From a cat telling time to hydrating a rabbit – your pet queries answered
HE is on a mission to help our pets . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions.
Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm tails.com, has helped with owners’ queries for ten years.
He says: “If your pet is acting funny or is under the weather, or you want to know about nutrition or exercise, just ask. I can help keep pets happy and healthy.”
Q) I HAVE seen people taking cats for walks on leads.
My moggy, Marmalade, would never tolerate it, but what are your thoughts?
Is it a good idea?
Sarah Smith, Maidstone, Kent
A) This is a bit of a pet hate of mine. I’ve seen it go wrong on a few occasions. It’s dangerous and most cats do not enjoy it.
They need exercise and stimulation, but also need to feel they can escape from danger, perceived or otherwise.
If a dog comes along, for example, a cat on a lead is likely to get tangled around the owner and, believe me, you are going to get bitten and scraped as they panic.
Cats like roaming and exploring their immediate territory. Bringing them out on a lead to unfamiliar environments adds a lot of over- stimulation and stress.
You may see on social media cats who seem to take it in their stride, but they are the exception.
Q) MY rabbit, Dan, always goes potty when the sun is out.
I make sure he has shade and plenty of water — but what causes it?
Ann Dougherty, Edinburgh
A) The joys of life? Perhaps he’s a sun worshipper?
I’ve seen wild rabbits on sunny evenings come out of their burrows seemingly full of high jinks, jumping around and playing with one another, so maybe they really are just in love with the sun.
You may be surprised to learn rabbits are not native to the rainy UK,
but to the Iberian Peninsula — basically the Spanish and Portuguese coastline — so it would make sense.
It’s dry and warm there, with light, sandy, gravelly soils to burrow in.
Maybe their frolics are due to their ancestry, reminding them of home.
Q) OUR cat seems to know when my hubby’s coming home.
Five minutes before he walks through the door, Freckles sits like a dog waiting for him.
Do they have an internal clock? How does she know?
Julie Gray, Plymstock, Devon
A) They do have an inner body clock and are remarkably good at telling the time.
Just like us, they will take cues from the environment, which can be natural (level of daylight) or unnatural (when Corrie comes on the telly).
It may be that Freckles knows that a couple of hours after you’ve had your lunch, you go to the fridge and pull out some items to prepare dinner each evening.
About 45 minutes later, your neighbour gets home from work. Once that happens, it’s only going to be a matter of time before your husband arrives. Bingo!
Q) OUR Jack Russell Delcie, nine, has had scans and steroids for tummy problems.
She’s recently started waking to pee at 2am.
I’ve tried walking her last thing at night, and even feeding her earlier, but it persists. What more can I do?
Julie Dowling, Crayford, Kent
A) Wow, there are a lot of unknowns here, for me to work out what’s going on — or if any of these things are even connected.
Steroids can increase the level of thirst and drinking. As what goes in must come out, that will lead to increased urination.
You don’t mention whether Delcie is still on steroids. If so, it might be worth talking to your vet about these side effects being difficult to manage, and whether it might be worth trying to reduce them over time.
Whatever you do, do not reduce steroids or ever stop them abruptly without your vet’s advice as this can cause even more serious side effects.
The other solution is giving her access to the garden by a flap.
Star of the week
AUTUMN the guide dog is set to hang up her harness and retire after a fun-filled eight years of guiding her owner.
Laura Bradley, 43, from Glasgow, was born with an eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which worsened in 2006, leaving her almost completely blind.
She said: “Autumn has absolutely deserved her retirement, after giving me my independence back and saving my life.
“She will remain with me as a pet.
“Guide Dogs UK has given me my life back, and given me this beautiful girl. It is such an amazing charity that really changes people’s lives. I’m proof of that.”
Guide Dogs UK relies on volunteers to provide its services.
See guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer.
WIN: Hydration bundle
HELP your pooch stay happy, hydrated and healthy with one of these bundles from Petsafe.
The Sun on Sunday has teamed up with the brand to give one reader the chance to win a newly launched 4.1-litre Viva pet fountain and an automatic ball launcher worth more than £250.
To enter, send an email headed PETSAFE to sundaypets@the-sun.co.uk by October 6. See uk.petsafe.net. T&Cs apply.
Move over Larry, there’s a new prince
PET experts are predicting Prince will become one of Britain’s favourite cat names – after a new kitten entered Downing Street.
Sir Keir Starmer’s latest addition is a Siberian cat, which has been crowned with the moniker – and as a result, the name is predicted to enter the top ten moggy names for 2025.
The current feline king of Downing Street is aged Larry who has been chief mouser to the Cabinet Office since 2011.
The 17-year-old mog was branded “a little s**t” by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray last week who declared he was “the most miserable animal you’ll ever meet”.
There is even, reportedly, an official plan in place to announce his death when the time comes.
Prince is seen by many as Larry’s heir apparent.
The Starmer family also has a third, rescue cat called Jojo.
A Pets At Home spokesperson said: “It’s no secret that cats are the royalty of our households, with names such as Simba (the prince of the jungle) and Loki (the trickster god), keeping their status in the top ten most popular cat names this year.
“It remains to be seen if we see an upward trend in regal names going into 2025.”