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Cats

'Get your cat treated for fleas before it goes wandering in France'

Columnist Samantha David explains how her pet was picked up by an association only to return riddled with the pests

France bans nitrates for pet food but only reduces them for people

How a pack of food for President Macron’s dog highlighted a curious discrepancy between pet and human food - and the latter’s links to colon cancer

SOS appeal to find owners of three-legged cat found in Normandy

The pet, believed to belong to an English couple, was found at a service station

practical

Do I risk fine if I walk my dog off-lead in France?

Dogs must remain on-lead in certain circumstances, including where you are walking, and the breed of dog you own

Did you know? The first cat to survive space travel was French

We share the story of Félicette the feline astronaut and a crowdfunding campaign to immortalise her in bronze

Cat allergy vaccine trialled by Franco-Canadian scientists

The vaccine could bring ‘hope to millions’ of sufferers, the researchers say

A heart, a cat, and a rugby star: Three good news stories from France

Our pick of three happy news stories to take you into the weekend

Cat owners in France urged to vaccinate pets against fatal disease

An epidemic of cat typhus prompts vets to call for more vaccination and vigilance over symptoms

Inflation blamed as number of pets being abandoned in France rises

Squeezed household budgets and the rising cost of owning pets have reportedly worsened desertions this year

Wildcat spotted roaming through gardens near a major French city

Firefighters captured the Serval and took it to a local zoo

Five things you may not know... about pets in France

We take a sideways look at French attitudes to cats, dogs and other furry bébés

Scammers use cute kitten pictures to con animal lovers in France

Do not be enticed by cute photos without thorough research, a consumer watchdog has warned

Protected forest cats come back from the brink of extinction in France

A boost in biodiversity is credited as a reason for the forest cats’ return

Is there a ‘lost and found’ pet register in France?

We explain what you can do to best protect your animals in the case of them becoming lost

Guide to adopting a cat or dog in France, how to get pet advice

300,000 pets are abandoned in France annually but stricter rules on pet ownership may help animals find forever homes

Vaccinate your cat, say vets, as typhus spreads in France

Cases of cat typhus, a highly contagious and dangerous feline form of the virus, have been discovered among stray cats in the French Alps. Vets have advised that all pet cats in the area should be vaccinated

France: Cats avoid being categorised environmentally harmful

The Assemblée Nationale has thrown out an amendment that would have considered cats to be dangerous predators and ‘a threat to biodiversity’

French union demands aid for pet care businesses

One kennel and cattery owner in France tells how she is having to rely on a loan as her turnover plummets and tourism support is not available

France faces explosion in kitten population

Animal welfare groups have taken in thousands of young cats this summer after sterilisation programmes stalled during coronavirus confinement

Pet owners in France urged to microchip animals

Pet owners in France are being urged to microchip their pets for identification purposes by national associations, as the first National Pet Identification Week begins (June 8-14).

First recorded case of cat infected by Covid in France

A cat in France has been infected with coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 - which causes Covid-19 - in the first reported case in the country, leading vets to advise people who are ill to limit their contact with their pets.

French political party lists cat as local candidate

A French political party has presented a cat as one of its candidates in an imminent municipal election in Rennes, Brittany.

Cat owners in France risk €135 fine if pet not chipped

Cat owners living in France, beware: you may soon risk a €135 fine and further penalties if your feline friend does not have an identification microchip or tattoo.

Student vets help homeless in France

Students at a veterinary school have set up a scheme to offer free care and treatment to pets belonging to homeless people or those unable to pay.

Happy ending for cat found with 1kg of dreadlocks

An animal refuge has told how they had to cut one kilogram of dreadlocks off the back of a cat which had become too fat to clean itself – and that the cat has now been adopted.

French pet owners warned over ‘lost pet’ scam

Pet owners in France are being warned against a new scam that asks owners of lost pets to pay a “ransom to reclaim” their beloved animal, only to find that their pet is still lost.

French animal rescue group warns over abandoned pets

An animal rescue society in the north of France has raised the alarm over the number of abandoned animals it encounters, including cats left in rubbish bins and dogs tied to roadside fences.

New species of wildcat seen in France – at last

A species of wildcat – the chat-renard (fox cat) – that was considered to be a legend has finally been discovered.

French refuge inspired by ‘TV star’ cat

A refuge for abandoned cats is looking for homes for their animals, as well as volunteers to help with fundraising, donate food or just spend time there.

Hundreds of cat cafes open in France

Hundreds of cat cafes are now open in France, with the latest new one welcoming customers in La Rochelle.

French family cat hitches lift home on 800 km trip

A family cat from the Nord (Hauts-de-France) that got lost during a holiday 800 km away has been returned home in a car on lift-sharing app company BlaBlaCar.

Cat call to end mouse problem at Elysée Palace

MEP says cats would help control rodent numbers at official residence of French President - and said they would be useful at the Assembly, too...

Relax over a coffee and cake... with feline friends

Every edition we assess an aspect of the French zeitgeist. This month: the trend for cafés full of feline friends, by Jane Hanks

Poor treatment of dogs

In response to Ian Halliday’s letter ( November edition ) and Ricky Beets’ letter ( December edition )

Stopping someone feeding stray cats

We keep a boat in our local port. A woman regularly feeds stray cats on her barge and they do their toilet on the other boats. It is disgusting to clean. The capitainerie and mairie have not helped. Is there any law to cover this? M.S.

Woman stabbed dog in self-defence after cat attack

A woman in the Hérault has been cleared as “acting in legitimate self-defence” after she killed a neighbour’s dog with a knife when the dog attacked her cat.

Holidays used as excuse to dump pets

Animal dumping figures peak every summer, Reha Hutin, president of France’s leading animal charity, the Fondation 30 Millions d’Amis, tells Samantha David – but they are working hard to reduce this sad problem

What you can do if you find a lost cat

Only one in 12 of the 8,000 kittens born every day in France will find a permanent home

Cat-fight ends up in €16,000 court case

Helping with rescue animals can transform their lives

A Facebook group that puts animal lovers in touch with dog and cat refuges in their area, is calling on anyone with a bit of time to spare to join them to help improve the lives of rescue animals.

Moving pets to France is worth the cost and stress

An international move is stressful for humans but it can be traumatic for pets – although some take it in their stride