E 30/4 Win a copy of FAB's 'Essential Cattitude'

Win a copy of FAB's 'Essential Cattitude' and get an insight into the Feline World
We know we are a nation of animal lovers with just over half of UK households owning a pet, but it seems the cat is fast becoming the number one pet.
With more people living alone and more couples going out to work, dog ownership has shown a gradual decrease while the cat population is now increasing to out-number dogs. Currently, there are an estimated 9.6 million cats owned by private households in the UK.
With so many of us owning cats, it’s important that we are aware of any behavioural changes in our pets as these may be an indication of illness or stress which may not always be obvious as cats do not often vocalise pain.
To help cat owners recognise these signs, cat charity the Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) has published a book from the UK’s top cat behaviourists called ‘Essential Cattitude - An Insight into the Feline World’ which is full of information and advice on keeping your cat happy and healthy.
FAB's Director, Claire Bessant says, "FAB hopes ‘Essential Cattitude’ will help owners to think more like a cat and understand what affects these usually most adaptive of pets."
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 35%" cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ff69b4> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Cats get stressed too
Like humans, cats can suffer from too much stress. How much is dependent on a variety of factors - the exposure to stress that the cat received as a kitten, the coping strategies that the cat has learned as a result of this and the duration and the nature of the stressor.
Nearly all the triggers, which will cause or exacerbate stress in cats are environmental. The most common are those that appear to threaten the cat’s resources, particularly the inner security of their homes. These can include another cat coming into the house, a new baby, a puppy or even builders in the home.
This stress can manifest itself in a number of ways. As cats are unable to show their emotional state through language or facial expressions, they can reveal their feelings in distressing, and often distasteful, ways to their owners.

Some may become more clingy and rub the furniture or their owners more frequently. If the stress is being faced in the home, a cat may spend prolonged periods outside. Or, if the stress is outside, they may stay indoors. Occasionally, a cat may be so overcome by stress that it actually gives up trying to fight it or fleet from it and becomes passive and unresponsive.
Old age cat conditions
Pain is another cause of stress to the cat and this can also manifest itself in behavioural problems. These can be similar to the symptoms a cat shows when it is stressed and include changes in temperament, being more withdrawn or less tolerant of people or other cats and having 'accidents' with litter trays.
So noticing behavioural changes is the key to recognising pain in cats, although this is sometimes difficult.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 40%" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>Photo: Jane Burton</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>As a cat gets older, and in much the same way as humans are affected, it experiences wear and tear on its joints, which can be painful. Studies show that more than 90 per cent of cats over the age of 12 show signs of arthritis.
So how can you tell if your cat has arthritis? Look for a change in the behaviour of older cats. They may jump onto favourite places less, sleep a lot more in one place, groom themselves less well or be a bit more grouchy or withdrawn.
There is medication developed especially for cats that can relieve arthritic pain and so greatly improve their quality of life. Ask your vet for more advice.
As well as discussing stress and arthritis, 'Essential Cattitude' is packed with fascinating tips and reveals new and fascinating insights into what cats like and don’t like. It is beautifully illustrated by feline artists and cat-loving celebrities such as Top Gear’s James May, designer Elizabeth Emanuel and actress Maureen Lipman who have contributed pictures and witty anecdotes about their beloved pets.

Essential Cattitude (which is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim) is available from http://www.fabcats.org/ Price: £12.99
There are 5 copies of ‘Essential Cattitude, An Insight into the Feline World’ up for grabs. For your chance to win, all you have to do is correctly answer the following question in the box below.
Studies show what percentage of cats over the age of 12 show signs of arthritis?
a: 10 per cent
b: 50 per cent
c: 90 per cent:D