Whiskas Kitten Care Packs - HUGELY irresponsible!

epona

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I can't decide whether this is the best forum for this thread, but if I've got it wrong please do move it somewhere else!

Before I got Radar, I signed up with Whiskas to receive a free Kitten Care pack, and it duly arrived in the post (about 2 months after I got him mind you, but it did turn up). This thing included some freebies, and I've never been known to turn down free samples!

Today I received an update pack, which supposedly gives advice about your kitten becoming an adult cat, his changing needs etc.

I was horrified at some of the contents which I felt gave hugely irresponsible advice, and am going to write to them to complain.

(None of these quotes are word for word, I left the pack at home and I am at work)

Firstly, it stated that 'your kitten will have finished its vaccinations by 3 months old, so has probably been exploring the outside world for a while by now!'

Since we can't neuter here until 6 months old, this is condoning letting un-fixed cats access to the outdoors, with the associated risks of early pregnancy, straying to find a mate, fighting, and FIV.

Secondly, and worse, it stated that 'If you decide not to have your cat neutered, she can have kittens from 6 months old, so speak with your vet about appropriate healthcare for your mother and kittens'

I was absolutely incensed by this, I swear I nearly had an aneurism. It is condoning letting your cat have kittens when this year shelters and charities have been absolutely overwhelmed by the huge influx of unwanted accidental kittens. It is suggesting that it is OK to let a 6 month old, the equivalent of a 12 year old girl, have kittens. It is suggesting that it is fine to let your cat wander round and mate with any old tomcat who may be ill or FIV+. Nowhere does it point out the health risks and financial burdens of pregnancy, nowhere does it mention cancers and uterine infections that your cat may go onto develop if not neutered.

Please, if anyone could post any links, preferably from veterinary-level sources, outlining the risks of a) early pregnancy, b) cancer and uterine problems in un-fixed cats, and c) risk of FIV transmission, I would be most grateful, as I want to include some weighty sources in my e-mail to them.

I will post up the exact quotes and an e-mail address when I have compiled the e-mail, as I think it would be good if other people (especially UK members!) complained also.

Of course allowing your cat to breed and burgeoning cat populations probably means more sales of Whiskas cat food in the long run, so I can hardly expect them to want to advise people to get their pets fixed.
 

catsknowme

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WHY WOULD THEY CONDONE ALLOWING CATS TO BREED
I wonder what Morris the Cat, in his Million-Cats-Home drive would comment on that
It seems obvious that whoever wrote the booklet failed to get approval from the Veterinary Society or the Humane Society, or SPCA....
 

ryn

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Hey, that's Whiskas, what do you expect?
They certainly don't seem to know a lot about feline nutrition anyway.
 

arlyn

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Things like this is why I stopped watching Animal Planet.
Shows like "That's My Baby" disgusted me frequently with people letting their mixed breed pets breed "so the children can experience the miracle of life", and Animal Planet making no disclaimers about how irresponsible the practice is.
 

silentnate

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

Things like this is why I stopped watching Animal Planet.
Shows like "That's My Baby" disgusted me frequently with people letting their mixed breed pets breed "so the children can experience the miracle of life", and Animal Planet making no disclaimers about how irresponsible the practice is.
I think if you want your children to experience 'the miracle of life' then I feel it might be best to foster a pregnant cat from a shelter


My feelings on the 'freebie' information from Whiskers are the same as Eponas
 
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epona

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Originally Posted by catsknowme

WHY WOULD THEY CONDONE ALLOWING CATS TO BREED
I wonder what Morris the Cat, in his Million-Cats-Home drive would comment on that
It seems obvious that whoever wrote the booklet failed to get approval from the Veterinary Society or the Humane Society, or SPCA....
Er... I'm in the UK - here we don't have those societies - we do have the RSPCA, the Cats' Protection League, and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons however


Originally Posted by Ryn

Hey, that's Whiskas, what do you expect?
They certainly don't seem to know a lot about feline nutrition anyway.
Most people here feed Whiskas, it's bad enough that people feed that rubbish, it's 100x worse though that the makers of the rubbish that most people feed their cats give such awful advice. You can't write off 90% of the cat-owning population rather than try to educate them!
 

lokismum

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I'd be writing to the company if I were you! We can't neuter here either until 6 months of age, but there is no way I'd let an unprotected cat roam around outside (hey, what am I saying - I won't let a protected cat roam around outside either)! That is just irresponsible!
 

katl8e

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I must be reading this a bt differently,from the previous posters.

It appears to me that Whiskas is ACKNOWLEDGING the fact that SOME people DO allow their cats outside and do not spay/neuter. Educating people, about the fact that a cat can become pregnant, at 6 months old and recommending proper vet care for pregnant cats and kittens is GOOD ADVICE, not necessarily condoning the practice.
 

rosey

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My sister lives in Europe and we were talking about neutering and spaying and she told me they do it about 1 year old or so in France.

While i have no idea what the proper age for breeding is, I just wanted to say that here in the US, they spay and neuter very very young. I waited to neuter sephie until he was about 8 months old but Orion who was 6 weeks old when we picked him up was already neutered.

I'm not saying it's right, just saying what is done here.
 

ryn

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Originally Posted by Epona

Most people here feed Whiskas, it's bad enough that people feed that rubbish, it's 100x worse though that the makers of the rubbish that most people feed their cats give such awful advice. You can't write off 90% of the cat-owning population rather than try to educate them!
You've got a good point there.


Originally Posted by Rosey

My sister lives in Europe and we were talking about neutering and spaying and she told me they do it about 1 year old or so in France.

While i have no idea what the proper age for breeding is, I just wanted to say that here in the US, they spay and neuter very very young. I waited to neuter sephie until he was about 8 months old but Orion who was 6 weeks old when we picked him up was already neutered.

I'm not saying it's right, just saying what is done here.
In Finland the practice is mixed. Some vets like to neuter and spay early, some don't. My feeling is that early is getting more and more popular.

Usva and Milla were spayed one year old in 2000 and 2003. Tilli and Timotei were neutered 6 months old in 2004. Sometimes I wonder if that's the reason they don't have deep manly voices, like most neutered toms I know have.
 

wickedkitten

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Originally Posted by katl8e

I must be reading this a bt differently,from the previous posters.

It appears to me that Whiskas is ACKNOWLEDGING the fact that SOME people DO allow their cats outside and do not spay/neuter. Educating people, about the fact that a cat can become pregnant, at 6 months old and recommending proper vet care for pregnant cats and kittens is GOOD ADVICE, not necessarily condoning the practice.
I'm actually reading the bit in the pack right now and I quote

Your Vet can advise you about when to have your kitten neutered. Remember a kitten can become pregnant as early as five or six months - so talk to your vet sooner than later
In the new bits that I got yesterday it says

If you've decided not to have your cat neutered, she can become pregnant at around 6 months. Your vet can advise you on the best way to ensure a successful pregnancy.
It also talks about jabs right before that and I quote

And don't let your kitten go outside before he's been fully vaccinated - however much he wants to
 
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epona

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Here are the exact quotes from my pack.

In the section entitled 'Happy Homecoming':

Once he's had all his injections, your little fellow can go out and explore the big, wide world. This usually happens at about three months, so he's probably a great adventurer already
And from the section entitled 'Happy Families':

Having Kittens. If you've decided not to have your cat neutered, she can become pregnant at around 6 months. Your vet can advise you on the best way to ensure a successful pregnancy. One thing to remember is, when she's pregnant your cat has extra nutritional needs. Whiskas Kitten Food gives mothers-to-be the extra vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrates they need.
 

wickedkitten

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Originally Posted by Epona

Here are the exact quotes from my pack.

In the section entitled 'Happy Homecoming':
That is the exact advice they give in the RSPCA cat book. Don't let your cat outside until it has had it's full course of jabs



And from the section entitled 'Happy Families':
Check page 30
 

the zoo lady

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i just need to say kittens can fall pregnant at as young as 4 months i spoke to my vet who did say even tho the recommend around 6 month mark to neuter you cat they will do it just as they are reaching sexual maturity so not defending whiskers but wen u first take your pet to the vets you should ask about neutering and their policy. also as it is recommended that kittens stay with their mother until they are 8 weeks old ideally nearer the 12 week mark whiskers would be barking up the wrong tree but it goes down to owners that dont no how long a kitten needs its mum for and take them away to early at like 4 - 6 weeks of age so publications had to change because of this which is wrong my oldest cat has had kittens and i found homes for them all so just because someone has let their cat breed dont make it wrong.
 
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