Making Vet Visits Better for Your Cat (and You!)

Posted on February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Working at a cat hospital, I have become sensitized to my patients’ distress. Many cats are terrified coming to the veterinary clinic. The experience is not only stressful for the cat but it can be stressful for you, the cat owner. Perhaps you feel embarrassed when your cat misbehaves or maybe you just dread the ordeal of getting your cat into his carrier. These are a few of the reasons why we don’t see as many cats at a veterinary clinic as dogs, although cats outnumber dogs as pets.

The net result of this stress and anxiety is that you may delay medical care for your cat because getting to the vet is so stressful.

What can we do to reduce the fear and anxiety of the vet visit for us and our kitties?

This is the first of a series of posts about making vet visits better for your cat. We will start by looking at how your cat feels about the vet clinic.

making vet visits better for your cat (and you!)

from the feline perspective

You know something’s up – your carrier is out. You hide under the bed but your human pulls you out and proceeds to squeeze you into the dreaded box.

You swing along in the air and then are loaded into a larger box that moves and smells funny.

You finally stop moving and swing through the air some more and arrive at another house where you smell lots of other animals. Oh no, not this place again! You can smell other cats – most of these cats too are afraid. As you move through the fog of smells, you arrive in a small room with a metal table.

A strange human opens your carrier door and tries to coax you to come out – you’re not sure what is out there but now your carrier seems like a good place to stay.

Suddenly, your world tilts and you slide out of the carrier onto the cold, hard table.

You hiss your displeasure. Another strange human proceeds to look into your eyes, put a hard plastic thing in your ears, and presses a cold metal disc against your chest.

Then, the strange human pokes you with a needle and you are finally allowed to escape back into the dreaded carrier – at least, it has taken you back home before.

The veterinary visit can make the most mellow cat anxious.

Does your cat…

Turn into a frozen lump on the exam table?
Or does he become a Tasmanian devil, hissing and striking at the veterinary staff?
Or will he frantically eat the treats offered in an effort to soothe himself?

How can we ask our cats to accept handling and medical exams?

Making vet visits better for your cat (and you!)

Sedation is one way to relieve anxiety and fear. But sedation works better when your cat is used to being handled. (For more about sedation, see https://www.felinepurrspective.com/medication-before-your-cats-vet-visit/).

In this series of posts, we are going train our cats to accept the handling that goes along with the veterinary exam. We will break the vet visit down into parts and work on making your cat comfortable with each part. We will use a technique known as “clicker training” to communicate safety and familiarity to your cat. Your cat voluntarily accepts handling in exchange for something he likes. In this way, your cat becomes an active participant in his health care.

THE VET VISIT IN PIECES

Getting kitty into the cat carrier
The car ride
The waiting room
The exam room/vet exam
Other procedures
Homeward bound

From getting your cat into her carrier to the return trip to home, training can help reduce situational anxiety by making handling and traveling positive, familiar experiences.

However, don’t expect your cat to go through his entire repertoire of behaviors in a distracting environment with strange people such as the veterinary clinic. Unless you train your cat in such an environment, he may behave as if he has never done any of these things before. However, because he is used to being handled, appropriate handling should not elicit defensive behavior.

A frightened cat fighting for his life is very intimidating to handle. However, the past 2 decades has seen the advent of stress-free handling techniques designed to address the frightened cat. If you have concerns about how your cat is handled at the veterinary practice, consider taking your cat to a Cat Friendly practice, where staff is trained in feline handling techniques.

Making vet visits better for your cat is challenging, even if your cat is calm, relaxed and food motivated. We will start next week with carrier training.

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Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth: Why and How Part 2

Posted on January 29, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

In Part 1 of Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth: Why and How, we learned that brushing your cat’s teeth with a pet toothpaste such as the PetSmile or Virbac CET brands can help reduce the bacteria in your cat’s mouth and improve her dental health. But how do you convince your cat to let you brush her teeth?

The answer is to find something she likes (a Greenies dental treat? head rubs?) that you can use as a reward and break the tooth brushing into small steps that she can master while she becomes accustomed to the process.

brushing your cat’s teeth: Step by Step

To brush your cat’s teeth, your cat needs to

sit still and have her head held
accept the toothpaste
allow you to apply some toothpaste onto to her upper cheek teeth with your finger
allow you to gently brush her teeth

Step One

It is important to watch your cat’s body language and proceed at her pace. Break these steps up into smaller ones if you need to. For example, it will be helpful if your cat knows to sit on cue reliably before asking her to let you hold her head.

step two

In step two, we will offer her the toothpaste. Cat toothpaste is available in several flavors including chicken and seafood. Choose the flavor you think she’ll like best. Offer her the toothpaste on your finger and then on the toothbrush.

step three

Once she indicates which toothpaste she likes, move to step three: put some tooth paste on your finger and try gently rubbing her teeth.

step four

Go slowly with the toothbrush and use a very light touch. Remember, when you brush your own teeth, you can feel how hard you are pressing – you don’t have this feedback when brushing your cat’s teeth. The first few sessions will be short – try to end on a positive note, before she starts to struggle or wants to leave.

Make sure to reward her after each step. It may seem counter productive to give her a dental treat – after all, you just brushed her teeth! However, you have disturbed the biofilm with brushing and the saliva now contains the toothpaste with its antibacterial components.

It may take your cat several weeks to master all these steps. Above all, go at your cat’s pace. Don’t move to the next step until she has mastered the step before.

To see how it’s done, check out the two-part video series, “Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth: Why and How” in the video gallery at www.felinepurrspective.com. Part 2 features video of cats having their teeth brushed.

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More on Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth

Posted on January 22, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cat with Human toothbrush — Human toothbrushes are not designed for cats’ smaller mouths.

Good dental care for people centers on regular dental cleanings once or twice a year. This is supplemented by home dental care – twice daily brushing and daily (or more) flossing. Our cats should have periodic professional cleanings done under anesthesia but what about home dental care? How about brushing your cat’s teeth?

Brushing your cat’s teeth

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) has a list of accepted products for cats. On this list are several dental diets including the over-the-counter Hills Oral Care, a water additive, oral spray and oral gel made by HealthyMouth, in addition to Greenies treats. The list is a bit outdated with the most recent entries dated 2012. Nowhere are toothbrushes or toothpaste.

Having tried the diets, the water additive, and brushing teeth, I have found that hands-down brushing your cat’s teeth is the most effective. Tartar accumulates most frequently on the outside of the cat’s upper premolars and those are the teeth we can target.

The benefits? Brushing reduces the amount of bacteria in the mouth more effectively than water additives and sprays. Cats are prone to developing tooth resorption which is similar in some ways to human cavities. However, where filling cavities works in human teeth, these feline resorptive lesions just get bigger and bigger once they start and filling them does not work – they need to be extracted.

While we don’t really know why tooth resorption occurs in cats, bacteria is thought to play a major role. (“Microbiome analysis of feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORL) and feline oral health”, Thomas et al., J Med Microbiol. 2021; 70(4): 001353.)

For dogs, VOHC recommends the PetSmile brand of toothpaste, that works by dissolving the biofilm that forms on the teeth using hydrogen peroxide. The PetSmile website indicates that this toothpaste can be used for cats also.

Virbac makes the CET brand of dog and cat toothpastes. CET toothpaste contains lactoperoxidase and is designed to boost a naturally occurring anti-bacterial process in the cat’s saliva. Watanabe and colleagues measured bacterial counts on dogs’ teeth and found that simply applying the toothpaste to the teeth reduced bacteria, although not as much as brushing with the toothpaste. (J Vet Med Sci. 2016 Jul; 78(7): 1205–1208. “Inhibitory effect for proliferation of oral bacteria in dogs by tooth brushing and application of toothpaste”)

So, consider brushing your cat’s teeth. To learn more, check out the two-part video series, “Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth: Why and How” in the video gallery at www.felinepurrspective.com. Start with Part 1 to find out which teeth you need to brush, what you need to do this, and a strategy to encourage your cat to accept the toothbrush.

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Tips for Managing The Cat With Pica

Posted on January 8, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Have you had or do you have a cat who would eat anything – hair ties, ribbons, plastic – in addition to food? Have you experienced the anxiety waiting for your cat to pass whatever object you think he ate? It is not unheard of for cats to eat, chew or suck on non-food items. This behavior is called pica. How do you manage the cat with pica?

The Bristol Cat Study (Animals 2021, 11(4), 1101; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041101) followed a group of cats for a little over 3 years. To participate in the study, the owners had to own a kitten or kittens, 8-16 weeks old at the time of registration.

These owners were asked whether or not their cats chewed (with or without ingesting) one or more of the following items: 1) woolen fabrics 2) other fabrics 3) plastics 4) other materials. These questions were repeated at 2-4 months, 6.5-7 months, 12.5-13 months, and finally at 18.5-19 months. About 25% of 2203 cats were reported to exhibit some pica behavior.

Findings

plastics were the most commonly targeted material
pica was most commonly reported at 6.5-7 months of age
about half of the cats reported to have pica at 6 months did not show pica at 18-19 months of age
cats who moved to a new house when they were around year old were more likely to have pica

Managing the cat with pica

Pica can result in GI injury, poisoning, or electric shock. The goal of managing pica is to prevent injury to the cat.

Step one: Identify the material being targeted

Yarn? Thread? Hair Ties?

yarn can wrap around the tongue
thread may have a sharp needle attached
hair ties

Poisons?

Household chemicals: cleaners, antifreeze, insecticides, plant sprays
House Plants: can be toxic – lilies in particular can cause kidney damage even in small amounts

Other?

Filmy plastics and things like “fabric softener sheets”
Chewing/biting electrical cords
Kneading and sucking on blankets
Chewing or sucking on toys

Step two: Keep targeted items out of reach of the cat with pica

keep blankets and other fabrics in closets your cat can’t get into
put hair ties and elastics away
replace toys your cat may be eating with ones that he can’t eat
supervise play times and access to toys
cover electrical cords with plastic covers that cats can’t bite through
unplug unused appliances
discard or hang houseplants
store household chemicals in a secure closet

Step three: Provide the cat with pica an alternative behavior

We would like to provide Kitty with an outlet for her oral activities and provide something safe for her to interact with.

Keeping kitty busy

 Try “free feeding” your cat with pica if possible. If “free-feeding” is not an option, frequent small meals will work. Food puzzles offer a natural cat behavior (foraging) as well as a snack. For some ideas, visit foodpuzzlesforcats.com.

Licking – a soothing behavior for cats 

Slow-feeding mats are textured silicone mats that you spread canned food on. The cat licks the food off much like a wild cat may lick meat off a bone. Licking appears to be calming and soothing to cats. Some cats may like licking toys or balls made from compressed catnip.

Chewing

There are silicone toys that can be filled with catnip or silver vine (see the PetZone Boredom Buster dental chew toy). There is also a gum stimulator on the Catit Wellness Center that is designed to be chewed and sucked on. If you try these, be sure to monitor the wear on them and be around to supervise your kitty with these.

Cat Grass 

Cats are attracted to grass and like to chew on it. There is the grass sold at pet stores and seeds you can plant. Some varieties of ornamental grasses are non-toxic to cats. Make sure to check the ASPCA site to make sure that the plants you choose are safe.

Step four: reducing stress in the cat with pica

Stress can stimulate an increase in pica behaviors, especially as cats grow out of the kitten stage. Identify and reduce stress whenever possible.

Social stress:

How does the cat with pica get along with other pets in the household?
Do neighborhood cats come to the windows?
Are interactions with humans  predictable?

Environmental stress:

Have things changed in the home – furniture moved? Home remodeling?
Changes in the scent profile of the home?

Managing the cat with pica can be challenging. Although the Bristol Cat Study indicated that half the cats who had been reported with pica at 6 months were no longer chewing/ingesting things at 18 months, it is wise to monitor your cat for such behavior, even if it seems to have gone away. Providing cats with safe opportunities to lick and chew is key to having a happy and healthy cat.

Your veterinary team is an important resource if you suspect your cat has pica. GI distress, oral pain and neurological issues can sometimes exacerbate pica and are best treated.

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A Catio is a Safe Place Outdoors for Cats

Posted on December 11, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

In the U.S., it has become common to keep cats solely indoors. Indoor cats live longer – they are not run over by cars, hunted by coyotes, or injured in cat fights.

However, there is a cost to this safety and security. Indoor cats have fewer opportunities to exercise and don’t receive the mental stimulation from hunting and exploring the outdoors.

Both cats and zoo animals are captives in the environments we provide for them. Like zoo animals, cats need enrichment to maintain their health and welfare. A safe place outdoors can provide cats with enrichment from the scents, sounds and views of the outside world.

a catio is a safe place outdoors for cats

I lived in a townhome for 13 years. The common grounds in the complex were spacious and like a park. I was able to walk my cats daily; I also built a small cat enclosure (footprint was 3′ by 6′) that the cats could access by a pet door in the sliding patio door.

I moved about a year ago to a larger, two story house and had plans for a grander cat enclosure. A catio is a safe place outdoors for cats that is large enough for some humans to hang out in. There is a deck on the back of my house which was not being used very much and seemed to be a purrfect place for a catio for me and the cats to hang out.

Due to finances and the desire to get an enclosure up quickly, I chose a pre-fabricated cat house. The Aivutuvin-AIR52 is a frame structure made up of galvanized mesh panels. The footprint is about 6′ by 10′. It has a peaked roof (height about 6′) and has a door for human access in the front.

I had assembled the smaller cat enclosure at my townhome myself. This time, the size of the project was intimidating, so I hired a professional handyman to help with the installation. This proved to be a good idea as assembling the panels that make up the sides, back and front were a 2-person job.

The catio opened for use yesterday. Here are some snapshots of the construction process.

The location: south-facing porch. A “sail” has been put up to offer some shade.

An insert with a pet door is put in the window adjacent to the catio.

Construction phase: note the shelves for the cats to sit on and the swinging bridges.

Construction is complete. A tarp will go over the rear half of the catio to provide more shade.

The catio is open for business. The cats have successfully negotiated entering the enclosure using the pet door in the window insert.

Time for a break and a snack. Gus comes inside using the pet door in the window.

A catio is a safe place outdoors for cats. I will still leash walk my cats daily, weather permitting, but the catio will allow them to choose to go outside when they want to. It is large enough for some deck furniture and I am looking forward to spending time outside on the porch with my cats.

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Allergic to Cats? Strategies to Keep Your Cat With You

Posted on October 30, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Some folks view Sphynx cats as Hypoallergenic cats.

Did you know that 10-20% of the world’s human population is allergic to cats (1)? Symptoms range from itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and sneezing to skin rashes and hives. More serious reactions may include asthma and difficulty breathing. Over the counter medications can relieve some but not all of the discomfort and these medications are not without side-effects. Are there other ways to manage these allergies?

This post is an update of one published about 1 year ago. I felt it was worthwhile to bring people’s attention to the subject again.

Allergies and the cat-human bond

Allergies can come between you and your cat. You are miserable around your cat when your allergies flare up.

You start to avoid your cat.
He is outlawed from the bedroom.
His needs, particularly consistent human interaction and interactive play, are not being met.
Not only are you feeling bad, but your cat can become stressed.
Stress can lead to medical problems such as diarrhea, and resurgence of viruses such as herpes.
It is not unheard of for people allergic to cats to re-home their beloved pets.

The Culprit

A protein called Fel d1 is the primary allergen in cats.
Fel d1 causes 95% of the allergy responses in adults allergic to cats.
Fel d1 is produced in the cat’s salivary and sebaceous glands.
Your cat spreads Fel d1 through his fur as he grooms.
As he sheds fur and skin (dander), Fel d1 is distributed throughout your home.
Breathing in dander or having contact with it can trigger an allergic reaction.

Fel d1 is light, easily airborne and can be found just about everywhere, even in pet-free homes and institutions such as schools. Usually these levels are low and do not impact people in general. Fel d1 may be spread by the clothing of people who keep cats (1).

Managing Cat Allergies

REDUCING FEL D1 IN YOUR HOME

Here are some things you can do:

Fur tends to “stick” more to fabrics – vacuum upholstery and carpets frequently.
Consider switching out carpet for hardwood or vinyl floors.
Use covers that you can launder on sofas and upholstered chairs.
HEPA air filters and HEPA vacuum filters can also help.
Clean regularly and frequently.

REDUCING FEL D1 ON YOUR CAT

Not all cats shed Fel D-1 at the same rate. Even an individual cat does not always shed the same amount of this protein at any given time – instead it varies throughout the year.

NO HYPOALLERGENIC CATS

Some folks think that certain breeds of cat don’t produce much Fel d1. These cats typically do not shed much. It is thought that the reduction in the amount of hair reduces the amount of Fel d1 in the environment.

However, Fel d1 is mainly produced in the sebaceous glands in the skin and in the cat’s saliva, not in the hair. So even a “bald” Sphynx will still groom and spread dander that has sebaceous secretions containing Fel d1 (1)

BATHING YOUR CAT

Bathing your cat does reduce the amount of Fel d1 but levels return to pre-bath amounts within 2 days (2). Of course, many cats do not tolerate being bathed. There is a mousse shampoo designed to reduce Fel d1 – this may be better accepted by cats than a traditional soap and water bath.

“NEUTRALIZING” FEL D1

Fel d1 like most allergens, has a chemical “key” that locks into receptors on cells in our bodies. What if you “lock up” Fel d1 before it gets to us?

Chickens produce antibodies against environmental antigens that they can transfer into their eggs and give their chicks immunity against these antigens. Researchers at Nestle-Purina developed an “anti-Fel d1” antibody by exposing hens to Fel d1. This antibody is incorporated into the dry cat food, Purina “Live Clear” .

How it works:

A cat eats food containing eggs from these hens.
The “anti-Fel d1” antibody “locks up” active Fel d1 in the cat’s saliva.
When the cat grooms himself, he spreads the “locked up” or neutralized Fel d1 on his fur. He probably also spreads some of the “anti-Fel d1” antibody, which further neutralizes some of the allergen produced by the sebaceous glands of the skin.
Studies show that active Fel d1 is reduced by an average of 47% after 3 weeks of feeding.

Although not a perfect solution, feeding this diet may just help reduce the allergen burden enough to make you, and consequently your cat, more comfortable.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THOSE OF US ALLERGIC TO CATS?

HUMAN-DIRECTED THERAPIES

“Anti–Fel d 1” monoclonal antibodies are being developed that can be given by injection under the skin to humans allergic to cats. Preliminary studies showed a 60% reduction in symptoms in half of the patients. (2)

CAT-DIRECTED THERAPIES

Saiba Animal Health is developing a vaccine that triggers an immune response in the cat’s own body to develop antibodies to Fel d1. “Hypo-Cat” showed a 50% reduction in Fel d 1 levels detected in cat tear extracts, decreasing symptoms in nine allergic patients by about 30%. (2)

Other research is using CRISPR (gene-editing) technology to delete the genes responsible for producing Fel d1, with the aim of producing a truly hypo-allergenic cat. (2)

closing thoughts

The function of Fel d1 is unknown – this protein is only found in the cat family. Some experts feel it is a pheromone (3)– a chemical used to communicate between members of the same species.

This raises some questions:

What message does Fel d1 carry between cats?

Is it ethical to modify the feline genome to breed cats that don’t produce Fel d1?

How will we be changing our cats when we do this?

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Sources

Bonnet, B., Messaoudi, K., Jacomet, F. et al. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 14, 14 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-018-0239-8
Nicole F. Brackett, Brian W. Davis, Mazhar Adli, Anna Pomés, and Martin D. Chapman.Evolutionary Biology and Gene Editing of Cat Allergen, Fel d 1.The CRISPR Journal.Apr 2022.213-223.
Bienboire-Frosini, C.; Durairaj, R.; Pelosi, P.; Pageat, P. The Major Cat Allergen Fel d 1 Binds Steroid and Fatty Acid Semiochemicals: A Combined In Silico and In Vitro Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 1365. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21041365

Cats and Scratching Part 2: The Purrfect Scratching Post

Posted on September 25, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

This kitty prefers her cardboard scratcher to a large cat tree.

There are scratching posts, there are cat trees with sisal rope attached to the supports, there are cardboard scratchers of all shapes and sizes – which scratching post should you choose for your cat?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.

cats and scratching: the “purrfect” scratching post

A recent study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science video recorded 36 adult cats to identify the cats’ scratcher preferences.

Adult neutered male cats preferred a standing scratching post over an S-shaped one – spayed females did not show a strong preference here.
Scratchers with sisal rope and cardboard were used more often than those covered with sofa fabric.
Catnip and silver vine treated scratchers were favored over those treated with artificial pheromones.

In this study, the catnip, silver vine and artificial pheromones were hung in a sock on the scratcher. Would it make a difference if the artificial pheromone was applied directly to the scratcher, mimicking how a cat would deposit these scents?

Still another study (2019) recruited 8 week old kittens from a shelter population. The kittens:

Preferred cardboard S-shaped scratchers over posts with rope.
Adding catnip to the scratchers did not attract the kittens (this is not surprising – the catnip response does not show up in kittens until they are 3-6 months old.)

A third study, this one an internet-based survey of 4015 cats in 39 countries, found:

Rope was more frequently scratched than cardboard or carpet.
Cats scratched more often when the post was a simple upright type or a cat tree with two or more levels, at least 3 ft high.
Unwanted scratching decreased as the different types/styles of posts increased in the home.

This survey concluded that the “Ideal Scratching Post” would

have sisal rope
have vertical scratching surfaces
be more than 3 feet tall
have two or more levels
have a base of 1-3 feet

So, should you run out and purchase one of those, large multi-level cat trees? Will this take care of all your scratching issues? Let’s take a look at four different cat scratching stations in a 4 cat household.

Station 1: Multi-level Cat Tree with Sisal posts for scratching

This tall cat tree is located in the interior of the house away from doors and windows. The younger cats (6 years), Zelda and Gus, use this tower to snooze on the upper levels or to get to the tops of the kitchen cabinets. Although it does meet the recommendations for the ideal scratcher, the cats don’t scratch on this tree all that much.

Station 2: Single Post scratcher and cardboard scratcher

This very tall post (it is 41″) with sisal fabric is at the front door. It is popular with everyone, from the 17 lb Coon cat to the small senior at 8 lb. All four cats scratch before going out for a walk or when they sit to look out the window in the front door. The horizontal cardboard scratchers at the front door also see consistent use. The cats tend to use these with all 4 feet on the scratcher.

Station 3: Large cat bed with sisal scratcher

The sisal-covered base of this extra-large cat bed is tall enough for the large Maine Coon to scratch. This cat bed is located in the bedroom. It was purchased for the Maine Coon cat but has been taken over by 8 lb Athena, who sleeps in this bed or in her heated bed at the base of the scratcher. When she gets out of bed, she stretches and scratches on this scratcher. This is used infrequently by the other three cats.

Station #4: By a litter box

This is a single pole covered with sisal rope. This post sees a lot of use by all four cats.

In this household, location appears to affect how much a scratcher is used.

Cats scratch to maintain their claws, to stretch and to scent mark. Most scratchers are probably used for all three purposes. So, which scratcher should you choose? Experts recommend starting with the multi-level cat tree with sisal rope supports. However, cats are individuals and, if your cat does not take to this type of scratcher, offer different types and styles.

The Take Away

Have more than one scratching station.
Have a variety of scratchers.
Move them around and see where they get used the most.
Watch your cat’s habits – try to pick a scratcher that you feel will be appropriate for your cat’s age, size, and level of activity.

The next post will look at first aid for unwanted scratching – what you can do when your cat scratches where you don’t want her to.

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Picking Up Your Cat

Posted on September 11, 2022September 11, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Imagine being suddenly snatched up by a giant from your favorite chair. You are lifted up into the air, your legs flailing as you try to maintain your balance. Scary, huh?

Some of the more exciting scenes in fantasy movies include the hero or heroine being snatched up and taken away. In the Wizard of Oz, a troop of flying monkeys swoop down and grab up Dorothy and her dog, Toto, taking them to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West. A giant ape carries Ann Darrow up the Empire State Building in the movie “King Kong”, as the audience shrieks and squeals.

Picking up your cat can be frightening for him. He often has little warning before he is airborne. He feels helpless and scared. But, you say, I pick my cat up all the time and he does not seem to mind. In certain circumstances though, he might redirect his fear as aggression and bite or scratch you, if you try to pick him up, say, to move him away from the vacuum cleaner.

Okay, so maybe you can coax him to go where you need him to by using treats or a target stick. But there still will be times when picking up your cat is necessary – for example, you may need get him out of the way of a car. What can you do?

Picking Up Your Cat Step-by-Step

The “Pick Up” behavior was a by-product of training Gus, a feral cat caught in a live trap when he was three years old.

When you picked Gus up, he often would thrash and flail in your arms, biting and scratching. He responds well to clicker training so I wondered if I could teach him to be picked up, in the same way he learned to sit and target.

We broke the behavior of being picked up into the following steps.

Kneel next to him on the floor and touch him where I would if I were going to pick him up. Give the verbal cue “UP”, then, click and treat.
Slide my arms around him like I was going to pick him up. Give the verbal cue “UP”, then, click and treat.
The next step was to actually to start to pick him up briefly, lifting him off the ground, with the cue “UP”. Click then treat.
Finally, I would pick him up off the ground for a few seconds while saying “UP”. I would click when he was off the ground, then treat him when I placed him back on the ground.
I “shaped” the behavior by picking him up and holding him longer and longer, always rewarding him afterwards.

Unlike most of the time we train our cats, “UP” does not require the cat to actively choose to do something. It involves a passive response. The click marks that the cat is being lifted up and will be rewarded in the near future. But, the “click” can also make your cat feel good.

Like Pavlov’s dogs, who salivated when they heard a bell, the “click” is a classically conditioned response. Once the click has been consistently associated with food or another reward, it ultimately triggers the same pleasurable emotions as the reward.

The “Pick Up” command was so successful that I taught all my cats this. Gus still squirms sometimes when the hold is taking him somewhere he does not fancy going… but, the biting has stopped! And he is rewarded for his patience with treats or head rubs when we arrive at our destination.

Although your cat is not in control of the situation when being picked up, if he hears the cue and the click, he knows what is going to happen, and can anticipate something good which should reduce his fear and anxiety.

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Get Fat Cats Moving

Posted on September 4, 2022September 4, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

At the vet clinic where I work, we see quite a number of “fat cats”. Estimates of the prevalence of feline obesity cluster around 50%. Why are our cats getting fat? (See How Do I Tell if My Cat is Fat?)

Your cat has evolved to eat a diet rich in protein found in meat. His stomach is small and his GI tract is short.

Some experts estimate that a cat’s stomach is about the size of a ping pong ball but it clearly must stretch – when a cat eats a mouse, he often eats the whole thing, tail included!

When cats moved indoors, they gave up a free-roaming life in exchange for the safety of our homes and a consistent food source. Let’s look at the differences between cats in the wild and housecats.

Cats in the wild

Cat hunting — A cat pouncing on a mouse.

Cats in the wild hunt during the late afternoon to early morning hours when their prey is active
They sleep during most of the daylight hours.
A feral cat has about 3 hunting sessions – late afternoon, midnight and early morning.
He probably eats about 6-8 mice a day (180-240 kcal)
Most of his waking hours are spent on the prowl, foraging for food.

housecats

A cat plays with a toy near closed door during a cat introduction.

Some domestic cats live an indoor-outdoor life. These cats may supplement human-provided meals with mice and other things they catch outside.
Many cats live exclusively indoors.
Most housecats adopt their owner’s schedule and are awake during the day.
Housecats are either meal fed at set times or free-fed. Dry cat food may be left out, allowing the cat to “graze” during the day.

Housecats don’t have to expend time and energy to get their food – it is provided for them. When viewed this way, it is not surprising that there are many indoor fat cats. They don’t move around as much as their outdoor counterparts and don’t burn as many calories.

get fat cats moving: food and emotions

Neuroscience identifies 7 basic emotional systems: SEEKING, CARE, PLAY, and LUST are considered “positive”. FEAR, SADNESS, and ANGER are viewed as “negative”.

The SEEKING system is thought to be the strongest of the primary emotional systems. It’s what gets animals out looking for food, looking for a mate, looking for other resources.

When the SEEKING system is activated:

The brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel pleasure.
It is the rewarding feeling you get when you are looking for something and find it.
Once you’ve found the object of your desire, the brain shuts off the dopamine and other emotions are activated.

the hunting cat

Cats are skilled hunters. Hunting is an expression of the SEEKING system. The cat finds this activity pleasurable (dopamine is released) and rewarding (he enjoys the positive emotions that accompany eating). By providing your cat with food, he still enjoys the positive feelings that come with eating but the pleasure felt while hunting is not there.

Sedentary indoor cats with nothing to do may become bored and anxious. Many turn to eating as a self-soothing behavior, consuming more calories than needed – now, we have fat cats.

The seeking system is strong in the hunting cat – cats will stop eating to pursue new prey!

get fat cats moving for health and happiness

Divide your cat’s food into 4-5 meals – this gives the cat something to do and look forward to.
Make small meals a “hunting” experience!

FOOD PUZZLES

Although cats are born “freeloaders”, they can be persuaded to work for food using food puzzles. A food puzzle allows a cat to engage in foraging behavior, like the wild cat picking up the odd insect or lizard on his prowl.

Food puzzles help reduce boredom and engage cats mentally. Indoor cats in particular may benefit from using food puzzles.

HAVE FUN – TOSS A MEAL!

Toss your cat’s dry food, a piece at a time, down the hallway. He will have to chase the kibbles, using his hearing, sight and paws to bring down the “prey”. Older kitties may do better at catching kibbles if you “skid” them along a hard surface – skidding gives the cat a longer auditory signature to locate the food. (See “Cats Avoid Fighting Over Treats“).

WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT HOME

Timed Puzzle Feeder — This Cat Mate feeder can accommodate a food puzzle.

There are timed feeders like the Cat Mate that can accommodate some smaller food puzzles such as Doc and Phoebe’s no-bowl feeders. Alternatively, a Lickimat can be cut to fit into a timed or microchip feeder. Silicone ice cube trays or candy molds can also be cut to fit a feeder and promote foraging.

Hi Tech options: There are now feeders that will toss treats. You can start the sessions remotely through an app on your phone. The PetCube has a camera and microphone that you can use to talk to your cat and watch him. The Pet Cube is perhaps more geared toward tossing treats – it works well, though, with larger cat kibble such the dental diets and Greenies dental treats.

Of course, there are other reasons your cat may put on weight, for example, steroid therapy can be accompanied by weight gain. Your vet is your best resource to advise you on an appropriate calorie intake for your cat.

But it is rarely a mistake to pay attention to your cat’s behavioral health – take advantage of his superb hunting skills to get him moving! He will be healthier and happier.

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Routines help cats reduce stress and anxiety

Posted on July 17, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Marley looks at the whiteboard with the daily routines for the pet sitter.

The alarm goes off. You tap the OFF button, then stretch and sit up. Another work day. You get up, feed your cats, and grab a quick cup of coffee and bowl of cereal. You breeze through a shower, get dressed and leave for work.

Or you may be packing lunches and making sure the kids are dressed and fed for school. You are on automatic pilot, going through the motions efficiently. You have done this many times before – you have a morning routine.

A routine is a set of things that you regularly do to get something done. Routines bring order to our day and save us time because we get more proficient at the steps through repetition. They reduce the effort we expend on doing things because they don’t require conscious thought – you can cruise through on autopilot.

Routines help cats: routines reduce stress

Routines help cats much in the same way routines help us – they bring order to a cat’s day and the security of knowing what is going to happen. In this way, routines help to reduce stress and anxiety. They are familiar and soothing.

A wild cat colony has routines. The colony may sleep through the day waking in the late afternoon to get ready to hunt at dusk, when prey such as mice become active. Then follows a sequence of hunting every few hours as their stomachs empty and they are able to eat again, winding down at dawn. Between feedings, the group will snooze, groom each other or sometimes play with kittens or other adult cats. (See Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, “Cat Behavior: Social Organization, Communication and Development”, I. Rochlitz (ed.), The Welfare of Cats, 1–22. 2007 Springer)

Our domestic cats are synced to our routines: waking with us, anticipating being fed, watching us go to work, and waiting for us to return home. Obviously, we want to feed the kitties around the same time every day. However food, water and clean litter boxes are not your cat’s only requirements. Cats also need consistent, regular human interaction and opportunities for predatory play. Environmental Needs of Cats

Human interaction and playtime

These are best incorporated into a daily routine, say playtime after dinner or as part of a “bedtime” routine. Routines help cats and owners – the routine makes it easier for you to ensure your cat gets regular interaction (once established, you can cruise through on autopilot); your cat benefits from the fun and enrichment of interaction and playtime.

His little cat brain does not have to worry about what will happen next. This reduces his stress and anxiety, and gives him a sense of control – he know what’s going to happen. Maintaining his routine can be particularly helpful to your cat in times of stress – playing with a familiar toy not only distracts your cat, it is also soothing.

Make Sure to Maintain Routines

when traveling with your cat (as best you can)
when entertaining house guests
when introducing new pets
when you are away, ask pet sitters to follow your cat’s daily routine

Routines help cats from becoming bored

A routine provides a venue to establish some “good” habits and learn new things. Accepting medication can become a habit – cats will learn quickly to accept “dummy” pills in treats if they do this regularly.

Mix up the routine from time to time – change is part of living. For example, in the medicating routine, you may wish to introduce and practice other ways of offering a pill to your cat – say with a pet piller or offering a “dummy pill” in a squeeze up treat.

Example of an evening routine

medication time (real or practice with treats)
treat toss or playing with interactive toys (predatory play)
food puzzles (foraging/hunting)
brushing teeth

Consider including a training session in your cat’s daily routine. Take some time and make a list of what you want to teach your cat then pick a new skill each week to do. You will be more likely to get it done if it is part of the routine!

Routines not only bring order to our day, our routines help cats by giving them a sense of control and security, reducing stress and anxiety. Take a few minutes to set up a daily routine for your cat – have him learn new things, enjoy some grooming, play time, or food puzzles!

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