We all know that the Lion is the King of cats - at Cinque Ports Vets we want to make our feline patients feel like Kings during their stay with us. We already have ‘Cat Friendly’ waiting areas throughout Cinque Ports Vets and we are very happy to announce that we will soon be building a dedicated ‘Cat Only’ ward for our feline patients at Kingsnorth Veterinary Centre.
This means that they will be cared for separately away from dogs, in a quiet, relaxed and comfortable environment.
The kennel sizes will be designed in accordance with the International Society of Feline Medicine’s Gold Standard for a feline friendly practice. Our new cat ward will enable our feline patients to recover in peace and quiet separate from our Canine friends. We will also have Feliway Diffusers (synthetic pheromones) plugged in to help your cat relax.
We would like your thoughts on what you think your feline friend would like to have in our cat ward to make their stay more comfortable – whether it’s for a day procedure or if they are having to stay with us for a few days of care. The idea we think our patients will like best will receive a prize. Please email your thoughts to
We would like to share a few tips to help make your home fit for a King:
King of the Castle
Cats love lots of high and different places to rest. Providing beds on windowsills, on top of wardrobes and even putting up shelves in step formation if you’re good at DIY are great resting places!
Toys R Cat
You can never have too many toys to keep your cat entertained. This is especially important if you have indoor cats. Having toys that are battery powered or that your cat can activate on their own can be helpful if you are out at work during the day. Using toys like this, with the puzzle feeders can provide hours of entertainment for your cat and exercise their brains.
Fun with water
Many cats love drinking running water, as many YouTube videos show. There are many different makes of pet water/drinking fountains on the market to facilitate this. These fountains encourage your cat to drink more water which is especially useful if your cat is fed a dry food. Alternatively placing a ping pong ball in a large dog water bowl can be just as effective.
Providing for the whole pride!
If you have more than one cat in your home, it’s always a good idea to feed them in different areas. This can avoid competition and can stop one cat stealing everyone else’s food. If you do have a cat that eats quickly, using a puzzle feeder like the one pictured can help slow them down and makes them use their brain. This one in particular can be used with wet or dry food.
Old Boys Club
Many elderly cats struggle to get outside due to conditions like arthritis or blindness. Some can also be scared about going outside if they can’t defend themselves as well as they used to. This may lead to toileting accidents in the home. Providing a low sided litter tray can help in these situations and can avoid stressful situations in the home. It may also be necessary to move where they are fed or sleep. Some cats are fed on windowsills or worktopsand these may be a struggle to jump onto.
Pride Problems
Sometimes cats don’t like each other. We love cats and often want more than one. It can be distressing when the cats we love don’t love each other. By implementing the tips above, many problems that arise can be alleviated. However if you are experiencing any of the following - toileting and/or spraying in the house, inter-cat or feline-human aggression or over grooming, please don’t suffer in silence, contact us for advice as soon as possible.
