Cat Care

Your pet doesn't understand if you
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Your cat is important to your family. You want to keep it healthy and happy. Click on the following links for guidelines to help keep your cat in optimal health.

Cat Vaccinations	Intestinal Parasites	Flea Prevention	Spaying/ Neutering	Declawing	Litter Box Training

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Just like you, your pet needs to receive immunizations against various diseases. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 6 weeks of age, then boostered every three weeks until 12 weeks of age to build optimal immunity. We recommend you keep your feline friend up to date on vaccinations to protect against the following diseases:

Rabies
Rabies is a fatal viral disease affecting the central nervous system of all mammals, including humans. It commonly is spread by contact with saliva from an infected animal, through bite wounds or through a break in the skin.
Cats are at increased risk because they are more likely to roam at night and come into contact with rabid nocturnal wild animals, such as skunks, raccoons, and bats. Rural cats are also more numerous than rural dogs. House cats that go outdoors occasionally are also at risk through exposure to other cats and wild animals. Because most cats are not vaccinated, they are vulnerable to rabies infection.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis
Feline viral rhinotracheitis is the most severe and widespread upper-respiratory virus to which cats are susceptible. FVR is highly contagious and very serious in young kittens, but cats of all ages are at risk. Clinical signs include: fever, tearing, discharge from the eyes and nose, mouth breathing, coughing and salivation. Treatment is limited to supportive and symptomatic care. FVR also has a chronic carrier state, in which recovered cats become carriers for life. These FVR carriers may or may not experience signs of disease and will shed virus intermittently.

Calicivirus
Feline calicivirus is another major feline upper-respiratory virus, that is widespread and highly contagious. Clinical signs include: fever, pneumonia and ulcers or blisters on the tongue. Like FVR, treatment is limited to supportive and symptomatic care. Calicivirus also has a chronic carrier state, in which recovered cats become carriers for life. These FVC carriers may or may not experience signs of disease and will shed virus continuously.

Panleukopenia
Feline panleukopenia is a very contagious viral disease that primarily affects young kittens, but cats of any age are susceptible. Panleukopenia virus is generally wide-spread and natural exposure is common, with infection of young kittens being most frequent. Clinical signs include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, diarrhea, dehydration and other complications that can result in death. Treatment of affected cats is difficult and the mortality rate in kittens is very high. Even when recovery occurs, a normal appearing kitten may shed virus for up to 6 weeks, which then can infect unprotected cats.

Chlamydia psittaci
Chlamydia psittaci is a bacteria which causes feline respiratory disease and is extremely contagious, especially in young kittens. Chlamydia psittaci causes a "local" infection of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose. Clinical signs include: a mild-to-severe conjunctivitis, excessive tearing, sneezing, heavy salivation and coughing. Cats with chlamydiosis may have lung involvement, but generally do not show clinical signs of pneumonia. In addition, like FVR and FCV, cats with chlamydiosis will chronically shed bacteria with or without showing signs of disease. Treatment involves the use of antibiotics for several weeks.

Feline Leukemia Virus
This virus is a leading cause of disease and death in cats. Feline leukemia, in addition to being fatal by itself, can also break down the cat's protective immune responses so that the cat is unable to fight off infections it would normally be able to resist. Cat-to-cat contact is needed for transmission of FeLV, since the virus dies quickly outside the cat's body. Most infected cats are found mainly in multi-cat households and catteries.

Infectious disease information
provided courtesy of

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If your cat spends time outdoors, we also recommend periodic fecal exams to detect and treat your pet for the following intestinal parasites:

Hookworms
Hookworms are small worms which suck blood from the small intestine causing diarrhea, anemia, and a fluid filled abdomen. Young dogs and cats usually contract these worms from the mother's milk. Also, children are at risk of picking up these worms by walking through a contaminated yard in bare feet.

Roundworms
Roundworms are large worms which steal nutrients from the small intestine. Severe infestations can cause skin rashes and even intestinal blockages. Young dogs and cats usually contract these worms from the mother's milk. Like hookworms, children are at risk of picking up these worms by walking through a contaminated yard in bare feet.

Whipworms
Whipworms are small, blood-sucking worms which infest the large intestine. They can cause diarrhea and vomiting in pets of all ages.

Tapeworms
Tapeworms are multi-segmented worms in the small intestine. Even though they don't harm your pet, they are an unsightly nuisance. Of all the worms, these are the only ones which can be seen. They are contracted from your pet eating fleas and look like small grains of rice in your pet's stool or in the hairs around the anus. Flea prevention not only keeps your pet comfortable, but also helps prevent tapeworms.

Coccidia
Coccidia is a single-celled organism which infects the small intestine. It causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration, especially in young pets.

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Fleas are the most common cause of dermatitis in cats and they carry tapeworms. Flea hypersensitivity and flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) can be caused by as few as one or two fleas in some cases.

There are several very effective flea control products to choose from. Advantage® and Frontline® are topical preparations which kill the fleas after they come in contact with the product. All these products remain on the skin and are applied every month. Frontline® is also effective against ticks. Revolution® is a topical preparation which is absorbed systemically then is released in the sebaceous glands to kill fleas soon after contact. Revolution® also is applied once a month and is effective at preventing heartwoms as well.

NOTE: Do NOT use K9 Advantix® on your cat. It can be very toxic to your feline pet.

Contact our clinic and let a member of our staff help you select the right flea prevention for your pet's needs.

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We recommend spaying or neutering your cat between 4 to 6 months of age; however, it can be done at any time. Neutering of male cats involves removal of the testes and is typically a day's stay procedure. Spaying of female cats involves removal of the ovaries and uterus (ovarianhysterectomy), and may require an overnight stay after surgery.

Sometimes clients have concerns about spaying/neutering their cat. We hope the following information will be beneficial to you in making your decision to spay/neuter your cat.

Myth vs. Fact:

"Won't spaying/neutering change my cat's personality?"

There is not a significant difference in personality between cats that are spayed before 6 months of age, cats spayed after their first heat/litter, and unaltered cats. The main differences between altered and unaltered cats are altered cats are usually calmer, more affectionate, and roam less.

"Shouldn't my cat have at least one litter before it's spayed/neutered?"

Due to frequent cycling (as often as every three weeks), female cats can have several litters of kittens each year. If a female cat is allowed to have one litter prior to spaying, and she has a litter of 6 kittens (3 of which are female), and this continues for three generations, this cat would contribute to a cat population of 78 kittens. It's easy to see why there is a cat over-population problem in this country. The effect of which is millions of cats are put to sleep in shelters every year.

In addition, there are numerous health reasons to spay/neuter your cat. Spayed females do not get ovarian and uterine cancer and are less likely to develop mammary tumors later in life. Neutered males do not get testicular cancer and are less likely to fight with other males.

"Don't spayed/neutered cats gain weight after surgery?"

The energy demands of altered cats is less than unaltered cats. This is because they spend more time at home and are less likely to be out fighting. To keep your altered cat from becoming overweight, restrict the amount you feed it or feed a lower calorie diet.

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Several options are available to keep your cat from scratching at you, your family or your furniture. Frequent nail trims, scratching posts and cardboard scratching boxes, as well as rubber nail caps are non-invasive options.

Nail trimmers can be purchased at any pet store or from our clinic. They should be used regularly (every 4-6 weeks) for best results. Care should be taken not to trim the nails too close as this causes the nail to bleed and is painful for your cat. Ask us to demonstrate the proper technique in trimming your cat's nails at your next visit.

Scratching posts can also be purchased at any pet store. Some are covered in carpet while others have rope or other sturdy material. Cardboard scratching boxes with cat nip are helpful for cats that won't use a vertical scratching post. Even though your cat may frequently use a scratching post, we would still recommend frequent nail trims.

Nail caps are shaped rubber that is glued on to the nails after they are trimmed. They need to be reapplied every 4-6 weeks depending on the growth of your cat's nails. They are available through our clinic and some pet stores. Call ahead if you would like us to order a set for your cat. We will be happy to demonstrate the first application for you and supply you with refill sets in the future.

Declawing involves surgical removal of the nail up to the first joint. The tissue is closed using an absorbable tissue glue. The paws are then wrapped and the pet confined to reduce complications post-operatively. Pain medicine is usually given for the first 24 hours and special litter is suggested to help speed recovery. Because younger cats tend to have less complications and recover quicker, we recommend your pet be declawed between 4-6 months of age if you choose to have this procedure done to your pet.

If you decide to declaw your cat and it's not intended for breeding, we also recommend spaying or neutering your pet at this time.

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Kittens usually are easily litterbox trained. They would prefer to bury their feces and urine, and litter is perfectly suited for this. To start out a new kitten, place it and a clean litter box in a small area where the kitten will spend several hours alone in a quiet part of the house (i.e. a bathroom or laundry room). Show the kitten where the litterbox is and then leave it alone for awhile. When the urge arrives, the kitten will seek out a place to do its business that is soft and easy to dig in. If your kitten is stubborn, this process may need to be done for an extended period of time.

Older kittens and cats will sometimes begin to urinate outside of the litterbox. The most common reason is poor cleaning of the litter box by the owner. One way to help prevent this is to scoop the box daily and completely change the litter weekly. Another tip is to have one box per cat plus one extra for the group (i.e. recommended a two-cat household have three litter boxes, a three-cat household have four litterboxes, etc.). This gives your cat an alternative place to go if you cannot clean the box promptly or if another cat uses his/her favorite box. If the problem persists even though the litter is kept very clean, then the kitten/cat may have a urinary tract infection or other bladder problem. This should be checked out as soon as possible.