bach flower remedies for animals … using natural therapies to assist in the treatment of behavioural problems in cats Practitioner: Andrea Williams MAR BFRP

Home Dogs Horses Cats Rabbits Other	“Mo Mo” – photographed by Ian David		REMEDIES FOR CATS Up until 2004, cats had never held a great deal of interest for me. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I have always had some unexplained fears about cats’ claws! Certain cats appealed to me more than others but I never dreamt I would find myself being remotely interested in their behaviour. Now that I have learned more about them, I am fascinated! This has taught me yet again how gaining understanding can alter perceptions.
		When I attended the Bach Animal Practitoner course I was quite dismayed when I realised how many books on cats I would have to read. I had no interest in working with cats (or so I thought). I felt it made better sense to focus all my energies on the animals I had the greatest inclination and desire to work with ie dogs (and maybe horses). However the more I read about cat behaviour, the more interested I became and I soon found myself thinking more and more about the possibilities of helping cats with the remedies. I had never really thought of cats as having behavioural problems but realised pretty early on that this is not the case.
Cats are becoming more and more popular as pets - often perceived to be cleaner and less demanding. Cats are also bred for beauty and some are very valuable in more ways than one! These days more and more town cats are being kept indoors. Their owners may fear they will roam, be stolen, killed under the wheels of a vehicle or injured in a fight with a neighbouring cat. Most cats will naturally miss their freedom to roam and hunt which is something they do instinctively. Cats are generally thought of as independent creatures but they are, in fact, social creatures if left to their own devices. Studies of feral cats have shown this to be the case. These days, however, people lead busy lives and, on housing estates where people move house quite frequently, new cats are constantly appearing whilst old cat friends sometimes disappear without trace. This makes it difficult for cats to build a regular “cat community” that is stable and trouble-free.
Cats are also highly sensitive to smells – many of which go undetected by our lesser senses. As a result cats can be disturbed by changes in their environment eg a different person or new baby in the household, the arrival of a new pet, a new extension in the home, building work, a new cat on the block. These changes can result in all sorts of feelings of insecurity and this is often at the root of many behavioural problems. Some of the common problems cats experience include, inappropriate indoor toileting/refusal to use a litter tray, excessive spraying, eating disorders, fears and nervousness, reluctance to go out, over or under-attachment and hiding themselves away. The Bach Flower Remedies help by treating the emotions that underly the behaviour and the secret lies in finding out what is motivating your cat to behave the way it does. Recommended Reading The True Nature of the Cat – Dr John Bradshaw The Complete Illustrated Guide to Cat Care & Behavior – Bruce Fogle 10 Spiritual Lessons You Can Learn from Your Cat - Joanna Sandsmark

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Please Note: All animal treatment will require your Veterinary Surgeon’s approval.