At Sheringham town community newspaper. North Norfolk England UK.

Dougal's Pet Corner

The place for your pet stories and pictures, let me have them

Caring for your cat
It costs an average of Ł15 per month per cat for food and litter. This will however vary on the type of food you supply for your cat/kitten. You should provide a high quality food, which will ensure that your cat is to get all the nutrients it needs for a healthy lifestyle. This may vary on the age of the cat/kitten and whether the cat is nursing or expecting kittens. Routine veterinary care, for example, boosters and vaccinations, for a normal healthy cat costs as least Ł25 per year. You should also allow for any other costs like neutering. Obviously, as with all pets, you cannot predetermine how much or how little your cat may need veterinary care as this will depend highly on the individual health of your cat.

Pet insurance costs about Ł100 per year. Information about pet insurance can normally be obtained in leaflet form from your local vets. A litter tray and other essentials cost about Ł30. In addition to the essentials you may also consider playthings to help keep your cats amused. Catteries charge upwards of Ł6 per day to look after your cat when you go away.

Microchipping your cat costs upwards of Ł15. This is commonly the best form of permanent identification and will help a great deal in reuniting you and your cat should it wonder away from home.

W.E.A. Day School on Impressionism & Post-Impressionism.

A Day School will be held on Saturday 12th March at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church Hall, Cromer Rd., Sheringham. Peter Baldwin will give a illustrated slide lecture on Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. He will define the difference between the two, and demonstrate how the transition from Post-Impressionism leads us into new developments in twentieth century art. The day will run from 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m., with breaks for lunch, tea and coffee. Please make your own lunch arrangements. Bring a sandwich or go out to lunch in town. The atmosphere is informal, and all are welcome.
Fee Ł10.00, (free if on benefit). For more information and enrolment phone Jane Idiens on 01263 837779.

Three stray cats have been handed into our care since the beginning of the year. The first, Bonnie, is a lovely tabby and white girl, about 1 year old. Bonnie has already been to the vet and been neutered so she is available for re-homing. Although very loving, Bonnie does not like other cats so she would prefer a home where she is the “only” cat.

Second to arrive was Bromley, a lovely Seal point Colourpoint Persian. This little cat had also been wandering for some time and had already been treated for fleas by the people who had been trying to find her owners. As Colourpoint Persian cats’ coats darken with age it is believed that she is over 4 years old and was probably unwanted and abandoned. After a visit to the vets to be neutered and to have the tangles shaved out of her coat she has left us for her new home with Alfie, another Persian, that was re-homed by us two years ago.

Unfortunately, the other little cat had to be put to sleep as she had leukaemia (FeLV). This very loving little cat was only about 2 years old and had not been neutered. Although we have not had experience of this disease before, the symptoms of the disease were obvious to our vet and on taking a biopsy from her lymph glands the vet advised us that the disease was too far advanced for her to be treated and to have any quality of life. FeLV is found in the saliva of infected cats and transmitted by direct contact, particularly if they lick each other. Fortunately, however, it does not survive long on hands, bowls etc and can be easily killed with disinfectant. As she had not been in contact with other cats whilst in our care and all our feeding bowls and litter trays are washed and disinfected on a daily basis, no other cat in care was at risk of catching the disease from her.

We have recently found new homes for the two delightful grey kittens, Chester and Vienna. Although they are taking time to adapt to their new surroundings, their new owner said they are at last beginning to trust her and her family. Neo, the lovely cat that joined us early last year has also left and has settled in very well. We were all delighted for him although we do miss him as he was such a character.

If you are looking for a cat, call Stephanie on 01692 535858. Alternatively you can visit www.northwalshamcats.co.uk for a description of the cats before giving her a call. As the cats are in different locations and all our fosterers are volunteers, you will need to make an appointment via Stephanie to see the cats. We have no kittens available at present.