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The
Lakeland and District Cat Club
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A few articles on feline health, including: A pet first aid kit, Signs of poisoning, poisonous & non- poisonous plants, spay/neuter information, signs of illness. IF IN DOUBT - CONTACT YOUR VET! ****************************** Spay/Neuter I once read that a female cat that has not been spayed is either calling, pregnant or nursing a litter. Please remember that one of the main reasons to spay your female is to stop unwanted kittens. Please bear in mind that a female cat can come into season every 2 weeks if not mated. You can tell when your cat is in season because she begins to call, this is a very loud call and if not mated can last anything from 48hours up to 3 weeks. If mated the pregnancy is aprox 65days (9 weeks). The female can begin calling again from aprox 5 weeks after delivery, and so the cycle starts all over again. Finding good homes for the kittens can be very difficult, you need to make sure that the new owners are willing to give the kitten a 100% commitment for the next twenty years. What happens if those people think like you and allow their cats to have kittens and so the chain goes on? There are already millions of wonderful cats and kittens waiting to be adopted at shelters all over the country. You may have a pedigree cat that you are thinking you would love a litter from. Think very carefully, firstly did you buy that kitten as a breeding queen or a pet kitten. If you bought it as a pet, you may be doing something illegal, please read the contract that came with your kitten. There have been known cases of people being taken to court for breeding a cat that was bought as a pet and not for breeding. Breeding cats can be very complicated and requires professional knowledge about the breed and its genetics. Don't become a back yard breeder you could end up with a bunch of very sick kittens with congenital defects and a lawsuit being taken out against you. If you want a breeding queen please tell the breeder this at the time you purchase your kitten, she will then advise you if they have anything suitable and will be able to offer help and advice. WHAT IS SPAYING? A spay (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries from the abdomen of an animal. WHAT IS NEUTERING? Neutering (castration) is the surgical removal of the testicles from the scrotum of an animal. AT WHAT AGE SHOULD I HAVE MY CAT SPAYED/NEUTERED? This can vary depending on your vet, the idea is to spay before your cat reaches sexual maturity. The best age is no later than six months. There is now a lot of support regarding early spay/neutering for cats and this can be done as early as 8-16 weeks. Consult your vet for their opinion. IS IT BEST TO LET MY FEMALE HAVE A LITTER FIRST? No - this is totally unnecessary. There is no information out there to substantiate this claim. The best time to spay is before her first heat. PROS OF SPAYING/NEUTERING Spaying/Neutering prevents unwanted kittens Spaying your female at a young age prevents uterine infections, such as Pyometra, which can be fatal. Spaying eliminates unwanted males from harassing your pet Neutered males fight less and remain healthier Both males and females are less likely to disrupt your home environment with hormone-induced behaviours Spaying/Neutering can prevent the obnoxious habit of spraying urine to mark their territory-please note females also can spray. Spaying/Neutering stops your cat roaming HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? To spay a female cat you are looking at aprox £45 depending on which vet you choose and Neutering is aprox £25. If you find this is to much for you please contact your nearest RSPCA who should be able to help. Many thanks to Dawn of Tuhina Bengals for this interesting article. There are loads more facts on Dawns site. ********************* Signs that your cat may be sick 1. Coughing-Coughing might be an indication of heart disease. Among other things like Asthma 2. Blood in vomit or urine 3. Pale pink or white gums 4. Listlessness 5. More frequent drinking and urinating 6.Bad breath-A urine-like smell to the breath could mean kidney disease. A sweet or fruity scent could indicate diabetes. Foul smelling breath could be a Liver problem. 7. Sudden changes in appetite 8. Significant weight loss, either sudden or gradual 9. Unusual shortness of breath 10. Any lump on or under the cats skin 11.Dehydration-Gently lift the skin along your cat's shoulder area. If your cat is hydrated, the skin will snap back into place very quickly. If it is dehydrated, the skin will stay up in a ridge. CALL THE VET if your pet is dehydrated! ******************** Feline first aid kit You should have a first aid kit handy for your cat in case of
emergencies. Below is a list of suggested items to have in one. Most items
can be found in your local drug store. Write down the phone number to the emergency poison control centre in your area. Bandage scissors, Tweezers, 2" roll of gauze, 4x4 gauze pads, Gauze
tape, Cotton balls, and Alcohol prep pads
Flea control Fleas are hard to control. You may never get rid of the fleas on your pets completely but you can control them. Even inside pets may get fleas, you can carry them in from walking outside. On this page are some ideas to help you keep these pests off your cat, or at least control the numbers. This is important as fleas carry worms and diseases. Be very careful to use products designed specifically for cats. A bath with a flea shampoo designed for cats is a good starting place. To repel future fleas try adding a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to the shampoo. For heavier infestations you should use a flea dip rather than just a shampoo. These are much more potent. Again, be careful that it is designed for a cat or it could be toxic. Make a habit of washing the pet bed cover at least once a week. Sprinkling the bedding with Cedar oil, or use a bed stuffed with Cedar shavings will help repel fleas. Flea sprays work quick. Look for ones designed for a cat containing D-Limonene or Pyrenthrins. Be careful to not get any in the cat's ears, eyes, nose, or mouth. You could put some spray on a gauze pad to wipe around ears and face safely. If you desire a flea collar look for one containing Methprene, and designed for cats. They are safer for your cat. For heavy infestations, you may consider using a fogger for the house. These are very effective. Look for ones containing Methoprene or Fenoxycarb. Many carpet treatments are on the market that helps with flea control. Please read and follow the directions exactly. They can be toxic to your pet. Vacuuming often will pick up the larvae and eggs. Place flea powder in the bag to help kill any fleas you have picked up. If you plant Marigolds in your yard they will repel fleas as well as a number of other insects. You can make your cat taste bad to a flea by sprinkling a little Brewers yeast and garlic on their food once a day. Mice can carry fleas and ticks into your home as well. Soak some cotton balls in an insecticide called Permethrin. Place them where you suspect mice have been. The mice will carry the cotton back to make nest with them and the fleas or ticks living there will be killed. Here is a tip I just learned. I know you have seen flea traps advertised. You can make your own. Fleas are attracted by warmth. Plug in a night light near where you think fleas may be, like the pet bed. Next place a long narrow pan of water under it. Some fleas will jump for the light and land in the water and drown. THE FLEA LIFE CYCLE Fleas go from egg to adult in 3-6 weeks. One pair of fleas can produce
20,000 new fleas in just 3 months. I hope this helps.
Treating ear mites Ear mites are tiny pest that live in your pets ear canal by the thousands. They are easily spread from pet to pet so when you treat one, be sure to treat them all. Look into your pet's ears. You may see a blackish brown deposit. If they look dirty, and your pet is scratching, it is a good indication that they have ear mites. Clean the "dirt" out of the ear first. Put several drops of mineral, or
baby oil into the ear canal with an eyedropper to soften the dirt. Wipe the ear with some cotton balls, and dry. Apply over the counter medication to kill the mites. Follow the
manufactures directions. Remember it is important to treat each of your pets. ******************* ANTIFREEZE CAN KILL YOUR PETS!!! It is estimated that each year 90,000 pets and animals die from accidentally ingesting conventional ethylene glycol-based (EG) antifreeze. So dangerous is EG-based antifreeze, a teaspoon can be fatal to a cat and just two ounces can kill a dog. Fortunately there is a safer alternative: The safer propylene glycol-based (PG) antifreeze. Animals accidentally ingest antifreeze from leaking radiators and improperly stored containers of used antifreeze. They are attracted to conventional EG antifreeze for it's sweet smell and taste. Antifreeze violently disrupts the calcium balance in the animal's system, causing acute, irreversible kidney failure. The kidney failure sends the animal into ureic poisoning, possible seizures and a coma, ending in death. The key is noticing the symptoms early. If your pet appears disoriented, drunk or wobbly, it may be an early warning sign. As the condition progresses, the animal may vomit, seizure, appear depressed or listless. If owners witness a pet consuming antifreeze, or the pet exhibits these signs, call a veterinarian immediately. Survival depends on the amount of antifreeze ingested. A medical antidote may be administered to save the pet's life if given in time. ************************* Signs your pet has been in contact with a Poison and what to do Muscle tremors or seizures WHAT TO DO Call your veterinarian or veterinary emergency clinic
immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting without consulting your veterinarian or Poison
Control centre first. ****************************** Plants Poisonous to your cat Many plants are poisonous to your cat. Below is a list you should look
out for, and keep away from your cat. For further information, contact
your local Poison Control Centre. Baneberry, Bayonet, Beargrass, Beech, Belladonna, Bird of Paradise, Bittersweet, Black-Eyed Susan, Black Locust, Bleeding Heart, Bloodroot, Bluebonnet, Box, Boxwood, Buckeyes, Burning Bush, Buttercup Cactus, Candelabra, Caladium, Castor Bean, Cherry (pits of), Cherry (most wild varieties), Cherry (ground), Cherry (laurel), Chinaberry, Christmas Rose, Chrysanthemum, Clematis, Coriaria, Cornflower, Corydalis, Crocus Autumn, Crown of Thorns, Cyclamen. Daffodil Daphne, Daphne, Datura, Deadly Nightshade, Death Camas, Delphinium, Dicentrea, Diffenbachia, Dumb Cane. Eggplant, Elderberry, Elephant Ear, English Ivy, Euonymus, Evergreen Ferns, Flex, Four O'clock, Foxglove Golden Chain, Golden Glow, Gopher Purge Hellebore, Poison Hemlock, Water Hemlock, Henbane, Holly Honeysuckle, Horsebeans, Horsebrush, Horse Chestnuts, Hyacinth, Hydrangea Indian Tabasco, Iris, Iris Ivy Jack in the pulpit, Java Beans, Jessamine, Jerusalem cherry, Jimson Weed, Jonquil, and Jungle Trumpets. Lantana, Larkspur, Laurel, Lily, Lily Spider, Lilly of the Valley, Locoweed, Lupin Marigold, Marijuana, Mescal Bean, Mistletoe, Mock Orange, Monkshood, Moonseed, Morning Glory, Mountain Laurel, Mushrooms Narcissus, Nightshade Oleander Peach (pits of), Peony, Periwinkle, Philodendron, Pimpernel, Poinciana, Poison Hemlock, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Pokeweed, Poppy, Potato, Precatory Bean, Common Privet. Rhododendron, Rhubarb, Rosary Pea, Rubber Plant Scotch Broom, Skunk Cabbage, Snowdrops, Snow on the Mountain, Stagger weed, Star of Bethlehem, Sweet pea Tansy Mustard, Tobacco, Tomato, Tulip, Tung Tree Virginia Creeper. Water Hemlock, Weeping Fig, Wild Call, Wisteria. Yews (Japanese Yew, English Yew, Western Yew, American Yew). ******************************* Non-Poisonous Plants
Babybreath, baby tears, bachelor button, bamboo, bloodleaf plant, begonia (except sand), Boston fern, Bougainvillea, bromeliad, butterfly tulip, Cactus- Christmas, camellia, chickwood, Chinese evergreen, cissus- kangaroo vine, coffee, coleus, corn plant, crab apple, creeping Charlie (houseplant), croton (codiaeum), dahlia, dandelion, dogwood, donkey tail, dracaena varieties, Easter lily Fittonia, red, forsythia, fuchsia, false aralias, ferns: Asparagus
birds nest Boston & related maidenhair,
Hawthorne, hens and chicks, hibiscus Impatiens, inch plant (dermatitis) Jade plant, Japanese aralias Kalanchoe Lipstick plant Maidenhair fern, magnolia bush, marigolds, monkey plant, mother-in-laws-tongue, mountain ash, Nasturtium, Natal plum Morfolk island pine, Phoenix (date), Patient Lucy, peperomia, petunia, phlox, piggyback
plant, photosporum, polka dot plant, Rose Sago Thistle, tiger lily Umbrella tree Velvet plant Wandering Jew, white clover Zebra plant, zinnia ****************************** Lots of articles on feline health. http://www.catsinternational.org/articles.html Home] [The Club] [ Membership] [Committee] [Kitten List] [The Lakes] [Congratulations] [The Show] [Events] [Cat Info] [Cat Fun ] [Links] |
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