Tag: cat health

Enrichment Tips to Keep Your Indoor Cat Happy

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Taste of the Wild

Life may seem a lot easier for indoor cats than their outdoor counterparts. Indoor cats don’t have to lift a paw to receive tasty, nutritious meals. They can snuggle in a warm bed in the middle of a blizzard. And they never have to worry about dodging cars or ferocious animals.

But the truth is, indoor cats need to express a lot of the natural instincts and behaviors like hiding, hunting, scratching and scent marking that outdoor cats accomplish organically. When deprived of these outlets, indoor cats can become stressed, potentially leading to illness and unwanted behaviors.

As part of National Cat Health Month, we’re sharing indoor cat enrichment tips to help you make sure your indoor kitty is as happy and comfortable as possible.

Make your cat feel more at home

Understanding your cat’s needs can help you make small changes that will have a big impact on his or her well-being. Here are a few examples:

A private sanctuary — As the actress Greta Garbo famously quipped, “I want to be alone.” Cats seek private time, too. Cats cope with noisy workmen, overzealous children and other household pets by escaping to a place where they can hide and feel safe. Ideally, provide each cat with a quiet room where it can sleep without feeling vulnerable. If possible, include a bed or box for hiding, food and water bowls, toys and other resources your cat may need.

A bird’s eye view — Many cats prefer to survey their kingdom from above. Cat trees and perches that attach to the wall or windowsill offer the opportunity to climb and observe the world from a safe place. Even better, position the cat tree near a window where your feline can keep an eye on the bird feeder outside.

The right litter boxes — Cats can be particular about their litter box preferences. As a rule of thumb, there should be one litter box per cat in the household, plus one more. Boxes should be about one and a half times the length of the cat (excluding the tail). Cats generally prefer uncovered boxes with unscented, scoopable litter. Boxes should be placed in private but easily accessible locations. You should clean litter at least once a day, and wash the box with mild dish soap once a week.

Physical and mental stimulation — Although cats often like routine, monotony can cause stress and lead to illness and behaviors such as overgrooming. Take time each day to get your cat moving, whether it’s a game of fetch or a laser pointer chase. Some cats can even be trained to walk on a leash. Food puzzles can help stimulate your cat’s mind and make them work for each meal. Toys should be rotated on a regular basis to keep things fresh.

Something to scratch — Cats like to scratch to shed dried nail husks and sharpen their nails. But even declawed cats need to stretch and mark the area with pheromones from the scent glands in their paws. Providing vertical or horizontal scratching posts can provide cats with a suitable place to flex their paws.

An opportunity to hunt — Cats rarely tire of the thrill of the chase. Help your cat express their predatory instincts with toys that mimic the hunting experience. Wands with feathers and bells, toys that squeak or race across the floor all give your cat a chance to stalk and pounce. Finish the game with treat rewards to satisfy the experience of eating prey.

Personal space — In multiple-cat households, competition for resources such as the litter box, food or toys can cause anxiety. Make sure to distribute these items around the house so cats have an opportunity to enjoy them without another cat (or dog) pushing them out of the way.

By minimizing stress and helping your cat express its natural behaviors, you can strengthen the bond between you and your indoor feline companion.

World Rabies Day: 10 Things You Need to Know

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For dogs and cats, infection with the rabies virus is inevitably fatal. But the good news is, it’s entirely preventable with regular rabies vaccinations. Protecting your pet’s health is an important way to safeguard your family, since infected animals can spread the virus to people, too. As part of World Rabies Day on September 28, we’re offering 10 things you should know to help keep all your loved ones safe.

  1. The rabies virus is transmitted by exposure to the saliva of an infected animal. This usually occurs through a bite, although, less commonly, saliva can enter a scratch or open wound. Most pets that fall victim to rabies are unvaccinated and are infected by wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks or foxes. That’s why you shouldn’t allow your pet to chase or fight wildlife.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 60 to 70 dogs and more than 250 cats in the U.S. die of rabies each year. Thanks to pet vaccinations, human deaths in the U.S. are relatively low, averaging about two people per year. The same can’t be said for rabies infections worldwide: Approximately 59,000 human deaths occur each year, in many cases from the bite of a rabid dog.

  2. Rabies occurs in 49 states, with Hawaii being the exception. The disease is especially prevalent on the East Coast from Maine to Florida and along the Mexican border.
  3. There’s no cure for rabies in pets. Once animals show signs of disease, they typically die in less than 10 days. And there’s no way to diagnose the disease in a live animal — it can only be done by examining brain tissue after an animal passes away.
  4. Animals can only transmit the virus after they show signs of disease. In the early stages, infected dogs and cats may appear nervous, aggressive or more friendly than normal. In time, they can become overly sensitive to light and sound. They may have seizures and lash out at others. Finally, they may drool excessively and experience a paralysis that first affects the head and neck before moving down the body, eventually paralyzing the muscles of the chest so they’re no longer able to breathe.
  5. Most states have laws that require rabies vaccinations for pets. Check with your veterinarian and know the state and local ordinances to make sure your pet’s rabies vaccination always stays current.
  6. Unvaccinated pets that bite a human or another pet usually require a 10-day quarantine. Infected animals can’t transmit the virus until they’re showing signs, and they usually die within 10 days after that. If the animal survives the 10 days, it means it wasn’t shedding the virus at the time of the bite.
  7. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal or another pet, contact your veterinarian immediately. Ask the owner of the other pet for proof of rabies vaccination. If they don’t have it or it was a wild animal, contact animal control to determine appropriate action. If your pet’s rabies vaccination is current, your veterinarian may recommend a booster vaccine.

    If your pet’s rabies vaccine has expired, the state may require a 6-month quarantine in an approved animal care center. Because the incubation period, or the time between the bite and the start of signs, is typically less than six months, this allows time to observe the pet and make sure it doesn’t show signs of infection before it is exposed to other pets and humans.

  8. Contact your veterinarian if your pet bites another pet or a person. You will need to provide proof of a rabies vaccination. As rabies laws vary regionally, your veterinarian can advise you as to what steps need to be taken in your state.
  9. Teach children to be gentle and respectful when handling pets. This helps reduce the risk of animal bites. Children should also ask the owner permission before petting other dogs or cats, for the same reason.
  10. If you or someone you are with is bitten by a potentially rabid animal, wash the wound with soap and water and call a physician or emergency room immediately. The doctor will treat the wound and decide if post-exposure prophylaxis, or an injection of plasma followed by a series of rabies vaccinations is needed.

By keeping your pet’s rabies vaccination current, limiting your pet’s exposure to wildlife and teaching children how to handle pets appropriately, you can minimize the risk of rabies infection for everyone in your household.

Vet Visits for Cats: How to Keep Your Cat Calm

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A close-up of a brown and black striped cat sitting inside a cat carrier.

“White coat syndrome” is a very real phenomenon. For people who suffer from this disorder, the mere sight of a doctor — usually clad in a white lab coat — is enough to send their blood pressure skyrocketing. A similar thing can happen to cats (and dogs), too. The stress of a trip to the veterinarian can lead to caterwauling during the car ride and the uncanny ability to brace their paws inside the carrier, defying extrication.

The result of these fears? Some pet parents feel bad for their cats and avoid taking them for annual checkups or don’t stick to the vaccination schedules advised by their veterinarian. These anxious cats may potentially miss out on an early diagnosis of an underlying medical condition if they do not have regular checkups. That’s why we’re sharing tips to help make vet visits less stressful for you and your cat.

Signs My Cat Has Anxiety

General signs of anxiety in cats usually involve changes in their behavior as well as physical symptoms. Common cat anxiety symptoms include refusing to eat, excessive grooming, becoming more reclusive and litter box issues. Other physical signs of an anxious cat include their hair standing on end, dilated pupils, cowering, ears flattened and head lowered, and holding their tail low and tight against their body. A change in a cat’s behavior can also be due to a health condition, so contact your veterinarian if you notice behavioral changes.

Temporary Cat Anxiety Treatment

If your cat’s appointment is within the next few days, and they have shown signs of severe anxiety during previous visits, ask your veterinarian for advice and if sedative medication is appropriate for your cat. The medication can be given to your cat a few hours before the appointment. There are also calming products such as pheromone sprays for feline anxiety on the market, but check with your veterinarian to make sure they won’t react negatively with any of your cat’s underlying health issues. Or you can consider working with a veterinarian who does house calls.

When it comes time for your cat’s actual appointment, find out if your clinic has “cat-only” examination rooms. Some clinics spray cat-friendly pheromones in rooms, and the staff know stress-free handling techniques to ease cat stress during wellness exams, vaccinations and other consultation visits. Depending on your cat’s medical condition and required treatments, your veterinarian may be able to follow up with you over the phone or by video conference instead of scheduling more appointments.

How to Calm a Cat Down for Their Next Checkup

As they say, “Prevention is better than cure,” so for a more long-term solution to your cat’s veterinary visit anxiety, the time to start taking action is weeks before their next appointment. The first step is controlled exposure to the dreaded cat carrier. There’s a good chance that the sight of the carrier is a trigger for anxious behaviors and a cue for your cat to bolt under the bed — especially if your cat only associates traumatic events with it, such as trips to the veterinarian or the groomer. But you can help change that emotional response by separating the carrier from stressful situations. And by exposing kittens to positive associations with the carrier at an early age, you can avoid difficult situations when they’re adults.

You do want to use a carrier: It’s safer for you and your cat for the trip to and from the clinic. The carrier should be large enough to allow your cat to stand up and turn around inside. Ideally, the carrier should have a removable top, whether it’s a hard-plastic model that can be unscrewed or a soft-sided carrier with a zipper at the top.

Make the Cat Carrier Hard to Resist

About a month before your appointment, start associating all things positive with the carrier.

Remove or open the top and place your cat’s favorite blanket inside, or an article of clothing that carries your scent. Cat pheromones, which can make cats feel calmer, are another option for spraying on the blanket. Then place the lower portion of the carrier in a room the cat frequents and leave it there, so the cat can explore it at their leisure.

Scatter treats, catnip or toys in the carrier to make the cat’s space even more enticing. You can also start to feed your cat outside the carrier and gradually, over the course of a few days, move the food bowl inside.

After your cat is comfortable being in the bottom part of the carrier, add the top, or zip the top closed, but leave the door open, so your cat can come and go. Once your cat is comfortable with that, try closing the door for short periods of time and dropping high-value treats inside so your cat associates awesome things with the carrier. Hopefully, over time the carrier becomes a normal part of your cat’s life.

Help Your Anxious Cat Become Accustomed to the Car

Now that time in the carrier with the door closed doesn’t trigger anxiety for your cat, pick up the crate and carry it a few feet, so your cat gets used to that feeling. Gradually increase the distance until you can place the carrier in the car.

Secure the carrier with a seat belt so it doesn’t slide around. Drop a few treats in the carrier and start the car, let it idle for a short period, then stop. For some cats, it helps to drape a light blanket or towel over the carrier, so they aren’t scared by unfamiliar sights. The next day, take a trial drive around the block and gradually increase the length of your drive.

Happy Veterinary Visits Can Help Relieve Cat Stress

From the cat’s view, a fear response to their veterinarian is reasonable: the clinic has a long list of cat anxiety triggers and physical pain if they need blood tests or other diagnostic tests. The clinic could be an environment of loud noises and other cats and pets — unfamiliar experiences that are known to raise anxiety in cats.

So call your veterinary clinic and see if you can schedule a few “happy” visits for your cat. These are five- or ten-minute visits during which clinic staff bring your kitty into an exam room and deliver treats in a calm setting to help your cat adjust to the sights and smells of the clinic and associate positive feelings with it. This is especially helpful if you have a kitten who hasn’t been to the veterinary clinic very often.

With a little help, your cat can learn that a vet visit doesn’t have to be scary. That, of course, can make your life a lot easier, too. And you can feel gratified that you’re providing your cat with the health care that could enhance and even extend their life.

12 Tips for Raising a Healthy, Happy Kitten

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Do we detect the pitter-patter of tiny kitten paws in your house? If you’re adding a new feline family member, here are some important kitten care tips to help you make a successful start.

Age matters. The kitten socialization period, when they learn to interact with other animals and humans, ends at around 7 weeks of age. To encourage healthy social interactions and bonds, make sure kittens aren’t separated from the litter before this time.

Catproof the house. Remove toxic houseplants; put away string, yarn, buttons and other small objects that can be swallowed; and cover electrical cords that can be chewed.

Start a veterinary health program. Your veterinarian can recommend the right vaccines, parasite prevention and nutrition to help put your kitten on the road to good health.

Tag your kitten. It’s easy for small kittens to inadvertently slip out the door. Increase the chance they’ll be returned to you with an ID tag on a breakaway collar. This kind of collar snaps off if caught on a fence or branch to prevent choking, in which case a microchip can serve as a permanent form of identification.

Make gradual introductions. If you have other household pets, keep the kitten in a separate room, allowing pets to sniff each other under the door, then through a baby gate, and then gradually introduce supervised meetings over the course of a week.

Scratching is a normal behavior. Provide kittens with scratching posts so they can give in to their natural instincts. Start nail trims early so kittens are comfortable with having their paws handled.

Count the litter boxes. You need one box for every cat in the household, plus one more, in different locations. Large, uncovered boxes with low sides in easily accessible but private locations are best. Most cats prefer unscented, clumping litter that’s scooped every day.

Stay positive. Never punish a kitten because this can lead to fear, anxiety and aggression. Instead, reinforce good behavior with praise and a treat.

Make time for play. Purchase or make cat-safe toys, such as feather dancers and balls that can’t be chewed or swallowed. They don’t have to be expensive — kittens like hiding in cardboard boxes and paper grocery bags or batting around wads of crumpled paper.

Invest in good nutrition. Your veterinarian can recommend a diet that’s specially formulated to provide the energy and nutrients to help your kitten grow strong and healthy. Avoid the bottomless food bowl, which can lead to overeating and obesity.

Start brushing. Use a finger brush and pet toothpaste to get your kitten accustomed to dental care from an early age. Same goes for grooming: Brush medium- and long-haired cats to help prevent the development of painful mats.

Train your kitten. Most kittens are able to learn certain commands such as “come” and “sit.” Keep training sessions short, and reward the right behavior with treats and praise.

How Cat Obesity Can Lead to Feline Diabetes

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A close-up of an overweight gray and white cat sitting on a kitchen floor.

If you’re wondering if your cat is overweight, that’s not so unusual — there are more overweight cats in the U.S. than cats of an optimal weight. The problem is that carrying a few extra pounds can have negative effects on your cat’s health, including high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, respiratory difficulties and even some types of cancer. But the health condition with the strongest link to obesity in cats is diabetes. 

Can Cats Get Diabetes?

Yes! Diabetes — or more appropriately, feline diabetes mellitus — occurs when a cat’s pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or has lost the ability to produce insulin altogether. Diabetes mellitus can also occur when the body’s cells don’t respond normally to the insulin that the pancreas does make, a phenomenon called insulin resistance.

Insulin is a hormone that is necessary for cells to take in glucose (blood sugar) from the bloodstream. Not only does insulin resistance contribute to diabetes, it is also thought to play a role in other diseases, such as kidney disease, liver disease and cancer, as well as contributing to ongoing obesity.

Most diabetic cats develop type 2 diabetes, which is when their bodies are unable to properly use insulin, and may need an insulin injection once or twice a day for the rest of their life. Sometimes this type of diabetes can be reversed, meaning the cat can go into remission and insulin injections are no longer needed. Early diagnosis, treatment with insulin and a change in diet provides the greatest chance of reversing diabetes in a cat. However, if the cat hasn’t gone into diabetic remission within six to 10 months of diagnosis, they will likely need lifelong insulin treatment.

What Causes Diabetes in Cats?

Diabetes has been diagnosed in cats of all ages and breeds, and in both males and females, including neutered, spayed and intact cats. However, certain cats — especially obese cats — are at greater risk of developing the disease. Older cats, particularly neutered male cats, are also more likely to develop diabetes. 

Other risk factors in cats include inactivity, genetics, increasing age, infections, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), kidney disease, steroid medications and endocrine disorders.  High calorie foods are more likely to cause a cat to become overweight, especially if that cat is an inactive indoor kitty.

To help your cat avoid diabetes:

  • Maintain them at a healthy weight. If you’re not sure how much your cat should weigh, talk with your veterinarian.
  • Feed a complete and balanced diet. This includes limiting treats to no more than 10 percent of your cat’s daily calories.
  • Provide your cat with plenty of physical activity. Exercise helps keep them from becoming bored and can help manage their weight.

Signs of Diabetes in Cats

Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and urination, and weight loss despite an increased appetite. These clinical signs can also be caused by other conditions in cats, such as hyperthyroidism and kidney disease. So if you notice these symptoms, make an appointment with your veterinarian to confirm a diagnosis, especially as uncontrolled diabetes can be fatal.  

Feline Diabetes Treatment Options

While a diagnosis of diabetes may initially feel overwhelming for cat owners, diabetes is a condition that you can manage with the help of your vet, especially in the early stages. Diabetes can’t be cured, but managing diabetes is possible with daily insulin injections and diet changes that can keep your cat’s blood glucose levels regulated and reduce or eliminate diabetes symptoms.

Diet Changes for Cats Diagnosed with Diabetes

Diet can play a big part in the management of diabetes and maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Cats have a unique ability to use protein to make a steady supply of glucose for energy. Many veterinarians consider a food containing high levels of good-quality protein and low levels of carbohydrates ideal for diabetic cats. Because cats are obligate carnivores, the high-protein diet more closely mirrors a diet they might eat in the wild.

If you switch your diabetic cat to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, it’s important to do so under the guidance of a veterinarian. With this type of diet, your cat may need less insulin over time. However, not all cats respond best to the same diet. Other diets formulated for diabetic cats may include high fiber to aid in glucose metabolism. 

It’s important to always work with your veterinarian to ensure your cat is maintaining normal blood glucose concentrations and you aren’t putting your cat at risk for hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a medical emergency, can also be a risk if your cat doesn’t receive enough insulin. Diabetic cats should be fed the same amount of food at the same times every day to help maintain normal blood sugar levels. 

Remission doesn’t mean a cat with diabetes is cured. It’s still important that your cat maintains a healthy weight and body condition, eats appropriate food and stays active. And in some cases, your kitty may still need a once- or twice-daily insulin dose in the future.

How to Prevent Cat Obesity and Diabetes

Getting your cat down to a healthy weight helps prevent disease, enhances their quality of life and can actually help them live longer. Chubby cats can also have more trouble jumping, playing and climbing.

Ideally, your cat should lose weight gradually, trimming off about 3 to 5 percent of body weight per month. Slow weight loss is very important as cats are at risk for a dangerous liver condition called hepatic lipidosis if their calorie intake is restricted too quickly.

Research has shown that obesity, age and lack of activity are the main contributors to insulin resistance and diabetes in cats. So, if you want to reduce your furry friend’s risk of diabetes, feed them appropriate amounts so that they maintain an ideal (or optimal) body condition and make sure they get plenty of activity. Make a commitment to spend three 5-minute aerobic play sessions with your cat each day.

Diabetic Cats Can Live a Full Life

Although diabetes can’t be cured, it is possible to successfully manage your cat’s diabetes through daily insulin therapy, monitoring your cat’s blood sugar, feeding an appropriate diet and regular physical activity. With appropriate care and attention, there’s no reason why your diabetic cat can’t fully live out the rest of their natural lifespan.