Prophylactics Aren't Just For The Outdoors!

Heartworm prevention is important for all cats! There is a new website, Kitty Test, which allows you to review incidence of Feline Heartworm, FIV, and FelV in your area. Log on to learn more about these three infectious diseases! Read our Heartworm Disease In Cats handout for even more information.

Ingrid on Cats 101

The Cats 101 episode featuring the Colorpoint Shorthair airs Saturday November 21st at 9pm on Animal Planet. Parts of this episode were filmed at Ingrid's house and feature her cats demonstrating foraging toys and a background story on her behavior conseling services.

Gabby Is Now On Twitter!

Visit Gabby on Twitter!

Scrabble Kitty Pendants Are Here!

Check out our new "Scrabble Kitty Pendants" made from reclaimed scrabble tiles featuring both modern and traditional designs. There is something for everyone. These adorable necklaces make great gifts and like cats you can't have just one!



Special orders are available. You can even get a pendant featuring your own cat! Contact Beebe Kennedy of Cat Chi Designs at 770-518-7208 or beebekennedy@gmail.com

PetLife Radio Episode 47 - Entertain The Brain: Feline Enrichment

Did you know that cats need brain-candy as much as dogs--or people? It’s not just a treat, it’s a necessity--and our felines are starving for intellectual enrichment. Too often, Kitty ends up getting in trouble because she has no legal outlet for her normal energy—or becomes a cat couch potato getting pudgy in her nether regions and her brain. Feline behavior counselor Ingrid Johnson offers great suggestions for keeping your cats healthy both emotionally and physically, and preventing potential problems at the same time.

Hear The Radio Show Here!

Are your cats and dogs puzzling you? Need pet info-tainment and behavior tips? Wonder about links to past and future Pet Peeves radio episodes? Sign up for the free Pet Peeves E-newsletter from www.shojai.com.

How to Live With Your Crepuscular Cat By Kim Boatman courtesy of The Daily Cat

Dawn breaks as you burrow under the covers and feel the familiar tap-tap-tap of a paw on your cheek. You could use a couple of more hours of sleep, but your cat wants your undivided attention without delay. Fast-forward to later in the day when you return home from work, school or other late-afternoon activities with just enough energy left to operate the TV remote. And yet, there’s your furry friend again, ready to play.

If it seems like you and your cat are never quite on the same schedule, it’s for good reason. Cats might sleep twice as much as we do, but their activity patterns don’t coincide with ours often. While we humans are diurnal, or active during the daytime, cats are crepuscular -- a fancy way of saying they’re raring to go at both dawn and dusk.

You can, however, take steps to make life easier for both of you. “Luckily, cats are pretty accommodating,” says Pam Johnson-Bennett, a Nashville, Tenn., cat behavior expert and author. “They willingly adjust to our schedule more than we adjust to theirs.”

If you make the following tweaks to your cat’s daily schedule, the chances for happy coexistence will greatly increase:

Dusk
A little extra effort in the evening might just buy you that sleep you crave at dawn, says Johnson-Bennett. Too often, we don’t provide stimulation for our cats in the evening. We’re ready to pet and cuddle, but a cat that has been sleeping all day needs more. “They’re very economical in their energy, but they need to release that energy,” she explains.

Your cat’s natural pattern in the wild would be to hunt, feast, groom and then sleep, so play with your feline right before you go to bed. If you feed on a schedule, give that last portion of food right after the playtime. Send your cat to bed with a full tummy, and you’re less likely to be awakened at dawn, says Ingrid Johnson, a cat behaviorist in Marietta, Ga. Canned turkey cat food can have the same sleep-inducing effect on your cat that you notice after eating Thanksgiving dinner.

Even when you’re tired, don’t skip that play session. “If I don’t want my cats to walk on my chest at 3 a.m., I need to play with them,” says Johnson-Bennett.

Overnight
At nighttime, set the stage for feline enrichment in another area of the house. “In the spring and summer months, one option is to leave an outdoor light on, with a kitty condo pulled up next to a big sliding door,” Johnson says. Other options are to play a kitty DVD softly or set up certain cat toys just at night. For example, Johnson-Bennett pulls out a soft fabric cat tunnel each evening. “I might stick a treat in there, too,” she says.

Dawn
If your cat comes to you at dawn, don’t respond or even open your eyes. “We get so mad at the cats when they’re waking us up, but we reinforce the negative behavior,” Johnson-Bennett says. If you get up to feed your cat, you’re telling your pal you’ll do that day after day. However, if you’re the tenderhearted sort, try a timed cat food feeder.

Daytime
Make sure your cat has the opportunity for adventures, even if you’re out during the day. Johnson recommends providing balls such as the Play-N-Treat or SlimCat. She leaves a number of such interactive cat toys out each day.

Cost need not even be a deterrent when considering such toys. A rectangular tissue box with a ping-pong ball inside, or a paper bag laid on its side with a hidden toy equally offer the potential for stimulating activity, says Johnson-Bennett. “I also do a little quick playtime with my cats before I leave in the morning,” she adds.

As you make these adjustments to your cat’s routine, be patient. “You’re not going to do it in one day and the next day your cat will be perfect,” Johnson-Bennett says. “If you stick to it, it will work.”

About the Author
Kim Boatman is a journalist based in Northern California whose work has appeared in such publications as The Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press and San Jose Mercury News. She is a lifetime lover of animals and shares her home with three cats.

Visit www.thedailycat.com for more.

How do I get my cat accustomed to riding in the car and liking their carrier? By Ingrid Johnson, Feline Behavior Consultant

An example of the Petmate 2 door deluxe carrier with Cat Chi designs carrier bed and carrier handle. Both are available at Paws Whiskers & Claws

Many cats dislike car rides and the cat carrier alike. Desensitizing them at an early age or using positive reinforcement later in life can be helpful at making both of these experiences less stressful. The following are recommendations and suggestions that in our experience have been helpful; cat carrier dos and don’ts, if you will.

A hard sided carrier with many options for getting your cat in and out is what we find to be the most helpful in the veterinary setting. The Petmate 2 door deluxe is a great carrier that allows your cat to be placed in through a grate type door on the top, the typical side door, or the entire top half of the carrier can be removed. This last option is especially nice if your cat is particularly shy or aggressive at the vet. This allows us to examine your cat in their “safe place,” with their bedding and familiar smells around them. We always recommend having bedding in the carrier. It is clearly just a nice thing to do, but it can also be quite helpful if your cat urinates, defecates or tends to vomit due to stress or motion sickness. We find that cats are quite good at staying out of their own mess if they have some absorbable material provided, if not, they tend to be covered from head to toe which just adds to an already unpleasant experience.

Soft sided cat carriers can be extremely inconvenient for the veterinary staff and owners alike. If your cat urinates or vomits in their carrier, you or your vehicle can often become soiled from the material leaking out. Additionally, if your cat is aggressive during vet visits they can hold onto the mesh sides of the carrier with their nails and it can make it extremely difficult to remove them from their carrier to examine them. This process tends to frustrate them and they may escalate due to stress and fear, so soft sided carriers have many cons and we do not recommend them.

One of the best ways to get your cat used to their carrier would be to leave it out in the home 365 days a year. Pick a spot you can live with; for example, under the desk in the home office or on the sun porch. Then the carrier becomes no different then the armchair and the cats desensitize to it quite well. One can understand why cats would associate their cat carriers with fear; after all it only comes out of the crawlspace once a year. Then, for most cats, they get chased around the house, taken to the vet, given shots, pills and other unpleasant things, and they learn to realize that the carrier is the common denominator in that scenario. Take desensitizing a step further and use positive reinforcement as well. Place soft fuzzy bedding in the carrier so that your cat can enjoy it as a cozy place to sleep, add an old t-shirt with your scent on it, put treats and catnip in the carrier for your kitty to discover, and even feed them their canned food treat in there.

To get your cat accustomed to riding in the car, start slow and build to longer trips. Place your cat in the carrier and take them out to the car for 5 minutes and then come back inside. Next time drive around the block, then a short trip to fill your gas tank and so on. (Of course, never leave your cat unattended in the car and be careful about using techniques such as these during extreme temperatures). Your cat will slowly get used to short trips and you reinforce that you always come back home. If one kitty has an appointment you may bring another along for the ride, a simple nail trim could be given and then they go right back into their safe place to go home. This way nothing scary happens. They could even come along and not come out of their carrier at all. All of this reinforces that travel is not a bad thing and their cat carrier is not a scary place.

Another suggestion to help calm your cat during travel would be to use Feliway. Feliway is a synthetic feline facial pheromone that helps cats feel calm in a strange and stressful environment and makes them feel as if they have been to that new place before and already marked it. It is available in a spray form that could be used to spray the carrier itself as well as the car and we carry it here at Paws Whiskers and Claws. Lavender oil, and honeysuckle are two scents that cats find soothing and calming (and it helps stressed humans too!). We use a combination of all of these products in our exam rooms to help make your cats visit as stress-free as possible. Remember that your cat feeds off of your stress level, so it is important for whoever is bringing your cat to the vet to be as calm as possible. Lastly, we recommend playing calm classical music in the car. Following these easy suggestions can help make trips to the doctor less stressful for you and your cat.

Animal Planet Films Cats 101 Segment At Ingrid's House!

Filming of foraging segment in hallway.

Still photos between filming.

Jake constructing "The Cat's Meow" scratching post.


Setting up for Ingrid's interview.

Ingrid showing variety of foraging toys.

Why Won't My Cat Use The Litterbox? From The Doctors Desk

There are many medical conditions that can contribute to a cat not wanting to use their litter box. Oftentimes these conditions contribute to pain, and that pain is then associated with use of the box, so instinct tells your cat that he needs to find another place to go that is not painful. This is how many owners end up finding urine or feces in many areas around the house. The cat soon finds that the dining room carpet, the kitchen counter, or the bathtub all hurt too, they just cannot find a place to go that doesn't feel uncomfortable. Here we will touch on a few of the most common reasons, medically, that a cat may choose to avoid their litter box. Please keep in mind that your particular situation may be unique and you should seek advice from your veterinarian or a feline behavior counselor if your cats is avoiding the litter box or see our column on the many behavioral reasons as to why the box may be avoided.


1.) PAINFUL URINATION: Cats are prone to a variety of urinary disorders many of which can be uncomfortable and contribute to litter box avoidance. Urinary crystals, bladder lining inflammation (cystitis), bladder stones, urinary tract infections and vaginitis are all painful conditions. Additionally, some cats are unable to reach under their tail to clean. This leads to urine and fecal matter remaining on the fur and skin causing odor, burning, itching and sometimes infection of the underlying skin. This is particularly common in both overweight and extremely arthritic cats.


2.) PAINFUL DEFECATION: The most common medical reasons that a cat may defecate outside the box are: constipation, impacted/full anal glands, or intestinal parasites. Typically, a constipated cat has an urgency to defecate but cannot get out a full bowel movement so owners find a trail of hard, dry fecal balls rather than a full pile of fecal material all in one spot. Full anal glands make it difficult for a cat to pass stool through the anus; therefore making the experience uncomfortable, and they end up straining to defecate. Cats get intestinal parasites from exposure to fleas, eating prey, ingesting grass & plant material, and from debris/soil particles we bring inside on our shoes everyday. We recommend deworming cats at least once a year, more often if they go outside. Fecal analyses only check for microscopic eggs passed in feces. They can easily be missed since only a tiny amount of fecal matter is used in a fecal analysis. It is safer and less expensive to simply deworm your cat. We recommend that all cats that are defecating outside the litter box be dewormed to simply rule out the possibility of parasites contributing to a variety of discomforts including: gut cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.


3.) ARTHRITIS: We recommend most cats around 10-12 years of age start joint supplements as a preventative measure to avoid the painful condition of arthritis. When cats are arthritic they can have a difficult time posturing on a sandy surface to urinate or defecate. These cats often seek stable or softer ground to eliminate. It can be challenging for them to climb into the box, posture, or maybe even get to where the box may be located. We suggest that you set these cats up for success by providing a litter box on every floor of your home. To put in perspective; imagine being 90 years old and needing to go down 2 flights of stairs to the litter box in the basement when your favorite sleeping spot is upstairs on the bed. When cats are older, bring their basic needs closer together. Providing different substrates such as empty pans, puppy pads, or softer litters can also help increase compliance in the senior cat.


4.) PAW PAIN: Some cats can be sensitive to the chemicals used to scent litter, carpet fresh, laundry detergents etc. These sensitivities can contribute to ulcerations of the paw pads or simply a painful allergic reaction. Many declawed cats have litter box avoidance issues. Since the declaw is an amputation of the first digit, cats are walking on a bone that was never meant to bear weight. So walking on the gravel texture of litter; especially if they are arthritic, can be an extremely painful experience. Many cats will seek a softer texture such as carpet or bedding to eliminate on because because their little amputated toes are painful. Alternatively, cats with their nails, if left untrimmed for an extended period of time, can get ingrown toe nails. This can also become extremely painful especially if the paw pads become infected. Cats can also get nail bed infections, again commonly from allergic reactions to the additives in scented litter.


5.) OVERALL PAIN: Many other medical conditions can result in a cat choosing not to go to their litter box. Infected teeth, itchy skin, metabolic disorders, and cancer that can all cause discomfort may cause them to find another location to eliminate. Instinct tells your cat that if they eliminate in the same place they usually do, it will send a message to all the other cats in your home that he/she is ill. This leaves your cat in a vulnerable position. To you, your cat is just urinating on the dining room carpet; to your cat he is hiding illness from a potential threat. Alternatively, some cats will eliminate on things that are very saturated with your scent; screaming for help, hoping you will notice and help them.

This is not a condition to be taken lightly. Elimination is communication and we MUST listen to what they are trying to say. If you have already taken your cat to your veterinarian and not found a solution, get a second opinion! Things get missed, and conditions change. There is always an answer, but much like dealing with an infant they cannot speak and it is through the process of elimination and good communication between you, the owner, and your vet/behavior counselor most problems can be solved.

Why Won't My Cat Use The Litterbox? Behaviorally Speaking

There are many behavioral reasons a cat may choose another place in the home to eliminate other than their litterbox. (Please see "Why Won't My Cat Use The Litterbox - Medical Reasons" for the myriad of medical reasons as to why this problem may occur). In this post, we will address the most common reasons for a cat to avoid the box, but keep in mind that there may be many other contributing factors other than what is listed here and you may need to seek advice from a behaviorist.
Before we get started it is important to address the most over looked and underemphasized point regarding this very common problem. LITTERBOXES ARE NOT SIMPLY FELINE TOILETS! Litterboxes provide a place for your cat to communicate, mark, and eliminate and there is a lot of emotion surrounding the use of them. So as you read through this list keep these questions in mind. Do you think the location of the litterbox in your home gives your cats a chance to say what they want to say and where they want to say it? Is your cat set up for success or failure?

1).LOCATION: When a cat eliminates it is their most vunerable moment and they must feel safe and secure. If every time they enter the box or even the room where the box is located they get chased or barked at by the family dog, attacked by another cat (even if in play), or must walk past the play room where loud toys and children are making noise, they may simply find a quieter, safer place to eliminate. Additionally, cats want to mark where their favorite humans spend the majority of their time. This means that the laundry room, basement, and hallway closet are NOT places for litterboxes. You may think you are ingenious for coming up with these out of the way “private” spaces, but in actuality you are setting you cat up for failure. Look around your home, what rooms do you frequent the most? That’s right, that is where your litterboxes should be!

2).THE BOX: Commercially available litterboxes are once again designed for humans and not cats, funny since we do not have to crawl in there and use them. They are too small. Litterboxes should be one and half times the length of your cats body, and they should have lots of room to dig and turn around without rubbing their bodies against the sides of the box. They should also be uncovered. (See our litterbox handout on this website for a photo). Hooded boxes increase fear and aggression especially in a multi-cat home. Again we are back to vunerability, they cannot see who is approaching in an opaque hooded litterbox. It is the perfect attack if you are a board cat who wants to stalk your housemate.

3).HOW MANY: The rule of thumb is one more litterbox than you have cats. The reason being is that most cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in another, again they are marking within your home. Another reason is so that not all of the boxes in the house can be “guarded” at any given time and the cats can always access to a box. Now if you have 10 boxes in a “litterbox room” you are again setting the cats up for failure. You essentially have one big box, one way in and one way out. If that doorway is guarded by one cat then no one else can get in there to go to the bathroom. Lets remember that the cats want to mark where you spend time and I bet most humans don’t sit and read a book in the “litterbox room.”

4).SUBTRATE: Once again the market is saturated with products designed for humans. The litter should be soft, unscented, and ideally clumping. (See our handout for specific recommendations). Cats have a sense of smell far greater than ours and even that light florally fragrance can be extremely offensive to your cat. Keep in mind they also have to groom that scent off of themselves. Many cats have reactions to the chemicals used to make the litter scented and won’t step in the box because the skin on their feet and paw pads have been affected by this! Crystal and pine litters with the big pieces are also not ideal. Outside cats would choose soft loose soil, not hard, sharp big chunks to eliminate.

5).CLEANLINESS: All litterboxes regardless of how many cats you have should be scooped a minimum of once per day, twice a day is ideal. Remember that cats are fastidiously clean animals. They should never have to step on a bowel movement to have a bowel movement. If using clumping litter, then dump and scrub with a mild detergent +/- a 10% diluted bleach solution every 6-8weeks. If using clay (non clumping litter) use a very shallow amount of litter and dump completely each day. Do not try to scoop urine out the best you can and then stir it around, it makes the box appear completely soiled with urine to your cats’ sensitive nose.
We have just grazed the surface as to why a cat may not find its’ litterbox preferable. If you have already made changes similar to these suggestions, please fill out the behavior questionnaire on this website and submit it for a consultation.

I keep hearing about foraging toys-what are they?

Foraging Toys are food dispensing objects that allow one or two pieces of kibble to fall out at a time, rewarding your cat for their efforts and perseverance. They are a great way to enrich your cats’ indoor environment as well as appeal to their natural hunting instincts and prey drive.

Studies show that a lack of mental stimulation can results in up to 30% loss of brain function over time. This is true for many species including humans. It is important to continue to learn new things and be challenged and that is exactly what foraging does for cats. Many behavior problems stem from boredom, frustration and stress. So providing an ever changing and challenging home environment makes for smarter, happier cats.

Many clients say “My cat will never do that,” or “my cat is not smart enough.” You may be surprised at how well they take to the concept. Here are a few tips to get your kitty foraging: start off with clear containers with a lot of holes (an old water/soda bottle works great!). Use a pocket knife or box cutter to create a hole that is respective to the size food you are going to fill it with and then fill it up! Fill the object at least ½ way full because when they are almost empty it is very challenging to get the final pieces. You want to make it easy and allow them to be rewarded easily and frequently. You can increase the challenge by advancing to opaque objects, objects with fewer holes, and finally cubes. Be sure to offer a food that is different than what is in your cats’ food bowl, it needs to be motivating! We recommend the Science diet dental diets or hairball control foods as they are very palatable.

Foraging toys for cats are a relatively new concept and it will, unfortunately, be hard to find any store bought toys. There are a variety of toys available here at Paws Whiskers and Claws, and many home-made toys that you can make yourself. Next time you are in just ask our behaviorist, Ingrid Johnson, and she will give you some tips on how to make your own as well as what to fill them with to make them exciting and keep your kitty motivated to forage

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