One of the most important things you must consider is the age of your children. If they are below 10 years old it is unlikely that they will be able to take responsibility for the animal and provide some of its care. Generally, children who are over 10 years are able to get involved with the feeding of the cat and clearing out of its litter tray.

Compared with dogs, cats are a more independent animal and they require less care which can make them a better choice for younger children. That said, it is still important to realise that cats are not entirely easy to look after and there are many responsibilities that you take on board when you buy a cat.

If you have very young children it is important to remember that they might play roughly with the cat which can result in it suffering injuries. The cat will also fight back if it is hurt and this can result in bites and scratches on your child.

Many people already have a pet before they have a baby and it is not necessary to give the cat away when you have a new baby but it is important that you take into consideration some changes that you might need to make. First off, it is important to remember that your cat will still need attention; it may be tempting to give all of your time to your baby but just remember that your cat will feel neglected if you ignore it.

When something new is brought into the house the cat will be curious and it is likely they will try to smell the baby. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it will help the cat realise that the baby belongs in the house. It is important to make sure that you always around the baby when it is with the cat to make sure that the baby is safe. If you are not around your baby make sure that there is a barrier between the rest of the house and their room so that the cat cannot get in and be alone with the baby.

When your child grows up a bit it is likely they will start to play with the cat and it is important that you teach them how to be gentle with the animal. Toddlers will naturally try and pull at the cat’s hair and its tail which can be unpleasant for the cat, so make sure they know how to treat the cat right. Cats have many advantages for children as well, such as exposing them to allergens which can help your child develop a strong immune system.

We’re often referred to as a nation of animal lovers and now a new study shows that our love of all things furry is firmly being passed on to our kids with a poll of children revealing they care more about their pets than they do about their brothers and sisters and their friends.

Over 70% of the children surveyed have a pet, with cats and dogs and goldfish the most likely animals to be found in British homes, but snakes, lizards, frogs and sheep are also getting pampered by their youthful in homes around the UK.

When asked what animal they would most like to have, dog’s were a clear winner, followed by followed by rabbits, hamsters and cats. But it’s not just their own animals that British children care about with. Our fauna also looks to be in good hands for the future with over 90% of kids saying they are concerned about wildlife.

And their knowledge of what can be found in our backyards is also excellent with the majority saying they would recognise a robin, pigeon, blackbird, magpie, blue tit and a sparrow if they saw one frolicking outside.

Over 90% say they have visited a farm and more than 70% a wildlife sanctuary.

Nearly half of the 7-15 year olds surveyed by Wilkinson Petcare have helped an injured animal, while a quarter have fed a wild hedgehog.

Here are some Top Tips for Pet Care provided by Wilkinsons:

1. Pay your pet attention. Pets need love and affection as much as people.
2. Exercise – The more exercise the better prevention of your pet becoming overweight.
3. Visit a vet regularly to maintain your pets health.
4. Get your pet Vaccinations. This will prevent them from catching any diseases that could affect their health.
5. Give your pet a comfortable and spacious home/bed – This is where they will sleep and get the rest they need so it needs to be somewhere they want to go.
6. Go to a Vet to check you are feeding your pet the right food for them. I.e. the food you give your dog depends on the breed of the dog you have, so it is vital you check.
7. Allow your pet to adapt to its new environment and dogs/cats/horses allow to interact with other animals at an early stage in order for them to know how to react in social situations properly.
8. Watch your pets teeth, bad breath could mean digestive problems.
9. Give your pet toys, your pets need to have something to interest them as you cannot be their 24/7.
10. Clean and groom your pet regularly, this will maintain their health and help prevent catching disease.

For more information visit : Website: http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/pets/icat/catdog/

A great video has been made by famous animal lovers James Thornton and Joanna Page to boost the campaign. This features Jimmy, a lovely Border Collie as a taxi driver who takes a lost sheep called Paige home. As they drive he explains the importance of microchipping and how invaluable they are, straight from the dog’s mouth as it were. He stresses how easy it is to get it done and also how important it is to keep your details up to date.

To encourage responsible ownership by using microchipping as the foremost method of per identification, Petlog are offering the owners of the all the dogs who are registered on the Petlog database to update their details free of charge online.

Losing a pet can be extremely stressful and worrying, but with a microchip firmly in place and all your details relevant, you can rest assured that you will be reunited with your pet very quickly. Take Jimmy’s advice and arrange for your pet to be microchipped, it could be the best decision you ever make.

There are three basic categories of pet insurance. These are:

- Pet cover limited by year
- Pet cover limited per condition
- Pet cover limited per condition for a maximum of 12 months.

When buy pet insurance it is very important to know exactly what you are buying since if your pet develops a serious illness it could be disastrous if your claim is limit is reached and you are unable to obtain pet insurance elsewhere.

Pet Cover Limited by Year

This is one of the best types, although likely to be the most expensive since each condition or claim will be paid up to an annual maximum. If you continue to pay your premiums then you can continue to claim for the same condition indefinitely. Of course, premiums may rise over time.

Pet Cover Limited per Condition

Each condition is insured up to a maximum cash mount. Once the limit is reached no more claims can made for that particular condition.

Pet Cover Limited per Condition for 12 Months

Policyholders can claim up to a maximum sum insured for any one condition for up to 12 months after diagnosis. After this time no further claims can be made for that condition.

The survey shows that while only 11 per cent of UK pet owners would stop paying for their pet insurance if the credit crunch affected their wallet, more than double that number (23 per cent) would stop paying for their own private healthcare.

By contrast:

58 per cent said they would cancel their gym membership.
73 per cent said they would cancel subscriptions to DVD rental websites and magazines
46 per cent would cut charitable donations (46 per cent)
36 per cent would not buy football season tickets and
34 per cent would cancel cable TV subscription.

Bringing a kitten home is like having a baby at home, since the kitten requires a lot of attention just like a baby. The very fact that you have taken her away from her mother milk makes you responsible for her food. The kitten should adequate amount of milk because that’s what they survive on in the initial days. As the kitten grows up you must make her get used to the litter box. The cat will also need toys to play along and sharpen her skills as this is the time when the cats train their kittens. A scratching post will be a good idea, as in their growing stage they low to use their claws as much as possible.

Once all these decisions are made you must move onto medical care. A cat must be taken to a veterinarian regularly specially for de-worming and they have to get their regular shots. A through check up must be done even, if the person who has given you the cat has said that they have given them the shots. The best part about taking care of a cat is the love and attention that both you give each other. Cats are well known for being affectionate and always work towards being your companion. If your cat is an indoor cat she still needs to visit the veterinarian and if it’s an outdoor cat it would be best to keep her away from poisonous plants.

If you have just an elder cat at home, there are chances that you may never realize that how old she has become. She may still play around with her toys in front of her eyes and laze around your sofa of cuddle up next to you on bed, but she is getting old from inside and you may not realize that. As and when the cat gets older the veterinarian will ask you to change her diet. It is very important to look out for behavioral changes as your cat is getting older. Cats love fatty food but you may just not be able to feed her that once she reaches a certain age. If you do so, you are actually getting her more close to obesity and other health problems. Once she has stepped in her old age period she will often take longer catnaps, if such a scenario occurs make sure you take her to the veterinarian.