Expert guide to feeding fussy felines

Pet behaviourist shares their top five tips for getting your furry friend eating again

Cats have gained a bit of a reputation for being fussy, particularly when it comes to food, but sometimes their eating habits (or lack thereof)  can be a sign of something bigger. Cats can be fussy eaters at the best of times but sometimes their unwillingness can be a sign of something bigger.

Hunting activity is ingrained in a cat’s DNA and when we take this activity away by simply providing food on a plate, it can have a knock-on impact.

So, to get your fussy feline eating enthusiastically again, Bella & Duke’s  pet behaviourist Caroline Spencer shares her top tips:

  1. Understand your cat’s eating habits

Cats are naturally suspicious animals and new food can cause anxiety initially.

Keep them interested by incorporating play, especially chasing or hunting activities, before mealtime.

Cats also prefer their food at the same temperature as “prey” would be in the wild. Before placing their food down on a feeding board or plate  pop your cat’s meal into a bowl and place in warm water to replicate this.

  1. Find the right feeding location

Cats tend to be private creatures who like the quiet and generally don’t like to be watched while eating.

Try to make sure the room they eat in is peaceful and free of activity during mealtime. No children running around, no radio playing or dishwasher running.

  1. Add tasty additions

Adding a favourite natural, dehydrated treat like our Supreme Sprats or a little bit of beaten raw egg to their food will encourage many fussy cats to get stuck in. 

You could also sprinkle your fussy cat’s meal with antler powder, drizzle some bone broth over the top or even add a small amount of tinned sardines in spring water to enhance the aroma.

  1. Work out the best time to feed

Cats are mostly active at dawn and dusk and eat best in the early morning or late at night.

Have you noticed your cat has an increased amount of energy just about the time you settle down for the evening? Give them a meal after this expenditure of energy and also put food out around dawn.

  1. Find the right feeding surface

Many will be surprised to hear that cats don’t like the smell of plastic or their whiskers touching the side of a bowl while they’re trying to eat.

Try serving their food on a wooden board, glass or ceramic plate instead. Make sure it’s spotlessly clean too – cats don’t like to smell old food while they eat.

Caroline Spencer, Pet Behaviourist at Bella & Duke added; “Cats are notorious for being independent pets and that doesn’t stop when it comes to their food.

“Feeding a picky eater can be frustrating when they turn their nose up at mealtime, try to understand what might be affecting this, it could just be something as simple as the placement of where the food is put.”

75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival celebrated in new biography

The Edinburgh Festival: A Biography by David Pollock, has just been published by Luath Press in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh International Festival and Festival Fringe.

With the arrival of the August programme of Festival events, arts and culture writer David Pollock draws upon his experiences as reviewer of over 1,000 shows to present a timely overview of the history of these world-renowned festivals.

The first to tell the complete history of the Edinburgh Festival, Pollock’s book paints an extraordinary portrait of the growth, glory years and struggles of this global cultural phenomenon.

He introduces a wide cast of key individuals and shows, including Fleabag, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Joseph Beuys, The Fall and Six: The Musical. The Edinburgh Festival: A Biography provides a unique perspective on the social and cultural history of Scotland and its capital in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Children In Scotland will spend only 40% of time outside this Summer

As kids across the UK enjoy the summer holidays, new research carried out by Micro Scooters suggests that the majority of the 6 weeks will be spent indoors with as little as 2 hours per week being spent outdoors. 

Micro Scooters is committed to reintroducing the delight in the great outdoors, and encouraging children to find the fun in spending their summer holidays outdoors; playing, joking and having unforgettable adventures. 

Wholly invested in making a positive impact on the planet, Micro Scooters, with its range of scooters for all ages and easily transportable, have invested in thorough research ahead of kids’ summer holidays, which is the prime time for children to take part in outdoor activities. 

The alarming findings reveal that when those surveyed were asked about how parents spent their free time as a child, more than 3 in 4 say that they spent most of their time outdoors playing. This is in comparison to their own kids and how they spend their time now in 2022. 1 in 2 (50%) of those surveyed said most of the activities take place indoors during the school holidays and throughout the year.

Close to all (90%) of the over 65s surveyed, stated that the majority of their time was spent outdoors, but only 1 in 3 of the 18-24s surveyed said they spent most of their time outside, highlighting the gradual change in habits amongst children. However, the alarming decrease may lead to the young population ditching the outdoors altogether in the next 10 years. 

Yorkshire ranked the worst with only a third spending most of their time outdoors, as Greater London ranked the best with over half of kids spending most of their time outdoors. 

Micro Scooters is encouraging kids to go outdoors this Summer. After so long being forced to keep our children indoors, Micro Scooter’s mission is to get kids out, laughing, playing and being kids once again. Their mission is to keep children entertained and active but, most importantly, full of fun, laughter and joy during the summer holidays, whilst helping them to lead an active lifestyle which is good for mind, body and soul.

Ben Gibson, Managing Director of Micro Scooters commented “It feels like fun has been somewhat on the back burner for the last few years and kids have struggled with school closures, constant hand washing and video lessons so this summer feels like the perfect time for them to break free and remember how to have fun. 

“There are so many benefits to getting outside to play, from health and fitness, to mental health and even helping sleep so we hope that we will see these figures go up as kids start to spend more time outside this summer.”

Scooting provides many benefits across all ages, including core conditioning with the activity strengthening the core and engaging the stabilising muscles, as well as endurance building which builds muscle strength along with cardiovascular fitness to help you go further. 

The correlating data shows that 80% of children only spend 2-3 hours a week outside playing, cycling or scooting, with a number of the cities surveyed showing just one hour a week, including Manchester. 

The UK is in agreement that lack of outdoor activities such as scooting is the main cause of a rise in child obesity, two thirds stated inactivity for being responsible for the rise in obesity, with a half of children spending the majority of their time indoors.

The Government’s obesity strategy seeks to halve the prevalence of childhood obesity by 2030, with a focus on encouraging individual behaviour change, product reformulation and restricting unhealthy food marketing, however the UK isn’t in agreement with this approach, with only 5% stating that a poor education on health is the main contribution to the concerning rise. 

Micro Scooters was founded in 2006 by two mums, Anna Gibson and Philippa Gogarty, after they discovered how much easier it was to get from A to B with their young children using tough, lightweight scooters instead of buggies.  

The product range, which offers something for kids of all ages and abilities, starts with Ride On Scooters that are perfect for helping children from 12 months onward to get mobile, then moves on to the Mini Micro range which has been engineered around the specific needs and proportions of 2 to 5 year olds.  

For those ready to embrace riding on two wheels, Micro Scooters’ innovative range of ultra lightweight balance bikes are designed to help young children build balance, coordination and confidence.

As they continue to thrive, kids can move up to the Maxi Micro and Deluxe products and finally try out a stunt scooter.  These are non folding scooters that can be used for tricks and jumps at the skatepark. Thanks to their lightweight design, they are equally at home on everyday journeys as they are performing tricks.

Micro Scooters encourages all children to start or continue to scoot, with the activity providing many benefits for children. Micro Scooters has launched the Play For Life campaign to provide guidance on how to support children in building confidence in their physical ability that will last a lifetime. 

Visit https://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/ to shop the range now. 

Citizens’ panel to help shape how the Parliament engages with the people of Scotland

People from across Scotland will be invited to join a Citizens’ Panel which will look to improve how the Parliament works with people across Scotland. 
The 24-person panel, to be selected at random, will broadly reflect the demographic make-up of Scotland. The Citizens’ Panel on Participation will give members of the public a direct opportunity to influence change.  

They will report to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee who recently launched an inquiry into public participation.

The panel is just one of the many ways the Committee is gathering views that will help inform how the Parliament involves, reflects and meets the needs of all the communities it represents, with a focus on improving engagement for those currently under-represented.  

Participants do not need any prior knowledge to take part and the panel will receive support throughout the sessions, which will hear from speakers who are passionate about democracy and public participation, to help facilitate discussion and inform findings. 

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Convener, Jackson Carlaw MSP, said: “This is a unique opportunity to help shape the way the Scottish Parliament works with the people of Scotland and I would encourage everyone who receives an invitation over the coming weeks to register and get involved.  

“We know that the Parliament doesn’t hear enough from some groups and communities and this Citizens’ Panel will bring together a diverse range of voices to make recommendations over how Holyrood can better connect and reflect the views of the people MSPs are here to represent. 

“If selected, your views could help to directly shape the future of the way the Scottish Parliament engages with communities across Scotland and improve public participation in decision making across the board.” 

Council makes £12m bid to boost community projects

Edinburgh is bidding for more than £12m in Shared Prosperity Funding from the UK Government as the Council targets support for a series of poverty-tackling community projects.

From money for employment initiatives and skills development to new measures to help Edinburgh’s most disadvantaged through the cost-of-living crisis, up to 32 projects to reduce inequalities between communities could benefit from funding.

The shortlist also includes an initiative to create a number of new community growing areas, projects designed to support people into work and an innovative ‘GreenTech’ Accelerator programme to promote entrepreneurial skills and new start-ups. A ‘Residents First’ programme of exclusive access to cultural events is also planned, alongside a new youth work space and events for older people at risk of social isolation.

Following the submission of the Council’s investment plan, there will be negotiations with the UK Government before initial funding can be released.  

If successful, the money will be provided by the UK Government under the Shared Prosperity Fund, which aims to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by funding projects which support local business, people and skills and boost communities and local places.

Acting as a successor to European Union Structural Funds, it could start supporting projects in Edinburgh as early as this October, all the way through to 2025.

A report outlining the bid was agreed by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Thursday (4 August).

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Our communities make our city and we’re so lucky to have a great number of incredible people working so hard to support local projects and bring forward new ideas.

“It hasn’t been easy for the panel to narrow this shortlist down and I’m really grateful to everyone involved. They have chosen an exciting and diverse mix of important projects – each and every one of them designed to tackle poverty and improve lives at a local level – and I’m pleased the selection has received Committee’s approval.

“We agreed that we would provide updates on the bid regularly, including the role of under-represented groups. We all want to make sure these efforts are inclusive and support a diverse range of residents.

“This funding allocation really will mean the world to those involved and will allow us to help thousands of people. I’m looking forward to early confirmation from the UK Government on our success with this bid, as I’m keen that we start delivering right away.”

Adult Social Care needs immediate funding injection and long-term plan, says Levelling Up Committee

The UK Government urgently needs to come forward with additional funding this year to help the ravaged adult social care sector meet immediate pressures, including inflation and unmet care needs, says the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee in a report published last week.

Examining the Government’s charging reforms and local government finance, unpaid carers and workforce challenges, the report says the “message rang clear throughout our inquiry: the adult social care sector does not have enough funding either in the here and now, or in the longer-term”.

The Committee’s report outlines that:

  • On adult social care, the Government currently has nothing more than a vision, with no roadmap, no timetable, no milestones, and no measures of success.
  • The Government should come forward with 10-year plans for how it will achieve its vision outlined in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper and for the adult social care workforce
  • The Government should provide a multi-year funding settlement to give local authorities what they need in terms of their own sustainability and their ability to help shape sustainable local care markets.

Clive Betts, Chair of Westminster’s Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, said: “As Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said he would fix the crisis in social care once and for all.

“The Government deserves credit for attempting reform and for acting to try to prevent the unpredictable and catastrophic costs which can be inflicted upon people for their care. However, the Government should be under no illusions that it has come close to rescuing social care and it needs to be open with the public that there is a long way to go.

“Ultimately, whether it relates to immediate cost pressures or on wider structural issues in the sector, the fundamental problem is that there continues to be a large funding gap in adult social care which needs filling. Those who need care, their loved ones, and care workers deserve better.

“The NHS and adult social care provision should not be pit against one another. The two systems are interdependent and each needs to be adequately funded to reduce pressure on the other. Wherever the money comes from—from allocating a higher proportion of levy proceeds to social care, or from central government grants—the Government urgently needs to allocate more funding to adult social care in the order of several billions each year.”

The report notes the additional pressures of Covid-19 as having exacerbated the underlying structural challenges of rising demand, unmet need, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

It also notes severe current pressures arising from increases in the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage, and from rising inflation. That most of the funding from the Health and Social Care Levy Levy will go to the NHS, and the money that will go to adult social care is for reforms, not cost pressures, is also highlighted in the report.

Addressing the Government’s sector reforms, the report notes the positive stakeholder reception to the vision outlined in the Government’s White Paper on long-term reform of adult social care, titled People at the Heart of Care.

The report commends the Government for introducing many welcome initiatives such as those relating to housing and data which could make a significant difference in the long-term to people’s lives.

The report calls on the Government to publish a 10-year plan for how its vision in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper will be achieved, taking into account how the different policies interweave and affect one another. The Government should also publish a 10-year strategy for the adult social care workforce which includes a clear roadmap with core milestones, outcomes, and measures of success.

The report expresses concerns about the sheer number of reforms and new ways of working in respect of adult social care that involve and affect local authorities. To help local councils deliver the numerous social care reforms, it’s important the Government provides a multi-year funding settlement to give local authorities what they need in terms of their own sustainability and their ability to help shape sustainable local care markets.

The report also calls on the UK Government to publish a new burdens assessment by the end of the year to determine the level of resource needed by local government in terms of staff, expertise, and funding to deliver the full package of adult social care reforms.

The Scottish Government has committed to establishing a functioning National Care Service by the end of this parliamentary term in 2026:

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RBS: Business activity growth weakens to 17-month low in July

  • Output expands fractionally amid renewed drop in sales
  • Softest increase in employment since April 2021
  • Price pressures cool, but remain rapid

Business activity across the Scottish private sector increased at only a fractional pace during July, according to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data.

The seasonally adjusted headline Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index – a measure of combined manufacturing and service sector output – registered 50.2 in July, down from 54.4 in June, signalling the weakest rate of growth in the current 17-month run of expansion.

Moreover, new business at Scottish private sector firms fell for the first time since March 2021. Sector data showed that weakness generally emanated from the manufacturing sector, though service providers in the region saw rates of growth for both output and new orders weaken since June.

Private sector firms across Scotland signalled a renewed fall in new orders during July. While the rate of reduction was only mild, it marked the first contraction since March 2021. The respective seasonally adjusted index was pulled down by a sharp reduction in factory orders across the region, while a weaker upturn in sales was seen at service providers. Panellists linked the decline to reduced customer spending amid the cost of living crisis and rising economic uncertainty.

In contrast to the contraction observed in Scotland, the UK as a whole reported a modest expansion in new orders.

Business confidence strengthened marginally across Scottish private sector firms in July. Surveyed companies hoped that new customers and improvements in client spending will lead to expansions in activity in the coming 12 months. Nevertheless, the overall degree of optimism was the second-lowest in 21 months, with a number of firms concerned about the challenging economic climate, the cost-of-living crises and potential recessionary risks.

Additionally, Scottish private firms were less upbeat than the average UK business.

As has been the case since April 2021, Scottish private sector firms raised their employment levels in July. Although the rate of job creation was the slowest in 15 months, it remained stronger than the series average (50.5).

Companies that raised their workforce numbers attributed this to higher business requirements, but firms also highlighted difficulties finding staff amid labour and skill shortages and a competitive labour market.

Of the 12 monitored UK regions, Scotland reported the softest increase in staffing levels in July, while the North East of England was the only region to register job losses.

Levels of outstanding business fell across Scottish private sector firms for the second consecutive month in July. The rate of depletion was broadly unchanged from June and modest, as the quickest decline in manufacturing backlogs in over two years was largely offset by a renewed rise in unfinished business at services companies. Firms primarily stated that lower sales drove the latest reduction in outstanding orders.

Nine out of the 12 monitored UK regions, including Scotland, posted a decrease in work-in-hand, with data signalling easing pressures on capacity across the UK as a whole.

Input costs rose sharply across Scottish private sector firms during July, thereby stretching the current bout of input price inflation to 26 months. The rate of increase eased to a five-month low, but remained amongst the fastest on record. According to surveyed businesses, higher commodity prices, Brexit, and the war in Ukraine had all placed upwards pressure on costs.

The pace of cost inflation in Scotland was slightly faster than that observed across the UK as a whole.

For the twenty-first successive month, private sector firms in Scotland raised their charges for goods and services in July. While the pace of increase softened to a seven-month low, it remained sharp overall and was quicker than the historical average. Firms often mentioned raising their prices in line with higher costs of raw materials and energy.

Of the 12 monitored UK regions, only the East of England saw a softer increase in charges than Scotland.

Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global.

Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “The Scottish private sector lost growth momentum for the third month running during July.

“Activity levels were broadly unchanged as the post-pandemic rebound continued to fade and firms faced intense cost pressures and greater economic uncertainty. Manufacturing firms in the region noted sharp declines in production and new orders, while service providers reported only mild expansions in activity and sales.

“Encouragingly, employment continued to rise, extending the current period of job creation to 16 months. That said, the rate of payroll growth was the softest seen since April 2021.

“While there were signs that price pressures have peaked, costs continued to rise sharply overall. Along with signs of weakening demand, an uncertain economic outlook and the cost of living crisis, a number of firms expressed concerns around the outlook and fears of a recession in the year ahead.”