HEALTH CARE

Cats are very dependent on their owners for good health care despite their apparent selfsufficiency.

CHOOSING A VETERINARIAN

Even before you select your cat or kitten, select your veterinarian. Recommendations from friends or a breeder are your best guide. The real differentiating factors are office location, office hours, fees, and, most important, bedside manner. You want a vet who shows a personal interest in your cat and who will take a few minutes to explain things. An abrupt or uncommunicative DVM, no matter how technically expert, probably won't
be satisfactory.

IMMUNIZATIONS

At about 6 to 8 weeks, your kitten will need to begin vaccinations to protect her from chlamydia, feline panleukopenia (distemper),and viral rhinotracheitis/calicivirus. Wait until your kitten is at least 20 weeks old before vaccinating for rabies. Typically, state laws require only rabies immunizations, but don't stop there. If your cat hasn't been immunized before she joins your family, visit the vet on the way home from the breeders. Get all the shots available. Most of the diseases listed are potentially fatal. Let your vet set up a schedule for return visits and booster shots.

What about feline leukemia? This is a deadly disease, but opinions differ on the reliability of available vaccines. Discuss this with your breeder and vet.

Many vets offer low-cost immunization clinics on weekends. An assistant immunizes cats and dogs at a reduced rate. You save money, but your kitten isn't examined by the vet and she should be, at least the first time. The vet will examine her for ear mites, roundworms and parasites, and check her overall health.

WHAT YOU SHOULD WATCH FOR

In between visits to the vet, you should examine your cat regularly. If you find a serious problem, take her to the vet as soon as possible. Watch for:

• DIARRHEA This is most often caused by an improper diet (including milk and other dairy products, which should never be given to a cat or kitten). Bacteria, viruses and parasites are other causes. In any event, impose a 24-hour feeding moratorium on your cat, and then resume feeding a small amount of high-quality cat or kitten food such as MAX^® CAT or Natural Choice^® Complete Care^®. If the diarrhea resumes, it's time to visit the vet.

• EAR AND EYE INFECTIONS These are manifested typically by a runny discharge. When ears are infected, they may smell bad and your cat will probably scratch them often. Visit the vet immediately.

• YELLOW OR BROWN TEETH This is caused by tartar deposits, which can lead to irritated or even bleeding gums, drooling, bad breath, and a sharp decline in eating. A diet of dry cat food is an effective way to promote dental health in your cat because dry food acts as a natural tooth cleaner.

• EXTERNAL PARASITES Fleas and ticks, the hated foes of cats and cat lovers alike, are the most common parasites. Symptoms are continual scratching and loss of hair. Frequent combings will reduce the problem. If necessary, you can buy flea and tick products specifically designed for cats and kittens at a pet shop or vet’s office.

• VOMITING A cat’s reputation for curiosity is well deserved, and usually vomiting is just your cat's way of getting rid of something that she shouldn't have swallowed in the first place. So don't worry about occasional incidents. But if your cat is vomiting several times a day, the cause may be hairballs, parasites or other serious problems. See your vet.

• HAIRBALLS (also called furballs) You can help reduce hairballs by brushing your cat's coat frequently. You can also help by feeding your cat MAX^® CAT Indoor Adult or Natural Choice Complete Care Indoor Adult. Our formula offers a two-step approach to the problem. First the high levels of linoleic acid and zinc help improve skin and coat health which can reduce shedding and, therefore, hairball formation. Second, the FiberCLEAN System helps move any hair that is swallowed through your cat’s digestive tract, helping to minimize the formation of hairballs. Feed MAX^® CAT Indoor Adult in dry or MAX^® Cat Gourmet Classics Hairball canned food to help control hairballs in your cat. For overall care, feed Natural Choice Complete Care – Everything your cat needs in one bag.®

• OTHER SYMPTOMS These include difficulty eating, loss of appetite, sudden weight loss or gain, bad breath, drooling, hair loss, dull coat, changes in skin condition, red or watery eyes, runny nose, labored breathing, blood in urine or stool, difficulty in urinating, sluggish, or unusual behavior and an elevated temperature. Call your vet and promptly take your cat in for an examination.

BATHING, BRUSHING, AND COMBING

Except for jaguars, most cats dislike water. Before bathing yours, check with the breeder or the vet. Maybe just occasional brushing and combing will suffice. If not, introduce her to being bathed as early in her life as you can.

Don't use the bathtub, it's far too large and intimidating. Most pet stores now sell special mesh “cat washing” bags or, a kitchen sink, laundry sink, laundry tub, plastic dishpan or large, shallow pail can work fine, too. Put a rubber mat or towel on the bottom and fill with lukewarm water. Hold your cat very firmly and place her in the water. Wet her down, starting from the head and working back to her tail. Next apply a cat shampoo. There are some specifically for cats. Your breeder, vet or pet store manager can make recommendations. Avoid getting lather in the eyes or ears. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. A spray hose works best, but a second tub that's pre-filled can also be used. Dry thoroughly with a heavy, fluffy towel. Keep her indoors and out of drafts until her coat is dry to the touch.

Combing out a cat is a lot easier because most cats like to be combed (and virtually all love to be brushed). If possible, do this outdoors. If your cat has fleas, you want them outside, not inside. If she is an indoor cat, comb her on spread-out newspapers. This prevents hair and fleas from getting onto your carpets and furniture.

Use a fine-toothed comb if your cat is shorthaired. Comb a few inches at a time, starting with the muzzle and moving back. Follow up with a bristle brush or, if her skin is sensitive, use a rubber brush.

A long-haired cat requires at least weekly grooming. Start with a wide-toothed comb to unsnarl matted hair and remove dirt and debris. Work small sections, from front to back. Use a wire brush to remove dead hair, paying close attention to the rump. Brush in some talcum powder to separate the hairs. (You should brush first, then comb.) Keep brushing until all the powder is removed. Finally, use a toothbrush or other small bristle brush to groom the short hairs of the face.

Remember, hairballs are the bane of many cats, so frequent, thorough grooming not only improves appearance but also protects your cat's health.

TRIMMING NAILS

If your cat spends a lot of time outdoors, or is a faithful user of a scratching post, there's no need to trim her nails. If not, you'll need to do this every three to four weeks. Products called Soft Claws® are also available. Developed by a veterinarian, Soft Claws® are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your cat's claws. It covers the claw tips so no damage occurs when your cat scratches.

The best position is to kneel on the floor with your cat between your elbow and body. Grasp a forepaw firmly to spread out the claws. Using only a nail clipper sold in pet stores, clip off only the tip of the nail. If you clip too much, you will cut into the quick, which can be painful for your cat.

Clipping any cat's nails is not easy. You might want to watch your vet, or a professional groomer do this once or twice efore attempting it yourself. You'll have the best results if you start clipping when the cat is very young.

A cat can almost always be trained not to scratch what's off limits. Provide a scratching post or board, show your cat how to use it and clip her nails on a regular basis. Whenever she starts scratching something she's not supposed to, clap your hands loudly, sharply say "no!" and take her to the approved scratching area. Soon, just a clap of the hands and "no!" will stop unwanted scratching.

ACCIDENTS, WOUNDS, AND BURNS

Despite your careful protection, accidents can happen, and it's important to know what to do before the need arises. As a pet owner, you might consider taking an animal CPR course.

If your cat is hit by a car, falls from a great height, suffers severe puncture wounds or deep scratches, rush her to a vet immediately. Be as gentle as you can and try to avoid twisting her body. If possible, slide her onto a wooden board or stiff piece of corrugated cardboard. Put a towel over her to keep her warm. Use gauze bandages or a clean piece of cloth (such as a handkerchief) to staunch blood flow.

Treat burns by irrigating the affected area with cold water and applying a cold compress. Do not apply butter to the burn; this will make it worse. Don't allow dirt to get into the wound; this will increase the chance of infection. Get your cat to a vet immediately.

In the case of an electrical shock, such as that caused by chewing through an electrical cord, the cat could stop breathing. Make sure the source of the shock no longer poses a danger, and immediately begin resuscitation as described in the following.

DROWNING AND ELECTRICAL SHOCK

In both cases, you may be able to revive your cat with mouth-to-nose resuscitation. Hold the mouth shut and then cover the nose with your pursed lips. Carefully, but repeatedly, blow small puffs of air into your cat's lungs. Her chest should rise with each puff. Pull your lips away from her nose between puffs to allow an exhale cycle.

POISONING

Automotive anti-freeze, insecticides, and certain plants can all poison cats. Unfortunately, poisoning is difficult to diagnose unless you witnessed the incident. If possible, bring a sample of the poison to the vet. In any event, wrap her in a towel or blanket to fight off shock, and rush her to the vet.

SPAYING AND NEUTERING

Should your cat be spayed or neutered? In our opinion, the answer is yes. As a responsible and compassionate cat owner, you want to ensure that no unwanted kittens are brought into the world. Both you and your cat will be much happier after the procedure since neutered males rarely mark their territory (i.e., your walls and furniture) with urine and spayed females don't become stressed and irritable when they go into season.

Many veterinarians and humane societies have recently endorsed an early-age spay/neuter — which can be as early as 6 to 8 weeks. Your breeder or vet can advise you when the timing is right. The operation for females usually requires an overnight hospital stay followed by several days of rest at home — no problem since cats like to sleep 12 to 14 hours a day anyway!