Q. I found my cat watching a bird under a bush in our garden. She would not move away even when I called her. When I found the bird it frightened me when I went near. Mum says it might be a buzzard and it is probably poorly or injured. What should I do?

A. If this is a buzzard you are right to be frightened because this bird has a very sharp and powerful beak and claws which it will use to protect itself if he/she feels threatened. These amazing birds are wild and do not enjoy the close company of cats or humans. Please don’t try to approach the bird; instead, someone should contact the excellent Wildlife Trust, wildlifetrusts.org or the RSPCA, either of whom will be happy to help.

Q. I accidently snipped my cat’s skin next to her leg while cutting out some matted fur. The wound did not bleed at all, but the snip spread. It doesn’t seem to bother her, but I am worried about how much the wound has spread open. Is this something that just needs local wound care or should I take her to my vet?

A. This is quite a common injury. Matted hair can be a real problem to remove and really you should never use scissors. Wounds of this size will often heal; however, the problem here is the position of the wound – the constant movement of the leg will delay the healing considerably and so increase the risk of infection. You should let your vet examine her and he/she may decide to stitch the wound closed. They can also check why your cat is getting matted hair in the first place. Cats are usually fastidious about grooming and I suspect she may have teeth or gum problems which makes grooming painful. They can also give you some grooming tips.

Q. My three dogs have all developed kennel cough symptoms in the past two days. Do my dogs need medicine? And how do I keep my three ferrets safe from kennel cough?

A. True kennel cough is a flu-like syndrome commonly seen in unvaccinated dogs, usually within a week of being exposed to the virus/bacteria while in a confined space such as a boarding kennel. It causes bronchitis with a dry, hacking cough, fever and sometimes a loss of appetite. In some dogs life-threatening pneumonia can develop. It is caused by a virus (parainfluenza) or a bacteria (bordetella) or a combination of both. The disease can be prevented by vaccination. Most cases are treated using antibiotics and cough-suppressant drugs as the cough is very aggravating in the first few days. Expect your dogs to cough for up to three weeks after treatment. This infection does not affect ferrets, though there have been reports of the bacteria being isolated from ferret lungs so for complete safety keep them away from the dogs until they are better.