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Archive-name: cats-faq/part1 Version: 1.7 Last-modified: 21 January 1993 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 this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu (18.70.0.224) 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). 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, inc. Vegetarian Diets. C. Litter. D. Dental Care. E. Trimming Claws. F. Grooming. G. Bathing. H. Pills, Dosing, and Medication. I. Worms. J. Fleas. K. Poisons. (Part 2) L. Vaccination and Worming Schedule. M. What Your Vet Should Check. N. My Cat is Sick, Should I Take It To the Vet? O. Disease Transmission (Zoonoses). P. Toxoplasmosis (when you are pregnant and own a cat). III. MEDICAL INFORMATION A. In General. B. Aging. C. Cat Allergies. D. Declawing. E. Diabetes. F. Diarrhea. G. Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV, Feleuk). H. FIV. I. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). J. Feline Rhinotraecheitis. K. Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS). L. Neutering. M. Skin Problems. N. Thyroid Problems. O. Vomiting. (Part 3) 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. I. Biting. J. Garbage. K. Counters. L. Early AM Wakeups. M. Toilet Paper. N. Splashing Water. O. Ripping Carpet. P. Closet Antics. 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 and Valerian. 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. (Part 4) I. Cat Genetics and Coloring. J. Cat Safety in the House. K. Pet Identification. L. Do All Cats Purr? M. Other Cats in the Cat Family. N. Clever Hiding Places At Home. O. Invisible Fences. P. Non-Poisonous Plants. Q. Finding a Lost Cat. R. Cat Static. 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/Klussmann, 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, Pamela Blalock Wybieracki, Frank Yellin, Rich Young, and Cindy Zimmerman. Extra thanks to Jon Krueger for extensive editorial comments with the first version. NB: Some common abbreviations: DSH: Domestic Short Hair (just about any short haired cat) DLH: Domestic Long Hair 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 local breeders when they were not. 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; certain vaccinations are required by law in different areas. 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. Popular suggestions to reduce your cat's anxiety during vet visits: * Make sure to drive your cat around (WITHOUT going to the vet) to get it used to the car. * Use the relaxant acepromazine. * Find a "cats only" vet. * Find a vet who will make housecalls. * Keep your cat away from dogs in the waiting room. * Keep your cat in a pillowcase rather than a carrier or box. 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. Vet bills You should be prepared to handle routine costs from year to year incurred by yearly physical exams, occassional fecal samples (and worming medication), plus yearly vaccinations. However, accidents and major illnesses can happen. Sometimes, pet health care insurance is one way people use to control these costs. Other times you might try vet schools which may give you reduced rates for their students to have the opportunity to work with your cat, especially if the problem is rare or uncommon. You might be able to negotiate a monthy payment toward a large bill, or a slightly reduced one in exchange for a bit of labor or other work (for example, one accountant prepared his vet's taxes in exchange for reducing the cost of surgery that his dog had had). The humane society may know of lower-cost clinics or vets who are prepared to cut prices for people who are not particularly well off. It can't hurt to call around and ask. But as other posters have mentioned, being a vet is a business, too, and vets tend not to have high incomes. They also have many of the same expenses as an MD (equipment, office staff) and the additional expenses of running their own pharmacy (and animal medicine is just as expensive as people medicine). 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, 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 do, - You are allergic and need to bathe it to keep allergens down, - The cat is a show cat and about to be shown, - You are giving it a flea, tick, or lice dip, - It is unusually dirty for some reason (perhaps bad weather). If you just trimmed your cat's claws, now is a good time. Having someone help you hold the cat definitely helps. If your cat is long haired, groom it *before* bathing it. Water will just tighten any mats already in the coat. Bathing methods: * Get everything ready. Warm water, selected bathing place (you might consider the kitchen sink as being easier on your back and facilitating control of the cat). Having water already in the tub or sink reduces the potential terror to the cat at the sound and sight of the water coming out of the faucet. Put a towel or rubber mat on the bottom of the tub or sink to give your cat something to sink its claws into. If you have spray attachments, either to the sink or the tub, those will help you soak the cat efficiently. You want to use soap formulated for cat skin, as human-type soaps will remove all the essential oils and leave the cat's skin dried out and susceptible to flea infestations or skin breakouts. There are some soaps formulated for allergic pet owners. Use sparingly and rinse well after working through coat. * The garden sprayer can also be used. Fill an ordinary pressurized garden sprayer (try a hand-pumped type that does *not* hiss) with warm soapy water, put cat and sprayer in empty bathtub, and use the trigger wand to soap the cat with one hand while hanging on to the scruff with the other. Put the sprayer wand down and work the soapy water into the fur, and finally follow with a bucket of water as a rinse. This procedure results in low moans from the cats, but no shrieks. To dry the cat, towel dry first. You can try hair dryers on low settings depending on your cat's tolerance. Otherwise, keep them inside until they are fully dry. If your cat is longhaird, you will want to groom it as the coat drys. Give the cat a treat after the bath, this may help them tolerate the process. If the problem is greasy skin, you may wish to try a dry cat shampoo instead. If you are attempting to remove grease, oil, or other petroleum products from your cat's fur, try using Dawn brand detergent first to remove it, and follow up with a cat shampoo. Dawn is used by volunteers who clean up birds after oil spills. 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. You can get a pill plunger from your vet. This is a syringe-like tool that takes the pill on one end and lets you "inject" the pill. You can insert the pill deep down the cat's throat this way. 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. Fleas. 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 rtfm.mit.edu under pub/usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks. If you do not have ftp access, send email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with "send usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks" in the subject line (leave the body empty). K. 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 (especially to the cat's litter) 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. (continued) ---------------- This article is Copyright (c) 1993 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@netcom.com USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716 ---------------- Archive-name: cats-faq/part2 Version: 1.7 Last-modified: 21 January 1993 Periodicity: 20 days 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 (18.70.0.224) 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. Declawing. Declawing is the surgical removal of the claw and the surrounding tissue that it retracts into. Usually the claws on the front feet only are removed, but sometimes the digits are as well. This is sometimes used as a last resort with inveterate scratchers of furniture, carpet, etc. However, if trained in kittenhood, most cats are very good about scratching only allowable items such as scratching posts (see Scratching). Britain has made declawing illegal. Show cats may not be shown declawed. Many vets will refuse to do this procedure. Declawed cats often compensate with their rear claws; many can still climb well, although their ability to defend themselves is often impaired and they should not be allowed outside without supervision. Many declawed cats become biters when they find that their claws no longer work; others develop displays of growling. Scratching is one way of marking territory (there are scent glands among the paw pads), so declawed cats will still "scratch" things even though there are no claws to sharpen. Alternatives are trimming the claws (see section on Trimming Claws) or "Soft Paws". These are soft plastic covers for the cat's claws. Generally, the vet will put them on, but cat owners can do so themselves if shown how. They will last about a month despite efforts to remove them. Check the July 1992 issue of _Animal Sense_. There is an informative article titled "Fake Fingernails for Felines?" by Dr. Marilyn Hayes at the Rowley Animal Hospital in Rowley, MA. They can make a useful training tool if used in conjuction with techniques to redirect clawing and scratching to approved items. E. 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). F. Diarrhea. If your cat has persistent diarrhea, take the cat to the vet if symptoms have continued for more than 2 days. Bring a stool sample with you and have the vet check for parasites and/or fever. You can try changing (temporarily) the cat's diet to one or more of the following (depending on the cat's preferences): * boiled rice * cottage cheese * bread * plain yogurt * boiled chicken * chicken broth * baby food (strained meat varieties) The emphasis on the above being as BLAND as possible. No spices allowed as they tend to aggravate the stomach. This procedure may be advisable to reduce the possibility of dehydration from the diarrhea. The vet may or may not prescribe medication. One-half teaspoon of kaopectate (NOT peptobismol, it contains asprin) usually works pretty well too. The vet may recommend withholding food for 24-48 hours to give the GI tract a rest before starting with some bland food. Usually diarrhea lasts only a few days. If it lasts longer than that, as long as the cat does not have a fever, it USUALLY does not mean anything serious, but you must protect the cat from dehydration by making it take in plenty of liquids. 1. Possible causes for diarrhea. From: Colin F. Burrows. 1991. _Diarrhea in kittens and young cats_. pp. 415-418 IN J.R. August. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. Causes of acute (sudden onset) diarrhea Infections Viral Panleucopenia (distemper) Feline Leukemia Virus Coronavirus Rotavirus Astrovirus Bacterial Salmonella Campylobacter Escherischia coli (not documented in cats) Parasitic Roundworms Hookworms Coccidia Giardia Toxoplasma Diet esp. dietary change or raid on the garbage Toxic or drug-induced Acetominophen (tylenol) antibiotics Miscellaneous partial intestinal obstruction Most common causes are viral infections and dietary changes. 2. Causes of chronic diarrhea Viral and Bacterial FIV FeLeuk Salmonella Campylobacter Clostridium Parasites as above, except Toxoplasma Dietary sensitivity Miscellaneous Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drug Sensitivity Inappropriate use of antibiotics Bacterial overgrowth?? Partial intestinal obstruction Idiopathic (no known cause) You should enlist the help of your vet if symptoms persist for more than a few days, or if your kitten is weak or listless, or refuses to take fluids. Dehydration can rapidly kill a kitten. G. 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. It is fairly fragile away from cats' bodily fluids,,so transmission by humans (on boots, etc.) are not likely. A latent cat probably needs to become viremic (positive test) before it can infect other cats, *unless* it is a queen nursing kittens. The ELISA test has a significant false postive rate, depending on fluid tested. The IFA test correlates better with actual virus isolation from tested cats. The best way to reduce risk is to keep negative cats away from positive cats. 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. Immunoregulin has been used with some success in treating cats with this disease. H. 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. I. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a viral infection of cats that is considered essentially fatal. Now there are blood tests that can help determine whether a cat is infected, and there is a new vaccine available to prevent FIP. 1. Course of the disease Weiss (1991) presents a flow-chart of possiblities for FIP infections; the pathways presented here are probable, not proven. FIPV carrier | virus shed, ingested by another cat __________________/\ / \ Inadequate exposure; no infection \ infection | replication of virus | macrophages (white blood cells) "eat" virus, are infected | transport to lymph nodes, persistent viral infection establishes | dissemination of virus to liver, lymph nodes, spleen _________________________________/\__________ ?/ | With strong cell- With antibodies and partial or mediated immunity no cell-mediated immunity and good antibodies | | persistent secondary viremia NO DISEASE | / \ circulating immune complexes complete persistant subclinical | recovery infection inflammation of vascular system | tissue death in eyes, brain, carrier cat w/o symptoms? lungs, kidney, mesentery | | immune system supression | due to drugs, stress, aging | | | FIP infection reactivates? | | _______________________________/ \ | | with partial cell-mediated immunity? with no cell-mediated immunity? | | NON-EFFUSIVE (DRY) FIP DEVELOPS EFFUSIVE (WET) FIP DEVELOPS 2. Symptoms General symptoms early in the course of the disease are mild digestive or respiratory symptoms, vague malaise and lethargy, poor appetite, and progressive debility with fever. Abdominal enlargement, neurological symptoms and ocular symptoms are present in 30-40% of all clinical cases. The fever may fluctuate until later stages, when it subsides and body temperature becomes subnormal. The effusive form of FIP includes fluids building up in the peritoneal or pleural cavity or both. The cat becomes pudgy, is not in pain when touched, and may have sudden trouble breathing if the pleural cavity is affected. The non-effusive form of FIP often has associated neurological or ocular symptoms, including nystagmus, disorientation, lack of coordination, paralysis, seizures, and various eye problems that can be seen on eye exams. Enlarged lymph nodes and kidneys can be felt. 3. Diagnosis Diagnosis of FIP will probably include a coronavirus titer of 1:128 or more, but this is not diagnostic, since there can be cross-reactions with FECV. The vet will probably want samples of any fluid accumulations, and may want to take needle-punch biopsies of kidney, liver or other organs for microscopic exams. The vet will have to make sure s/he is not dealing with a number of other diseases, including cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, infections, cancers, liver problems, kidney disease or toxoplasmosis or systemic fungal diseases. 4. Prognosis and course of treatment Once FIP is apparent, most cats die within 5 weeks, though some animals may survive up to 3 months. Corticosteroids will slow the disease, but may also stir up latent infections; this seems to be the most common treatment offered, along with good nutrition, and perhaps antibiotics for bacterial secondary infections. Though it seems odd to try to supress the cat's immune system, it seems that most of the disease symptoms are caused by damage caused by some of the immune reactions. UC Davis has used a treatment protocol of high amounts of predisone or prednisolone with cytotoxic drugs like cyclophosphamide or phenylalanine mustard, together with intensive supportive and nursing care. Cats are kept on the regimin for 2-4 weeks, then re-evaluated; if there is no improvement, euthanasia is recommended. If there is improvement, drugs are continued for at least 3 months, then slowly withdrawn. Even after treatment, recurrences are common, and reports of spontaneous remissions are few. Abstracts of recent journal articles indicate that interferon as a treatment for FIP is being explored: interferon, alone or in conjuction with a bacterial extract that tends to "kick up" the immune system seems to be showing promise. Other labs are working on cytotoxic agents coupled to FIPV-specific monoclonal antibodies: this is very exciting, but probably a long way off. Antiviral drugs like AZT, Ribavirin, Suramin, and Foscarnet are also possibilities for FIP treatment. The ones that look most promising are these and Inosiplex. Interferon and drugs that promote interferon synthesis are also possibilities. Not all of these drugs are approved for use in animals, but the FDA has not yet objected-- though there may be some legal complications possible for the vet who uses antivirals. 5. General information Summarized from Pedersen, 1991: FIP (feline infectious peritonitis, sometimes also called feline peritonitis) is a fairly recently recognized disease in the US. It is caused by one of the coronaviruses (which are RNA viruses, like HIV), not the ordinary DNA viruses that often affect animals. FIP is most decidedly NOT RELATED to HIV (AIDS virus)-- just has some of the same structural components. FIP was first recognized in the 1960's, about the same time as transmissible gastroenteritis in pigs, a closely related virus. FIP is now worldwide in distribution. It is also closely related to canine coronavirus, and the three viruses have been described as strains of the same species. FIP appears to be a mutant of the FEC (feline enteric coronavirus). In fact, some consider the two be almost the same, with a great deal of the difference in how they cause disease stemming from how individual cats' immune systems react to infection. FIP infects mainly domestic cats, but has also been seen in lion, mountain lion, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, lynx, caracal, sand cat and pallas cat. Incidence peaks in cats 5-6 years old, but it is seen in all ages. There is no correlation with the animal's sex, but purebreds and multiple cat households seem to be more affected than single cat households with "just plain cats". FIP is apparently on the rise in the colder areas of Europe. Apparently, "healthy" cats can carry and shed FIPV (FIP virus), and it may also be shed by FECV carriers. Kittens may be infected before birth, or within the first five weeks of life; route of infection can be oral, respiratory, or parenteral. There is a highly variable and lengthy period between the time of infection and time of disease. Apparently there are some highly virulent (deadly) strains of FIP virus that can kill high numbers of cats quickly, but the ordinary strains of the virus are less deadly: the majority of FIP infections probably go unnoticed due to the low virulence of most of them. What happens after a cat is infected with FIPV depends on what strain of virus, the cat's natural resistance, and the cat's immunologic response to the virus. The virus probably multiplies in white blood cells in the lymph nodes, or the intestinal lining. The hallmark of all systemic viral infection is that they replicate in macrophages or sometimes lymphocytes. Their nastiness and ability to spread around the body is expressed in their ability to infect the very mobile cells of the immune system that are out there trying to destroy them. FECV infections, on the other hand, do not succeed in infecting cells beyond the intestinal epithelial cells. Thus FECV is considered a localized infection. Also, regarding transmission, FIP is considered to spread primarilty by a fecal-oral route, or also by wounds inflicted in cat fights. In other words, it is not a virus with long life floating around in the air, so requires fairly close contact with infected cats to be transmitted. Since FIP is a corona virus, it is sensitive to destruction by the environment. Coolness and dampness promotes survival, heat and dessication will not. This means once a household has had a cat with FIP, all areas of the house should be cleaned with bleach and detergents where appropriate and dry them thoroughly. In addition, laundering all bedding and other launderables the cat may have come into contact with, and thorough vacumming (and disposal of the contents) of the carpet and upholstered furniture is advisable. Areas the cat defecated or voided on should definitely be disinfected or disposed of. Replacing the cat toys is also recommended. This should Reduce or eliminate the risk to a new cat. 6. References Pedersen, N.C. Common Infectious Diseases of Multiple-Cat Environments pp. 163-288 _in_ Pedersen, Niels C.(ed) 1991. Feline Husbandry: Diseases and manangement of the multiple cat environment. American Veterinary Publications, Inc. Goleta, CA. ISBN 0-939674-29-7 Weiss, Richard C. Feline Infectious Peritonitis and other Coronaviruses. pp. 333-356 _in_ Sherding, Robert G. 1989. The Cat: Diseases and Clinical Management. Churchill-Livingstone, New York. ISBN 0-443-08461-0 J. Feline Rhinotraecheitis. Feline rhinotracheitis is a contagious disease that is spread either horizontally or vertically. (They can get it from either direct contact with moist mucosal surfaces, or they can also get it from their mother's milk or through the mothers placenta). In young cats, it is often seen as causing acute upper respiratory diseases or conjunctivitis, or corneal ulcers, and rarely oral ulcers. In the adult, you may see recurrent subclinical infection due to the virus being reactivated from a latent state. There is a vaccination for this disease, but no real cure for it, just management of it. The most important thing for you to do is try to keep your cat from getting stressed (when that's possible) because if he is under stress, he can begin to shed the virus again without showing any signs of being sick himself, and if he is around other cats who aren't vaccinated, he can then give it to them. Most cats who have had rhinotracheitis are 'sick' more while they are kittens, but then when they get older you wouldn't know that they have the disease. Herpesviruses are almost always present for life once an animal has been infected. But, it probably doesn't mean that your cat will live a short life, just that you need to be careful not to have him around other nonvaccinated cats or kittens who may get the disease from it. K. Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS). Feline urinary syndrome or FUS is the name given to a group of symptoms that occur in the cat secondary to inflammation, irritation, and/or obstruction of the lower urinary tract (urinary bladder, urethra, and penile urethra). A cat with FUS can exhibit one, some, or even all of the symptoms. FUS is NOT a specific diagnosis: there are many known and some unknown factors that may cause or contribute to FUS. Any cause resulting in particulate debris in the urine is capable of causing obstruction in the male cat. Males are much more likely to get this disease than females. There is no known means of prevention. Treatment can vary from diet to surgery. Cats usually recover if the disease is caught in time; often the cat must be watched for any recurrence of FUS. 1. Symptoms May appear periodically during the life of the cat. * Females: straining to urinate, blood in the urine, frequent trips to the litter box with only small amounts voided, loss of litterbox habits. * Males: In addition to the above symptoms, small particles may lodge in the male urethra and cause complete obstruction with the inability to pass urine-this is a life and death situation if not treated quickly. Obstruction usually occurs in the *male* cat and is most often confined to the site where the urethra narrows as it enters the bulbourethral gland and penis; small particles that can easily pass out of the bladder and transverse the urethra congregate at the bottleneck of the penile urethra to cause complete blockage. (note that the female urethra opens widely into the vagina with no bottleneck). Symptoms of obstruction are much more intense than those of bladder inflammation alone; this is an emergency requiring immediate steps to relieve the obstruction. Symptoms include: * Frequent non-producing straining-no urine produced, discomfort, pain, howling. * *Gentle* feeling of the cats abdomen reveals a tennis ball size structure which is the overdistended urinary bladder. * Subsequent depression, vomiting and/or diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, uremic poisoning, and coma may develop rapidly within 24 hours. * Death results from uremic poisoning; advanced uremic poisoning may not be reversible even with relief of the obstruction and intensive care. Bladders can be permanently damaged as a result. 2. Causes of FUS In general: any condition that causes stricture, malfunction, inflammation, or obstruction of the urethra. In addition, any condition that causes inflammation, malfunction, or abnormal anatomy of the urinary bladder. Known causes: * Struvite crystals accompanied by red blood cells-generally caused by a diet too high in magnesium relative to the pH of the urine. * Fish-flavored foods tend to be worse * The ability of a given diet to cause problems in an individual cat is highly variable: only those cats with a history of this kind of FUS may respond well to strictly dietary management. Many cats do not have problems with a diet that may produce FUS in some individuals. * Bladder stones, may occur from struvite crystals, or be secondary to bladder infections. There are metabolic disorders (not all are understood) that result in a higher concentration of a given mineral that can remain in solution; hence stones are formed. Diet may greatly modify the concentration of a given mineral in solution in the urine. Water intake may modify the concentration of all minerals in the urine, and bacterial infection increases the risk of stone formation. * Anatomical abnormalities such as congenital malformations of the bladder and/or urethra (early neutering is NOT a factor) OR acquired strictures of the urethra and/or scarring of the bladder. * Trauma. * Neurolgenic problems affecting the act of urination (difficult to diagnose except at institutions capable of urethral pressure profiles) * Primary bacterial infection-RARE! * Tumors (benign/malignant) * Protein matrix plug (generally urethral obstruction of males); can be from non-mineral protein debris, viral-based, other causes are unknown. * Suspected or unknown factors include non-bacterial infections, toxins, stress, and seasonal influences. 3. Management of FUS Obstruction of the male cat is a medical emergency. The obstruction must be relieved immediately. Failure to produce a good stream of urine after relief of obstruction is indicative of urethral stricture and/or stones or matrex plugs. Failure of bladder to empty after relief of obstruction suggests bladder paralysis (usually temporary unless present prior to obstruction). In either event, a urinary catheter must be placed to allow continual urination. Treatment of uremic poisoning requires IV fluid therapy with monitoring of blood levels of waste products until uremia is no longer present. Permanent urethral damage with stricture, inability to dislodge a urethral obstruction, or inability to prevent recurring obstructions are all indications for perineal urethrostomy (amputation of the penis and narrow portion of the urethra to create a female-sized opening for urination). This procedure is usually effective in preventing reobstruction of the male cat, but this procedure should be a last resort If FUS is indicated without obstruction, 75 to 80% of FUS cats without obstruction may be sucessfully managed by diet alone if urine reveals typical crystals and red blood cells. Unobstructed male cats or non-uremic obstructed males who have a good urine stream and bladder function after relief of an early obstruction may be managed as above initially. Cats who are symptom-free after 7 to 10 days of dietary management and who have normal follow-up urines at 21 days, may be maintained indefinitely with dietary management only. DL-Methionine is often prescribed for cats with FUS. Most commonly, FUS-specific diets contain this acidifier. Antibiotics may be used. Distilled water for FUS-prone cats is often recommended as well. L. Neutering. If you are not planning to breed your cat or put it to stud service, you will want to neuter it. Technically, the general term for either sex is neutering; female cats are spayed and male cats are castrated. However, general usage is that female cats are spayed or neutered and male cats are neutered. 1. Castration Male cats are castrated. A local anesthetic is administered and several stitches are used to close it up. You will want to neuter the male cat after its testicles descend but before its urine odor changes. This is typically around 6 months of age. By neutering earlier, you prevent spraying (if it has started spraying, it may not stop after neutering, even though it is no longer hormonally driven). By neutering later, you allow the testicles and urinary tract full development; this is thought to reduce the chances of contracting FUS (growth will stop after neutering or puberty; be aware that the jury is out on this one). If surgery must be done on an undescended testicle then the cost and risk increase. An intact male cat (a "tom") will spray a foul-smelling urine to mark his territory, he will roam widely, and he will be involved in more fights. Often, he will be more aggressive. He will be at higher risk for certain diseases, such as cancer; he will also be more prone to infection from the injuries in fights. A neutered male cat will lose the foul-smelling odor in his urine (but may still spray); he will not roam as widely nor fight as often. You will be able to keep him indoors if you wish. Contrary to popular opinion, he will not become more lazy or fat. Laziness and fatness depend on cat temperament and how much you feed him. 2. Spaying Female cats are spayed; this is an ovario-hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries are removed). There are two methods: ventral entry which is through the stomach muscles in the belly (where a large patch of fur will be shaved to prevent later irritation of the incision), and the lateral entry which is through a small incision in the cat's side. Ventral entry is less expensive, lateral entry has a quicker recovery time. You may have to bring your cat back in after ventral entry to remove stitches; lateral entry uses internal sutures which dissolve. Ventral entry is much more commonly employed; lateral entry is relatively rare, and not all vets may know how to do it. The cat must be put under general anesthesia. There is always an element of risk in general anesthesia and while it is rare, a few rec.pets.cats readers have had their cats die under anesthesia. The earlier the female cat is spayed, the better. Any time after four months or once the heat cycles have started is good. Spaying when the cat is in heat or already pregnant is possible, although some vets refuse to operate under these circumstances. On occasion, a female cat will not have all of her ovaries removed. The ovaries produce the hormones that induce heat: if your cat still goes through heat after being spayed, you may have to take her in for exploratory surgery to find the missed ovary, or even piece of ovary. An intact female cat (a "queen") will go through heat which can be as frequent as one week in four. You must keep her indoors to prevent breeding, and she will do her best to escape. She will spray a foul smelling substance. Many cats will meow loudly for long periods of time. She will twitch her tail to the side and display her vulva. If she becomes pregnant, she will undergo all the risks and expenses associated with pregnancy (extra visits to the vet and extra food). Male cats will try very hard to get at her; there are documented cases, for example, of male cats entering homes through the chimney. Medication is available that will delay heat; breeders use this to control the number of times their queens are bred and to work around cat show schedules. An unbred, unspayed cat has a much higher risk of developing cancer of the reproductive system. Again, spayed females do not lose their energy or change their personality after the procedure. Female cats may come into estrus within a few days of giving birth. If you have a mom-cat that you want to stop from having more litters, try to get her spayed as soon as possible after the kittens are born. 3. Post-op recovery You will need to watch to make sure your cat does not try to pull out its stitches. Consult your vet if your cat starts pulling at its stitches. You might, in persistent cases, need to get an elizabethan collar to prevent the cat from reaching the stitches. Puffiness, redness, or oozing around the stiches should be also reported to the vet. Some stitches "dissolve" on their own; others require a return to the vet for removal. You should note that male cats will take some time to flush all testosterone and semen out of their systems. There have been recorded cases of "neutered" cats impregnating female cats shortly after their operation. Three to four weeks is sufficient time for neutered toms to become sterile. 4. Cost The cost can vary widely, depending on where you get it done. There are many pet-adoption places that will offer low-cost or even free neutering services, sometimes as a condition of adoption. Local animal clinics will often offer low-cost neutering. Be aware that spaying will always cost more than castrating at any given place since spaying is a more complex operation. Vets almost always charge more than clinics, partly because of overhead, but also because they often keep the animal overnight for observation and will do free followup on any later complications (a consideration in the case of missed ovaries). In the US, there is at least one group, "Friends of Animals" (1-800-321-7387) that will give you information on low-cost spay/neutering places, or do it themselves. They often have price-reduction certificates that your vet may accept. Quoting actual prices may or may not give you an idea of the cost for you in your area. Costs can range from US$10 for castration at a clinic to US$100 for spaying at the vet's. This is money well spent. One pair of cats, allowed to breed, and with 2 litters a year and 2.8 surviving kittens per litter, will account for 80,000 cats in 10 years! M. Skin Problems. 1. Matted fur Matted fur is a perfect breeding ground for parasites and encourages inflammatory skin diseases. If your cat has matted fur, do not try to cut it off as you may injure the cat. Mats are difficult to comb out and may be painful. You may have to have the vet sedate and shave the cat. Do groom it regularly. 2. Bald patches Often caused by itching and irritation of some sort. Fleas, allergies, eczema, and ringworm are all possible culprits. Sometimes it is simply stress; Vets may prescribe hormone shots or even tranquilizers to control the scratching. If ringworm is indicated, you must take care not to get it yourself. It is a fungus just like athletes foot. Tresaderm and similar medications are used to treat this. Since ringworm spreads by spores, you can reduce transmission and spreading by cleaning everything you can with bleach (save the cat itself), and washing bedding and clothing in hot water. It may take some time (like several months) to get ringworm under control. 3. Scratching If the cat is scratching its ears and you can see black grit, that's probably earmites. Consult your vet for appropriate ear drops. Ear mites stay in the ears, but can be passed from cat to cat, especially if they groom each other. The life cycle of an ear mite is entirely within the ear, so you do not have to worry about ridding your house of them the way you do fleas. Cats typically shake their heads when given the medication; unless the medication actually comes back out, that is OK. An additional step to take is to soak a cotton ball or pad in mineral oil (baby oil is fine), and clean out the outer ear (do not poke into the canal). That rids the upper ear of any ear mites lodged higher up than the canal, and makes it difficult for the ear mites to reestablish themselves. Scratching and a discharge from the ears means a bacterial or fungal infection and the vet should be immediately consulted. Other possible causes of scratching include fleas, lice, eczema, allergies, or stud tail (in male cats). 4. Feline Acne Cats can develop acne just as humans do. Usually it is only on the chin. It will appear as small black spots. The reasons for feline acne are as complex as it is for humans. Sometimes a food allegery (such as chocolate with humans or milk with cats) can cause it or sometimes the cat does not clean its chin properly. 1. Tips on caring for feline acne It is important to keep food dishes clean. Acne has bacteria associated with it. The cat's chin comes in contact with the edge of the food/water bowl, leaving bacteria. The next time the cat uses the bowl, it can come in contact with this bacteria and spread it on the chin. * Use glass or metal food/water dishes. It is next to impossible to remove the bacteria from acne from plastic dishes. * Wash the food and water dishes daily. This removes the bacteria from the dishes and helps to keep the problem from getting worse. Also, in multi-cat households, it will help reduce the chance of others breaking out with it. * Bathe the cat's chin daily with a disinfectant soap/solution from the vet. Nolvasan, Xenodine, Betadine soaps are a few of the ones to try. More severe cases may need to be washed twice a day. DO NOT USE HUMAN ACNE SOLUTIONS, these are too strong for cats and may cause serious problems. Don't try to pick the spots off, just clean it well. Visit the vet if you can't get the acne to clear up within a week or two or if the acne is severe or infected. The vet may prescribe antibiotics for these cats or other acne treatments. Once the acne is cleared up, keep an eye out for reoccurances. Washing the cat's chin once a week is a good preventative measure. N. Thyroid Problems. Treatments: 1) Regular doses of Tapazol. 2. Surgery to remove most of the thyroid. This is a difficult and potentially dangerous operation (especially for an older cat), and it is not necessarily effective. That is, it will reduce the thyroid activity, but not necessarily stop the runaway thyroid growth--it may only reduce or delay the problem and you'll have to give Tapazol anyway. At the other extreme, you might also end up having to give the animal thyroid supplements... 3. Radioactive Iodine treatment of thyroid. This is reported to be very effective in _solving_ the problem. The troubles are it is very expensive, and it means leaving your cat at the facility where it is done for up to two weeks (they have to monitor the cat to make sure all the radioactivity is gone before letting it go home). Leaving a cat at a facility where there are other cats can expose it to the health problems of the other cats there. O. Vomiting. Some cats vomit all the time; other cats do so relatively rarely. Vomiting is not a sign of the same sort of distress as it is in humans. Because they are carnivores, they need to be able to vomit quickly and almost at will without feeling sick. On the other hand, a cat that suddenly starts to vomit, or vomits more than usual or in some way demonstrates a departure from its normal habits should be checked by the vet. 1. Reasons Most commonly, a cat vomits because it has hairballs. To check for this, examine the vomit carefully for small grayish pellets or lumps (it doesn't matter what color your cat's hair is). If these are present, then hairballs is the problem. Hairballs occur even with shorthair cats. All cats benefit from regular brushing to help minimize shedding and ingestion of hair. If your cat is vomiting because of hairballs, its normal behavior is not affected. That is, it will be its usual self immediately before and after vomiting. To help prevent this kind of vomiting, feed your cat on a regular basis some petroleum jelly (aka as Vaseline). If they don't like it, you can try Petromalt, a malt-flavored petroleum jelly. Pats of butter will also work. To give it to them, if they won't eat it of their free will, smear some on top of their paw and they will lick it up as they clean it off. Be careful to rub it in thoroughly, otherwise when they shake their paw, you'll have gobs of vaseline go flying onto the walls or carpet. Give it to them daily for a few days if they've just upchucked or are in the midst of dry heaves; go back down to a weekly dose once they've gotten rid of existing hairballs and this should keep them hairball free. Frequent brushing also helps; every bit of hair on the brush is less hair in your cat's stomach. Another common reason for vomiting is overeating, particularly dry food. The dry food absorbs water and swells, and then they have to throw it back up. If the vomit looks like a semi-solid tube of partially digested cat food, that's probably what it is. A cat may vomit when it is allergic to its food. You can check this out by trying another brand of food with substantially different ingredients and no food colorings. Sometimes cats vomit when they have worms. Consult your vet for a worming appointment. If the vomit is white or clear, that can be one of the symptoms of panleukopenia, feline distemper. If such vomiting occurs a coule of times over the course of a day or night, a phone call to the vet is in order. If cats eat something that obstructs their digestive system, they may try to vomit it back up. If you can see some of it in their mouth, DO NOT PULL IT OUT, especially if it is string. You may just cut up their intestines in the attempt. Take the cat to the vet immediately. If the cat displays other changes of behavior along with the vomiting, you should consult the vet. Eg. listlessness, refusing food along with vomiting may indicate poisoning. Periodic throwing up can be a sign of an over-active thyroid. This is particularly common in older cats. Your vet can do a blood test and find out the thyroid level. It can also be indicative of a kidney infection: something that your vet can also check out. In general, as distasteful as it may be, you should examine any vomit for indication of why the cat vomited. Summary: Dietary problems include: * sudden change in diet * ingestion of foreign material (garbage, plants, etc) * eating too rapidly * intolerance or allergy to specific foods Problems with drugs include: * specific reactions to certain drugs * accidental overdosages Ingestion of toxins: * Lead, ethylene glycol, cleaning agents, herbicides, fertilizers, heavy metals all specifically result in vomiting. Metabolic disorders: * diabetes mellitus * too little or too much of certain hormones, trace elements, etc. * renal disease * hepatic disease * sepsis * acidosis * heat stroke Disorders of the stomach: * obstruction (foreign body, disease or trauma) * parasites * assorted gastric disorders * ulcers, polyps Disorders of the small intestine: * parasites * enteritis * intraluminal obstruction * inflammatory bowel disease * fungal disease * intestinal volvulus * paralytic ileus Disorders of the large intestine: * colitis * constipation * irritable bowel syndrome Abdominal disorders: * pancreatitis * gastrinoma of the pancreas * peritonitus (any cause including FIP) * inflammatory liver disease * bile duct obstruction * steatitis * prostatitis * pyelonephritis * pyometra (infection of the uterus) * urinary obstruction * diaphragmatic hernia * neoplasia Nerologic disorders: * pain, fear, excitement, stress * motion sickness * inflammatory lesions * head trauma * epilepsy * neoplasia Misc: * hiatal hernia * heartworm 2. Vomit stains You may now have stains on the carpet that you want to get rid of. Spot Shot, and other stain removers, work well at removing stains. If you're having trouble with bright red or orange stains, you may want to invest in a cat food that doesn't use dyes. That can help considerably in reducing the stain factor. (continued) ---------------- This article is Copyright (c) 1993 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@netcom.com USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716 ---------------- Archive-name: cats-faq/part3 Last-modified: 21 January 1993 Periodicity: 20 days This is the third 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 (18.70.0.224) 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). IV. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (INSIDE) A. In General. You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Dogs form social hierarchies that you can take advantage of by placing yourself at the top. Cats form social groups only by necessity and the arrangement is based on respecting territory, not by respecting the "top dog". Many mistakes made with cats are due to thinking that they will react like dogs. **Do not *ever* hit a cat or use any sort of physical punishment.** You will only teach your cat to fear you. * You can train your cat not to perform inappropriate behavior by training your cat to perform other behavior alternative to or incompatible with the inappropriate behavior. * Since cats hate to be surprised, you can use waterbottles, clapping, hissing, and other sudden noises (such as snapping, "No!") to stop unwanted behavior. However, be aware that these tactics will not work when you are not present. In addition, immediacy is key: even seconds late may render it ineffective. You must do it as soon as the cat starts the behavior. * The face-push has been described by various readers. This consists of pushing the palm of your hand into the cat's face. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don't hit the cat, simply push its face back gently. You might accompany it with a "no!" * Making certain behaviors impossible is another tactic. Think "childproofing": keep food in containers; keep breakable and/or dangerous objects out of reach; make sure heavy objects, e.g. bookshelves, are stable. Look for childproofing gadgets and hints and think how you can apply them to preventing cat problems. Even when the analogy isn't perfect, physically preventing problems is still a good guide. E.g., defrosting meat? Put it in the (unheated) stove, not out on the counter. It is always best to train your cat away from undesireable behavior as soon as possible, as young as possible. You will have the most success training your cat when it is young on what is acceptable to scratch and what is not. Never tolerate it when it is "cute" since it will not always remain so. B. Plants. Cats are frequently fascinated with houseplants. However, you may not appreciate the attention, which can range from chewing on the plant leaves to digging or peeing in the plant soil. For chewing, try spraying Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange on the leaves. Dusting cayenne pepper on them may also help. You may wish to grow some grass or catnip for them as an alternative; plants do provide them with needed nutrients (the absence of which may be causing their grazing). For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, add some vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. C. Spraying. Some cats start spraying in the house. You will want to first rule out any medical causes, such as FUS or cystitis. Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between *spraying* (which winds up on walls) and *urinating* (which is generally on the floor). Spraying is more often a behavior problem and urination is more often a medical problem. It is best to check with a vet first. If the problem is medical, then you will need to simply clean up the odor after the problem is treated, otherwise you will need to try some of the behavior modification outlined below (and you'll still need to clean up the odor). You must remove the odor from items that the cat sprayed on to prevent the cat from using the same spot again later. The ammonia smell tells the cat that this is an elimination spot, so never use ammonia to try and "remove" the odor! See (Removing Urine Odor). Cats sometimes spray to mark their territory so sometimes an area for your cat that other animals cannot go to will help. Keeping the litterbox *immaculately clean* will help in other cases. Sometimes cats pick small throw rugs with non-skid backing to urinate on. This is caused by an odor from the backing that somehow tells the cat to urinate there (probably an ammonia-like smell). Cat-repellent sprays or washing the rug *may* help; you might just have to get rid of that rug. For persistent spraying after the above steps, try the procedure outlined in (Housebreaking). C. Scratching. For unwanted scratching, provide an approved scratching post or other item. Issue firm "no!"s on unapproved items. You may wish to spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (available at most pet stores) on items that they are particularly stubborn about. Praise them and give a cat treat when they use the approved scratching material. Demonstrate how to use the post by (yes) going up to it and scratching it like your cat would. They will come over to investigate your scent and then leave their own. Pepper (black, white, or cayenne) can be applied to furniture and plants to discourage scratching. This does not deter all cats. You can also cover areas with double-sided tape (sticky on both sides) to discourage unwanted scratching. (Always be sure to provide an alternative scratching item.) In general, cats will either use a post a lot or never use it. The deciding factor can be the material that the post is made out of. It has to be fairly smooth (cats usually don't like plush carpet) and shouldn't be a material that their nails get stuck in. Once that happens, they may not use the post anymore. Natural fiber rope wrapped tightly around the post appeals to many cats. Some cats like plain wood; a two-by-four made available may work well. Other cats prefer the kind of "scratching posts" that are horizontal rather than verticle. E. Housetraining. It is possible for cats to stop using the litter box or to have trouble learning in the first place. Do NOT *ever* try to discourage a cat's mistakes by rubbing its nose in it. It never worked for dogs and most certainly will not work for cats. In fact, you wind up reminding the cat of where a good place to eliminate is! Potential CAUSES for failure to use litterbox: * MEDICAL PROBLEMS: 1. diarrhea (many causes) a. small intestinal- soft to watery b. colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood, straining 2. urinary bladder inflammation a. FUS b. Bacterial infections c. trauma d. calculi (bladder stones) e. tumors 3. polydipsia/polyuria (excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably less than this) a. diabetes insipidus b. diabetes mellitus c. kidney disease d. liver disease e. adrenal gland disease f. pyometra (pus in the uterus) g. hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) h. others * TERRITORIAL MARKING: 1. intact female in heat 2. intact male spraying 3. marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be from presence of outdoor cats 4. may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats 5. previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian tissue remaining, possibly resulting in a low level of hormone which could trigger marking 6. neutered male with sexual experience exposed to female in heat * LITTER BOX PROBLEMS: 1. overcrowding: too many cats using same box 2. failure to change littter frequently enough -- some cats won't use a dirty box 3. failure to provide constant access to litterbox 4. change in type of litter used 5. change in location of litterbox 6. unfamiliar, frightening, or loud objects near box: dishwasher, etc. 7. food and water too close to litterbox 8. objectionable chemical used to wash or disinfect litterbox 9. location preference: your cat may want the box in a different location 10. texture preference: your cat doesn't like the feel of the litter 11. failure to cover litter: learned process from parents a. use of litterbox is instinctive b. cats that don't cover litter may be more prone to litterbox problems c. your cat may be indicating texture preference problem * PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS: (most common manifestation is inappropriate urination) 1. addition or subtraction of other pets in household 2. visitors, company, parties, redecorating, construction, or any type of commotion 3. a move to a new environment 4. change in routine or schedule: a new job or working hours 5. their return from boarding or hospitilization 6. interaction problem with other pets or cats a. cats are asocial rather than antisocial; in the wild each has a territory and period of contact with others in the group (and only one male per group) b. a closed environment will create a greater degree of interaction than some cats prefer. The more cats in a household, the greater the degree of interaction * CHEMICAL ATTRACTION OF PREVIOUS "ACCIDENTS:" 1. likely to produce repeated visitations to the same spot 2. may induce urination by other members of a multi-cat household 3. you may have moved to a residence previously occupied with other dogs and/or cats Treatment: * Rule out medical problems FIRST 1. complete history and physical 2. stool/GI workup for diarrhea (if needed) 3. urinalysis for inappropriate urination to rule out an infection 4. workup for polydipsia/polyuria 5. important to check all cats of a multi-cat household a. last cat seen misbehaving may be responding to chemical attraction and not be an instigator b. more than one cat could have problem 6. treat/correct medical problems first. Behavioral problems can only be diagnosed in a healthy cat * Territorial marking: 1. neuter all cats (check history of neutered cats; retained testicle in male or signs of heat in female) 2. prevent other cats from coming around outside of house, close windows, blinds, and doors 3. prevent overcrowding in multi-cat households * Litter box problems: 1. provide a box for each cat 2. change litter daily 3. provide constant access to a box 4. go back to previously used brand of litter and/or discontinue new disinfectant 5. move box to where it was previously used 6. eliminate new or frightening noise near litterbox 7. move food and water away from litterbox 8. if cat is only going in one spot, put the litterbox at the exact location and gradually move it back to where you want it at the rate of one foot per day 9. if there are several places, try putting dishes of cat food in those areas to discourage further elimination there 10. experiment with different textures of litter (cats prefer sandy litter) 11. use a covered litterbox for cats that stand in box but eliminate outside of it * Psychological Stress: 1. eliminate if possible 2. try to provide each cat at home with its own "space" a. use favorite resting areas to determine b. provide separate litterboxes near each space if possible c. cubicles, boxes, shelves, crates are effective for this 3. tranquilizers sometimes work well in multicat situations * Chemical attraction: 1. dispose of all soiled fabric or throw rugs if possible 2. 50% vinegar or commercial products may be used 3. steam cleaning may help 4. repellants may help 5. do not replace carpeting until problem entirely solved or it may start all over again on your new carpeting * Confinement: (In portable kennel with litterbox, (with appropriate corrections) to stop further inappropriate behavior while medical and/or other problems are being treated.) 1. particularly beneficial for transient stress induced problem 2. may allow acclimation to stress situation where source of stress cannot be eliminated 3. procedure: a. choose an area that can be a permanent location of litterbox b. keep cat confined to this area 4-6 weeks when not under your direct visual supervision (if your cat attempts elimination outside of kennel when you are watching, squirt with water pistol as soon as elimination posture is attempted and put cat back in kennel) c. if cat is using box regularly for 4 to 6 weeks when not under your gradually give access to larger and larger areas of your home, one room or hallway at a time (1) allow 1 week of good behavior in the new area before adding the new room (2) never increase access area until you are 100% certain cats use of litterbox is 100% (3) if accident occurs, re-evaluate this material to make sure litterbox problem or something else didn't trigger d. begin confinement over again and double intervals for relapses * For inappropriate urination problems in which all else fails and the alternative is euthanasia, hormone therapy may be attempted. 1. only for neutered cats 2. only 50% effective 3. side effects may include increased appetite (common), depression or lethargy (less common). Long term use might have side effects such as: mammary enlargement, adrenocrotical suppression, and diabetes mellitus. 3. usually requires lifelong maintenance on regular intermittent basis 4. very dangerous drug; use borders malpractice -- should be reserved for cats who will be put to sleep if problem is not solved a. immunosuppressive b. weight gains predisposing to obesity c. mammary gland development d. feminization of males e. may induce latent diabetes 5. dosage is initiated daily for 7 day trial; if effective, then dosage is tapered to least effective amount given every other day every one to two weeks 6. relapses may be expected when drug is discontinued F. Escaping. The best way to discourage running to the door is never to let the cat succeed! After a history of unsuccessful attempts, the cat will stop trying. After even one success, the cat will try hard and for a long time. Tip: don't arrive at the door with three bags of groceries in hand and expect you'll be able to keep the cat in. Instead, put down all but one bag and use that bag to block the floor level when you come in. After you're in, bring in the rest. In general, spend the time to be in control whenever the outside door is opened. Kids will need to learn how to keep the cat in too. A waterbottle may help with persistent cats. It will pay off later when the cat stops trying to get out. To turn a formerly outdoor cat into an indoor one (or to discourage a persistent one, you might try this, recommended by the San Francisco SPCA: Enlist the help of a friend to hide outside the door with a hose and spray attachment and have her or him spray the cat when you let it out. This may take several applications, over several days. Some cats *are* remarkably persistent, and never seem to give up. G. Drape/Curtain Climbing. If possible, use tension rods instead of drilled into the wall rods. The tension rods will simply fall down on top of the cat if it tries to climb them. Otherwise, take the drapes off the hooks and thread them back up with thread just barely strong enough to hold them up. When the cat climbs up, the drapes will fall down on it (be sure that the hooks aren't around to potentially injure the cat). After the drapes have remained up for some time, re-hook them. These methods have the advantage of working whether you're home or not. Vertical blinds can work very well; cats cannot climb up them, cannot shred them, cannot shed on them, cannot be bent the way horizontal blinds. It is furthermore easy for cats to push them aside to look outside. Vertical blinds are usually vertical strips of plastic, but they can also come covered with different fabrics to match your decor. These kinds are still pretty indestructible. H. Cord (and Other) Chewing. Put something distasteful on the cord to discourage chewing. Substances to try: tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, Bitter Apple/Orange, nail-biting nailpolish, orange/lemon peel. If you cannot find a substance that will repel your cat, you may wish to use duct tape to secure exposed cords. Duct tape comes in a variety of colors and you will probably be able to find something relatively inconspicuous. This will work on other chewed items, as well, although you will need to check the compatibility of the chewed item with the substance you put on it. I. Biting. Give a sharp, plantative yowl, like the sound a hurt cat will make. Pull your hand back (or if that would score furrows down your hand, let it go completely limp), turn your back on it, and ignore it for a few minutes. People are divided on the issue of whether to allow hand attacks at all or to allow limited hand attacks. You can train the cat to do either with the same method. For the former, always wail when attacked and then offer a toy to play with instead; for the latter, wail whenever the claws come out, but allow attack of the hand up to that point. Be aware that a cat trained not to use a person as a toy at all will be more trustworthy around a new baby (see A New Baby). You may try hissing at a cat that persistently attacks you. J. Garbage. The best way to prevent this problem is to get a garbage container with a firm lid. Do NOT start with container that's trivial to get into, then gradually move to harder and harder containers: this just trains the cat to get into the harder container. A hospital type of container that opens the lid with a foot pedal is effective and convenient. Another is the kind with metal handles that swing up to close the lid. The important thing is the lid is tight and secure. Another way to prevent this is to store the garbage can out of reach, such as in the cabinet under the sink or in a pantry where the door is kept closed. If the cat can open the cabinet door, get a childproof latch for it. If the problem is one of tipping the container over, several bricks in the bottom of the container may help stabilize it. Once the cat is convinced it can't be knocked over, you can remove the weight. K. Counters. It's not a good idea to let your cat on your kitchen counters or tabletops. There are several ways to prevent this. Leave a collection of poorly balanced kitchen utensils or empty (or with a few pennies inside) aluminum cans on the counter near the edge, so the cat will knock them off if it jumps up. Cats hate surprises and loud noises. Leave some ordinary dishwashing liquid on the counters, or some masking tape (or two-sided carpet tape) arranged gummy side up. Don't leave things on the counter that will attract the cat (like raw meat). These same techniques will work for other surfaces like dressers, TV's, etc. L. Early AM Wakeups. Cats are notorious for waking their owners up at oh-dark-thirty. If you wish to stop this, there are several steps to take. The cat may simply be hungry and demanding its food. By feeding it when it wakes you up at an ungodly hour, you are simply reinforcing its behavior. If this is why it's waking you up, you can handle this either by filling the bowl just before you go to sleep so it will not be empty in the morning, or by ignoring the cat's wakeups and feeding it at the exact same time convenient to you every morning. The cat will adjust fairly quickly to the second. If it is trying to play, there are again several tactics you can try. If you make a practice of tiring it out with play just before bedtime, you can reduce its calls for play at dawn. What works in some cases is to hiss gently at the cat. You can also try shutting it out of the bedroom. If it pounds on the door, put it in a bathroom until you wake up. In persistent cases, try the vacuum cleaner, eater of noisy kitties. Go to bed, leaving him out in the hall. Position the vacuum cleaner next to the door, inside it. Plug the vacuum in, and arrange things so you can switch the vacuum on from your bed (eg, wire a switch into an extension cord). Wait for the scratching and wailing at the door. Turn the vacuum cleaner on. If cat comes back, turn it on again. The cat will eventually decide to stop bothering you in the morning. M. Toilet Paper. Four ways to prevent cats from playing with toilet paper: * Hang the roll so that the paper hangs down between the roll and the wall rather than over the top of the roll. * If the cat knows how to roll it either way, then you can get a cover that rests on top of the toilet paper and this will work. You can make your own by taking the cardboard core from an empty roll and slitting it lengthwise and fitting it over the roll. * You can balance a small paper cup full of water on top of the roll. * If you are unwilling or unable to use the cover, then close the door to the bathroom. N. Splashing Water Some cats like to tip the water dish and empty it all over the kitchen floor. You can try placing it on a small rug. There are large "untippable" (pyramid-shaped) dishes available at the pet store. If the cat then paddles the water out, you may just want to put the dish in the bathtub. Cats should always have a source of fresh water (except for pre-op surgery or prior to a car ride), so removing it while you are not at home is an unsatisfactory solution. If the cat is indoor/outdoor, you may want to put the water dish outside. O. Ripping Carpet. Some cats may develop the annoying and expensive habit of ripping up carpet. There are several possible reasons behind this, listed below. In all circumstances, be sure that there is plenty of items that the cat *can* scratch. * Other "approved" scratching posts may be made of carpet, confusing your cat. Switch to scratching materials that do NOT use carpet. Common alternatives include sisal rope, corrugated cardboard, or carpet turned wrong-way out. Retrain your cat onto these items. * Some cats rip at doorways that are closed, trying to get through. You can put down plastic carpet covering, securing it with nails if necessary, through the doorway so that it sticks out on both sides. * A particular spot may be favored, for no apparent reason. There may be some odor at that spot. Try cleaning it thoroughly with an enzyme-based cleaner like Nature's Miracle and then spraying a touch of Bitter Apple or the equivalent on the spot. P. Closet Antics. Cats love closets, since they're dark hidey holes full of fun stuff. But you may not want your cat to swing on your good silk clothing or rearrange your shoes. Conversely, you might want your cat to be able to get into the closet and keep larger pets out. If you have a swing-and-shut door, you might try a cat door to allow the cat access. A child-barrier that lets the cat jump over but not the dog is another possibility. Or a chain (like the chain some front doors have) might work. A solution with closets that have double sliding doors is to drill a hole through the area of overlap, with the doors positioned closed or partially opened as you wish. Then you can use a nail or a peg in the hole to keep the doors in position. V. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (OUTSIDE) A. In General. Outside cats, especially those not your own, can present you with difficult problems. Cats are not regarded the way dogs are under law: there is nothing that says you have the "right" to keep cats out of your yard, for example (whereas dogs can be required to be kept confined or on leash, for example). There are historical and practical reasons for this -- but there are still practical steps you can take to resolve several problems. This section is written primarily for people who want to stop other cats (i.e., not their own) from being a nuisance on their property. B. Noise. Mating cats can make an unbelievable amount of noise under your window. If these cats are feral, check with your local animal clinic about trapping and neutering these cats. Many will do them at little or no cost, depending on how many cats you're willing to bring in for the procedure. Eliminating the breeding stock in feral cats as much as possible will also help reduce the stray population in your area over time, and reduce similar problems like cat fights and spraying. C. Your Garden. Between digging and eating in your plants, cats can do considerable damage to a garden. There are a number of ways to keep cats from digging in, chewing on, or eliminating in your garden. Some people have successfully used the "diversionary" tactic by planting catnip in another corner of the garden entirely, confining the destruction to one spot. If you have not yet started your garden, put chicken wire down and plant between the wire. Cats dislike walking on the chicken wire and most plants (unless they grow too big) do just fine growing between the wire. Other people have reported success with different sprays, gels, and products specifically formulated to keep animals out of your yard. Check your local pet store. Lemon peels, soap slivers (use biodegradeable soap) dipped in cayenne pepper and other organic materials have also been reportedly successful. Cats hate water: surprising them with a squirt gun (or turning your sprinklers on) can discourage specific cats from returning. D. Local "Attack" Cats. Sometimes there is a problem with a particular cat that fights with other cats. If it is feral, try to make arrangements to neuter it, if possible. If it belongs to a neighbor, try to discuss the matter with your neighbor, and avoid being "threatening." When approached reasonably, most people can be reasonable in turn. Sometimes your neighbor just doesn't know his cat is bothering you. If the cat actually follows your cat through the pet door, you might try an electronic pet door to keep it out (see Pet Doors). E. Your Birdfeeder. Locate your birdfeeder in an area where the ground is clear, affording cats no cover. At the same time, try to locate it *under* something, like a tree, to provide refuge from attack by other birds. F. Keeping your cat in your yard. Cats are very good at scaling fences. But if you have a yard that is otherwised fenced in, you can try keeping your cat from going over the fence by attaching corrougated fiberglass to the top of it. There is then no purchase for the cat to pull itself up. It is even possible to find different colors of the fiberglass to keep it inconspicuous. Keep in mind, though, that many cats are clever climbers and high jumpers and may circumvent anything short of a yard totally enclosed and roofed over with chicken wire. VI. ENTERTAINMENT A. Scratching Posts. You can order a large catnip tree from Felix (1-800-24-Felix), especially if you cannot make one on your own because of lack of skill, time, or workspace. Cats especially enjoy being able to climb up and down these structures. Big ones should be bolted to the wall for stability. Most pet stores sell these things. Expect to pay no more than US$100 for a good sized one. Look for sturdiness and balance. Sisal has been recommended over carpet for a scratching post cover. Cats seem to like the texture better, and it helps avoid confusion over which carpet is the "right" carpet to scratch. You can also buy rectangular chunks of catnip-treated corrugated cardboard scratching 'posts', available at pet supply stores for about US$8 each. They can be either hung from a door, tacked to a wall or just laid flat on the ground. You might have to "show" them how to use them. Most cats love the texture of the cardboard (as well as the 'nip). You might try used automobile tires placed upright and tied securely. Cats that like horizontal scratching posts jump up on it and scratch and cats that like vertical scratching posts stretch up and scratch. The tires can be bare or themselves covered with scratching material. In addition, cats have fun going through and around the tire. Other readers have reported using wooden boards wrapped several times around with burlap. The burlap can be replaced as it is shredded. B. Catnip and Valerian. Catnip is a plant that causes various reactions in cats. Very young cats and kittens will not be affected by catnip. About 20% of cats are never affected by catnip. It is not known why or how catnip has the effect it does on the rest of the cat population. It is a non-addictive "recreational drug" for cats with no known harm to the cat. There was an article in _Science_ [exact reference?] on the neurological effects of catnip on cats. It seems to stimulate the same pleasure centers in the feline brain that orgasm does. Most cats "mellow out" and become sleepy and happy, others start acting very kittenish. A small percentage will become possessive of their catnip and may snap or hiss at you. You can find wild catnip plants in most weedy areas, and harvest the seed. Or you can buy seed from companies like Burpees or Parks or Northrup King -- most garden centers have catnip seed this time of year -- check the "herb" section. Or even seed racks in the grocery and discount stores. Catnip is easy to grow. You will need to keep the plant itself out of the reach of the cats as catnip-lovers will quickly destroy it. The best strategy is to get some growing, and then pinch and prune it regularly and give the harvested leaves to your cat. Keep it in its own pot, as it will spread rapidly. Cats will tend to dig up transplanted catnip and eat it roots and all, but are much gentler on plants started from seed. The leaves have to be bruised to release the odor, and transplanting seems to be enough bruising... Nepeta cataria is the common catnip; other Nepeta species have varying amounts of "active ingredient". A good one is Nepeta mussini, a miniature-leaved catnip that makes a good rockgarden plant. Nepeta is a genus of the Lamiaceae (=Labiatae), the mint family. There are about 250 species of catnip, plus a bunch of hybrids between species. Only about 10 are available in this country, though. You can order from Burpee (215-674-9633) Nepeta cataria B61424 $1.25 N. mussinii B38828 $1.45 Valerian root is an herb with effects very similar to catnip and generally makes cats a bit nuts. It is however not as readily available as catnip and perhaps a bit more potent than catnip. Catnip and Valerian both act as sedatives on humans. C. Other Toys. In general, cats perversely favor the cheap homemade toy over the expensive supermarket toy. Toys commonly mentioned foil or paper balls, superballs, little plastic rings from milk jugs, ornaments on christmas trees, pencils, paper bags, cardboard boxes, Q-tips, cat dancers ... the list is nearly infinite. A new "cat toy" seems to be the production of videotapes for your furry feline. Tapes of birds and mice complete with intriguing noises have kept several reader's cats entranced. If your cat seems to like watching TV (some do), this might be fun for your cat. Don't give it access to your remote, though. Take sensible precautions with toys that can injure the cat: avoid toys small enough to be swallowed or choked on; avoid toys with loose or potentially sharp parts; avoid toys that can strangulate the cat or shred the intestines if swallowed (including string and rubber bands). Put strings away when you are not at home. D. Playing. Most cats will love playing with you. There is the usual string or ball chasing; a few will even retrieve thrown items. "Hide and seek" and "Peekaboo" are also popular. Cats commonly display interest by dilating their pupils; look for this to see what catches its attention. Cats will often display behavior commonly called "elevenses," since it seems to occur most often around 11PM. This consists of the cat's eyes dilating, its tail poofing out, and alternating between hopping sideways and racing all over the house. Your cat wants to play. Take it up on the challenge. Chase after it, play hide and seek. This can also be useful; playing with a cat just before bedtime reduces the chances of your cat wanting to play with you at 3AM. VII. CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS A. A New Baby. Cats can become jealous upon the arrival of a new baby. Reassure the cat that you still love it by paying it plenty of attention. In the exhaustion and turmoil of a new baby, the cat is often neglected, and this will add to its resentment. There is a myth that cats will kill babies. The superstition is that they'll "steal" the baby's breath; the latter day explanation is that they will lie on babies and suffocate them. While cats may like the baby's warmth and may curl up next to it, it will not often lie on the baby and in any case will move when the baby begins to flail its arms and legs. Most cats are trustworthy around babies after getting over any jealousy, especially if it is trained not to use people as toys; however babies should *never* be left unsupervised around *any* animal. B. Travel. 1. Cars Cats generally don't like travelling in cars. For short trips, put them in carriers to prevent accidents such as getting in the driver's way, or escaping when the door is opened. Some cats are more calm if kept in a pillowcase or a soft gym-bag type of carrier. For long trips (all day or more), use cat carriers, minimize food intake beforehand, and give water every time you stop. Consider getting harnesses and leashes for when you stop. Most motels allow cats. Sometimes you can use temporary fencing to block off the back of your car to give them a roomier "cage"; you can usually then put litterboxes down instead of keeping them for pit stops. Tranquilizers can be obtained from the vet, but not all cats react well to them, and they may make a trip worse than it would have been otherwise (test the cat's reaction to them beforehand). Many cats will sack out after a few hours on the road. For long-distance trips, make sure the motels take cats beforehand. Some do not, and are very nasty about it if you try to beg a room. AAA lists motels that accept pets. You might want to carry along water from your home, especially if you are traveling between states. Ice cubes in the water dish allow your cats to have water without it spilling while you're driving (and helps if its hot, too). If you're traveling in the summer, make sure the cats get lots of air or air conditioning in the car. carry an umbrella or other shade-making device in case you have a breakdown. Keep alert to where the sun is shining in your car (i.e., is it beating down on the back seat where the cats are?) 2. Trains Trains vary widely whether or not animals are allowed on passenger cars. Amtrack does not. British Rail permits cats in a basket or cage placed on the floor, seat or luggage rack. The Swedish railway company allows pets in the smoking section of the car, although pet/non-smoker compartments have been recently introduced. 3. Planes All major airlines allow cats that fit with carrier underseat according to the same dimension limits as for underseat baggage. Most airlines will tell you the cat has to be able to stand up in that carrier but won't enforce this. The pet area is not cargo, it's pressurized but possibly not heated or cooled. Get nonstop flights since the airplane has little climate control for pets or passengers while on the ground. Airlines aren't permitted to take more than one cat per carrier except for kittens. You must call ahead, usually only one carrier is allowed in the cabin, the rest must go into the pet area. Tips: * Try not to travel when temperatures are outside the 40-80 degrees F range at either end of the flight or at any stops in between. * Try to travel at off-peak times to minimize delays. * Use a sturdy kennel with proper ventilation and room for your cat to stand, turn around, and lie down. * Try not to tranquilize your cat unless absolutely necessary. Some airlines are better than others. Delta and United have failed to follow standard procedures to protect animals in inclement weather and as a result many animals have died on their flights. They are being fined $300,000 for this negligence by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. American, Continental, Pan Am, and TWA have also been fined. The ASPCA has brought charges in about 50 cases in the past five years. Much of this information can be found in "Pets on Planes: Too Often it's a Rough Ride," _Conde Nast Traveler_ magazine, June 1992. C. International Travel. A partial list: most states require a health certificate and proof of rabies vaccination for pets crossing state lines. Most airlines will require this regardless. Hawaii and Britain have a 6 month quarantine for all pets entering either island (the chunnel may change Britain's policy in a few years). Canada has a 4 month quarantine [I think?], except from the US, where rabies vaccination documentation is sufficient. Scandinavian countries have a three month quarantine, with exceptions for animals from rabies-free countries such as Britain and Australia. Australia accepts animals only from rabies-free places and even these animals have a four month quarantine. Some sources have cited different lengths of time from different acceptable countries, eg, six months if from Britain, but this is unverified. There is unrestricted travel between Australia and New Zealand if the animals have been in New Zealand for at least six months. It is unclear what New Zealand's policy is. US to Australia: The key to bringing cats into Australia is that you cannot bring cats from mainland US *directly*. You must go through an intermediate stop, London or Hawaii. Hawaii is more popular, it has a shorter quarantine and makes a warm vacation spot. In Hawaii, the cat must be in official quarantine for 4 months, followed by another 30 days in a commercial kennel/cattery. The cat can then be brought into Australia, but faces another 4 months of quarantine here. So the total takes 9 months (and a fair investment). D. Moving. Again, there are a variety of responses to a change in home location. Some cats do well, others are a nervous wreck for several weeks. By keeping your cat at someone else's home during the actual move-out, you will keep it out of the way, prevent accidental escape or injury, and spare the cat the trauma of seeing its world picked up and carried out. Once at the new place, keeping it for a day or so in one room of the new place before allowing it out to explore will alleviate its anxiety. In any case, be prepared for up to several weeks of "slinking" and hiding until becoming accustomed to the new place. If you have an indoor/outdoor cat, you will want to keep it indoors for about a month before you let it out. Cats have a homing instinct that takes about a month to "reset". If you let it out before this time, the cat may become disoriented and get lost, or make a beeline for the old home. E. Vacations. When you go on vacation or otherwise will be absent for some period of time, you must make provisions for your cat. It is a good idea, whichever solution you use, to inform your vet that you're on vacation and to take care of your cats in any case that comes up and you will settle the bill when you get back. Let the sitters know, too. 1. Leave at home In most cases, you will be able to leave your cat alone for three to four days with no supervision provided that it has an adequate supply of food and water. If your cat does not free-feed, this may not be at all possible. 2. Pet sitters Find a friend (or a company that provides this service) who will drop by your house at least once a day to feed it, water it, and generally check up and play with it. This is the least traumatic method for the cat since it will stay in familiar territory and has the added bonus of your house looking occupied. Check to make sure that the professional service you use is bonded, and interview the person beforehand. Check references that they supply. You can call the local humane society, animal rights groups or vets to find a recommended sitter. These groups can often recommend good sitters, and just as important, warn you off particular companies that have had complaints. 3. Kennels Experiences have ranged from good to satisfactory to terrible with kenneling cats. It will depend a good deal on your cat's personality and the kennel. Look for a kennel that is clean and is attentive to its boarders. Look for personnel that like playing and otherwise caring for animals. Be wary of kennels that are not clean and cheerful. Some have reported that their animals came home with diseases; check the kennel's policy regarding these matters. Some may involuntarily dip their clients; check for this also. Check for noise, too. 4. Take Cat With You See Travel. 5. Leave with Someone Else Find someone willing to take your cat in while you are gone. Your cat will have to stay somewhere new for a while, but this can be convenient, and especially if it always stays with that person while you're gone, its adjustment can be quick. VIII. OTHER TOPICS A. Removing Urine Odor. For fresh urine: clean the spot with any good carpet shampoo (Spot Shot is one). Then soak it with plain old club soda, leave it for about ten minutes and blot it up. If the urine has soaked the pad and the floor below that, it will be difficult to remove the odor regardless of what you use. To find spots if you're not sure where they are, get a UV lamp that has the filter built in (to eliminate any remnant visible light). Urine fluoresces in "black light." You can get them at hardware stores. There are also UV lamps in hobby stores and places that cater to spelunkers and rockhounds, but they're more expensive. The UV source is safe as long as you use the longwave lamp and not the shortwave lamp used for tanning. 1. Enzymatic products Products that remove odors: Nature's Miracle (carpet, has 800 number); Simple Solution (carpet and other items); Outright! (carpet); Resolve (carpet, perhaps other items); Odor Mute (originally for deskunking dogs, has other applications, leaves white residue, works on concrete). Odor Abolish, by Endosome Biologicals, may also be useful. These products use enzymes to break down the odor causing compounds in urine and feces, and are quite effective. When using enzymatic products, it is important to use freshly diluted enzymes, let it soak in as deeply as the urine has penetrated, and *keep the area warm and wet for 24 hours*. Chemical reactions, including enzymatic reactions, go faster at higher temperatures. Unfortunately, most enzymatic reactions don't do well much over 102F (38-39C)-- so not TOO hot. Try covering the area with towels soaked in plain water after applying the enzyme, then a shower curtain or other plastic over that to make sure the area stays moist. The enzymes in laundry products are the same as those in the expensive odor-killing products, but they cost less than 1/3 as much. They work just as well. Biz is one product. You'll find it in your grocery laundry section with the pre-soak laundry stuff. Remember, you have to SOAK the area and then cover it to keep it from drying out. The smelly area must be WET with the enzyme for 24 hours or more. 2. Launderable items On launderable items: put in the washing machine with a cup of vinegar and no detergent, then wash again as usual. 3. Concrete If you have concrete (eg, in the basement) into which urine has been soaked, this can be difficult to remove, as unsealed concrete is very porous. You will have to neutralize the urine and then seal the concrete properly. A specialty cleaning service is probably the best way to properly neutralize the urine in the concrete. Vinegars and other cleaners may help, but only temporarily. Odor Mute is reputed to work on concrete. Improving the ventilation may also help. In extreme cases, pouring another 1/4-1/2 inch layer of concrete over the original concrete will solve the problem. 4. Hardwood floors Hardwood floors that have been stained with urine can be difficult to clean. First treat with an enzyme-based product such as Nature's Miracle to remove the odor. You can find wood bleaches and stains at your hardware store: you may want to consult with one of the employees on what is available. You will need to remove any varnish or polyurethane from the area, sand it down a bit, bleach and/or stain it, and then apply the protective coat. There are also professional companies you can consult. In severely stained cases, you may have to replace the wood. B. Cat Owner Allergies. In general, keep the cats out of the bedroom. If cats can be trained to keep off the furniture, that also helps. Substances like Allerpet C can be used on cat's fur to dissolve some of the dander and protein from the saliva that people are allergic to. Long haired cats have more area to deposit their saliva on and they have to be brushed (putting more dander in the air), so short haired cats are better for people with allergies. Clean and vacuum often; groom and brush the cat (outside if possible) often so its hair-shedding around the house is minimized; and bathe the cat regularly. 1. Kinds of allergies Some people are simply allergic to new cats. This kind of allergy means that it will diminish with repeated exposure. Thus you will not be allergic to cats that you are exposed to regularly; and actually become allergic to your own cat if you're away from it for some time. Washing hands frequently helps with this type of allergy. Other people are allergic to the saliva on the cat's fur. A remedy for this is to bathe the cat once a month. No soap is needed, merely soak the cat thoroughly. Done on a monthly basis, it seems to keep the saliva levels down to a tolerable level. This was reported in a scientific journal somewhere; Cat Fancy covered it a few years ago. [exact reference?] You may be allergic to cat hair, in which case you may want to get one of the breeds of cats with short, little, or no hair. There is a hairless cat, the Sphynx, and there are breeds of cat which are entirely lacking in the kind of hair (cats have four kinds of hair) most people are allergic to. These are the Cornish Rex or Devon Rex breeds, and their fur is short and curly. You could go to an allergy specialist and get shots to help you with specific allergies. This can be expensive, but worth it, especially if you have other allergies as well. They'll test you for the things you're allergic to, and then give you periodic shots to help you develop an appropriate immunity to them. Be sure to find a specialist familiar with cat allergies: many will simply recommend you get rid of pets. Also, don't expect miracles. They can do a lot for you to reduce your allergies, but sometimes they can't track down a particular one, and sometimes it takes more than "just shots" to deal with an allergy. The magazine _New Woman_ (October 1992) has an interesting article about a cat-allergy vaccine. Catvax is being developed by the Immulogic Pharmaceutical Corporation (I.P.C.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is now being tested on humans at Johns Hopkins University. Tests on animals indicate that Catvax is different from traditional cat-allergy shots in two ways. First, unlike conventional allergy therapy, which involves biweekly or weekly injections for up to a year, the vaccine may be able to completely prevent allergic reactions after just a few injections. Second, studies suggest that the vaccine will not produce allergic side effects, such as asthma, that traditional shots often do. I.P.C. hopes to complete its human studies and have the vaccine on the market by 1996 or 1997. There is an informative article "When Humans Have Allergies: Ways to Tolerate Cat Allergies," in _Cats Magazine_, April 1992. The August 1992 issue of _Cat Fancy_ contains an informative article; the September 1992 issue has a survey of people's experiences with allergies and what worked for them. C. Cats and Water. There are breeds of cats with an affinity for water. There have been reports from rec.pets.cats readers about cats getting into showers with them; other anecdotes have been very entertaining to read. Most cats, whether or not they like to get wet, will be fascinated with watching water drip out of faucets or drain out of tubs, sinks, and toilets. Reports of cats drinking from the bottom of the shower, from the sink and other unlikely places are common. Some cats can be fussy about water; they seem to like it as fresh as possible, preferably still moving. You may be able to stop some of this behavior by changing the cat's water every day and moving it some distance away from the food dish. In general this habit will not hurt your cat, however unpleasant it may look to you. Toilet water drinking *should* be discouraged, but this is easily done by leaving the lid down. D. Indoor and Outdoor Cats 1. Pros and cons There are a good many arguments for keeping them inside. They will live longer since the chances of being hit by a car, hurt by other people or animals, or infected with contagious diseases from feral cats will be minimized. On the other hand, cats derive much pleasure from exploring around outside. 2. Compromises Often, a satisfactory compromise is to allow the cat out under supervision. This can be done by either letting them out into a fenced yard (although if you leave them out there, they will probably eventually climb the fence), or using a harness and leash. To use the latter, accustom them to the harness first, in the same way as a collar. Then accustom them to the leash by leaving it on for short periods of time. Then take them outside, and follow them where they go (do not try to take them "on a walk"). 2. Pet doors Pet doors are a good solution for people tired of letting cats in and out. There are many kinds of doors, including those that fit into patio doors without requiring a hole cut through the wall or door. You may have trouble with other animals coming in the door, or want to let your dog but not your cat use the pet door. The solution is an electronic pet door. The door has a lock that is deactivated by a magnet that selected pets wear on their collar. Look under Pet Supplies in the yellow pages. If you can't get one locally, call "America's Pet Door Store" toll free at 1-800-826-2871 for a catalog. Electronic pet doors are installed much like a regular pet door, but you plug them in. The door itself needs a firmer push to open than most. A great feature is the 4-way lock. The lock can be set so the cat can 1) go both in and out 2) go in only - great if you want to catch them 3) out only 4) totally locked. Doors cost about US$80-US$90. E. Catching Feral Cats. On occasion, you may want to catch feral cats. They can be very difficult to catch. When it seems to be impossible, call your local humane society or SPCA to see if you can borrow a humane animal trap. Some places allow you to "check out" such traps, just like books from the library. A little food for bait, and you've got 'em. F. Finding A Home for a Cat. For whatever reason, you may need to find a home for a cat. List everywhere: newspaper, bulletin boards, computer bulletin boards, newsletters, anywhere you like. But limit sharply: don't adopt out if they don't meet standards. Minimal standards: will neuter as soon as the cat's old enough, committed to a 20 year responsibility, they have a home or apartment that permits pets, knowledgeable about cat health and behavior or committed to become so. Do charge a nominal fee, at least US$10, unless you know the adopter well; this keeps away those collecting animals for research. (You can donate all or part of the money to animal causes if you like.) G. Dealing with Landlords. A number of landlords initially say "no pets" but change their minds when assured that the cat was well-behaved and assured of an extra damage deposit if necessary. Also, it seems like many landlords are more likely to approve of a cat if you make it a condition of signing the lease, rather than if you ask if it's OK to get one after you've already moved in, or if you try to sneak one in without asking. Try to prove that you are a responsible owner (photos of last house, references, vet records, etc.) to help win your case. For more ideas and tips, look up Dog Fancy, Volume 22, No. 8, August 1991, "Breaking Barriers: How to find an apartment that allows dogs," by Amanda Wray. H. Pet Insurance. In the August issue of Cat Fancy, there is an article discussing health maintenance plans for cats that is set up between your vet and yourself and then administrated by this HMO company. The company is called RLI Planned Services in Peoria, Illinois. The article included a sample plan. For $75 a year, your cat receives: BASIC HEALTH CARE: 1 physical exam, no charge 1 FVRCPC booster, no charge 1 Rabies booster, no charge 1 FeLV test, no charge 50% off FeLV series Fecal analysis, ear flush, worming, no charge 1 Pedicure, no charge MAJOR ELECTIVE PROCEDURES: Spay or Neuter, 40% off Declawing, 20% off Dental Prophylaxis, 50% off (anesthesia included) HEALTH SURVEY: Radiographs, 20% off EKG, 20% off Chemistry screen profile, 20% off Complete blood count, 20% off All other medical, surgical and hospital services (except prescriptions and diets) are 10% off. (All of these things are included in this HMO for $75/year. OR $125 for two years.) Here's the company's address: RLI Planned Services Inc. Dept. CF 9025 N. Lindbergh Drive Peoria, IL 61615 The article says to ask your vet about this program. If he/she isn't familiar with it, they should contact the company and see about setting up the HMO plan. Vets also may be able to direct you to other pet insurance plans that they know about. You may want to consider that $100/year over an expected 15 to 20 year lifetime is $1500 to $2000. Plus whatever you have to pay for excluded costs, coverage limits, deductibles. Pet insurance will help with major medical problems such as FUS, cancer, etc, or emergency care. If your pet is basically healthy, you will pay about as much either way, for insurance or for preventative care that keeps it healthy. (continued) ---------------- This article is Copyright (c) 1993 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@netcom.com USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716 ---------------- Archive-name: cats-faq/part4 Last-modified: 21 January 1993 Periodicity: 20 days This is the fourth 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 (18.70.0.224) 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). I. Cat Genetics and Coloring. A cat with patches of red and black is a tortoiseshell, or 'tortie'. Add white, and you get a calico. A tortoiseshell that is homozygous for the recessive 'dilution' gene is referred to as a blue-cream, and that's what color it is: patches of soft grey and cream. This is the same gene that turns black cats 'blue' (grey), and red cats cream. A blue-cream and white is generally referred to in the cat world as a dilute calico. The pattern of black/red or blue/cream can either be in big dramatic patches, brindling, or some of both. Having more white seems to encourage the formation of the big patches. Red in cats is a sex-linked color, carried on the X gene. Therefore, a male cat whose X carries red will be a red tabby. A female cat who carries one red and one non-red X will be a patched tabby, a tortoiseshell, or a calico (if she also has the dominant gene for white markings). A female cat who is homozygous for red (has it on both X genes) will be a red tabby. This is why you see more male red tabbies than females. This is ALSO why male calicos are so rare: you have to have two X genes to be a calico. Male calicos have genetic aberrations of various sorts, of which XXY is most common. While they are most commonly sterile, there *are* documented cases of fertile male calicos. However, the generalization that "all calicos/torties are female" is true 99.999 percent of the time. The reason red females are "uncommon" is that, statistically, the number of red males is equal to the number of tortoiseshell/calico, patched tabby, AND red females. Red males and tortie/calico/patched tabby females can be produced when only ONE parent has the red gene, but to produce a red female, you must cross a red male with a red/tortie/calico/patched tabby female. THAT is why red females are uncommon. But not "impossible", in the sense that a male calico is "impossible." A "solid red" cat will always display the tabby pattern (although it may be very slight or even undetectable without brushing the fur back to check). There's another gene at work which controls "agoutiness" (whether individual hairs are banded or solid). Cats who are non-agouti will not generally display the tabby pattern, except in red areas. The non-agouti gene does not affect phaeomelanin, the red pigment, so red cats always show their tabby pattern. The red gene "overrides" the solid gene, making the tabby pattern visible again. (And on other solid colors, you can sometimes notice the underlying stripes, especially in strong light.) Solid red cats at cat shows MAY or MAY NOT be genetically solid--they are (generally longhairs) bred for the "blurring" of the tabby pattern, producing a cat that doesn't have dramatic markings. Solid Tabby ----- ----- black brown tabby blue blue tabby red red tabby cream cream tabby chocolate chocolate tabby cinnamon cinnamon tabby fawn fawn tabby The colors a calico will produce depend on the color of the sire. But at minimum, she can produce red and non-red sons, and patched tabby/tortoiseshell/calico daughters, as well as non-red daughters. Whether she will produce tabbies or not depends on the genetic makeup of the sire. And *any* of the kittens could have white markings, or not. Basic cat colors: Color Dilute form ----- ----------- black blue (a grey color) chocolate lilac (a pale pinkish-grey) (chocolate is a recessive gene which changes black to brown) cinnamon fawn (a very pale pinkish-tan) (a light reddish brown, found mostly in Siamese and Abyssinians) red cream (ranges from yellowish to tannish or buff) (red and cream are sex-linked, on the X gene, and mask the previous colors. Actually, there's a separate shade of red/cream to match each of the previous colors, but it's hard to tell them apart, unless you're dealing with a tortoiseshell or patched tabby, which has the non-red areas to give you a hint.) white (Here we refer to the dominant form, which is masking over the previous colors. It has no dilution.) Everything else is a modifier! Modifier Dominant/Recessive -------- ------------------ white spotting (paws, etc) dominant polydactyly (extra toes) dominant manx (taillessness) dominant silver (inhibits hair color at roots) dominant white locketing (small spots on chest and/or groin) recessive dilution (black->blue) recessive chocolate dilution recessive cinnamon dilution recessive bobtail (partial taillessness) recessive solid (no tabby markings) recessive long hair recessive Some genes are incompletely dominant to each other, and are part of a series. For example, the siamese/burmese genes, from most to least colored: Burmese/Siamese/blue-eyed white/pink-eyed white (albino) The coloring of the Burmese and the points of the Siamese is temperature sensitive. The cooler extremities of the Siamese are darker; a Burmese that has had a fever may grow in lighter fur for a while! Such changes are usually temporary, but may take some time to grow out. All cats (even those homozygous for solid) have a tabby pattern. There are different tabby patterns, from most to least dominant: Mackerel/Classic/Ticked. The spotted tabby pattern is thought to be a variant of the Mackerel pattern, not genetically distinct, but the jury is not yet in. Smokes and Chinchillas. This is the combination of the expression of the silver gene (a dominant), and the gene for solid color (a recessive). Other modifiers account for whether the cat is a referred to as a smoke, a shaded, or a chinchilla. From most to least colored: a "smoke" has white roots, a "shaded" has about half and half white and color along the length of the hair, and a "chinchilla" has color only on the very tips of the hair. If the cat is a tabby instead of a solid color, that is a silver tabby. And if the base color is not black, that would be added to the name as well: blue-cream smoke, red silver tabby, etc. J. Cat Safety in the House. Besides some of the more obvious things like electrical cords, here are some other things to watch out for: * Recliner chairs. Many cats will go underneath these chairs as a hiding or resting place. Cats that are caught in the mechanism when the chair is opened or closed can be seriously injured or killed. * The dryer. Many cats find the small enclosed space with warm clothing especially inviting. Check your dryer before turning it on; your cat can be killed this way. A little aversion therapy: if you see your cat slip in, close the door and bang on the top of the dryer for a few seconds. Let the cat back out. * Drapery and blind cords. Most cats love to play with the cords; unfortunately it is easy for cats to be entangled and strangulated. Coil the cords up to the top of the window and pin it there with a clothes pin or clip. * Bags with handles. Cats can become stuck in the handles and panic. If this happens when you are not at home, the cat may injure or kill itself. Keep such bags out of reach of the cats, or cut their handles off. * Stove tops. Gas or electrical stoves can present problems. One preventive measure is to obtain burner covers, available for both kinds. Most cats will stay away from anything that is actively hot, but you may wish to train them away from the stove by spraying with water, or trying other measures used to keep cats off the counters. K. Pet Identification Every cat should wear ID tags. A "strangleproof" or "breakaway" cat collar with elastic section is safest; tags attached with small keyrings won't fall off and get lost. When a kitten gets a new collar, it should be put on tighter than usual until she/he gets used to it. You should be able to slip 1 or 2 fingers under the collar, but it shouldn't be loose enough for the kitten to get its jaw hooked. Of course, this means the kitten also won't be able to get the collar over its head if it gets caught on something, so you need to supervise more closely - especially outside. Kittens grow fast, so you need to check the fit often. Once the kitty is quite used to the collar and no longer tries to play with it or get it off, you can loosen it up a bit. It usually doesn't take very long for a kitten to get used to a collar. Commonest way to get the tag: mail order services that advertise at pet shops and vet waiting rooms. Prices go from $3 to $8 per tag. The cat's name is the least important thing on the tag. The most important is your name and phone number. Home address and work number are desirable. Some areas offer cat licensing; consider it as another way of getting a tag. Another alternative is to write the name and phone number on a flea collar or on a cloth collar. Don't forget to update the information on the tag when you move! Tabby Tags offer a way to attach information to the cat's collar without dangling tags. Inquire at Tabby Tags, 4546 El Camino Real, B-10, Suite 340, Los Altos, CA 94022 ID's should be worn for the following reasons: * In case the cat, even an indoors one, gets lost or strays. * If your cat is injured outside and a kind stranger takes it to the vet, the vet is more likely to treat the cat if it has tags. * People won't think your cat is a stray and take it home and keep it. * Let your neighbors know whose cat is whose, and what their names are. You can get your cat tattooed in the ear or the leg and register the tattoo number with a national registry. The basic problem with this approach is that few people will look for a tattoo and know where to call. Vets, though, usually know about this. Microchips are being increasingly used, but you need a scanner to be able to read this (although vets and animal shelters will check for these). If you have found a stray cat that you are not sure is really stray, put a plastic collar on it and write your phone number and any message on it. If it has an owner, the owner may call you or at least remove the collar. L. Do All Cats Purr? Most domestic cats purr. But do the big ones? Most people say not, but from _The Big Cat_: "Assertions have been widely made that the roaring cats above are not able to purr, assertions that have now been disproven. George B. Schaller reports purring in the lion, tiger, and leopard, as well as in the cheetah, but remarks that in the lion the sound is produced only during exhalation and appears to be a much less common vocalization than in the domestic cat [160]. Snow leopards purr, like the house cat, during both exhalation and inhalation [60]. Others have reported that tame, young adult tigers, leopards, jaguars, and cheetahs purr in response to petting. Finally, purring has even been reported in five species of viverrids, as well as suckling black bear cubs and nursing spotted hyenas [36]. These observations are interesting when compared with Gustave Peters' comment that there is still some question about the occurrence of purring, in a strictly defined sense, in the wild cats [178]. He questions whether the noise identified as a purr from the big cats is pthe same in detail and manner of production as the purr of a domestic cat. Of the seven large cats he studied (he did not consider the cheetah), he observed true purring only in the puma, but considered it probable that snow leopards and clouoded leopards also purr. Thus there is still some doubt about the distribution of the ability to purr among the wild cats." [36] Ewer, R. F. 1973. THE CARNIVORES. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. [60] Hemmer, H. 1972. UNCIA UNCIA. MAMMALIAN SPECIES No. 20, 5 pp. [160] Schaller, G. B. 1972. THE SERENGETI LION. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [178] Stuart-Fox, D. T. 1979. MACAN: THE BALINESE TIGER. _Bali_Post_ (English edition) July 23, 1979, pp. 12-13. M. Other Cats in the Cat Family. Other cats in the cat family are not suitable as domestic cats. Generally, they are too big, strong, and destructive. In addition many states have strict regulations about keeping wild animals as pets. It also appears cruel to have to defang and declaw these animals to make them safe. If you have the overwhelming urge to be around wild animals, your best bet is your local zoo. Many zoos have volunteer docent programs and you will not only be able to spend time with the various animals, but also learn a lot about them and have the opportunity to educate the public while conducting tours or participating in other public relations programs. N. Clever Hiding Places At Home. Cats are extremely good at finding hiding places. If your cat is missing, but you're sure it hasn't gotten outside, check these places: * All drawers, even the ones that are too small for your cat and haven't been opened in the last hundred years (they can get behind the dresser, underneath the partition and climb up the back of the drawers). * In and around file cabinets. * Inside suitcases. * Behind the books in a bookcase. * Boxsprings and mattresses: if there is a small hole or tear in the lining, they can climb in and be nearly undetectable. * Anywhere they might be able to get into walls/floors/ceiling (eg, forced-air ducts, plumbing, etc). * Behind and under appliances, such as the refrigerater or stove. * All cabinets; cats can often open them and slip inside. * Inside the refrigerator (this can happen!). * Closets, even closed ones. * Inside reclining chairs. They often have a ledge that supports the footrest when its out, so you have to look inside it, not just check for kitty paws on the floor under it. Cats can squeeze themselves into spots you'd never think they'd fit, so don't overlook any spots that you think are "too small." O. Invisible Fences. Used most often with dogs, there are some invisible fence systems made for cats. These systems use a special collar, a buried wire, and a beep tone to warn the cats they are approaching the boundary (indicated by the wire). A mild shock, adjustable in intensity, is administered if the cat continues to approach after the warning beep. According to people who have used it, it works fairly well -- the cats learn quickly to avoid it. It is NOT recommended that the cats be left unsupervised on this system for long periods of time. The people who use this system generally are outside with the cats as well; they simply don't have to worry about chasing after the cat. Note that this system will not prevent your neighbor's cat from coming into the yard unless it has a collar too! P. Non-Poisonous Plants. So what plants can cats nibble on with abandon? To start with, you can assume anything with square stems (in cross-section) and opposite leaves is OK. That's the hallmark of the mint family, which includes catnip, _Nepeta_ and _Coleus_. Catnip can be grown in a bright window in the winter, but the cats may knock it off the sill. Coleus is easy, and kinda bright and cheerful with its colored leaves. Swedish Ivy, _Plectranthus_, is also in this family and incredibly easy to grow. Good hanging basket plant. Tolerates kitty-nibbles well. Tulips are OK, daffodils and lily of the valley are not. Miniature roses. Cyclamens, the genus _Cyclamen_, seem to be OK. African violet, _Saintpaulia_; Hanging African Violet (=Flame Violet), _Episcia_; gloxinia, _Sinningia_; goldfish plant, _Hypoestes_; and lipstick vine, _Aeschynanthus_ are all members of the african violet family, the Gesneriaceae. All the cacti are fine -- but not all succulents are cactus. Make sure it has spines like a prickly pear or an old-man cactus. There are some look-alike foolers that are not good to eat! (But they don't have spines). (One cactus, _Lophophora_ (peyote) will get you arrested.) Airplane plant, also called spider plant, _Chlorophytum_, is pretty commonly available and easy to grow. They come in solid green or green and white striped leaves, usually grown in hanging baskets. Wax begonias, _Begonia semperflorens_ are easy and non-toxic. These are the little begonias you see in shady areas outside now in the north; in the southern states, they're often grown as winter outdoor plants. The other begonia species are OK too, but tougher to grow. Sweet potatoes, _Ipomoea_, if you can find some that haven't been treated to prevent sprouting! Looks like common philodendron at first glance. Shrimp plant, _Beleperone guttata_. Prayer plant, _Maranta_ (needs humidity). Burn plant, _Aloe vera_. Grape ivy, _Cissus_ (several different leaf shapes). Asparagus fern, _Asparagus_ (several species). If you've got the humidity, any of the true ferns are OK, including maidenhair, _Adaiantum_, Boston fern (lots of variants!) _Nephrolepis_, Victorian Table Fern, _Pteris_... Wandering jew, _Zebrina_, and its close relatives that are often called "Moses in the boat" -- the flowers are in a pair of boat-shaped bracts. Impatiens, or patience plant, _Impatiens_. Common geranium, _Pelargonium_, in any of the many leaf forms and scents. AVOID anything with a milky juice or colored sap. Almost guaranteed toxic (wild lettuce and dandelion are the two major exceptions). Q. Finding A Lost Cat. Things to try when the cat is lost outside. * Make up flyers with picture(s) and description. Rubberband them to the doors of the houses in the immediate area. Use a radius that it twice as far as your cat has wandered before. * Take the flyers to local vets, feed stores, and animal shelters, and any other likely place, like the laundromat or the local Y. * If there are other cities close, don't forget their shelters. Check with the shelters that you know about to see if there are others that you don't know about. * Flier copies on trees/telephone poles within an extended radius ( 2-3 miles ). * Check the local streets every day and and ask the garbage men and mailmen for the neighborhood if they've seen anything. * Ad in the paper * Regular checks of the animal shelters near you. * Register with Pet-Track * Check out any "closed" spaces : were you in the attic ? the shed ? could she have gotten into the neighbor's garage ? * Long walks through the neighbor, calling the cat. Look carefully, as the cat may be hiding, lost and unwilling or too scared to move. * Leave used articles of the cat's favorite person's laundry outside to let the cat know that this is "home" : if the previous step above didn't convince your neighbors that you were weird, nailing your dirty socks and teeshirts to the fence definately will. A pile of the kitty's used litter might also let the cat know this is *it*. * As soon as you're sure that the cat is lost, go for a long barefoot walk : out and back, out and back, out and back, to leave scent trails leading to home. * Contact relevant breed organizations, if applicable. * Visualize the cat returning. Light candles to the deit(y,ies} of choice. * Rent a humane trap and bait it with the cat's favorite foodstuff. You may wind up trapping other peoples' pets or stray wild animals, but one poster caught their own lost and terrified cat. * Don't give up right away: one person had success running an ad for 4 weeks. * Collar and tag the rest of the wanna-be escape artists, even if you don't think it could ever happen to them. Your cats may be indoor only, but what would happen if the screen came out on a sunny day? R. Cat Static. During winter or other dry seasons, cats may pick up static and discharge it every time you pet them. One solution is to rub them with a fabric softener sheet. The chemicals in fabric softener are not a problem for cats, although some of the more heavily-scented ones may be objectionable to the cat. Some people invest in humidifiers for the house, and that reduces the static in a cat's fur as well. IX. RESOURCES A. Electronic Mailing Lists. There is a electronic mailing lists for vets, vet students and people otherwise involved with the veterinary profession. Send email inquiries to jeffp@ocelot.csc.wsu.edu for details. There is a feline-l mailing list. To subscribe, send email to listserv@pccvm.bitnet with subscribe FELINE-L <your name> in the body of the message, where <your name> is your own name, not a login or email address. B. Literary. 1. Jellicle Cats This poem is often requested, sometimes indirectly when people ask "what is a jellicle cat?" This is a portion of T.S. Eliot's poem for your edification. The entire poem is not quoted due to copyright laws and space considerations. THE SONG OF THE JELLICLES ... Jellicle Cats are black and white, Jellicle Cats are rather small; Jellicle Cats are merry and bright, And pleasant to hear when they caterwaul. Jellicle Cats have cheerful faces, Jellicle Cats have bright black eyes; They like to practise their airs and graces And wait for the Jellicle Moon to rise. ... ---T. S. Eliot "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" 2. The "mousies" Poem Another oft-requested poem. Love to eat them mousies Mousie's what I love to eat. Bite they little heads off... Nibble on they tiny feet. -- B. Kliban C. Books. _Other Cats_, Stone Street Press, 1 Stone St., S.1., NY 10304 USA (212-447-1436). A handmade boxed set of cat poems and stories from all over the world. Bard, E.M.: _The Cat IQ Test_. Doubleday, 1980. Gives you various ways to evaluate the intelligence of your cat. Becker, Suzy: _All I Need to Know I Learned from my Cat_. Workman Publishing, c1990. Humorous book, illustrated by the author. Camuti, Dr. Louis J. _All My Patients are Under the Bed_, with Marilyn and Haskel Frankel; Simon and Schuster, NY ISBN 0-671-55450-6. Entertaining descriptions of a house-call cat veterinarian's experiences. Caras, Roger. _Roger Caras' Treasury of Great Cat Stories_. Includes short stories written by many authors, including, Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allan Poe, etc. Carlson, Delbert G. DVM and James M. Giffin, MD: _Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook_. Howell Book House, NY ISBN 0-87605-814-4. Emergencies, diseases, biology, medications, symptoms. An excellent home-vet reference for the concerned cat-owner. Corey, Paul: _Do Cats Think?_. Castle Publishers, c1977. Deals with cat communication and learning. Debunks many myths: neutered males do not become fat and lazy, a well-fed cat is the best hunter, cats can be trained, and they do give and receive affection. Edney, A.T.B, ed. _The Waltham Book of Dog and Cat Nutrition_. Second edition. Pergamon Press, 1988. ISBN: 0-08-035729-6 (flexicover). Fogle, Bruce. _The Cat's Mind_. Pelham Books, 1991. ISBN 0-7207-1996-8. Fox, Michael W. _Supercat: Raising the Perfect Feline Companion_. Topics include cat communication, decoding cat behavior, training your cat, IQ tests. Frazier, Anitra with Norma Ecktroate. _The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners_. 1990. Overview of the cat and its habits, strong holistic approach, good recipies. Holland, Barbara. _Secrets of the Cat_. Sensible, sensitive and entertaining. Hollander, Nicole. _Everything Here is Mine: Sylvia's Unhelpful Guide to Cat Behavior_. A collection of Sylvia comics featuring her cats. Hilarious. Kliban, B: _Cat_. Workman Publishing Co., NY, 1975. ISBN 0-911104-54-2. Kliban had an exceptional understanding of cats, and this cartoon book is well worth acquiring. Loeb, Paul and Josephine Banks: _You CAN Train Your Cat_. A valuable compendium of information on how to train your cat. McHattie, Grace. _The Cat Lover's Dictionary_. Cat owners and lovers will find everything they need to know to maintain the health and happiness of their pet. Thoroughly assesses the characteristics of over 30 breeds, describing ailments and problems and matching cat types with owner life-styles. Color photos. Moyes, Patricia: _How To Talk To Your Cat_. Henry Holt Publishing. Includes some folklore but also lots of useful information and suggestions for how to develop a real conversational rapport with your cat. Mu:ller, Ulrike. _The New Cat Handbook_, translated from the German _Das Neue Katzenbuch_ by Rita and Robert Kineber; Barron's Educational Series, Inc., NY ISBN 0-8120-2922-4. Sections on: choosing a cat; care & feeding; health; breeding; showing; cat "language" & behavior. Neff, Nancy A., forward by Roger Caras, paintings by Guy Coheleach. _The Big Cats_. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1982. ISBN: 0-8109-0710-0. This is a wonderful book, although it may no longer be in print, and is probably expensive if it is. It's a collection of the most beautiful artwork I've ever seen of the big cats, accompanied by some of the more scholarly, and WELL-REFERENCED text I've come across. It's actually a bit of a shock to see such scholarly text with such incredible art...I expected the usual, "Oh, aren't they wonderful," dreck, so this was a real surprise. Both the text and the paintings are reproduced on 40 or 50 pound glossy stock, so each page is heavier than the cover of most paperbacks. Neville, Peter. _Do Cats Need Shrinks?_. Contemporary Books. 1991. ISBN 0-8092-3935-3. He is a British pet psychologist to whom vets refer their problem cases. (American readers should check the glossary at the back of the book, to help translate terms like "moggy".) He gives very good explanations of why cats do things, and how to work within their way of thinking to convince them to do otherwise. Peden, Barbara Lynn. _Dogs & Cats Go Vegetarian_. Harbingers of a New Age, publisher, 12100 Brighton Street, Hayden Lake, ID 83835 USA; Katz Go Vegan, publisher, Box 161, 7 Battle Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7AA, UK. ISBN 0-941391-01-6. Discusses the develpment of Vegecat supplement, a source of taurine derived from petroleum. Robinson, F. _Cat Genetics for Breeders_. For people seriously interested in how genetics work in cats. Siegal, Mordecai, ed. _The Cornell Book of Cats_ (by the faculty and staff of Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University; Villard Books, New York, 1989). This is an excellent reference book for the owner who wants detailed medical information. It is more sophisticated than popular/consumer type books; it is more like a veterinary textbook, but you don't have to be a vet to understand the material. Siegal, Mordecai, ed. _Simon & Schuster's Guide to Cats_. Originally in Spanish, Arnoldo Mondadori. Fireside Book, Simon & Schuster. 1983, ISBN: 0-671-49170-9. Stephens, Gloria. _Legacy of the Cat_ (photography by Tetsu Yamazaki, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1989, ISBN 0-87701-728-X/0-87701-695 pbk). Dense cat genetics information w/pictures. 37 breeds then described. Taylor, David. _You and Your Cat_. Lots of useful information. A (slightly incomplete) breed summary complete with color pictures. A trouble-shooting guide for sick cats. Tellington-Jones, Linda, with Sybil Taylor. _The Tellington Touch: A Breakthrough Technique to Train and Care for Your Favorite Animal_. Viking Penguin. 1992. ISBN 0-670-82578-6. Some of what Linda does is clearly helpful in dealing with problem dogs and cats, but there are parts of her presentation of her ideas that may turn people off because they seem to be a little too far out of the mainstream. Good massage tips. Thies, Dagmar. _Cat Care_. TFH Publications, 1989. ISBN 0-86622-776-8. Turner, Dennis C. and Paterick Bateson, eds: _The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour_. Cambridge (UK) University Press, 1988. Wright, Michael and Sally Walters, eds. _The Book of the Cat_ (New York: Summit Books (Pan Books, London), 1980, ISBN 0-671-44753-X/0-671-41624-3 pbk). Includes a good discussion of genetics and cat breeds. Lots of detail, but very accessible, a good way to get started once you're past the first stage of learning about cats. White and Evans. _The Catopedia_. Henson 1986(?). D. Articles. August, John R., 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. Barlough, JE and CA Stoddart. Feline Coronaviruses: Interpretation of Lab- oratory findings and Serologic Tests. pp. 557-561 _in_ August, J.R. (ed) 1991. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. ISBN 0-7216-2226-7 Booth, Dawn M. Antiviral Therapy. pp. 577-582 _in_ August, J.R. (ed) 1991. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. ISBN 0-7216-2226-7 Burrows, Colin F. 1991. _Diarrhea in kittens and young cats_. pp. 415-418 IN J.R. August. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. Lewis, Ricki. 1988. "The cat's meow (taurine deficiency causes eye and heart problems)." _Health_ (Ny, NY) 20:18, March 1988. Probably more popular citation on taurine in cats diets. Pedersen, N.C. Common Infectious Diseases of Multiple-Cat Environments pp. 163-288 _in_ Pedersen, Niels C.(ed) 1991. Feline Husbandry: Diseases and manangement of the multiple cat environment. American Veterinary Publications, Inc. Goleta, CA. ISBN 0-939674-29-7 Pion, PD; MD Kittleson and QR Rogers. 1987. "Myocardial Failure in cats associated with low plasma taurine: a reversible cardiomyopathy." _Science_ 237:764-768. 14 Aug 1987. Note: This one is rather technical. Povey, R. Charles. 1985. Infectious diseases of Cats: A clinical handbook. Centaur Press, Guelph, Ontario C85-098602-8 Stoddart, Cheryl A. and Jeffrey E. Barlough. Feline Coronaviruses: Spectrum of Virus Strains and Clinical Manifestations. pp. 551-556 _in_ August, J.R. (ed) 1991. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. ISBN 0-7216-2226-7 Weiss, Richard C. Feline Infectious Peritonitis and other Coronaviruses. pp. 333-356 _in_ Sherding, Robert G. 1989. The Cat: Diseases and Clinical Management. Churchill-Livingstone, New York. ISBN 0-443-08461-0 E. Catalogues. Cats, Cats, and More Cats 2 Greycourt Ave, PO Box 560, Chester, NY, 10918 Fast shipping, donates percentage to animal causes. Cat Claws, Inc. P.O. Box 1774 Des Plaines, IL 60018 Phone: 708-981-1873 FAX: 708-981-0662 Cardboard scratching posts, flea remedies/combs, toys, cat trees. Dad's Cat Action Toy Shop c/o SunRae Products P.O. Box 84 Redwood City, CA 94064. They have what they call a "Cat'alog" and also a Hall of Fame your cat can join (you receive a newsletter "The CAT-Aerobics Exercise Mews." Doctors Foster & Smith 2253 Air Park Road Rhinelander, WI 54501-0100 tel: 800-826-7206 Canine, feline, and equine vaccines, medications, and grooming preparations. Cat toys, beds, furniture, collars. Most of the other stuff is for dogs. Evolution K-9/Feline Vegetarian Dog/Cat Foods Dr. Eric Weisman & Assoc. 815 S. Robert St. St. Paul, MN 55107 (612) 227-2414 (800) 524-9697 Master Animal Care Lake Road P.O. Box 3333 Mountaintop, PA 18707-0330 tel: 800-346-0749 For cats and dogs--fold-down cages, cat doors (10 different types), vaccines and syringes (limited selection), lots of grooming supplies, dog breed books, gift items for people. Pedigrees 1989 Transit Way Box 905 Brockport, NY 14420-0905 tel: 716-637-1431 This is RC Steele under another name -- no $50 minimum order requirement & higher prices. Ask for "The Pet Catalog"--this is stuff for dogs and cats. Cat doors (incl. electromagnetic), beds, bowls, collars, toys. Stuff for people, too: sweaters, T-shirts, gift items. RC Steele 1989 Transit Way Box 910 Brockport, NY 14420-0910 tel: 800-872-3773 orders 800-872-4506 customer service Lots of discount items. Minimum $50 order. Watch out for shipping costs on oversize items. Vet Express 655 Washington P.O. Box 1168 Rhinelander, WI 54501 tel: 800-458-7656 Widest selection of canine, feline, and equine vaccines, medications, and grooming preparations. Serious stuff. Wow-Bow Distributors 309 Burr Road East Northport, NY 11731 (516) 254-6064 (800) 326-0230 Supplies supplements for vegetarian animals. ---------------- This article is Copyright (c) 1993 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@netcom.com USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716 ----------------