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- From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
- Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,news.answers
- Subject: rec.pets.cats FAQ (part 1/3)
- Supersedes: <cats-faq/part1_722325617@athena.mit.edu>
- Followup-To: poster
- Date: 11 Dec 1992 06:02:18 GMT
- Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept.
- Lines: 1383
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- Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu
- Expires: 14 Jan 1993 06:02:10 GMT
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- Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu
- NNTP-Posting-Host: pit-manager.mit.edu
- Summary: This is a periodically posted FAQ on the care and handling
- of cats. It is in three parts.
- X-Last-Updated: 1992/09/30
-
- Archive-name: cats-faq/part1
- Version: 1.6
- Last-modified: 29 September 1992
- Periodicity: 20 days
-
- This is the first part of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) List
- for rec.pets.cats. It is posted every twenty days: updates,
- additions, and corrections (including attributions) are always
- welcome: send email to one of the addresses below.
-
- Copies of both parts of this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to
- pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) under
- /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/*. Or send email to
- mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with
-
- send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part1
- send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part2
- send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part3
-
- in the body of the message to have both parts emailed to you (leave
- the subject line empty).
-
- Substantial changes.
-
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- (Part 1)
- Prologue.
-
- I. GETTING A CAT
- A. What Kind of Cat?
- B. Where?
- C. Veterinarians.
- D. Young Kittens.
- E. Introducing Cats to Other Pets.
- F. Handling Your Cat.
-
- II. BASIC CAT CARE
- A. Cat Food.
- B. Diets.
- C. Vegetarian Diets.
- D. Litter.
- E. Dental Care.
- F. Trimming Claws.
- G. Grooming.
- H. Pills, Dosing, and Medication.
- I. Worms.
- J. Poisons.
- K. Vaccination and Worming Schedule.
- L. What Your Vet Should Check.
-
- III. HEALTH/MEDICAL
- A. In General.
- B. My Cat is Sick, Should I Take It To the Vet?
- C. What is FIV? FeLV? Diabetes?
- (Part 2)
- D. Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS).
- E. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).
- F. Thyroid Problems.
- G. Skin Problems.
- H. Disease Transmission (Zoonoses).
- I. Toxoplasmosis (when you are pregnant and own a cat).
- J. Vomiting.
- K. Diarrhea.
- L. Neutering.
- M. Declawing.
- N. Cat Allergies.
- O. Aging.
-
- VI. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (INSIDE)
- A. In General.
- B. Plants.
- C. Spraying.
- D. Scratching.
- E. Housebreaking.
- F. Escaping.
- G. Drape/Curtain Climbing.
- H. Cord (and Other) Chewing.
- (Part 3)
- I. Biting.
- J. Garbage.
- K. Counters.
- L. Early AM Wakeups.
- M. Toilet Paper.
- N. Splashing Water.
- O. Ripping Carpet.
-
- V. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (OUTSIDE)
- A. In General.
- B. Noise.
- C. Your Garden.
- D. Local "Attack" Cats.
- E. Your Birdfeeder.
-
- VI. ENTERTAINMENT
- A. Scratching Posts.
- B. Catnip.
- C. Other Toys.
- D. Playing.
-
- VII. CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS
- A. A New Baby.
- B. Travel.
- C. International Travel.
- D. Moving.
- E. Vacations.
-
- VIII. OTHER TOPICS
- A. Removing Urine Odor.
- B. Cat Owner Allergies.
- C. Cats and Water.
- D. Indoor and Outdoor Cats.
- E. Catching Feral Cats.
- F. Finding a Home for a Cat.
- G. Dealing with Landlords.
- H. Pet Insurance.
- I. Cat Genetics.
- J. Bathing a Cat.
- K. Cat Safety in the House.
- L. Pet Identification.
- M. Do All Cats Purr?
- N. Other Cats in the Cat Family.
- O. Clever Hiding Places At Home.
-
- IX. REFERENCES
- A. Electronic Mailing Lists.
- B. Literary.
- C. Books.
- D. Articles.
- E. Catalogues.
-
-
-
- Prologue.
-
- Rec.pets.cats is a newsgroup devoted to domestic feline issues. The
- group has been characterized as friendly and helpful. Flamewars are
- limited to two, possibly three, topics: cats on vegetarian diets,
- declawing cats, and sometimes whether to keep cats indoor only or
- allow them outdoors as well. New readers are advised against starting
- these topics up. The facts pertaining to each of those topics, as
- well as many others, are in this document.
-
- This newsgroup was formed in the summer of 1991. It is a splinter
- groups from rec.pets, which originally carried the feline topics. Adi
- Inbar and others initially proposed the split, and Inbar collected the
- votes, which proved enough for its official creation.
-
- My thanks to Robin Bush for providing the initial push to put this FAQ
- together. My thanks also to the following people who contributed
- topics and material to put this FAQ together: Ann Adamcik, Annick
- Ansselin, Rona Bailey, Kathy Beatty, Sally C. Bemus, Jon Berger, Lisa
- Berkenbilt, Harlan B. Braude, Carol A. Buckner, Robin Bush, Jack
- Campin, Barbara Carlson, Teresa C.D. Carstensen, Mark Chadwick,
- Catharine Chalek, Paul Chapin, Gayle Chidester, Janet Christian, Joni
- Ciarletta, Linda Cornell, Ruth Croxford, Carol C. Denehy, Diana
- (CatWoman), Jean Marie (Ambar) Diaz, Denise DiGiovanni, Debbie
- Douglass, Pam Draper, Dick Dunn, Ann-Cathrin Englund, Nancy Feagans,
- Karen Fegley, Sandra F. Feldman, Jamie Ferguson, Cristina Ferla, Ted
- Feuerbach, Sandy Fifer, Cliff Frost, Chris Galas, Michael Gemar, Sally
- George, Michael Gerlek, Margaret D. Gibbs, Diane Gibson, W.K. Gorman,
- Jerome Grimmer, D. Dale Gulledge, David H., Pam Hassell, Leslianne
- Heimbeck, Ceci Henningsson/Klussmann, Marsha Jo Hanna, Patty Hansen,
- Vicki Holzhauer, Sharon Hope, Stephen Hutchinson, Marianne S. Jocha,
- Jennifer L. Johnson, Laura Johnson, Valerie Johnston, Jay Kadis, Kate
- (and Ebony), Teresa C. Kelly, Joyce L. King, Ms. Kitty, Kay Klier,
- Eunyoung Koh, David Kosenko, Jon Krueger, Karen Kruger, Amy Kurtzman,
- Angi Lamb, Marie Lamb, Tracey Dianne Layng, Jane Lecher, Kristen Lepa,
- Dave Libershal, Ann Lindstrom, Betty R. Lipkin, Joann Loos, Sandra
- Loosemore, Terry Lundgren, Jill McAllister, Bill McCormick, Rudolph T.
- Maceyko, Steven Matheson, Chris Mauritz, merle@unx.sas.com, Debbie
- Millard, Carol Miller-Tutzauer, Ruth Milner, Anne P. Mitchell, Don
- Montgomery, Pauline M. Muggli, Linda Mui, Carla Oexmann, Didi Pancake,
- Jeff Parke, Pamela Pincha-Wagener, Randy Price, Lisa Purvis, Thomas
- Oats, Lianne Raley, Steve Reinhardt, Elisabeth Riba, Aristea Rizakos,
- Gary Sarff, Jane Schreiber, Jen Schmidt, Deb Schwartz, Elizabeth
- Schwartz, Paul Silver, Maureen Smith, Michele Smith, Steve Snyder,
- Debbie Spark, Paul Spencer, Catharine (Cat) Stanton, Larisa Stephan,
- Sheryl Stover, Lon Stowell, Cyndie Sutherland, Lilly Tao, Kristin J.
- Thommes, "Trish," vandpykt@kepler.me.orst.edu, Carolyn Waite, John
- Werner, Christine White, Robyn E. Williamson, Jean Wilson, Julie
- Wolfenden, Pamela Blalock Wybieracki, Frank Yellin, Rich Young, and
- Cindy Zimmerman.
-
- Extra thanks to Jon Krueger for extensive editorial comments.
-
- I. GETTING A CAT
-
- A. What Kind of Cat?
-
- There are many kinds of cats, but cats are unlike dogs in that the
- amount of variation in breeds is small. There are some (occasionally
- stereotypic) characteristics of some breeds, such as Siamese cats
- being noisy and Maine Coon cats being big and friendly. By and large,
- however, cats will vary independently of their pedigree in
- temperament.
-
- Some people wonder whether they should get a kitten or an older cat.
- There are advantages with older cats. Kittens require more care and
- watching over, they may not have the litter box down yet, and they go
- through a wild phase at around 6 months of age when they are
- unstoppable bundles of energy. Since kittens are terminally cute,
- prospective cat owners often choose a kitten for a new cat.
- Nevertheless, do not overlook the benefits of an adult cat.
-
- Many people recommend getting two cats instead of one. A single cat
- can get lonely and bored. Two cats keep each other company,
- especially during the day while you're away. They tend to get into
- less trouble. And they're fun to watch together.
-
- B. Where?
-
- 1. Animal shelters
-
- The animal shelter is a good place to pick up a cat and save it from
- death in the bargain. Look for a clean, healthy cat. Look for signs
- of friendliness and liveliness. Talk with the people caring for the
- animals for any information on a particular animal they can give you.
-
- 2. Private parties
-
- People who have unplanned litters will advertise their kittens in the
- paper. These can be another good source.
-
- 3. Breeders
-
- If you plan to show your cat, find a reputable breeder. Do not use
- newspaper recommendations. Attend cat shows instead and talk to the
- owners there. Or look for breeder advertisements in magazines like
- Cat Fancy. When you meet breeders, look for people that seem more
- concerned with the welfare of their cats than the amount of money
- they're making. Look for ones raising the kittens "underfoot" and
- around people.
-
- 4. Pet Stores
-
- Don't buy pet store animals. These are often obtained from
- "kitten mills", where animals are poorly treated and bred
- (and bred and bred) for profit. By buying from the store, you
- are supporting these mills and adding to the pet population problem.
- Pet store employees are commonly instructed to tell customers
- that the kittens were obtained from private parties. It is further
- suggested that you don't even patronize such stores. Take your
- business to stores that sell pet supplies only, no puppies or kittens.
-
-
- C. Veterinarians.
-
- 1. Why you must have a vet
-
- Before you even bring your new cat home, take it to the vet you have
- already selected. Never, never, never get a cat without prior
- budgeting for vet visits. Do not think that you can get a cat and
- never see the vet. Annual shots and examinations are a must for
- keeping your cat healthy. If you cannot afford veterinary care for a
- cat, you should not get one. Normal veterinary care: yearly shots and
- boosters, initial tests for worms, and examination for typical
- diseases as needed will run about US$100 a year. This, of course,
- depends on your vet and on the health of your cat. Preventive and
- consistent care is less expensive in the long run.
-
- 2. Choosing a vet
-
- Choose a vet who you are comfortable with and who will answer your
- questions. Check out the office: do animals seem just frightened or
- are they also out of control? Is it bedlam, or reasonable for the
- number of different animals there? Do you have local recommendations
- from friends? Does the vet specialize in small animals as opposed
- to, say, livestock?
-
- 3. 24 hour emergency care
-
- A good vet will either be associated with a 24 emergency care plan or
- be able to give you the number of a good place in your area. Keep
- this number on your refrigerator and check with your vet when you
- visit that it's still up-to-date.
-
- 4. Fecal samples
-
- Any time you bring your cat to the vet, try to bring a fresh fecal
- sample. Put a small, fingernail-sized sample into a plastic bag, or
- ask your vet for a supply of fecal samplers. The vet cannot always
- get a fecal sample from the cat, and this saves you extra trips to
- return the sample and then bring the cat in if the tests are positive.
-
- 5. Cat reactions
-
- Cats largely dislike being taken to the vet. They hate riding in the
- car, and the smell of fear and other animals in the office will
- further distress them. Get a pet carrier. A plain cardboard one will
- do for infrequent trips; get a stronger fiberglass one for more travel
- or destructive cats. Carriers keep your cat under control at the vet's
- and prevent accidents in the car en route.
-
- 6. Further steps
-
- From kittenhood, accustom your cat to being handled. Look into its
- ears (clean, white and light pink), eyes (clear, no runniness, inner
- eyelids may blink but should remain open), nose (clean and pink (or
- its normal color) and mouth (clean, light pink gums) regularly. Hold
- it still and look at its anus; pick up its paws and look at the pads
- and claws. This will have the added benefit that you will notice any
- changes from normal quickly and be able to call up your vet if
- something is wrong.
-
- Do arrange for the kitten to meet plenty of people; this will
- socialize your cat and it will not hide from people when adult.
-
- 7. Fleas and ticks
-
- Actually, you can have fleas and ticks in your home even without
- pets. But having pets does increase the odds you will have to deal
- with either or both of these pests. There is a FAQ on fleas and
- ticks available via ftp to pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) under
- pub/usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks or if you do not have ftp access,
- send email to mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with "send
- usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks" in the subject line (leave the body
- empty).
-
-
- D. Young Kittens.
-
- They need shots for distemper, rabies, FVRCP (Feline Viral
- Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia -- various respiratory
- diseases) and tetanus at an early age. They should also be tested for
- Feline Leukemia and given vaccinations for that, especially if they
- will come into contact with other cats. Generally, a very young cat
- doesn't need the full run of an entire house. Use your judgement, but
- leaving it in one room until it is a little older can save both of you
- some anxiety. A kitten will need a different diet than an adult; most
- brands of cat food will give you "kitten food" versions.
-
- Ideally, kittens should not be separated from their mother until they
- are at least 8 weeks old. In other countries, such as Sweden, the
- recommendation is that the kittens be at least 10 and ideally 12 weeks
- old before separation. This has to do with getting passive immunity
- from the mother's milk and psychological readiness to leave the
- litter.
-
- Most kittens will understand how to use the litter box. Usually their
- mother teaches them, but they will pick it up easily on their own. If
- you have a too-young cat, you can teach it by confining it to one room
- so that access to the litter box is easy and putting it in the litter
- box after feeding.
-
- You might wind up with kittens too young to have been separated from
- their mother for whatever reason. Consult your vet for advice and
- help. You will need to provide a warm draft-free area and use
- something like KMR (kitten milk replacement) for food, using an
- eyedropper.
-
- E. Introducing Cats to Other Pets.
-
- You may need to introduce a cat to other pets. The key to this is
- patience. It may take several weeks to a month to achieve desired
- results; it may take overnight. Do not give up and don't lose your
- temper.
-
- It depends on the temperament and ages of the animals involved. In
- most cases, you can simply introduce them, let them work it out, and
- after a week or so, things are fine. However, sometimes this is a
- lengthy process that you will have to work through. In general,
- this will work:
-
- Put the cat in its own room, where the original pet can smell it,
- but not see it. After a day or so of this, remove the cat from the
- room and let the original pet smell and explore the room thoroughly.
- Put the cat back in. Depending on the reactions involved, let the
- cat out and meet the original pet under supervision. If there is
- some hostility, separate them while you are gone until you are
- certain that they get along. It is best if you can arrange a
- "retreat" for each animal.
-
- You can modify the length of time and amount of supervision as you see
- how two cats react. Some forms of cat playing can appear hostile but
- are not. Look at the ears for a clue (standing up or forward when
- grappling is trouble, flat back when standing and staring is also
- trouble). If the fighting immediately stops when one yelps or
- squeaks, they're OK.
-
- A puppy introduced to a cat will quickly view it as another sort of
- dog and leave it alone or, more often, want to play with it. The cat
- will view the dog as a nuisance for some time, but will eventually
- learn to ignore it or even to play with it. Introducing a kitten to
- an older dog will depend on the dog's temperament. Many dogs are good
- with cats, such as Labs or Newfies, and will present no problems
- whatsoever. Other dogs may need to be taught to leave the kitten
- alone. Soon enough, the kitten will be able to get up out of the
- dog's reach when it wants to be left alone. Providing the cat with a
- place the dog can't get to is always helpful. This can be achieved by
- placing a childproof fence in the door of a room high enough for the
- cat to get under but not for the dog. Do trim the cat's claws to
- minimize damage to the dog's nose.
-
- According to humane society studies, some combinations of
- animals that tend to work best:
-
- * two kittens
- * a mature kitten and a puppy
- * a pair of mature neutered animals
- * two cats
- * two dogs
-
- The humane society discourages introducing a male cat into a household
- of two or more female cats. Even if all the animals are neutered, you
- could have problems. Never try to introduce two un-neutered male
- cats. Female animals tend to be more gracious toward any newcomer,
- especially if they are spayed. Introducing a puppy or kitten into a
- household with an elderly animal already present can be stressful to
- the older animal.
-
- F. Handling Your Cat.
-
- 1. Normally
-
- Never lift your cat up by the scruff of the neck, even when it is a
- kitten. Leave that to the mother cat. When you pick up a cat,
- support its hind legs with one hand and hold the chest with the other
- hand. This is a stable position that affords the cat some purchase
- with its feet. In general, let go of a cat when it wants down; by
- doing so you teach it that being held is not being trapped and you
- will soon have a cat that does not mind being held. (Laps work the
- same way; don't try and hold a cat to your lap and it will eventually
- enjoy lying there.)
-
- 2. To restrain it
-
- Sometimes you will want to restrain it. There are a number of ways to
- do this, but most of them focus on keeping the claws out of your way
- and require a helping hand.
-
- You can lay the cat on its sides and hold each set of legs with each
- hand. Elevate the legs slightly (as if you were rolling it on its
- back). You may need to watch for biting. Roll your hand or arm under
- its chin to prevent this. This may loosen the grip on the front
- claws; you'll have to decide which presents more danger. A helper can
- now look at the cat.
-
- You can wrap the cat in a towel (but this presents difficulties if you
- want to get at part of the cat covered by the towel).
-
- You can utilize the reflex triggered by firmly holding the scruff of
- its neck (do NOT lift it up!). This will cause most cats to sit very
- still, but may not be sufficient for some cats or for high stress
- situations.
-
- You can also get a cardboard cat carrier and (if possible) put the cat in
- the carrier and brace the carrier against your knees. The cat will back up
- to the corner in the carrier; grasp the cat firmly on the nape of the neck
- and hold on (if someone can help you, have the person grasp the nape and
- the butt of the cat, holding it in the box).
-
-
- II. BASIC CAT CARE
-
- A. Cat Food.
-
- 1. Premium cat food
-
- Although more expensive than average brands, these foods are often
- better for your cat. They are low-bulk, which means that cats will
- digest more of the food, thus eating and eliminating less. They
- contain little or no dyes, which can be important if your cat vomits
- regularly (easier to clean up); probably also good from a diet
- viewpoint.
-
- Examples of these kind of brands include Hill's Science Diet, Iams,
- Wysong, Nature's Recipe (Optimum Feline), and Purina (One). These
- foods are also beneficial for the cats coats and many readers have
- attested to their cat's silky fur on these diets.
-
- 2. Cat food composition
-
- The Guaranteed Crude analysis provides more nutrition info than you
- can get on the vast majority of human foods. If you want more, ask
- the vendor. E.g. Purina is 800-345-5678. Any major commercial cat
- food is formulated with either natural ingredients (including meat
- byproducts which supply nutrients to cats that meat itself doesn't
- since cats in the wild eat the whole animal) or are supplemented with
- the required nutrients to make them balanced diets for cats.
-
- 3. Wet foods
-
- Canned foods contain quite a bit of water. It is expensive. Tartar
- build-up may be a problem. Smell (of the food, the cat's breath, or
- the cat's feces) and gas may be a problem. The food can spoil
- quickly. The dishes will have to be washed every day. Stools will be
- softer. On the other hand, cats that have medical conditions
- requiring higher water intake may benefit from the water in these
- products.
-
- 4. Dry foods
-
- Cats will require more water on this kind of diet, but tartar-buildup
- may be lessened as a result of crunching on the kibble. Generally
- less expensive and less smelly. Dishes will remain clean and food
- will not build up nor spoil quickly. Stools will be firmer.
-
- 5. Moist foods
-
- These are "soft kibble". The benefits are difficult to ascertain.
- They are more appealing to humans than anything else. There is no
- anti-tartar benefit and not much difference from canned food. They
- are fairly expensive. Some are actually bad for your cat: proylene
- glycol found in these products (as a preservative) can damage red
- blood cells and sensitize the cats to other things as well. (Source:
- August 1992 edition of _Cats Magazine_.)
-
- 6. Snack foods
-
- Many snack products are out there for cats. Most are fine as
- supplemental feeding, but of course they should never take place of
- regular food. In addition, these products can be useful in training.
-
- 7. Milk
-
- Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and drinking milk will give
- them diarrhea. Otherwise, milk is a nutritious snack.
-
- Cream is even better than milk -- most cats can handle the butterfat
- just fine and it's good for them. A small serving of cream will
- satisfy the cat more than a saucer of milk and will contain less
- lactose.
-
- 8. Homemade Food.
-
- Check Frazier's _The New Natural Cat_. She gives a number of recipies
- and general information on making your own catfood and on what foods
- are good for sick cats.
-
- A number of cat books contain recipies for making your own
- supplemental snack food. These can be fun to make and give to your
- cat.
-
- 9. "People Food."
-
- It is a poor idea to feed cats table scraps or food from your own
- meals. First, table scraps do not meet your cat's nutritional needs
- and only add unneeded calories or undigestibles to its diet. Second,
- you risk having your cat become a major nuisance when you are eating.
- Stick with prepared cat treats. Any food you give it should be placed
- in its food dish, or you can give it treats as long as you are not
- eating or preparing your own food.
-
- That said, there is a pretty wide variety of food that cats will eat
- and enjoy. Rec.pets.cats abounds with "weird food" stories ranging
- from peanut butter to marshmallows.
-
- 10. "Cat Grass."
-
- Cats benefit from some vegetable matter in their diet. When devouring
- prey, the intestines, along with anything in them, will also be eaten.
- Many owners grow some grass for their cats to munch on, both for a
- healthy diet, and to distract them from other household plants!
-
- In general, seeds that are OK to grow and give to your cats (but do
- not use treated seeds, identifiable by a dyed red, blue or awful green
- color): oats (cheap, easy, big), wheat (not wheatgrass) Japanese
- barnyard millet, bluegrass, fescue, rye (but beware of ergot, which is
- a fungal infection and produces LSD-like chemicals), ryegrass (annual
- ryegrass is cheap and easy to grow, but small), alfalfa sprouts or
- bean sprouts in SMALL amounts (these have anti- protein compounds that
- reduce the protein value of other things fed to the animal (or
- human!)).
-
- Seeds that are NOT okay: sorghum or sudangrass, which have cyanogenic
- glycosides, and can cause cyanide poisoning. These are commonly found
- in bird seed and look like smallish white, yellow, orangish, or
- reddish BB's, or the shiny black, yellow or straw colored glumes may
- be intact.
-
- 11. Dog food
-
- Dog food is not suitable for cats since it does not have the correct
- balance of nutrients. Cats need much more fat and protein than dogs
- do.
-
- B. Diets.
-
- You can feed your cat in one of two ways. One is to put down a set
- amount of food at specific times of the day. This is necessary if the
- food will spoil (canned food, for example) or if your cat will
- overeat. Some cats *do* overeat, do not be surprised if this is your
- situation. Put it on a fixed schedule to avoid weight problems. Do
- *not* assume a cat will only eat what it needs: if it starts putting
- on too much weight (check with your vet), give it two feedings a day,
- putting down half the recommended daily amount each time. The other
- (called "free-feeding") is to leave food available all the time. The
- food must be dry to avoid spoilage. There is no preference between
- the two; it will depend on your cat and the food you give it.
-
- You may need to change your cat's diet for any number of reasons.
- Often, you will find that your cat refuses the new food. Don't worry.
- Leave food out and keep it fresh until your cat is hungry enough to
- eat it. Your cat will not be harmed by several days of low food
- intake: as a carnivore, it is biologically adapted to going without
- food for several days between kills. If you give in to its refusal to
- eat the provided food, your cat has just trained *you* to feed it what
- it wants.
-
- If you have multiple cats, and one of them requires special food (from
- medical to weight-loss diets), then you must go to a fixed feeding
- schedule to ensure that that cat not only gets the food, but doesn't
- get any other food. If you have been free-feeding, switch them over.
- Don't put out any food in the morning; in the evening, put out the
- dishes and supervise the cats. They will most likely be hungry and
- eat most of the food. Take the dishes up after 1/2 hour or so and
- wait until morning. Remain on the morning/night- or even just night-
- scheduled feedings and your cats will adapt quickly enough. If you
- have trouble with one cat finishing quickly and going over to feed on
- other cats' food, you will have to put them in separate rooms while
- feeding.
-
- C. Vegetarian Diets.
-
- Cats require the aminosulfonic acid taurine, which is unavailable in
- natural vegetable except for trace concentrations in some plant
- sources like pumpkin seeds; not enough to do a cat any good. Lack of
- taurine can cause blindness or even death by cardiomyopathy. There
- are also a few other similar nutrients, such as arachidonic acid (a
- fatty acid only found in animals), but taurine is the most widely
- known.
-
- Some small manufacturers claim to have produced synthetically-based
- supplements that when combined with an appropriately balanced
- all-vegetable diet will provide the complete nutrition required by
- cats.
-
- No one has been able to find studies which demonstrate that cats which
- eat such a diet over the long term stay healthy.
-
- Some references are included in the Articles section.
-
- D. Litter.
-
- 1. Kinds of Litter
-
- There are various kinds of litter available.
-
- * The traditional clay based litter is the most common. This is
- composed of clay particles that will absorb urine. In general, you
- need to scoop out solid matter regularly, and change the litter
- entirely once a week or so. Variations on clay particles include
- green pellets (resembling rabbit food) or shredded cedar (like hamster
- bedding).
-
- * There is an expensive cat litter available that solidifies urine
- into little balls. This way, the urine can be scooped out along with
- the feces. In theory, you never need to change the litter again, you
- only add a little more to replace the loss to cleaning out the urine
- and feces (which offsets the initial cost). Sometimes the clumps
- break apart and there are some "extra strong" varieties to address
- this problem. The litter is sandy and tracks rather easily. Some
- cats seem to develop diarrhea with this litter; some people are rather
- allergic to the very fine dust from this type of litter.
-
- * There is a non-sandy clumping litter called "Booda's Ultra Clump";
- a drawback includes the clumps sticking to the pan itself (baking
- soda, pan liners, or small amounts of sandy clumping litter will
- remedy this). But it eliminates the tracking problems of the sandy
- kind of clumping litter. (It looks like regular clay-based litter.)
-
- * 4060 grade sandblasting grit made out of corncobs is an
- inexpensive alternative to clay-based clumping litter. It clumps as
- well as the flushable kind of clumping litter, and also smells better.
- It isn't available in all areas. In Ohio, The Anderson's General
- Store chain carries it for around US$10 for a 50 lb. bag, comparable
- to plain clay-based litter.
-
- * There is also a style of coarse corncob litter (commonly sold as
- "animal bedding and litter" by pet suppliers) about the size of peas.
- This is used in conjunction with a litter pan that has a screen and a
- drain pan underneath, into which the urine drains (and feces are
- removed as normal). It is almost completely dust free, unlike
- clay-based litters.
-
- * There is also "Good Mews." It is pelletized organic cellulose
- fiber ("scented with cedar oil--a natural flea and tick repellent").
- It absorbs up to 1-1/2 its weight in water. According to reports, it
- is not dusty, sweeps up/cleans up easily, does not track, and does not
- cling to the tray when moist.
-
- * There is at least one brand of litter that is intended for
- multiple cat households. This is Max Cat's Multi Cat. Reports are
- that it pretty much works as advertised. This is a clay-based litter.
- Another way to control strong ammonia smells is to mix baking soda in
- with the litter.
-
- * A litter called "PineFresh" is a natural pine wood litter that
- comes in little pellets. The pellets disintegrate in the urine and
- solid waste is scooped out. It's a bit expensive, plusses are
- described as: you don't have to change the litter as often provided
- the solid waste is cleaned out daily and the disintegrated stuff is
- sifted out twice a week. There is virtually no odor and no dust and
- it comes with a money back guarantee. It flushes just fine down
- non-septic systems. The product is manufactured by: Cansorb
- Industries 555 Kesler Road Cleveland, NC 27013.
-
- Some cats seem to prefer certain kinds of litter over others, you may
- need to experiment.
-
- 3. Disposal
-
- When disposing of litter, it is best to wrap it up in two bags and tie
- securely, for the benefit of the garbage collectors. For disposal of
- solid matter, it is best to put it in the trash in a bag as well.
- Some people flush solid matter, but be aware that septic tanks will
- not do well with clay litter pieces (even the small amount clinging to
- scooped items). Clumping litter is supposed to be flushable, except
- with septic tanks.
-
- Do not use kitty litter as a fertilizer in your garden. It is not a
- manure since cats are not vegetarians and should not be used as such.
- It can be incredibly stinky, can attract neighborhood cats, and
- there's a chance that it would be unhealthy for your plants and for
- you (if you eat fruits/vegetables which were fertilized by it). Keep
- in mind that when an outdoor cat "uses" your garden, it usually
- varies its poop-place and so there's not a concentration of feces,
- whereas if you dump litter, it's usually concentrated in a single
- spot.
-
- 4. Litter boxes
-
- Cats can be fussy about the cleanliness of their litter box. Many
- people scoop solid matter out on a daily basis. If a cat is
- displeased with the litter box for a variety of reasons ranging from
- cleanliness to the type of litter used, it may well select another
- spot in your house more to its liking!
-
- Litter boxes are shallow plastic pans. Some cats have a tendency to
- scatter litter outside the box when they bury their stool. This can
- be solved by getting a cover for the cat box, commonly available at
- pet stores. Another way to minimize litter tracking is to put a rug,
- especially a soft rubber one, just outside the litter box.
-
- For easier litter-changing, some owners will use litter box liners.
- Some cats rip these while burying their feces; if the problem
- persists, just don't use liners.
-
- To contain litter tracked outside the box, it is often worthwhile to
- put the litter pan in a larger shallow cardboard box that will collect
- most of the litter stuck to the cat's paw pads when it jumps out.
- Keep the area around the litter box as clean and free from spilled
- litter as you can. This helps the cat distinguish from outside and
- inside the litter box. Guess what can happen if this distinction is
- not clear.
-
- If you have multiple cats you may have to put out several litterboxes.
- If you have a young cat and a large house, you will either need to
- place several litterboxes down so that there will be one near enough
- at any point or you will have to confine the young cat to an area of
- the house within easy reach of the litter box.
-
- Disinfect the the litter box and top (if any) on a regular basis to
- prevent illness and disease. Bleach is a good disinfectant around
- cats, although you should be sure to rinse thoroughly and air out all
- the fumes. Do NOT use pine-oil based cleaners as these are toxic to
- cats.
-
- 5. Toilets
-
- It is possible to train a cat to use the toilet rather than a litter
- box. One book is _How to Toilet Train Your Cat: 21 days to a
- litter-free home_ by Paul Kunkel, published by Workman Publishing, 708
- Broadway, New York, NY 10003, and simultaneously published in Canada
- by Thomas Allen and Son Publishing (no address given). ISBN no.
- 0-89480-828-1. Cost, $5.95.
-
- The cat must be well trained to the litter box first. Move the litter
- box into the bathroom next to the toilet. Little by little (2 inches
- every two days) raise the litter box until the bottom of the litter
- box is at the level of the toilet (seat down, lid raised). Then
- slowly move the litter box over to the top of the toilet. This
- accustoms the cat to jumping UP to the toilet to eliminate. When the
- cat is comfortable with this, cover the toilet (under the seat) with
- strong plastic wrap like Saran wrap and fill the middle with litter.
- Decrease the amount of litter until the cat is peeing into the plastic
- and then make a hole in the middle of the plastic so the cat gets used
- to the sound of urine and stool hitting the water. Sooner or later
- you eliminate the plastic.
-
- 6. Placement of litter box
-
- Beyond making the litter box readily accessible to your cat, there is
- some consideration as to an aesthetically pleasing placement. Utility
- closets that the cat can always access are useful. Laundry rooms work
- well, bathrooms less well (especially in guest bathrooms). One
- suggestion was to build a chest with an entrance at one end big enough
- to contain the cat box. The chest can be displayed like furniture and
- yet be discreet. If you can't build a chest yourself, it should be
- relatively easy to saw an opening in the side of a pre-made chest.
-
-
- E. Dental Care.
-
- 1. Tartar buildup
-
- Cats, like humans, have tartar buildup on their teeth called plaque.
- An accumulation of plaque can lead to peridontal (gum) problems, and
- the eventual loss of teeth. Plaque is a whitish-yellow deposit. Cats
- seem to accumulate plaque primarily on the exterior face of their
- upper teeth. Reddened gum lines can indicate irritation from plaque.
-
- Some cats are more prone to plaque buildup than others. Some never
- need dental care, others need to have their teeth cleaned at regular
- intervals. Many vets encourage you to bring your cat in annually for
- teeth cleaning, using a general anesthetic. The cost, which can be
- considerable, and the risk of the anesthesia itself are both good
- incentives for doing some cat dental care at home.
-
- What you can do:
-
- Brush your cat's teeth once a week. Use little cat toothbrushes, or
- soft child-size toothbrushes, and edible cat toothpaste (available
- at most vets or pet stores). Cats often hate to have their teeth
- brushed, so you may have to use a bathtowel straightjacket and a
- helper. If you are skilled and have a compliant cat, you can clean
- its teeth using the same type of tool the human dentist does.
-
- 2. Smelly breath
-
- If your cat has smelly breath, there are various possible causes.
-
- * Teething: at about 6 months of age, cats will lose their baby
- teeth and get permanent ones. If the gums are red and puffy and
- you can see the points of teeth breaking through here and there,
- the cat is just teething and the odor will subside as the teeth
- come in.
-
- * Gingivitus: if the gums appear red and puffy and you've ruled
- teething out, your cat may have a gum infection of some sort.
- Take the cat to the vet.
-
- * Diet: certain foods, usually canned foods or prescription foods,
- can make your cat's breath smell. If possible, try changing your
- cat's diet.
-
- * Abscessed tooth: may show no symptoms other than smelly breath.
- Drooling sometimes occurs in conjunction. The cat must be taken
- to the vet to have the abscess drained and possibly the teeth
- involved removed. If this is not done, the infection can easily
- spread to the sinuses and cause the face to swell, especially just
- under the eyes.
-
- F. Trimming Claws.
-
- As an alternative to declawing and to help stem the destruction from
- scratching, many cat owners keep their cats' claws trimmed. This is
- easiest if you start from the beginning when your cat is a kitten,
- although most cats can be persuaded to accept this procedure.
-
- Use nail clippers available at pet stores. Look for the guillotine
- type (don't use the human variety, this will crush and injure your
- cat's claw) and get blade replacements as the sharper the blade is the
- easier this procedure is.
-
- There are also clippers that look like scissors with short, hooked
- blades. These may be easier for some people to handle.
-
- Set your cat down securely in the crook of your "off" arm, with the
- cat either in your lap or on the floor between your knees, depending
- on the size of your cat and your own size. Pin the cat to your side
- with your arm and hold one of its paws with your hand (this is
- sometimes a little much for an "off" arm, you may wish to practice).
-
- With its back away from you, it cannot scratch you, or easily get
- away. With your "good" hand, hold the clippers. If you squeeze your
- cat's paw with your off hand, the claws will come out. Examine them
- carefully (you may want to do this part before actually trying to trim
- them, to familiarize yourself with how the claws look).
-
- If the claws are white (most cat's are), the difference between the
- nail and the quick is easy to see (use good lighting). The quick will
- be the pink tissue visible within the nail of the claw at the base.
- This is comparable to the difference between the nail attached to your
- skin and the part that grows beyond it. DO NOT CUT BELOW THE QUICK.
- It will be painful to your cat and bleed everywhere. When in doubt,
- trim less of the nail. It will just mean trimming more often.
-
- Clip the portion above the quick for each nail and don't forget the
- dewclaws. On cats, dewclaws are found only on the front paws, about
- where humans would have their thumbs -- they do not touch the ground.
- Some cats are polydactyl, and have up to seven claws on any paw.
- Normally there are four claws per paw, with one dewclaw on each of
- the front paws. Rear claws don't need to be trimmed as often or at
- all; they do not grow as quickly and are not as sharp. You should be
- able to hold any of the four paws with your off hand; it will become
- easier with practice.
-
- If you have too much trouble holding the cat still for this, enlist
- someone else to help. You can then pick up a paw and go for it. Be
- careful; this position often means you are in front of its claws and a
- potential target for shredding. Older cats generally object more than
- younger ones; this means you should start this procedure as soon as
- you get your cat if you intend to do this.
-
- Trimming claws should be done weekly. Different claws grow at
- different rates; check them periodically (use the same position you
- use for clipping: it gives you extra practice and reduces the cat's
- anxiety at being in that position).
-
- Claws grow constantly, like human nails. Unlike human nails, however,
- to stay sharp, claws must shed outer layers of nail. Cats will pull
- on their claws or scratch to remove these layers. This is perfectly
- normal and is comparable to humans cutting and filing their own nails.
- You may see slices of claws lying around, especially on scratching
- posts; this is also quite normal.
-
- G. Grooming.
-
- Start early with your cat. The younger it is when you begin grooming
- it, the more pleasant grooming will be for it. A cat that fights
- grooming may need sedation and shaving at the vets for matted fur; it
- is well worth the time to get your cat to at least tolerate grooming.
- Start with short sessions. Stick to areas that it seems to enjoy
- (often the top of the head and around the neck) first, and work your
- way out bit by bit. Experiment a bit (and talk with your vet) to find
- the brush and routine that seems to work best with your cat. Even
- short-hair cats benefit from grooming: they still shed a surprising
- amount of hair despite its length.
-
- 1. Thick, long fur
-
- Inexpensive pin-type (not the "slicker" type) dog brushes work well.
- You may choose to followup with a metal comb; if you use a flea comb,
- you will also detect any fleas your cat may have.
-
- 2. Silky long fur
-
- Soft bristle brushes work well.
-
- 3. Short hair
-
- Try an all-rubber brush, often sold as kitten or puppy brushes.
-
- H. Pills, Dosing and Medication.
-
- 1. Methods
-
- Kneel on floor and put cat between knees (cat facing forwards). Cross
- your ankles behind so cat can't escape backwards; press your knees
- together so cat can't escape forwards. Make sure your cat's front
- legs are tucked in between your knees so it can't claw you. Put the
- palm of your hand on top of its head and thumb and index finger on
- either side of its mouth; the mouth will fall open as you tilt the
- head back. You may wish to stop at this point and use a flashlight to
- examine the cat's mouth to see what you are doing. You want to drop
- the pill in on *top* of the tongue as far *back* as you can. Keep the
- head tilted back, hold its mouth closed, and stroke its throat until
- pill is swallowed. Then let your cat escape.
-
- Another trick is to buy a bottle of gelatin capsules. Take the
- capsule apart, dump the contents, put the pill in the empty capsule
- (in pieces if it won't otherwise fit) and reassemble the two capsule
- halves. Some places, especially natural food stores, will sell empty
- gelatin capsules, try and get size "00". This makes the
- administration of small pills much easier, and can also allow you to
- give more than one pill at one time, if they're sufficiently small.
- The capsule itself just dissolves away harmlessly. Do NOT use
- capsules which have been filled with any other substance but plain
- gelatin, since the residue may not agree with your pet!
-
- You can try babyfood as a deception: get some pureed baby food meat,
- dip your finger in the jar, and sort of nestle the pill in the baby
- food. Offer it to your cat and it may lick it up. Be warned, some
- cats are very good at licking up everything BUT the pill.
-
- To administer liquid medication if the cat will not lick it up: use
- the same procedure for pilling, but (using a needle-less syringe that
- you can obtain from your vet) squirt the medicine down its throat
- instead of dropping the pill. Cats do not choke on inhaled liquids
- like humans because they rarely breath through their mouths.
-
- Cats can vomit easily, so keep an eye on them for a while after
- they've been dosed: it's not impossible that they'll run off to a
- corner and upchuck the medicine. Giving them a pet treat after dosage
- may help prevent this.
-
- If your cat has an affected *area* that you must clean or swab or
- otherwise handle, try this strategy, especially if the cat is
- uncooperative:
-
- Start with lots of handling. At first don't handle the affected area,
- at all or for long. Gradually increase the amount of handling of the
- affected area. Move closer to it day by day, spend more time near it
- or on it. Talk to the cat while you're handling it. At the same time
- you're handling the affected area, pet the cat in an area it likes to
- be handled. After handling the affected area, praise the cat, pet the
- cat, give the cat a food treat, do things the cat likes.
-
- As long as the medical problem you're treating isn't acute, don't
- restrain the cat to apply treatment. Gradually working up to a
- tolerable if not pleasant approach is much better in the long run.
-
- If you must restrain the cat, grab the fur on the back of the neck
- with one hand, holding the head down, and clean/medicate with the
- other hand. Have your vet show you how. Sometimes wrapping the
- cat in a towel helps too.
-
- I. Worms.
-
- This information is condensed from Taylor.
-
- * Roundworms: can cause diarrhea, constipation, anemia, potbellies,
- general poor condition. They are present in the intestines and
- feed on the digesting food.
-
- * Whipworms and threadworms: fairly rare, can cause diarrhea, loss
- of weight, or anemia. Whipworms burrow into the large intestine;
- threadworms into the small. Both may cause internal bleeding.
-
- * Hookworms: can cause (often bloody) diarrhea, weakness and anemia.
- They enter through the mouth or the skin and migrate to the small
- intestine.
-
- * Tapeworms: look for small "rice grains" or irritation around the
- anus. They live in the intestines and share the cat's food.
-
- * Flukes: can cause digestive upsets, jaundice, diarrhea, or anemia.
- They are found in the small intestine, pancreas and bile ducts.
-
- If you suspect worms in your cat, take it (and a fresh fecal sample)
- to the vet. Do not try over the counter products: you may not have
- diagnosed your cat correctly or correctly identified the worm and
- administer the wrong remedy. In addition, your vet can give you
- specific advice on how to prevent reinfestation.
-
- General tips on preventing worm infestation: stop your cat from eating
- wild life; groom regularly; keep flea-free; keep bedding clean; and
- get regular vet examination for worms.
-
- J. Poisons.
-
- The information in this section is mostly condensed from Carlson &
- Giffins. The list of poisons is not intended to be conclusive. Nor
- are the treatments intended to be sufficient: call your vet in the
- event of any internal poisoning.
-
- 1. Treatment after ingestion
-
- To induce vomiting in cats:
- * Hydrogen peroxide 3% (most effective): One teaspoon every ten minutes;
- repeat three times.
- * One-fourth teaspoonful of salt, placed at the back of the tongue.
- * Syrup of Ipecac (one teaspoonful per ten pounds of body weight).
-
- Do NOT induce vomiting when the cat
- * has swallowed an acid, alkali, solvent, heavy duty cleaner,
- petroleum product, tranquilizers, or a sharp object
- * is severely depressed or comatose
- * swallowed the substance more than two hours ago
-
- You will also want to coat the digestive tract and speed up
- elimination to help rid the cat of the substances:
-
- To delay or prevent absorption
- * Mix activated charcoal with water (5 grams to 20 cc.). Give
- one teaspoonful per two pounds body weight.
- * Thirty minutes later, give sodium sulphate (glauber's salt),
- one teaspoon per ten pounds body weight, or Milk of Magnesia,
- one teaspoon per five pounds body weight.
- * In the absence of any of these agents, coat the bowel with milk,
- egg whites, vegetable oil and give a warm water enema.
-
- If your cat has a poisonous substance on its skin or coat, wash it off
- before your cat licks the substance off and poisons itself. Use soap
- and water or give it a complete bath in lukewarm (not cold) water.
-
- 2. Greenhouse plants
-
- Plants from commercial greenhouses may be sprayed with systemics to
- control pests. Some are fairly nasty and long-lasting. More
- enlightened greenhouses use integrated pest management techniques and
- vastly reduce the costs of pest control, and costs to the environment.
-
- You'll need to ask about what the sprays are, how often, etc. They
- should have MSDS (material safety data sheets) on hand for everything
- they use. Many greenhouses also buy foliage plants (esp.) from
- commercial growers in southern states, rather than raising their own
- plants, so you need to ask about that too.
-
-
- 3. Household plants
-
- * Gives a rash after contact: chrysanthemum; creeping fig; weeping
- fig; poinsettia; pot mum; spider mum.
-
- * Irritating; the mouth gets swollen; tongue pain; sore lips --
- potentially fatal, these plants have large calcium oxalate
- crystals and when chewed, esophageal swelling may result,
- resulting in death unless an immediate tracheotomy is done:
- Arrowhead vine; Boston ivy; caladium; dumbcane; Emerald Duke;
- heart leaf (philodendrum); Marble Queen; majesty; neththyis;
- parlor ivy; pathos; red princess; saddle leaf (philodendron);
- split leaf (philodendron).
-
- * Generally toxic; wide variety of poisons; usually cause vomiting,
- abdominal pain, cramps; some cause tremors, heart and respiratory
- and/or kidney problems (difficult for you to interpret):
- Amaryllis; azalea; bird of paradise; crown of thorns; elephant
- ears; glocal ivy; heart ivy; ivy; Jerusalem cherry; needlepoint
- ivy; pot mum; ripple ivy; spider mum; umbrella plant.
-
- 4. Outdoor plants
-
- * Vomiting and diarrhea in some cases: Delphinium; daffodil; castor
- bean; Indian turnip; skunk cabbage; poke weed; bittersweet; ground
- cherry; foxglove; larkspur; Indian tobacco; wisteria; soap berry.
-
- * Poisonous and may produce vomiting, abdominal pain, sometimes
- diarrhea: horse chestnut/buckeye; rain tree/monkey pod; American
- yew; English yew; Western yew; English holly; privet; mock orange;
- bird of paradise bush; apricot & almond; peach & cherry; wild
- cherry; Japanese plum; balsam pear; black locust.
-
- * Various toxic effects: rhubarb; spinach; sunburned potatoes; loco
- weed; lupine; Halogeton; buttercup; nightshade; poison hemlock;
- pig weed; water hemlock; mushrooms; moonseed; May apple;
- Dutchman's breeches; Angel's trumpet; jasmine; matrimony vine.
-
- * Hallucinogens: marijuana; morning glory; nutmeg; periwinkle;
- peyote; loco weed.
-
- * Convulsions: china berry; coriaria; moonweed; nux vomica; water
- hemlock.
-
- 5. Chemical substances
-
- * Strychnine, Sodium fluoroacetate, Phosphorus, Zinc Phosphide:
- rat/mouse/mole/roach poisons, rodents killed by same. Phosphorus
- is also found in fireworks, matches, matchboxes, and fertilizer.
-
- * Arsenic, Metaldehyde, Lead: slug/snail bait; some ant poisons,
- weed killers and insecticides; arsenic is a common impurity found
- in many chemicals. Commercial paints, linoleum, batteries are
- sources of lead.
-
- * Warfarin (Decon; Pindone): grain feeds used as rat/mouse poison,
- Also used as a prescription anti-coagulant for humans, various
- brand names, such as coumadin. The animal bleeds to death.
- Vitamin-K is antidote: look for purplish spots on white of
- eyes and gums (at this point animal is VERY sick).
-
- * Antifreeze (ethylene glycol): from cars. Wash down any from your
- driveway as this is "good tasting" but toxic to most animals.
-
- * Organophosphates and Carbamates (Dichlorvos, Ectoral, Malathion,
- Sevin (in high percentages) etc), Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
- (Chloradane, Toxaphene, Lindane, Methoxychlor: flea/parasite
- treatments, insecticides.
-
- * Petroleum products: gasoline, kerosene, turpentine.
-
- * Corrosives (acid and alkali): household cleaners; drain
- decloggers; commercial solvents.
-
- * Many household cleaning products. Pine-oil products are very
- toxic and should be avoided or rinsed thoroughly (bleach is a
- better alternative). In particular, avoid items containing
- Phenol.
-
- * Garbage (food poisoning): carrion; decomposing foods; animal
- manure.
-
- * People Medicines: antihistamines, pain relievers (esp. aspirin),
- sleeping pills, diet pills, heart preparations and vitamins.
- Anything smelling of wintergreen or having methyl salicylate
- as an ingredient. Tylenol (acetominophen) will kill cats.
-
- 6. Food
-
- Chocolate: theobromine, which is found in chocolate is toxic to cats.
- The darker and more bitter the chocolate is, the more theobromine it
- has. More information can be found in the Summer 1992 edition of _Cat
- Life_.
-
- Caffeine: can cause problems for your cat. Do not feed it coffee,
- Coco Cola, or other foods containing caffeine.
-
- K. Vaccination and Worming Schedule.
-
- Preventative health care schedule for cattery cats and pet cats. From
- John R. August, 1989. Preventative Health Care and Infectious Disease
- Control, pp. 391-404 in Sherding, Robert H. (ed) The Cat: Diseases
- and Clinical Management, v1. Churchill-Livingstone Inc, NY.
-
- |All cats should be vaccinated, even strictly indoor ones. Cats may
- |escape. Some diseases use mice, fleas, or other insects as vectors
- |and do not require the presence of other cats. Natural disasters:
- |consider earthquakes, hurricanes, etc., may let your cat out of the
- |house.
-
- 3 weeks fecal exam
-
- 6 weeks fecal exam
-
- 9-10 weeks FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine
- ELISA test for FeLV
- FeLV vaccine
- fecal exam
-
- 12-14 weeks FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine
- FeLV vaccination
- Rabies vaccine
- fecal exam
-
- 6 months FeLV vaccination
- fecal exam
-
- 12 months fecal exam
-
- 16 months FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine (repeated annually)
- FeLV vaccine (repeated annually)
- Rabies vaccine (repeated according to manufacturer's
- instructions)
- fecal exam (every 6 months)
-
- FCV= feline calicivirus
- FRTV= feline rhino-tracheovirus
- FPV= feline panleukopenia virus = distemper
- FeLV = feline leukemia virus.
-
- FIP is a yearly vaccination, but it is new and may not always be
- available, or advised for your particular cat. Talk with your vet.
-
- L. What Your Vet Should Check.
-
- On a standard annual physical/examination, your vet should check:
-
- * teeth for tartar/gum swelling
- * ears for ear mites and other fungus problems
- * body for ringworm (with black light)
- * standard bloodwork
- * fecal exam for worms
- * booster shots for rabies, FeLV, panleukopenia, rhino&co, etc.
- * eyes for normal pupil response and normal retinal appearance
- * weight, heart rate, temperature
-
-
- III. HEALTH/MEDICAL
-
- A. In General.
-
- Your cat can't tell you how it's feeling so you must familiarize
- yourself with its normal behavior. A healthy cat maintains normal
- body weight, level of activity, and social behavior. A significant
- change in any of these is a warning sign.
-
- Getting regular, accurate weights can detect problems early. You can
- weigh yourself on a bathroom scale with (holding) and without the cat
- and subtract. This is accurate only to about two pounds on most
- bathroom scales. For better accuracy, modify a kitchen scale by
- mounting a bigger platform on it. Train your cat to get on the
- platform by placing a Pounce or similar treat on it. Any sudden
- weight change, especially loss, probably means your cat is feeling
- sick.
-
- Medicines for humans are often used for cats, both prescription and
- non-prescription drugs (phenobarbitol, lasix, amoxicillin, cold
- medications, etc.). When you hear that you should never give human
- medicines to cats, it means that you should NOT give them without
- first consulting your vet. Certain very common human drugs like
- aspirin and especially tylenol are DEADLY to cats, so DON'T give them
- ANY kind of medication unless recommended by the vet (note that
- aspirin can be given in very small doses, but you need to check out
- correct dosage and frequency of administration).
-
- B. My Cat is Sick, Should I Take It To the Vet?
-
- 1. Asking on the net
-
- Frequently there are postings such as: "My cat is doing <this>, should
- I take it to the vet?" Or even, "I can't afford to take my cat to the
- vet, he is doing <this>, what can I do?" The usual answer will be
- TAKE IT TO THE VET! It is an irresponsible owner who does not consult
- the vet, even by phone, at the first opportunity. And if you take on
- the responsibility of owning a cat, you must budget for the vet visits
- to keep it healthy.
-
- On the other hand, if you already have a vet appointment, or have had
- the vet look at it and be stumped by the symptoms, rec.pets.cats is a
- valuable resource of tips on what might be wrong, or reassurances that
- the cat is not at risk of immediate death, so do not hesitate to ask
- the group under these circumstances.
-
- 2. Home vet books
-
- A low-cost method to ease anxieties over non-emergency kitty problems
- is to get a home vet book. (See Literature.) These books also help
- explain what sort of "deviant" behaviors are actually relatively
- normal for cats. However, unless you yourself are a vet, these books
- should never substitute for having a vet for your cat.
-
- C. What is FIV? FeLV? Diabetes?
-
- A cautionary note about this section. This is not meant to be a
- complete treatise on these various diseases. It is intended to
- familiarize you with the various major diseases your cat can develop.
- If your cat has any of these diseases, you should be in close contact
- with your vet, who will provide you with all the information you need
- to deal with your cat's illness. Further information on any of these
- diseases may also be found in the books listed in the Literature
- section.
-
- Furthermore, while many vaccines exist to prevent these diseases, be
- aware that vaccines do not always work 100% of the time. Variables
- can include the cat's own ability to "take" the vaccine, the proper
- administration of the vaccine, and whether or not the cat has already
- be exposed to the disease in question.
-
- 2. FIV
-
- There is no vaccine for this. FIV is passed through open wounds, such
- as cat bites.
-
- This disease impairs the cat's immune system and it will often fall
- prey to some other opportunistic disease. While the virus is related
- to HIV, it is NOT possible to contract AIDS from a cat with FIV.
-
- FIV-positive cats should be kept inside and away from other cats.
- With this and other precautions, they may live a fairly long time.
- Because of their subsceptibility to secondary infections and
- complications, these cats are rather vet-intensive.
-
- They do not often die directly from FIV, but rather one of the
- diseases that they can get when their immune system is impaired. FIV
- appears to involve three stages: acute (swollen lymph glands, fever,
- depression, bacterial infections); latent (apparent wel being, can
- last months to years); and chronic (cat is susceptible to all kinds of
- other viruses, fungii, and bacteria). Survival over two years is
- rare.
-
- 3. Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
-
- Also a retrovirus, Feline Leukemia is fatal and usually fairly
- quickly, within three to four years and often less. There is a small
- percentage, ~4%, who are apparently immune and live with FeLV with no
- side effects (except that they are carriers and may infect other
- cats). There is a vaccination for this disease.
-
- FeLV is spread mainly by saliva, nose mucous and maybe urine. The
- virus can affect a lot of tissues, but tends to be most notorious for
- causing cancer of lymphocytes, neutrophiles, platelet precursors, in
- fact nearly all cellular constituants of the blood. These cancers
- arise from the similar ability to hide out for a long latency in the
- body, but the FeLV virus "irritates" blood forming cells, causing them
- to do strange things (become cancerous). Very generally, symptoms of
- FeLV infection can range from none (some few recover) to very sick.
- The symptoms depend on which cell line is being attacked. Treatment
- is similarly complicated, ranging from antivirals to anticancer drugs,
- and other drugs thrown in to manage infections and side effects.
-
- 4. Diabetes
-
- Diabetes occurs when the cat cannot properly regulate its blood sugar
- level. Symptoms may include excessive thirst and urination; it may
- lose weight or develop diabetes because of obesity. Older cats are
- more likely to develop diabetes than younger ones.
-
- Treatment may consist of a carefully regulated diet to keep blood
- sugar levels consistent (especially if the diabetes was triggered by
- obesity). In most cases, daily injections of insulin are needed.
- Regular vet visits are required to determine the proper dosage. In
- between visits, using urine glucose test strips available from the
- pharmacy helps you determine whether the dosage of insulin is
- sufficient.
-
- A bottle of Karo syrup or maple syrup kept handy is essential for
- bringing the cat out of dangerously low blood sugar levels. Diabetic
- cats should be kept indoors to prevent accidental feeding (and thus
- disturbing the regulation of blood sugar levels).
-
- (continued)
- ----------------
- This article is Copyright (c) 1992 by Cindy Tittle Moore. It may be
- freely distributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice
- is not removed. It may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in
- commercial documents without the author's written permission. This
- article is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
-
- Cindy Tittle Moore
- Internet: tittle@ics.uci.edu UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucivax!tittle
- Bitnet : cltittle@uci USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716
- ----------------
-