The dangers of the Garden.

Giving your cat access to the garden is probably one of the best gifts you could give to your cat, other than the handful of treats in your cupboard. Watching a cat move and play in the garden is truly a delight but we must never forget the inherent dangers of a cat roaming outside even in the perceived safe confines of your own garden.

Cat's can swim but they are not known to be completely competent in this area. Each year, there are many reported cases of cat's drowning. To prevent this, the simplest solution is to cover the water with a very fine mesh or put up a small barrier to make it inaccessible to your cat.

Cat's have an uncanny ability to land on their feet and this is indeed a skill they are attributed with, helping them survive even the most treacherous falls. However, vet's will confirm that cats have often been injured severely as a result of falls. If a cat lands on an unyielding surface, it is quite likely to injure itself if the height is above 4 meters. This would be the equivalent of a human jumping down from the first floor. The same of course applies to cats who jump down from trees. Often the problem lies in cat's being too focused on their hunting or exploring and end up climbing up too high to turn around and escape. Indeed, things always look less scary when on the up.

You will have to enrol the services of the fire brigade or rescue services. What you can do is discourage habitual climbers by placing wire netting around the base of their favourite trees (or the most dangerous ones).

Cat's have an abundance of curiosity and this means they will explore places they probably shouldn't. Garden sheds are a prime cat location and you will often find cats inside sheds who have imprisoned themselves.

Cat's who get stuck in the shed can invariable survive up to 14 days without food or water but the even if it survives, it can fall victim to secondary infections it would otherwise fight off. If you have not seen your cat for while, make sure you check your cellars, cupboards, tool sheds and garages.