Domestic Cat Care Course Online
| Full Fee | $595.00 incl GST - Best Value! |
| Payment Plan | $800.00 incl GST |
Exam Optional
Qualification Certificate
Tutor Support Yes unlimited by email
If you’re thinking about cat care specifically as a new income stream or employment option, this course will assist you to demonstrate your ability to work with cats and understand the industry without question.
Domestic Cat Care is a comprehensive 100 hour course covering all aspects of diet and nutrition, preventative health care and treating illnesses, understanding feline behavior, breeding, business planning and more!
You will learn:
- Investigate aspects of domestic cat care and the basic duties of owners and professional carers.
- Develop understanding of basic biology – anatomy and physiology – and associated processes.
- Examine variations between different breeds by focusing on common health issues, temperaments and characteristics.
- Recommend different preventative care schedules and learn how to recognise and treat ill health.
- Develop clear understanding of parasites, ailments and disease, treatment options available and the significance of veterinary assistance.
- Investigate feline nutrition and outline an appropriate diet for the domestic cat specific to their needs.
- Distinguish between normal and abnormal cat behaviour, extending this to develop appropriate strategies for dealing with problem or undesirable behaviours.
- Assess the current breeding industry and demonstrate ethical standards in cat breeding and rearing kittens.
- Investigate and evaluate services which exist in the current cat industry and propose a small business idea which is of personal interest.
Detailed Course Outline
This course is made up a number of lessons or units. Each having self assessment questions, set tasks (practical homework), and an assignment which you can upload online. Click below to read about each of the lessons and what you will learn.
There are 9 lessons in this course:
Introduction
- Basic Feline Needs – Basic Duties of the Cat Owner
- Food and water
- Shelter and Containment
- Health care for sick cat
- Grooming
- Claw trimming
- Bathing
- Travel
- Housebreaking
- Introducing a new cat at home
- Cats with babies and children
- Cats and dogs
- Cat breeds – pedigrees and non-pedigrees
Feline Biology
- Skin
- Eyes
- Ears
- Nose
- Mouth
- Digestive system
- Reproductive system
Breeds
- Domestic cat breeds
- International and national associations
- Long haired breeds – characteristics, common health problems, temperaments, care, history
- Semi-long haired breeds – characteristics, common health problems, temperaments, care, history
- Short haired breeds – characteristics, common health problems, temperaments, care, history
Feline Health Care
- Preventative care
- Vaccinations
- Recognising ill-health
- Dealing with emergencies
- Artificial breathing and heart massage
- How to induce vomiting
- Specific situations to deal with e.g. burns, wounds, dehydration, hypothermia (and many more)
- Poisoning
- Wounds
- Bandaging
- Restraining for treatment
- Transportation of the injured cat
- Desexing
Feline Illnesses
- Internal parasites
- Roundworms
- Hookworms
- Tapeworms
- Whipworms
- Lungworms
- Stomach worms
- Bladder worms
- Flukes
- Worm control
- External parasite
- Ticks
- Fleas
- Mites
- Common ailments and diseases (numerous)
- Skin disorders
Feline Diet
- Introduction to foods and feedings
- Dietary options
- Free feeding
- Scheduled, portion controlled feeding
- Understanding dietary requirements
- Kittens (0-12 months)
- Pregnant and lactating cats
- Fussy cats
- Obesity and overweight cats
- Underweight cats
- Geriatric cats
- Raw diets
- Toxic foods
Feline Behaviour
- Understanding the cats mind
- Personality and temperament differences
- How cats communicate
- Body language
- Sleeping routines and circadian rhythms
- Play
- Behavioural problems
- Recognise and understand aggression
- Dealing with aggression
- Inappropriate elimination
- Excessive vocalization
- Geriatric dysfunction
- Controlling killing wildlife
- Eating disorder
- Abnormal suckling
- Separation anxiety
Breeding and Raising Kittens (includes PBL Project)
- Cat breeding industry
- Ethics in animal breeding
- A brief look at genes
- Sexual behaviour
- Socialisation of kittens
- Problem based learning project – Improving Standards for Ethical Breeding
Feline Services (includes PBL Project)
- Grooming services
- Professional training and handling
- Day care or boarding facilities
- Rehoming and fostering
- Using cats as therapy pets
- Health care industry
- Feline therapy services – hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, massage
- Retail and manufacturing industry
- Pet funerals and memorials
- Business basics for self-employment in the feline industry
- Laws and small business
- The importance of keeping records
- Buying an established business
- Buying a franchise
- Approaches to business planning
- Problem based learning project – Starting a Small Business in the Cat Industry
When you have completed the lessons of your Certificate course, you will be given the option of taking the optional exam. It's okay if you don't want the exam, we still issue your Careerline Certificate. For Advanced Certificates however, the exam is compulsory (per module) and are included in the course fee.
Course Tutors
Dr Karen Catchpole B.VSc. (Hons)
Karen brings to Careerline great experience and expertise in animal Science. Karen is a practicing veterinarian, now in her own small animal hospital, after working in varied roles over 17 years since graduation from Sydney University with first class honours. Karen continues to maintain active involvement in education in both professional development and in tutoring both vocational and university students. Karen's field of expertise is in internal animal medicine & surgery of cats & dogs.
Dr. Karin Dreyer-Haasbroek B.V.S. M.Sc. (Parasitology)
Karin’s love and passion for animals stem from growing up on a farm in South Africa. After gaining her Veterinary Science degree she worked in mixed general practice while completing a master’s degree in Veterinary Parasitology. Living and working in South Africa exposed Karin to a vast range of experiences in the clinical veterinary field: treating patients ranging from marmoset monkeys to lions to the everyday cat, dog or horse. Two years as a Laboratory Vet resulted in helping farmers tackling livestock health problems in a variety of farm production systems. Since her move to Western Australia with her family, Karin has been working in a small animal practice. During her 20 years as a vet, she has been involved in several research projects and the tutoring of students in various fields of animal science. She enjoys mentoring students and sharing her knowledge and she loves helping students flourish and realise their full potential.
How It Works
1. Learn Online
Get access to your course content anywhere, anytime and study at your own pace.
2. Get Help & Support
Connect with other like-minded students and get help from the teacher whenever you have a question.
3. Receive Certificate
Graduate from your course knowing that you have what it takes to reach your next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay in installments?
Yes! We offer great payment plans, however full payment up front is the cheapest. You can choose the best payment plan for you from the course page, or call us on 07 55368782 to talk to one of our course consultants for a custom plan.
Can I study from anywhere in the world?
We have many international students. Careerline's range of courses are suitable for any one, anywhere in the world.
Do I get a discount if I enroll in a second course?
Yes. You may claim a 5% fee discount when you enroll in a second course, and a further 10% off a three-course package.
Do I have to sit an Exam?
No. If you are enrolled in a Certificate course (100hrs), the exam is optional. You will be issued with a certificate which proves that you are competent in all units, if you choose not to sit the exam.
Do you have set start dates?
There are no set start dates, you may start at any time. Our courses are all self-paced. As our home page says, ‘Courses for Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’. ‘Anytime’ includes the start time of your choice. However, we do encourage our students to submit assignments on a regular basis. Wherever possible, we suggest developing a study routine.