Catteries
the Importance of Good Hygiene

For any successful cattery, whether used for breeding, boarding or rescue to survive hygiene is paramount.  This has never been more so than in the present climate.
Cleanliness is a media hot topic as the NHS has highlighted the problems being caused by the complications of dirty housing environments.  It is now known that MRSA is a danger for our pets and so the public are also keen to safeguard their loved pets when out of their own hands too.
Illness, disease and bacteria strike when an animal is at its lowest point.  Any animal undergoing stress or change is susceptible to picking up these life threatening causes.  In addition kittens, pregnant or lactating queens, convalescents and our old pets are at an even greater risk of coming under attack from these life threatening forces.
It would be bad enough to loose one of our own loved ones due to bad hygiene conditions.  But to loose a young mum whilst feeding her babies, to loose the best potential show prospect you had or to loose one of your precious boarding cats – and the possibility of your reputation – is frightening beyond our wildest imagination.
In addition to the animals in our care – these days in the world of litigation and high figure law suits – we have to also remember those people that enter our catteries and kennels on both a part time working basis – and a friendly visiting one.  Whilst we may be more careful ourselves whilst handling toxic chemicals – and whilst measuring out that carefully monitored 1:100 dilution ratio – that is not always the easiest thing to manage when left to other members of our team.
When visitors or patients are stressed or run down the immune system is compromised, then bacteria rapidly multiply and become pathogenic or disease producing.  In the society we live in today – many of the cats or people in our catteries will have taken anti-biotics in the not too distant past.  It is this over user of anti-biotics which has led to these rapid spread of diseases and infections which are so hard to control once they are in your work-place – which has led to the need for scrupulous hygiene and cleanliness.
In a busy working cattery environment – enforced hygiene routines are paramount to ensure that strict measures are second place to us.  The enforcement of deep cleaning down of areas after ever change of a cat.  Deep cleans are not always easy to do when space is tight visitors are constant and changeovers are not going to plan.  Where ‘holding’ spaces could house up to 12 or 14 cats in any one day – whilst one pen becomes available and another is filled.  Entrances and exits, pathways and cleaning areas – reception, doorbells – telephones – all points where multiple hands will pass over during the course of a day, a week, a month and a year.
These risks of passing infection over have always been around.  Most catteries will never have experienced a problem and wonder why they need to change their methods over now.  The difference is the highlight of the dreaded MRSA and just what impacts this lack of good cleaning routines can have on a cattery and its reputation. MRSA may be more common in people – but now it is increasing in our pets. 
Cattery hygiene has to be organised following a methodical routine and good quality tried, tested and approved disinfection products must be employed efficiently and thoroughly.  Ensure that the products that you are using conform to current Health and Safety standards where they are being handled by staff.  That the labelling on the products have proven test results to ensure they do what they say they do – and that they won’t burn your staff or your boarders and so harm instead of clean.
Some of the chemicals previously and even currently used around our pets will corrode the steel in our kennels and burn the paint off our floors over years of use at just normal dilution rates.  What on earth is that doing to those sensitive paws, noses and bottoms of our tender care?  When they have to sit, walk and lay on them for 23 hours a day whilst with you – how much damage will that do to them?
If this article does no more than make you stop and look at the products that you are spending your hard earned money on and invest that money on something that is Safe to your pets – will kill all the diseases, bacteria and infections in your catteries, kennels, receptions, breeding pens, vehicles and entrance halls that its supposed to.  Leave a nice fresh aroma to be inviting to your visitors (both 2 leg and 4) and most of all – safe for you, your staff and your care whilst you come into contact with it – even when its wet.  The article was worth the investment of you reading it.
SAFE4 disinfectant and cleaners have DEFRA approval and achieved the EU 2009 legislation. Being the only product on the market today which is safe for your pets and staff to come in contact with – even when its wet – look into it further.  You will be pleased you did.

Copyright: Jacquie Neilson 3.3.08                                       
www.e-k9.co.uk
Safe4 Disinfectant and Cleaning Products
DEFRA approved and EU 2009 compliant
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