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Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu rec.pets.cats:18647 news.answers:4531 Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!usenet From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore) Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,news.answers Subject: rec.pets.cats FAQ (part 2/3) Supersedes: <cats-faq/part2_722325617@athena.mit.edu> Followup-To: poster Date: 11 Dec 1992 06:02:31 GMT Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept. Lines: 1353 Sender: tittle Approved: news-answers-request@mit.edu Expires: 14 Jan 1993 06:02:10 GMT Message-ID: <cats-faq/part2_724053730@athena.mit.edu> References: <cats-faq/part1_724053730@athena.mit.edu> Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu NNTP-Posting-Host: pit-manager.mit.edu X-Last-Updated: 1992/09/30 Archive-name: cats-faq/part2 Version: 1.7 Last-modified: 29 September 1992 Periodicity: 20 days This is the second of three parts of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) List for rec.pets.cats. It is posted every twenty days: updates, additions, and corrections (including attributions) are always welcome: send email to one of the addresses below. Copies of both parts of this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) under /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/*. Or send email to mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part1 send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part2 send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part3 in the body of the message to have both parts emailed to you. D. Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS). Feline urologic 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). FUS is NOT a specific diagnosis: there are many known and some unknown factors that may cause or contribute to FUS. Any cause resulting in particulate debris in the urine is capable of causing obstruction in the male cat. Males are much more likely to get this disease than females. There is no known means of prevention. Treatment can vary from diet to surgery. Cats usually recover if the disease is caught in time; often the cat must be watched for any recurrence of FUS. 1. Symptoms May appear periodically during the life of the cat. * Females: straining to urinate, blood in the urine, frequent trips to the litter box with only small amounts voided, loss of litterbox habits. * Males: In addition to the above symptoms, small particles may lodge in the male urethra and cause complete obstruction with the inability to pass urine-this is a life and death situation if not treated quickly. Obstruction usually occurs in the *male* cat and is most often confined to the site where the urethra narrows as it enters the bulbourethral gland and penis; small particles that can easily pass out of the bladder and transverse the urethra congregate at the bottleneck of the penile urethra to cause complete blockage. (note that the female urethra opens widely into the vagina with no bottleneck). Symptoms of obstruction are much more intense than those of bladder inflammation alone; this is an emergency requiring immediate steps to relieve the obstruction. Symptoms include: * Frequent non-producing straining-no urine produced, discomfort, pain, howling. * *Gentle* feeling of the cats abdomen reveals a tennis ball size structure which is the overdistended urinary bladder. * Subsequent depression, vomiting and/or diarrhea, dehydration, loss of appetite, uremic poisoning, and coma may develop rapidly within 24 hours. * Death results from uremic poisoning; advanced uremic poisoning may not be reversible even with relief of the obstruction and intensive care. Bladders can be permanently damaged as a result. 2. Causes of FUS In general: any condition that causes stricture, malfunction, inflammation, or obstruction of the urethra. In addition, any condition that causes inflammation, malfunction, or abnormal anatomy of the urinary bladder. Known causes: * Struvite crystals accompanied by red blood cells-generally caused by a diet too high in magnesium relative to the pH of the urine. * Fish-flavored foods tend to be worse * The ability of a given diet to cause problems in an individual cat is highly variable: only those cats with a history of this kind of FUS may respond well to strictly dietary management. Many cats do not have problems with a diet that may produce FUS in some individuals. * Bladder stones, may occur from struvite crystals, or be secondary to bladder infections. There are metabolic disorders (not all are understood) that result in a higher concentration of a given mineral that can remain in solution; hence stones are formed. Diet may greatly modify the concentration of a given mineral in solution in the urine. Water intake may modify the concentration of all minerals in the urine, and bacterial infection increases the risk of stone formation. * Anatomical abnormalities such as congenital malformations of the bladder and/or urethra (early neutering is NOT a factor) OR acquired strictures of the urethra and/or scarring of the bladder. * Trauma. * Neurolgenic problems affecting the act of urination (difficult to diagnose except at institutions capable of urethral pressure profiles) * Primary bacterial infection-RARE! * Tumors (benign/malignant) * Protein matrix plug (generally urethral obstruction of males); can be from non-mineral protein debris, viral-based, other causes are unknown. * Suspected or unknown factors include non-bacterial infections, toxins, stress, and seasonal influences. 3. Management of FUS Obstruction of the male cat is a medical emergency. The obstruction must be relieved immediately. Failure to produce a good stream of urine *after* relief of obstruction is indicative of urethral stricture and/or stones or matrex plugs. Failure of bladder to empty after relief of obstruction is indicative of 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. E. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a viral infection of cats that is considered essentially fatal. Now there are blood tests that can help determine whether a cat is infected, and there is a new vaccine available to prevent FIP. 1. Course of the disease Weiss (1991) presents a flow-chart of possiblities for FIP infections; the pathways presented here are probable, not proven. FIPV carrier | virus shed, ingested by another cat __________________/\ / \ Inadequate exposure; no infection \ infection | replication of virus | macrophages (white blood cells) "eat" virus, are infected | transport to lymph nodes, peristent viral infection establishes | dissemination of virus to liver, lymph nodes, spleen _________________________________/\__________ ?/ | With strong cell- With antibodies and partial or mediated immunity no cell-mediated immunity and good antibodies | | persistent secondary viremia NO DISEASE | / \ circulating immune complexes complete persistant subclinical | recovery infection inflammation of vascular system | tissue death in eyes, brain, carrier cat w/o symptoms? lungs, kidney, mesentery | | immune system supression | due to drugs, stress, aging | | | FIP infection reactivates? | | _______________________________/ \ | | with partial cell-mediated immunity? with no cell-mediated immunity? | | NON-EFFUSIVE (DRY) FIP DEVELOPS EFFUSIVE (WET) FIP DEVELOPS 2. Considerations * A good portion of the population may be carrying FIP, and yet not come down with the disease. These animals are infectious. * Because the virus will bind to antibodies, a cat that has some antibodies but not a well-functioning total immune system with good cytotoxic and suppressor T-cells may actually get sick faster: the virus-antibody complexes could cause inflammation and tissue destruction, or may be more readily picked up by white blood cells, infecting them, and further reducing the cat's immune system to shambles. * Exposing cats to small doses of inactivated FIP virus, through vaccination, could actually kill cats faster if they are later infected with the "real" virus _if_ the cat makes antibodies but does not have T-cells that recognize the virus. This apparently happened in the course of developing the vaccine; *the current vaccine is thought to be safe.* 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. Diagnosis Diagnosis of FIP will probably include a coronavirus titer of 1:128 or more, but this is not diagnostic, since there can be cross-reactions with FECV. The vet will probably want samples of any fluid accumulations, and may want to take needle-punch biopsies of kidney, liver or other organs for microscopic exams. The vet will have to make sure s/he is not dealing with a number of other diseases, including cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, infections, cancers, liver problems, kidney disease or toxoplasmosis or systemic fungal diseases. 6. 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. F. Thyroid Problems. Treatments: 1) Regular doses of Tapazol. 2. Surgery to remove most of the thyroid. This is a difficult and potentially dangerous operation (especially for an older cat), and it is not necessarily effective. That is, it will reduce the thyroid activity, but not necessarily stop the runaway thyroid growth--it may only reduce or delay the problem and you'll have to give Tapazol anyway. At the other extreme, you might also end up having to give the animal thyroid supplements... 3. Radioactive Iodine treatment of thyroid. This is reported to be very effective in _solving_ the problem. The troubles are it is very expensive, and it means leaving your cat at the facility where it is done for up to two weeks (they have to monitor the cat to make sure all the radioactivity is gone before letting it go home). Leaving a cat at a facility where there are other cats can expose it to the health problems of the other cats there. G. Skin Problems. 1. Matted fur Matted fur is a perfect breeding ground for parasites and encourages inflammatory skin diseases. If your cat has matted fur, do not try to cut it off as you may injure the cat. Mats are difficult to comb out and may be painful. You may have to have the vet sedate and shave the cat. Do groom it regularly. 2. Bald patches Often caused by itching and irritation of some sort. Fleas, allergies, eczema, and ringworm are all possible culprits. Sometimes it is simply stress; Vets may prescribe hormone shots or even tranquilizers to control the scratching. 3. Scratching If the cat is scratching its ears and you can see black grit, that's earmites. Consult your vet for appropriate ear drops. Ear mites stay in the ears, but can be passed from cat to cat, especially if they groom each other. The life cycle of an ear mite is entirely within the ear, so you do not have to worry about ridding your house of them the way you do fleas. Cats typically shake their heads when given the medication; unless the medication actually comes back out, that is OK. An additional step to take is to soak a cotton ball or pad in mineral oil (baby oil is fine), and clean out the outer ear (do not poke into the canal). That rids the upper ear of any ear mites lodged higher up than the canal, and makes it difficult for the ear mites to reestablish themselves. Scratching and a discharge from the ears means a bacterial or fungal infection and the vet should be immediately consulted. Other possible causes of scratching include fleas, lice, eczema, allergies, or stud tail (in male cats). 4. Feline Acne Cats can develop acne just as humans do. Usually it is only on the chin. It will appear as small black spots. The reasons for feline acne are as complex as it is for humans. Sometimes a food allegery (such as chocolate with humans or milk with cats) can cause it or sometimes the cat does not clean its chin properly. 1. Tips on caring for feline acne It is important to keep food dishes clean. Acne has bacteria associated with it. The cat's chin comes in contact with the edge of the food/water bowl, leaving bacteria. The next time the cat uses the bowl, it can come in contact with this bacteria and spread it on the chin. * Use glass or metal food/water dishes. It is next to impossible to remove the bacteria from acne from plastic dishes. * Wash the food and water dishes daily. This removes the bacteria from the dishes and helps to keep the problem from getting worse. Also, in multi-cat households, it will help reduce the chance of others breaking out with it. * Bathe the cat's chin daily with a disinfectant soap/solution from the vet. Nolvasan, Xenodine, Betadine soaps are a few of the ones to try. More severe cases may need to be washed twice a day. DO NOT USE HUMAN ACNE SOLUTIONS, these are too strong for cats and may cause serious problems. Don't try to pick the spots off, just clean it well. Visit the vet if you can't get the acne to clear up within a week or two or if the acne is severe or infected. The vet may prescribe antibiotics for these cats or other acne treatments. Once the acne is cleared up, keep an eye out for reoccurances. Washing the cat's chin once a week is a good preventative measure. H. 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. I. 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. This means 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. Most cat-exposed people have had toxoplasmosis; the symptoms are similar to a mild cold. (Nomenclature: Toxoplasma gondii is the organism, toxoplasmosis the disease, and Toxoplasma is a protozoan.) 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. To prevent human contraction of toxoplasmosis: a) Cook any meat for you or your cat thoroughly. b) Use care when handling raw meat. c) Wear household gloves when handling litter. d) Use disinfectant to clean the litter pan and surrounding area. e) Keep children's sandpits covered when not in use. f) Wear gardening gloves when working in the garden. Better yet, the litterbox and meat-chopping chores should go to someone else if you're pregnant. J. Vomiting. Some cats vomit all the time; other cats do so relatively rarely. Vomiting is not a sign of the same sort of distress as it is in humans. Because they are carnivores, they need to be able to vomit quickly and almost at will without feeling sick. On the other hand, a cat that suddenly starts to vomit, or vomits more than usual or in some way demonstrates a departure from its normal habits should be checked by the vet. 1. Reasons Most commonly, a cat vomits because it has hairballs. To check for this, examine the vomit carefully for small grayish pellets or lumps (it doesn't matter what color your cat's hair is). If these are present, then hairballs is the problem. Hairballs occur even with shorthair cats. All cats benefit from regular brushing to help minimize shedding and ingestion of hair. If your cat is vomiting because of hairballs, its normal behavior is not affected. That is, it will be its usual self immediately before and after vomiting. To help prevent this kind of vomiting, feed your cat on a regular basis some petroleum jelly (aka as Vaseline). If they don't like it, you can try Petromalt, a malt-flavored petroleum jelly. Pats of butter will also work. To give it to them, if they won't eat it of their free will, smear some on top of their paw and they will lick it up as they clean it off. Be careful to rub it in thoroughly, otherwise when they shake their paw, you'll have gobs of vaseline go flying onto the walls or carpet. Give it to them daily for a few days if they've just upchucked or are in the midst of dry heaves; go back down to a weekly dose once they've gotten rid of existing hairballs and this should keep them hairball free. Frequent brushing also helps; every bit of hair on the brush is less hair in your cat's stomach. Another common reason for vomiting is overeating, particularly dry food. The dry food absorbs water and swells, and then they have to throw it back up. If the vomit looks like a semi-solid tube of partially digested cat food, that's probably what it is. A cat may vomit when it is allergic to its food. You can check this out by trying another brand of food with substantially different ingredients and no food colorings. Sometimes cats vomit when they have worms. Consult your vet for a worming appointment. If 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. 2. Vomit stains You may now have stains on the carpet that you want to get rid of. Spot Shot works 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. K. 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. Also have them check for a fever. * Change 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.) * The vet may or may not prescribe medication. 1/2t of kaopectate (NOT peptobismol, it contains asprin) usually works pretty well too. * Usually diarrhea lasts only a few days. If it lasts longer than that, as long as the cat does not have a fever, it USUALLY does not mean anything serious, but you must protect the cat from dehydration by making it take in plenty of liquids. 1. Possible causes for acute diarrhea. From: Colin F. Burrows. 1991. _Diarrhea in kittens and young cats_. pp. 415-418 IN J.R. August. Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia. Causes of Acute (sudden onset) Diarrhea in Kittens and Young Cats *Infections* Viral Panleucopenia (distemper) Feline Leukemia Virus Coronavirus Rotavirus Astrovirus Bacterial Salmonella Campylobacter ? Escherischia coli (not documented in cats) Parasitic Roundworms Hookworms Coccidia Giardia Toxoplasma *Diet* esp. dietary change or raid on the garbage *Toxic or drug-induced* Acetominophen (tylenol) antibiotics *Miscellaneous* partial intestinal obstruction Most common causes are viral infections and dietary changes. Treatments: Rule out parasites with complete fecal exam. Withhold food for 24-48 hours to rest the GI tract. Maintain fluid balance with water. Add a little sugar to water if kitten is mentally dull... Severe diarrhea may require 1-2 ml peptobismal 3 or 4 times daily for no more than 3 or 4 days. After 24-48 hours, begin feeding, using canned tuna in water, chicken breast and rice, or cooked egg. Avoid non-premium dry catfood for several days. No milk until feces are normal for 2-3 days. 2. Causes of chronic diarrhea Viral and Bacterial FIV FeLeuk Salmonella Campylobacter Clostridium Parasites as above, except Toxoplasma Dietary sensitivity Miscellaneous Inflammatory Bowel Diseawse 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. L. Neutering. If you are not planning to breed your cat or put it to stud service, you will want to neuter it. Technically, the general term for either sex is neutering; female cats are spayed and male cats are castrated. However, general usage is that female cats are spayed or neutered and male cats are neutered. 1. Castration Male cats are castrated. A local anesthetic is administered and several stitches are used to close it up. You will want to neuter the male cat after its testicles descend but before its urine odor changes. This is typically around 6 months of age. By neutering earlier, you prevent spraying (if it has started spraying, it may not stop after neutering, even though it is no longer hormonally driven). By neutering later, you allow the testicles and urinary tract full development; this is thought to reduce the chances of contracting FUS (growth will stop after neutering or puberty; be aware that the jury is out on this one). If surgery must be done on an undescended testicle then the cost and risk increase. An intact male cat (a "tom") will spray a foul-smelling urine to mark his territory, he will roam widely, and he will be involved in more fights. Often, he will be more aggressive. He will be at higher risk for certain diseases, such as cancer; he will also be more prone to infection from the injuries in fights. A neutered male cat will lose the foul-smelling odor in his urine (but may still spray); he will not roam as widely nor fight as often. You will be able to keep him indoors if you wish. Contrary to popular opinion, he will not become more lazy or fat. Laziness and fatness depend on cat temperament and how much you feed him. 2. Spaying Female cats are spayed; this is an ovario-hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries are removed). There are two methods: ventral entry which is through the stomach muscles in the belly (where a large patch of fur will be shaved to prevent later irritation of the incision), and the lateral entry which is through a small incision in the cat's side. Ventral entry is less expensive, lateral entry has a quicker recovery time. You may have to bring your cat back in after ventral entry to remove stitches; lateral entry uses internal sutures which dissolve. Ventral entry is much more commonly employed; lateral entry is relatively rare, and not all vets may know how to do it. The cat must be put under general anesthesia. There is always an element of risk in general anesthesia and while it is rare, a few rec.pets.cats readers have had their cats die under anesthesia. The earlier the female cat is spayed, the better. Any time after four months or once the heat cycles have started is good. Spaying when the cat is in heat or already pregnant is possible, although some vets refuse to operate under these circumstances. On occasion, a female cat will not have all of her ovaries removed. The ovaries produce the hormones that induce heat: if your cat still goes through heat after being spayed, you may have to take her in for exploratory surgery to find the missed ovary, or even piece of ovary. An intact female cat (a "queen") will go through heat which can be as frequent as one week in four. You must keep her indoors to prevent breeding, and she will do her best to escape. She will spray a foul smelling substance. Many cats will meow loudly for long periods of time. She will twitch her tail to the side and display her vulva. If she becomes pregnant, she will undergo all the risks and expenses associated with pregnancy (extra visits to the vet and extra food). Male cats will try very hard to get at her; there are documented cases, for example, of male cats entering homes through the chimney. Medication is available that will delay heat; breeders use this to control the number of times their queens are bred and to work around cat show schedules. An unbred, unspayed cat has a much higher risk of developing cancer of the reproductive system. Again, spayed females do not lose their energy or change their personality after the procedure. Female cats may come into estrus within a few days of giving birth. If you have a mom-cat that you want to stop from having more litters, try to get her spayed as soon as possible after the kittens are born. 3. Post-op recovery You will need to watch to make sure your cat does not try to pull out its stitches. Consult your vet if your cat starts pulling at its stitches. You might, in persistent cases, need to get an elizabethan collar to prevent the cat from reaching the stitches. Puffiness, redness, or oozing around the stiches should be also reported to the vet. Some stitches "dissolve" on their own; others require a return to the vet for removal. |You should note that male cats will take some time to flush all |testosterone and semen out of their systems. There have been recorded |cases of "neutered" cats impregnating female cats shortly after their |operation. Three to four weeks is sufficient time for neutered toms |to become sterile. 4. Cost The cost can vary widely, depending on where you get it done. There are many pet-adoption places that will offer low-cost or even free neutering services, sometimes as a condition of adoption. Local animal clinics will often offer low-cost neutering. Be aware that spaying will always cost more than castrating at any given place since spaying is a more complex operation. Vets almost always charge more than clinics, partly because of overhead, but also because they often keep the animal overnight for observation and will do free followup on any later complications (a consideration in the case of missed ovaries). In the US, there is at least one group, "Friends of Animals" (1-800-321-7387) that will give you information on low-cost spay/neutering places, or do it themselves. They often have price-reduction certificates that your vet may accept. Quoting actual prices may or may not give you an idea of the cost for you in your area. Costs can range from US$10 for castration at a clinic to US$100 for spaying at the vet's. This is money well spent. One pair of cats, allowed to breed, and with 2 litters a year and 2.8 surviving kittens per litter, will account for 80,000 cats in 10 years! M. 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. This is sometimes used as a last resort with inveterate scratchers of furniture, carpet, etc. However, if trained in kittenhood, most cats are very good about scratching only allowable items such as scratching posts (see Scratching). Britain has made declawing illegal. Show cats may not be declawed. 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. N. Cat Allergies. Here are some highlights from the article in CATS Magazine, April 1992, pertaining to cats with allergies. - Just like people, 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. - 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. - 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 - a quote from a vet, "Every time they bring out a new litter I get a whole parade of cats coming in with reactions to it." - Besides litterbox filler, cats share many inhalant allergies with people. In winter, especially in the Northern states, when the furnace is turned on for the first time, the sudden head & air flow dislodges dust & mod that has been growing in the furnace ducts over the summer and can trigger a cats inhalant allergy. Other inhalent allergens are cigarette smoke, perfumes, household sprays and air fresheners, and yes, 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 is similar to humans...antihistamines, such as chlortrimetron.. More severe cases are treated with systemic steroids, which can have drawbacks. For cats with debilitating inhalant allergies, a possible treatment is desensitization, during which a cat is exposed to more & more of the allergen, so that it builds a resistance to it. - Watch for signs, consult your vet. O. 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. IV. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS (INSIDE) A. In General. You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Dogs form social hierarchies that you can take advantage of by placing yourself at the top. Cats form social groups only by necessity and the arrangement is based on respecting territory, not by respecting the "top dog". Many mistakes made with cats are due to thinking that they will react like dogs. **Do not *ever* hit a cat or use any sort of physical punishment.** You will only teach your cat to fear you. * You can train your cat not to perform inappropriate behavior by training your cat to perform other behavior alternative to or incompatible with the inappropriate behavior. * Since cats hate to be surprised, you can use waterbottles, clapping, hissing, and other sudden noises (such as snapping, "No!") to stop unwanted behavior. However, be aware that these tactics will not work when you are not present. In addition, immediacy is key: even seconds late may render it ineffective. You must do it as soon as the cat starts the behavior. * The face-push has been described by various readers. This consists of pushing the palm of your hand into the cat's face. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don't hit the cat, simply push its face back gently. You might accompany it with a "no!" * Making certain behaviors impossible is another tactic. Think "childproofing": keep food in containers; keep breakable and/or dangerous objects out of reach; make sure heavy objects, e.g. bookshelves, are stable. Look for childproofing gadgets and hints and think how you can apply them to preventing cat problems. Even when the analogy isn't perfect, physically preventing problems is still a good guide. E.g., defrosting meat? Put it in the (unheated) stove, not out on the counter. It is always best to train your cat away from undesireable behavior as soon as possible, as young as possible. You will have the most success training your cat when it is young on what is acceptable to scratch and what is not. Never tolerate it when it is "cute" since it will not always remain so. B. Plants. Cats are frequently fascinated with houseplants. However, you may not appreciate the attention, which can range from chewing on the plant leaves to digging or peeing in the plant soil. For chewing, try spraying Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange on the leaves. Dusting cayenne pepper on them may also help. You may wish to grow some grass or catnip for them as an alternative; plants do provide them with needed nutrients (the absence of which may be causing their grazing). For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, add some vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. C. Spraying. Some cats start spraying in the house. You will want to first rule out any medical causes, such as FUS or cystitis. Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between *spraying* (which winds up on walls) and *urinating* (which is generally on the floor). Spraying is more often a behavior problem and urination is more often a medical problem. It is best to check with a vet first. If the problem is medical, then you will need to simply clean up the odor after the problem is treated, otherwise you will need to try some of the behavior modification outlined below (and you'll still need to clean up the odor). You must remove the odor from items that the cat sprayed on to prevent the cat from using the same spot again later. The ammonia smell tells the cat that this is an elimination spot, so never use ammonia to try and "remove" the odor! See (Removing Urine Odor). Cats sometimes spray to mark their territory so sometimes an area for your cat that other animals cannot go to will help. Keeping the litterbox *immaculately clean* will help in other cases. Sometimes cats pick small throw rugs with non-skid backing to urinate on. This is caused by an odor from the backing that somehow tells the cat to urinate there (probably an ammonia-like smell). Cat-repellent sprays or washing the rug *may* help; you might just have to get rid of that rug. For persistent spraying after the above steps, try the procedure outlined in (Housebreaking). C. Scratching. For unwanted scratching, provide an approved scratching post or other item. Issue firm "no!"s on unapproved items. You may wish to spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (available at most pet stores) on items that they are particularly stubborn about. Praise them and give a cat treat when they use the approved scratching material. Demonstrate how to use the post by (yes) going up to it and scratching it like your cat would. They will come over to investigate your scent and then leave their own. Pepper (black, white, or cayenne) can be applied to furniture and plants to discourage scratching. This does not deter all cats. You can also cover areas with double-sided tape (sticky on both sides) to discourage unwanted scratching. (Always be sure to provide an alternative scratching item.) In general, cats will either use a post a lot or never use it. The deciding factor can be the material that the post is made out of. It has to be fairly smooth (cats usually don't like plush carpet) and shouldn't be a material that their nails get stuck in. Once that happens, they may not use the post anymore. Natural fiber rope wrapped tightly around the post appeals to many cats. Some cats like plain wood; a two-by-four made available may work well. Other cats prefer the kind of "scratching posts" that are horizontal rather than verticle. E. Housetraining. It is possible for cats to stop using the litter box or to have trouble learning in the first place. Do NOT *ever* try to discourage a cat's mistakes by rubbing its nose in it. It never worked for dogs and most certainly will not work for cats. In fact, you wind up reminding the cat of where a good place to eliminate is! Potential CAUSES for failure to use litterbox: * MEDICAL PROBLEMS: 1. diarrhea (many causes) a. small intestinal- soft to watery b. colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood, straining 2. urinary bladder inflammation a. FUS b. Bacterial infections c. trauma d. calculi (bladder stones) e. tumors 3. polydipsia/polyuria (excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably less than this) a. diabetes insipidus b. diabetes mellitus c. kidney disease d. liver disease e. adrenal gland disease f. pyometra (pus in the uterus) g. hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) h. others * TERRITORIAL MARKING: 1. intact female in heat 2. intact male spraying 3. marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be from presence of outdoor cats 4. may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats 5. Previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian tissue remaining. This may result in low level of hormone which could trigger marking. 6. neutered male with sexual experience exposed to female in heat * LITTER BOX PROBLEMS: 1. overcrowding: too many cats using same box 2. failure to change littter frequently enough -- some cats won't use a dirty box 3. failure to provide constant access to litterbox 4. change in type of litter used 5. change in location of litterbox 6. unfamiliar, frightening, or loud objects near box: dishwasher, etc. 7. food and water too close to litterbox 8. objectionable chemical used to wash or disinfect litterbox 9. location preference: your cat may want his box in a different location 10. texture preference: your cat doesn't like the feel of the litter 11. failure to cover litter: learned process from parents a. use of litterbox is instinctive b. cats that don't cover litter may be more prone to litterbox problems c. your cat may be indicating texture preference problem * PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS: (most common manifestation is inappropriate urination) 1. addition or subtraction of other pets in household 2. visitors, company, parties, redecorating, construction, or any type of commotion 3. a move to a new environment 4. change in routine or schedule: a new job or working hours 5. their return from boarding or hospitilization 6. interaction problem with other pets or cats a. cats are asocial rather than antisocial; in the wild each has a territory and period of contact with others in the group (and only one male per group) b. a closed environment will create a greater degree of interaction than some cats prefer. The more cats in a household, the greater the degree of interaction * CHEMICAL ATTRACTION OF PREVIOUS "ACCIDENTS:" 1. likely to produce repeated visitations to the same spot 2. may induce urination by other members of a multi-cat household 3. you may have moved to a residence previously occupied with other dogs and/or cats Treatment: * Rule out medical problems FIRST 1. complete history and physical 2. stool/GI workup for diarrhea (if needed) 3. urinalysis for inappropriate urination to rule out an infection 4. workup for polydipsia/polyuria 5. important to check all cats of a multi-cat household a. last cat seen misbehaving may be responding to chemical attraction and not be an instigator b. more than one cat could have problem 6. treat/correct medical problems first. Behavioral problems can only be diagnosed in a healthy cat * Territorial marking: 1. neuter all cats (check history of neutered cats; retained testicle in male or signs of heat in female) 2. prevent other cats from coming around outside of house, close windows, blinds, and doors 3. prevent overcrowding in multi-cat households * Litter box problems: 1. provide a box for each cat 2. change litter daily 3. provide constant access to a box 4. go back to previously used brand of litter and/or discontinue new disinfectant 5. move box to where it was previously used 6. eliminate new or frightening noise near litterbox 7. move food and water away from litterbox 8. if cat is only going in one spot, put the litterbox at the exact location and gradually move it back to where you want it at the rate of one foot per day 9. if there are several places, try putting dishes of cat food in those areas to discourage further elimination there 10. experiment with different textures of litter (cats prefer sandy litter) 11. use a covered litterbox for cats that stand in box but eliminate outside of it * Psychological Stress: 1. eliminate if possible 2. try to provide each cat at home with its own "space" a. use favorite resting areas to determine b. provide separate litterboxes near each space if possible c. cubicles, boxes, shelves, crates are effective for this 3. tranquilizers sometimes work well in multicat situations * Chemical attraction: 1. dispose of all soiled fabric or throw rugs if possible 2. 50% vinegar or commercial products may be used 3. steam cleaning may help 4. repellants may help 5. do not replace carpeting until problem entirely solved or it may start all over again on your new carpeting * Confinement: (In portable kennel with litterbox, (with appropriate corrections) to stop further inappropriate behavior while medical and/or other problems are being treated.) 1. particularly beneficial for transient stress induced problem 2. may allow acclimation to stress situation where source of stress cannot be eliminated 3. procedure: a. choose an area that can be a permanent location of litterbox b. keep cat confined to this area 4-6 weeks when not under your direct visual supervision (if your cat attempts elimination outside of kennel when you are watching, squirt with water pistol as soon as elimination posture is attempted and put cat back in kennel) c. if cat is using box regularly for 4 to 6 weeks when not under your gradually give access to larger and larger areas of your home, one room or hallway at a time (1) allow 1 week of good behavior in the new area before adding the new room (2) never increase access area until you are 100% certain cats use of litterbox is 100% (3) if accident occurs, re-evaluate this material to make sure litterbox problem or something else didn't trigger d. begin confinement over again and double intervals for relapses * For inappropriate urination problems in which all else fails and the alternative is euthanasia, hormone therapy may be attempted. 1. only for neutered cats 2. only 50% effective 3. side effects may include increased appetite (common), depression or lethargy (less common). Long term use might have side effects such as: mammary enlargement, adrenocrotical suppression, and diabetes mellitus. 3. usually requires lifelong maintenance on regular intermittent basis 4. very dangerous drug; use borders malpractice -- should be reserved for cats who will be put to sleep if problem is not solved a. immunosuppressive b. weight gains predisposing to obesity c. mammary gland development d. feminization of males e. may induce latent diabetes 5. dosage is initiated daily for 7 day trial; if effective, then dosage is tapered to least effective amount given every other day every one to two weeks 6. relapses may be expected when drug is discontinued F. Escaping. The best way to discourage running to the door is never to let the cat succeed! After a history of unsuccessful attempts, the cat will stop trying. After even one success, the cat will try hard and for a long time. Tip: don't arrive at the door with three bags of groceries in hand and expect you'll be able to keep the cat in. Instead, put down all but one bag and use that bag to block the floor level when you come in. After you're in, bring in the rest. In general, spend the time to be in control whenever the outside door is opened. Kids will need to learn how to keep the cat in too. A waterbottle may help with persistent cats. It will pay off later when the cat stops trying to get out. To turn a formerly outdoor cat into an indoor one (or to discourage a persistent one, you might try this, recommended by the San Francisco SPCA: Enlist the help of a friend to hide outside the door with a hose and spray attachment and have her or him spray the cat when you let it out. This may take several applications, over several days. Some cats *are* remarkably persistent, and never seem to give up. G. Drape/Curtain Climbing. If possible, use tension rods instead of drill-the-hole-in-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 strong enough to hold them up, but barely. 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. This has the advantage of working whether you're home or not. Vertical blinds can work very well; cats cannot climb up them, cannot shred them, cannot shed on them, cannot be bent the way horizontal blinds. It is furthermore easy for cats to push them aside to look outside. Vertical blinds are usually vertical strips of plastic, but they can also come covered with different fabrics to match your decor. These kinds are still pretty indestructible. H. Cord (and Other) Chewing. Put something distasteful on the cord to discourage chewing. Substances to try: tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, Bitter Apple/Orange, nail-biting nailpolish, orange/lemon peel. If you cannot find a substance that will repel your cat, you may wish to use duct tape to secure exposed cords. Duct tape comes in a variety of colors and you will probably be able to find something relatively inconspicuous. This will work on other chewed items, as well, although you will need to check the compatibility of the chewed item with the substance you put on it. (continued) ---------------- This article is Copyright (c) 1992 by Cindy Tittle Moore. It may be freely distributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in commercial documents without the author's written permission. This article is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. Cindy Tittle Moore Internet: tittle@ics.uci.edu UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucivax!tittle Bitnet : cltittle@uci USmail: PO BOX 4188, Irvine CA 92716 ----------------