If you are a cat owner you are amongst millions of confirmed cat lovers in the world. Cats are very fascinating animals and often make you beg for any attention what so ever. These marvelous felines have a streak of independence that fascinates and challenges their humans. This, however, must not be translated into the fact that they require less attention than their canine counterparts. Different attentions are required for different animals.

Cats still need a great deal of human attention and thrive on love and affection. Never mistake that aloof creature walking away from you with his tail held high and his nose in the air as not needing love, you have simply caught him at a moment when he has a different agenda and you are not part of it. Cats like attention, on their terms, cat owners will gradually learn to accept this, respect this, and allow the cat to call the shots.

In an ideal society a kitten should not be taken away from it’s mother until it is 7 – 8 weeks old, however, we all know, that in this land of unwanted and abandoned cats and kittens, you may well end up adopting one much younger that the prescribed 7 – 8 weeks. Kittens can start to wean at about three weeks of age, and should be introduced small amounts of finally chopped up soft, moist cat food soaked in milk or water. This food should be offered five times a day in a shallow (easily accessible) pan. By the time the kitten is 8 weeks old you go to four feeds daily, at 16 weeks you can go to three times a day, and adults twice a day. If you have an indoor cat, it is advisable to feed it in the morning and then right before bedtime so that they are contented and will sleep peacefully through the night.

Many people believe in the fallacy of giving ALL cats, big and small, milk daily. This is completely incorrect. Older kittens and adult cats should NOT be given milk, as they have great trouble digesting dairy products and this can lead to complications. A good piece of advice is to start your kitten out eating all sorts of different foods and flavours to try and avoid having a “picky eater” who would prefer to starve itself rather than eat anything but it’s favourite type of food. In the Bahamas it is quite possible that you can’t find “That” particular food for several weeks because of delivery problems and then you are up a creek without a paddle!

Like dogs and puppies cats and kittens require their yearly shots. A kitten should have the first series of shots at 6 – 8 weeks old, with a booster at 12 and 16 weeks. Once your cat is an adult it will require a shot (and don’t forget the check up!) every year.

I have always found that litter box training a cat is very easy. Cats appear to be naturally clean animals and embrace the use of a litter box very willingly. Be sure that the litter box is located in a quiet, convenient and “private” location. Take your kitten to the box after every meal, and very quickly he or she will understand what that box is there for, and he should receive lavish praise each time it is used properly.

Spaying and neutering your cat can be done at a very young age these days and often if you are adopting it will have already been done. If not then it is advisable to get it done no later than six months. If your cat is healthy there is no risk as the animal can “bounce back” rather quickly. They are usually a bit groggy when you pick them up from the vet’s office so it is wise to keep them in a quiet, safe space where they cannot hurt themselves jumping down from somewhere. Find out from the vet if you can leave some water nearby. By morning I have always found that the challenge is keeping the animal quiet. Careful attention must be paid to stop the cat from bothering the surgery location and pulling out the stitches. Should this occur take your kitty back immediately to your vet! Do not put it off.

It is important to have your pet neutered; there are so many unwanted animals in The Bahamas.  If you ever want another cat, there are hundreds out there begging for a home. I know that sometimes you may feel mean having this surgery performed, and men can make the mistake of equating castration into human terms, OUCH! But what we need to remember is that animals do not see things in human terms, they see things in their terms. Provided the cat is treated by a capable and certified, veterinarian, and you are a capable and caring owner the surgery will leave no psychological marks on your pet; on the contrary, it will enable your cat to live a happier and healthier life. Why, you may well ask?  Because if you have a female, she will not go in heat, she will not be hounded by the hundreds of stray or wandering toms in your neighbourhood. You as an owner will not have to cope with the yowling and howling in your garden, or the clean up requirements in the home. If your cat is a male, he will not get into as many neighbourhood fights with the local toms, nor will he be as frustrated about being kept at home if there is a lady in heat nearby. You will have a quieter and more peaceful existence, and they also say that fixing a tom cat makes him a more docile and quiet animal. If you take all of those pluses into consideration and add to then the fact that by neutering your cat you are helping cut down on unwanted cats who may starve to death, get run over, be abused, or end up being put to sleep, the choice is obvious.

Many people and websites will tell you that you should not allow your cat outdoors and that they should be kept in the house at all times, although this is very good advise under certain circumstances, I personally feel that if you live in a rural, or not overcrowded neighbourhood, it is nice to give your cat the freedom of the back yard. It is frustrating that you cannot control your cat’s whereabouts like you can a dog’s. Their agility makes jumping over the fence or slinking through impossible fence slats a piece of cake. I have often heard that when you first get a cat or move to a new place you should put butter on their paws, so that they will lick their paws clean, and when they walk they will leave their scent and will return home because they can smell themselves. I have recommended this to lots of people relocating and have no idea if it has worked or not, but for whatever reason, those cats all stayed and did not run away! An Old wives tale, no doubt!

When I wrote my first article a few weeks back my friend Petra emailed me this question:  “I have a question about the water. My cat has a fresh bowl of water on the deck daily. But she prefers to drink the water that comes through the bottom of the plant pots. Or even the algae filled water plant pot. Why is that? She has not been sick. Does she know something we do not? Does the water get filtered when running through the soil? I have on occasion not given her a fresh bowl of water as she was drinking the other water anyway and I have seen algae develop in her bowl so fast. If she were to drink it what would happen?”

The answer to the last question is “probably nothing”. Animals are constantly drinking from murky and dirty looking puddles with no serious aftereffects. There is nothing my dogs enjoy more than drinking from a rain puddle in the garden after a storm; they also consider it a real treat if they can sneak a drink from the tadpole filled, turtle wading pool on the terrace. Why when there are so many bowls of lovely fresh cool water ALL over the house? Perhaps the same reasons dogs drink out of toilets if they can. So Petra’s cat probably like the earthy flavor from the plant saucer, but beware, what if there has been some fertilizer, snail bait, insecticide, or some other chemical that could be harmful, then the cat could become seriously sick. I don’t think there is a hidden secret to this kitty’s predilection to “earthy, murky” water, just old habits die hard. It is simply a good rule of thumb to have fresh, clean, algae free water, but it “probably” won’t do any harm at all if from time to time they drink water that is less than pristine.

Cats, like all animals, are at risk of contracting diseases. If you notice any significant changes in your cat behaviour, this could be a warning sign that something is seriously wrong. If you see that your cat becomes lethargic, stops eating, becomes unusually aggressive, is not sleeping or some other symptom, your best bet is to bundle Kitty into his/her carrier and go to your vet. Yearly check ups are absolutely essential and will help your cat enjoy a happy, trouble free life. In the long run regular medical care will also save you money.

Cats can certainly add another dimension to your life. If you live in an apartment they are quite happy to curl up on the sofa and wait for you to come home and greet you by rubbing up against your legs and purring like an outboard engine.

About the author: Kim Aranha grew up in the Berry Islands with her first dog, a beloved potcake named “Friendly” (who was anything but!).  First educated at home, and then in boarding school in Switzerland, Kim moved to Rome, Italy in 1974 to pursue a career in the dramatic arts and ended up working as an interpreter.  She moved back to The Bahamas in 1980, and now lives in Nassau with her husband Paul, and their two teenaged sons.  Kim has 3 dogs (soon to be 4), 5 fish (1 Beta, 4 Goldfish), 10 turtles (6 babies, 4 adolescents), 1 Asian box turtle and 4 Budgerigars. Her idea of relaxing is being home to take care of all her pets. Kim is a member of the board of the Bahamas Humane Society. Kim can be contacted at kimbva@coralwave.com