Cats are living longer than ever before these days.
INDOOR CAT LIFE EXPECTANCY
A cat that lives indoors can be expected to live anywhere from 15 to into their 20s.
OUTDOOR CAT LIFE EXPECTANCY
A cat that lives outdoors has a general life expectancy of 4 to 5 years of age.
Why is that? This short life expectancy can be attributed to many things:
1. Contact with other cats who may or may not be up-to-date and current on their vaccinations.
2. Contact with unhealthy cats and exposure to deadly disease such as Feline Leukemia.
3. Obvious risks are cars, potential for becoming prey for dogs and other wild animals who survive by hunting and eating what they catch and kill. Then there is the issue of cat fights which predisposes your cat to contracting "direct contact" diseases such as Feline Leukemia and FIV (some people refer to this as "Cat AIDS"). Obviously, the more fights that your cat gets into while outdoors, the more risk he or she has of contracting a disease.
4. And then, I hesitate to even mention this as I cringe, it is a different world out there, folks. Keep your pets indoors and under your supervision, and you won't have to wonder and worry about where your pet is, who has your pet, and what they did with it. The world we are living in is far from being a compassionate place when it comes to our animal friends.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Feline Flea Control - Quick, Safer, Inexpensive Alternatives
First of all, if you are keeping your cat or cats indoors, fleas shouldn't really be a problem for you - unless you have moved to a new place that has fleas, your cat sits outside on a screened-in, ground floor patio, or your cat shares a home with a dog or dogs. I am a dog lover; however, after what I have recently encountered here with my Precious Girl, Gemini (cat who is 17 years old!), I deeply regret my decision to ever have had a dog while I have her. The war on fleas is a constant battle since the dog is in and out and will either A) Get fleas; or B) Bring fleas in.
With veterinarians, vet techs, and pet stores pushing flea control, it is difficult not to fall under the spell of it being a "must have" or feeling like a bad pet parent if you do not use flea control; however, if you have a cat or cats - especially older ones or you wish to have cats (or even dogs, for that matter) who live well into their later years - you need to consider what it is you are actually doing when you apply a chemical in and around your pet's environment, notwithstanding applying flea control chemicals directly to your pet. First of all, since topical monthly flea control is applied to the animal's bare skin, you need to realize that the chemical is entering your beloved's bloodstream. Your pet's body doesn't know it for anything other than what it is: A toxin or poison. The fact that this toxin or poison kills and prevents fleas doesn't make it healthier or any less harmful to your pet's kidneys, etc., not to mention that exposure to flea control chemicals puts your pet at risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, face, you name it. Wherever your pet regularly comes into contact with the toxins is fair game.
If I had not had an incessant need to have a dog, even though I already had the best cat - best pet - ever, My Girl would have never had any fleas, and therefore, she would not have ever needed flea control or tapeworm treatment. At her age (17 years), anything additional of a chemical or medicinal nature is risky so I have not appreciated this predicament. I am sharing it with you so that you can consider the cost (not just financial) of keeping dogs with cats.
I did speak with my trusted vet who on repeated occasions told me not to worry about tapeworms, that they are harmless. True enough; however, here is the other thing to know and consider - - while a tapeworm will not directly hurt your pet, it does take much-needed nutrition away from your pet so if your pet gets tapeworms (which will mean you have fleas), do treat the tapeworm. Don't leave it.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure that your flea problem is completely gone for at least 30 days prior to treating the tapeworms to minimize the risks of additional medication to kill the tapeworms. You do not want to have to give your pet "poison" medicine more than you need to to kill tapeworms - - because you treated the tapeworm too soon. If the flea problem is not gone, your pet will get another tapeworm. So, treat the fleas. Then the tapeworm.
I have done quite a bit of research looking for safer and more effective flea control methods. What I found will surprise you: Salt. 20 Mule Team Borax. DO NOT PUT EITHER OF THESE ON YOUR PETS EVER! They are for use on the carpeting only.
Both of those are safe for dogs; however, I did run across some things that indicated that Borax is toxic to cats.
But that does not matter because here is what you do. Pick up all of your pets' food and water and dump and place dishes/bowls in sink. Do not take any chances. You lock your pets up in one room while you treat the other room or rooms. First, sprinkle your carpets with salt and/or 20 Mule Team Borax. You can use one or the other or both. Use it like you would carpet freshener for your vacuum. Don't walk through it, though, as you do not want to distribute the mix throughout the rest of your home. Let the salt and / or 20 Mule Team Borax sit for at least 30 minutes and then vacuum. Thoroughly! Vacuum every area more than once and in various directions to make certain that you have vacuumed all of it up.
As soon as you have finished doing all of the rooms - move furniture and pet beds to get under them - take the vacuum bag outside to the trash can immediately to avoid fleas escaping back into your home. I have a bagless vacuum cleaner, and I examined the receptable after doing each room so that I could get a better understanding of where the largest infestation is. This is important to know because that is the area that you want to be the most aggressive with. In any event, do not let what you vacuumed up sit inside your house for any length of time. Get it outside, and get those fleas out of your home!
Do this in each and every room weekly, and for at least the first week, vacuum every single day to disrupt fleas. After just 24 hours, we have seen a huge decrease in flea activity here, and the cat has stopped scratching.
At a minimum, you will need to do the heavy room treatments at least once per week for a month due to the flea reproductive / life cycle. But get in the habit of vacuuming daily to keep the fleas out - - at least during flea season!
With veterinarians, vet techs, and pet stores pushing flea control, it is difficult not to fall under the spell of it being a "must have" or feeling like a bad pet parent if you do not use flea control; however, if you have a cat or cats - especially older ones or you wish to have cats (or even dogs, for that matter) who live well into their later years - you need to consider what it is you are actually doing when you apply a chemical in and around your pet's environment, notwithstanding applying flea control chemicals directly to your pet. First of all, since topical monthly flea control is applied to the animal's bare skin, you need to realize that the chemical is entering your beloved's bloodstream. Your pet's body doesn't know it for anything other than what it is: A toxin or poison. The fact that this toxin or poison kills and prevents fleas doesn't make it healthier or any less harmful to your pet's kidneys, etc., not to mention that exposure to flea control chemicals puts your pet at risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, face, you name it. Wherever your pet regularly comes into contact with the toxins is fair game.
If I had not had an incessant need to have a dog, even though I already had the best cat - best pet - ever, My Girl would have never had any fleas, and therefore, she would not have ever needed flea control or tapeworm treatment. At her age (17 years), anything additional of a chemical or medicinal nature is risky so I have not appreciated this predicament. I am sharing it with you so that you can consider the cost (not just financial) of keeping dogs with cats.
I did speak with my trusted vet who on repeated occasions told me not to worry about tapeworms, that they are harmless. True enough; however, here is the other thing to know and consider - - while a tapeworm will not directly hurt your pet, it does take much-needed nutrition away from your pet so if your pet gets tapeworms (which will mean you have fleas), do treat the tapeworm. Don't leave it.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure that your flea problem is completely gone for at least 30 days prior to treating the tapeworms to minimize the risks of additional medication to kill the tapeworms. You do not want to have to give your pet "poison" medicine more than you need to to kill tapeworms - - because you treated the tapeworm too soon. If the flea problem is not gone, your pet will get another tapeworm. So, treat the fleas. Then the tapeworm.
I have done quite a bit of research looking for safer and more effective flea control methods. What I found will surprise you: Salt. 20 Mule Team Borax. DO NOT PUT EITHER OF THESE ON YOUR PETS EVER! They are for use on the carpeting only.
Both of those are safe for dogs; however, I did run across some things that indicated that Borax is toxic to cats.
But that does not matter because here is what you do. Pick up all of your pets' food and water and dump and place dishes/bowls in sink. Do not take any chances. You lock your pets up in one room while you treat the other room or rooms. First, sprinkle your carpets with salt and/or 20 Mule Team Borax. You can use one or the other or both. Use it like you would carpet freshener for your vacuum. Don't walk through it, though, as you do not want to distribute the mix throughout the rest of your home. Let the salt and / or 20 Mule Team Borax sit for at least 30 minutes and then vacuum. Thoroughly! Vacuum every area more than once and in various directions to make certain that you have vacuumed all of it up.
As soon as you have finished doing all of the rooms - move furniture and pet beds to get under them - take the vacuum bag outside to the trash can immediately to avoid fleas escaping back into your home. I have a bagless vacuum cleaner, and I examined the receptable after doing each room so that I could get a better understanding of where the largest infestation is. This is important to know because that is the area that you want to be the most aggressive with. In any event, do not let what you vacuumed up sit inside your house for any length of time. Get it outside, and get those fleas out of your home!
Do this in each and every room weekly, and for at least the first week, vacuum every single day to disrupt fleas. After just 24 hours, we have seen a huge decrease in flea activity here, and the cat has stopped scratching.
At a minimum, you will need to do the heavy room treatments at least once per week for a month due to the flea reproductive / life cycle. But get in the habit of vacuuming daily to keep the fleas out - - at least during flea season!
The Vaccination Argument / Controversy
Many of us are from two schools of thought, both of which are "old school", so to speak. The first group of us come from the generation of doing practically nothing in the way of preventative care for our pets. Growing up in the '60s and '70s, our parents and grandparents hardly kept up with rabies vaccines much less worried about whether or not a pet should be outdoors. Most pets, in fact, were indoor - outdoor. Many of my cats growing up were indoor - outdoor. In fact, one of my cats died from Feline Leukemia when I was a child. Not much thought was given to those sort of things. I still, unfortunately, know of many people who I argue with today who let their cats roam outdoors. Unless the "outdoors" is limited to a screened-in patio or balcony or your own backyard, with your constant supervision, I do not advocate such a practice. More on that subject can be found under another post covering indoor or outdoor cats.
The other school of thought concerning vaccinations, which is also "old school", is vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. Some of us in the past have kept longstanding annual appointments with the vet for all of our pets to get vaccinated and revaccinated each and every year for every disease imaginable. We never even questioned it. However, in recent years, many are questioning this practice, and the questions originated from veterinary specialists.
There is hard medical evidence to suggest that beyond "childhood" vaccinations for our cats - unless they are outdoor cats - we should not repeatedly subject our pets' immune systems to vaccines. Some of you may be gasping at this. But I challenge you to think carefully while you cling to your tradition of annual vaccinations.
Things to consider:
Do humans go year after year for the same vaccinations/immunizations? No. Why? Because it would represent overkill, literally. It presents too much of a load and shock to the immune system.
If you choose to have your cat outdoors, you have no other choice but to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.
What has been the average age of your pets when they passed away? Consider the age at the passing of childhood pets versus the ones you have had as an adult. Some of you may notice that your pets from childhood actually lived longer. It may be due to the fact that the cat was strictly indoors and wasn't dragged to the vet annually for repeated vaccines.
The longest lived cat that I have ever had, however, is Gemini. Her picture can be found on this site. She is 17 years old and has enjoyed perfect health all of those years. The only difference between her and any other of my pets is that I have loved her so much that I became overprotective of her. She is a strictly indoor cat and lives with no other cats. I have never boarded her, and I won't. Too many health hazards in a boarding facility. She also comes into contact with no other cats. She also has not had one, not a single one vaccine since 2001. It is only two years ago that I put her on "top shelf", organic, no-filler foods. Coincidence her age and health? I highly doubt it. If I were to have another cat, I wouldn't do anything different.
But don't just listen to me. I will let you be the judge.
A study and project was begun by The Feline Veterinary Medical Association, and they reset policy of recommending revaccination no more than once every 3 years. Studies conducted that measured titer showed some vaccine antibodies lasting 7 years! Vaccinations are designed to help the immune system build up antibodies against a virus. Antibody titer tests measure the antibodies to determine if the body has built up adequate antibodies to it. One can certainly see why it would be unnecessary and even harmful to repeatedly overload the immune system with a virus that the body has already built up a protective level of antibodies against. This practice could absolutely lead to a tired and, therefore, weakened immune system, and the consequences of that could be dire. One of the concerns is cancer.
For 30 years, The Feline Veterinary Medical Association has made the statement that cats do not need vaccinations over and over again. They sustain that vaccinations at 9 and 11 weeks with Killed 3-Way vaccine (rhinotracheitis, calici, panleukopenia), and 3 Year Rabies at 3 months is adequate. Even healthy. And once your kitten or cat has tested negative for all of the "biggies" (FIV, Feline Leukemia, FIP), no further vaccinations or tests are necessary for the health and safety of an indoor cat.
Clinical trials and studies actually show that repeated vaccines may cause disease in a significant percentage of vaccinates, and are therefore more harmful than the treatment of treatable diseases. FeLV, FIV vaccines are not recommended for cats that have tested negative - including kittens whose parents have tested negative - who are indoor-only cats. Feline leukemia vaccines that were given early in life had only a 30% immune response.
At the 2002 Florida Cat Conference held at the University of Gainesville, Dr July Levy found that the testing of 1876 free roaming, unowned cats in Florida and North Carolina revealed that the rate of FeLV and FIV was around 4%. I don't know about you, but this is a great surprise to me.
The other surprise is concerning the Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) vaccine. It can actually induce disease in corona virus positive cats. Corona is a benign virus found in many cats until it is combined with the FIP virus. Corona virus titer tests are considered worthless by all FIP researchers. By the way, in case you are wondering, FIP cannot be determined on a test. There is no FIP test. Worse yet is that the FIP vaccine has a wicked history of poor immune response (so the vaccine's goal of increasing immuno response fails). Even worse, the FIP often induces the disease.
Dr Susan Little, Diplomate ABVP Feline has said, "Since 1991, the rate of fibrosarcomas in cats has increased in association with some vaccines (especially rabies and feline leukemia). It is extremely difficult to remove these tumors completely with surgery and many chemotherapy drugs are ineffective. Even with radiation, the cure rate is very low."
An article found in the Wall Street Journal: "Are Annual Shots Overkill?"
"Evidence is building annual vaccination of dogs and cats performed for diseases like rabies, distemper and parvovirus may not be necessary and could even be harmful. Recent and continuing studies at several universities suggest protection from vaccines may last for years, which would make annual shots for some diseases a waste of money--at the very least. A sharp increase during the past decade in cancerous tumors among cats, between the shoulder blades where vaccines typically are injected, has spurred studies. Studies have found a higher than expected incidence of side effects. We see an epidemic of hyperthyroidism in cats today, which we suspect is happening because we're over-vaccinating our pets."
In a study conducted at Purdue University Vet School on dogs, Dr. Larry Glick and his colleagues came to the conclusion that repeated vaccination results in dogs producing antibodies against their own tissue. The result: Autoimmune problems. You take your pet in for annual vaccines to protect their health, not jeopardize it.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has said that the practice of annual vaccinations is based on "historical precedent" and "not on scientific data." Again, here we see the "old school" of thought that I mentioned above at work.
The Chairman of the University of Wisconsin of Pathological Sciences, Dr. Ronald Schultz, has even admitted to the fact that "My own pets are vaccinated once or twice as pups and kittens, then never again except for rabies."
A major drug company and manufacturer of animal vaccines, Pfizer, Inc., has tested its 1-year rabies vaccine on live animals and discovered it lasted at least 3 years. State laws stand in the way of a pet owner's ability to do the right thing for their pet. Therefore, Pfizer, Inc., now sells the identical formula packaged under different labels--1 year and 3 year vaccinations -- only to satisfy different state vaccination requirements.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Annual, repeated vaccinations has been studied, and the studies have reflected stress, impair, and damage to the immune system. Studies indicate that repeated vaccines can cause major health problems. Those problems range from allergies and skin problems, to cancerous tumors.
Do some research on your own, and make your own decision. Your loyal companion depends on you to make the right decisions for him/her.
The other school of thought concerning vaccinations, which is also "old school", is vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate. Some of us in the past have kept longstanding annual appointments with the vet for all of our pets to get vaccinated and revaccinated each and every year for every disease imaginable. We never even questioned it. However, in recent years, many are questioning this practice, and the questions originated from veterinary specialists.
There is hard medical evidence to suggest that beyond "childhood" vaccinations for our cats - unless they are outdoor cats - we should not repeatedly subject our pets' immune systems to vaccines. Some of you may be gasping at this. But I challenge you to think carefully while you cling to your tradition of annual vaccinations.
Things to consider:
Do humans go year after year for the same vaccinations/immunizations? No. Why? Because it would represent overkill, literally. It presents too much of a load and shock to the immune system.
If you choose to have your cat outdoors, you have no other choice but to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.
What has been the average age of your pets when they passed away? Consider the age at the passing of childhood pets versus the ones you have had as an adult. Some of you may notice that your pets from childhood actually lived longer. It may be due to the fact that the cat was strictly indoors and wasn't dragged to the vet annually for repeated vaccines.
The longest lived cat that I have ever had, however, is Gemini. Her picture can be found on this site. She is 17 years old and has enjoyed perfect health all of those years. The only difference between her and any other of my pets is that I have loved her so much that I became overprotective of her. She is a strictly indoor cat and lives with no other cats. I have never boarded her, and I won't. Too many health hazards in a boarding facility. She also comes into contact with no other cats. She also has not had one, not a single one vaccine since 2001. It is only two years ago that I put her on "top shelf", organic, no-filler foods. Coincidence her age and health? I highly doubt it. If I were to have another cat, I wouldn't do anything different.
But don't just listen to me. I will let you be the judge.
A study and project was begun by The Feline Veterinary Medical Association, and they reset policy of recommending revaccination no more than once every 3 years. Studies conducted that measured titer showed some vaccine antibodies lasting 7 years! Vaccinations are designed to help the immune system build up antibodies against a virus. Antibody titer tests measure the antibodies to determine if the body has built up adequate antibodies to it. One can certainly see why it would be unnecessary and even harmful to repeatedly overload the immune system with a virus that the body has already built up a protective level of antibodies against. This practice could absolutely lead to a tired and, therefore, weakened immune system, and the consequences of that could be dire. One of the concerns is cancer.
For 30 years, The Feline Veterinary Medical Association has made the statement that cats do not need vaccinations over and over again. They sustain that vaccinations at 9 and 11 weeks with Killed 3-Way vaccine (rhinotracheitis, calici, panleukopenia), and 3 Year Rabies at 3 months is adequate. Even healthy. And once your kitten or cat has tested negative for all of the "biggies" (FIV, Feline Leukemia, FIP), no further vaccinations or tests are necessary for the health and safety of an indoor cat.
Clinical trials and studies actually show that repeated vaccines may cause disease in a significant percentage of vaccinates, and are therefore more harmful than the treatment of treatable diseases. FeLV, FIV vaccines are not recommended for cats that have tested negative - including kittens whose parents have tested negative - who are indoor-only cats. Feline leukemia vaccines that were given early in life had only a 30% immune response.
At the 2002 Florida Cat Conference held at the University of Gainesville, Dr July Levy found that the testing of 1876 free roaming, unowned cats in Florida and North Carolina revealed that the rate of FeLV and FIV was around 4%. I don't know about you, but this is a great surprise to me.
The other surprise is concerning the Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) vaccine. It can actually induce disease in corona virus positive cats. Corona is a benign virus found in many cats until it is combined with the FIP virus. Corona virus titer tests are considered worthless by all FIP researchers. By the way, in case you are wondering, FIP cannot be determined on a test. There is no FIP test. Worse yet is that the FIP vaccine has a wicked history of poor immune response (so the vaccine's goal of increasing immuno response fails). Even worse, the FIP often induces the disease.
Dr Susan Little, Diplomate ABVP Feline has said, "Since 1991, the rate of fibrosarcomas in cats has increased in association with some vaccines (especially rabies and feline leukemia). It is extremely difficult to remove these tumors completely with surgery and many chemotherapy drugs are ineffective. Even with radiation, the cure rate is very low."
An article found in the Wall Street Journal: "Are Annual Shots Overkill?"
"Evidence is building annual vaccination of dogs and cats performed for diseases like rabies, distemper and parvovirus may not be necessary and could even be harmful. Recent and continuing studies at several universities suggest protection from vaccines may last for years, which would make annual shots for some diseases a waste of money--at the very least. A sharp increase during the past decade in cancerous tumors among cats, between the shoulder blades where vaccines typically are injected, has spurred studies. Studies have found a higher than expected incidence of side effects. We see an epidemic of hyperthyroidism in cats today, which we suspect is happening because we're over-vaccinating our pets."
In a study conducted at Purdue University Vet School on dogs, Dr. Larry Glick and his colleagues came to the conclusion that repeated vaccination results in dogs producing antibodies against their own tissue. The result: Autoimmune problems. You take your pet in for annual vaccines to protect their health, not jeopardize it.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has said that the practice of annual vaccinations is based on "historical precedent" and "not on scientific data." Again, here we see the "old school" of thought that I mentioned above at work.
The Chairman of the University of Wisconsin of Pathological Sciences, Dr. Ronald Schultz, has even admitted to the fact that "My own pets are vaccinated once or twice as pups and kittens, then never again except for rabies."
A major drug company and manufacturer of animal vaccines, Pfizer, Inc., has tested its 1-year rabies vaccine on live animals and discovered it lasted at least 3 years. State laws stand in the way of a pet owner's ability to do the right thing for their pet. Therefore, Pfizer, Inc., now sells the identical formula packaged under different labels--1 year and 3 year vaccinations -- only to satisfy different state vaccination requirements.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Annual, repeated vaccinations has been studied, and the studies have reflected stress, impair, and damage to the immune system. Studies indicate that repeated vaccines can cause major health problems. Those problems range from allergies and skin problems, to cancerous tumors.
Do some research on your own, and make your own decision. Your loyal companion depends on you to make the right decisions for him/her.
Nutritional Basics - Food and Water
Cats are hunters, by nature, and in the wild, much of their time and energy was devoted to hunting. Cats are carnivorous, meaning meat eaters.
There are several types of food available to us for the feeding and good health of our cat companions. From canned, dry, semi-moist, to raw diets, it is out there and available to us for purchase. Just choose wisely.
Speaking of wise choices, while we are on the subject of such basics as food and water, let's take a moment to discuss what to provide these essentials in. The water bowl, food bowl, and dish for wet/canned food. Please save yourself the headache and concern right now and only purchase stainless steel or clear glass bowls and dishes for feeding and watering. There is just too much written about the risks of long-term exposure to plastics and food or water left sitting in it. Clear glass bowls and dishes can easily be found and very cheaply at a dollar store or thrift store. Just remember that it needs to be clear glass. Plates, bowls, and dishes that have patterns on them can contain lead.
DRY FOOD Always leave some dry food available with clean water. Always. What kind of dry food, you may ask. Since having a cat live for so long after using high-grade foods and skipping annual vaccines, I strongly advocate feeding a better quality dry food such as Petguard, Wellness, or Blue. If you take some time to stand in the aisles and read some labels at Petsmart, Petco, or Pet Supermarket, you will notice a very sharp difference in the ingredients versus ingredients in Friskies, Purina, and the like. More and more, I am leaning toward foods containing cranberries as it would appear that urinary tract infections are so prominent in cats. I haven't personally encountered more than two infections; however, it may be because I am so conscious of this condition that seems to be so frequent in cats of others.
Also, I recommend reading the label on the food and measuring out what the label states is the proper amount to feed each day (usually based on your cat's body weight). In doing this, your cat will maintain a hunger drive, instead of overeating throughout the day and then turning its nose up at its dinner. Keeping a feeding schedule (measuring out dry food on your way out the door to work each day) and then feeding wet food in the evening will meet your cat's need to be on a schedule and reduce finicky behaviors. NOTE: I said measure that dry food out in the AM on your way out the door so that you are not being woken up by a cat who thinks you are late or have forgotten to give them their daily dose of dry food that day. Cats are without fail the best alarm clocks out there. Trust me on this. They know what time it is and when things should happen, such as when you should feed them breakfast or dinner. This is not a lesson that you want to learn for yourself.
For instance, right now, I am feeding a 50-50 mix of Blue dry food (it has cranberries, but so does Wellness - - I haven't read Petguard's label; this brand name of food is becoming harder and harder to find in my area) with a dry food that is geared toward "urinary tract maintenance". Just to be safe.
WET/CANNED FOOD Because I "free feed" dry food (free feed - leaving food out at all times), I feed one serving of wet or canned food at night only. To those of you who have ever had a cat that consistently and persistently woke you up each and every morning - even though your alarm clock did not go off on the weekends or your days off - you will understand the importance of feeding canned or wet cat food not in the morning. Save this feeding ritual for afternoon or evening, and it will save your sanity.
A word about canned or wet cat foods. I have recently taken in a stray cat who appears to have sensitive skin. For those of you who have not encountered a cat or dog with sensitive skin, let me just say that this is a real treat for the cat's owner, and I mean that very sarcastically. It is usually due to food allergies. During the process of eliminating foods highly associated with cat food allergies, I have become even more enlightened concerning cat food labeling. Because I am now on to lamb only for this stray cat, I have been shocked to find that even though the flavor on the front of the can says "lamb" or "lamb and rice", the ingredients clearly indicate chicken, corn, poultry, etc. You get the idea. And it wasn't just one brand of food that did this. So, please read, read, and read the labels -- and ingredients list before putting your pet's food into your cart for purchase. If I weren't so conscious of cat food ingredients -which is why I spend so much time in aisles reading the entire ingredients list - my purchase of "lamb" cat food that also contained chicken or other meat would have been disastrous, as this cat's skin is just about cleared up due to my diligence concerning the ingredients in the canned/wet food AND the switching of her previous dry food containing highly suspected allergens. I switched her to Blue Spa's dry food for sensitive skin.
A WORD ABOUT "BY-PRODUCTS" Since none of the so-called experts seem to agree on just exactly what that is in our pet food, and given the things that some experts allege that these "by-products" are, I recommend skipping any food - dry or wet - that states that it contains "meat by-products", "by-products", or "poultry by-products". All seem to agree that any by-product in its use in animal food is not a meat for human consumption. What most seem to disagree about, especially with regard to "meat by-products" is whether or not it is diseased, ill, and/or euthanized pets - - which would morally be wrong to consume, but so much worse than that, those animals contained the medications and specifically the euthanasia drug that was injected in the end, and then pets whose owners purchase pet foods containing "meat by-products" now consume not just one of their own (be it cat or dog) but also are feeding daily on a mix of medications, euthanasia drugs, and anything else that was left on the pet (collars, plastic body bags, and the like). Right or wrong on these assumptions, you would not want to consume something when you could not know its ingredients, so why feed your beloved pet something of unknown origin?
WATER Always keep a clean glass bowl of fresh water available to your pet at all times, and if you are concerned about the quality of your tap water or worried about the effects of chlorine on your pet's health, this need not mean an expensive solution. Purchase distilled or spring water in bottles and then refill them at a water station. Glacier Water isn't the only one out there, but I offer it as an example. Just be sure to keep the bottles of water in a cool, dark place away from the sunlight (which can have adverse effects on plastic).
There are several types of food available to us for the feeding and good health of our cat companions. From canned, dry, semi-moist, to raw diets, it is out there and available to us for purchase. Just choose wisely.
Speaking of wise choices, while we are on the subject of such basics as food and water, let's take a moment to discuss what to provide these essentials in. The water bowl, food bowl, and dish for wet/canned food. Please save yourself the headache and concern right now and only purchase stainless steel or clear glass bowls and dishes for feeding and watering. There is just too much written about the risks of long-term exposure to plastics and food or water left sitting in it. Clear glass bowls and dishes can easily be found and very cheaply at a dollar store or thrift store. Just remember that it needs to be clear glass. Plates, bowls, and dishes that have patterns on them can contain lead.
DRY FOOD Always leave some dry food available with clean water. Always. What kind of dry food, you may ask. Since having a cat live for so long after using high-grade foods and skipping annual vaccines, I strongly advocate feeding a better quality dry food such as Petguard, Wellness, or Blue. If you take some time to stand in the aisles and read some labels at Petsmart, Petco, or Pet Supermarket, you will notice a very sharp difference in the ingredients versus ingredients in Friskies, Purina, and the like. More and more, I am leaning toward foods containing cranberries as it would appear that urinary tract infections are so prominent in cats. I haven't personally encountered more than two infections; however, it may be because I am so conscious of this condition that seems to be so frequent in cats of others.
Also, I recommend reading the label on the food and measuring out what the label states is the proper amount to feed each day (usually based on your cat's body weight). In doing this, your cat will maintain a hunger drive, instead of overeating throughout the day and then turning its nose up at its dinner. Keeping a feeding schedule (measuring out dry food on your way out the door to work each day) and then feeding wet food in the evening will meet your cat's need to be on a schedule and reduce finicky behaviors. NOTE: I said measure that dry food out in the AM on your way out the door so that you are not being woken up by a cat who thinks you are late or have forgotten to give them their daily dose of dry food that day. Cats are without fail the best alarm clocks out there. Trust me on this. They know what time it is and when things should happen, such as when you should feed them breakfast or dinner. This is not a lesson that you want to learn for yourself.
For instance, right now, I am feeding a 50-50 mix of Blue dry food (it has cranberries, but so does Wellness - - I haven't read Petguard's label; this brand name of food is becoming harder and harder to find in my area) with a dry food that is geared toward "urinary tract maintenance". Just to be safe.
WET/CANNED FOOD Because I "free feed" dry food (free feed - leaving food out at all times), I feed one serving of wet or canned food at night only. To those of you who have ever had a cat that consistently and persistently woke you up each and every morning - even though your alarm clock did not go off on the weekends or your days off - you will understand the importance of feeding canned or wet cat food not in the morning. Save this feeding ritual for afternoon or evening, and it will save your sanity.
A word about canned or wet cat foods. I have recently taken in a stray cat who appears to have sensitive skin. For those of you who have not encountered a cat or dog with sensitive skin, let me just say that this is a real treat for the cat's owner, and I mean that very sarcastically. It is usually due to food allergies. During the process of eliminating foods highly associated with cat food allergies, I have become even more enlightened concerning cat food labeling. Because I am now on to lamb only for this stray cat, I have been shocked to find that even though the flavor on the front of the can says "lamb" or "lamb and rice", the ingredients clearly indicate chicken, corn, poultry, etc. You get the idea. And it wasn't just one brand of food that did this. So, please read, read, and read the labels -- and ingredients list before putting your pet's food into your cart for purchase. If I weren't so conscious of cat food ingredients -which is why I spend so much time in aisles reading the entire ingredients list - my purchase of "lamb" cat food that also contained chicken or other meat would have been disastrous, as this cat's skin is just about cleared up due to my diligence concerning the ingredients in the canned/wet food AND the switching of her previous dry food containing highly suspected allergens. I switched her to Blue Spa's dry food for sensitive skin.
A WORD ABOUT "BY-PRODUCTS" Since none of the so-called experts seem to agree on just exactly what that is in our pet food, and given the things that some experts allege that these "by-products" are, I recommend skipping any food - dry or wet - that states that it contains "meat by-products", "by-products", or "poultry by-products". All seem to agree that any by-product in its use in animal food is not a meat for human consumption. What most seem to disagree about, especially with regard to "meat by-products" is whether or not it is diseased, ill, and/or euthanized pets - - which would morally be wrong to consume, but so much worse than that, those animals contained the medications and specifically the euthanasia drug that was injected in the end, and then pets whose owners purchase pet foods containing "meat by-products" now consume not just one of their own (be it cat or dog) but also are feeding daily on a mix of medications, euthanasia drugs, and anything else that was left on the pet (collars, plastic body bags, and the like). Right or wrong on these assumptions, you would not want to consume something when you could not know its ingredients, so why feed your beloved pet something of unknown origin?
WATER Always keep a clean glass bowl of fresh water available to your pet at all times, and if you are concerned about the quality of your tap water or worried about the effects of chlorine on your pet's health, this need not mean an expensive solution. Purchase distilled or spring water in bottles and then refill them at a water station. Glacier Water isn't the only one out there, but I offer it as an example. Just be sure to keep the bottles of water in a cool, dark place away from the sunlight (which can have adverse effects on plastic).
First Things First
KITTEN OR CAT?
There is nothing more adorable, sweet, or entertaining as a kitten. However, depending on your needs and your home (other family members and other pets), you may for whatever reason decide to get an adult cat. Whether it is a kitten or an adult cat that you choose, please keep in mind that there are wonderful companions at every animal shelter just waiting to become a part of your life and the lives of those around you. Please consider visiting your shelter to save a life while also enriching yours.
A WORD BEFORE WE GO ON
Over the course of 40 years, I have been learning more and more about holistic medications and treatments and holistic preventive health care for myself, and therefore, over a period of time, I have come to have the same concerns and considerations for my furry friends as well. I haven't been sorry. I am now living with the oldest - and sweetest! - cat I've ever had or known. That being said, some of my recommendations may sound careless or neglectful to the onlooker who hasn't researched the issues, but know that I did not arrive at these ideas because they are easier, simpler, or cheaper for me nor am I neglectful in any way. I like to read and know about any health issues, medications, nutrition, or treatments out there - for me or my pets - and therefore, anything that I suggest here has been researched. All of it is a matter of personal choice, of course, but I will share what I know and why I have made the choices I've made.
BEFORE YOU ADOPT OR BUY
You will need a litterbox for each cat in your household. Purchase litter. Clay, unscented litter is the healthiest for you and your pet. Plan on just dumping the entire litterbox and lining it with several layers of fresh newspaper (Sundays are the perfect schedule for this task since the Sunday newspaper will still be in your home and ready for recycling) each week. I don't like the idea of "scoopable" or "clumpable" litter. Think about this for a moment. It may be easier for us humans to just keep reusing litter, but how healthy is it for your feline companion whose health and well-being has been entrusted to you? What kind of bacteria is lurking in the litterbox week after week after week. Clay litter - even when changed weekly - is cheaper and safer for your pet. End of story.
Get some dry and wet canned food for your companion. Just start with a good brand right off. Pay particular attention to ASH content, MAGNESIUM content, and PHOSPHORUS. Consider your cats urinary tract health and kidney health before it becomes an issue. Choose foods that say "urinary tract health" or "urinary tract maintenance" or just choose a slightly more expensive brand, and you will find lower ash and lower magnesium. Most of these more expensive brands do not even contain phosphorus or any fillers. (If you had been feeding your pet no-filler foods during the China wheat gluten pet food scare, you know what I'm talking about. No fillers, and there was no need for concern.) Free feed (leave an unlimited supply out at all times) your companion the dry food and provide canned food at least once in the morning and once at night. This provides a good balance of carbs so that you can also prevent early onset diabetes. Again, what is the old saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." As a personal aside, I feed my senior cat
(15 years now and no known disease!) Wellness brand and Petguard brand foods. I get Wellness dry food and Petguard wet food. I have fed her Wellness canned food; however, she seems to prefer Petguard wet food. I cannot find the Petguard dry food in my area, but My Precious Girl is perfectly content with her Wellness dry so I'm satisfied with the choices that I have made for her.
If you have chosen a kitten, make certain to get foods specially formulated for kittens for the first one year of your companion's life. Then, after one year, you can switch to adult food.
Make sure you have dedicated bowls and dishes/plates - preferably unbreakable - for your new companion to eat dry food out of, have access to fresh water, and eat canned food from (for this, I prefer a flat dish). A weighted water bowl never hurts, either.
KITTEN- AND CAT -PROOFING YOUR HOME
Kitten-proof your home before you go get one. In fact, all of what I'm about to say here should really be applied to any pet. Make sure that your blind-pulls are up higher than Ms. Kitty can jump (and they can jump really high) to prevent accidental hanging of your new companion. Make sure that your cabinets are secured and cannot be opened when bumped into. Make sure that no chemicals or poisons of any kind - that includes plants, too, and even some foods! - are out of reach.
If you are having a problem with bugs of any kind in your home, and you have turned to the services of an exterminator or are using a spray or bombs in your home, please make sure that your bug problem is taken care of prior to bringing a new companion into your home. Chemicals of any kind are not safe for anyone or anything. Better to be safe than sorry. Once your bug problem is taken care of, and you have sent your exterminator packing, clean every baseboard, crevice, and any other common area in your home or outdoors (enclosed patio or balcony) thoroughly in an attempt to remove any unsafe chemicals and to reduce Ms. Kitty's exposure.
Get your friend a nice kitty bed, even if you plan to have your new companion sleep with you. You may be surprised at where you will find your friend sleeping. It is nice to offer at least one sensible option.
You may want to get some safe toys for your new companion, perhaps even a scratching post. A word on scratching posts: Did you know that some cats are vertical scratchers and some cats are horizontal scratchers? If you catch your kitty sharpening its nails somewhere in your home, pay attention to what it was using -- was it the arm of the sofa (from a standing position) or was it your carpeting? If it was the arm of the sofa, and your kitty was standing while scratching, go get a vertical scratching post. If it was the carpeting that kitty was using, go get a horizontal strip for your kitty's use.
YOUR OTHER CATS AT HOME
If you already have another cat at home, make sure that your new kitten or cat comes with proof of a negative feline leukemia test and first shots, at least. Also, be certain that it is free of fleas and has either been "wormed" or has had a recent stool sample test negative for intestinal parasites. So very important! Because even though you will purchase another litterbox if bringing in a new cat to your household that already has a cat, the cats will inevitably crossover when it comes to litterboxes - in the beginning, at least, and if the new cat has intestinal parasites, your other pets will become infected. That applies to your canine companions as well - - intestinal parasites are contagious by way of feces - - and if you have a dog in your home who likes to visit the kitty box occasionally, your dog is at risk as well.
YOUR DOG(S) AT HOME
I just mentioned the litterbox and parasite concern in the above paragraph so that is covered.
Otherwise, it is super simple - from a health standpoint - to bring a cat into the home that has a dog or dogs and nothing else because very few diseases or health risks are transferrable between cats and dogs. As I mentioned, fleas and ticks, of course, would be considerations. Fleas and ticks do not discrimate, and neither do intestinal parasites. So, out of respect and concern for your pets who already share your home, make sure that your new companion is pest-free and get that stool sample tested before bringing in your new companion.
Make sure that your kitten or cat has a private place - out of reach of the dog(s) - where he or she can eat and have access to fresh food and water without the dog(s) scarfing everything up when you and Ms. Kitty are not looking. I've been through this, and believe me, it is no fun! Not only will you quite possibly have a dog with gastric problems due to a sudden dietary change, but you will run out of your kitty's food so much faster. If you are like me and feeding a better brand of food, it is especially exasperating because it costs a lot more to feed a dog and your feline companion a better brand of cat food!
A WORD ABOUT DOGS AND CATS WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD
A dog can live on cat food, but a cat cannot live on dog food. If your cat is sharing a home with a dog and seems to prefer the dog food over his/her own cat food, don't laugh too much about this because a cat needs TAURINE which is in cat food but not generally in dog food.
Note: Recent research indicates that dogs' hearts benefit from TAURINE; therefore, some more advanced and progressive makers of dog food are now adding it to their dog foods; however, there is a certain amount of TAURINE required for your cat's diet. So, make sure that Ms. Kitty has a healthy cat food that it enjoys. Your cat's eyesight depends upon it. Your cat can go blind due to a TAURINE deficiency.
There is nothing more adorable, sweet, or entertaining as a kitten. However, depending on your needs and your home (other family members and other pets), you may for whatever reason decide to get an adult cat. Whether it is a kitten or an adult cat that you choose, please keep in mind that there are wonderful companions at every animal shelter just waiting to become a part of your life and the lives of those around you. Please consider visiting your shelter to save a life while also enriching yours.
A WORD BEFORE WE GO ON
Over the course of 40 years, I have been learning more and more about holistic medications and treatments and holistic preventive health care for myself, and therefore, over a period of time, I have come to have the same concerns and considerations for my furry friends as well. I haven't been sorry. I am now living with the oldest - and sweetest! - cat I've ever had or known. That being said, some of my recommendations may sound careless or neglectful to the onlooker who hasn't researched the issues, but know that I did not arrive at these ideas because they are easier, simpler, or cheaper for me nor am I neglectful in any way. I like to read and know about any health issues, medications, nutrition, or treatments out there - for me or my pets - and therefore, anything that I suggest here has been researched. All of it is a matter of personal choice, of course, but I will share what I know and why I have made the choices I've made.
BEFORE YOU ADOPT OR BUY
You will need a litterbox for each cat in your household. Purchase litter. Clay, unscented litter is the healthiest for you and your pet. Plan on just dumping the entire litterbox and lining it with several layers of fresh newspaper (Sundays are the perfect schedule for this task since the Sunday newspaper will still be in your home and ready for recycling) each week. I don't like the idea of "scoopable" or "clumpable" litter. Think about this for a moment. It may be easier for us humans to just keep reusing litter, but how healthy is it for your feline companion whose health and well-being has been entrusted to you? What kind of bacteria is lurking in the litterbox week after week after week. Clay litter - even when changed weekly - is cheaper and safer for your pet. End of story.
Get some dry and wet canned food for your companion. Just start with a good brand right off. Pay particular attention to ASH content, MAGNESIUM content, and PHOSPHORUS. Consider your cats urinary tract health and kidney health before it becomes an issue. Choose foods that say "urinary tract health" or "urinary tract maintenance" or just choose a slightly more expensive brand, and you will find lower ash and lower magnesium. Most of these more expensive brands do not even contain phosphorus or any fillers. (If you had been feeding your pet no-filler foods during the China wheat gluten pet food scare, you know what I'm talking about. No fillers, and there was no need for concern.) Free feed (leave an unlimited supply out at all times) your companion the dry food and provide canned food at least once in the morning and once at night. This provides a good balance of carbs so that you can also prevent early onset diabetes. Again, what is the old saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." As a personal aside, I feed my senior cat
(15 years now and no known disease!) Wellness brand and Petguard brand foods. I get Wellness dry food and Petguard wet food. I have fed her Wellness canned food; however, she seems to prefer Petguard wet food. I cannot find the Petguard dry food in my area, but My Precious Girl is perfectly content with her Wellness dry so I'm satisfied with the choices that I have made for her.
If you have chosen a kitten, make certain to get foods specially formulated for kittens for the first one year of your companion's life. Then, after one year, you can switch to adult food.
Make sure you have dedicated bowls and dishes/plates - preferably unbreakable - for your new companion to eat dry food out of, have access to fresh water, and eat canned food from (for this, I prefer a flat dish). A weighted water bowl never hurts, either.
KITTEN- AND CAT -PROOFING YOUR HOME
Kitten-proof your home before you go get one. In fact, all of what I'm about to say here should really be applied to any pet. Make sure that your blind-pulls are up higher than Ms. Kitty can jump (and they can jump really high) to prevent accidental hanging of your new companion. Make sure that your cabinets are secured and cannot be opened when bumped into. Make sure that no chemicals or poisons of any kind - that includes plants, too, and even some foods! - are out of reach.
If you are having a problem with bugs of any kind in your home, and you have turned to the services of an exterminator or are using a spray or bombs in your home, please make sure that your bug problem is taken care of prior to bringing a new companion into your home. Chemicals of any kind are not safe for anyone or anything. Better to be safe than sorry. Once your bug problem is taken care of, and you have sent your exterminator packing, clean every baseboard, crevice, and any other common area in your home or outdoors (enclosed patio or balcony) thoroughly in an attempt to remove any unsafe chemicals and to reduce Ms. Kitty's exposure.
Get your friend a nice kitty bed, even if you plan to have your new companion sleep with you. You may be surprised at where you will find your friend sleeping. It is nice to offer at least one sensible option.
You may want to get some safe toys for your new companion, perhaps even a scratching post. A word on scratching posts: Did you know that some cats are vertical scratchers and some cats are horizontal scratchers? If you catch your kitty sharpening its nails somewhere in your home, pay attention to what it was using -- was it the arm of the sofa (from a standing position) or was it your carpeting? If it was the arm of the sofa, and your kitty was standing while scratching, go get a vertical scratching post. If it was the carpeting that kitty was using, go get a horizontal strip for your kitty's use.
YOUR OTHER CATS AT HOME
If you already have another cat at home, make sure that your new kitten or cat comes with proof of a negative feline leukemia test and first shots, at least. Also, be certain that it is free of fleas and has either been "wormed" or has had a recent stool sample test negative for intestinal parasites. So very important! Because even though you will purchase another litterbox if bringing in a new cat to your household that already has a cat, the cats will inevitably crossover when it comes to litterboxes - in the beginning, at least, and if the new cat has intestinal parasites, your other pets will become infected. That applies to your canine companions as well - - intestinal parasites are contagious by way of feces - - and if you have a dog in your home who likes to visit the kitty box occasionally, your dog is at risk as well.
YOUR DOG(S) AT HOME
I just mentioned the litterbox and parasite concern in the above paragraph so that is covered.
Otherwise, it is super simple - from a health standpoint - to bring a cat into the home that has a dog or dogs and nothing else because very few diseases or health risks are transferrable between cats and dogs. As I mentioned, fleas and ticks, of course, would be considerations. Fleas and ticks do not discrimate, and neither do intestinal parasites. So, out of respect and concern for your pets who already share your home, make sure that your new companion is pest-free and get that stool sample tested before bringing in your new companion.
Make sure that your kitten or cat has a private place - out of reach of the dog(s) - where he or she can eat and have access to fresh food and water without the dog(s) scarfing everything up when you and Ms. Kitty are not looking. I've been through this, and believe me, it is no fun! Not only will you quite possibly have a dog with gastric problems due to a sudden dietary change, but you will run out of your kitty's food so much faster. If you are like me and feeding a better brand of food, it is especially exasperating because it costs a lot more to feed a dog and your feline companion a better brand of cat food!
A WORD ABOUT DOGS AND CATS WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD
A dog can live on cat food, but a cat cannot live on dog food. If your cat is sharing a home with a dog and seems to prefer the dog food over his/her own cat food, don't laugh too much about this because a cat needs TAURINE which is in cat food but not generally in dog food.
Note: Recent research indicates that dogs' hearts benefit from TAURINE; therefore, some more advanced and progressive makers of dog food are now adding it to their dog foods; however, there is a certain amount of TAURINE required for your cat's diet. So, make sure that Ms. Kitty has a healthy cat food that it enjoys. Your cat's eyesight depends upon it. Your cat can go blind due to a TAURINE deficiency.
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