Spring & Summer Newsletter 2025

As I sit writing this newsletter, having just experienced a series of violent storms and very cold weather, it is perhaps difficult to realise that Spring is just around the corner.

If your cats are anything like mine, they have been spending more time curled up by the fire this winter and have not appreciated being put outside and then spending most of their time trying to get back in. Its either been too cold, too windy, too wet, too much snow or just downright miserable. In the next few weeks, I expect all that to change and they will be spending more and more time outdoors especially as the days hopefully get longer and warmer. With that in mind we have to consider whether or not we have done everything required to keep them safe.

Firstly, all owned cats are now required to be microchipped, but you do need to keep the details up to date. For instance, have you moved house, changed your mobile number etc. Full details can be found at Cat microchipping to be made mandatory – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you have had a new kitten, then please make sure that it has been neutered before you let him/her out. Spring, and the lengthening daylight will encourage the females to come into season. We already have too many cats and kittens looking for homes. It is a fallacy that cats should have a litter of kittens before they are spayed. Males are best castrated to reduce their tendency to fight, which in turn will obviously reduce injuries but also reduce the risk of picking up diseases such as FIV – which is most easily transmitted by bites from other cats.

All the usual Spring and Summer advice that I have given in previous newsletters still stand regarding the weather, fleas and dangers in the garden and more details of these can be found on various pages on our website. www.feline-friends.org.uk

Rather than repeating all those I thought it might be a good idea to consider a report published in the Daily Mail in Scotland regarding the management of cats and letting them outdoors. The newspaper article can be found at Now SNP may ban families from getting… a pet CAT! | Daily Mail Online

Now I realise that the Daily Mail can be a little sensational especially regarding the current Government and the SNP but as you will see the report mentioned has come from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission which was set up by the SNP to advise on animal welfare issues. Also, the Scottish government have said that they have no intention of acting on its recommendations. Asked about the issue yesterday, Mr Swinney (the First Minister of Scotland) said:

‘There’s a report being produced by an external organisation which has come into the Government for consideration. Let me just clear this up today – the Government’s not going to be banning cats or restricting cats. We’ve no intention of doing so and we will not be doing it.’

However I suspect we have all heard that said before, have we not?

I feel the report from an animal welfare organisation in trying to reduce one welfare issue i.e. predation of wildlife by another, in this case the wellbeing of cats.

However, leaving aside whether any action is taken north of the border or not let’s look at the pros and cons of keeping cats indoors versus letting them roam.

We have an excellent article on our website written by Margie Scherk  DVM, Dip ABVP (Feline Practice) which comprehensively compares the two life styles and explains in detail what the requirements of cats are. This can be found at Indoor Cat Lifestyle – Feline Friends

From my personal experience in veterinary practice I firmly believe that cats are happier and generally less stressed given the freedom to roam. Yes, there are risks attached for the cat from trauma and road accidents and to the neighbourhood wildlife, but they are free to express a lot of their natural instincts. Indoor cats are more stressed, cause more damage and are prone to different health problems than cats that are allowed outdoors. How many cats end up homeless due to owners being unable to tolerate behavioural problems? The answer is we do not know, but I suspect quite a lot. While we all want to keep our pets safe I have always thought that the quality of a pets’ life is equally, if not more, important than its length.

On the issue of a cat’s wellbeing, I am sure most of our readers will have used catnip either in the fresh or dry form or in toys. However, what is catnip, and does it actually improve the cat’s environment and wellbeing?

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a plant closely related to the mint family originally from Asia but is now found commonly throughout the world and can often be found growing in the wild in Britain and in your own garden. The leaves can be shredded and used fresh or dried and are often found in cat toys or aerosols. The active ingredient is a chemical called Nepetalactone, and it is thought that this acts like a natural pheromone. Pheromones are produced by many animals, as a way, to chemically and silently interact with others. You will find them used in products such as Feliway and other similar products, used to reduce stress in cats.

Most cats will react to it, but it is thought that about 30% of cats are actually immune to it, probably due to their genetic make-up. The effects produced by the catnip however cannot be predicted. Some cats will become more active and dash about or even become quite aggressive, it may even look as if your cat has come into season. Your cat will then usually have a quiet period of rest. Others will become more docile, and in that case, it can be a useful way of relieving stress conditions such as travelling or visiting the vet. It is only by trial and error that you will find out how your cat will behave so in some cases it may not be advisable to use it.

Whatever effect it produces in your cat, the effect is usually only short lived for about 30 minutes or so. Also, the effect is much less in very young and older cats. There is no set dose for catnip so you are unlikely to overdose your cat, but the effects will reduce with increased usage. Should your cat eat a significant amount of the catnip then you may see a mild stomach upset as a result but it should not be serious.

So, in summary, catnip can be a useful enrichment tool, but it can also have drawbacks, depending on your own cats reactions to it. You may find it helpful in managing either an aggressive cat or even help with training such as using it to encourage the use of a scratching post. As in most things in life however it is not a magic silver bullet.

There are a plethora of kittens in rescue and rehoming centres and in case this has tempted you to add a kitten to your household, the highly regarded Samantha Taylor has penned a new webpage for us on Caring for your Kitten – see  www.feline-friends.org.uk/caring-for-your-kitten

Eric McCarrison BVMS MRCVS – Trustee