Animal Rescue with Marion Garnett
Dedicated animal expert MARION GARNETT, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair continues her column
AS a recent survey showed, all motorway service stations are not the same. Some can be surprisingly welcoming and elaborate in what they provide whereas others cater only for visitors’ basic needs.
But meeting basic needs is essential. There’s no point being able to buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers if you’re gasping for a drink of water and can’t get one. And that is the principle Battersea Dogs and Cats Home use when they set out how we can make a cat feel welcome in our home.
Battersea encourages us to think of cats’ needs like a pyramid. At the base are needs that are of prime importance to the cat and, only once these needs have been met, will the needs higher up the pyramid become important.
At the base (Level 1), we need to think about the basic health and physical functions of our cat such as ensuring they are free of pain, have daily access to food and water and are physically comfortable. Further up, at Level 2, we must ensure our cat feels safe and has secure access to the things they need. It also includes, for example, ensuring the cat can withdraw from a situation it finds unpleasant.
At Level 3, we need to give our cat a predictable, calm environment with interactions between humans and the cat being positive.
Once these needs have been met, at the top of the pyramid we need to ensure our cat lives in a home which is as socially stimulating and enriched as possible. This includes aspects such as being able to play and, if possible, having access to a garden or outside space.
Battersea give advice on how to make such an area catfriendly. Aspects to consider include giving them places to hide to help them feel safe, providing places high up so they have a good look-out point and ensuring they have access, in all weathers, to shelter.
Of course, we need to remember that cats are individuals so may differ in what they prefer. For example, a timid cat may need a quieter, more predictable environment than a confident cat.
Pudding is one of the cats currently waiting at Battersea for a home. She came into the care of Battersea after being found as a stray where, no doubt, she struggled to get her basic needs met. If you would like to make Pudding welcome in your home, you can meet her at Battersea Park Road SW8 4AA.