Author: David

 

Cats like stability so an environmental or social change may have a pronounced effect on their behavior. Your cat will adapt, but it may take some time.

Tips for Introducing a New Cat to Your Old One

All cats are different. Some are social and will readily accept a new cat. Others are not as social and introducing a new cat may be more challenging. Chances are your cat will react to a newcomer by distancing herself. She may hide for a few days refusing to acknowledge the newcomer, or she may act up in an attempt to persuade the newcomer to retreat. Here are some suggestions that may help you:

• Give your new cat an area where she can retreat if she becomes threatened.
• Putting her in a spare room with the door closed for the first few days will give both cats the chance to adjust to each other’s scents without hurting each other.
• Give your newcomer a litter box in her area along with food and water.

Selecting a New Cat

Introducing a young cat to another young cat is usually relatively easy. If you want to introduce an adult cat, try to find one that has lived with other cats. A cat that is similar in age but of the opposite sex to the resident cat, may be accepted more readily.

Multiple Cat Households

In general, the following combinations in a multiple cat household seem to work best: two kittens; a mature, neutered cat and kitten; or two mature neutered cats (either two females or a male and a female). The most volatile combination seems to be two un-castrated mature male cats.

Consider your current cat’s personality before introducing a new cat. An active cat is more likely to accept a new kitten. A quieter, more reclusive cat might prefer a mature, adult cat as a companion.

If your cats exhibit personality conflicts, you can reduce the tension between family felines by making sure each cat has enough personal space and personal possessions to fulfill her needs.

To avoid territory conflicts between cats, consider placing litter boxes in various locations throughout the house to avoid the exclusion of one cat from another cat’s territory.

Keep scratching posts and beds in several locations to accommodate all the cats in your household.

Allowing your new kitten to sleep with you on her first night home may help her feel more secure. However, while some kittens sleep through the night, others cat nap, waking up periodically all ready to play. If kitty’s nocturnal antics are keeping you from sleeping, you may need to confine her to her own room with safe toys to entertain her. Be prepared for some plaintive meowing. Your kitten has likely never been alone before and that first night can be difficult.

Some cat owners compromise by placing kitty’s bed in their bedroom. This way, she can feel your presence, without actually sharing your bed. But if you go that route, don’t be surprised if a small visitor climbs up in the night.

Even cats that spend most of their time indoors may be exposed to a number of potential hazards. The following list will help keep your home safe and sound for your cat.

1. Be aware of the plants you have in your house and in your yard. The ingestion of a poisonous plant may be fatal.
2. When cleaning your house, never allow your cat access to the area where cleaning agents are used or stored. Some may only cause a mild stomach upset, while others could cause severe burns of the tongue, mouth, and stomach and may even be fatal.
3. When using rat or mouse baits, ant or roach traps, or snail and slug baits, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your cat. Most bait contains sweet-smelling, inert ingredients, such as jelly, peanut butter, and sugars, which can be very attractive to a cat.
4. Never give your cat any medications unless under the directions of a veterinarian. Many medications that are used safely in humans can be deadly to a cat.
5. Keep all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs out of the reach of your cat, preferably in closed cabinets. Pain-killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, vitamins, and diet pills are common examples of human medications that could be potentially lethal, even in small dosages.
6. Many common household items have been shown to be lethal in certain species. Miscellaneous items that are highly toxic even in low quantities include pennies (high concentration of zinc), mothballs (contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene — one or two balls can be life-threatening in most species), potpourri oils, fabric softener sheets, automatic dish detergents (contain cationic detergents which could cause corrosive lesions), batteries (contain acids or alkali which can also cause corrosive lesions), homemade play dough (contains high quantity of salt), winter heat source agents like hand or foot warmers (contain high levels of iron), cigarettes, coffee grounds, and alcoholic drinks.
7. All automotive products, such as oil, gasoline, and antifreeze, should be stored properly. As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) can be deadly to a cat. Wash off any poisonous substance on your cat’s coat or skin before she licks it off and poisons herself. Use cat-safe soap and warm water or give her a complete bath.
8. Before buying or using flea products on your cat or in your household, contact your veterinarian to discuss what types of flea products are recommended for her. Read ALL information before using a product on your cat or in your home. Always follow label instructions. Also, when using a fogger or a house spray, make sure to remove all pets from the area for the time period specified on the container. If you are uncertain about the usage of any product, contact the manufacturer or your veterinarian to clarify the directions BEFORE using the product.
9. When treating your lawn or garden with fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides, always keep your cat away from the area until the area dries completely. If in doubt, ask the manufacturer whether using the product may be harmful to your cat.
10. Sharp objects such as knives and forks, paper clips, carpet tacks and pins should be kept out of a cat’s reach. Children’s toys and small objects may attract a playful cat and become lodged in her mouth or swallowed. Although kittens are sometimes pictured with a ball of yarn, if ingested, yarn as well as thread and twine could cause serious damage to the intestinal tract.
11. Lead paint should be removed with extreme caution. Cleanup should be prompt and thorough. Other items containing lead accessible to cats include lead-base paint, linoleum, and caulking compounds. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, loss of appetite, loss of muscle coordination, blindness and seizures.
12. Outside of the house, make sure your cat is clearly identified whether you use a collar and an identification tag or a more permanent form of identification like tattooing.

A final thought

If you have children, many of the safety measures needed for pets are probably already in place.

Veterinary Technician Virginia Rud of the Minnesota School of Business says that when it comes to protecting a pet during an emergency, it’s critical to plan ahead. She says, “making sure that the whole family is in on the plan, that everyone knows what their part is, is going to make it so much smoother.”

This means keeping a collar and leash; food and water; and your pet’s medical records on hand in case you need to evacuate. Rud also recommends microchips or other permanent identification that won’t be affected if your pet is lost or injured.

During a disaster, emergency personnel may ask neighbors if a pet is inside your home. So consider giving them a list of emergency contacts who can answer questions about your pet in your absence.

Whether your cat is an outdoor cat or kept strictly indoors, she should wear a collar with ID tags at all times. Many an unidentified cat has ended up abandoned in a shelter after a natural disaster such as fire or flood, or even a simple accident such as a door being left open.

Your cat’s collar should fit snugly but not too tightly. You can calculate the correct size by measuring the animal’s neck and adding one or two inches. When you put the collar on your pet, you should be able to slip two fingers comfortably between it and the cat’s neck.

Be sure to get a collar with an elastic panel, or even a breakaway feature. That way your kitty won’t choke or become trapped if her collar gets caught on something.

Some of the following plants can be toxic to your cat. Check with your veterinarian before having them in your home.

In an emergency, keep a level head and quickly get your cat to the veterinarian. Call first. If your doctor’s office is not open, call the nearest emergency pet clinic. Keep emergency phone numbers near your telephone.

Unless you have been trained and are absolutely positive you can administer CPR to your cat, it is best – and safer – to seek immediate veterinary care.

There are some things you can do or avoid doing to help your cat before you get her to the hospital/clinic as soon as possible:

• Wrap your cat in a heavy towel or blanket to keep her warm and restrict her movements. Having assistance may be helpful.
• Apply a pressure bandage (sterile gauze or a clean handkerchief) to stem or stop the bleeding of a cut or bite.
• Apply a cold compress to a burn and gently hold it there until you get to the veterinary clinic.
• Do not induce vomiting even if you suspect or know your cat has swallowed a poisonous substance.
• At any sign of choking (drooling, difficulty swallowing, pawing at the mouth, gagging), do not attempt to remove the item.
• If your cat suffers heatstroke, take her to a cool spot and sponge her with cool water. Encourage your cat to drink small amounts of water.
• If your cat suffers frostbite, place her in a warm room immediately. Thaw out the frostbitten areas slowly by applying warm moist towels that are changed frequently until the area becomes flushed. Severe frostbite can result in damaged paws and ear tips, so it is best to visit your veterinarian as soon as possible, to have him determine the extent of the damage.

Your cat may throw up occasionally in order to get rid of hairballs or because there’s competition around the food bowl. There could also be a more obvious explanation. If your kitty frequently gags or vomits after dinner, she may simply be chowing down too quickly. In fact, one of the most common reasons why cats vomit is that they eat too quickly.

When cats eat too voraciously, they often swallow their kibble whole and end up gagging on it. The easiest way to slow down an overeager feline eater is to feed a larger kibble size so she has to take longer to chew and swallow. You can also try feeding a greedy kitty smaller portions of food more often.

But if the problem continues, give your veterinarian a call. Vomiting can be a sign of something more serious.

 

While some pet owners think a fat cat is a healthy cat, there are easy ways to find out if your cat has the ideal body condition. Allowing her to get heavy can have a major impact on her health, mobility and lifespan. Use the following tips to better understand your cat’s body condition and determine if your cat is too thin, ideal or too heavy.

Too Thin

1. Ribs visible on shorthaired cats; no palpable fat; severe abdominal tuck; lumbar vertebrae and wings of ilia easily palpated.

2. Ribs easily visible on shorthaired cats; lumbar vertebrae obvious with minimal muscle mass; pronounced abdominal tuck; no palpable fat.

3. Ribs easily palpable with minimal fat covering; lumbar vertebrae obvious; obvious waist behind ribs; minimal abdominal fat.

4. Ribs palpable with minimal fat covering; noticeable waist behind ribs; slight abdominal tuck; abdominal fat pad absent.

Ideal

5. Well-proportioned; observe waist behind ribs; ribs palpable with slight fat covering; abdominal fat pad minimal.

Too Heavy

6. Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering; waist and abdominal fat pad distinguishable but not obvious; abdominal tuck absent.

7. Ribs not easily palpated with moderate fat covering; waist poorly discernible; obvious rounding of abdomen; moderate abdominal fat pad.

8. Ribs not palpable with excess fat covering; waist absent; obvious rounding of abdomen with prominent abdominal fat pad; fat deposits present over lumbar area.

9. Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover; heavy fat deposits over lumbar area, face and limbs; distention of abdomen with no waist; extensive abdominal fat deposits.

Humans aren’t the only ones living large. The obesity epidemic is affecting our cats, too. In fact, between twenty-five and forty percent of pet cats are obese or likely to become obese.

Unfortunately, cat owners don’t always realize that their once-trim tabby has become a fat feline. Without proper weight management, their cats continue to grow—and become at higher risk for diabetes, arthritis, and other conditions.

So keep an eye on your cat’s weight. When you pat her, gently press down. If you are unable to feel her ribs, consider taking her to the veterinarian for a proper exam. After ruling out any underlying medical causes, your veterinarian can help you develop an appropriate nutrition and exercise plan.