Most cats appear to ‘enjoy’ being stroked by their owners. This apparent willingness on the part of cats to succumb to human needs suggests that there is a benefit to them in this behavior. However, it is probably more accurate to analyze the interaction as the cat perceiving that the human is performing marking behavior as they stroke the cat and, seemingly deliberately, leave their skin scent behind on it. Cats may not fight against being stroked (although some cats do shy away or become aggressive during interaction that involves stroking), and they may even thrive on the cross-marking behavior. In this analysis, there would clearly be a benefit to being stroked, but it may not be equally balanced between human and cat.
The laws on importing cats vary between countries. Most have strict quarantine regulations, the length of which depends on the likelihood of endemic animals being known carriers of rabies and other exotic diseases. Cats that have have been microchipped, vaccinated and subjected to veterinary checks can be moved more easily between countries that have created new pet importation rules. Some countries have set up schemes whereby, if an animal complies with all the rules of the scheme, they can avoid spending six months in quarantine. check with a veterinary practice about the current requirements well in advance of intended travel.
Some owners wish to take away the body of their cat. Otherwise, the veterinary practice can be arrange for disposal of the body through cremation. In this situation, the surgery will retain the cat until an official from the crematorium arrives to collect it.
It is fairly easy to judge whether or not your cat is nervous. A nervous cat will disappear upstairs to a known bolt hole, such as underneath a bed or in a secluded cupboard, as soon as a visitor enters its owner’s home. Healthy cats are naturally inquisitive and would normally want to mark or brush up against a newcomer to the home to express their possessiveness. A cat that is anxious will not interact with visitors (or sometimes, even its owner) in the way a confident companion pet would in this respect.
Most human soap products should not be used on animals. This is because they contain scents and other ingredients that can trigger serious dermatological conditions. Cats maintain a healthy balance between skin and hair with natural oils, and aggressive cleaning compounds can have an adverse effect by removing these.
The answer is ‘not usually’. In spite of this, there are instances where cats - normally solitary, territorial predators - will congregate together to form unnatural groups. This is often the case when feral cat groups live in an area where there is a high cat population but limited source of prey. Obviously behaving against type, these cats may congregate around waste-disposal grounds hoping for food scraps, or in urban streets or derelict buildings where they are being artificially fed.
