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Monster Media 1994 #1
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monster
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FREQ_QA
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00000131.TXT
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1994-03-14
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■+└&ëG&ëë╛n Ä┌9&9ptHÄ▄9&9vt=╕PPÄ▐9& 6û& 6öÜ`┘â─╕æ%PÄ▐9& 6û& 6öÜZ┘â─ÜT┘δ╕╡%PÜ|α â─╗TÄ:ë₧■îå■&╟╕╨PÜ╒ â─ëF∞ëVε╕pPÜ╒ â─ëF≡ëV≥+└ëF÷ëF⌠èå{ ■å{ <vΘvâ~uZ 6`# 6^#╕└%P ╢~ VÜααâ─╕P ╢~ VÜ"αâ─P ╢~ VÜJ] nn, Marsha Jo Hanna, Patty Hansen, Vicki Holzhauer,
Sharon Hope, Stephen Hutchinson, Marianne S. Jocha, Deirdre A.
Johnson, 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, J.B.
Nicholson-Owens, Carla Oexmann, Didi Pancake, Jeff Parke, Pamela
Pincha-Wagener, Randy Price, Lisa Purvis, Thomas Oates, Lianne Raley,
Steve Reinhardt, Eric D. Remington, Elisabeth Riba, Aristea Rizakos,
Ann Roberts, Roger Rosner, 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, David Thomas, Kristin J. Thommes, "Trish,"
vandpykt@kepler.me.orst.edu, Carolyn Waite, John Werner, Ferrell S.
Wheeler, Christine White, Robyn E. Williamson, Jean Wilson, Julie
Wolfenden, David Wright, Pamela Blalock Wybieracki, Frank Yellin,
Rich Young, an Cindy Zimmerman.
Extra thanks to Jon Krues Plants.
Q. Finding a Lost Cat.
R. Cat Static.
S. Preparing Food for your Cat.
IX. RESOURCES
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, Michael Barnett, 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, Kathleen
Gittel, Diane Gibson, W.K. Gorman, Caroline Granzeau, Jerome Grimmer,
D. Dale Gulledge, David H., Pam Hassell, Leslianne Heimbeck, Ceci
Henningsson/Klussma 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, inc. Vegetarian 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
method (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 need to decrease the total amount of food the cat normally
eats, the best way to do this is to reduce the amount of food
gradually. This way, you don't have an upset cat after it's meal.
If you have a cat that bolts its food down (and throws it back up),
you can slow its eating down by placing several one to two inch
diameter clean rocks in its food bowl. Picking the food out will
slow it down. Be sure the rocks aren't so small it could eat them
by accident.
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 the first morning; that 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. Thereafter, 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.
As for 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 (books, articles, and mail-order companies) are
included at the end of the FAQs.
C. 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.
* Coarse corncob litter (commonly sold as "animal bedding and
litter" by pet suppliers) about the size of peas, can be used.
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.
* "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.
* Plain sawdust or wood shavings can be used as litter. Some cats
may not like it, since it doesn't absorb as well and may feel wet.
But it is very cheap. Take care not to use cedar shavings.
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.
D. 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.
If you must have the vet clean your cat's teeth, see if your vet is
willing to try a mild sedative (rather than putting the cat under
entirely) first when cleaning the teeth. If your cat is an older cat
(5 years or more) and it must be put under, see if the vet will use a
gas anesthesia rather than an injected form.
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. Rootwork
Cavities in cat teeth often occur just at or under the gum line. If
your cat has an infected tooth, you will have to have root work done
on it. It is typical to do x-rays after such a procedure to ensure
that all of the roots have reabsorbed. If the roots haven't done so,
then the infection can easily continue on up to the sinus and nasal
passages and from there to the lungs. Such infections require
long-term antibiotics.
3. 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.
E. 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.
F. 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.
G. Bathing.
You should not ordinarily need to bath a cat. Cats are normally very
good about cleaning themselves, and for most cats, that's all the
bathing they will ever need. Reasons for giving them a bath are:
- The cat has got something poisonous on its fur,
- It doesn't take care of its coat as normal cats 1:01 GMT
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This is the second 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 this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu
under /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/*. Or send email to
mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part1
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part2
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part3
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part4
in the body of the message to have all parts emailed to you (leave the
subject line empty).
L. 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.
M. 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
N. 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.
O. Disease Transmission (Zoonoses).
Some diseases can be transmitted from cats to people (zoonoses). Most
cannot. For example, you absolutely cannot contract AIDS from a cat
with FIV or FeLV, although the diseases are related (all are
retroviruses). This misconception led to the tragic deaths of
hundreds of cats as panicked owners got rid of them.
Anyone with an impaired immune system is at risk of exposure to germs
and other things from cats that healthy people would not contract;
this is regardless of the health of the cat.
You are more likely to contract diseases from other people than your
pets. Transmission of disease generally requires close contact
between susceptible people and animals or their oral, nasal, ocular or
digestive excretions. Use common sense and practice good hygiene to
reduce your risks.
From the Cornell Book of Cats:
* Viral diseases transmitted by cats are rabies and cowpox, usually
through biting or direct contact.
* Ringworm is a fungus infection affecting the hair, skin, and
nails. Humans contract it either by direct contact with the cat
or by the spores shed from an infected animal.
* Cat bites can cause a variety of diseases and infections,
including pasteurella and tetanus.
* Campylobacter enteritis, a disease of the small intestine, can be
caused by contact with contaminated cat feces.
* Cat scratch fever is an infection caused by a bacterial agent
transmitted to the human via a cat scratch.
* Conjunctivitis in humans can be caused by contact with the nasal
and ocular discharges of cats infected with feline chlamydiosis.
* Humans can become infected by Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever when a cat brings home ticks. If the cat becomes
infected with plague, it can also infect humans directly.
* Salmonella organisms, which are shed in discharges from the mouth,
eyes, and in the feces, can cause intestinal disease in humans.
* Toxoplasmosis is transmitted by contact with the feces of an
infected cat. Although it is well-known that cats can transmit
toxoplasmosis, many do not know that humans are more commonly
infected by eating incompletely cooked meat.
* Other parasites which can be acquired by humans are hookworms,
roundworms, and tapeworms: usually by direct or indirect contact
with contaminated feces, or ingestion of contaminated fleas.
P. Toxoplasmosis (when you are pregnant and own a cat).
Toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be picked up by handling
contaminated raw meat, or the feces produced after ingestion of such
meat. It takes between 36 and 48 hours for the eggs shed in stools to
reach the infective stage, so if you remove stools from the litter box
every day, the chances are slim that you could contract toxoplasmosis.
(Nomenclature: Toxoplasma gondii is the organism, toxoplasmosis the
disease, and Toxoplasma is a protozoan.)
In theory, you can catch it by cleaning the litter box or by
working in a garden used as a litter box. Most commonly, people catch
it by handling raw meat or eating undercooked meat. Many cat-exposed
people have had toxoplasmosis; the symptoms are similar to a mild
cold.
The problem occurs when pregnant women contract toxoplasmosis. This
will severely damage the fetus. Simple precautions will prevent this
problem; unfortunately many doctors still recommend getting rid of
cats when the woman is pregnant. A good idea is to get tested for
toxoplasmosis *before* you get pregnant; once you've had it, you will
not get it again.
You should note that there has yet to be a proven case of human
toxoplasmosis contracted from a cat -- the most common sources of
toxoplasmosis are the eating or preparing of contaminated raw meat.
To prevent human contraction of toxoplasmosis:
a) Cook any meat for you or your cat thoroughly.
b) Use care when handling raw meat.
c) Wear household gloves when handling litter.
d) Use disinfectant to clean the litter pan and surrounding area.
e) Change the cat litter often.
f) Keep children's sandpits covered when not in use.
g) Wear gardening gloves when working in the garden.
To be on the safe side, the litterbox and meat-chopping chores should
go to someone else if you're pregnant.
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
correct dosage and frequency of administration).
A final 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 vaccines exist to prevent many of 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.
B. Aging.
Most cats will reach about 11 or 12 years of age. Some make it 18 and
very few to 20 and beyond.
According to material provided by the Gaines Research Center, cats
will age 15 years in the first year (10 in the first six months!) and
4 years for every year after that. Other vets will say 20 years for
the first year, 4 years for each year thereafter.
C. Cat Allergies.
Here are some highlights from the article in
CATS Magazine, April 1992, pertaining to cats with allergies.
* Cats can suffer from a wide range of allergies.
* A cat with one allergy often has others.
* 15% of all cats in the U.S. suffer from one or more allergies.
* Cats' allergies fall into several categories, each with a parallel
complaint among human allergy sufferers. Inhalant allergies are
caused by airborne articles, such as pollen, that irritate the
nasal passages and lungs. Contact alllergies manifest themselves
when the cat has prolonged contact with a substance that it just
cannot tolerate. Cats have allergies to foods as well -- not so
much to the chemical preservatives but to the grains, meats and
dairy products used. Some cats react badly to certain drugs, such
as antibiotics or anesthesia.
* Flea allergy is the most common of all allergies. As cats age,
their sensitivity to flea bites increases. Prednisone (oral or
injection) is commonly used for a bad reaction.
* Between 5 & 10 percent of allergy cases are caused by food. Like
contact allergies, food allergies will show up as dermatitis and
severe itching but in some cases will also cause vomiting and
diarrhea. Also, the cat may have excessively oily skin, ear
inflammation, or hair loss (which can also be a sign of hormone
imbalance).
* A food allergy doesn't show up overnight. It can take from a week
to 10 years of exposure to show itself; more than 80 percent of
cats with food allergies have been eating the allergen-containing
food for more than two years.
Studies are being done to determine possible connections between food
allergies and FUS, with some success in eliminating foods and cutting
down on FUS symptoms. Results are still experimental.
Food allergies are treated with a bland, hypoallergenic diet -- rice
with boiled chicken or lamb, and distilled water is commonly used.
Two weeks is the longest it usually takes for the bland diet to work.
Causes, symptoms, and treatments of some types of allergies:
* Plants, especially oily-leafed ones, such as rubber plants, that
might be brushed against. Other contact allergens include: carpet
fresheners, wool, house dust, newsprint, cleansers and topical
medications. Even the carpet itself.
Signs of contact allergens: dermatitis, pigmentary changes or skin
eruptions. Most noticable on the chin, ears, inner thighs,
abdomen, underside of the tail, armpits and around the anus.
Skin patch tests are used to determine cause of contact allergies.
* Medications that commonly cause skin eruptions: penicillin,
tetracycline, neomycin and panleukopenia vaccine.
Each drug causes different symptoms, but the symptoms differ from
cat to cat. There is no way to predict how a cat will react.
Antihistamines or steroids may be used to eliminate symptoms
(after ceasing administration of the drug)
* Kitty litter - when new brands of litter come out, vets frequently
see a number of cats that have reactions to it. Other inhalant
allergies can include: dust from the furnace esp. when it is first
turned on; cigarette smoke; perfumes; household sprays and air
freshners; pollen.
Inhalent allergies can also result in skin loss, scabbing
pustules, or ulcerated areas on the skin. This in addition to the
asthmatic symptoms.
Treatment uses...antihistamines, such as chlortrimetron.. More
severe cases are treated with systemic steroids, which can have
drawbacks.
D. Declawi