PUBLISHED May 13th, 2020 07:00 am | UPDATED May 20th, 2020 10:14 am
Despite the current circuit breaker in Singapore, Project LUNI has had more enquiries on adoption, and we couldn’t be happier that many kittens will find their forever homes after this is all over. While first time adopters are often concerned about with food to feed, or what bed and toys to buy, we would like to highlight a few questions and concerns regarding cat safety and comfort to make sure that your new family member is safe and happy.
On Living in High Rises
Cat safety is our biggest concerns when a cat gets adopted. Most of us in Singapore live in high rise buildings and unfortunately, when a cat does fall from height, it will get gravely injured and often does not survive the fall! Cats are curious creatures and hunters. When a little bird flies past, no human will be able to “watch that it doesn’t jump off the balcony”. Any open window or balcony poses a danger to your furry friend.
There are many options today, from hiring professional cat safety experts that install special nets, to invisible grilles (no larger than 2 inches apart) and even DIY options with mesh. Not recommended are mosquito nets or magnetic mesh as a full grown call will easily pull them down. This is a hard criteria that is checked thoroughly during the adoption process.
On Botanicals
Having an urban jungle is everyone’s dream, especially with a house panther in it! However, some common plants in our house are toxic, even deadly to cats. Do look up what plants you have or check before acquiring a new plant; they might endanger a curious kitty if he or she tries to take a nibble.
Plants that are definitely toxic to cats include all kinds of lilies and lucky bamboo, you can consider growing wheat grass and catnip. Yellow palm, real bamboo, and most herbs are generally safe too.
Cats are territorial creatures and love to have their own space. We recommend one bedroom per cat to provide it sufficient space to hunt, run, hide, lounge and chill away from other residents of the apartment. But having said that, what cats love even more is vertical space. Add shelves for it to “scale your walls”, give it some space on the bookshelf, get a ceiling height cat tree or go crazy with available “catification” services that’ll create your cat her own, amazing playground!
On Cables (What Else)
Do try to ensure cables are protected and out of the reach of your cat. A curious chewer may well bit through the insulation with fatal results. If your cat likes to check on cables that you cannot secure, get a bad tasting liquid like bitter apple and apply to the surface of the cable.
On Snazzy Collars
If your cat tolerates a bit of posing and wears a collar for five minutes, that is absolute fine. However, we strongly advise not to let your indoor cat wear a collar all day for several reasons. Firstly, collars can easily get snagged somewhere or a playful cat may trap a paw in it. This can cause serious injuries! Even so-called safety collars, which are supposed to break if this happens, don’t always snap.
Further, collars with bells are somewhat of an insult to a kitty that’s desperately trying to quietly sneak up on their “prey” (the toy you are engaging her with). This is frustrating and annoying for any cat.
If you do decide to let your cat go outdoors, which we don’t recommend, you may want to put a collar on her so she can be recognized and if found, brought back to you. This means you need to attach a tag with your contact details. This collar could also get lost, so make sure your cat is microchipped and registered. With a bit of training, you can teach your cat to walk on a leash outside – this way she gets to enjoy the outdoors together with you safely.
Project LUNI is a Singapore-registered non-profit organization that has been saving street cats and kittens since 2017. Founded by Nina Heusler-Astolfi and Lukas Heusler, the project focuses on four pillars: Rehoming kittens, daily feeding of street cats, Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) and medical care for street cats. Together with a passionate team of volunteers they successfully rehomed 117 cats in 2019 and have also sterilised more than 400 cats since their inception.
All of Project LUNI’s kittens and cats are vaccinated, dewormed and treated against fleas and mites if necessary. They have visited a vet for at least one full health check and will give you the vaccination booklet at the adoption date. Mostly, Project LUNI understands how important it is to socialise and shower them with love so they will make a perfect family member and are happy to live in a home before putting them up for adoption.
Check out the latest adoption posts on their Facebook and Instagram pages and in our weekly newsletter. Project LUNI also provides regular tips on how to care for your felines on their socials, so you’re welcome to drop them a message if you have any questions.
Photos courtesy of Helene Papillon at City Zen Cats and @marzelphoto.