One of the major causes of outdoor cat mortality is trauma. Some wander off to the road and get hit by cars. Other cats crawl into warm tractor engines or other farm implements when they are turned off and then when they are started up again, this causes harm to the cat. Other causes of trauma include fights with other outdoor cats, or other animals such as dogs, raccoons or foxes. Despite a full set of fangs and claws, cats rarely have a chance against dogs. Declawed cats are even more at risk.
Other animals can give cats a variety of diseases, so it's important to make sure your kittens are up-to-date on their yearly vaccinations. Make sure your cats are spayed or neutered. Beyond birth control, spaying and neutering your cat has life-saving benefits as well. Spaying or neutering will help prevent, especially in outdoor males, aggression and roaming and the tendency to fight. It may also help prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as feline leukemia, FIV, rabies, and common cuts, scratches and abscesses.
If you use rat poison around your property, be careful. If a cat eats a rodent that has died from the poison, the cat can also die.
Other animals can give cats a variety of diseases, so it's important to make sure your kittens are up-to-date on their yearly vaccinations. Make sure your cats are spayed or neutered. Beyond birth control, spaying and neutering your cat has life-saving benefits as well. Spaying or neutering will help prevent, especially in outdoor males, aggression and roaming and the tendency to fight. It may also help prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as feline leukemia, FIV, rabies, and common cuts, scratches and abscesses.
If you use rat poison around your property, be careful. If a cat eats a rodent that has died from the poison, the cat can also die.
This Tip of the Week was reprinted with permission from Living the Country Life magazine. Copyright Meredith Corporation 2010. All rights reserved.Visit http://www.countrylivingassociation.org/ to view past tips. Have one to share? E-mail director@countrylivingassociation.org.

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