Weight control for cats in a multiple cat home

I've already covered ways you can help your cat lose weight in my previous post. However, if you have one overweight cat in a multiple-cat household, it's hard to tell who's eating what, making it a bit trickier to help that one cat lose weight.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

1) If all cats are healthy, switch from free-feeding to meal-feeding. Only put food down at specific times of day, and pick up whatever isn't eaten.

2) If any cats are on a special diet, feed them separately in a room with a closed door, or a cat carrier.

3) You can feed all of your cats separately at meal time, and give an extra meal to the skinny cats if needed.

4) Try putting food for the skinny cats in a room or closet that is only accessible through a small opening just big enough for them to enter, but not the overweight cat.

5) There are cat doors that activate only for a cat who is wearing a special magnetic tag - you can put the tag only on the skinny cats.

More information on cat weight loss can be read HERE.

Diet help for your overweight cat

Cats can live more than 20 years, provided they have good nutrition and exercise. But obesity can shorten your cat's life, as well as cause health complications such as skin problems, lameness, urinary tract diseases, respiratory problems, immune system problems, heat intolerance, and problems with anesthesia if surgery is ever needed.

Most cats self-regulate their food ingestion, automatically maintaining an ideal weight. But cats can become overweight for a variety of reasons: medication, old age, lack of exercise, spaying/neutering, too many treats, over-feeding, and being allowed to graze all day long. Did you know that just 6 extra pieces of kibble per meal can cause your cat to gain weight?

A cat's ideal weight depends on breed, gender and body type. A good gauge is your cat's weight at 1 year old when they become an adult. If you adopted your cat later in his or her life, your veterinarian should be able to give you an ideal weight range based upon the cat's build.

If your cat is slightly overweight, cutting back on treats and food will probably be all that is needed. However, if your cat is obese, just cutting back on their food could cause malnutrition which leads to serious health problems. For specific tips on safe methods to help your cat lose weight, CLICK HERE.

It's also beneficial to help your over-weight cat increase their activity level. Try making him or her climb up their favorite cat tree or pole in order to reach their food. Playing with interactive toys such as Da Bird, Cat Dancer, or laser pointers can help get your cat moving and boost their metabolism. Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference.

It becomes more tricky if you have an overweight cat in a multiple cat household. I will cover this topic in a separate post next week.

Dealing with feral cats

What's the best method of dealing with the feral cat population?
Here is an interesting post on feral cats and birds from Cats and Cat Health which shows that killing off feral cats doesn't control the problem.

In my opinion, Trap/Neuter/Return is the only solution to the feral cat problem that makes sense. Here is additional information on the efforts being made in this area by Alley Cat Allies:

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
TNR is a comprehensive plan where entire feral colonies are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and neutered by veterinarians. Kittens and cats that are tame enough to be adopted are placed in good homes. Adult cats are returned to their familiar habitat to live out their lives under the watchful care of sympathetic neighborhood volunteers.

TNR works. Cat populations are gradually reduced. Nuisance behaviors associated with breeding, such as the yowling of females or the spraying of toms, are virtually eliminated. Disease and malnutrition are greatly reduced. The cats live healthy, safe, and peaceful lives in their territories.

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is dedicated to changing ineffective animal control practices like trap and remove, and to providing resources for the thousands of caring individuals and organizations in the United States and Canada who have stepped forward to feed, sterilize, and care for feral cat colonies.

And we need your help. With your donation, Alley Cat Allies can continue the struggle to stop the killing and to end feline overpopulation. Trap-Neuter-Return, the humane, nonlethal method of population control, is more effective than trap and kill, and it is more reflective of a caring human community.

Here’s what we’re doing to save our feral friends

Alley Cat Allies (ACA) actively promotes Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the accepted method of feral cat population control throughout North America. Community groups, public policy makers, veterinarians, military personnel, wildlife biologists, humane organizations, and animal shelters turn to ACA for guidance and expertise in developing policies and programs to effect humane population control of feral cats.

Become an Alley Cat Ally, Friend, Sustainer, or Feral Filanthropist. You can help ACA continue the fight to protect feral and stray cats in North America. Your donation could save one or many cats’ lives. Please send your contribution today to start receiving the award-winning newsletter Alley Cat Action and regular action alerts that can make the biggest difference for a lot of cats.

The difference between a stray cat and a feral cat

I found a very interesting article on stray and feral cats at Alley Cat Allies, and here is a portion of the article.

A stray cat is not a feral cat.

A stray is a cat who has been abandoned or who has strayed from home and become lost. Stray cats can usually be re-socialized and adopted.

A feral cat is an unsocialized cat.

Either he was born outside and never lived with humans, or he is a house cat who has strayed from home and over time has thrown off the effects of domestication and reverted to a wild state.

Feral cats should not be taken to local shelters to be adopted.

Feral cats are not pet cats, and they will be killed at most shelters. Because they’re unadoptable, they sometimes don’t even make it to the shelter, but are killed in the animal control truck. Even no-kill shelters are not able to place feral cats in homes.

Feral kittens can be adopted.

Feral kittens can often be tamed and placed in homes, but they must be socialized in their first weeks of life. This is a critical window and if they aren’t handled in time, they will remain feral and therefore unadoptable.

Feral cats have about the same lifespan as pet cats.

And they contract diseases at about the same low rate. The incidence of disease in feral cat colonies is no higher than among owned cats.

Feral cats are not the cause of wildlife depletion.

Studies show that the overwhelming cause of wildlife depletion is destruction of natural habitat due to man-made structures, chemical pollution, pesticides, and drought — not feral cats.

Trap and remove doesn’t work.

Not only would you have to continue to remove cats, this process is extremely costly. Other cats simply move in to take advantage of the available resources and they breed prolifically, quickly forming a new colony. This “vacuum effect” is well documented.

Trap, neuter, and return does work.

No more kittens. Their numbers gradually go down. The annoying behaviors of mating cats, such as yowling or fighting, stop. The cats are vaccinated and they are fed on a regular schedule. This ongoing care creates a safety net for both the cats and the community.

Part 2 of this post will be about Trap/Neuter/Return efforts.

Danger to your pets from electromagnetic frequencies

Due to our world becoming saturated with electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs), more and more people and their pets are becoming "electrically sensitive." Symptoms range from headaches, burning sensations, tingling, debilitating brain fog, heart arrhythmias, migraines, severe depression, chronic insomnia, and even life threatening seizures and heart attacks. The elderly and very young, along with pets because of their size are most susceptible.

Take steps now to reduce exposure to such items as Blackberrys, cell phones, cordless phones, computer games, computers, WiFis, refrigerators, air conditioners, electric heaters, dishwashers, microwaves and other large appliances.

There's a great article by Natural News which goes into this in more detail, and also provides 15 ways you can reduce EMF radiation in your home and life. To read this article, CLICK HERE.

When your cat won't eat

Until we adopted Lola, I had never had a problem with my cats eating, and wasn't aware that when a cat doesn't eat or drink in as little as 1 to 2 days, they can suffer serious health problems, such as liver disease. A cat can stop eating for many reasons; some are just picky eaters, while others can be suffering from a failing sense of smell, confusion, fright, or an illness. When we adopted Lola, luckily the humane society gave us a list of trouble signs to look out for and when to seek veterinary help, such as vomiting for more than 1 day, and not eating for more than 2 days.

At first both the humane society's in-house vet and my vet thought that it was most likely upset due to coming to a new environment, but both told me to keep a close eye on her. When the vomiting stopped and she ate some tuna and drank water, I thought we were out of the woods. However, the next day, she wouldn't even eat tuna, and it turned out she had an infection from her spaying. Antibiotics were all that was needed and her appetite returned within hours.

In my attempts to get Lola to eat, I found a very helpful site called The Amber Foundation. Here are some things you can try if your cat stops eating:
* if you normally feed dry food, try a fishy canned cat food
* try warming the food as it increases the smell (important for aging cats)
* try giving a favorite treat
* sprinkle a small amount of catnip over the food
* canned people tuna (packed in water) *don't use tuna packed in vegetable broth as it may contain onions)
* try cheese, milk, cream, or yogurt in very small amounts
* keep the food fresh - if your cat doesn't eat it within a short time, discard and try fresh food in a little while.
* Hand feeding is also an option if your cat won't eat on her own. I thinned down some canned cat food with water, and spooned it into Lola's mouth, and she did eat a little bit. It kept her hydrated until I could get her to the vet. A turkey baster can also be used.
* a teaspoon of pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed with food can settle your pet's stomach upset, soothe constipation, and diarrhea.

VERY IMPORTANT - Your cat needs ta urine in her diet, which is found in cat food. It is not in tuna, so tuna should never be fed as a cat's sole diet.

Meet Lola, our newest fur family member

We are still mourning the loss of Fritzy, but decided we were ready to give another little kitty a chance at a happy life. So last week, we went to our local humane society and adopted Lola, a 1 year old brown tiger cat who was found as a stray.

On their website, it shows that on any given day, they have approximately 100 cats up for adoption. I had 4 or 5 likely candidates I was interested in, but that all went out the window as soon as we saw Lola, and she saw us. We had looked at about 60 or so cats, entered the 4th cat housing area and were checking out the cats on the right side of the room. From behind us, we heard a kitty calling out to us, climbing the cage and making her presence very well known. So we looked to see what all the noise was about, and it was love at first sight. We spent the next 20 minutes getting to know her, but could tell right away she was going to fit in well with our other pets. She was very affectionate and totally content with us, so we filled out the paperwork and set off for home.

I had planned to keep her in the basement for a while so that she could get used to a quite area, and learn where the litter boxes are before meeting her 2 cat and 2 dog sisters. But she had other ideas, and immediately wanted to go upstairs to see the others. Abby and Rosie were quite curious and receptive of her. Gidget hissed a couple of times, but soon got used to Lola, and Jackie (our 19 year old cat) slept through the whole thing. Lola seemed to settle in very quickly and everybody was getting along. The only problem was that she didn't want to eat, but the papers we received said not to be alarmed for up to 2 days during the adjustment process.

However, on Sunday Lola started vomiting, and it continued for about 24 hours, and the only thing she would eat was a bit of tuna. On Monday, she drank some water, a bit more tuna, but wouldn't touch the cat food. Our vet and the humane society vet said to give it some more time but watch her closely, so my husband bought the same food she had been fed at the humane society, hoping that was the problem. But it wasn't. It turned out that she had an infection, most likely a result of her being spayed 2 days before her adoption. Meanwhile, I came down with the flu, so she and I had a miserable few days last week. She is taking an antibiotic, and has been making up for lost time eating. I on the other hand am still battling the flu, which I'm told can last 2 weeks.

You may not be aware how dangerous it can be for a cat to go without food or water for as little as 1 or 2 days, so I plan to post about my latest education on cat health problems later this week.

Fritz's diagnosis - Saddle Thrombus

In trying to cope with the loss of our cat Fritz, I did some research on the cause of his death - Saddle Thrombus. I needed to know if there was something I had missed or could have done to prevent the horrible sudden end to his life. And I'm sure it is upsetting to my cat-loving readers who are now worrying about their own cats. So following is what I discovered.

Saddle Thrombus, also known as Aortic Thromboembolism, is rare and one of the most difficult and frustrating feline diseases for veterinarians, as the onset is quite sudden and often there are no warning signs. It is known as the silent killer in cats. 90 percent of the cases are related to a heart condition, and believed to be most common in cats with pre-existing cardiac problems such as an enlarged heart, cardiomyopathy or valvular disorders, and often goes undetected. It usually occurs in middle-aged to older cats, but is rarely seen in younger cats, even kittens, and occurs twice as often in male cats as in female cats. It is caused by a defect in the heart walls, allowing a clot to form. If the clot breaks loose, it can block blood flow to any area of the arterial system. With Saddle Thrombus, the clot lodges at the split in the aorta by the hind legs, causing paralysis and extreme pain.

Regular veterinary checkups are recommended to detect heart murmurs which are a warning sign. If a heart murmur is detected, therapy such as blood thinners can be started if needed. Other warning signs of heart problems are loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy and a change in personality. Fritz's last vet appointment was in October and there was no sign of any problems. Right up to the event on Saturday morning, he showed none of these signs.

The symptoms of Saddle Thrombus are vomiting, panting and hyperventilation, extreme pain, vocalization of their pain, rapidly developing lameness in rear legs, rapid heart rate, lack of femoral pulse in either rear leg, and foot pads and nails turning blue. The cat will often chew at his back legs trying to relieve the pain caused from lack of blood flow to the legs.

It is rare for a cat to recover from the condition. In some cases, if treatment is started within minutes of the event, there's a chance they can survive and regain use of their hind legs. Surgery is usually performed to remove the clot, and blood thinners are given for the rest of the cat's life to prevent future problems. It can take months for the cat to regain use of their back legs, along with physical therapy, and amputation is sometimes necessary. A study was conducted between 1977 to 1998, in which approximately 1/3 of the cats died from the event, another 1/3 of them were euthanized as there was no hope of recovery, and a final 1/3 survived on average approximately 1 additional year.

Fritz was the only surviving member of his litter, born to a sickly mother cat who wasn't able to give him proper nourishment. When we took him in at around 5 weeks old, he was in poor health, but we hoped with a high quality diet and pampering he would overcome his hard beginning in life. And he did respond well. He overcame his mal-nourished beginnings and was the picture of health. I never saw a cat with such a silky and shiny coat, and his eyes were as clear and bright as can be. He had boundless energy for play and for mischief. He lived each day to the fullest. In hindsight, we have concluded he was born with this problem and what happened to him was inevitable, and if he had remained on the farm, he would have died much earlier. We're just thankful we were able to give him a happy year and a half of life and share that time with him. So my fellow cat lovers, remember that this is a rare disease. Give your kitty a hug and treasure every day you have together.

I took this picture just last week - Fritzy in his favorite napping spot.

Is your cat or dog in pain?

It's easy to see if your cat or dog is having pain if they are limping, whining, or crying out. When your cat or dog is generally uncomfortable or have an all-over pain, it may not be as easy to tell what's wrong. There are many more subtle signs you can watch for.

Generally, if your cat or dog is normally happy and friendly, but becomes irritable and doesn't want to be held, or petted, something is wrong. Any change in behaviour, such as wanting to be away from everyone, should be watched. Other signs such as continuous licking, biting or scratching are signs your pet is trying to make itself feel better. Also specifically for cats, if your cat is panting, it is life threatening, and you need to get help immediately.

If any of these behaviours continue, it's best to see your veterinarian. Also a note of caution; never give your pet a human medication without checking with your vet first. Some of our medications are toxic to animals.

Cat flu and sinusitis

Cat flu can be caused by 3 different types of viruses. Symptoms include coughing, loss of appetite and repeated sneezing. Eventually a eye and nasal discharge will turn cloudy, an indication of a secondary bacterial infection. It becomes very painful for the cat to eat because of ulcers on the tongue. Antibiotics are effective at treating the secondary bacterial infection. Call your veterinarian if your cat shows these symptoms.

Prevention is the best defense against cat flu, and vaccinations provide protection against these infections.

For more information on these viruses as well as sinusitis in cats, click here.

Your aging cat's weight loss can indicate an illness

A recent article in our local newspaper covered the topic of weight loss in older cats. According to Dr Thompson of the Toledo Blade, "weight loss is a very subtle indicator of illness in cats as they age. Often there will be no outward signs of disease other than the drop in weight. These can be dramatic before it is noticeable by most people. This is yet another reason for regular annual check ups for your cat as she ages. This allows you and your veterinarian to closely monitor your cat’s general health. Unfortunately, it is a daily occurrence for veterinarians to see a cat after it has lost sometimes 70 to 80 percent of her body weight, making recovery difficult from the disease leading to the weight loss."

To read the entire article, click here

Help for those cat hairballs

A hairball is a ball of the cat's fur which has been caught by their tongue while grooming, and is then swallowed. The hair can't be digested, and accumulates in the cat's stomach. The regurgitation of an occasional hairball (1 to 4 times a month) is normal, and usually causes no problem except the cleanup required. If more often than 4 times a month, you should consult your veterinarian.

Here are some things you can do to lessen the hairball incidences:
*brush your cat (long hair cats everyday; short hair cats at least once a week)
*Products are available that add fiber to the digestive tract and aid in passing the hair through.
*Herbal and homeopathic remedies are also available to help with digestion and elimination.
*Grow grass for your cat to much on - this adds fiber naturally to their diet.
*Add 1 teaspoon of pure canned pumpkin to the cat's food to add fiber.
*Feed a raw diet. Feeding a dry kibble doesn't do anything to help the cat digest the hair, but raw food can be very helpful.

Personally, I have seen a dramatic improvement with hairballs since I started giving my 3 cats a raw meat/pumpkin mixture once a day as their treat. See my previous post "Preparing a raw food diet for your cat."

Diagnosing respiratory infections in cats

The following article was written by Cynthia Nichols. I am reprinting it with her permission in the hopes that it will help others who's cat may be having the same health problem:

Does your cat really have feline asthma?

When my 9 year old cat began wheezing and hacking I first assumed he had simply caught a cold. After a few days had passed and he had not gotten any better but had instead become worse, I took him to our vet.

The vet determined that Ricky had Feline Asthma and stated that it was rather common in older, heavier cats. He prescribed a steroid (Prednisone) for Ricky to be given daily but cautioned me that the prognosis was not good.

Ricky did not improve on the steroid and gradually grew worse. He got to the point where he could barely eat because of the wheezing. Back to the vet we went, where we were given a stronger prescription.

Again, Ricky did not improve and became sicker. He was not happy and he certainly was not healthy. I decided that the kindest thing to do would be to have him put down. I did not want him to suffer, but I hated to lose him, so, in a last attempt to find some way to help him, I began to search the internet for information about Feline Asthma. What I found saved Ricky's life.

Article after article stated that many times cats are diagnosed with Feline Asthma when in reality what they are actually suffering from are chronic respiratory infections. The symptoms are largely the same: hacking, coughing, wheezing, wretching being the most common. The articles I read stated that these chronic respiratory infections were often easily treated with a simple course of antibiotics.

I obtained Amoxicillin and started Ricky on a course of that. Within just a day or two of starting the antibiotic Ricky began to improve- dramatically. By the time he was through with the medicine he was like a new cat- running and racing through the house, pouncing and playing like a kitten.

Ricky is eleven now and still going strong. He still comes down with a respiratory infection every now and then but a short course of antibiotics clears it right up.

If your cat has been diagnosed with Feline Asthma and has not responded to steroid treatment, I would encourage you to inquire about a course of antibiotics for chronic respiratory infections. It could save your cats' life.