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In this issue

Cover
The Hole Problem
Diane Abbott writes
Stokey Folk
Sarah Ebanja
News in Brief
Stokey Success Story
A Clean Sweep
Write On
N16 First Issue
Festival News
Notes from the 73
Green Money
Locally Grown
Church St. 2000?
Stitched Up
Kids in the Cafe
Tale of 2 Churches
Arts
Steptoes
The Fox Reformed
Food For Thought
Drinker's Guide
Watch Your Step
Food Facts
Camilla
That Scratching Cat
Scam of the Month
Man in the North Bank
Crossword

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That Scratching Cat

p21

The High Street has a large pet shop, Clissold Park is full of dogs and Stoke Newington back gardens are patrolled by feline urban guerrillas — better known as domestic cats. Presumably many people round here are animal lovers.

Those who own cats must feel their patience sorely tested when the fluffy little moggy turns into a ruthless furniture shredder. Local vet Richard Jackson explains why this seemingly destructive activity has four main purposes:

• to remove the worn outer claw sheath
• to stretch and condition the apparatus needed for claw movement
• to leave a visual mark to communicate to other cats
• to leave a chemical signal by depositing scent from the glands on the pads

He recommends that scratching posts should be set up in prominent areas, particularly close to the sleeping area. The post should be tall enough for the cat to scratch while on its hind legs and forelegs extended. You could try rubbing the post with tuna oil and even feeding in this area.

Do not punish the cat to stop it scratching as it may make it more nervous and inclined to scratch. As last resort you could cover the furniture with unappealing material such as plastic. Good luck.

Richard Jackson BVSc MRCVS is a veterinary surgeon at Abbey Veterinary Clinics, Stamford Hill.

Scam of the Month

The phone kiosks in the High Street — just around the corner from the Bar Lorca — are being used in a neat little scam. An anxious looking man stands nearby, apparently searching his pockets. He approaches passers-by and asks for change for a desperately urgent phone call. If they oblige, he rushes into the box, pretends to put coins in the slots and speaks into the handset. As soon as his donors have gone, he nips back outside and repeats his routine. We counted six successful hits in half an hour. You can get a good view of this activity from the restaurants opposite.
If you are aware of a good scam, let us know. Stoke Newington is full of ingenious people.

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