Last month, we celebrated International Cat Day by inviting all our lovely Omlet followers and customers from around the world to share their wonderful cat rescue stories on social media. Here is a selection of our favourite tales…
””I took my little kitty ’Bettemis’ and her sister into my care from Tøstrup shelter and animal welfare center, she was so small that we didn’t think she would survive, but she did. And when she was 2 years old she fell from a window and broke her pelvis in two places, this she survived as well. She is the most cuddly and affectionate cat I know, although she stamps when she walks. I have 4 cats and a dog.” – Lilian Fischer Krarup, from Denmark.
“This is my darling boy Yumyum. He was rescued from a very hectic household. Kids chasing and pulling his tail. So he was shut in a room with a filthy litter tray. He was two pounds in weight and eight weeks old. He was a feisty wee soul to begin with, but has settled in fine. He is now 14 yrs and has been diabetic for many years now. He has Insulin twice a day and special low carb biscuits. He has me wrapped around his little paw” – Helen, from the UK.
““This is Misfit, he came from our vet, she found him on the street, he was ill and no owner ever showed up, so we got him. We have 33 cats in total, many from Trøstrup shelter” –
Tilla Löewenhausen, from Denmark.
““This is Fröken Fräs. She waited for 10 years for a new home at the rescue centre in Lidköping. She was somewhat aggressive, not very outgoing, and no one’s first choice. It didn’t get easier when she got older and started getting dental issues. Now she lives in Dalarna and is a beloved family member of ours since a few years back. She loves prawns, to sleep in the sun, play with balls or just lay close to us and cuddle. There are a lot of cats like her out there – those older cats with a few flaws that, almost, no one wants.” – Pia, from Sweden.
“This is Jessie! She was rescued by Little Valley Animal Shelter and painstakingly nursed back to health after being found with her back leg completely skinned ? They thought they were going to have to amputate but their amazing care meant they didn’t have to in the end. It was a very long road to recovery but she is now fit, healthy and a beloved member of our family” – Charley, from the UK.
““This handsome cat is iPoes! I adopted her in 2010 from ‘t Julialaantje in Rijswijk (the Netherlands). Although she’s my cat, I can honestly say she is one of the sweetest cats I’ve ever met. She will never scratch or bite. Except the neighbor’s tomcat, she will make sure he leaves our house immediately!
According to the animal shelter, iPoes used to live in a house with many other cats and dogs. In the beginning she wasn’t very social, and it took almost 2 years before she felt comfortable enough to sit on my lap. But this is not a problem anymore: now she likes to sleep next to me under the duvet with her head on my pillow! Although she’s very sweet, she’s not very clever… She is a very small cat and according to the vet her head is just too small for a big brain. But even after 8 years she still learns new things every day!” –Pauline, from Holland.
“Heddi is 17 years old and I rescued her back in 2001. She’s got a large personality and knows what she wants, and she always lets us know when she wants something, food or being let out into the garden – even at 5 in the morning! Nowadays she prefers to sleep outside and never leaves the garden. She hisses and chases male cats that come into the garden. Her kidneys are starting to act up, and she’s got arthritis, but she’s very happy and has perfect teeth. She’s got a friend who is two years younger, Nancy, with a completely different personality, but I love them both.” –
Jag älskar båda lika mycket.” – Annika, from Sweden.
““Bibi, has been rescued 9 years ago! We found him straying in our neighborhood a very cold and snowy day of winter, we presume his owners decided they didn’t want him anymore. He came to my door, I let him entered and he never left. He is so thankful that he accept all the new rescues animal in our house, even this bird that doesn’t want to leave haha” – Joëlle, from France.
““Hi, let me introduce you to Obi & Ficelle! We have recently adopted Obi, he is a 3 months old kitten that we found in the street where he was starved and sick! Today, he lives the perfect life with his soul sister Ficelle which we have got from a rescue center located in north of France.” – Cassandre, from France.
““We picked up our cat Mia from the rescue centre in Murtal / German in September 2017. Our other rescue pets were excited about her arrival as well.” – Marlena, from Germany.
““Luna is from Lund shelter. We don’t know her story. We just know that she was there for a very long time. She wasn’t very talkative when we got her. Today she sleeps in my arm under the duvet and can act on command.” – Charlotte L Hansen, from Denmark.
““In the summer of 2006 a kitten suddenly showed up outside our house. He was extremely thin, had a large cut on his stomach and ridden with ear mites. It took me two days to catch him, but then only a few minutes before he calmed down and started purring. I already have 4 neutered male cats, and the plan was never to keep him, but we quickly had to give up that idea. He stole my heart! We named him Alvin and he is now as big a part of the family as the other cats.” – Jennifer, from Sweden.
““Sir George is my foster failure from 2 years ago with Diamonds in the Ruff Animal Rescue in Lockport NY. George came to me at 4 days old and right from the start was a medical learning process. He developed a hernia from straining with chronic diarrhea by 5 weeks old. He continued to struggle and failed to thrive until he was 9 months old. We did a lot of tests, and a lot of food trials. My vet is awesome and she wouldn’t give up – and neither would Diamonds. We finally found a diet that George could tolerate. He is allergic to dairy, fish and carbs. He has swung from diarrhea to constipation to just right. July 4th this year, he urinary blocked. My vet again is awesome and saved me a trip to the ER. He is on chronic medications as well as a special diet (which at one time included home cooked meals). Due to the malnurishment at an early age, he is my “mini” kitty but is happy, and doing great!” –Cathryne, from USA.
You can read more amazing stories on our Facebook page!
This entry was posted in Cats
Did you know that it’s becoming increasingly common for our pets to be overweight? Obesity in cats not only poses a risk to physical health such as a greater risk of developing serious problems like cardiac diseases, cancer, diabetes and arthritis, but can have an impact on their wellbeing too. Fortunately, helping your cat lose weight is simple and even fun, meaning your feline friend can soon be on their way to living a healthier and longer life.
Breed or obesity?
It’s not always straightforward to tell if your cat is overweight, especially if they have long hair and are a generally stockier breed. But, a healthy cat should have a well-proportioned body with a defined waist and neck. You should be able to easily feel your cat’s ribs and hip bone, and they should have minimal abdominal fat. Speak to your vet about what the ideal weight is for your cat’s breed but generally speaking, if your cat is between 10%-19% over this, then they’re considered overweight. 20% and over their optimum weight and your cat is considered obese.
5 tips to help your cat lose weight
Making the decision to help your overweight cat lose weight is the first step in giving them the life they deserve. But, before taking any measures and changing your cat’s diet, consult your veterinarian. They’ll be able to guide you on how much to feed your cat and identify if there are any other medical conditions that could be contributing to their weight.
1. Control the calories
Look for canned, high-quality, meat-based, and highly digestible food to give your cat. Canned or raw food contains a large percentage of water, which can help a cat feel full on fewer calories, and also allows you to control how much food you give your cat every day. Canned wet food is also better than dry food, as it means your cat won’t be nibbling on food throughout the day and eating when they’re not hungry.
Measure out how much food you’re going to give your cat in a day, and make sure you stick to it. Dividing the food into smaller and more frequent meals can help if you feel your cat is struggling with hunger, but keep track of what and how much you are giving them. If you live in a multi-cat household, feed your dieting pet separately to stop them from stealing food.
2. Less treats, more affection
High-calorie treats have to go and make sure everyone in the family knows the rules! It might seem unfair to completely stop giving your cat treats, but it’s the nicest thing you can do for them at this stage to help them lose weight.
Try substituting treats with a cuddle or a cat toy. You’ll find most cats will respond just as well to the extra attention. If you still feel like you want to treat your cat with something edible, look for low-calorie treats or try some vegetable cat nibbles such as broccoli, green beans or pumpkin.
3. Take your time
Weight loss should be done slowly and steadily to reduce the risk of several health issues, like fatty liver disease. Your cat should not lose more than 3-4% of their total body weight per month, so it’s important to be patient on their weight loss journey.
If you’re changing your cat’s diet, make sure you do this gradually to avoid upsetting their stomach. Substitute more and more of the old food with your new, healthier choice every day, or reduce the amount of food little by little.
4. Make time for play
Introducing new cat toys and games into your feline’s life can not only decrease boredom, help cats bond with their owners, and improve agility and coordination, but will also help them to lose weight by burning calories.
Try to find out what types of toys your cat likes, and switch them around every now and then to make sure they don’t get bored. Different cats like different toys, but feathers and catnip-infused toys will be a hit with most! Encourage games that force your cat to move around and use their entire body, such as searching for hidden things or chasing toys.
A scratcher is another great choice of cat toy, especially one that lights up. The Switch Cat Scratcher offers all the benefits of cat scratching such as supporting their hunting instincts and getting your pet active, but takes feline fitness to another level.
With your cat’s very own light show, the Switch provides pets with their own interactive entertainment system. Join in on the fun in the evenings for pet parent playtime or turn the Switch on whilst you’re at the gym to give your cat a workout of their own.
With over 1200 settings to control the light, speed, brightness and mode of the scratcher, you can find the best way to connect in colour with your feline friend.
5. Leashes aren’t just for dogs
Some cats love walking on the lead, others, not so much. If you’ve never tried before, allow your cat to get used to their harness at home first. You can then start with a short walk in the backyard or around the block. If their body language tells you they’re relaxed and content, you can increase the distance gradually.
Don’t worry if it proves a real challenge – some cats will never accept walking on a leash, and you should never force them. Stick to other forms of exercise such as playing with toys or a Freestyle Cat Tree from Omlet, which will allow them to get moving and unleash their inner wild side, whilst remaining safe in the home.
Omlet and your cat
Omlet designs products to meet the needs of cats of all sizes and breeds. Our ingenious cat products make for better bonding between pet and owner, meaning every feline can be on their way to living the best life possible. From our light-up Switch Cat Scratcher to our fun Freestyle Cat Tree, our designs continue to evolve the more we keep asking about what our pets and their owners want.
This entry was posted in Cats
A little Q and A with the owner of this month’s Pets of the Month:
When and where did you get Mav and Goose from?
We got Mav and Goose in May 2015 from a lovely breeder in Northampton, we found them on Gumtree.
What are their personalities like?
Goose is overly affectionate, loves cuddles, bit of a daddy’s boy but clearly is the boss of the street.
Mav is shy and timid and gets picked on by the other cats in the neighbourhood, but he has a very cheeky side (e.g the time he ate the bolognese off the stove) and loves to be around people. Goose always has his back.
Caught orange handed!
Do they have any favourite toys or things they like to do:
My partner plays golf, so the cats love to steal his golf balls and hide them around the house, much to his dismay.
Funniest thing they do:
They play fight with each other all day but when they go to sleep they always have to be next to each other (they’re softies at heart.)
This entry was posted in Cats
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