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Why do cats scratch surfaces? To express excitement and pleasure To leave visual and aromatic messages to other cats To remove the worn-out sheaths from their claws To stretch their muscles and spine In other words it's our problem not theirs when they scratch the new sofa or the silk curtains! If your cat is scratching in the ‘wrong’ place eg the new sofa you will have to simultaneously discourage her from scratching the sofa while encouraging her to scratch an appropriate object eg a scratching post. Apply double sided tape, a car mat with nubby side up or rubber carpet runner to the sofa. Purchase a sturdy vertical post scratcher, which is tall enough for her to stand on her back legs and reach up for a really good stretch ie at least a metre. If she doesn’t take to the material on the post try covering it with alternatives like sisal, corrugated cardboard, the backs of carpet squares, carpet offcuts. If your cat is scratching the carpet she may prefer a horizontal scratching surface. Provide an old piece of carpet or cardboard. Encourage your cat to use the new scratching surface by enticing her there with catnip, treats or toys and immediately rewarding scratching in the right place with a treat.

Many pet meats and pet food rolls contain sulphite preservatives that cause thiamine deficiency and haemorrhage into the brainstem. Recently some Sydney cats who have just been fed pet mince have suffered from thiamine deficiency. Even low levels may cause skin rashes and gut upsets but continued high levels cause depression, head tilts, wobbles, twitching, weakness, fits and death. There is no legal requirement for ingredient labeling of pet meats in Australia and some labelled 'no preservatives' have tested positively to sulphite tests. We advise you feed your cat human grade meat, good quality kibble and canned and sacheted foods.

Hill's® Prescription Diet® Feline Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution - now available at Canberra Cat Vet Obesity is the most common health problem we see at Canberra Cat Vet. Just like the human epidemic, almost 50% of the pet population is overweight. Even a little extra weight can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, liver disease, and heart disease. The pet's quality of life and relationship with family is also impacted because that extra weight can reduce play time, impact mobility and affect the lifelong general health of your cat. Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is a new weight loss and maintenance nutrition clinically proven to naturally work with each cat's unique metabolic response to support healthy weight loss and maintenance. This breakthrough nutrition is clinically proven to safely provide 29% body fat loss in only 2 months because it works to control hunger, helping to keep cats feeling full and satisfied between meals. This nutrition can also be fed in multi-cat households. Nutritionists and veterinarians at Hill's developed this next generation formula with the pet owner in mind, offering a complete portfolio of dry food, canned food, and treats. These products work together to ensure safe and healthy weight loss and easy weight maintenance without making big changes or depriving your pet. Because the formula works with each pet's unique metabolism, it also reduces the need for you to precisely measure the food to safely achieve weight loss success. In real-world testing with pet owners and their pets at home, 88% of pets lost weight over two months. 74% of cat owners confirmed they would recommend Metabolic to their friends with overweight cats. Key Benefits Hill's® Prescription Diet® Feline Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is formulated with the following benefits: Clinically proven to safely and naturally improve metabolism in cats Clinically proven to safely provide 29% body fat loss in 2 months in cats Clinically proven to avoid weight regain following a weight loss program A complete portfolio of dry food, canned food, and treats designed to work together to ensure safe and healthy weight loss and easy weight maintenance Advanced weight management nutrition for multi-cat households Great taste and highly palatable backed by a 100% refund guarantee