Being a responsible cat owner means ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of your cat as well as protecting the local wildlife.
Spay or neuter your cat.
Kittens can be desexed from as young as 8-10 weeks of age (early-age desexing), but the vet team from Guam insists on kittens being at least 5 months of age.
Cats can reach sexual maturity (and have kittens) at 4 months of age. Waiting longer than this can lead to pregnancy (yes, kittens can have kittens) and also the development of unwanted behaviors associated with sexual maturity, such as spraying and wandering, as well as increasing the cat’s risk of various cancers of the reproductive organs. Feline overpopulation is a serious welfare problem for cats, people and the environment. Early-age spaying and neutering is the only humane solution to feline overpopulation
Keep your cat safe
Confining your cat to your own property means they are at a reduced risk of being killed or injured by cars, other animals or people; and at a reduced risk of exposure to poisons, disease and parasites
Consider the welfare and wellbeing of your cat
If you confine your cat to your own property, you should ensure that your cat is able to express normal feline behaviors such as scratching and scent-marking, has access to food and water, is able to play, and has suitable safe hiding places, suitable place to toilet: consider cat litter if cats are kept inside.
Provide anti-parasite treatment, vaccinations and health checks by visiting veterinarian
indoor-only cats), vaccinations and health checks
Check with your council whether there are any restrictions on cat ownership in your area. Ensure your cat is registered and keep their registration details up-to-date
Common Cat Health Problems
- Heartworm
- Ringworm
- Intestinal Worms
- Ticks and Fleas
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
- Feline Leukemia Virus
- Diabetes
- Cancer
