Capturing and Restraining in Cats

By: Christian Yost

March 26, 2009

Capturing a roaming injured cat can be difficult. Though injured, some can still run quite fast. Unfortunately, some cats will run away and not be found. If you notice a collar, especially if there is a tag, remember to keep this with the animal. If the collar is broken and the animal is being transported to another location, take the collar and tag so someone can contact the owner.

For those cats that try to get away from you but stay nearby, here are some suggestions on how to catch them and offer care:

If you have a leash, make a loop out of the leash by passing the end that would normally attach to the leash through the handle loop.

Stand along side or just behind the injured animal.

Loop the converted leash over his head and gently tighten.

Be prepared for some struggling since most cats are not used to a leash.

If you do not have a leash or the leash technique is not working, a large towel or blanket can also work.

This technique also works well with cats if you are unable to use a leash.

Drop the blanket or towel over the pet.

Be aware of the animal’s position under the blanket so you don’t go near the mouth.

Wrap the blanket around the animal and scoop him into your arms. Be aware of where the mouth and claws are. Some animals can be very determined and will bite through thick blankets.

Some cats that are used to pet carriers will crawl into an empty box. After inside the box, the cat can be easily transported. Make sure the lid is securely fastened, but still allows air to flow.

Cats can be difficult to restrain. Remember, cats can bite as well as scratch. Even though they are small, cats can cause significant and serious injuries. There are two popular cat restraint methods: scruffing while sitting and lying down restraint. These are typically used if there are two people involved. If you are alone, you may want to consider capturing and transporting the cat to an animal shelter or veterinary clinic. Be aware that some cats do better with minimal or no restraint. If restraint techniques are becoming difficult, stressful and making the situation worse, try talking soothingly to the cat and work without restraint.

Scruffing Restraint

The skin at the back of the neck is called the scruff. This is a good way to restrain cats. As Kittens, the mother would use the scruff to hold the kitten to comfort or discipline. Cats seem to remember this and usually do not object to scruffing.

Grasp the skin behind the neck. Hold firmly. Use your dominant hand to hold the scruff.

With you other hand, hold the cat in a sitting position.

Be wary of front claws. You may need to grasp the front arms with your other hand instead of holding in a sitting position.

Cradle the cat in your arms while you scruff and hold the front arms.

Try not to let go of the scruff. This is an important part of cat restraint.

Lying on Side Restraint

Grasp the skin behind the neck. Hold firmly with your dominant hand.

Grab the rear legs and tail with your other hand.

Gently lay the cat on her side. You may need the other person to help you get her front legs out of the way. Cats tend to use the free front legs to prevent lying on their side.

Once the cat is on her side, do not let go of the scruff or the rear legs. This will allow the cat to right herself and fight back.

Please visit us at www.siamese-cattailscattery.com

Recognizing an Emergency in Cats: Who and When to Call

By: Christian Yost

March 26, 2009

If you’re a typical pet owner, you have probably faced this quandary: Your beloved companion may be ill, but you don’t know whether you’re overreacting or whether you should bring her in to a veterinarian. And she can’t tell you if something is bothering her, or how serious it is.

The simplest way to determine if it is an emergency is if you are concerned, contact a veterinarian. The veterinary  assistants and veterinarian can help you determine if an emergency visit is necessary or prudent.

Performing a brief at-home physical exam may also help you. If you see any abnormalities, consult your veterinarian. For mild symptoms, scheduling an examination may be enough. But you should be aware of the signs that require.

These include:

Seizures

Difficulty breathing

Non-responsive or comatose

Uncontrollable bleeding

Extreme pain

Continued vomiting, especially with blood

If your pet was struck by a car or some other vehicle

Ingesting poisonous material or improper medication

Bloody stools

Collapse

You should have your veterinarian’s phone number and address handy in case of an emergency, along with his/her pager. You should also have the phone number, address and directions to the nearest veterinary emergency clinic.

If you cannot contact your veterinarian or he cannot help you, consult a local veterinary emergency clinic. If all else fails, look in your telephone book and try to find a veterinarian that is available to help.

I know the Animal Needs Medical Help But Who Should I Call?

If you notice an injured animal, try to contact your veterinarian for instruction and assistance.

If your veterinarian is not available, try to contact a local veterinary emergency center or 24-hour veterinary hospital.

Some local humane societies or animal shelters have ambulatory services if you are unable to transport the animal for care.

Animal control officers have equipment and supplies to help transport an injured animal.

Police officers can sometimes be helpful if the injured animal is posing a risk to people (such as affecting traffic flow).

If there is a tag on the injured animal, contact the owner to inform them of what has occurred and where the animal is being taken.

For wild animals, contact an area wildlife rescue or rehabilitation center or conservation department.

Please visit us at www.siamese-cattailscattery.com

How Cats Play

By: Christian Yost

March 25, 2009

Cats, like all mammals, engage in play as youngsters and continue to do so even after they have grown up. Play is a complex learning activity that helps kittens develop social relationships and helps them hone their physical and mental skills. But it is also fun, which is why adult cat continue to do it. You can spend many enjoyable hours just watching with amusement as your cat plays. Watching a cat play is one of the most entertaining pastimes afforded to the cat owner. A cat’s play takes three forms, though often it is sometimes difficult to separate them.

Social Play

Social play is how kittens learn to interact with their littermates, their mother, other cats, other household pets, and you. During social play, kittens test their world and learn their place in it. Kittens develop personality traits based on their playful interactions that accompany them into adulthood

As a kitten grows, social play with littermates gives way to social play with their human caregiver(s), assuming that the kitten is adopted into a family and is not simply fending for herself.

Object Play

Poking, batting, and tossing around small objects are ways that kittens learn about how to deal with prey. During such play sessions they develop the survival skills that they might need if they ever have to provide for themselves. You may see your kitten stomp on her toys, flip them over, and circle them once they land – acts that mimic overpowering and killing a prey animal for food. Object play teaches a cat how the world and things in it feel, what is animate and what is inanimate. She may jump up from her toys as if noxious, invisible rays emanate from them, and then dissolve into fits of sheer delight and discovery.

Locomotor Play

An active cat is a confident cat. The running and jumping of locomotor play helps a kitten increase strength, coordination, and flexibility. Locomotor play also stimulates a cat’s appetite while helping to keep her physically fit. In addition, locomotor play helps eliminate boredom. An active play session at night can help reduce a cat’s nocturnal perambulations, which otherwise may keep the cat’s owner awake.
In addition to the physical lessons play teaches kittens and cats, play also teaches emotional ones. Kittens learn that playing is just plain fun and that it feels good to run, jump and cavort with other cats and animals, including human ones.

A Lifetime of Play

During a kitten’s first 4 weeks of life, she will be too busy nursing, sleeping, and learning to see and hear to want to or be able to play. During that time, a crinkly or jingling ball will have no effect on her. She will not be able to focus her vision on a moving object and will not have the strength and coordination to chase a wiggling wand toy. She will be too small, too uncoordinated, and too fragile to engage in any games.

After 4 weeks of age, it’s safe for you to engage in play with your kitten. From 7 to 8 weeks, kittens are most active but they will continue to play actively until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. Play comes naturally to young kittens, but an adult that prefers to eat and sleep may need some encouragement from you. Playing with your cat increases the bond you share and is a good way to learn about her. Play also provides an outlet for her energy and wards off potential behavior problems caused by too much time and too few interests. Interactive play diverts your cat’s attention to a toy and helps keep her from attacking your ankles for attention.

Toys for Cats

Playing with your kitten will help her establish a closer relationship with you, but make sure you provide her with safe toys. Know what objects are safe as toys. Consult your veternarian if you have any doubt. Like toys for a human toddler,pet toys shouldn’t be too heavy for your pet to handle but they should be large enough so they can’t be swallowed. Also, make sure they’re not made of a toxic substance. Cats may consume small toy parts as well, so be cautious of very small attachments, strings, buttons and bells. Cats are individuals with different energy levels. A toy that appeals to one may not appeal to another. Many cats enjoy chasing a small fabric

swatch attached to the end of a fishing pole toy that mimics a moth in flight. Pole toys with larger stuffed animals at the end are difficult to chase and may even frighten some cats. Roll a ping-pong ball in the bathtub

to see if a game of bat-the-ball interests your cat. You may find your cat bringing a crumpled piece of paper back to you in her own version of “fetch.” If you have more than one cat, play with all of them to prevent squabbles.

You may find her chasing imaginary playmates in her own world of make-believe. Try giving her a paper sack or a box with holes cut into it so that she can invent games for herself. But interactive play is best. How the two of you play together is only limited by your imagination.

Imagination is Key

A pet’s imagination is boundless. All animal play is spontaneous and whimsical. Animal games are without many rules and mainly just for pleasure, although much of animal play is meaningful, allowing the cat to rehearse and learn life’s lessons. Play has been noted in animals in the wild as well as in pets, and enjoyment seems to be the common theme.

Use your imagination as well. For example, cats respond primarily to movement. Therefore, any lightweight, small object may be a toy to chase and pounce on. Make up a game for your pet, follow her natural antics and build on the “variations on a theme” concept.

Please visit us at www.siamese-cattailscattery.com

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Cats

By: Christian Yost

March 24, 2009

It’s time to start thinking about spaying or neutering your cat. But, you are not quite sure if it is the right thing to do. If you’re wondering whether you should just leave your cat as nature intended, consider the positive and negative aspects of spaying and neutering before making your decision.

First, what does neutering mean? Neutering is a procedure used to “de-sex” an animal. This procedure has been used to control animal population growth, reduce unwanted sexual behavior in pets, and decrease or eliminate the possibility of certain disease conditions later in life, such as pyometra or infection in the uterus.

Castration is a term used to describe the removal of the gonads (testicles) in male animals. Spaying is a term used to describe the sterlazation procedure of females. The procedure of spaying most often consists of removal of both the ovaries and uterus, which is called an ovariohysterectomy.

Both procedures are performed under general anesthesia and both involve a surgical incision.

Neutering is done most commonly at or around six months of age. However, many veterinarians perform this procedure earlier – as early as 8 to 10 weeks in some situations. Early neutering can be done safely and has a number of advantages, especially in cases of pet adoption.

Spaying – The Positive Side

Spaying removes the risk of pregnancy.Pet overpopulation is a serious problem and by allowing your cat to have litters, you are adding to the problem. Finding homes for your new family additions is not as easy as you may think. Even if you choose to keep the kittens, you will have the additional cost of vaccines, parasite control, toys and food for several pets. In addition to costs, the health of the mother can be in jeopardy during delivery. Some new mothers can have serious complications delivering kittens and can even develop health problems during nursing. All these potential problems can be avoided by spaying your cat.

Spaying makes for a calmer cat.Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and won’t be prone to cat calls and the incessant need to seek out a mate. The spayed pet no longer attracts males and their annoying advances and serenades. Spayed cats are also easier to get along with. They tend to be more gentle and affectionate.

Spaying keeps your cat healthier.A final positive aspect of spaying your cat is that spayed cats tend to have fewer health problems. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Without these organs, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern.Spaying – The Negative Side

Spaying means sterilization.Spaying will result in the sterilization of your cat, and she will no longer have the ability to become pregnant. In the era of pet overpopulation and the fact that thousands of unwanted pets are euthanized each year, this is really not so bad.

Spaying may cause weight gain.Some cats may gain weight after spaying and as they get older. Unspayed animals typically have a strong mating desire and can expend a lot of energy seeking a mate and reproducing. Without this energy burden, your cat may eat the same amount but not burn off as many calories. Cutting back on food intake or increasing your pets activity will help reduce weight gain.Neutering – The Positive Side

Neutering removes the risk of pregnancy.Pet overpopulation is a serious issue and by allowing your cat to breed, you are adding to the problem. Although you may not own the female cat, and you are not burdened with finding homes for those new kittens, someone else is. Even if you accept your responsibility and choose to keep the kittens, you will have the additional cost of vaccines, parasite control, toys and food for several pets.

Neutering makes for a cleaner, calmer pet.Another positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutering can result in a calmer, and sometimes cleaner, home. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and not prone to cat calls and an incessant need to seek out a mate. The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females. He no longer has the stress of needing to mark his territory

and urinate throughout the house and yard. Neutered cats are also easier to get along with. They tend to more gentle and affectionate. Neutered males tend to roam less and typically are not involved in as many fights with other animals.

Neutering keeps your pet healthier.A final positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutered cats tend to have fewer health problems. Neutering is the removal of the testicles. Without these organs, testicular cancer is no longer a concern and the risk of prostate problems is reduced. For those people who would like to sterilize their cat but do not wish to alter his appearance, testicular implants are available.Neutering – The Negative Side

Neutering is sterilization.Neutering will result in the sterilization of your cat.

Neutering may cause weight gain.Some cats gain weight after neutering. Intact animals typically have a strong mating desire and can expend a lot of energy seeking a mate and reproducing. Without this energy burden, your cat may eat the same amount but not burn off as many calories. Cutting back on his food or increasing his activity can help reduce the weight gain.Last year about 18 million dogs and cats were turned over to animal shelters. Only one out of every 10 taken in to the shelters found a home. This means that over 13.5 million had to be destroyed. The tragedy is that this is unnecessary. Much of the problem could be eliminated by simple surgery: Spaying and neutering operations are performed under general anesthesia and are quite painless. By neutering pets, owners can help lower the numbers of unwanted and homeless creatures.

Please visit us at www.siamese-cattailscattery.com

Feline Vaccine Recommendations

Feline Vaccine Recommendations

By: Christian Yost

March 23, 2009

Vaccinations have saved the lives of millions of cats. Before the days of effective vaccines, cats routinely died from panleukopenia (“feline distemper”) and complications of upper respitoary (herpesvirus, calicivirus) infections. Newer vaccines are available to protect against feline leukemia virus infection, feline infectious peritonitis virus and other infections (chlamydia, feline bordetella, ringworm). Current vaccination programs also protect our cats (and us) from the threat of rabies.

Traditional vaccines are administered by injection (shots), but newer vaccines can be administered through the nostrils and have been developed to protect against a variety of infections. Despite the well-known benefits of vaccination, the practice of annual vaccination of mature cats is controversial. Some veternarians believe that annual revaccination is an important and critical part of preventative health care.

Others suggest that there is little scientific information to suggest that annual revaccination of older cats is necessary for some diseases because immunity to many viruses probably persists for the life of the animal.

The major concern about repeated vaccinations in cats is the issue of feline vaccine-associated sarcoma  a cancer that develops in approximately 1 of every 1,000 cats to as few as 1 in every 10,000 cats near the site of vaccination. Certainly routine vaccinations are essential for prevention of infectious diseases in kittens. Of course, some vaccines(rabies) are required by law and must be administered on a regular basis. Kittens receive immunity against infectious disease in the mother’s milk; however, this protection begins to disappear in the first few months of life.

To protect kittens during this critical time, a well-researched approach is taken: A series of vaccines is given every 3 to 4 weeks until the chance of contracting an infectious disease is very low. The typical vaccine is a “combination” that protects against feline distemper virus, feline calicivirus, and feline herpesvirus. Rabies vaccines are given between 16 and 26 weeks of age in most states (governed by law). Some cats are also immunized against feline leukemia virus. The usual approach is to test the kitten for feline leukemia at the time of initial vaccination to ensure the cat is not harboring the virus. The use of other vaccinations is on a case-by-case basis. Booster immunizations are given during the first one or two years of “adult” life. Thereafter, the issue becomes cloudier. Don’t be surprised if you encounter different views about booster immunizations. There has been insufficient research conducted in this area of long-term protection vs. risk of vaccine-associated sarcoma (tumors).

Recommendations

You should discuss all vaccination programs with your veterinarian.

Kittens between 4 and 20 weeks of age: A series of vaccines is recommended. These should begin between 6 and 8 weeks of age and continue every 3 to 4 weeks until the chance of contracting an infectious disease is very low (typically the last “shot” is given between 14 and 16 weeks of age). The vaccines should protect against feline panleukopenia (“distemper”) and the upper respiratory viruses (herpesvirus, calicivirus).

If the risk of feline leukemia virus exposure is significant (out-of-doors cats), the leukemia virus vaccine sequence should be administered. Other vaccines are given on a case-by-case basis. Some veterinarians use traditional “shots” for vaccination while others use a combination of injections and intra-nasal vaccines. The rabies vaccines should be given as required by local laws.

Cats between 20 weeks and 2 years of age: It is typical to booster the kitten shots in young adult cats to insure adequate lifelong immunity against deadly viral dieases . Your veterinarian will likely “booster” your cat to protect against feline panleukopenia (“distemper”), the upper respiratory viruses (herpesvirus, calicivirus), rabies, and possibly the leukemia virus.

Cats older than 2 years of age: Annual revaccination (booster shots) is recommended the first year after the “kitten shots”; thereafter, you should discuss the benefits and risks of annual vaccination with your veterinarian. There is no national accepted standard at this time. Many veterinarians stagger booster immunizations over a number of years. The rabies vaccines should be given as recommended by local law.

Please visit us at www.siamese-cattailscattery.com