Q: My name is Ben I am nine and worried about my hamster Josh, who is 12 months old.

Last week he started standing in the corner, breathing very slowly and his eyes were droopy as if he was falling asleep. He isn’t running about any more.

Mum thinks he is cold and might be starting to hibernate but I don’t know what to do.

Please can you help me because I am happier when he’s running around playing with me.

Ben Clarendon, Cowley, Oxford A: Ben your mum is partly right about Josh, as hamsters will often huddle up and stop running around and look ‘cold’ if they are not feeling well.

They do not hibernate.

It is possible he has a tummy upset or a chest infection. Make sure his cage is not in a draughty place and that it is this that is making him cold.

Check if he is emptying his food bowl and make sure he isn’t piling the food up in his den and not eating it.

Check he is drinking. If he is eating and drinking less he may become very poorly.

If he continues to behave like this you need to have him examined by a vet. The chances are with some treatment he will be running around again in no time.

Q: Our 20-year old cat had been sleeping up to 20 hours a day for several years.

Now, for the past several months, she sleeps less than three hours a day.

The vet says she’s perfectly healthy otherwise. She sits by her bowl all day long, even though there is plenty of food available. We have moved everything close to help her in her old age.

Is there anything else we can do – or is it, in fact, anything to worry about?

Carolyn Fleet, Didcot A: If your vet says she is healthy, I can only assume her insomnia is related to her age.

Older cats can develop a form of Alzheimer’s disease. This can affect an apparently healthy cat and the initial signs can be subtle.

They may start doing other strange things like messing indoors, yowling in the night, wandering aimlessly, staring into space and may appear confused.

You are doing the right thing by making her life easy and I suggest you discuss your concerns with your vet as there may be treatments.

Q: I got two puppies at a horse fair. I fell in love with them straight away.

The breeder had all the certificates saying she was licensed and the puppies were vaccinated, but now the puppies have diarrhoea and sleep all the time.

What do you think I should do?

Jan Bowling, Banbury A: Puppies do sleep a lot, however, they certainly don’t sleep all the time!

Diarrhoea is not normal and may be the problem here as the fluid loss can lead to weakness and can cause dehydration and death.

I suggest you feed them a light diet for three to four days, like boiled chicken and rice, and give them only water to drink. Also get them a worm dose.

If this does not help, you need to see your vet.