and faeces. Because scent marking is so big in their lives you'd have thought that the odour of another cat's faeces would be the off-putting issue but no.

This is about VISUALLY offending the cat about to embark on a toilet session and not in terms of odour.

The study worked with cats that got along. It might be a different story if they did not. They discovered this phenomenon by depositing false cat faeces in the litter tray that were odourless. The cats were put off by them. 

They also put in 'faux-urine' and they were put off by that as well, even more so.

Citation for the study: Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households? Researchers: J.J. Ellis, R.T.S. McGowan, F. Martin. Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.008

P.S. It is best not to super-clean litter trays and remove all the natural feline scent from it as cats are attracted to the scent of their poop and pee and use the area as a toilet.

P.S. 2 - The best practice in multi-cat homes is to have one tray per cat. This would avoid the above mentioned issue. I suspect that not many owners of several cats do this however. The issue mentioned on this page may be a big factor in trying to control cat toileting in multi-cat homes.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

My cat has Feline idiopathic cystitis and barely moves, how long will this sort of behavior last?

You should be able to cure this within a few to several days doing the following:

If the prescribed food is prescription diet dry food (vet recommended), stop it immediately. Provide high quality wet food only and give her for example boiled fish with some added water. Need to get water into her regularly and indefinitely.

Secondly, need to make the place less stressful for her. Incidentally female ginger tabbies are rare. If you are away all the time (understandable) it will cause stress - separation anxiety.

I am afraid you'll have to try and fix that problem (difficult). Idiopathic cystitis has 2 causes in my view: dry food + stress. Tackle both if you can. It'll work I feel pretty sure.

I see that you are tackling the stress element with a medication. Changing the environment is better and a permanent solution. Drugs aren't.

Vets tend to prescribe dry foods which are formulated to help cure cystitis but it is a misconceived policy as the cure is water to help flush the urinary tract system.

Dry foods cause mild dehydration which creates a good medium in which bacteria can develop in the bladder.

The above method should work within days.

Is she a full-time indoor cat left alone? If that is true, it is a sure-fire way to not solve the problem. Try some supervised outdoor activity. She needs to be active as well. Is she overweight? That won't help either. Sorry for being a bit tough. 😻😎

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Headset which alleviates depression endorsed by NHS

We know that caring for a domestic cat can help alleviate depression. We know that it can help alleviate the feeling of loneliness and it can help people get through life particularly when they live alone. There are real, tangible benefits to living with a domestic cat and/or domestic dog companion but sometimes depression just sticks around. A cat owner cannot shake it off and if that's the case, which would be entirely understandable particularly in a more stressful world, this NHS endorsed headset might assist as well.

Flow headset superimposed on a model presenting depressive behaviour.

The Times newspaper, yesterday, refers to this device as a way to alleviate the emotional distress a person suffers when they break up with a partner. The headline for The Times was "£400 headset could help to fix pain of a broken heart".

But the pain of a broken heart includes depression, low mood and extreme sadness sometimes. So this device is designed to alleviate a low mood and it purportedly achieves this through very low level electrical signals sent through the brain with electrodes. That sounds a little bit shocking (excuse the pun) or it might to some people but as I said it endorsed by the NHS and its got some good reviews so I would like to mention it on this website.

The problem is this: a person who is sick or depressed cannot in all fairness and truth be a good cat caregiver. You got to be up to the business of cat caregiving to do a good job. It requires human input which makes this post relevant to the website.

The report is that "wearing the device for a few minutes a day with a mild electrical current may reduce feelings of misery, negativity and depression".

36 participants took part in a study. They wore the "transcranial direct current stimulation device".

The participants were split into three groups each wearing the headset for 20 minutes twice a day over five days.

In one group the current was aimed at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain linked with task switching, inhibition, planning and working memory.

In a second group, the stimulation was directed at the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex which helps people make conscious decisions according to their motivations. And in the third group the headset was switched off.

Sometimes the gentle electrical current can cause tingling.

The study is published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. The researchers concluded that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation was more efficient than the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation to deal with "love trauma syndrome". This includes distress, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and obsessive thoughts.

The researchers were from Iran and Germany. They found that the device "significantly reduced LTS symptoms and improved depressive state and anxiety after the intervention, as compared with the sham group."

A month after the treatment stopped the participants said that they still felt better. The author of the study said: "These promising results require replication in longer trials."

In January of this year, and NHS trust said that it was offering a headset to deliver transcranial direct current stimulation treatment for patients with a diagnosis of depression. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said that their patients use the Flow headset device themselves at home for 30 minutes five times a week for three weeks. After about three weeks they reduce the level of the treatment. They can then stop or continue to use it for as long as needed. It is designed to relieve depressive symptoms.

It's not cheap at about £400 in the UK. But if you are depressed and have tried a lot of things including drugs you might like to consider this as an alternative. I am not a doctor. I'm simply reporting what I read in the newspapers but I want to help people who are depressed and cat caregivers.

Flow headset in operation.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

NHS in UK makes pet owners disgruntled about private vet prices

Yes, vet prices have surged higher in the UK recently because they want to make more money. It is as simple as that. And they want to make more dosh because the unprofitable, independent vets owned by a partnership of veterinarians have been bought up by big business and big business always has an eye on the profit margin and not so much on the quality of the treatment.

Fictional MRI scan for a dog at a vet clinic. 

Having said all that there is a big obstacle in the UK to citizens' perception of medical treatments: the National Health Service (NHS) which is free at the point of delivery.

It is not actually free but paid for out of taxpayer revenue - over £100 billion annually - but it feels like it is free to the citizens who rely on it for the health needs.

In the UK, health care for humans can be free unless the person can afford and selects private health care while health care for pets is never free but sometimes damnably expensive.

Pet health care is as expensive or more expensive than private human health care sometimes in the UK. But let's say that they are on a par, it is still a lot of money when paying for vet services and products.

And it all goes back to perception. Private pet health care as it always is in the UK seems beyond the means of many because they are used to walking into A&E at a local hospital or a walk-in unit for minor injuries and being seen to free of charge.

I am not condoning some of the rip-off vet prices but I think Brits need to put things in perspective. Health care for pets is an important and expensive business with ever more sophisticated diagnostic and treatment machinery. They are expensive.

The third factor is that more pet owners take out pet health insurance which pushes up the quality and price of treatments. It is a virtuous or unhelpful circle which ends up making veterinary care too expensive for many which in turn results in many pets not receiving the care they need and deserve.

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

I ask my cat if he wants wet food and he answers

One of the difficulties for a cat caregiver is ensuring that your cat eats all or nearly all the wet food that you give him/her. You have to minimise waste both for financial reasons and because it is a pain in the bum getting rid of waste cat food. Giving it to the foxes is perhaps the best way if your neighbours don't know about it or accept it. Judging by the stories in the internet sometimes neighbours get angry about feeding wildlife by feeding feral cats. 

Anyway, this is how I minimise wet cat food waste. I ask him. Literally. Of course I also understand his body language and the signals he sends to me when he is interested in a meal but sometimes cats can fool their owners in this regard because they want a treat and not regular food. It is hard to tell the difference.

What I do is this:

• I ask in English if he wants wet food
• I place my cat on the kitchen counter - yes, I feed my cat on the kitchen counter. Some people do.
• I hold up a sachet of wet food - a small sachet to make sure he eats all of it - near his face.
• If he is interested and genuinely in the mood to eat because he is sufficiently hungry he head butts my hand. The one that is holding the cat food sachet. 
• He wants it. I remove the food carefully to avoid splashing some on the counter. Sachets can he hard to tear open. I always use a knife to ensure that all the food is extracted. Waste not want not.
• He eats all the food.

The key is his answer in the affirmative response by head butting my hand. This means he butts the top of his head against it. This is scent exchange - depositing scent on my hand but it also serves as a positive response to my question under these circumstances.

How did I get to this form of communication? It took several years of routine. As they say, patience is all when it comes to training a cat.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Cat and dog ownership is about pleasing people not the cats and dogs

Of course, in cat and dog ownership the caregivers often do their best to keep their pets happy. And that sentence appears to contradict the title. What I'm saying, though, is that the ultimate goal of a cat or dog owner is most often to please themselves; to find support from their companion animal. That's often the primary objective when people adopt or purchase/adopt a pet.

Human centrism as depicted by an AI computer DALL-E 3.

History

This primary goal shows itself in how pet ownership has developed over hundreds of years. If you turn the clock back in let's say Britain and look at cat ownership then, cats were allowed much more freedom to behave naturally. There were more community cats in Britain hundreds of years ago.

To allow cats to behave naturally is to please them. Of course hundred years ago there were no veterinary services and therefore cats had a shorter lifespan. They would have been ill more often which makes cats unhappy. 

They would been fed human scraps rather than specially formulated cat food. All these were negatives to cat contentment but at the heart of cat caregiving in the early part of the 19th century cats were allowed behave more naturally compared to today. That's the point I'm making ultimately.

Jumping forward to today, then, although cats and dogs are healthier in some regards today they are, arguably less content. I'll highlight some specific points to support that statement.

And I'm going to refer to an environmental historian who provided advice for an article on The Guardian newspaper online for some pointers on this. Their name is Troy Vettese. Troy said:

“If people really cared about animals, we would only engage in rescues and helping animal sanctuaries’ wildlife rehabilitation – things that we find fulfilling, but that also help the animal. [Instead] we only like relationships where they are easy, where the pets are well maintained, where we can hire a dog walker, where it impinges as little as possible on our life and we are extracting as much emotional support as we want from them."

He regards the relationship as very selfish. It is indeed human-centric. The cat-to-human relationship and the dog-to-human relationship very much centres around what the human wants and desires and gets. Of course, there is a wide spectrum of types of relationship with some being far better than others but that is the underpinning process.

Pandemic

The human-centric nature of pet ownership became very apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cats and dogs were adopted because people were in lockdown. They wanted company. They adopted animals for themselves. They thought less of the long-term future and how they would cope with cat and dog caregiving which resulted in surrenders to rescues and sales on Facebook when the pandemic ended. Another signal of the human-centric nature of pet ownership nowadays.

This led to many reports of shelters being overrun with abandoned pets. The RSPCA were one example who complained about this.

Expansion

In America, pet ownership has expanded a lot as is the case in the UK and I suspect in other developed countries. A report on the pet industry in the US states that 70% of US households have a pet. A massive upscaling of pet ownership.

Indoors

But in parallel with that there has been a definite trend towards keeping cats indoors full-time which is good and bad. I have said in the past that people keep their cats indoors full-time primarily for their benefit; for their emotional well-being to prevent them being anxious about their cat when they go outside. Most people don't keep their cats inside to protect wildlife. They keep them inside to feel better themselves. But they don't enrich the indoor environment which leads to an unnatural environment for the cat and a less contented life.

And it is said that dogs have "less and less freedom to move around the world and be dogs". Those are the thoughts of Jessica Pierce, a bioethicist.

Breeding

And then we can turn to cat and dog breeding. The cat fancy didn't exist before the late 1800s and the same applies to dogs broadly speaking although dog domestication started 20k years ago compared to cats at 10k years ago. 

But since then, selective breeding has created some dogs and cats with extraordinary appearances which are unnatural and frankly unhealthy. Purebred cats and dogs inherit more illnesses than random bred cats and dogs. That's a result of selective breeding. And selective breeding is about pleasing owners. It's a human-centric process. And when you breed animals you kill more shelter animals. Another process which points to pleasing people rather than doing the right thing for companion animals.

Objects

Jessica Pierce claims that people nowadays are more likely to treat dogs and cats as objects than they were in the past. This is evident in the selective breeding argument above. Selective breeding is a moulding of a cat or dog so they have an interesting appearance while almost ignoring the health consequences. You couldn't get more human-centric.

Family members

And we know that cats and dogs nowadays are very often treated as family members. Like little people. Like kids. Like toddlers and people buy them clothes sometimes and dress them up. They do this to please themselves but not their cat or dog. And sometimes perhaps rarely dog owners have an artist paint a portrait of their companion animal and hang it over the mantelpiece. Just like a family member.

Starter kids

The business side of the pet ownership industry has burgeoned. And people are having pets rather than children. They sometimes adopt a cat or dog as a starter child. This has upset the current Pope who wants Italians to have children rather than adopt a pet.

The process is one of converting an animal to a human. If you treat a cat or dog as a human you are not really respecting the animal and doing right by the animal. There should be a focus on what an animal needs to be content which means creating a world fit for the animal in which they can express their natural desires.

Overindulge

And people sometimes overindulge their animals which has resulted in what veterinarians describe as an 'obesity epidemic'. Once again this is about people wishing to be nice to their pet resulting in overfeeding and a lack of exercise for their companion animal. Human failings based around but humans want to do and not what is right for their animal.

Emotional support

Pierce claims that often people tend to adopt a dog as a support animal, and emotional aid. She says this is not good for dog health and claims that veterinary literature reports that the level of dog anxiety is "off the charts".

People are asking dogs and cats to fulfil a human need and looking for unconditional love. This appears to be humans controlling their pet to the point where they are only allowed to give unconditional love. If they were allowed more freedoms with they give it?

Focusing on cat and dog needs

Another thought is that even when cat and dog owners are very thoughtful and conscientious they intend to underestimate the needs and desires of their companions. It's difficult to say it but the domestic cat is a top predator. They need to prey on animals to be content. It is their raison d'être. It is the centre of their lives. Bang them up in they home full-time and they can't do it and they become unhappy. They lack mental stimulation and opportunities to do what they want. They sleep all the time. They eat for pleasure. They become fat. Sometimes they suffer from separation anxiety when their owner leaves them alone all day.

Boredom

Vettese believes that "the boredom of animals is intense." He is referring to parrots stuck in cages bored out of their minds and stressed. But the same can apply to many indoor cats.

The captivity of cats is an issue. The full-time indoor MO makes them zoo animals in effect. And we know how bad zoos are the wild animals and the domestic cat, at heart is a wild animal.

Adopt from rescues

One thing we can do better is to adopt animals from rescue centres only. In line with this, many American jurisdictions are preventing pet shops from selling animals such as cats and dogs and forcing people to adopt them from shelters or the pet shop can be an extension of a shelter. The concept of breeding cats and dogs and then buying them is very human-centric and treating them as objects such as a new car. Dog and cat breeds are about appearance because humans are fascinated with appearance.

Ownership and caregiving

There is a distinction between owning and caring for a companion animal. The concept of ownership is wrong in terms of fostering good cat and dog caregiving. Ownership fosters or reinforces a problematic attitude towards animals and renders them as a property whereas caregiving fosters treating animals as animals. Respecting them more.

Failure

I have argued that cat domestication is a failure when considered overall. A thought. Too many feral cats. Each feral cat is a sign of failure.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

How do you know it is the right time to euthanize your chronically sick elderly cat?

Basic rule: do what it right for your cat not what is right for you (hanging on). It is one of the toughest decisions that you'll have to make. Perhaps the toughest and it can be emotional agony. You'll need the advice of a good, experienced veterinarian (10 years qualified). That is essential I feel. Here are some more pointers.

As a cat owner, making the decision to euthanize a chronically sick elderly cat is incredibly difficult. It’s essential to consider your cat’s well-being and quality of life. Here are some factors to help guide your decision:

1. Quality of Life Assessment:

   • Pain and Discomfort: Evaluate whether your cat is experiencing chronic pain or discomfort. Signs include changes in appetite, mobility, grooming habits, and overall behavior.
   • Joy and Engagement: Consider whether your cat still enjoys activities they used to love. Are they engaged with their environment, or have they withdrawn?
   • Hygiene and Self-Care: Observe if your cat can maintain proper hygiene, groom themselves, and use the litter box effectively.

2. Consult with Your Veterinarian:

   • Regularly consult with your vet about your cat’s health. They can provide insights into your cat’s condition, prognosis, and potential treatment options.
   • Discuss your cat’s quality of life and any pain management strategies.

3. Mobility and Independence:

   • Cats thrive on independence. If your cat’s mobility is severely compromised, affecting their ability to move, jump, or access essential resources, it may be time to consider euthanasia.

4. Appetite and Weight Loss:

   • Significant weight loss or refusal to eat can indicate underlying health issues. Malnutrition and dehydration can impact your cat’s overall well-being.

5. Chronic Illness Progression:

   • If your cat’s chronic illness is progressively worsening despite medical interventions, it’s crucial to assess their overall comfort.

6. Personal Considerations:

   • Reflect on your emotional and financial capacity to care for your cat. Balancing your cat’s needs with your own well-being is essential.

Remember that euthanasia is a selfless act of love, allowing your cat to pass peacefully and without suffering. Consult with your veterinarian, consider your cat’s comfort, and trust your instincts. It’s a heart breaking decision, but prioritizing your cat’s well-being is paramount. 🐾

Regrets cat owners might have on the death of their cat

As a cat owner, grieving the loss of a beloved feline companion can be a deeply emotional experience. Here are some common feelings and considerations that cat owners may encounter when their cat passes away:

1. Relief and Guilt: If your cat had been suffering from illness or pain, you might feel a sense of relief that their suffering has ended. However, this relief can sometimes be followed by guilt or shame for feeling relieved.

2. Loneliness and Isolation: Losing a cat can leave you feeling alone and misunderstood. Others may not fully grasp the depth of your grief, but it’s essential to recognize that your feelings are valid and unique.

3. No Set Time Limit for Grief: Grieving is a personal process, and there’s no fixed timetable for how long it should last. Everyone copes differently, and it’s okay to take the time you need to heal.

4. Helping Your Surviving Cat Grieve:

   • Stick to Routine: Cats thrive on routine, so maintaining familiar schedules can help your surviving cat adjust to the change.
   • Avoid Excessive Attention: While it’s natural to want to comfort your remaining cat, sudden increases in attention can be stressful. Balance your interactions.
   • Introducing a New Pet: Be cautious about introducing another pet too soon. Cats need time to adjust, and their needs should be considered during this period.

5. Understanding Your Cat’s Perspective:

   • Awareness of Another Cat’s Condition: There’s no conclusive evidence that cats are aware when their feline friend is dying. Some cats may show distress or sadness, while others may appear indifferent.
   • Showing the Deceased Cat’s Body: If the cause of death doesn’t pose a risk of infection, you can show your surviving cat the body. However, there’s no guarantee that this aids the grieving process for your cat.

Remember that grieving is a natural part of losing a cherished pet. Be patient with yourself and allow your emotions to unfold as you honour the memory of your beloved cat. 🐾

Sources: Multiple sources from the internet all guided and verified as correct by personal experience including veterinary websites and the Blue Cross.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

30% of New Zealand cat owners are opposed to cat confinement and almost 50% are ambivalent

NEWS AND OPINION: This is a recent study from New Zealand about confining cats to the home i.e. full-time indoor cats. It's a modern trend and one that is being discussed in New Zealand as it is in many other developed countries. The objective is twofold (1) to keep the cats safe and (2) to keep wildlife safe from cat predation.

The New Zealand government and local governments within the country are particularly concerned about cat predation on wildlife - native species. They have a mentality which is similar to that found in Australia. It's one in which a focus is placed on protecting native species. The free-roaming domestic cat undermines that objective. But what do the citizens of New Zealand think about domestic cat confinement?

A survey of 395 cat owners as reported online on the Newshub website tells us that 30% of New Zealanders are opposed to keeping their cat inside the home full-time. Only 6% of cat owners in New Zealand do it at the moment while 17% are open to the possibility and 48% are unsure about the concept of full-time indoor cats.

This is not resounding support from cat-owning citizens for keeping cats inside the home. It doesn't surprise me. I've written in the past about the motivation of cat owners in keeping their cats indoors all the time and the prime objective is not to protect wildlife but to protect their cats. And in protecting their cats they avoid the emotional distress of their cat being harmed outside perhaps on the road.

RELATED: Places where domestic cats are confined to the home by law.

Ultimately, the bottom line is that normally cat owners keep their cats inside to avoid the distress that they will suffer if their cat is harmed on the road for instance. To use a long word it is an example of anthropocentrism.

This, I would argue, explains why the percentages from this study are rather poor for those people in authority who wants to keep cats inside to protect wildlife.

The general trend in New Zealand and Australia is for the authorities to want to change the law or make demands on cat owners to keep their cats inside. This survey represents somewhat of a pushback from that desire.

Cat advocates in New Zealand think that it is impractical to demand that all cat owners keep their cats inside all-time and it might be too expensive in for example having to build a catio or a cat confinement fence all around the back yard (£4,000). Both these options are fairly expensive. Although a mini-catio is cheap and better than no catio:

RELATED: Mini-catio is better than no catio.

You can't keep a cat locked up inside your home full-time unless you do something to entertain them which means enriching their environment. Hence the need for a catio. Even then it wouldn't be as good as allowing your cat outside in terms of mental stimulation.

The survey doesn't say this but a lot of cat owners want the best for their cat which means they want them to be happy and a domestic cat is happiest when they are out hunting! That sounds very anti-conservation and it is but if you are focusing on the cat only that is your objective.

New Zealand's cat advocates say that making micro-chipping and sterilisation obligatory would be effective over the long term in protecting wildlife. The problem with that plan is that it will take a very long time and it is difficult to enforce. Both these weaknesses in their plan will upset the authorities because they want something tangible quite quickly because they are elected officials and they need to demonstrate results i.e. success.

My personal view is that it's good that New Zealand is discussing these things but the problem is very hard to totally fix. One plank in the solution that has not been discussed in this news media article is education. If every cat owner was perfect they would microchip their cat, they would sterilise their cat, and they would take their cat outside on a lead or if they confine their cat to the home they would make sure that it was thoroughly enriched for their cat's entertainment. Many cat owners are far from perfect of course.

One issue is a lack of knowledge despite many years of discussion about cat caregiving on the internet. Things have improved by there is work to do.

I think education about cat ownership needs to be in the frame here. I would like to see domestic cat husbandry introduced into schools. It could be wider than that. You could have a course about companion animal husbandry for schoolkids. That should and could be part of the curriculum.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Cat killed on road after parents screwed up when cat-sitting for daughter

This is not Kylo but another tuxedo cat. Image: MikeB.

I want to ask the readers (not many I guess!) who they think is most at fault in this story. I'll say right away that I'd apportion blame at 50:50. What do you think?

Here is the story:

In America, a young woman (26) with a full-time indoors tuxedo cat, Kylo, asked her parents to take care of her cat while she moved to a new state to live with her husband. She gave her parents strict instructions that Kylo was an indoor cat because her previous cats had been indoor/outdoor cats who'd come to early, unnatural deaths such as being poisoned and a hit and run.

Her parents agreed. But they had three dogs and liked to keep the backdoor open! Not good and I guess she might have foreseen what was going to happen and it did.

Kylo escaped the home and was hit by a car outside and killed. Her father telephoned her to inform her that her cat had been killed and she yelled at him: "I told you to keep him inside!". His response was, "Oh stop, it's just a cat". Not good.

This made things worse. She'd had begged her parents to keep Kylo inside but despite their promises they failed to respect her decision. The parents said that Kylo was curious and hinted at that they wanted him to satisfy his curiosity.

"I constantly told them 'no, Kylo is an indoor cat, keep him inside'. I begged and begged them to respect my decision with my cat and I had thought they had…I received a phone call from my father saying that Kylo was hit by a car and killed today. In the midst of sobbing and yelling at my dad, 'I TOLD YOU TO KEEP HIM INSIDE!!' my dad said 'oh stop… it's just a cat' so I promptly hung up on him and immediately called my best friend (26f)."

Comment: Not good enough. The parents failed her terribly. It highlights the problems of getting relatives to cat sit. It is very risky. There is a huge responsibility on the cat sitter to protect the cat or cats. I don't think they realise the responsibility sometimes. But the cat's owner failed her cat too I am afraid. She has ultimate responsibility for her cat. She made the decision to leave him with her parents who apparently were unsuitable and not up to the task.

One issue is failing to recognise the value of a domestic cat. The father clearly didn't. For him it was 'only a cat' which is sure to lead to carelessness.

The response from the daughter is to ban her parents from baby-sitting which is sad but understandable.

The daughter said:

"After a good cry and a stern talking, my husband and I decided to keep my parents from watching their grandchildren without us there, no matter the circumstances. If they can't respect my one wish for my cat, what is to say they will respect my wishes for my children? So, am I the a**hole for not allowing my parents the chance to babysit their grandchildren?"

The source of the story is Reddit.com. 

If your cat smells bad there is something wrong. Time to investigate.

Image: in public domain.

On the mumsnet.com website a lady asks if cats smell? She says that her cats don't smell which is normal she says if a cat is healthy. She is seeking reassurances from other mumsnet.com users.

Actually, domestic cats do smell slightly when they are healthy. It is a subtle, pleasant smell. Most cat caregivers have kissed their cat on various parts of their body and picked up the smell. It is a pleasant experience.

New cat owners

People who are new to cat ownership might be unsure about how domestic cats smell. This might be because they've read some misinformation on the Internet. Or, they might have a distorted idea about the normal body odour of domestic cats because they have a cat litter tray which is not cleaned enough or, perhaps, their cat is eliminating inappropriately. 

This means that they might be peeing outside the litter box or even defecating outside the litter box due to stress. That by the way will be due to an environmental problem which would be fully in the control of the cat caregiver and it would need to be investigated.

It may be that the entire house smells bad and their cat is picking up some of this odour. There are many possible reasons why their cat might not be smelling nice. Or they think their cat doesn't smell nice. There may be a subjective issue here: the owner's sense of smell might be dodgy or they don't like certain smells. 

It needs to be investigated because this short post has been published to tell people unequivocally that domestic cats don't smell bad. They smell nice.

Some possible reasons why a cat might smell bad

I will try and think of a few reasons why your cat might smell bad. These are some examples.

Oral health

Firstly, he or she might have very poor oral health. Bad teeth and gums are not uncommon in older cats. She might have bad breath. This might give the impression that she smells. This will need to be investigated because poor oral health is painful and it can stop a domestic cat feeding properly or at all if it is very bad.

Ear mites

Image: MikeB

A bad infestation of ear mites can result in a bad smell around the ears. This may give the impression to the owner that there cat smells bad. Ear mites are terrible parasites and they cause a lot of distress to the cat. Urgent medical treatment is required. The owner should not try to clean their cat's ears themselves unless they are very skilled at it. I have a page on that which you can read by clicking on the following link if you wish. Home treatment for cat ear mites.

Diarrhea

She may have diarrhoea and be unable to maintain a hygienic bottom. This may give the impression that she smells. If this is the case you need to investigate the underlying cause of diarrhoea which is a symptom of a range of ill health conditions.

Abscess

He might have an abscess which you've not spotted which is weeping pass which is smelly. That would be unusual for an indoor cat but possible as the most common cause of abscesses are fights. If an abscess is left unattended there will be a big buildup of pus under the skin. It will need to be attended to. It will need to be cleaned out and the cat given a course of antibiotics.

Chemical on coat

Another possibility would be that the coat has picked up some chemical or substance which you've not spotted which smells. Obviously, this should be removed from the coat because anything on a domestic cat's coat presents a health hazard to the cat as they are fastidious groomers normally and therefore will ingest that substance.

Skunk (America)

It is conceivable that an indoor/outdoor cat has met a skunk on their travels and they been left with the owner that that creature chucks and other creatures! Skunks spray to repel potential predators with a foul-smelling, oily secretion stored in their perianal glands.
Not grooming?

Cat fails to groom themselves

And this takes me to the last point and perhaps the most important point. If a domestic cat is not maintaining their own hygiene to a high standard as they normally do by which I mean they are not grooming themselves regularly on a daily basis, it is an indication that they are ill. 

It is an indication that they are not feeling themselves. It may result in the cat smelling not quite right. The usual pleasant nutty smell may no longer be there. This would be a warning sign and the cat caregiver should investigate carefully and it is likely that a veterinarian's visit is required.

Rolling in dirt

RELATED: Why do cats roll in dirt? 3 reasons.

Bathing

Cats don't normally need bathing and they should not be bathed regularly because it's not good for them. But bearing in mind that this page is about a cat smelling abnormally unpleasant it may be a moment to bathe your cat which of course should be done with care and respect.

RELATED: Do cats really need baths: If so, how often?

2 more ways to be a better cat caregiver by being healthier

Image in public domain,

Here are some more ways to be a better cat caregiver by being healthier. It is very difficult to be a good cat caregiver if you are unhealthy and feeling ill. And it's also difficult to be a good cat caregiver if you feel depressed. Depression is on the increase in the US and in the UK.

Previously, a separate report released in May from Gallup found a similar national prevalence of depression in the United States, also finding that about 18% of adults say they are depressed or receiving treatment for depression, a jump of more than 7 percentage points since 2015. - CNN report 15th June 2023.

I have recently written about some ways to improve one's health both in the interests of the caregiver and of the cat:

1. Infographic on 8 habits that could add 24 years to your life (and improve cat caregiving)
2. Be a better cat caregiver by being healthier in consuming olive oil and going vegetarian for 6 months.

Today I would like to address a couple more methods to improve one's health and welfare.

Handful of nuts linked to lower risk of depression

Eating a handful of nuts every day is linked to a 17% lower risk of depression according to scientists. Nuts contain nutrients that could help mental health. Data was gathered from the UK Biobank. This is an online database of medical and lifestyle records concerning half a million Britons. 

The analysis suggested that middle-aged and older adults who ate a daily 30 g serving of nuts including pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, almonds and walnuts were less likely to report to their GP that they were depressed and are less likely to be taking antidepressants.

The study has been published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. This is an observational study which means they saw this link but they don't explain why the link exists. But they speculate that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of nuts may act as antidepressant nutrients.

The scientists explained that nuts contain bioactive substances such as phenols or phytosterols. They also contain micronutrients, fibre, high quality protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids together with vitamins all of which could play a role in improving mental health.

The lead author, Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni, a researcher at the Health and Social Research Centre at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, in Spain said: "Our findings highlight yet another benefit of consuming nuts."

The researchers looked at data from more than 13,000 people aged between 27-73 over the years 2007 to 2020. They did not report having depression at the start of the study. The researchers asked participants to complete questionnaires to assess nut consumption and they compared this to doctors' diagnoses of depression or antidepressant use which was recorded.

More than 1100 cases of depression were recorded representing 8.3% of the participants after a follow-up of more than five years. And they discovered, as mentioned, that those who ate 30 g of nuts a day had a 17% lower risk of depression compared to those who did not eat nuts.

Just 2337 steps a day can cut risk of disease

This is about something a lot of people know quite a lot about namely walking and measuring how many steps you take when you go for a daily walk. I'm told by The Times that in the lead up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, marketing executives started a campaign to promote a new pedometer and suggested that people should walk 10,000 steps a day. It has, since then, been touted as a good target to stay fit and healthy.

It is quite a high target. You have to go for about a 50 minute to 1 hour walk or more to reach that figure but a new study shows that if you walk the equivalent of 2,337 steps daily it's enough to reduce the risk of dying but the more you walk the more the benefit.

The scientists analysed information from 226,889 people involved in previous studies in many countries including Norway, Australia, America and Britain.

The daily average step count was recorded and compared to their likelihood of dying during a follow-up period averaging seven years. The study has been published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology. It confirmed what I have stated. The 2,337 steps a day has been identified as the minimum at which one can see a significant reduction in the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.

The lead author, Prof Maciej Banach from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland Said: "Our study confirms that the more you walk, the better. We found that this applies to both men and women, irrespective of age and irrespective of [where you live]. In addition, our analysis indicates that as little as 4,000 steps a day are needed to significantly reduce deaths from any cause, and even fewer to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease.

The NHS recommends that people should do at least 150 minutes of moderately intense activity such as walking every week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity over the same period.

Be a better cat caregiver by being healthier in mind, body and spirit.

A stressed cat owner cannot be a good cat owner

We know how competently even brilliantly domestic cats can de-stress their owner. It's one reason why we live with cats. They are great companions and they help stop us from getting too wound up because once they are on your lap you have to slow down a bit. And they get in the way when you are on your computer. You either accept that and work around it or you fight it and become more anxious and stressed.

A stressed cat owner may have a stressed as well and a stress cat owner cannot really discharge their responsibilities to a high level. The image is by Michael.

But the point is that if a cat owner is stressed by their lifestyle, by their work or by any manner of reasons, they are not going to be a great cat caregiver.

Stress leads to anxiety and anxiety leads to depression. You can't be a good cat caregiver if you are stressed and anxious although, as mentioned, there is the counter measure which is that although being stressed prevents you being a good cat caregiver, living with a cat makes you a better cat caregiver because it calms you down! 

The problem is that in the meantime you are likely to interact with your cat in a less than good way because of your anxiety. If you are irritated because of stress then you are going to be irritated by your cat at some point. And you might yell at your cat or behave towards your cat in a brusque and unsatisfactory way. There is no blame in this. It is just a simple fact.

I know for a fact that if I'm stressed, I'm not going to present the best side of me in terms of cat caregiving. I might be irritated because my cat brushes against my bare legs and at that moment in time I don't want to feel that. I want to get on with what I'm doing and my cat is getting in the way of achieving that.

But in having a cat we have to be prepared to compromise and to give way to our cat. We are sharing the same environment as our cat. The environment should be pleasant and mentally stimulating for our cat.

It's an interesting mix because on the one side there is the responsibility of caring for a cat well and this in itself can make a person stressed, and yet on the other side there is the pleasure of looking after a cat and the pleasures that flow from it which helps to de-stress a person.

A person stressed by the responsibilities of caring for their cat

There is an interesting post on the Reddit.com website about a person who adopted a cat and became very stressed because they wanted to do their absolute best in looking after their cat. They did everything possible to make the life of their cat as good as possible.

In striving for this state of affairs, the cat owner became very stressed. They went to the Reddit.com website to ask for advice because the person didn't even feel a bond to their cat after doing so much for them. And they asked, "How can I stop holding the bar up so high for myself and revolve my life around my cat?"

I think the ultimate answer as to how you relate to your cat and care for your cat is that you must simply love her or him. If you love your cat everything good flows from that starting point. You will find out what your cat likes and loves and what makes them happy and indeed what makes you happy. And you will find out whether you are suited to being a cat caregiver. You've got to actually like or even love cats to successfully live with a cat companion. That must be a starting point and it is common sense but some people might not think about that when they decide to adopt a cat.

There's no point in regarding cat caregiving as solely a responsibility and a duty. It should be a pleasure to look after a cat. Then you receive the pleasure of living with your cat. It should be entirely reciprocal with equal mutual benefit.

Human to human relationship

There is another quick point to make which is this: if you are in a relationship with a person which is not going that well and you both live in the same home as your cat, it's going to affect your cat negatively, which probably goes without saying. It is another source of stress for you and it will taint the ambience of the household. Domestic cats pick up on that. They demand, really, a calm and stable household.