Men are much more likely to adopt cats than women in the UK, study finds

A story in the Daily Mail reports on a study that challenges the ‘crazy cat lady’ stereotype, revealing that men in the UK are more likely to adopt cats than women. According to a survey conducted by UK Pet Food, over the last four years, 27% of men have adopted an adult cat compared to 18% of women. This translates to approximately 1.5 million new male cat-owning households, versus around one million female households.

The report also highlights that many pet owners, particularly those over the age of 45, find their pets to be a significant source of companionship, with some even expressing a preference for spending time with their pets over family members. Additionally, there’s a suggestion that pets could be beneficial for mental health, with one-fifth of respondents supporting the idea of pets being available on prescription.

This study underscores the changing dynamics in pet adoption and the important role pets play in providing emotional support and combating loneliness.

Comment: this trend, if indeed it is a trend, is probably due to cats being considered better pets when the caregiver is working away from home all the time. Unfortunately both cats and dogs suffer from separation anxiety when their caregiver is not around for long periods. If the reason is as I believe, it is a poor reason.

An added problem is that absent caregivers tend to put down dry cat food for day-long grazing which is bad for the cat under these circumstances as the cat becomes slightly dehydrated which combined with the stress of separation anxiety can lead to cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder due to a bacterial infection and/or for the reason stated below.

Separation anxiety in cats can lead to cystitis. Stress is considered a significant cause of Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC), a common type of cystitis in cats. Anxiety can cause the protective layer of the bladder to become patchy, exposing the bladder tissue to harsh chemicals in urine, which can result in inflammation. It’s important to manage a cat’s stress levels to prevent such health issues, and if you notice symptoms of cystitis, consulting a vet is crucial.

I have personal experience of causing my cat to develop cystitis for the above reason, sadly. It was years ago but I still feel bad about it. I have not missed one day of being with my current cat who I have lived with for around 8 years.

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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.

This cat sneezing fit video will make you smile guaranteed

I am sure that this cat is healthy. Something irritated their nose and this happened. Poor thing but it is not serious. Just a bit amusing.

What causes cat sneezing?

Cat sneezing can occur for various reasons. While the occasional sneeze is normal, frequent or persistent sneezing might indicate an underlying issue. Here are some common causes of cat sneezing:

1. Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URIs): These are often caused by viruses like feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus. These infections are contagious among cats but cannot be caught by humans. Stress can worsen the symptoms or increase transmission between cats. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms while the cat’s immune system fights the infection. Secondary bacterial infections may also occur and can be treated with antibiotics.

2. Irritants: Cats may sneeze due to inhaling irritants such as tobacco smoke, dusty cat litter, perfume, cleaning sprays, mold, pollen, or even candles. Pay attention to when your cat sneezes to identify potential triggers.

3. Tooth Root Infections: These infections can drain into the cat’s sinuses and cause sneezing.

4. Foreign Bodies: Inhaled foreign objects like blades of grass can irritate the nasal passages and lead to sneezing.

5. Polyps and Tumors: Polyps or tumours in the nasal passages may cause persistent sneezing.

6. Allergies: Although not common, cats can sneeze if they inhale something irritating.

Remember, if your cat’s sneezing persists or is accompanied by other symptoms like runny nose, eye discharge, coughing, or fatigue, consult your veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment. 🐾

Sources: Myself, Purina, PDSA, First Vet, Great Pet Care.

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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.

Riverside County told a woman with a neonatal kitten to put him back on the street

This news comes from one of my favourite animal advocates, Nathan Winograd, in the United States who is the founder and campaigner of the No Kill shelter policy saving many thousands of lives.

He has reported on Riverside County Department of Animal Services. He has described their actions as "obscene". He is correct.

He said that last week Riverside County "told a woman who found a neonatal kitten - with his eyes not yet open - to put him back on the street. She left in tears. That kitten was entitled the foster care and then a loving home. And as obscene as Riverside County's policies, they are not alone."

Comment: I'm shocked. It's completely unthinkable but it happened.

Mr Winograd also reports on Orange County Animal Care. He says that they are doing the same thing. He cites another example. Here it is, in his words.

"For example, when a pregnant cat showed up in the yard of a Good Samaritan and then gave birth, the woman did what she thought was responsible: allowed the kittens to nurse and then wean before taking them all — mama and kittens — to the shelter.

Shelter staff told her to return the feline family to where she had found them."

Remarkable. Apparently the woman explained to them that the female cat might not have a home. She didn't have a collar or tag and was pregnant when she was found. The kittens had no home to go to because they weren't born. The staff at the Orange County shelter still turned her away telling her "to release them back on the street".

As I said, remarkable. Callous. Insensitive. This cannot be right.

These rescue cats deserved a lot better. Sometimes it is applicable to put cats back on the street where they came from if there are unsocialised and not lost and reasonably healthy and sometimes cared for by TNR volunteers. But when cats are socialised, lost and unclaimed then they deserve to be found a home via a rescue center. The two organisations referred to did not discharge their duties.

These are my views and the views of Nathan Winograd. Different people have different views including of course these shelters referred to. I respect those views but strongly disagree with them in this instance.

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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.

Dictatorships and autocracies are taking over from democracies

Democracy has been found to be defective or highly defective in two thirds of democratic states as assessed by the German Bertelsmann Stiftung Foundation as reported in The Times today. The newspaper's headline is that "Strongmen [are] on the rise as democracy falters".

The concept of democracy in running a nation has slipped "to its lowest standing in two decades".

The above-mentioned foundation assesses 137 countries classed as developing or transitioning. Developing nations are considered to be poorer and transitioning nations are those such as former Communist states in Europe.

Over the past 24 months elections in 25 countries were less free and fair and in 39 countries freedom of expression was subject to tighter controls.

Comment: in the UK freedom of expression is also subject to tighter controls than in the past! Just a point I'd like to make.

A senior expert at the above mentioned foundation, Hartmann, said: "I think every autocratic ruler who portrays himself successfully can be an example for other autocrats. Autocrats learn from each other."

What is an autocrat?

An autocrat is a ruler who holds absolute power. Typically, this term applies to individuals like monarchs or dictators who have unrestricted authority over the governance of a state. They make decisions without external legal constraints or checks and balances from other branches of government. In history, autocratic leaders have often maintained their power through measures such as political repression, control over resources, and the absence of a free press or political pluralism.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 20/03/2024.

Putin

Perhaps the world's greatest autocrat currently is Vladimir Putin who recently celebrated his victory in sham elections; yet more sham elections. No genuine challenger is allowed to run against him.

Autocrats maintain power through "a corrupt and wasteful system that only benefits a narrow elite" according to Hartmann

.

The foundation has an index of the standard of democracy in which 10 is the highest rating as a "consolidated democracy". Russia rates at three . four three and has become a hardline autocracy since 2022.

New autocracies

The new autocracies in the world are:

Tunisia: the current autocrat is Kais Saied, who reversed a trend towards democracy by reversing reforms. In 2021 he issued an emergency declaration assume executive power. He fired 57 judges and arrested journalists and dissenters. That's how autocrats operate.

Kyrgyzstan: the current autocrat is Sadyr Japaroz. He was elected in 2021 after mass protests. He did away with investigative press outlets and overturned legislation limiting the presidential term of office.

Benin: the current incumbent autocrat is Patrice Talon, a businessman. Corruption rules. His government awards contracts to state affiliated companies. He arrests critics and uses anticorruption bodies to investigate opposition according to The Times report.

El Salvador: the current dictator declared a state of emergency in 2022. His name is Nayib Bukele. His agencies arrests gang members without trial and almost 2% of the adult population has been arrested. There is unease about his autocratic approach but he won a second term in February despite the constitution disallowing it because there's been a dramatic reduction in violence in the country.

It is said that the Covid pandemic helped to fuel the rise in autocracies. Singapore is marked down as a moderate autocracy but scores highly in terms of government efficiencies. The badly governed nations such as Eritrea, North Korea and through the are deeply undemocratic.

Revolution

It takes some kind of revolution or people power to undo an autocracy which takes a lot of courage. And if the autocrat has a firm stranglehold on the country in terms of the dissemination of propaganda through television outlets et cetera then it is very hard for people to rise up because they been indoctrinated to believe that the autocrat has their best interests at heart.

Animal welfare implications

I think that there are distinct animal welfare implications in the rise in autocracies. Dictators and autocrats are less likely to be concerned about animal welfare. They are less likely to wish to introduce new legislation to improve animal welfare in their country. Animals come well down the list of concerns in the minds of autocrats and dictators. This leads to animal abuse and a reduction in animal welfare. These are my personal views.

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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.