| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 886.1 | Table of Contents | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:42 | 323 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: Cindy Tittle Moore <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.pets.cats: Table of Contents FAQ
Supersedes: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
Followup-To: poster
Date: 28 Apr 1995 09:00:31 GMT
Organization: RPC FAQ auto-posting
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Sender: tittle
Approved: [email protected]
Expires: 11 Jun 1995 08:59:16 GMT
Message-ID: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
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X-Last-Updated: 1995/02/24
Originator: [email protected]
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.pets.cats:90084 rec.answers:11596 news.answers:42922
Archive-name: cats-faq/table-of-contents
Last-modified: 24 Feb 1995
=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
TABLE OF CONTENTS
_____________________________________________________________
* Getting a Cat
+ Should You Get a Cat?
+ What Kind of Cat
o Kitten or adult
o Male or female
o One cat or two
o Kinds of cats
+ Where to get a Cat
o Animal shelters
o Private parties
o Responsible Breeders
o Pet Stores
+ The First Vet Visit
o Recommended Vaccinations
o Recommended Tests
+ Caring for a new kitten
+ Introducing your new cat to other animals
_____________________________________________________________
* General Cat Care
+ Vaccination and Worming Schedule
+ What Your Vet Should Check
+ Cat Food and Diets
o Premium cat food
o Cat food composition
o Wet foods
o Dry foods
o Moist foods
o Snack foods
o Milk
o Homemade food
o People food
o Cat Grass
o Dog Food
o Ash
o Feeding Schedules
o Special Diets (incl. vegetarian diets)
+ Litter
o Kinds of litter
o Disposal
o Litter Boxes
o Tiolets
o Placement of litter box
+ Trimming Claws
+ Grooming
o Thick, long fur
o Silky, long fur
o Short hair
+ Bathing
+ Playing
+ Other Toys
+ Scratching Posts
+ Cat Safety in the House
_____________________________________________________________
* Basic Health Care
+ In General
+ Veterinary Care
o On the net
o Home vet books
o Pet Insurance
o Choosing a vet
o 24 hour emergency care
o Fecal samples
o Cat reactions
o Further steps
o Vet bills
+ Human-Cat Disease Transmission (Zoonoses)
+ Neutering
o Castration
o Spaying
o Post-op recovery
o Cost
+ Skin Problems
o Matted fur
o Bald patches
o Scratching
o Feline Acne
+ Dental Care
o Tartar buildup
o Rootwork
o Smelly breath
+ Declawing
+ Pills, Dosing and Medication
o Giving pills
o Administring Liquids
o Topical Application
+ Worms
+ Fleas
+ Poisons (incl. plants, food & household chemicals)
o Treatment after ingestion
o Greenhouse plants
o Household plants
o Outdoor plants
o Non-Poisonous Plants
o Chemical substances
o Food
o Household medications
_____________________________________________________________
* Medical Information
+ Aging
+ Cat Allergies
+ Feline Urinary Syndrome (FUS)
o Symptoms
o Causes of FUS
o Management of FUS
+ Diabetes
+ Diarrhea
o Possible causes for diarrhea
+ Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
+ FIV
+ Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
o Symptoms
o Diagnosis
o Prognosis and course of treatment
o General information
o References
+ Upper Respiratory Disease
o Feline herpesvirus
o Feline calicivirus
o Chlamydia psittaci
+ Thyroid Problems
o Treatment
+ Vomiting
o Reasons
o Summary
o Vomit stains
_____________________________________________________________
* Problem Behaviors in Cats
+ Cats Inside
+ Plants
+ A New Baby
+ Spraying
+ Scratching
+ Housetraining
+ Escaping
+ Drape/Curtain Climbing
+ Cord (and Other) Chewing
+ Biting
+ Garbage
+ Counters
+ Early AM Wakeups
+ Toilet Paper
+ Splashing Water
+ Ripping Carpet
+ Closet Antics
+ Cats Outside
+ Noise
+ Your Garden
+ Local "Attack" Cats
+ Your Birdfeeder
+ Keeping your cat in your yard
_____________________________________________________________
* The Outside World
+ Indoor and Outdoor Cats
o Pros and cons
o Compromises
o Pet doors
o Invisible Fences
+ Dealing with Landlords
+ Pet Identification
+ Clever Hiding Places At Home
+ Finding A Lost Cat
+ Catching Feral Cats
+ Finding A Home for a Cat
+ Travel
o Cars
o Trains
o Planes
+ International Travel
+ Moving
+ Vacations
o Leave at home
o Pet sitters
o Kennels
o Take Cat With You
o Leave with Someone Else
_____________________________________________________________
* Feline Leukemia Virus
+ PART I: General info about FeLV
+ PART II: If your cat has tested positive
+ References
_____________________________________________________________
* Miscellaneous Information
+ Removing Urine Odor
o Enzymatic products
o Launderable items
o Concrete
o Hardwood floors
+ Catnip and Valerian.
+ Cats and Water
+ Do All Cats Purr?
+ Other Cats in the Cat Family
+ Cat Genetics and Coloring
+ Cat Static
+ Preparing Food for your Cat
o Basic recipe for cat maintenance diet
o Cats at risk of FUS
o Kidney disease patients
o Heart failure
o Low fat diet
o Low fat, high fiber diet
o Reducing diet
o Hypoallergenic diet
o Low purine diet
+ Cat Owner Allergies
+ Toxoplasmosis (when you are pregnant and own a cat)
_____________________________________________________________
* Resources
+ Electronic Mailing Lists
+ Literary References
o Jellicle Cats
o The "mousies" Poem
+ Books
+ Articles
+ Catalogues
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents for the Cat FAQs
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.2 | Getting a cat | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:43 | 462 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: Cindy Tittle Moore <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.pets.cats: Getting A Cat FAQ
Supersedes: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
Followup-To: poster
Date: 30 Apr 1995 21:35:14 GMT
Organization: RPC FAQ auto-posting
Lines: 443
Sender: tittle
Approved: [email protected]
Expires: 13 Jun 1995 21:33:23 GMT
Message-ID: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: bloom-picayune.mit.edu
X-Last-Updated: 1995/02/24
Originator: [email protected]
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.pets.cats:90365 rec.answers:11626 news.answers:43053
Archive-name: cats-faq/getting-a-cat
Last-modified: 24 Feb 1995
=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
GETTING A CAT
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
Should You Get a Cat?
Your cat will depend on you throughout its life, and with proper care
may live 15 years or more. Are you willing and able to care properly
for it and provide a stable home for that long?
Don't get a cat without prior budgeting for vet visits and other
costs. Normal veterinary care includes yearly shots and boosters,
tests for worms, and examination for typical diseases as needed. This
will run about US$100-$300 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.
If you cannot afford veterinary care for a cat, you should not get
one. 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.
Other routine costs include cat food, cat litter, litter pans and
scoops, and other cat paraphenalia such as scratching posts and cat
trees.
Most life changes shouldn't affect your ability to give a cat a good
home. Some people think they must give up a cat when they move, but
that's not true. It is relatively easy to move with a cat, even if you
are moving cross country or overseas.
However, if you expect that you will soon be in a situation where you
will have to give up your cat, consider spending time with friends'
cats instead of getting your own . It can be very difficult or
impossible to find a home for your adult cat if you ever have to give
it up.
_________________________________________________________________
What Kind of Cat
Many people are attracted to cats or kittens because of their looks.
Consider her characteristics as well, since the kitten you choose
today may be a member of your family for 15 years or more. Are you
looking for a very active, playful cat? Do you need a cat that will be
especially gentle with children or elderly people? One that won't be
frightened by a barking dog? Or a calm, affectionate cat that will
sleep on your bed at night?
KITTEN OR ADULT
Consider adopting an adult cat. An adult cat already has a fully
developed personality, so you know what you're getting. Adult cats
generally adapt just fine to new homes, and "bond" just as strongly
with new owners as kittens do. Also, adult cats are much less likely
to be adopted -- most people want to adopt cute little kittens.
Kittens are terminally cute, but they can have many disadvantages.
They 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. Kittens need several
trips to the veterinarian for vaccinations, checkups, and finally,
neutering or spaying. Perhaps most important, it is difficult to
predict what a kitten will turn out like when it grows up, in both
looks and behavior.
If you do decide to get a kitten, try not to get one that is too
young. Kittens should not be separated from their mother and
littermates until they are at least 8 to 10 weeks old. Many breeders
do not sell kittens until they are 14 to 16 weeks old, when the immune
system is fully developed.
MALE OR FEMALE
Neutered males and spayed females make equally good companions.
Although some people insist on cats of one sex or the other, cats
actually vary in personality independently of their sex. Neither sex
is uniformly more affectionate, more intelligent, more calm, or more
playful.
Unaltered cats of either sex, however, can be difficult to live with.
Unneutered males "spray" a foul smelling urine on the walls and
furniture. If allowed outdoors, they will roam and fight with other
cats. Unspayed females may also spray, and usually "call" when they
are in heat; this is an incessant yowling that will drive you and your
neighbors to despair! Neutered and spayed cats make much more pleasant
companions.
ONE CAT OR TWO
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.
KINDS OF CATS
Most cats do not belong to any particular breed. These cats are often
called "mixed breed" cats. They are also known as "domestic
shorthairs" or "domestic longhairs." Domestic shorthairs and longhairs
vary tremendously in looks and personality. They come in a wide
variety of color patterns. Each one has its own unique personality,
regardless of what color it is or how long its hair is.
Domestic shorthairs and longhairs are easy to acquire. In fact, many
cats and kittens are killed at animal shelters because there are more
cats than there is demand.
Purebred cats are uncommon, estimated at between 1% and 3% of all
cats. There are about 40 recognized cat breeds. Each breed consists of
a closely related group of cats with similar looks and personality.
For example, typical Siamese are slender, active, people-oriented cats
that tend to vocalize a lot. Not all Siamese have these
characteristics, but most do. A purebred kitten will probably grow up
to be typical of its breed in looks and personality; a non-purebred
kitten may turn out quite different from what you expect.
Many people are attracted to purebreds because they want a cat with a
particular color, size, or hair length. For example, you might be
interested in Russian Blues because you like the blue-gray color, or
you might be interested in Maine Coons because you want a big shaggy
cat. But it's not necessary to buy a purebred to get these
characteristics. You can find blue-gray cats, or big shaggy cats, or
cats of any other size and description, at your local animal shelter.
_________________________________________________________________
Where to get a Cat
ANIMAL SHELTERS
An animal shelter is a good place to pick up a cat and save it from
death in th e 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;
they can often tell you a lot about a cat's personality. Don't
overlook the adult cats.
At the animal shelter, be prepared to pay a fee, answer some questions
about the home you will give the cat, and perhaps give some
references. This is normal. The fee covers some of the costs of
operating the animal shelter. The questions are meant to ensure that
adopted cats go to good, stable homes.
Most will require that you have the cat neutered. Some will do it
prior to adoption, others will require you to do so within a month or
two of adoption. THis is also normal and is intended to reduce the
population of kittens returning to the shelter. In particular,
shelters that neuter all outgoing animals prior to adoption have
particularly good success with reducing the overall population of cats
in the shelter, since compliance with these programs is 100%. Please
neuter your cat if the shelter releases it to you unneutered.
PRIVATE PARTIES
People who have to find homes for adult cats will sometimes advertise
in the paper (or on bulletin boards at local stores or schools). These
cats are usually well cared for and you can meet them in a home
environment.
You will also see kittens advertised in the paper. Make sure you are
getting a healthy, well socialized kitten, don't get a kitten that is
too young (younger than 8 weeks), and find out if the kittens' parents
have been fixed! Try to look for people who are trying to place
kittens that have been found, or people who have already spayed the
mother cat after an accidental mating, rather than encouraging
careless people to keep producing kittens. Also, if the kittens were
born because the people don't bother to get their cat(s) fixed, they
may not bother to feed and care for growing kit tens properly, either.
RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS
If you want to buy a purebred cat or kitten, you will need to look for
a good, responsible breeder. Do not patronize pet shops or look for
breeders in the paper, or you may end up with an unhealthy or poorly
socialized kitten. A good way to meet breeders is at cat shows, which
are listed in cat magazines like Cat Fancy or Cats. Cat shows are also
a good opportunity to learn about the different breeds of cats.
Try to talk to more than one breeder before buying a kitten. Look for
honest breeders who care about their cats' welfare, and who have
good-natured cats. Talk to breeders about inherited health problems.
Ask about how the cats are raised. If possible, visit the cattery
before buying a kitten. Listen to your intuitions; if you feel
anything is "not right" about this breeder, go to another breeder.
A good breeder asks you questions, too, to find out if you are a good
home for a kitten. The breeder may also ask that you sign a contract
requiring you to care properly for this kitten. This is normal, and is
a sign of a responsible breeder. Expect to pay $300-400 or more for a
"pet quality" kitten, depending on the breed and your area. Breeders
also may have purebred adults available at low or no cost to a good
home.
The variety of purebred cats can be bewildering. Breed FAQs are
available to help you understand the differences between the various
breeds.
PET STORES
Don't buy kittens from pet stores. Pet stores are notorious for
selling unhealthy or poorly bred purebreds, and even irresponsibly
bred non-purebreds. Kittens sold in pet stores are outrageously
expensive, often two to four times more expensive than the same type
of kitten bought from a private breeder. They 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 overpopulation problem.
Some stores claim that animals are all obtained from local breeders or
"home raised." Employees are commonly instructed to tell customers
that the kittens were obtained from local breeders, when in fact they
were not. No responsible breeder would allow their kittens to be sold
in a pet store, where they could not interview the buyer to make sure
they are aware of the responsiblility of caring for an animal.
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.
One happy exception: Look for one of the increasing number of pet
supply stores that work with the local shelter to help place the
animals. These programs provide additional exposure and opportunities
for the local shelter and are a wonderful example of constructive
partnership for the benefit of our animals. However, make sure that
the animals are being adopted out under the rules of the shelter
involved.
_________________________________________________________________
The First Vet Visit
You should have your new cat examined by your vet to check for signs
of disease or parasites. Ideally, and especially if you have other
animals at home, you should arrange to have the new cat examined
before you bring it home.
The vet should check the cat's temperature; look for fleas, flea eggs,
ear mites, and signs of ringworm; check for overall health and
liveliness; and update the cat's vaccinations if necessary. It's also
a good idea to have the vet test the cat for common illnesses.
If your new cat is not already neutered or spayed, talk to your vet
about when would be a good time to schedule the neuter/spay surgery.
Don't assume that your cat or kitten is too young for the surgery; new
research shows that neutering and spaying as young as 7 weeks has no
adverse affects on the cat's physical and social development.
RECOMMENDED VACCINATIONS
Young kittens need a series of vaccinations ("kitten shots") to help
protect them from feline Herpesvirus (Rhinotracheitis), Calicivirus,
and Panleukopenia. Many commonly given kitten shots also protect
against Chlamydia. For the best immune response, the kitten shots are
given at three- or four-week intervals from age 7 or 9 weeks to age 14
or 16 weeks.
If your new cat is a rescued adult or older kitten, it may not have
had its shots as a young kitten. In that case, your vet may need to
start the vaccination series at the first vet visit.
Rabies shots are a good idea if you plan to let your cat out. Rabies
is onthe rise in wild animals, especially raccoons. Rabies shots are
also required in many states. The initial rabies shot can be given at
age 16 weeks.
Many people also vaccinate their cats against Feline Leukemia. This
vaccine is expensive, but it is recommended if your cat goes outdoors.
There is a relatively new vaccine available now for Feline Infectious
Peritonitis (FIP). There is some controversy over the safety and
effectiveness of this vaccine. Many vets do not recommend its use.
RECOMMENDED TESTS
Have your new cat tested for exposure to Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV).
If thecat is positive, you will need to keep the cat indoors, separate
from all other cats, or you run the risk of infecting other cats. See
the Feline Leukemia FAQ for more information.
Other common tests are for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and
Feline Infectious Anemia (FIA).
It is not possible to test directly for the deadly disease Feline
Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). There is a test sometimes known as an
"FIP Test," but this test actually does not test for FIP or for FIP
virus. It tests for exposure to viruses in the coronavirus family (FIP
is one of many coronaviruses). If you do decide to use the "FIP test,"
be aware that its results are very difficult to interpret correctly.
Perfectly healthy cats often test positive on this test, even if they
have never been exposed to FIP. If your vet believes that an otherwise
healthy cat has FIP because of a positive test result, you may want to
seek a second opinion.
_________________________________________________________________
Caring for a new kitten
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 also come in
"kitten food" versions. Kittens have small stomachs and big appetites;
they need to be fed several times a day.
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. If you have an orphan kitten, you
will need to provide a warm draft-free area and use something like KMR
(kitten milk replacer) for food, using an eyedropper. Consult your vet
for advice and help.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Introducing your new cat to other animals
You may need to introduce a cat to other animals (but first make sure
the new kitten or cat has been seen by a vet to reduce the risk of
transmitting illnesses or parasites to your other animals). 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, the
following procedure 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.
Introducing a puppy or kitten into a household with an elderly animal
already present can be stressful to the older animal. The best way to
handle this is to make sure the older animal does not feel threatened
by the newcomer. Lavish attention on the older animal, not the new
kitten. Make sure the older animal has a cozy place to retreat to, and
undisturbed time to eat and relieve itself.
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 with high prey drives 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, these are some combinations of
animals that tend to work well:
* two kittens
* an older kitten and a puppy
* a pair of mature neutered animals
* two cats
* two dogs
_________________________________________________________________
Getting A Cat FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
Orca Starbuck, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
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=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
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send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
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send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
GENERAL CAT CARE
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
Vaccination and Worming Schedule
Sources: Preventative health care schedule for cattery cats and pet
catsPreventative 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 FHV/FCV/FPV vaccine
ELISA test for FeLV
FeLV vaccine
fecal exam
12-14 weeks FHV/FCV/FPV vaccine
FeLV vaccination
Rabies vaccine
fecal exam
6 months FeLV vaccination
fecal exam
12 months fecal exam
16 months FHV/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
FHV= feline herpes virus (formerly called feline rhinotracheitis
virus)
FPV= feline panleukopenia virus = distemper
FeLV = feline leukemia virus
FIP is a yearly vaccination, but its effectiveness and safety are
questioned. Talk with your vet.
The FHV/FCV/FPV kitten shot also commonly includes a vaccine against
Chlamydia, which is another respiratory disease.
A vaccine for ringworm has just come on the market in the US. It is
said to be good for both treatment and prevention. It may or may not
be available in your area, and it is very new, so there is not much
data on its effectiveness. You may want to ask your vet about it if
ringworm is a problem in your area.
_________________________________________________________________
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
(more on cat health/medical information in Medical Information; also
Internet Vet Column)
_________________________________________________________________
Cat Food and Diets
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 (but are not limited to)
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 and good
health on these diets.
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.
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.
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.
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. A lot of dye is typically used, which makes vomit
very stain prone. 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.)
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. Try to use treats that are nutritionally balanced so as
to minimize any disruption in your cat's overall diet. Treats like
dried liver, which are not balanced food, should be used sparingly. In
addition, these products can be useful in training.
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.
HOMEMADE FOOD
Check Frazier's The New Natural Cat. She gives a number of recipies
and general information on making your own cat food and on what foods
are good for sick cats.
A number of cat books contain recipies for making your own kitty
treats. These can be fun to make and give to your cat.
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.
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.
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
and will become seriously ill if fed dog food for an extended period
of time.
ASH
"Ash" in cat food is the inorganic mineral content left over when the
organic portion has been removed. It generally consists of potassium,
magnesium, and sodium salts, along with smaller amounts of other
minerals. It used to be thought that the total "ash" content of food
contributed to FUS, but recently, attention has focused on magnesium
as the culprit. Many commercial foods now list the magnesium content
as a separate item in the list of nutrients on the bag, box, or can.
FEEDING SCHEDULES
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.
SPECIAL DIETS (INCL. VEGETARIAN DIETS)
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 its 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 Resources FAQ.
_________________________________________________________________
Litter
KINDS OF LITTER
There are various kinds of litter available.
* The traditional clay based litter is composed of clay particles
that will absorb urine to some extent. 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 many varieties of cat litter that clump 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 usually 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. Currently, this appears to be the most popular type of cat
litter, judging by what is available at pet supply stores.
* 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.) There are now several brands similar to this.
* 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, and it comes
in both traditional clay and clumping forms.. Reports are that it
pretty much works as advertised. 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.
Some cats seem to prefer certain kinds of litter over others, you may
need to experiment. A cat displeased with its litter box generally
makes its feelings abundantly clear by finding a "better" litter box,
such as your bed or sofa.
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.
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.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
SILKY LONG FUR
Soft bristle brushes work well.
SHORT HAIR
Try an all-rubber brush, often sold as kitten or puppy brushes.
_________________________________________________________________
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 longhaired, you will
want to groom it as the coat dries. 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
Try a small pencil flashlight or a small laser light for a game of
"flashlight tag". Cats love to chase the light across the floor, over
furniture and up walls. The lower-wattage laser pointers (0.1mW or
less) are quite safe for something like this. It would take many days
of non-stop direct exposure to the beam to even *start* to do any
damage to eyes.
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.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
General Cat Care FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
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Subject: rec.pets.cats: Basic Health Care FAQ
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=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
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send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
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/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
BASIC HEALTH CARE
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
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
_________________________________________________________________
Veterinary Care
ON THE NET
Frequently there are postings such as: "My cat is doing , should I
take it to the vet?" Or even, "I can't afford to take my cat to the
vet, he is doing , 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 can
be 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.
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.
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.
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? The best way to find a vet is word of mouth (from
someone who takes good care of their pets, of course). If that doesn't
work, here is a quick and dirty guide (written by Kay Klier,
[email protected]) on some ways to find a vet if you've just moved
to a new town or gotten your first pet:
* Ask your trusted former vet if s/he knows someone good in the new
town. Often you'll get an excellent referral that way (I found my
current vets because the senior partner was well known for his
excellence in surgery).
* If there's a local humane society or shelter, see if there are
vets who volunteer their time there. Many vets who care about
animals are often trustees and/or volunteer their services.
* Check with any local breed associations: see who their members go
to.
* Look for memberships in associations like the American Animal
Hospital Association (which has a fairly stiff inspection), Feline
Practitioners Association, American Assoc. of Vet Cardiology,
Animal Behavior Association, etc. These are usually people who
have kept up with new developments.
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.
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. If you
are afraid your cat will not cooperate and give you a fresh sample
before you need to go in, within 18-12 hours before a sample can be
placed in the refrigerator. Samples over 18 hours hold, however, will
probably not be of use.
CAT REACTIONS
Cats largely dislike being taken to the vet. They hate riding in the
car most of all, and the smell of fear and other animals in the office
often distresses them further. 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.
* Find a vet who manages the lobby efficiently to reduce waiting
time.
* Keep your cat away from dogs in the waiting room.
* Keep your cat in a pillowcase rather than a carrier or box.
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.
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).
_________________________________________________________________
Human-Cat 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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).
Neutering later has been thought to help reduce the chances of FUS,
but many studies have shown that there is no difference in urinary
tract development or predisposition to FUS between early-neutered cats
(as early as 7 weeks!) and late-neutered cats. As soon as the
testicles have descended is just fine. As of 1993, this is now the
official position of the AVMA. If surgery must be done on an
undescended testicle (sometimes a testicle will not descend and then
it needs to be removed) then the cost and risk increase.
Some male cats may have undescended testicles. These must be
surgically removed, as they often turn cancerous later. This is a more
serious (and expensive) surgery than the usual castration, as the vet
will have to use a general anesthetic and exploratory surgery to find
the undescended testicle and remove it.
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.
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 is good, preferably before the heat cyles start. Heat cycles
may begin as five months.. 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 every other week, and may last eight to ten days at a
time. It may even appear as though she remains in heat constantly. You
must keep her confined to prevent breeding, and she will do her best
to escape. During her heat, she may "spray" a strong smelling urine
just as tomcats do. 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.
An unbred, intact queen has a much higher risk of developing cancer of
the reproductive system. Queens also risk pyometra (a life threatening
infection of the uterus). Spayed cats have a much lower risk of cancer
and will not contract pyometra.
Female cats may come into estrus within a few days of giving birth. If
you have a queen that you want to stop from having more litters, try
to get her spayed as soon as possible after the kittens are born.
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. Some vets, especially with male cats, may use "glue"
instead, which works as well in most cases and does not require later
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.
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!
_________________________________________________________________
Skin Problems
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 to prevent mats.
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.
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).
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Dental Care
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.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 and a few other countries have 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.
_________________________________________________________________
Pills, Dosing and Medication
GIVING PILLS
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. If
it doesn't, gently push down on the cat's lower front teeth eith your
middle finger of your other hand (the first two fingers are to hold
the pill). 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 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.
ADMINISTRING LIQUIDS
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.
TOPICAL APPLICATION
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
Tapeworms are commonly transmitted through fleas. If you cat has
fleas or hashad fleas, it may have tapeworms.
* 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.
Note that a fecal exam may not be enough to determine if a cat has
worms. In particular, tapeworms are often not visible in a fecal exam.
_________________________________________________________________
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 [email protected] with "send
usenet/news.answers/fleas-ticks" in the body of the message. Leave the
subject line empty, and don't include the quotes in the send request.
_________________________________________________________________
Poisons (incl. plants, food & household chemicals)
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.
In particular, notice that the list of problematic plants cannot be
all inclusive. There are many plants with multiple names and even a
botanist can't come up with a conclusive list. This is why you will
almost never see identical lists put out by different organizations.
When in doubt, try to go by the most regional information you can
find, which is the most likely to use names current in your regions.
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 (i.e.,
something that will cause as much or more damage coming back up)
* 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.
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.
HOUSEHOLD PLANTS
* Gives a rash after contact: chrysanthemum; creeping fig; weeping
fig; 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 (highly fatal);
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.
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.
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 kind of 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).
* Poinsettas: Many books continue to indicate that poinsettias are
poisonous to animals and children. The Ohio State University
conducted some tests and confirms that they are NOT poisonous to
children or animals. The furor was because of a story about a
child who ate a bunch of poinsettia leaves and died. According to
Norsworthy's 1993 Feline Practice (thanks to Kay Klier), eating
leaves will give a cat an upset stomach and maybe some diarrhea
that can be cured with Kaopectate.
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 highly toxic to most
animals.
* Organophosphates and Carbamates (Dichlorvos, Ectoral, Malathion,
Sevin (in high percentages) etc), Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
(Chloradane, Toxaphene, Lindane, Methoxychlor: flea/parasite
treatments, insecticides.
* Petroleum products: gasoline, kerosene, turpentine.
* Corrosives (acid and alkali): household cleaners; drain
decloggers; commercial solvents.
* Many household cleaning products. Pine-oil products are very toxic
and should be avoided or rinsed thoroughly (bleach is a better
alternative). In particular, avoid items containing Phenol.
* Garbage (food poisoning): carrion; decomposing foods; animal
manure.
* People Medicines: antihistamines, pain relievers (esp. aspirin),
sleeping pills, diet pills, heart preparations and vitamins.
Anything smelling of wintergreen or having methyl salicylate as an
ingredient. Tylenol (acetominophen) will kill cats.
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.
HOUSEHOLD MEDICATIONS
(From Norsworthy, 1993:)
Medications that cats should NEVER be given:
* Acetominophen (=tylenol, paracetemol) (1 tablet can be fatal to an
adult cat)
* Benzocaine (the topical anaesthetic) (available in spray and cream
forms--- Lanacaine and several hemhherrhoid preparations have lots
of benzocaine)
* Benzyl alcohol
* Chlorinated hydrocarbons (like lindane, chlordane, etc.)
* Hexachlorophene (found in pHiso-Hex soap, among others)
* Methylene Blue (used to be used for urinary infections, many cats
cannot tolerate it)
* Phenazopyridine (used in combination with sulfa as AzoGantrisin:
fine for humans, deadly for cats)
* Phenytoin (=Dilantin) often used for seizures in other species
* Phosphate enemas (including Fleet (tm) enemas): may be fatal
Medications that can be used in certain cats with restrictions, and
ONLY on the advice of a vet
* Aspirin: but not more than 1 baby aspirin (1/4 regular tablet) in
3 days!
* Chloramphenicol: generally safe at doses of less than 50-100 mg
2x/day
* Griseofulvin (=fulvicin)
* Lidocaine: another topical anaesthetic
* Megestrol acetate (Ovaban, Megace) may cause behavioral changes,
breast cancer, diabetes. Extremely useful for some conditions, so
use needs to be monitored.
* Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents (things like ibuprofen)--
tend to cause perforated ulcers. Banamine and aspirin are the best
tolerated of this class of drugs
* Pepto-bismol: too high in salicylates
* Smooth muscle relaxants (like Lomotil): strange behavior
* Tetracycline: may cause fever, diarrhea, depression; better
antibiotics available
* Thiacetarsamide (Caparsolate) used to treat heartworm in dogs
* Thiamylal sodium (Biotal) used for brief surgeries. Animals become
sensitized after repeat exposures. If you change vets, be SURE to
get your records so that the new vet can tell if this drug has
been used previously.
* Urinary acidifiers; be careful of dosage.
_________________________________________________________________
Basic Health Care FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
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=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
MEDICAL INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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).
_________________________________________________________________
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.
POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR DIARRHEA
From: Colin F. Burrows. 1991. Diarrhea in kittens and young catsi. pp.
415-418 IN J.R. August. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB
Saunders Co., Philadelphia.
Causes of acute (sudden onset) diarrhea
* Infections
+ Viral
o Panleucopenia (distemper)
o Feline Leukemia Virus
o Coronavirus
o Rotavirus
o Astrovirus
+ Bacterial
o Salmonella
o Campylobacter
o Escherischia coli (not documented in cats)
+ Parasitic
o Roundworms
o Hookworms
o Coccidia
o Giardia
o 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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
Please see the Feline Leukemia FAQ.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a viral infection of cats that
is considered essentially fatal. Unfortunately, the cornavirus titer
test is not a reliable test for FIP infection or exposure.
There is a yearly vaccination for FIP that is given intranasally
(drops are put in the nose). This vaccine is relatively new, and is
still very controversial. There is controvery over its safety as well
as its effectiveness. Some studies seem to show that it can make the
disease worse in certain cases. Because of this, many vets and vet
schools do not recommend its use. It may be appropriate in certain
situations, talk to your vet.
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.
DIAGNOSIS
Many vets will run a coronavirus titer test if they suspect FIP. It is
important to understand that this does not test for FIP itself or FIP
virus. It tests for exposure to coronaviruses in general. A positive
result on this test does not necessarily indicate FIP (or exposure to
FIP virus), nor does a negative result rule out FIP. This test is only
meaningful as part of a full diagnosis of a cat with FIP-like
symptoms. In addition to the coronavirus titer test, 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.
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.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Upper Respiratory Disease
Upper respiratory disease ("cold" or "flu"-like symptoms) is generally
caused by viral or bacterial infection. Some common causes are feline
herpes virus type 1 (FHV-1); feline calicivirus (FCV); and Chlamydia
psittaci (a bacteria-like organism). In many upper respiratory
infections, viral infections are complicated with secondary bacterial
infections. Also, one or more viruses may be involved at the same
time.
Vaccines for FHV-1, FCV, and Chlamydia are available and are generally
given as part of the standard kitten shot series. These vaccines
protect against systemic infection (symptoms like fever, diarrhea,
pneumonia) but they do not give such good protection against local
infection of the upper respiratory tract (symptoms like sneezing,
runny eyes).
FELINE HERPESVIRUS
FHV-1 (previously known as feline rhinotracheitis virus) can cause a
variety of different clinical syndromes. The most common symptom is a
runny nose and sneezing (rhinitis) which may be combined with
reddened, squinting, runny eyes (conjunctivitis). FHV can also cause
corneal ulcers, oral ulcers, fever, and diarrhea. In kittens, FHV
infection can be severe. FHV is generally transmitted through direct
contact or sneezing, and may be transmitted from a mother to her
kittens before they are born.
A vet will usually prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic to clear up
secondary bacterial infections, but there is no real cure for the
viral infection, just management of it. As in human herpes virus
infection, cats may develop a latent infection that causes virus
shedding or mild recurrent attacks when the cat is stressed. If you
know your cat has had herpes virus infection, try to keep your cat
from getting stressed (when that's possible). If he is under stress,
he can begin to shed the virus again without showing any signs of
being sick himself, which means he may infect other cats. Note that
FHV affects only cats. Don't worry, you can't get herpes from your
cat!
FELINE CALICIVIRUS
FCV can also cause a variety of clinical syndromes similar to those
caused by FHV. FCV infection is more often associated with oral
ulcers, fever, and joint pain, but may also be a contributing factor
in rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and gum disease. A vet will usually
prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic to clear up secondary bacterial
infections, but there is no real cure for the viral infection. As with
FHV, cats may develop a latent infection and may shed virus even
though they have no symptoms. Unlike FHV, shedding is not influenced
by stress.
CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI
Chlamydia is a bacteria-like organism that inhabits mucous membranes,
primarily the tissues around the eyes (conjunctiva). Chlamydia can
cause a variety of clinical syndromes similar to those caused by
viruses and other organisms. The most common symptom is
conjunctivitis, which (unlike that caused by FHV) is generally seen in
one eye at first, then spreading to both eyes. Chlamydia can also
cause rhinitis, fever, pneumonia, and diarrhea. Chlamydia infection
responds well to topical tetracycline (given as an eye ointment). It
is sometimes treated with other topical antibiotics or with systemic
antibiotics (given in pill form). A similar organism, Mycoplasma, also
causes conjunctivitis and is treated with antibiotics. Be careful to
wash your hands after treating a cat with chlamydiosis, as it is
possible for humans to develop a mild form of the disease through
contact.
_________________________________________________________________
Thyroid Problems
Cats are far more prone to hyperthyroidism, in which too much thyroid
is produced, as opposed to too little (hypothyroidism). Symptoms
include ?.
TREATMENT
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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
* trauma
* epilepsy
* neoplasia
Misc:
* hiatal hernia
* heartworm
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.6 | Cats and the outside world | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:47 | 542 |
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=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
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send email to [email protected] with
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send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
THE OUTSIDE WORLD
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
Indoor and Outdoor Cats
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.
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").
Sometimes you can proof your backyard against escape (or quick escape)
with either an "invisible fence" arrangement (these are usually for
dogs, but some models have been adapted for cats) or with reinforcing
material on the fence to prevent escape. Corrugated fiberglass on the
fence makes it difficultor impossible to get a purchase for climbing
over. An inward tilted addition to the top of the fence also helps
contain cats. Or an entirely enclosed structure outside can be made.
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.
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!
_________________________________________________________________
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. The tips can be easily adapted for cat owners.
_________________________________________________________________
Pet Identification
Every cat should wear ID tags, whether or not it is an indoor or
outdoor cat. 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.
Most common 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.
_________________________________________________________________
Clever Hiding Places At Home
Cats are extremely good at finding hiding places. Before you assume
your cat got outside and is missing, 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."
_________________________________________________________________
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 neighborhood, 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?
* Under the heading of "be prepared," have multiple copies of a good
color photo of your cat on hand. You will be able to make -- and
distribute -- posters that much more quickly.
* If your neighborhood has a population of elementary school
children, place posters at their school. Kids seem to be acutely
aware of the animals they encounter, and they tend to be out and
about in the neighborhood. Offering a reward might even mobilize a
small army of searchers.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 or to feed to other animals. (You can
donate all or part of the money to animal causes if you like.)
_________________________________________________________________
Travel
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?)
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 had a quarantine program which is
currently being dismantled.
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).
_________________________________________________________________
Moving
One of the most common claimed reasons cats are left at shelters in
the United States is because the owners are moving and either can't or
don't want to take their cat with them. Moving can be difficult for a
cat, but it isn't impossible. If you are considering not taking your
cat with you and taking it to a shelter, keep in mind that your cat
will only of many others in a shelter given up for the same reason. No
one will take pity on your cat in particular, or consider it an
especially 'good' potential adoptee just because it came from a home
environment.
There are a variety of responses to a change in home location. Some
cats do well, others are a nervous wreck for several weeks.
You might consider keeping your cat at someone else's home during the
actual move-out. This way 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. Otherwise consider keeping it
confined to a crate or a single room to prevent accidental escape in
the chaos of moving.
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 the rest of the house 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 a cat that goes outside, you will want to keep it indoors
for about a month at your new place 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
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.
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.
TAKE CAT WITH YOU
See Travel.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
The Outside World FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.7 | Problem behaviors in cats | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:48 | 733 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: Cindy Tittle Moore <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.pets.cats: Problem Behaviors in Cats FAQ
Supersedes: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
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Archive-name: cats-faq/behavior
Last-modified: 24 Feb 1995
=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
PROBLEM BEHAVIORS IN CATS
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
Cats Inside
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 (there are
formulations specifically for use on plants) 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 immaculate 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 (Housetraining).
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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:
+ diarrhea (many causes)
o small intestinal- soft to watery
o colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood,
straining
+ urinary bladder inflammation
o FUS
o Bacterial infections
o trauma
o calculi (bladder stones)
o tumors
+ polydipsia/polyuria
(excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper
water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably
less than this)
o diabetes insipidus
o diabetes mellitus
o kidney disease
o liver disease
o adrenal gland disease
o pyometra (pus in the uterus)
o hypercalcemia (high blood calcium)
o others
* TERRITORIAL MARKING
+ intact female in heat
+ intact male spraying
+ marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be
from presence of outdoor cats
+ may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats
+ previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian
tissue remaining, possibly resulting in a low level of
hormone which could trigger marking
+ neutered male with sexual experience exposed to female in
heat
* LITTER BOX PROBLEMS
+ overcrowding: too many cats using same box
+ failure to change littter frequently enough -- some cats
won't use a dirty box
+ failure to provide constant access to litterbox
+ change in type of litter used
+ change in location of litterbox
+ unfamiliar, frightening, or loud objects near box:
dishwasher, etc.
+ food and water too close to litterbox
+ objectionable chemical used to wash or disinfect litterbox
+ location preference: your cat may want the box in a different
location
+ texture preference: your cat doesn't like the feel of the
litter
+ failure to cover litter: learned process from parents
o use of litterbox is instinctive
o cats that don't cover litter may be more prone to
litterbox problems
o your cat may be indicating texture preference problem
* PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
(most common manifestation is inappropriate urination)
+ addition or subtraction of other pets in household
+ visitors, company, parties, redecorating, construction, or
any type of commotion
+ a move to a new environment
+ change in routine or schedule: a new job or working hours
+ their return from boarding or hospitilization
+ interaction problem with other pets or cats
o 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)
o 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:"
+ likely to produce repeated visitations to the same spot
+ may induce urination by other members of a multi-cat
household
+ you may have moved to a residence previously occupied with
other dogs and/or cats
TREATMENT
* Rule out medical problems FIRST
+ complete history and physical
+ stool/GI workup for diarrhea (if needed)
+ urinalysis for inappropriate urination to rule out an
infection
+ workup for polydipsia/polyuria
+ important to check all cats of a multi-cat household
o last cat seen misbehaving may be responding to chemical
attraction and not be an instigator
o more than one cat could have problem
+ treat/correct medical problems first. Behavioral problems can
only be diagnosed in a healthy cat
* Territorial marking
+ neuter all cats (check history of neutered cats; retained
testicle in male or signs of heat in female)
+ prevent other cats from coming around outside of house, close
windows, blinds, and doors
+ prevent overcrowding in multi-cat households
* Litter box problems
+ provide a box for each cat
+ change litter daily
+ provide constant access to a box
+ go back to previously used brand of litter and/or discontinue
new disinfectant
+ move box to where it was previously used
+ eliminate new or frightening noise near litterbox
+ move food and water away from litterbox
+ 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
+ if there are several places, try putting dishes of cat food
in those areas to discourage further elimination there
+ experiment with different textures of litter (cats prefer
sandy litter)
+ use a covered litterbox for cats that stand in box but
eliminate outside of it
* Psychological Stress
+ eliminate if possible
+ try to provide each cat at home with its own "space"
o use favorite resting areas to determine
o provide separate litterboxes near each space if possible
o cubicles, boxes, shelves, crates are effective for this
+ tranquilizers sometimes work well in multicat situations
* Chemical attraction
+ dispose of all soiled fabric or throw rugs if possible
+ 50% vinegar or commercial products may be used
+ steam cleaning may help
+ repellants may help
+ 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.)
+ particularly beneficial for transient stress induced problem
+ may allow acclimation to stress situation where source of
stress cannot be eliminated
+ procedure
o choose an area that can be a permanent location of
litterbox
o 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)
o 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
# allow 1 week of good behavior in the new area
before adding the new room
# never increase access area until you are 100%
certain cat's use of litterbox is 100%
# if accident occurs, re-evaluate this material to
make sure litterbox problem or something else
didn't trigger
o 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.
+ only for neutered cats only 50% effective
+ 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.
+ usually requires lifelong maintenance on regular intermittent
basis
+ very dangerous drug; use borders malpractice -- should be
reserved for cats who will be put to sleep if problem is not
solved
o immunosuppressive
o weight gains predisposing to obesity
o mammary gland development
o feminization of males
o may induce latent diabetes
+ 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
+ relapses may be expected when drug is discontinued
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 gaffer's tape
to secure exposed cords. Gaffer's tape comes in a variety of colors
and you will probably be able to find something relatively
inconspicuous. (Duct tape can also be used, but it's pretty messy and
hard to clean up if you're moving out of an apartment. Consider
permanent wiring if you own your place: installment behind walls, etc.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Toilet Paper
Five 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.
* Instead of a cup of water, try an aluminum can with pennies.
* If you are unwilling or unable to use the cover, then close the
door to the bathroom.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Cats Outside
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 usually 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. The following is written primarily for
people who want to stop other cats (i.e., not their own) from being a
nuisance on their property.
As a cat owner, you should consider ways to minimize your cat annoying
your neighbors. You could keep your cat inside, supervise your cat
when outside, bring it inside at night, etc. All cats allowed to roam
outside should, of course, be neutered.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
If the cats involved are owned by your neighbors, you might try a
non-confrontational approach -- let them know what their cat has been
doing and suggest that perhaps neutering their cat might help solve
some of these problems. A politely worded note can be left on their
door if you wish to avoid direct confrontation. You might eventually
call Animal Control in your area for help, but first let them know you
are having problems with their cat.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
One reader reported success in putting up cast-iron cut-out cats with
marble eyes in strategic places in her yard. The decorative cats were
apparently real enough to cats that they kept clear of her yard. Try
looking around hardware stores or gardening stores for these. Lifesize
cat statues might work as well.
_________________________________________________________________
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).
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
You can try making an overhang on the top of the fence, if you cat
cannot jump directly to the top of it. Use large bookshelf type angle
brackets and drape netting or screening on it, to create an unstable
barrier.
There are some "invisible fence" products for cats, where the
perimiter of the yard is marked with a wire that will activate an
electric collar on the the cat. Do not use these without supervision,
and ideally they should be used in conjunction with a visible fence
that the cat can use as a visual reminder of its constraints. This
seems to work well with some cats and not at all with others.
_________________________________________________________________
Problem Behaviors in Cats FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.8 | Feline leukemia | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:48 | 567 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: Erin Rebecca Miller <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.pets.cats: Feline Leukemia FAQ
Supersedes: <cats-faq/[email protected]>
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Date: 17 Apr 1995 20:13:42 GMT
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Archive-name: cats-faq/leukemia
Last-modified: 13 Nov 1994
=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS FAQ
(dedicated to Oliver, in the hopes they'll find a cure...soon)
Contents:
* General information about FeLV
* If your cat has tested positive
* References
Authors:
Written by Erin Miller [ [email protected]] with help
from James Golczewski, Edwin Barkdoll, Cindy Tittle Moore and Jeff
Parke. Additional thanks to Wilf Leblanc, Dan Kozisek, Karen
Kolling, Isako Honshino and Patty Winter for their comments.
The purpose of this FAQ is to answer frequently asked questions about
the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). The Feline Leukemia Virus is a virus
which suppresses your cat's immune system. A cat which becomes
infected with the virus becomes susceptible to many ailments or
breakdowns in its system. The virus was somewhat inappropriately
named because it is different than the disease Feline Leukemia. A
cat which tests positive for the virus will not necessarily contract
the disease Feline Leukemia. However, cats which do test positive for
the virus are more likely to catch any one of a number of diseases
including, but not limited to, leukemia, lymphoma or opportunistic
infections. This FAQ is divided into two parts; the first consists of
information every cat owner should know or should ask about the virus.
The second part is information for people whose cats have tested
positive for the virus.
_________________________________________________________________
PART I: General info about FeLV
What is Feline Leukemia Virus and can I catch it?
Feline Leukemia Virus is a retrovirus which is specific to cats
only. It is considered to be the most common cause of serious
illness and death in domestic cats. It causes a breakdown in your
cat's immune system causing your cat to become susceptible to many
diseases which it might otherwise be able to fight off. It CANNOT
be transmitted to humans (including children) nor can it be
transmitted to other species such as dogs.
How is it transmitted?
FeLV is transmitted via saliva, mucus, urine, feces and blood.
This means grooming, biting, sneezing, hissing, sharing food/water
bowls and sharing litter boxes are all possible means of
transmission.
Will I infect my healthy cat if I pet an FeLV+ cat, then pet my cat?
No. FeLV needs to be transferred through the media above, and will
not live long outside the host (the infected cat). Warm, dry
environments will deactivate the virus and common household
detergents and disinfectants will eliminate it from any contacted
surfaces.
What does the virus do to a cat?
In sum, once the virus gains entry (usually via saliva or mucus
membranes) it will reproduce in the lymph tissue which is your
cat's first system of immune defense. Some cats are able to mount
a successful immune response against it and defeat the virus at
this stage. In cats who don't successfully destroy the virus here,
the virus will then move into the bone marrow where red and white
blood cells are produced. It may stay latent in the marrow for
many years. After that it will attack other tissues including
causing a breakdown in several stages of the immune response
system.
Is there a vaccine?
Yes, there are several commercial vaccines available.
Unfortunately the USDA does not have standard requirements for
FeLV vaccines, so different manufacturers can publish
'Effectiveness Ratings' which cannot be compared with each other
due to a lack of uniformity in testing terms and requirements.
Estimating the effectiveness of the vaccines is difficult and most
vets I've spoken with estimate them to have ~75-85% effectiveness
(this means cats challenged with the virus will fight off
infection 7-8 times out of ten). Published studies show that there
are irreconcilable differences and bias in Effectiveness Ratings
put out by the manufacturers so currently it is impossible to
estimate the actual effectiveness of and between vaccines. Suffice
it to say that your cat is MUCH better off having received the
vaccine, but the vaccine is not 100% effective so you should not
expose your cat to undue risks. (Note: NO vaccine, whether it be
for cats, dogs or people, is 100% effective. Some are about close
to being as fully effective as possible, however the FeLV vaccine
is not one of them).
If I don't get my cat vaccinated, what are its natural defenses
against the virus?
According to the literature, neonatal kittens are 100% susceptible
to catching the virus from one exposure. 8-week-old weanlings are
85% susceptible from one exposure. There is serious debate in the
literature over the likelihood of non-vaccinated, healthy adult
cats becoming infected with the virus but it seems that ~40% of
cats exposed become immune, ~30 percent become persistently
infected (show acute signs of a related-disease) and ~30 percent
become infected, but the virus is latent in their system. (Hardy,
et al, 1980).
Is the vaccine expensive and how often do my cats need to be
vaccinated?
After your cat has gone through its more elaborate set of
kitten-shots, the FeLV vaccine should be given once a year. Prices
vary between vets, locally and nationally. I surveyed readers of
rec.pets.cats and contacted vets around the country and found that
prices for the vaccination alone cost between $9 and $30 dollars.
The average was $18 (not including the vet-visit charge). It seems
that the FeLV test costs about the same, but I didn't do a
full-scale survey.
If I get my cat vaccinated, isn't there a chance that it will catch
the virus from the vaccine?
No. As of July 1992, all of the vaccines which are approved for
sale in the United States are incapable of causing a positive FeLV
test result. (Sorry, but I don't have figures for vaccines in
other countries. If anyone does, feel free to append them onto
this FAQ.)
Do I have to get my cats vaccinated?
No one can force you to vaccinate your pets, though there are laws
in some areas regarding certain diseases like rabies. Check with
your vet to see what vaccines are required.
My cats are indoors-only. Why should I bother getting them vaccinated?
You never know when your cat may escape to the outside, even for
only a short period. Many people who lived through Hurricane
Andrew or the LA Earthquake can tell you that some of their
indoors-only cats ended up on the street for days. Fortunately
disasters like these are infrequent, but the point is accidents
can happen -- you never know when the plumber is going to leave
the front door open for too long, or a visitor won't realize your
cats are not allowed out, or whatever. In the few hours or days
that your cat is outside it could come in contact with an infected
cat, and it is better to give your cat that 75-85% boost to its
natural resistance.
My cat gets sick after it gets vaccinations. Why should I put my cat
through that?
Some cats do have bad reactions to vaccines. However, it is better
to have a cat sick for one day per year from being vaccinated than
to have it die a miserable death from an FeLV-related disease. If
your cat has a bad reaction to a shot, ANY shot, and the reaction
lasts more than 12-24 hours, you should immediately bring your cat
to the vet. Even if your cat has a mild reaction, you should at
least discuss the matter with your vet to see what are the best
options for next year's vaccinations. It may be best to spread
your cat's annual vaccinations out over a few months, or have them
all administered at once. This is definitely a matter which should
be discussed with your veterinarian.
I already have cat(s) and I found another which I want to bring home.
What precautions should I take regarding FeLV (and FIV)?
This depends on the environment the new cat comes from. If it is a
stray, or from a shelter which does not routinely test for the
viruses (make sure you ask this of any shelter you visit), or from
a household where you have reason to doubt the person has had the
cat vaccinated, then keep the new cat separated from yours until
you can have a vet examine it for many things. Keep it in a
separate room and provide its own food dish, water bowl and kitty
litter. DO NOT let your cats share any of these things, or share
the same space, until your vet checks out the new one. If it is a
feral cat, it may never have been vaccinated against FeLV and
Rabies, or if it was a housecat it may be past its time for an
update and have been exposed. Cats which have been on the street
may also have ringworm or other parasites which are transmittable
to you and your pets.
How is FeLV detected?
Your vet will do a blood test; there are two types of blood tests
which can be performed. Some vets will automatically do one of the
tests before vaccinating your cat to make sure it is not already
positive for the virus. The first (ELISA test) is where the vet
takes some of your cat's blood, mixes it with a chemical and
watches for a color change. If the blood changes color then your
cat has tested positive for the virus. False positives are not
uncommon in this form of test, so if your cat tests positive it
may be a good idea to have it retested. "Light positives" are
where the treated blood only changes color slightly. This means
your cat is infected with the virus, but the virus is not very
active in its system. The second type (IFA test) involves sending
the blood sample to a special lab. This lab tests to see if the
virus is being produced in the bone marrow. If this second test is
positive, it is unlikely that your cat will ever test negative.
Below is a flow chart (from a lecture by Dr. William Hardy, U of
Penn. Vet School) which depicts what you should do if your cat
tests positive on the ELISA test:
+ If positive:
o whether healthy or sick, confirm by Indirect Fluorescent
Antibody test (IFA)
+ If negative:
o if healthy and not exposed to a positive cat then no
need to retest
o if healthy but exposed to a positive cat then retest
in 3 months because the healthy cat may be incubating
the virus.
o if sick then confirm the ELISA test with an IFA test
So some cats who test positive can later test negative?
Yes. If you have a cat which tests positive on the ELISA test, you
should immediately have an IFA test done. If it tests negative on
the IFA test, you should have your cat retested with the ELISA
test in 3 months. If a cat does not test negative again in roughly
three months, chances are it will always test positive. Vets and
Virologists have devised an entire classification scheme of the
different types of infected cats (transciently infected,
persistently infected, etc.) based on the ELISA and IFA tests. It
can be very confusing and if you are interested in learning the
details you should consult with your vet regarding your particular
cat's status.
How long does a cat who tests positive have to live?
There is no set time period for how long an FeLV+ cat will live.
One person on the internet said they had a cat which lived for 20
years with the virus, while others have given dates as long as 10
or 12 years, although these are probably extremes. I have not
found any truly long-term studies to document, but it seems that
of the studies done, 83% of FeLV+ cats do not live beyond 4 years.
(Hardy, et al 1980). All cats which do not later test negative,
but in all other ways are healthy, are carriers for the virus.
Even though they do not have acute symptoms, they can still spread
the virus to cats which are not infected. Often people do not have
their cat tested for the presence of FeLV until the cat is
noticeably sick, and by this time the FeLV-related disease may
have progressed too far for the cat to recover.
What are symptoms for which I should be on the lookout?
Unfortunately, since FeLV is a retrovirus which attacks your cat's
immune system, your cat can become ill from many things as a
result of the virus. This makes looking for a 'sure sign' very
difficult. Often the immune system is weak so your cat will become
chronically infected with certain conditions such as stomatitis,
gingivitis, oral ulcers, abscesses and non-healing wounds of the
skin, upper respiratory infections or FIP. Some cats whose
digestive tracts are affected have been described as staring at
their food bowl seemingly unable to remember how to eat.
Basically, whenever your cat shows chronic, peculiar and/or
unhealthy behavior, take it to a vet to be examined.
_________________________________________________________________
PART II: If your cat has tested positive
Some of these points are mentioned in the general section above, but
here are more specific questions geared to people whose cats have
tested positive. The most important point to stress is that FeLV+ cats
*MUST* be made indoors-only. This needs to be done for two reasons.
First, the more you expose your cat to outside ills, the more likely
it is to contract an FeLV-related disease or infection. The second
reason is that FeLV+ cats are like Typhoid-Marys to any other cat they
meet. As noted above, the vaccine is only 75-85% effective, so any
vaccinated cat that your cat encounters is at risk, as well as any
stray. If these cats are then infected and they continue to interact
and infect other cats, then you could give rise to an epidemic in your
area. If you cannot or will not keep your FeLV+ cat indoors, than the
only humane thing to do is find a home for it with someone who will
(ways to do this are suggested below), or have your cat put to sleep.
This may sound extreme, but it is extremely selfish to allow your cat
to roam the neighborhood possibly infecting all the local outdoor cats
just because you refuse to keep your cat indoors. Keeping your cat
indoors is one of the responsibilities of owning a infected cat.
My cat has tested positive. Should it be put to sleep?
The mere fact of testing positive is not enough to merit putting a
cat to sleep, although there may be other significant factors
involved which do make putting the cat to sleep the best option.
There are vets who recommend putting all FeLV+ cats to sleep. If
your vet recommends this and you feel comfortable with that
decision, then that is the best solution. Sometimes putting an
FeLV+ cat to sleep is the best option for the cat, especially if
it has acute symptoms and is in pain. This is never an easy
decision and one which should not be taken lightly. If you do not
feel you are capable of emotionally dealing with having an FeLV+
cat (or cannot keep the cat indoors), but do not want to put the
cat to sleep, there are other alternatives which are discussed
below. The one thing you should not do is ignore the virus. If
your cat has tested positive, then you have a responsibility to
take some action. Feline Leukemia Virus will not go away if you
just ignore it!
What will happen to my cat now that it has tested positive?
Because there are so many different ways to respond to the
presence of the virus, it is impossible to predict exactly what
will happen (and when it will happen) to your cat. I've noticed
that any 5 vets you ask will give you 5 different answers to this
question. The scientists who experiment and publish on the disease
are also in disagreement. I have presented two different
(published) viewpoints below. According to Hardy, et al (1980),
(and these people seem to be the authorities on the disease)
roughly half of all cats who test positive (and do not test
negative within a three month period) are persistently infected
and show acute signs of FeLV-related diseases. The other half are
latently infected and are in all other aspects 'healthy' although
they are still carriers. 17% of all cats which test positive (and
do not later test negative) will live past 4 years. The next point
of view is taken from a much more recent article and has radically
different statistics. According to Loar (1993) of cats which test
positive for the disease only 5% will immediately become infected
with an FeLV-related disease. The other 95% will enter the latent
phase which will last for months to years. These 95% are still
carriers for the disease and can infect other cats.
Although my cat has tested positive, it is healthy in all other
respects. How can I prevent an FeLV-related disease from becoming
active in its system?
There is no sure way to keep your cat healthy. Eventually, an
FeLV-related disease will probably develop no matter what you do.
However, one way in which a disease is likely to develop is if you
stress your cat's system. If a cat's system is stressed, its body
can't put as much energy into fighting off illnesses (just like
you always seem to get sick during exams or when you have to make
a presentation to your boss). "When all my cat does is eat and
sleep 20 hours a day, how can it possibly be stressed?" you may
ask. Anything which is upsetting or unpleasant for your cat may
stress it, such as going for very long periods without food or
water, overcrowding, movement to new territory, territorial
conflicts, sending your cat to be boarded for long periods of
time, or pregnancy and lactation. (Of course one should NEVER
breed a FeLV+ queen as it will expose not only the tom, but all
the kittens will be FeLV+. There is also an indication, although
no proof, that FeLV causes abortions in queens. For the same
reasons, neither should FeLV+ toms be bred.) Basically, keep in
mind things which you have noticed in the past that seriously
upset your cat. These are things which are more likely to lower
your cat's natural immune system and give a disease the chance to
attack.
Should I continue to vaccinate my cat if it is FeLV+?
The literature recommends against continued FeLV vaccinations.
Other feline vaccinations (panleukopenia, rabies, etc.) should be
continued.
I have had several cats for a long time. One of them recently tested
positive, but the others have not. Do I need to get rid of the FeLV+
one?
This is a tough situation, for which there is no pat answer. You
should discuss the matter with your vet. One vet I spoke with felt
that chances are the other cats have already been exposed and it
is probably best to just keep them up on their vaccinations and
not change the household drastically. One study (Barlough, 1984)
says that in a survey of 45 households from which FeLV+ cats were
removed, 99.5% of the FeLV- cats remained negative. However
households in which the FeLV+ cats were not removed had infection
rates 40 times greater. It is probably best to remove the infected
cat if it can be sent to a good home without causing too much
disruption in your household.
I have an FeLV+ cat and I want to find it a playmate. What should I
do?
There a few options. The only thing which you really ought NOT to
do is get a healthy cat as a playmate or let your cat outside for
excitement. Dogs cannot become infected with the Feline Leukemia
Virus, and some dogs and cats, especially those raised together
can be very close. One word of warning: getting a dog (or any pet)
for the sole reason of keeping a cat company is not a good idea.
If you consider getting a dog, make sure you understand the amount
of time and responsibility that goes into caring for a dog (which
is much more than that of a cat); otherwise you will regret the
decision and both you and the dog will suffer. (There are
excellent dog FAQs which will give you as much information on the
matter as you can handle).
The other option is getting another FeLV+ cat. The obvious down
side is that you not only have twice the vet bills, but you also
put yourself at risk for twice the heart-ache when one or both
become ill. However, if you are willing to take the risk you can
search for FeLV+ cats by putting an ad in the newspaper and
calling all your local vets and animal shelters and explaining
your situation. They may put you on a list and should they receive
any cats which test positive, they may give you a call. Make sure
you give your current vet as a reference as most shelters and
other vets will want to make sure you understand the
responsibility of owning an FeLV+ cat or to make sure that you are
not some sociopath looking for sick kitty-cats to do nasty things
to.
I have an FeLV+ cat that is otherwise healthy, I do not want to put it
to sleep, but I can't keep it. What can I do?
Similar to the above answer, place ads in the newspaper and
contact your local shelters and vets and tell them you have an
FeLV+ cat which you are willing to give to a good home. A good
home is someone with another FeLV+ cat, or someone who does not
have any other cats and will keep the cat indoors. Also, there are
animal shelters which specifically take in FeLV+ cats. Again,
contact your local vets and shelters to see if they are aware of
any such haven to which you could send your cat. Almost all
regular shelters will put to sleep any cat they receive which
tests positive because the virus is so contagious.
If you choose to put an ad in the paper you MUST take the
responsibility of making sure the people who express interest in
your cat are doing so for legitimate reasons. You should interview
them in person and check references if possible. There are
people who will lie to get cats to feed to other pets, to sell to
labs or to abuse. Think about this as you interview each potential
candidate.
_________________________________________________________________
References
* Hardy, William D., Essex, Myron, and McClelland, Alexander J.
(eds). Feline Leukemia Virus. Elsevier/North-Holland, Inc. New
York, 1980.
* Loar, Andrew S. "Feline Leukemia Virus: immunization and
prevention" in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal
Practice. 23(1):193-211, 1993.
* Barlough, J.E. "Seriodiagnostic aids and management practice for
retrovirus and coronavirus infections" in Veterinary Clinics of
North America: Small Animal Practice 14(5):955-969, 1984.
* Olsen, R.G. et al "Oncogenic viruses of domestic animals: in
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice
16(6):1129-1144, 1986.
Also, the Journal of the Am. Vet. Med. Association, 199(10), Nov. 15,
1991 is devoted entirely to feline viral diseases.
_________________________________________________________________
This article is Copyright (c) 1994 by Erin Rebecca Miller [
[email protected]]
All rights reserved, please ask about redistribution.
_________________________________________________________________
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.9 | Miscellaneous information | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:49 | 739 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
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Subject: rec.pets.cats: Miscellaneous Information FAQ
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Last-modified: 24 Feb 1995
=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
LAUNDERABLE ITEMS
On launderable items: put in the washing machine with a cup of vinegar
and no detergent, then wash again as usual.
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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 seeds 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Other Cats in the Cat Family
Other cats in the cat family are usually 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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
var`qiant 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.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Preparing Food for your Cat
The following recipes are extracted from D.S. Kronfeld, 1986.
Therapeutic diets for dogs and cats including a simple system of
recipes. Tijdschrift voor diergeneeskunde 111 (suppl. 1) 37s-41s.
BASIC RECIPE FOR CAT MAINTENANCE DIET
* 70 g dry white rice (1/3 c)
* 140 g 80% lean hamburger (2/3 c)
* 30g beef liver (1/8 c)
* 11 g bone meal (1 tbsp)
* 5 g corn oil (2 tsp)
* 2 g iodized salt (1/2 tsp)
Combine rice, 2/3 c water, bone meal, salt, and corn oil. Simmer about
20 min. Add meat and beef liver; simmer for 10 minutes. Cool before
serving. Can be frozen or refrigerated for several days.
Yield: 800 kcal metabolizable energy; 30% protein, %ME. (1.3% calcium,
1.1% phosphorus, 0.5% potassium, 0.45% sodium, 0.15% magnesium,
calculated on a dry matter basis)
CATS AT RISK OF FUS
Replace bone meal with 3 g (2 tsp) calcium carbonate or 1/2 tsp ground
limestone (NOT dolomite, which is rich in Mg). This lowers calcium
from 1.3% to 0.7%, phosphorus from 1.1 to 0.3%, magnesium from 0.15%
to 0.08%. Calcium carbonate or limestone does not blend well; you may
prefer to give this in pill or capsule form. Salt can be increased to
1 tsp to promote water intake, and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ammonium chloride
can be added as a urinary acidifier.
KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS
Substitute 40-50% fat hamburger (50-60% lean) for regular hamburger to
lower protein content to 13%. For a protein content of 11%, substitute
1 medium-large egg (55g) and 1 Tbsp chicken fat (15 g) for meat.
Animals in renal failure are anorexic, and maintaining adequate
calorie intake may be one of the most important things in their
therapy.
HEART FAILURE
Without salt, the "regular recipe" has 0.05% sodium (compares to 0.03%
in special canned "heart diets" and 0.05% in the dry form). These
levels are suitable for animals in end-stage heart failure; for 1st
and 2nd stage chronic heart failure, 0.25% sodium is recommended (use
1/4 tsp salt in the basic recipe instead of 1/2 tsp). Or use 1/2 tsp
"lite salt" (50-50 sodium chloride and potassium chloride) to reduce
sodium to 0.25% and raise potassium from 0.5% to 0.7%. This may be
desirable if a potassium-robbing diuretic is being used, and
especially if digitalis is also prescribed, since digitalis is more
toxic in animals low in potassium. If salt is entirely left out of the
diet, 1/4 tsp potassium chloride may be included to keep the animal
from becoming potassium deficient.
LOW FAT DIET
For non-specific gastrointestinal problems, malabsorption, osmotic
diarrhea, pancreatitis, hepatic lipidosis, lymphangiectasis, and
portocaval shunts.
To reduce fat levels, substitute one of the following for the 70 g
(2.5 oz)of 80% lean hamburger:
100 g (3.5 oz) 90% lean meat 10% fat
120 g (4.3 oz) egg 12% fat
180 g (6.3 oz) heart 4% fat
230 g (8.2 oz) cottage cheese 1% fat
400 g (14.4 oz) egg white, COOKED 0% fat
Substitute 1 tsp safflower oil for 2 tsp corn oil. In extreme cases,
reduce safflower oil to 1/2 tsp., or substitute MCT (medium chain
triglyceride)
LOW FAT, HIGH FIBER DIET
For geriatric animals, chronic enteritis or pancreatitis.
* 1/2 c dry white rice
* 1/3 c 90% lean hamburger
* 1/3 c wheat bran
* 2 Tbsp beef liver
* 1 Tbsp bone meal
* 2 tsp corn oil
* 1/2 tsp iodized salt
(this diet has only 700 calories, compared to 800 for the basal diet).
If the bran is too irritating to the intestines, replace all or part
of the bran with alpha cellulose (e.g. Solka Floc, from Brown & Co,
Berlin, New Hampshire, USA). This will greatly decrease the available
calories also.
REDUCING DIET
* 1/3 c dry white rice
* 1/3 c 90% lean hamburger
* 2/3 c wheat bran
* 2 Tbsp beef liver
* 1 Tbsp bone meal
* 2 tsp corn oil
* 1/2 tsp iodized salt
This diet has only 600 cal compared to 800 calories of the basal diet.
HYPOALLERGENIC DIET
Substitute hamburger, ground mutton or lamb, pork, turkey, chicken, or
fish for the meat that had been normally consumed. Substitute chicken
or turkey liver for beef liver.
LOW PURINE DIET
Substitute a comprehensive trace mineral and vitamin tablet that
contains vitamin B-12 for liver in base diet. Replace meat with 1 or 2
eggs blended in 1/4 to 1/2 c cows milk. Carrots or tomatoes can be
blended in. This may reduce protein content, but increase acceptance.
Do not add other vegetables.
Kay's comments:
I tried the recipes above on my 6 cats (not picky eaters!) They
eagerly accepted the basic diet, but were not especially fond of the
reducing diet... adding a tsp of instant minced onion seemed to
improve the acceptance, as did a little catnip mixed in.
Most cats should do well with the basic diet. If you make major
changes (such as the low fat or reducing versions), you may also want
to make up some basic diet and gradually shift the cat from basic to
special diet.
_________________________________________________________________
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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
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:
1. Cook any meat for you or your cat thoroughly.
2. Use care when handling raw meat.
3. Wear household gloves when handling litter.
4. Use disinfectant to clean the litter pan and surrounding area.
5. Change the cat litter often.
6. Keep children's sandpits covered when not in use.
7. 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.
An article in Cats Magazine (January, 1994) mentions toxo. To quote:
...transmission of the disease between cats and humans is highly
unlikely. In fact, Karen D. Brooks, DVM, states that 'although the
possibility of transmission from cats to humans exists, there has
never been a documented case of prenatal toxoplasma infection in a
human that was caused by a cat' (Veterinary Technician, September,
1992). Experts believe the real culprits of toxoplasmosis
transmission are probably contaminated soil and infected meat.
The only way cats can transmit toxoplasmosis is through their feces,
so simply having another family member change the litter box or
wearing gloves and washing thoroughly afterward eliminates the risk.
A pregnant woman should also wear gloves when gardening to avoid any
contact with feces that may have been buried by outdoor cats. If
other children in the family have a sandbox, it should be covered to
prevent cats from using it as a litter box. It must be stressed that
it is not possible to contract toxoplasmosis by petting, being
licked by, or otherwise handling a cat.
If you have had toxoplasmosis in the past, you can't get it again. You
can be tested to determine if you already have the antibodies,
indicating that you have had the disease in the past and would not
contract it again. Even if you do carry the antibodies, it would be
wise to take all the same precautions, but that simple test could help
ease your mind about the risk.
Re: toxoplasmosis: This is a short summary from the chapter on
zoonoses (animal/human shared diseases) by Gary D. Nosworthy (pp.
577-582) in Nosworthy, G D (ed.) 1993. Feline Practice. JB Lippincott,
Philadephia. ISBN 0 397 51204 X
Approximately 80% of the cats in the US show evidence of prior
infection with Toxoplasma gondii, the causative organism. However,
cats are able to release the stage (oocyst) that can infect humans
only once during the cat's lifetime, and then, only for a maximum of
two weeks. Oocysts remain infective for about 5 days maximum.
About 1/3 of the US population has been infected with T. gondii; once
you are infected, you are immune. The only time that T. gondii causes
more of a problem than a mild flu-ish illness is if you are
immunosuppressed (AIDS, organ transplant recipient, etc.) or you
become infected while you are pregnant. About 20-50% of the fetuses
exposed to their mother's new T. gondii infection will become
infected. Current US estimates of infection are that 1 of 1000 babies
(0.1%) are infected. If you have a previous infection with T. gondii,
you can handle infected materials with impunity during pregnancy...
you and your baby are protected by your antibodies.
Cats are probably not the largest source of infection of T. gondii in
the US: Having a pet cat, direct contact with cats around the house,
working in a vet hospital do not increase the likelihood of
contracting toxoplasmosis.
(ref: Reif, JS. 1980. Toxoplasmosis: Assessment of the role of cats in
human infection. Compend. Contin. Educ. Pract. Vet. 2:810; Ganley,
JP, Comstock, GW, 1980. Association of cats and toxoplasmosis, Am.
J. Epidemiol. 111:238)
The best way to prevent the problems of toxoplasmosis contracted
during pregnancy may be to contract it BEFORE pregnancy... The most
common mode of transmission in the US is contact with uncooked or
undercooked meat, esp. pork.
(ref: Jones, TC. 1983. Toxoplasmosis , p 438. IN Kay, D, Rose, LF,
(eds.) Fundamentals of Internal Medicine. CV Mosby, St. Louis.)
Other modes of transmission in the US (much rarer) include
transfusions of blood cells or platelets, or organ transplants.
There is also an experimental vaccine for T. gondii in cats. It is not
commercially available.
Vets and physicians can have blood samples tested for T. gondii
antibodies. T. gondii antibodies during pregnancy do not mean that the
woman has just been infected... they probably reflect an old
infection. Only rising antibody titers during pregnancy are a cause
for concern.
Good cooking and handwashing practices will reduce the likelihood of
infection of a previously uninfected pregnant woman to nearly nil.
_________________________________________________________________
Miscellaneous Information FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
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=======
The latest versions of these FAQ's may be obtained via the Web at
http://io.com/user/tittle/cats-faq/homepage.html.
The multiple posted (ASCII) parts of the FAQ are all archived at rtfm.mit.edu
(18.181.0.24) in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq. The
files are: table-of-contents, getting-a-cat, general-care, health-care,
medical-info, outside-world, behavior, leukemia, misc, and resources.
To obtain the files, first try ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and look under that
directory. If ftp does not work from your site, then try the mail server:
send email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/table-of-contents
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/getting-a-cat
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/general-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/health-care
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/medical-info
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/outside-world
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/behavior
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/leukemia
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/misc
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/resources
in the body of the message (leave the subject line empty). If you
don't want all of them, include only the lines of the ones you want.
You do have to repeat the path information for each file.
There is a FAQ dealing with the grief of losing a pet. It is
generalized for all pets, and is archived at rtfm.mit.edu under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss, or
"sent usenet/news.answers/pets/pet-loss" to the mail-server.
Finally, there is a FAQ on fleas and ticks. It is not included with
the cat FAQs because it is generalized for dogs AND cats. However, it
is also archived at rtfm.mit.edu, under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks for ftp, or
"send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks" to the mail-server.
==========
RESOURCES
Note: Please see the Table of Contents FAQ for a complete list of
topics.
_________________________________________________________________
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 [email protected] for details.
The Internet Vet Column is available to all interested parties. The
concept is similar to that of "Dear Abby": questions are sent in, and
several are selected for answers. The column is mailed out once a
week. To subscribe, send email to [email protected] with subscribe
internet-vet-column your-email-address in the body of the message. To
send questions, send them to [email protected]. The column is
not a mailing list. You will not get any mail from this list other
than the weekly column. The majority of the questions are expected to
be about dogs and cats, although other domestic and exotic animals
have not been ruled out. Jeff Parke, DVM is the veterinarian answering
the questions; Cindy Tittle Moore ([email protected]) the list owner. Both
Jeff and Cindy receive email queries sent to [email protected].
There is a feline-l mailing list. To subscribe, send email to
[email protected] 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. This is for general interest in domestic cats.
The cat fanciers mailing list is for those seriously interested in the
breeding and showing of cats. Drop an inquiry to Orca Starbuck at
[email protected] for more information about the group.
A mailing list for non-domestic cats has been recently created. This
is [email protected] (don't confuse this with feline-l, for
domestic cats). Subscribe by sending email to [email protected]
with subscribe FELINES-L your name in the body of the message where
"your name" is your own name, not your login or email address. The
list owner is [email protected] (Tobias Koehler)
_________________________________________________________________
Literary References
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"
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
_________________________________________________________________
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.
Mller, 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
beautiful artwork of big cats, accompanied by scholarly, and
well-referenced text.
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.
Povey, R. Charles. 1985. Infectious diseases of Cats: A clinical
handbook. Centaur Press, Guelph, Ontario C85-098602-8
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 TTouch: 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(?).
_________________________________________________________________
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
Laboratory 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.
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
_________________________________________________________________
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.
A Tale of Two Kitties 11054 Ventura Blvd., Suite 133 Studio City, CA
91604 tel: 818-509-2924 Novelty cat items: cups, statuettes, cards,
etc.
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.
_________________________________________________________________
Resources FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
Erin Rebecca Miller, [email protected]
-----cut here-----
|
| 886.11 | Grief and pet loss | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:50 | 536 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: [email protected] (Charlene Douglas)
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GRIEF AND PET LOSS
This article was written by Charlene Douglass. Copyright 1994, all
rights reserved. This may be found on the Web at
http://www.io.com/user/tittle/pets/pet-loss.html
_________________________________________________________________
* Introduction
* Pet Loss
* Attachment
* Normal Manifestations of Grief
* Complicated Grief Responses
* Grieving Children
* Similarities and Differences Between Loss of a Human and Loss of a
Pet
* Euthanasia
* Ways to Help Clients
* Veterinarian Responsibility
* List of References
_________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Grief is the price one pays for love: it is an intense emotional
suffering caused by loss, disaster, misfortune; a deep sense of
sadness; pain. Grief leads to mourning which is the expression of
grief (the act of working through the pain). Grief and mourning, as
well as death, are inevitable parts of pet ownership. The human-animal
bond is broken in many ways. Pets develop acute or chronic illnesses,
are victims of accidents, or die of old age. Pets are also lost or
stolen, given up for adoption, or euthanized due to unresolvable
behavior problems. Whatever the circumstances, broken bonds create
feelings of loss.
Pet loss is a socially-negated and trivialized loss. Consequently,
feelings of grief are often short-circuited, stuffed, and denied. In
Western culture, there are no socially sanctioned ways to mourn the
loss of companion animals. This is due, in part, to the belief that
pets are easily forgotten and replaced. Loss is as traumatic
psychologically as being severely injured is physically. The grieving
process is the healing process necessary to recover from loss.
Grieving is the normal way to cope with loss. Grieving takes time and
is not "over" in a matter of days or weeks. When grief is allowed free
expression, the healing time is reduced; when grief is restricted, its
manifestations last much longer.
Most people are familiar with the grief model popularized by Dr.
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. She identified five stages of grief that dying
people experience and labeled them denial (guilt), anger, bargaining,
depression, and acceptance. Another well-known model of grief is
Worden's four tasks of mourning:
* accept the reality of the loss
* experience the pain of grief
* adjust to an environment in which the deceased is missing
* withdraw emotional energy and reinvest it in another relationship
The counseling principles that will allow the above four tasks to
occur are as follows:
* help the survivor actualize the loss
* help the survivors identify and express their feelings
* assist the survivor to live without the deceased
* facilitate emotional withdrawl from the deceased
* provide time to grieve
* interpret "normal" behavior
* allow for individual differences
* provide continuing support
* examine defenses and coping styles
* identify pathology and, if it exists, refer to mental health
professional
Healthy grief is resilent and forward moving. Its underlying direction
is from denial and sadness to reconstruction. Dysfunctional grief
involves a stopping of mourning or an exaggeration of characteristics
of the first three stages of grief. These characteristics become rigid
and fixed, persisting over time. Symptomatology can include denial and
avoidance of reality, chronic anger and guilt, persistent depression
and a prolonged inability to cope with the basic task of living.
The intensity and duration of various stages depend on several factors
such as age, personality, and life circumstances of the owner and the
bond (don't forget the special bond surrounding assistance animals).
Pet Loss
Human beings are by nature nurturers. People form strong emotional
attachments with their pets and these attachments are sometimes very
special and different from the ones they form with people. Animals
serve as a source of unconditional love and support (something that is
virtually impossible to obtain from another human being for thinking
always gets in the way), comfort, safety, security, fun and laughter,
and stability. Pets have distinct personalities and habits and are
often considered friends and family members.
As reported in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association
in 1988, clients rate the understanding and respect they receive from
their veterinarians with regard to their feelings about their pets as
more important than the medical treatment provided. Some startling
statistics: 76% of all companion animals are euthanized; over 75% of
pet owners experience difficulties and disruptions of their lives
after a pet dies; 40-50% of clients who switch veterinarians do so
because of dissatisfaction with the circumstances surrounding the
deaths or euthanasias of their pets; and 15% of former pet owners say
they won't get another pet because "the death of the pet is too
difficult psychologically." Veterinary professionals confront loss on
a daily basis as they diagnose, treat, and euthanize companion
animals. Knowing how to intervene in crises, facilitate decisions,
prepare for euthanasias, and normalize the grief process can help
change negative experiences into meaningful ones for pet owners and
veterinarians alike.
Pet loss counseling encompasses more than grief counseling. In fact,
pet loss counseling takes place before, during, and after the deaths
of companion animals. Its focus is much more than the bereavement
process. Pet loss counseling consists of four basic components. They
are 1) emergency intervention, 2) decision-making facilitation, 3)
death and euthanasia preparation, and 4) grief support and education.
The term counseling refers to helping people through uncomplicated,
normal grief within a reasonable time frame. Some believe that normal
grief should not be tampered with, however, in the case of pet loss,
many people need "permission" from those they trust to even
acknowledge they have feelings of grief.
The key word in pet loss counseling is choice. Veterinarians dedicated
to pet loss counseling offer clients choices about being present at
euthanasias and about viewing their pets' bodies if the clients have
not been present at the time of death. They also offer choices about
necropsy and the disposition of bodies. Suggested choices about saying
good-bye to pets can be particularly meaningful to pet owners when
they are given by veterinarians. Suggestions from trusted
veterinarians give pet owners permission to say good-bye and let them
know their grief is acknowledged and validated. When clients feel they
have been offered choices about being involved in their pets' deaths,
they are more likely to feel they have made decisions that were right
for them.
Attachment
The following factors contribute to strong attachments. The human
companions of these animals may have a particularly hard time when the
pet dies.
* Pets who were rescued from death or near-death
* Pets who got owners through a "hard time" in life
* Pets who were childhood companions
* Pets who are their owners' most significant sources of support
* Pets who have been anthropomorphized to an abnormal degree
* Pets who are symbolic of other significant people (children who
are dead), relationships (previous marriages), or times in owners'
lives (a year spent traveling the country)
* Assistance animals
* Pets that have significant interaction with their owners through
extensive training (for obedience, hunting, etc).
Normal Manifestations of Grief
Physical: crying, sobbing, sighing, aching, fatigue, changes in
sleeping habits, a feeling of numbness, a sense of shock.
Intellectual: disbelief, denial, restlessness, confusion, inability to
concentrate, visual/auditory/olfactory hallucinations, preoccupation
with loss.
Emotional: sadness, anger, depression, guilt, loneliness, feeling of
helplessness, a desire to blame, a sense of relief.
Social: withdrawl, stress, irritability, anxiety, alienation, feelings
of isolation, a desire to move or relocate.
Spiritual: bargains with God, shaken religious beliefs or strengthened
religious beliefs, visions, meaningful dreams, paranormal experiences.
Complicated Grief Responses
Any of the following factors can complicate grief for pet owners:
* Other recent or multiple losses in their lives
* No previous experience with death
* Little or no support from other people
* Generally poor coping skills
* Responsibility for death
* Untimely deaths
* Sudden deaths or slow death after long illness
* Not being present at death or euthanasia
* Witnessing a painful or traumatic death
* Religious convictions
Grieving Children
Signs of grief in children include (but are not limited to) physical
symptoms (stomach aches, headaches), decline in school performance,
inability to get along with others, spending inordinate amounts of
time alone or refusing to be alone, attention-getting behavior,
frequent "accidents," nightmares, return to bedwetting, perfectionist
behaviors, retreat to a fantasy world, and addictions.
Grieving children are in need of many things such as unconditional
love (no matter what their behavior), constant reassurance that others
care, assurance that they are worthwhile, frequent explanations of
what happened (the truth, not fictions designed to "protect"
children), an active listener who "hears" what the child is saying,
help to express or verbalize griefs and fears, to be included (in
making decisions, in funerals), to be hugged and held, and any other
assistance that this is given to adults who are grieving for they may
help children also.
Similarities and Differences Between Loss of a Human and Loss of a Pet
I am often asked what the similarities and differences, if any, are
between human bereavement and bereavement for a lost pet. I have
developed a comparison sheet compiling what I think are the important
points.
SIMILARITIES
1. Grief occurs when significant love ties are broken -- that which
gives the most pleasure and enhances our lives the greatest will also,
by its loss, cause the most pain and grief. Few things add more to our
lives than the love and devotion of a faithful pet. They have no
hidden agenda, they are not judgemental, they love unconditionally.
2. The same stages of grief apply: denial and isolation, anger and
guilt, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
3. People suffering from the loss of a companion animal must be
allowed time to heal and incorporate the loss into their lives -- one
never truly "gets over" the loss of a loved one. People must be urged
to accept their grief as normal and healthy.
4. Those who lose a companion animal have as much a right to say
"good-bye" as those who lose a human loved one. It is essential that
the bereaved pet owner be encouraged to carry out the necessary
rituals of "letting go."
5. Sudden, unexplained deaths are the worst to accept especially if
the animal is young or middle-aged.
6. Death of an animal that may be the last connection to another
significant other that has previously died or left and that previous
death or departure is grieved over once again, sometimes even more
deeply.
7. The painful feelings of sadness will recur after the initial
grieving period is over (for example, on birthdays, holidays,
anniversaries, visiting favorite places or experiencing certain
situations).
DIFFERENCES
1. Unlike other areas where loss and death occur, the grief and pain
felt at the loss of a beloved pet is little understood and only
limited guidance and comfort has been available. Grief over the loss
of a pet is not totally accepted by society. The general response is
"Stop crying and just go get another animal to replace it" or "It was
just a dog (cat)." These statements are inappropriate for several
reasons:
* Would you go out and get another husband or wife? Why would you
tell someone to just go out and get another animal?
* You can never "replace" one animal with another -- they are as
unique and individual as we humans.
* Statements such as this tend to make the grieving person feel
guilty and stupid for feeling sad and upset. This only adds to the
problem.
* Animals are not "its" -- they are living, breathing, sentient
animals just as we humans are.
2. We humans can legally choose to actively euthanize our animals.
This is accepted by society. This causes tremendous emotional turmoil
-- guilt, questions, playing God, waiting for signs, and anticipatory
grief.
3. People have a hard time acknowledging the fact that our animals are
so very important to our physical and mental well-being. This denial
causes emotional confusion and turmoil.
4. Many people have a difficult time wondering where their animals go
after death -- many of us believe that human loved ones have heaven,
but where do the animals go? Many people state that they want the
peace of mind in knowing that they will see their animals again in
heaven. (I remind them that as far as the Bible is concerned, God only
threw the humans out of paradise.)
(The following excerpt from an editorial written by Bill Hall of the
Lweiston Tribune illustrates No. 3 above.)
"When you stop to think about it, it's odd that human beings develop
such a deep bond of affection with dogs and cats. We don't have that
much in common. Ballerinas and truck drivers don't usually hang
around together, nor do rocket scientists and newspaper columnists.
Yet they have far more in common with each other than they do with
dogs or cats. Nonetheless, people routinely develop deeper bonds of
genuine affection with their pets than they do with all but a
handful of their fellow human beings. Why is that?
"The question came up last week when I lost the best cat I ever knew
and felt the pain of his parting as keenly as I would a human
friend. And that's odd. Though we both had hair on our faces and
both enjoyed sleeping on the couch, we did not have a great deal in
common. We aren't even the same kind of mammal. How could such a
friendship ever bloom? After all, in human relationships, we tend to
pal around with people with whom we have something in common --
people about as smart as we are, people who like the same hobbies we
like, people who enjoy the same jokes we do -- people who like us
most of all because we are so much like them. There is a lot of
self-flattery in our choice of human friends.
"But look at my rather typical relationship with a cat: A cat has an
IQ of about 3 and mine is at least 10 points higher. A cat eats raw
birds and mice and I refuse. A cat is a squat little hairy thing
that walks around outside in all kinds of weather on its hands and
feet. It drinks out of a toilet. And it breeds in the bushes. No
matter what you may have heard, I have done none of that.
"So at first glance, a cat isn't the sort of person you would expect
to become friends with, let alone develop a bond of affection that
can be broken only with pain. Nonetheless, if you see a man and his
cat -- a cat and his man -- strolling across a yard together, you
can plainly see the bond between them in their body language. You
can see by the way the cat runs toward the man when he comes home --
and from how glad the man is to see his pal -- that these two widely
diverse creatures are friends, in the full sense of that word, not
just in some master-pet arrangement.
"And when the cat dies in one of these cross-species friendships,
the grief is sharp and deep -- so much so that, when my old pal
Sterling died suddenly I was filled with wonder at my own reaction.
How could something so different take so big a bite out of my
feelings with him when he went?"
Euthanasia
Special considerations need to be addressed when helping a client make
a decision regarding euthanasia. Explore the current conditions of the
animal very thoroughly. Determine what the client's previous
experience with euthanasia and/or with death is. Try to determine the
client's religious or philosophical feelings about euthanasia. Does
the animal have any special link to other people in the client's life?
Carefully evaluate the validity of the euthanasia. Can the client
provide care of the animal if the animal is not euthanized? Is the
client's quality of life changed because of the animal's present
condition? Can the client afford needed treatment?
In evaluating the validity of the euthanasia consider the following:
* Is the animal's condition prolonged, recurring, or getting worse?
* Is the animal no longer responsive to treatment?
* Is the animal in pain or suffering (pain can be relieved,
suffering cannot; psychological suffering is as important as
physical suffering)?
* If the animal recovers, will the animal be chronically ill and
unable to enjoy life?
* If the animal recovers, will there be personality changes?
* And perhaps the most difficult question of all -- Am I having
trouble with the decisions because I can't let go? In other words,
am I keeping the animal alive for my own sake?
Most people have the greatest difficulty with the idea of active
euthanasia, which involves a specific act to terminate life quickly.
This procedure is, of course, unacceptable in human medicine. Active
euthanasia, in which there is a conscious decision to terminate a
medically compromised life, is unique to veterinary medicine.
Euthanasia is killing, and from our earliest years we are taught that
killing is wrong. There are many reasons why clients request
euthanasia for their pets; some are appropriate reasons while others
constitute inappropriate reasons for euthanasia. While the client has
the legal right to request euthanasia for a pet, the veterinary
professional has the right to refuse if other alternatives that would
allow the pet to continue to live a good life might be available.
After a client has decided that euthanasia is the appropriate choice
for a pet, the client should be allowed to choose the timing of the
euthanasia, to participate in or watch the procedure, to be allowed to
see the pet after he/she is dead if the client did not participate in
the procedure, and how to take care of the pet's remains.
Other helpful hints when dealing with euthanasia:
1. Avoid the terminology "put to sleep;" parents put their children to
sleep every night.
2. Explain the procedure fully beforehand.
3. Make arrangements for the remains beforehand -- encourage closure.
4. Make arrangements for payment of the bill beforehand (either prepay
or bill later).
5. Set aside a time at the end of the work day for euthanasia so
clients will not be interrupted or rushed. Arrange for a separate
entrance and exit for these clients.
6. Allow time with animal alone before euthanasia. Be sure to have
Kleenex available.
7. Offer the family the opportunity to be present.
8. Perform euthanasia with someone else present to not only provide
the veterinarian support but also for your client; have a towel
present (explain defecation/urination that may occur, explain agonal
gasp, consider using a pre-anesthetic and catheter).
9. Allow time with animal alone after euthanasia.
10. Prepare the body respectfully.
11. Use whatever the client supplies or use coffin or box -- never use
trash bags.
12. Help client to their car -- allow them their grief -- be
supportive. Be sure they can drive safely.
13. Send card/flowers or call next day.
14. Follow up with client who does not return -- for what reasons: no
pet, angry over something, what?
15. Don't be afraid to do "at home" euthanasia.
Ways to Help Clients
Two of the most effective ways to help your clients is to validate
their feelings and encourage them to talk about the loss.
Other ways to help:
First, don't belittle the loss.
Second, listen.
Third, don't lie, especially to a child.
Fourth, don't encourage or discourage the acquisition of another pet.
Fifth, don't scoff at the idea of a ceremony -- people need closure
and a chance to say goodbye.
Sixth, go over various events and visit places associated with the
animal to helping accepting the reality of the loss, looking at
pictures, reminiscing about the good and bad times, noting the
resemblance of the lost pet to other animals and talking about how the
pet enhanced one's life are excellent ways to help accept the loss.
Seventh, know and communicate to your clients that mourning a pet is
natural and normal and nothing of which they should feel ashamed.
Clients must give themselves permission to grieve and to accept that
mourning takes time.
Veterinarian Responsibility
A short word about veterinarians. Veterinarians must sort out their
own feelings toward animal death. This may be a time when
veterinarians must confront a sense of their own mortality; others
must confront feelings of failure; still others must confront a desire
to either hide their feelings by becoming very professional and cold
in dealing with animal death or becoming so involved with each they
risk burnout. A comfortable middle must be found.
List of References
FOR ADULT CLIENTS
Anderson, Moira. Coping With Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet. Los
Angeles: Peregrine Press, 1994.
Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: MacMillian Pub.
Co., 1969. [Didn't Macmillian get brought out? you might check whether
this is going out of print or not.]
Lee, L & M. Absent Friend: Coping With the Loss of a Treasured Pet.
Bucks, England: Henston, 1992.
Lemieux, C.M. Coping With the Loss of a Pet: A Gentle Guide for All
Who Love a Pet. Wallace R. Clark, 1988.
Montgomery, M & H. A Final Act of Caring: Ending the Life of an Animal
Friend. Minneapolis, MN: Montgomery Press, 1993.
Quackenbush, Jamie & Graveline, Denise. When Your Pet Dies: How to
Cope With Your Feelings. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985.
Sibbit, Sally. "Oh Where Has My Pet Gone?": A Pet Loss Memory Book,
Ages 3-103. Wayzata, MN: B. Libby Press, 1991.
Silverman, W.B. & Cinnamon, K.M. When Mourning Comes: A Book of
Comfort for the Grieving. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1990.
ADULT GUIDES FOR HELPING CHILDREN DEAL WITH PET LOSS
Balk, David. Children and the Death of a Pet. Manhattan, KS:
Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Cooperative
Extension Service, Kansas State University, 1990.
Grollman, Earl. Explaining Death to Children. Boston: Beacon Press,
1970.
Jackson, Edgar. Telling a Child About Death. New York: Channel Press,
1965.
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN TO READ ABOUT PET LOSS
Rogers, Fred. When a Pet Dies. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1988.
Viorst, Judith. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. New York: Atheneum,
1971.
Wilhelm, Hans. I'll Always Love You. New York: Crown, 1985.
_________________________________________________________________
Grief and Pet Loss FAQ
Charlene Douglas
|
| 886.12 | Fleas, ticks, and your pet | PADC::KOLLING | Karen | Tue May 16 1995 18:51 | 1255 |
| Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: [email protected] (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.dogs.info,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.pets.*: Fleas, Ticks, and Your Pet FAQ
Supersedes: <pets/[email protected]>
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Date: 13 May 1995 14:21:05 GMT
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Summary: This is a FAQ on ridding your pet and home of fleas and
dealing with ticks. It is posted every thirty days.
Additions and corrections are always welcome, send email to
one of the addresses below.
X-Last-Updated: 1995/04/14
Originator: [email protected]
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Version: 1.2
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Last-modified: 13 Apr 1995
FLEAS AND TICKS
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
* About this FAQ
+ Author
+ How to get this
+ Acknowledgements
* Fleas
+ How do they enter the house?
+ Why should I worry about fleas?
+ How can I tell if my pet has fleas?
+ Preventive measures
+ How to choose your methods
+ Lifecycle
+ Keeping clean
+ Natural methods
+ Spraying inside
+ Treating outdoors areas
+ Dipping your pet
+ Combing your pet
+ Powders
+ Borax and salt
+ Vacuum
+ Flea collars
+ Newborn animals
+ Toxicities of different products
+ Flea control on rabbits
+ Systemic products
+ Homes with pregnant women/crawling infants/baby animals
+ Preventing flea infestations in your next home
+ Conclusion
* Ticks
+ Description
+ Role in diseases
+ Kinds of ticks
+ Lifecycle
+ Removing a tick
+ Infections or abscesses
+ Disposing of ticks
+ Where you pick up ticks
+ Combatting ticks
+ Lyme disease
o Transmission
o Symptoms
o Vaccination
+ R. Sanguineus
* References and Addresses
_________________________________________________________________
About this FAQ
AUTHOR
Cindy Tittle Moore, Copyright 1995 by Cindy Tittle Moore. You may
download a copy for your personal use. To redistribute, please ask.
Under no circumstances may this document be distributed for profit.
This document is provided "as is" -- no warranty, express or implied,
is attached.
HOW TO GET THIS
Copies and updates of this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to
rtfm.mit.edu under /pub/usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks. Or send
email to [email protected] with
send usenet/news.answers/pets/fleas-ticks
in the body of the message, leaving the subject line empty.
The latest version can be found at
http://www.io.com/user/tittle/pets/homepage.html
All editing is mine, and any errors should be attributed to me. I
welcome all additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file.
Please send email to me at any of the addresses at the end of this
article.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to: Sandi Ackerman, Edwin Barkdoll, Shari Bernhard, Maggie
Bonham (aka Sky Warrior), Jon R. Buyan, Brad Christofferson, James
Coggins, William S. Currie, Eric De Mund, Bill Dittman, Gene Dolgner,
Marc Gabriel, P.K. Geschwent, Jim Graham, Gary Greene, Paul Jackson,
Kathy Johnson, Marget Johnson, Renee Johnson, Kay Klier, Jon Krueger,
Kerry Kurasaki, Ellen McSorley, Dana Massey, Andy Michael, Liza Lee
Miller, Lloyd E. Miller, Peter Nichola, Jolly C. Pancakes, Jeff Parke,
Sonya Perkins, Paul Quinlan, Christine Rassmussen, Edward Reid, Keith
Silver, Susan R. Smart, Orca Starbuck, Marlene Teague, Julia Tien,
Laura Toms, Lesa Hobright Turner, Michael Waldvogel, Janeane L. Yeh
and Frank Yeh Jr., and Rich Young for their comments and suggestions.
The initial nucleus of this article may be found from a posting by
Dave Butler, who posted it sporadically a few years ago and I saved a
copy in mid 1992. It has since expanded far beyond this initial
article, but it did provide the initial impetus.
Dr. James Coggins did a presentation on ticks in Wisconsin from which
I got much of the material on ticks and Lyme disease.
Finally, I'd like to thank my own dogs for providing me with hands on
experience with ticks. :-)
_________________________________________________________________
Fleas
HOW DO THEY ENTER THE HOUSE?
Fleas can enter the home in many ways, even if your pet is not or only
rarely allowed outside. They can hop in from your yard, hitch a ride
on you, or even be left over from previous inhabitants (larvae can
remain dormant for astonishingly long periods of time under a variety
of conditions).
WHY SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT FLEAS?
Since fleas can be carriers for worms and diseases, keeping your pet
flea-free helps to keep it healthy. In addition, many pets and people
are allergic to flea-bites.
HOW CAN I TELL IF MY PET HAS FLEAS?
To check if your pet has fleas, part its hair and look for:
* Small bits of brown "dust," attached to the fur itself. The fleas
excrete digested blood. See if the dust dissolves into a red
liquid upon contact with a wet paper towel.
* Skin Irritation: flea bites or scratching and biting may leave
red, irritated skin, and even bald patches in bad cases.
* Small, fast moving brown shapes are fleas.
* Or, use a flea comb and see what you get.
You may also see "flea dust," fleas, or even larvae on your pet's
bedding.
Dried blood in its ears may indicate ear mites and you should consult
your vet to find out what the problem is.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Adult fleas spend only part of their time on your pet: they usually
leave to lay their eggs elsewhere, depending on what species they are.
Remember that households with no pets can still be infested with
fleas. Favorite places to lay eggs are outdoors, dustbunnies, rugs,
bedding, etc. Other varieties of fleas spend more time on your pet,
and lay eggs on your pet. Often these eggs fall off as your pet moves
around.
A good preventive method is to put down towels everywhere your pet
normally lies and then wash those towels once a week. Deposited flea
eggs are therefore cleaned out regularly. Regular vacuuming and
emptying of the vacuum bag also helps, independently of any method or
methods you choose to do, since that eliminates or reduces food
sources for the larvae.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR METHODS
There are several ways to kill or discourage fleas. Some are synthetic
chemicals, some are considered "natural", and both work with varying
degrees. No one method is 100% effective, and you will almost always
have to combine several approaches to get the results you want. Some
methods are applicable for indoor pets, but useless for indoor/outdoor
pets. You need to choose the set of approaches that best addresses
your situation.
Keep in mind that there are regional differences among fleas: what
works well in one area may not work well in other areas. You should
consult a LOCAL vet-tech or dog-groomer to see what is known to be
effective in your area. Don't rely on the products available at your
local store; there are too many that are just distributed nationally.
Finally, you may find that you need to switch your approaches around
from year to year. If you use the same product several years in a row,
you may find the effectiveness lessened. Additionally, some years are
worse than others, depending on the previous winter, and you may need
to strike earlier with stronger methods some years and relax a bit
more with milder methods another year.
LIFECYCLE
You must keep in mind the life cycle of the flea. From egg to larvae
to adult is between three to six weeks: to get rid of fleas in your
house, you must break this cycle. As a practical matter, this means
you will almost certainly have to repeat your efforts in several weeks
to catch the fleas from the larvae that didn't get destroyed the first
time around. This is also why it is important to address the problem
of the eggs and larvae as well as the adult fleas.
After taking a blood meal, fleas either lay eggs on your pet or in its
surrounding environment. Eggs on your pet are often shed onto its
bedding or into the carpet. A pair of fleas may produce 20,000 fleas
in 3 months. Eggs hatch after 2-12 days into larvae that feed in the
environment -- generally on digested blood from adult fleas and other
food matter in their environment. The food required at this stage is
microscopic, and even clean carpets often offer plenty of food to the
larvae. The larvae are little wiggles about 3-4 millimeters long, you
may see some if you inspect your pet's bedding carefully. Larvae molt
twice within 2-200 days and the older larvae spin a cocoon in which
they remain for one week to one year. When in this cocoon stage the
young flea is invulnerable to any kind of insecticide and to low, even
freezing, temperatures. Only sufficient warmth and the presence of a
host can cause them to emerge. This long cocooning period explains why
fleas are so difficult to eradicate.
KEEPING CLEAN
Having your carpets professionally cleaned WILL NOT get rid of the
fleas, unless they use something that is meant to kill fleas. However,
it will remove much of the eggs, larvae and the food that the larvae
feeds on, so it can be useful in conjunction with other methods.
Remember that carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture are the prime
places for depositing flea eggs. Some people have success ridding
their home of fleas by removing their carpets and replacing with
linoleum or hardwood floors. This may not be a feasible option for
everyone, though.
NATURAL METHODS
These tend to be of the "folk-remedy" type. Some people swear by them,
others do not get any results. Some are actually toxic. They tend to
work better at keeping fleas away rather than killing or eliminating
present infestations.
* You can buy cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled sleeping
mats. Cedar repells many insects including fleas.
* Let outdoor pets sleep on a well-used horse blanket. Equine-l
folks have confirmed that horses get ticks but not fleas, and cats
using horseblankets in *current* use seem to have fewer fleas.
* Fleas love dry skin: prevent dry skin by giving your pet Linatone
(or any vegetable oil) with its food and avoiding excessive
shampooing.
* Pennyroyal (the herb and the oil) is often touted as a natural
flea repellent: only the fresh or dried leafs are safe. The oil is
actually highly toxic to animals and humans (it has a long history
as an abortifacent, for example). There is an article about this
in the AKC's Gazette, July 1992. Also, Journal of the AVMA, v200
n6 March 15, 1992.
* Garlic and Brewer's Yeast: Feed it in small doses to your pet and
and the resultant body odor may repel fleas. You can get it either
in powder form or tablet form, at varying expense.
* Orange or lemon peel boiled and simmered in water makes a flea dip
after it cools. Do not use this on cats, however (don't know about
ferrets). Rinse well.
* 60 ml of lavendar oil mixed with 2.8 liters of rock salt can be
placed under furniture and rugs.
* Eucalyptus leaves can be left under furniture and rugs. Also, a
eucalyptus wool wash [a product for washing wool made from
eucalyptus, available in Australia, perhaps elsewhere too] when
washing the dog may help.
* Rub bruised fennel foliage into the dog's coat. Growing it in the
yard discourages the establishment of fleas there.
* You can plant marigolds outside in your garden. This has the
additional benefit of repelling a variety of other bugs.
* NuPo offers a "flea trap" that uses heat to attract fleas to a
sticky pad, kind of like "flea paper." Homemade variants,
considerably less expensive, include leaving out detergent-laced
dishes or jars of water near nightlights at night. This approach
works best in severe infestations but is not likely to eliminate
the fleas.
* Often useful in conjunction with other methods is to cover up your
pet's ears and around the neck with a wet towel and have it lie in
a tub of cool water for a while. The towel prevents migration of
the fleas to the head. Add just a little detergent to the water (a
teaspoon or a few cc's is enough) to make sure the fleas drown.
Obviously, your pet must be amenable to lying in water for 15
minutes or so. This can be done as an alternative to dipping; but
like dipping it will not solve the larger problem of the flea
infestation.
* A similar method is to prepare a warm bath in the kitchen sink (or
tub) with just a little baby shampoo and submerge the pet except
for the head. Hold the vegetable sprayer (or spray attachment)
about an inch away from your pet (under water) and literally blast
the fleas off. By doing it under water, it keeps the fleas from
simply being blown to another part of the pet. The head has to be
sprayed while out of the water. Fleas will float to the surface
but drown because of the bit of shampoo in the water. This may
help remove eggs as well. Again, this technique only works on
animals that are amenable to lying down in water.
SPRAYING INSIDE
There are a number of companies that will spray your house and
typically they have guarantees such as "flea free for a year" (or they
will reapply free of charge). The best known one is probably
FleaBuster. FleaBusters applies a product to your carpet that kills
all the fleas and eggs. Many people report that the results last for
longer than the guaranteed year. Other people have pointed out that
the product FleaBusters uses is Terminator (see below), and applying
it yourself can be a significant savings over what FleaBusters
charges.
You can spray your house. There are a number of commercial foggers and
other devices which you set off in your home. Generally, you and
anything live will have to vacate for a period of time. This can be
effective; it depends on if the chemicals involved will kill fleas,
flea larvae, or both. Your vet will be a good source of information on
effective brands, or you can have this done professionally.
Remember that a hand-held sprayer will be more effective than a
fogger-type application simply because you can make sure all the
hard-to-reach areas are properly treated.
In general, pyrethrins are "low intensity", relatively safe, and break
down quickly (some on contact with sunlight). They can normally be
used safely with puppies, kittens and in sensitive conditions.
Pyrethrins are from chyrsanthemums, and manage to be highly toxic to
fleas but not to people or dogs. It's very safe. Permethrins are
synthetic pyrethrins and have the additional benefit of a residual
effect for several days.
Organo-phosphates are "heavy duty" and last longer. They should be
used with caution as they are usually toxic to people and animals.
Precor: (methoprene)
This is an insect hormone that interrupts the life cycle of
fleas by preventing flea larvae from maturing. It is not a
poison, even to fleas, but they cannot reproduce. It's used as
an environmental spray either by itself (in which case it will
take several weeks to show much effect) or combined with adult
pesticides (like pyrethrins) for a quick wipeout.
Because it's a hormone, it's thought that fleas can't become
resistant to it. However, methoprene resistance has been
reported in experimental population of fleas. If you're getting
poor results with Precor (=methoprene), you might try
Fenoxycarb.
You can buy the stuff at your local hardware/gardening store,
and spray the diluted (according to directions) liquid
everywhere in the house. This will not kill fleas by itself
unless you combine it with something immediately lethal, but it
will break the lifecycle and the fleas will go away in a few
weeks as the mature ones die and the immature ones fail to
develop. Such an application lasts about 4-5 months. Precor
cannot be used outside because it breaks down rapidly in
sunlight, but there are new formulations, such as Fenoxycarb,
that show promise for outdoor use.
Precor is most often combined with other agents, like
pyrmethrins. Currently available are powders, sprays, and
foggers all containing the ingredient. It can be difficult to
find a source of pure methoprene. One mail-order source is
Gardens Alive! It's called Vigren and is $9.25 per oz
concentrate (mix with 1 gallon of water, covers 1500 sq. ft) or
$7.95 for three or more. Address below.
Torus:
This is a pure form of fenoxycarb, an IGR. It can be used
outdoors since it doesn't react to UV like methoprene does. It
is available through Kristull Products, 8708 Grelle Lane,
Autin, TX 78744; 800-658-6699. Many products now contain
fenoxycarb, but Torus seems to be the only undiluted form
available.
Sectrol:
This is microencapsulated pyrethrins (low toxicity to mammals).
This works well in conjunction with methoprene. Spraying your
home with this combination should be good for about 5-6 months
before reapplication is needed. Use the Sectrol Pet and
Household Flea Spray #1495 for the pure micro encapsulated
pyrethrin product (3M has a variety of "sectrol" products).
Expensive.
Duratrol:
This comes in both a spray (for the house) and a dip for the
immediate problem on your pet. The smell is reported to be
minimal and the effectiveness high. You only need to leave the
house for 1/2 hour to allow the spray to dry (rather than up to
four hours for other sprays and foggers, for example). Duratrol
consists of micro- encapsulated chlorpyrifos -- essentially
Dursban in "tiny time pills."
Foggers:
When choosing a fogger, note that the directions call for one
can per X no. of UNOBSTRUCTED square feet. In practice, that
means one can per major room. You can increase the
effectiveness of the spread of the fogger by setting up fans to
move the air around before you trigger the foggers. If you have
a forced-air furnace, turning the thermostat switch to "on" or
"fan" instead of "auto" will help circulate the pesticide
throughout the house. Foggers have a real problem in
penetrating enough to do any good, though. They just don't
reach under furniture and other inaccessible places.
TREATING OUTDOORS AREAS
When treating the area surrounding your house, remember that fleas are
not found in your driveway gravel or in the open. The larvae do not
survive high temperatures. They are found in shaded areas, like under
porches, decks, car ports, at the edges of woods, and especially in
places where your pets lay down outdoors.
Dursban:
You can use Dursban for ridding the yard of fleas. Home Depot
will have the generic stuff. Spray according to the directions
on the label. This is fairly toxic stuff. The generic name is
Chlorpyrifos.
Nematodes:
This is a new product for outdoor treatment. "Bio Flea Halt"
and "Interrupt" are two brand names -- probably others exist.
Nematodes are bugs that eat fleas. You apply it to your
backyard with a pump sprayer; hose sprayers will also work.
[Not sure about details of application: do you apply to grass?
dirt? what about decks? effect on existing plants?] Toxicity to
humans/dogs is non-existent, early studies show a good degree
of effectiveness.
For those with outdoor pets, diatomaceous earth, boric acid and silica
aerogels can be used to treat your lawn for fleas and ticks. These
chemicals were lauded by the Apr 92 Sunset magazine in their list of
least toxic chemicals, sprays and dusts, which were discussed for
those people who want to control pests more naturally. These are not
poisons, and kill by clinging to, scratching and and destroying the
waxy exteriors, or dessicating the pests. Sunset does point out that
these chemicals should not be inhaled as they will irritate or abrade
the lungs in the same way (which isn't a big problem once they've
settled into your lawn). Diatomaceous earth is an abrading agent (much
like borax). Use natural grade rather than pool grade diatomacious
earth. Boric acid is also a abrading agent. Silica aerogels are
dessicants, and kill the insects through dehydration. It is
recommended that these chemicals be used in powder form to kill fleas
and ticks.
DIPPING YOUR PET
For an immediate flea problem, you can bath your pet with a
flea-killing substance to get rid of the fleas on its body. But
remember, such "dips" usually sting when applied to open irritations.
Animals have been known to bite, climb up your arm, and even urinate
all over themselves, so be prepared!
Be very careful to only dip animals that are at least two, preferably
three months old, and be especially careful to use appropriate dips.
That is, do not use dips marked for dogs on cats!
Avon's Skin-So-Soft lotion is reputed to repel fleas (as well as
mosquitos on human). After bathing your dog, put some lotion in the
rinse water. They will smell like the lotion, and the application will
last for a few weeks. This may be a problem for pets that groom
themselves. Another way to apply it is to put a 1:1 lotion:water mix
in a spritz bottle and mist your dog with it. Some people report
excellent results and others do not.
Dipping alone will NOT solve the more general problem of the flea
infestation.
COMBING YOUR PET
Flea combs with fine teeth that snag fleas are commercially available.
It is helpful to have a small dish of ammonia-laced water on hand to
kill the fleas on the comb rather than trying to nail each one by
hand. Alternatively, mix a few drops of detergent into the dish of
water so that there is no surface tension and fleas dropped into the
treated water will drown. Use a metal comb; the plastic ones are too
flexible and allow the fleas to escape.
You will typically find the most fleas along your pet's back, groin
area, and at the base of the tail.
This by itself will never rid your pet from fleas since flea larvae
may also be in bedding, furniture and carpet. It is, however, a useful
way to keep an eye on the flea population, and if used as a preventive
measure can keep them in check. If you have a major infestation,
though, you will have to get rid of most of the fleas before you can
use just a comb on your pet.
POWDERS
Flea powders are handy, but there are many types and some are rather
poisonous. Check the poisonous list below for ingredients that cause
serious problems (for cats). When using powders, it is not enough to
just powder your pet: powder its bedding, under furniture cushions,
and in the vacuum cleaner bag.
Do not let your pet ingest flea powder of any sort. This can be tricky
with pets that groom themselves, such as cats and ferrets. With dogs,
if you brush the powder in, your dog will not ingest much if any
powder.
BORAX AND SALT
Also known as sodium polyborate, sodium tetraborate, sodium borate.
The chemical is related to boric acid. This is present in a variety of
household products. Sprinkling 20 Mule Team Borax, the kind you use in
laundry (*not* the hand soap Boraxo; the soap added to can be toxic to
your pet) on the carpet and upholstery will dry out the deposited flea
larvae. The procedure is to vacuum the house, sprinkle borax or salt
using a sieve on carpet and upholstery (and under the pillows, under
the furniture); sweep with a broom to settle the borax into the carpet
and then vacuum again. Some people leave it on for a few days before
vacuuming, but this runs the risk of abrading the surface of the
carpet. Don't let your animals eat the stuff. If you use borax, you
may need to adjust for this when cleaning your carpets by using less
soap. The effects of a borax treatment seem to last about a year or
so.
Drawbacks: The chemical borax is abrasive, and 20 Mule Team Borax may
abrade your carpets. In addition, there are documented cases of
long-term low-level exposure to sodium polyborate resulting in
conjunctivitus, weight loss, vomiting, mild diarrhea, skin rash,
convulsions and anemia and other similar allergic reactions in humans.
If you're using borax as flea control, and your pets (or family) are
showing loss of appetite, eye or skin problems, anemia or kidney
problems, you may want to switch to another flea control method and
see if their health improves. Do not apply it to damp carpets as it
can take the color out.
Borax is NOT advisable where you have pets which groom themselves,
e.g., cats and ferrets. They can ingest enough to harm them if the
borax is not settled deeply enough into the carpet (October 1992 of
Dog Fancy). Symptoms of acute poisoning include diarrhea, rapid
prostration and perhaps convulsions [these occurred when borax was
scattered openly for cockroach control].
There are various products that are applied in the same way, such as
PEST-X. Check these types of products to see if they contain borax or
boric acid. If so, the above commentary applies to those products as
well. Otherwise, check the ingredients against the other ingredients
discussed elsewhere.
Some people use salt instead of borax. Provided that you do not live
in high humidity areas, this is an alternative. Since salt absorbs
water, salt in carpet in an unairconditioned house in Florida (for
example) would mean a damp carpet -- later rotted or mildewed.
A cheap source of boric acid powder is "Terminator". Available in
hardware stores. A 5lb can of 100% boric acid powder is about $22; a
30lb can $54. Customer service # is 800-242-9966.
VACUUM
Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you
vacuum up, otherwise they will crawl back out. You should change the
bag in your vacuum cleaner after a round of flea-cleaning in any case.
Moth balls can also be used, but they are pretty toxic. Sometimes
people put (cut up) flea collars in the bag, but it is not clear that
this is effective, and if the collar contains dichlorvos, is NOT
recommended.
FLEA COLLARS
See Consumer Reports, August 1991. Flea collars aren't effective and
may even be bad for your pet's health. Some of the herbal ones smell
nice and that's about it.
Ultrasonic and electronic flea collars are not known to work.
NEWBORN ANIMALS
Very young animals can die from overinfestation of fleas. They are
small enough that they can become dangerously anemic within hours, and
are young enough that they will be poisoned by dipping chemicals.
Consult your vet immediately if you have a less than 8-10 week old
kitten or puppy with a bad case of the fleas. Do not attempt to "dip"
them, you can easily kill them this way.
Symptoms of anemia: if flea-infested baby animals become lethargic,
weak, and pale, you may have *only hours* before they die. A good test
for anemia is to take your finger, lift the upper lip, and press
gently but firmly into the upper gum. The gum will turn white for a
moment and then return almost immediately to a pink color. If the gum
stays white for more than a couple of seconds, anemia is indicated.
Take them to the vet *now*.
If they do not yet appear anemic, use a flea comb on them. You should
take steps to prevent infestation by keeping the mother clear of
fleas, and regularly (at least every other day) changing and
laundering the bedding. While you should not dip them in chemicals,
giving them a plain soap-and-water bath can help remove the fleas from
their body: wash the bedding at the same time and then use the flea
comb regularly to keep fleas from taking hold again. The mildly
insecticidal shampoo Mycodex (tm) can be used on kittens, but requires
flea combing afterwards anyway because of its mildness.
From Orca Starbuck:
Most flea shampoos, sprays, and powders are not cleared for use on
pregnant, nursing or young animals. In addition, the act of bathing,
spraying, or powdering a pregnant or young animal can frighten or
chill the animal. So most vets are hesitant to recommend ANY course
of action if you have pregnant, flea-infested animals. However:
Low concentration pyrethrin products (or allethrin, like mycodex)
ARE considered safe. In "Feline Husbandry" pyrethrin is the only
flea poison included in a list of chemicals and drugs that are known
to be safe during pregnancy. Methoprene is also considered safe,
although its use is new enough that it doesn't appear in many of the
texts.
Zodiac pyrethrin + methoprene spray for cats is considered safe for
pregnant and nursing cats and kittens that are at least 24 hours
old! The same is true for the similar spray for dogs. Likewise, the
Zodiac premise sprays are safe for use where pregnant and nursing
animals and young animals are housed, as long as the spray is
allowed to dry before the animals are introduced back into the area.
Since spray can often be upsetting to the mother cat, a paper towel
which has been sprayed with Zodiac spray for cats until it is about
1/2 saturated is better. Rub the towel all over the queen (except
for her face and nipples) and comb out with a flea comb, and repeat
the treatment a week later.
If there are still problems with fleas once the kittens are born, it
is quite safe to do the same treatment on the kittens about once a
week, starting at a week of age.
TOXICITIES OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS
According to Steven A. Melman and Karen L. Campbell's "Flea Control"
(John R. August, ed. 1991. Consultations in feline internal medicine.
WB Saunders & Co., Philadelphia. ISBN 0-7216-2226-7: Chapter 9),
pesticides that have caused serious or fatal illness when used ON cats
at dosages effective against fleas are:
* Carbaryl (Sevin)
* Chlorpyrifos (Dursban)
* Dichlorvos (DDVP, Vapona)
* Dioxathion (Delnav, Deltic)
* Lindane
* Malathion
* Naled (DiBrom)
* Phosmet (=prolate, Kemolate)
* Permethrin
* Propxur (Sendran, Baygon)
* Pyrethrins (but microencapsulated pyrethrins have no listed
problems)
* Ronnel (=Korlan)
* Tetrachlorvinphos (=Rabon)
The following flea-cides used ON dogs are NOT approved for use ON cats
(though they're all OK'd for indoor environmental use):
* Amitraz (Mitaban)
* Bendiocarb (Ficam)
* Chlorphenvinphos (Supona)
* Chlorpyrifos (Dursban)
* Cythioate (proban)
* Diazanon (Spectracide)
* Fenoxycarb
* Fenthion (Prospot)
* Methoprene (Precor)
The following have been reported to cause serious illness or death
when used ON dogs:
* Carbaryl (Sevin)
* Chlorpyrifos (Dursban)
* Dichlorvos (DDVP, Vapona)
* Fenthion (Prospot)
* Lindane
* Malathion
* Phosmet (Prolate, Kemolate)
* Permethrin
* Pyrethrins (but not microencapsulated)
* Ronnel (Korlan)
* Tetrachlorvinphos (Rabon)
FLEA CONTROL ON RABBITS
by Sandi Ackerman
There's a controversy as to which type of flea products are safest for
our rabbits. The House Rabbit Society has always said to use a powder
that is safe for cats/kittens and in this area of the country our
veterinarians have recommended pyrethrin based powders. However, we've
recently discovered that while our veterinarians in Washington state
are saying to use products that contain pyrethrins, veterinarians in
other parts of the country say to use products that contain 5%
Carbaryls.
What I've found after considerable research is that there are no
specialists who will make a written statement one way or the other as
to which product (one, both, neither) is safe for our rabbits. This is
because there have been inadequate studies done on rabbits (thank
goodness)! But what's a person to do?
I've searched through Medline, which is an on-line medical database
containing data going back to 1966. There are many of studies out
there about pyrethrins and carbaryls, but the question is: how to
interpret them? I've tried to get manufacturers of flea products to
talk to me -- no luck. So after gathering all the data that I could
find, I called the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) to
verify the following information.
To summarize:
Pyrethrins are considered safe. These are insecticides derived from
plants, but in some cases where the dose is too high, they can cause
tremors, seizures and death. They act rapidly and have "some residual"
effect.
Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of natural pyrethrins and are
considered to be "more effective insecticides and are less toxic to
mammals than the natural pyrethrins"[1]. Allethrin (a synthetic) is
said to be safer than natural pyrethrins.
Carbaryls are considered safe and are used on vegetables in our
gardens (Sevin). But they too can cause convulsions and death if too
high a dose is used [1]. They remain effective from one to three
weeks.
The database at the NAPCC contains no reports of problems in rabbits
from either the pyrethrin or the carbaryl powders.
It's not these insecticides which are the problem, but rather the
enzyme inhibitors in the products! The following are common enzyme
inhibitors, also known as synergists, which may be found in flea
products:
Piperonyl butoxide
Sesamex
Piperonyl cyclonene
N-octylbicycloheptene dicarboxamide
These synergists may be added to the flea powder/spray in order to
keep the flea from being able to resist the toxic effects of the
pyrethrins or carbaryls. How that resistance occurs, is stated as
"...inhibiting mixed function oxidases, synergists also potentiate
mammalian toxicity."
What this means is that in addition to affecting the flea, these
synergists also keep our companions from being able to resist the
toxic effects. It is known that problems are more pronounced when the
product is applied to the animal's skin, rather than if the animal
ingests it while licking it from their hair [2].
A representative of the NAPCC stated to me that they had worked with
one company who was producing a pyrethrin flea spray which was causing
a lot of problems in cats. After the company reduced the percentage of
synergists to 1% there have been no additional reported problems from
their product.
So what's the answer? Always read the label of flea products keeping
the following figures in mind as a guideline.
Carbaryl 5.0% or less
Pyrethrins 0.15% or less
Synergists (see above) 1.0% or less
Precor (good) keeps insects from maturing
The first recommendation of the House Rabbit Society is to attempt to
remove fleas by using a totally non-toxic flea comb. If there aren't
too many fleas this may be a good solution (and it helps you to bond
with your rabbit). Because of the large volume of rabbits in my home
which makes it impossible for me to powder them all, and after
speaking with one of my veterinarians, I intend to use flea products
(using the above guidelines) on my rabbit's bedding and under their
cage.
In conclusion, I'd say that it is advisable to try to get rid of the
fleas, and there are good safe powders on the market that will
eliminate the little pests. Powders are much safer than flea dips (we
receive numerous reports from veterinarians and owners, of flea dips
killing rabbits). Please, just pay attention and read the label before
you purchase a flea product.
References:
1 The Merck Veterinary Manual, seventh edition p.1665,1669,1501.
2 Snodgrass, H.L. J Toxicol Environ Health 1992 Feb. 35(2) P 91-105.
SYSTEMIC PRODUCTS
Proban (cythioate) and Prospot (Fenthion)
These are not licensed for use in cats in the U.S. They may be
used on dogs. They work on the principle that if you poison the
bloodstream, the fleas will die after ingesting the poisoned
blood. Several problems: first, you *are* introducing a low
level of poison into your pet's bloodstream, and the long-term
effects are unknown. Second, this does not help at all the pet
that is allergic to fleas and cannot afford to be bitten in the
first place.
Lufenuron
From Steve Dudley: Ciba-Geigy Animal Health has pioneered an
approach to flea control with the systemic use of an insect
growth regulator (IGR), benzoyl phenyl urea lufenuron. This IGR
acts as a chitin synthesis inhibitor causing mortality in
hatching flea eggs and moulting larvae. Hatching fleas are
unable to get out of the egg shell because the egg tooth, a
chitin structure, cannot form. Larvae die during moults, again
due to the inhibition of chitin formation. The IGR has no
adulticidal activity, but female fleas that ingest the compound
transfer it to the ovaries and eggs (transovarial effect).
Chitin is a polysaccharide, that along with various structural
proteins makes up 25-50% of the dry weight of insect
exoskeletons. It is necessary for integrity and strength.
Lufenuron, marketed under the PROGRAM tradename is administered
orally with food, in tablet form, for dogs. A suspension form
is administered to cats. To maintain effective levels of
control for a 30 day period, 10mg of lufenuron per kg of body
weight is recommended for dogs. For cats, 30mg of lufenuron per
kg of body weight is recommended. Dosages are absorbed from the
intestinal tract into the general circulation and retained in
adipose tissues. Excess is excreted. From the adipose tissue,
lufenuron is slowly released back into the general circulation
and excreted over time. The major route of elimination is via
the feces. It was found that after two days of feeding on
treated dogs, no adult fleas developed from eggs laid by
females feeding on the dogs. 80% control of a flea population
takes about 4.5 weeks, as pre treatment flea larvae and pupae
in the environment still must complete their life cycles.
Acute, sub chronic, and chronic dose studies revealed no
adverse affects relative to the animals safety and
tolerability. Used in conjunction with flea adulticides, no
enhanced signs of toxicity were evident.
This was taken from the following article: A Novel Approach to
Flea Control: Systemic Use of Lufenuron. By Rudolf Schenker and
Philip A. Lowndes. Ciby- Geigy Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.
Other notes: a version approved for cats is due out soon. This
is not toxic to adult fleas. The main drawbacks of this regime
is that it is a preventive type of remedy; it will not work
well (or immediately) against an acute flea population. It also
requires that the dog be bit by all the fleas in the house for
them to produce the defective larvae; this is not acceptable
when the pet in question has flea allergies!
HOMES WITH PREGNANT WOMEN/CRAWLING INFANTS/BABY ANIMALS
Specific recommendations from "Flea Control" for houses with pregnant
women or crawling infants are for a combination of microencapsulated
pyrethrins (Sectrol from 3M) and methoprene.
PREVENTING FLEA INFESTATIONS IN YOUR NEXT HOME
Since flea larvae can lay dormant for surprisingly long periods of
time, it is always possible for you and your pets to get fleas by
moving into a house or apartment in which the previous occupants had
fleas.
If this may be the case, you can prevent the potential problem by
spraying or treating the place *before* you move in, if at all
possible. For example, if the place has been uninhabited long enough
that all the adult fleas are dead, methoprene should be sufficient,
otherwise use sprays that will also work on the adults.
CONCLUSION
In general, you will have to use a combination of some of the
approaches above. You will also want to launder any bedding and other
launderable items to rid them of fleas at the same time. If you comb
your pet regularly, you will be able to spot an incipient increase of
fleas and make pre-emptive strikes. If you have a bad flea problem,
getting your carpet professionally cleaned in addition to other
control methods will help in removing potential food sources for the
larvae.
People have asked me what my personal methods are. I prefer to use a
IGR type of spray. I obtain Vigren (methoprene) from Gardens Alive!
and spray my house every four months and also after I have the carpets
cleaned. Since I show my dogs (hence exposing them to flea-infested
sites), I will take some preventive action before going by spraying
them with Ovitrol Plus by VetKem which is a mixture of
microencapsulated pyrethrins and methoprene and seems to last a long
time, several weeks if they don't go swimming. I have not had a
serious problem with fleas for several years, despite living in
Southern California. I have also used Borax in the carpet to good
effect, but have become concerned about possible inhalant problems and
damage to the carpet. Since one of my dogs and my cat have flea
allergies, I have not tried out the Program product, nor do I intend
to, though I've heard plenty of wonderful things about it.
_________________________________________________________________
Ticks
DESCRIPTION
Ticks are in the phylum of animals called Arthropoda (jointed
appendage). This phylum of animals is the largest in the animal
kingdom. There are over 850 different species of ticks, and they
parasitize every class of terrestrial vertebrate animal, including
amphibians.
Ticks are small rounded arachnids that cling to one spot and do not
move. They have inserted their head under the skin and are engorging
themselves on the blood. Diseases carried by ticks means that you
should have yourself or your pets checked after you find ticks. On the
one hand, ticks are a little easier to deal with since they remain
outdoors, and do not infest houses the way fleas do; on the other
hand, they carry more dangerous diseases and are harder to find.
ROLE IN DISEASES
Ticks are the most important arthropod in transmitting diseases to
domestic animals and run a close second to mosquitoes in arthropod
borne human diseases. They transmit a greater variety of infectious
agents than any other type of arthropod. Ticks can cause disease and
illness directly. They are responsible for anemia due to blood loss,
dermatosis due to salivary secretions, and ascending tick paralysis
due to neurotoxins in the salivary secretions. They also can be the
vector of other diseases. Some of the more noted tick borne diseases
are babesiosis, anaplasmosis, East Coast fever, relapsing fever, rocky
mountain spotted fever and, of course, Lyme disease.
KINDS OF TICKS
There are two basic types of ticks. Soft ticks, the argasids, are
distinguished by their soft, leathery cuticle and lack of scutum. They
can be recognized easily by their subterminal mouthparts that are on
the underside of the tick. Soft ticks when engorged with blood blow up
like a balloon. Soft ticks are fast feeders, being able to tank up in
a matter of hours.
Hard ticks, the Ixodids, have a hard plate on the dorsal surface and
have terminal mouthparts. When attaching, a tick will slice open the
skin with the mouthparts and then attach itself. They also secrete a
cement that hardens and holds the tick onto the host. Hard ticks are
slow feeders, taking several days to finish their bloodmeal.
During feeding a tick may extract up to 8 ml of blood, they can take
100X their body weight in blood. Interestingly, they concentrate the
blood during feeding and will return much of the water to the host
while losing some by transpiration through the cuticle.
LIFECYCLE
All ticks have four life cycle stages. Adult ticks, produce eggs. A
female tick can produce up to 20,000 eggs. Mating usually occurs on a
host, after which the female must have a blood meal in order for the
eggs to develop. Ixodid ticks are unusual in that mating does not
occur on the host. The eggs are laid in the soil or leaf litter after
the female drops off the host. These eggs hatch into a stage known as
the larva. The larva is the smallest stage and can be recognized by
having only 3 pairs of legs. These "seed ticks" are produced in great
numbers. They must find a host and take a blood meal in order to molt
to the next stage called the nymph. If the nymph can feed on a host,
it will develop into the adult tick.
Ticks vary greatly in how long this cycle takes and the number of
hosts involved. Some ticks are one host ticks; the entire cycle occurs
on that one host. Others use two hosts, some three and some of the
soft ticks are multi-host ticks.
Ticks require high humidity and moderate temperature. Juvenile ticks
usually live in the soil or at ground level. They will then climb up
onto a blade of grass or the leaf of a plant to await a potential
host. They will sense the presence of a host and begin the questing
behavior, standing up and waving their front legs. They are able to
sense a vibration, a shadow, a change in CO2 level, or temperature
change. When unsuccessful in their "quest" they become dehydrated and
will climb back down the plant to the ground to become rehydrated.
Then back up the plant, etc., until they are successful or they die.
Some ticks have been known to live for over 20 years and they can live
for a very long time without food. Their favored habitat is old
field-forest ecozone. One way to cut down the number of ticks is to
keep the area mowed.
REMOVING A TICK
When you find a tick, use tweezers to pick up the body and pull
s-l-o-w-l-y and gently, and the mouthparts will release. You should
see a small crator in your dog's skin, if you see what looks like
black lines, you've left the head of the tick in. At this point, if
your dog is mellow enough, you should try and pick it out. Otherwise,
you may need to take your pet into the vet, as the head parts will
lead to an infection. Ticks carry a lot of rickettsial diseases,
including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, so you should
wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling a tick.
Some veterinarians will put on gloves, smear one finger with a bit of
mineral oil and massage the protruding part of the tick for a minute
or so. The tick will back out.
Tips:
* Don't use any of the folklore remedies (matches, cigarettes, pins,
gasoline) that will irritate the tick. They increase the
likelihood that the tick will "spit up" in you, which increases
the risk of disease.
* Oil is not effective because the breathing requirements of the
tick are so small it could last hours covered with oil.
* The mouthpiece is barbed rather than spiralled, so trying to
rotate the tick out doesn't provide any advantage.
* The preferred method is to use special tweezers designed for that
purpose, and pull straight out.
Lyme disease (see below) is usually carried by tiny deer ticks (two
other kinds of ticks have also been identified as carriers) , which
are the size of the head of a pin. You must look yourself or your pet
over very carefully to find these kind of ticks. Other ticks can be as
large as peppercorns. This can vary depending on whether or not the
tick has yet engorged itself -- the deer tick can be as large as the
more familiar Dog Tick if it has had time to feed. So if you are in
doubt, preserve the tick in rubbing alcohol and have your vet take a
look at it.
INFECTIONS OR ABSCESSES
If you have left the head of the tick in your pet's skin, chances are
there will be an infection or an abscess in a week or so. Try
disinfecting the area thoroughly with 70% alcohol (it takes about 5
minutes for alcohol to sterilize an area). Ethyl alcohol is less toxic
than rubbing alcohol; vodka or any high-proof liquor will work.
Betadine or iodine is recommended. Then apply a combination antibiotic
ointment. If an infection occurs anyway, take your pet in to the vet
to have it drained.
DISPOSING OF TICKS
To dispose of the tick, drop it into alcohol to kill it, then dispose
of it. Flushing them down the toilet WILL NOT KILL THEM. Squishing
them with a thumbnail is not recommended, and is not easy anyway. You
might save the tick in a jar of alcohol for identification, to help
decide whether possible infection has occurred.
WHERE YOU PICK UP TICKS
Adult ticks can remain on deer and other mammals through the fall and
winter. If you spend a lot of time outdoors during this period, be
sure to check yourself, your family and your pets daily for ticks. If
you hunt or trap, check areas where you cache your game for ticks that
may have fallen off during handling.
A helpful practice is to wear long pants tucked into white socks; this
way they crawl up the *outside* of your pants and you can spot them in
the field. Also wear a hat: they can drop from trees onto your head.
Ticks like long grass on the edges of woods (especially deer ticks)
They crawl up onto the grass blades and cling to you as you walk past.
If you comb your pet with a wide tooth flea comb right after taking a
walk, chances are you will find unattached ticks crawling around.
Ticks don't attach themselves right away: they look around for good
real estate. It's much easier to remove ticks before they attach, and
easier to remove newly attached ticks than ones that have been feeding
for a while.
COMBATTING TICKS
If you have heavy infestations of ticks in your area, spraying your
backyard against ticks may be a good idea, especially if your pet is
indoor/outdoors.
If you have a dog, a new product called Preventic appears to be highly
effective. It is a tick collar that kills ticks shortly after they
attach to your dog. The active agent is Amitraz, which prevents
attachment and kills but does not affect fleas. Amitraz is not an
insecticide (flea killer) but an "arachnicide" (8-legged bug killer -
ticks and spiders are in the same class.) The collar works best if it
is kept dry. Rain is OK, but swimming is out as exposure to water
reduces its effectiveness. Removing the collar is apparently
non-trivial. You don't need a prescription, although the only place
you might find it is at the vet's or in a mail-order catalogue.
Twenty-four hours after putting it on, your dog is protected from
ticks. Many people have written about how effective it was for their
dog. It is NOT recommended for cats, however, and some dogs appear to
have individual sensitivity to it. If your dog becomes lethargic or
irritable, remove the collar.
There is a product, called Tiguvon (chemical composition) that is a
systemic, administered monthly. Its drawbacks seem to be that it is
expensive and that the tick needs to fully engorge itself to be
poisoned by the systemic.
Ticks don't typically infest houses, unless you have a pet that had an
overlooked tick that dropped off and hatched its eggs. In the
Northeast US and other temperate climates the tick Rhipicephalus
sanguineus is almost exclusively limited to domestic habitats,
particularly kennels. Becasue the entire life cycle occurs inside,
control strategies become similar to that of controlling fleas. You
will have to spray your house in this case as ticks hatch an
unbelievable number of eggs. Your local hardware store can give you
tips on what is best to spray with. You are not too likely to find
"natural" or low-toxic sprays for ticks. On the other hand, one
spraying is likely all you need to clear them out of your house. They
are not tenacious the way fleas are.
Common recommendations for reducing ticks in your backyard are to keep
the weeds or grass well-mowed. There are commercial sprays effective
against ticks. If you live in tick-infested areas, always examine your
dog (and yourself!) after being outside. Control vermin around your
house and discourage deer and other wild or feral animals from your
property, as they are often vectors for ticks (as well as a slew of
other nasties).
LYME DISEASE
Lyme disease is a complex illness that affects wild and domestic
animals, including dogs, as well as humans. It is caused by a
corkscrew-shaped bacterium called borrelia burgdoferi.
First noted in 1977, the disease has rapidly spread throughout the
contintental US and Canada. Studies have shown that migrating birds
have helped disperse infected ticks to new areas. Hunting dogs, or any
dog that runs in tick-infested fields, can bring the problem home with
them. And so do people who move from place to place with infected
pets. It is expected that Lyme disease will soon be a problem in all
48 contiguous US states.
You should note that Lyme disease is fairly easily treatable with
antibiotics. Problems occur when it is left untreated. Lyme disease
appears to affect humans a bit differently and is more complex to
treat.
Sources for additional information on Lyme disease:
* State and local health departments
* Your veterinarian or family physician
* Local Lyme Disease support and informational groups can be found
in many areas
* Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 462
Tolland, Connecticut 06084
(203) 871-2900
(800) 886-LYME
* The Lyme Disease Electronic Mail Network publishes the "LymeNet
Newsletter" once every 10-15 days. The Newsletter contains timely
news about the Lyme disease epidemic. Medical abstracts, treatment
protocols, prevention information, and political happenings are
all included. In addition, subscribers may ask questions to the
patients, doctors and researchers on the net. To subscribe, send
email to [email protected], with
subscribe LymeNet-L
in the body of the message. Problem reports only should be sent to
[email protected], the owner of the list.
Transmission
When a tick bites, the bacterium is transferred into the blood of the
host. The deer tick (Ixodes dammini) is found in the Northeast and
upper Midwest; the black-legged tick (I. scapularis) is found in the
Midwest and Southeast; and the Western black-legged tick (I.
pacificus) is found mainly in the coastal areas of California, Oregon,
and Washington. Hosts include deer, migratory birds, rabbits, mice,
raccoons and skunks ... plus dogs, cats, cattle, horses and humans.
Besides tick bites, Lyme disease may be spread by contact with
infected body fluids. Studies indicate that transmission may occur in
this manner from dog to dog, and possibly from cow to cow and horse to
horse. Transmission from animal to human *may* be possible. In utero
transmission has been observed. Animals may be reinfected with Lyme
disease.
The major vector for the deer tick is the mouse; deer have relatively
little to do with it. Deer simply act as a home for the overwintering
adults. Removing deer from an area has little long term effect on the
tick population since the adults simply find another animal to act as
a winter host.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this illness have now been separated into three
stages. If caught before the end of the first stage, the illness is
usually easily treated by antibiotics. In general, a high fever
combined with stiffness or arthritic symptoms (in both people and
animals) can indicate Lyme disease. The next two stages represent
greater systematic involvement and include the nervous system and the
heart. If still untreated, the third stage involves the
musculoskeletal system. The erythema migrans (small round rash at the
site of the bite) is the best early sign of a problem. Unfortunately,
the tick that bites is usually a larva or nymph and so is seldom seen.
The resulting rash is seen in approximately 80% of adults but only
about 50% of children. It is imperative that it be diagnosed early
since the more severe symptoms can begin quickly. Treatment consists
of several broad spectrum antibiotics -- including tetracycline,
penicillin, and erythromycin. This is effective, especially in the
early stages. Consult with your veterinarian or doctor.
Vaccination
There is a vaccination against Lyme disease for dogs that is now
available. It is Borrelia Burgdoferi Bacterin (Fort Dodge
Laboratories). It is supposed to have a duration of immunity that
lasts through the tick season. One for people is coming out now as
well. An interesting discussion of what is happening in the veterinary
community with regard to Lyme disease is summarized in an easy-to-read
letter titled "Questions 'push' for vaccinations against Borrelia
burgdoreri infection," in the Journal of the American Veterinary
Association, 201(10), 11/15/92.
R. SANGUINEUS
They can carry various diseases including the protozoa Babesia canis
and the rickettsia Ehrlichia canis, both of which can cause serious
illness in dogs if untreated.
Also unlike most other ticks R. sanguineus can cause *in house*
infestations - that is, like fleas you can have full life cycles
occuring in the privacy of your very own home. In house infestations
of R. sanguineus in the northeast is apparently not that uncommon in
sone kennels.
_________________________________________________________________
References and Addresses
Consumer Reports, August 1991. Contains an article discussing flea
collars: brands and effectiveness.
Klein, Hilary Dole and Adrian M. Wenner. Tiny Game Hunting. Bantam,
1991. ISBN 0-553-35331-4. A good reference on how to get rid of fleas.
Melman, Steven A. and Karen L. Campbell, "Flea Control" (Chapter 9 in
August's volume).
Gardens Alive!
Natural Garden Research Center
Hwy 48 - PO Box 149
Sunman, IN 47041
812/537-8650.
_________________________________________________________________
Fleas and Ticks FAQ
Cindy Tittle Moore, [email protected]
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