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Cat health

Treat your cat – plant catnip

Spring is here and the warming weather is the ideal time to give your cat a treat by planting catnip.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is cheap, readily available and easy to grow from seeds or seedlings. It is sometimes found under different names including cats wort, cat wort, or cat mint. You can grow it indoors or in the garden and it can be dried and stored over winter and still retain it’s attractive properties.

Kittens show no reaction to catnip and about one third of cats never develop an interest. But even if that is the case with your cat you will still have a pleasant, robust plant that is effective in repelling insects including cockroaches and mosquitoes.

However, cats that like it, generally love it. They will rub themselves happily in the plant, or chew on the leaves. After ten or fifteen minutes they will then wander off, relaxed and satisfied.

Benefits

As well as being a pleasant addition to their environment, you can make creative use of catnip in managing your cat.

By controlling access you can extract some extra benefits such as:

  • providing enrichment for an indoor cat by periodically hiding it around the house or in a toy
  • introducing them to a new toy (like that expensive cat wheel you just bought) by placing catnip on or around it
  • de-stressing them in advance of some potentially stressful event like being in a vehicle, going to the vet or being bathed
  • re-igniting their interest in the old cat scratch pole and away from your new leather sofa
  • gently introducing them to a new person or location.

If this sounds good but you lack the space or the green thumb, then you can buy preparations like sprays or the dried herb that have the same effect from pet stores and online.

Downsides

There are few downsides to catnip. It has been used in traditional herbal remedies for humans for centuries and its effects are well studied. The active ingredient, nepetalactone, is not addictive and causes no harm or long-term behaviour changes. There are rare reports of cats getting tummy upsets from over-eating the plant and of males becoming aggressive, possibly because the active ingredient mimics the pheromones involved in mating. In either case, just discontinue the use and chat to your vet.

Finally, be thoughtful where you put your plant. An over-enthusiastic cat may cause cat or plant a harmful fall if placed in a high location such as a window sill or balcony.

Get planting!

If you want to get more deeply into the catnip story go to the all about catnip page on the Cat World website.

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Osteoarthritis – is your cat suffering in silence?

Osteoarthritis is among the diseases of ageing that we share with our cats.

It occurs when the cartilage padding in our joints wears away causing the bones to rub against each other. For us, the resulting pain is enough to cause us to get attention but it is in the nature of cats to try to avoid displays of discomfort.

The disease should be looked for in any cat of seven years or older. It is estimated that over three-quarters of cats over 10 years will experience it.

It appears most commonly in the elbows and hips, and less commonly in shoulders and ankles and in the backbone and sternum.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing osteoarthritis can be difficult in a single visit even for experienced vets aided by x-rays.

The clues to whether your older cats is affected by osteoarthritis are often in their general condition and behaviour:

  • They may lose their appetite and lose weight.
  • You may notice mood changes – formerly happy cats may become depressed and withdrawn and show poor grooming habits.
  • You may notice stiffness in their legs, especially after sleeping or resting.
  • They may start to appear lame or, more likely, you will notice that they will be be reluctant to jump or will make much shorter jumps.
  • They start missing the litter tray.
  • Their claws may become longer due to lack of use.

Taking careful note of these symptoms will help you help your vet reach a diagnosis.

Treatment

Osteoarthritis in cats cannot be cured and the treatment options are limited.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Metacam) can be used to manage the pain. Weight loss for overweight cats may reduce the stress on joints. Some dietary supplements and other treatments have been claimed to provide relief in some cases and your vet will advise you.

Beyond that, most responses involve making the cat’s environment more convenient and comfortable. You can help them live with osteoarthritis by:

  • making sure they don’t have to go up or down stairs to access food, water, sleeping quarters or litter trays
  • providing litter trays with one lower side to make entry and leaving easier
  • raising food and water bowls
  • providing softer bedding
  • providing ramps to their resting places such as a favourite couch or bed.

Sadly, this disease is a progressive, lifelong process. However, working with your vet you can improve your cat’s quality of life greatly in her golden years.

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Tooth resorption in cats

Tooth resorption is a very common and painful condition that affects an estimated 20-60 percent of cats – but can easily go unnoticed.

The cause is unknown, but seems to be that cells called osteoclasts that naturally eat up and remove baby teeth, persist long after they are needed in some cats.

There may be various levels of resorption in affected teeth, and the destruction can occur at varying speeds until it progresses to a point at which it must be addressed. The dentin in a single tooth (or several simultaneously) erodes and eventually becomes irreparably destroyed. Over time, all areas of an affected tooth, from root to crown, may become involved.

Within each of a cat’s teeth is a chamber (root canal) that contains tissue made up of blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. This tissue, which communicates with the rest of the animal’s body, is surrounded by a bony substance called dentin, which accounts for the bulk of the tooth’s structure.

In this condition, the dentin in a tooth, or several teeth, erodes and eventually becomes irreparably destroyed. Over time, all areas of an affected tooth, from root to crown, may become involved.

Detecting resorption

Dental pain in all animals is almost always hidden from view, so that they don’t appear vulnerable or weak. Sudden loss of appetite might occur if the crown were to break off from a single tooth. In that case, the cat could be off its food for a significant amount of time, 24 to 72 hours, say, but in general, the condition has to get to an extreme level before the cat stops eating.

One of the first signs would be that the cat starts swallowing its food without chewing it or that it suddenly develops a preference for soft food.

A cat may clearly indicate that it is experiencing excruciating pain when it bites down on an affected tooth or if the tooth is touched by a veterinarian’s probing fingers or examining tool. However, chronic toothaches are not among the condition’s most usual clinical signs.

A more reliable indicator is a cat’s behaviour while eating. The owner may notice that it’s appetite appears to be normal but that it tilts its head and tries to chew on just one side of its mouth. If it is eating kibble, it may try to swallow it without chewing, or the food may fall out of its mouth.

Diagnosis and treatment

The best way of confirming the suspected presence of the condition is with a trip to the vet who can usually diagnose the condition with a visual examination or sometimes an x-ray. A good precaution is to have your cat’s teeth examined annually.

Unfortunately complete extraction of all affected teeth is the only treatment. Drastic as this sounds, it should not cause major concern for the patient. Cats can cope very well with no teeth at all!

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Is there a wheel in your cat’s future?

Could be!

As more cat owners are choosing, or being compelled to by local government by-laws, to keep their cats contained, an exercise wheel could be in your cat’s life.

Models that allow the cat to enter and exit from either side seem to suit most cats best.  Energetic breeds such as Bengals, Russian Blues, Abyssinians and Siamese seem to take to them well.

With some cats you may need to be patient and encourage their interest with treats or other toys.  Once accepted, exercise wheels are a safe and effective way to keep them fit, active and entertained – and often yourself amused.

On the negative side, exercise wheels can be expensive, from several hundred dollars up to $500 or more in Australia.  Our team at Feline Health Research have found that, while many cats learn to love them, in some instances, cats may choose to ignore them altogether.  Forever!

If you have DIY skills and basic tools, there are many videos demonstrating how you are able to make an execise wheel from common materials for a fraction of the cost of a ready-made model.

A no-cost option if you already have a treadmill, is to encourage your cat to use that, like these pretty Burmese.

Whether you prefer the calm, meditative action of our two Silver Bengals or something a bit more frantic and hilarious, searching ‘cat exercise wheel‘ on Youtube will provide some great enterainment and a better idea whether it is a solution for you and your cat.

And you can put all of that wasted time down to research!

Is there a wheel in your cat’s future? Read More »

Grief in cats

Do cats feel human-like emotions? Can they grieve?

Recently scientists have begun to recognise that cats lead rich emotional lives and can show emotional responses such as grief. Changes in their environment like losing an owner or a companion cat or other animal, moving house, surrender to a shelter or change of owner can all cause grief-like behaviour.

The research suggests that the level of distress is dependent on the degree and length of the bond with the lost loved one.

Grief may take up to six months to resolve.

How can I tell if my cat is grieving?

Watch for changes in their patterns of social behaviour, eating, sleeping and interaction with surroundings. How is this behaviour different to the pattern before the loss? Being familiar with your cat’s daily routine and behaviour helps. Focusing on the outward expressions of grief compared to their normal behaviour helps prevent you projecting your own emotions or expectations on to your cat.

Eight signs that your cat may be grieving

  1. loss of appetite
  2. changes in energy level – becoming very lethargic or extremely hyperactive
  3. changes to normal sleeping pattern
  4. searching or sitting where the lost one used to sleep
  5. excessive howling or unusual silence
  6. wanting to be alone or staring out of the window for prolonged periods
  7. neediness – following you and seeking attention more than normal
  8. health issues such as the emergence of latent cat flu or gastrointestinal upsets.

How can I help?

In most cases, passing time and a supportive owner allows healing to occur. Steps you can take to assist this process include:

  1. responding appropriately – for example, if the cat is howling don’t scold, just reassure gently and calmly
  2. providing extra love and attention (if your cat enjoys this) or respect their need for privacy
  3. keeping to routines such as daily feeding times, types of food offered and the position of litter trays
  4. encouraging appetite – try warming food or offering favourite foods
  5. offering an object from the lost loved one so your cat can access their scent
  6. allowing the grief process to take its course and not rushing into another pet immediately.

Finally…

If your cat is losing weight, or exhibiting any other signs of illness, see your vet. They can rule out other causes of changed behaviour and there are support treatments and medications available to assist.

Grief in cats Read More »

Heartworm in cats

Dog owners are rightly concerned about heartworm infections. Heartworm is common throughout Australia and especially in hot and humid areas. Infection can cause serious illness and death in dogs.

But what about cats?

The same worm (Dirofilaria immitis) that infects dogs can also be transmitted to cats and other animals including foxes and ferrets. Transmission is by mosquito bite so your cat does not need to come into direct contact with an infected animal to catch it.

Fortunately, heartworm infection is much less serious in cats.

Cats’ immune systems seem to be better adapted to defeating heartworm. In most cases the infection will disappear without the cat showing symptoms.

In the rare occurrence that an infection takes hold, the symptoms can include vomiting of blood or food, diarrhoea, coughing and breathing difficulties. It is easy to confuse these symptoms with other serious conditions such as asthma so trip to the vet is called for if they appear.

Unlike dogs, there is no widely accepted treatment for heartworm in infected cats.

So what should you do?

Studies have shown that heartworm In cats is most common in areas that have high rates of infection in dogs. Also global warming is leading to the appearance of increasing numbers of mosquitoes that were previously uncommon in southern states. If you live in such an area it may be worth seeking out a preventative that includes heartworm protection along with that for fleas and intestinal worms.

You can read Feline Heartworm in Clinical Settings in a High Canine Prevalence Area .

A number of veterinary practices can also be found via your search engine that will provide facts and advice – and you can always raise the issue with your own vet on your next visit.

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Birthing my cat and after

In ‘Is my cat pregnant?  What can I do? we looked at how to work out if your cat is pregnant and how to prepare. In this part we look at the birth and after-care.

What to expect during birth

Mostly cats do this well by themselves. Leave her alone, limit spectators and make regular checks, especially for first-time mums. Let her pick her preferred place, even if it’s not the place you prepared.

Once birthing starts it can take anything from a couple of hours to a day. Kittens normally come every 30 to 45 minutes.

Kittens can emerge tail-first, generally without problems.

When labour starts, she might yowl in pain and you can usually see or feel contractions by watching or by gently placing your hand on her belly.

Warning signs during labour

Experienced breeders may deal with some of these problems themselves but for the rest of us it is a phone call or an urgent visit to the vet if you notice that:

  • there are no kittens 3-4 hours after her labour starts
  • there are an hour of contractions without producing a new kitten
  • there is a kitten at her vulva but not coming out despite her straining
  • the number of placentas are less then the number of kittens
  • all of the kittens are not delivered within 24 hours
  • mum appears exhausted or appears to give up

Experienced breeders may also assist if the mum is not cleaning off the birth membranes and cutting the umbilical cord.

In the case of serious problems your vet can perform a cesarean. If you decide that you are not going to breed from her, he can remove her reproductive organs during the same operation.

What to do afterwards

Mum will normally chew through the umbilical cord, clean up the kittens and start to feed them by herself.

If one of the kittens is lethargic, not feeding or appears distressed, wrap it up warmly and get it to a vet quickly.

Handling the kittens gently is OK. It starts getting them used to people. You may help a hungry kitten find its way to a vacant nipple if needed.

In the first day or so after birth, watch out for a bad smelling discharge from the mum’s vulva, or fever, depression and neglect of her kittens. This could indicate an infection of her uterus. The most common infections are metritis and pyometra, both of which can be treated by your vet.

Watch her nipples for mastitis. This can appear as small cool blockages or inflammation and abscesses. This is treatable by your vet.

Try to keep mum and the kittens away from other cats for 2-3 weeks after birth to minimise the risk of infection.

Desexing

Some breeds of kitten can come into season as young as three to four months of age. Mum can come into season in about 8 weeks after birth, usually when kittens are weaned. Desexing of kittens can occur as early as two to three months provided they are over 1.1kg.

Not sure if your cat is pregnant?  Read our post Is my cat pregnant?  What should I doAlso you might want to check out our post How early is too early to desex kittens?

Birthing my cat and after Read More »

Is my cat pregnant? What do I do?

Before you start contemplating what to do, the first big question is… 

Is she actually pregnant?

Watch for changes in her behaviour. Many females’ behaviour changes obviously over her heat cycle, usually about three weeks long. If that behaviour pattern suddenly changes, it could mean she is pregnant.

Check her nipples. They will become swollen and prominent at around three weeks into pregnancy and remain that way. A reliable early sign.

Watch her eating and weight. Pregnant cats start eating more.  They will be eating 25-50% more by the end of the pregnancy. She will gain weight, at the rate of about 10% per week of pregnancy. This should be obvious by about week five. The extra weight will be carried low in her tummy, unlike the general plumpness of an obese cat.

Watch how much she sleeps. She will be sleeping more than usual if she is pregnant.

You can tell by touch, if you know what you are doing. Experienced breeders and vets can often tell by gently feeling her tummy after the first few weeks.

Have an ultrasound. As early as a few weeks into the pregnancy, signs will be come visible in a scan. Done later in the pregnancy it can often predict the number of kittens and if they are likely to be born alive.

By blood test. A vet can perform a blood test three to four weeks after mating to confirm signs you have already noticed.

Millions of unwanted kittens worldwide become feral or have to be destroyed. If a litter cannot be cared for or found a responsible home, it is not too late for a termination and desexing, even fairly late in pregnancy. 

Once you have decided to go ahead with the pregnancy, there are a few things you’ll need to know.

How can I prepare?

The good news is that cats are mostly pretty good at managing their pregnancy and birth – but there are some things you can do to help.

Know the timeline. Cat pregnancies last about nine weeks. Almost all kittens are delivered between 61 and 72 days after conception.

Be disease-free. Pregnant cats and newborn kittens are especially prone to common feline infections. Diseases are spread by close contact so cats are best housed in groups of three or four where infection can be controlled. Any new additions to the group should be quarantined for two to three weeks to avoid introducing diseases. Keep up regular health treatments but check because some vaccinations are not suitable during pregnancy.

Feed her well with good quality nutritious food.

Watch out for signs of obesity. If she is becoming fat all over, rather than just in her belly it is likely to be obesity. Obesity in pregnant cats is a serous health concern.

Worm her. Do it about a week before birth to avoid infecting kittens with roundworm.

Watch out for signs of nesting behaviour. If she starts seeking out secluded and comfortable spaces this can show that the birth may be coming soon.

Prepare a warm, secure, private space where she can be discretely observed by you. Make it cosy but with sufficient room to have access to her if you need to intervene. If she does not choose to use the space you’ve prepared, best to respect her choice.

Have a scan. Not strictly necessary but it can predict problems and will tell you how many kittens to expect come the day of birth.

Know emergency vet numbers and locations. In the unlikely event that something does go wrong it will save time to have the number of your regular vet and a 24hr vet close at hand.

Watch for her pre-labour fast. Cats will often stop eating about 24 hours before going into labour, a good warning prepare yourself.


This article is for general information only. If you have any doubts or difficulties, your vet is your best source of information and support for your cat during her pregnancy.


NEXT WEEK, in part two, The birth and after care.

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Is my cat pregnant? What do I do? Read More »

How early is too early to desex kittens?

In the past, vets have recommended that kittens wait until six months of age before being desexed.

Over the last 20 years however, animal shelters in Australia and the world have been desexing of kittens aged two to three months and when they weigh over 1.1 kg. 

There are several reasons for this change.

Avoiding early pregnancy

Cats can come into season as young as three to four months.
Burmese and Siamese are examples of purebred cats which may do this.   

Accidental pregnancy in young cats may lead to the need for a caesarian which is  risky for the cat and quite expensive.

Early age desexing in males also ensures spraying behavior does not occur.

Newer safer anaesthetics

Vets now have access to new safe new anaesthetics that have been developed over the last 20 years and experience has shown that desexing young cats is quick and easy and they recover very well.

Changing veterinary practice

Some vets outside of the animal shelter world may still be recommending six months of age for desexing, however the statistics from shelters show that early age desexing is the way of the future.

More vets are making earlier desexing available.

Breeders

Breeders have been early age desexing for up to 15 years and have found it to be safe. The suggested minimum weight by breeders is the same as shelters, that is 1.1 kg.

Breeders have also found that kittens recover quickly if internal sutures are used as they are more convenient for breeders than external sutures. However, both are acceptable.

Sending kittens to new homes already desexed prevents accidental litters.

It also prevents unregistered breeders producing kittens for the pet market. Unregistered breeders often lack the knowledge or ethics to make sure breeding is done with the goal of producing healthy, genetically sound kittens.  

If you would like to find out more, check out the RSPC’s 2021 report on pre-pubertal desexing

How early is too early to desex kittens? Read More »

Four tips for a happy indoor cat

With more local governments imposing strict cat curfews and owners valuing the health and safety benefits of keeping cats indoors,  just how do you keep those contained kitties stimulated and happy?

1. Sensory buzz

Dust a large paper bag with catnip to create a mini paper paradise.  No catnip?  You will likely have basil, thyme, dill and cinnamon in your pantry which many cats love too.

2. Put them on a toy diet

Cats get bored too and even a favourite toy can become ho-hum if it’s always around.  Try putting that special toy away for a few days and notice the renewed interest when it emerges again.  In the meantime, a small bell rolled into a couple of old socks may make a happy substitute.

3. Food fun

Turn eating into an adventure. Cats love to explore a cardboard feeding ball filled with tasty treats.  An old cardboard egg container will make a ready-made puzzle for a curious cat.  You can create a scavenger hunt by placing strong-smelling treats in hard-to-get-to spots around the house.  Just don’t forget where you put them!

4. Sleeping high

Create new places for your cat to snooze.  Find safe and unused spots on shelves or high furniture and add some old toweling, jumpers or bedding to form a cosy, enclosed platform.

Our thanks to the folk at SafeCat where we picked up these hacks where they have many more ideas for keeping indoor kitties stimulated and happy.

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