7 Great Resources for Keeping your Cats Safe During the Holidays

Keeping Your Cat Safe During the Holidays
Here are the top 10 tips for a safe and happy holiday with your kitties.
By Helen Jablonski via Catchannel.com and CatFancy
"With all the new sounds, sights and smells in your home during this time of year, an inquisitive cat could get into trouble. Make sure your feline continues feeling fine by following these tips."

How to Take Care Of Your Cat During The Winter
By kluke82
"During the winter it is important to keep your cat or cats safe from the cold. There are many easy ways to guarantee that your cat, cats, or kitten stays safe from the cold. Keep your cat healthy this winter by following these simple suggestions."

Jingle Bell Blues: Don't Let Your Pet Get'em
by PurinaCare Pet Insurance Blog
"A routine and familiar environment is important to most dogs and cats. During the holidays pets may suffer from the constant changes taking place in their territory. There are new objects to explore - like holiday decorations, new plants and tempting foods. Being mindful of how your pet may react can make the season pleasant for everyone."

Tips to keep your cat safe during the holidays
by Samantha Gowen, Pet Tales editor

Holiday Dangers to Pets
"Providing food and shelter is not proving love for your pet. Those too, but proper care and protection from harm make the truest sense of responsible pet ownership." ~ John D. Carraway, DVM.

How to Keep Your Cat Safe During the Holidays
By Debbie Davis

How to Make the Holidays Pet Friendly
By Gardengates

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Participate: Put a Caption on this Picture

Post a picture caption to this photo:

Post your caption to this picture in comments (the "post a comment" link is below this post. We will select the best cation to go with this picture and announce it on the blog next week.

Post a picture caption to this photo:

Post your caption to this picture in comments (the "post a comment" link is below this post. We will select the best cation to go with this picture and announce it on the blog next week.

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6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations (by Cracked)

6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations

By Matthew Hayden via Cracked.com

#1. Bringing Home Dead Animals to Show You Suck at Hunting

#2. Obsessively Getting Rid of the Stench of Humans

#3. Imitating Snakes to Intimidate You

#4. Rubbing Against You to Declare Ownership

#5. Leaving Their Poop Uncovered As An Insult

#6. Meowing to Imitate a Baby Human

Read the Full Article by clicking HERE

6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations

By Matthew Hayden via Cracked.com

#1. Bringing Home Dead Animals to Show You Suck at Hunting

#2. Obsessively Getting Rid of the Stench of Humans

#3. Imitating Snakes to Intimidate You

#4. Rubbing Against You to Declare Ownership

#5. Leaving Their Poop Uncovered As An Insult

#6. Meowing to Imitate a Baby Human

Read the Full Article by clicking HERE

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Reader Question: Why Is My Cat Sneezing?

Why Is My Cat Sneezing?
CatChannel veterinary expert Arnold Plotnick, DVM, discusses upper respiratory viruses.

Dr. Arnold Plotnick is one of CatChannel's feline health experts.

Q: Our cat is sneezing some each day — two to three times. She licks her nose after. Clea, sparkly eyes. No cough. No congestion. Eating and behaving normally. I volunteer at our local SPCA. The cats have “colds” frequently and sneeze on me. Have I brought home some infection? Could it be allergies? What symptoms would tell us to take her to our vet?
A: Allergies would be unlikely. Allergic respiratory disease in cats usually manifests as asthma, and cats will cough, not sneeze. I suspect your cat has a viral upper respiratory infection, however, the symptoms are so mild — two or three sneezes a day, no congestion, no loss of appetite, acting pretty normal — that I wouldn’t be too concerned. Most cats have been exposed to the upper respiratory viruses during kittenhood, and are chronic carriers of the virus. When cats get stressed or immunosuppressed, the virus can re-emerge and cause clinical symptoms. These upper respiratory viruses can be spread to cats via articles of clothing, so yes, it is theoretically possible that you have brought the virus home with you. However, this is not the major mode of transmission. These viruses are spread mainly via aerosol from cat to cat.

I would take her to your veterinarian if: your cat’s sneezing increases in frequency or severity; she develops a nasal or ocular (eye) discharge; she shows a decreased or absent appetite.

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Surprised Kitty Video - Over 11.5 Million Views in 2 Months

There are many of wonderful funny adorable cat videos online. This one; "Surprised Kitty" is, in essence, the best most viral funny/cute cat video of 2009 heading to 12 million views in less than two months.

Enjoy the cuteness:

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How Old is My Cat in Human Years?, Part Two

A few weeks ago, I posted an item ( How Old is My Cat in Human Years? ) that generated a lot of interest: a chart that compared a cat's age with the equivalent human age. My chart was based on a combination of facts, as well as 21 years of veterinary experience.

Just a few days ago, I received an e-mail with a link to an article on Feline Lifestage Guidelines, sponsored by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association.

Although this article is meant to be read by veterinarians, I believe all cat owners and cat lovers will want to check it out, for two main reasons. One is the way they classify the stages of a cat's life. Say goodbye to the simple "kitten, adult, senior" classification. The new classification scheme breaks down the lifestages as follows:

Kitten: 0 - 6 months

Junior: 7 months - 2 years

Prime: 3 years - 6 years

Mature: 7 years - 10 years

Senior: 11 years - 14 years

Geriatric: 15 years and older

I like this classification. Before, when I would tell a client their 7 year old cat was a "senior", I felt weird. Cats are living longer lives, and branding their cat a senior at 7 or 8 didn't feel right. I think "mature" is much more fitting. I also love the "junior" classification. I see many cats who are 18 months old, and while not technically "kittens", they've still got that wild and crazy streak that makes me reluctant to label them as "adults". Calling them "juniors" is perfect.

The part of the article that I think readers will find most interesting, however, is the age chart. While it is very similar to mine, it differs significantly in that they are more detailed when it comes to the early years. For example..

a kitten aged 0 - 1 month is like a person aged 0 - 1 year

a kitten aged 2 - 3 months is like a person aged 2 - 4 years

a kitten aged 4 months is like a person aged 6 to 8 years

a kitten aged 6 months is like a person aged 10 years

a kitten aged 7 months is like a person aged 12 years

a kitten aged 12 months is like a person aged 15 years

a kitten aged 18 months is like a person aged 21 years

The rest of the chart is pretty interesting. Check it out by clicking here.

For a review of my chart, go to How Old is My Cat in Human Years?

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Manhattan Cat Specialists Goes Digital!

2010 is going to be a big year for my cat hospital, Manhattan Cat Specialists. We're going be open on Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and we're expanding our hours on Saturday, so that we'll be open 'til 6:00 p.m. as well. We've hired a new receptio

nist, Kate. We're adding a new doctor on the weekend, Victoria Sheheri. And to top it all off (drum roll, please.....) we have purchased a digital x-ray machine! It’s up and running and works great! No more x-ray film, no more messy fixers and developers. We take a radiograph, and in 50 seconds, it is up on the computer monitor where I can adjust the brightness and contrast, zoom in, zoom out, magnify, flip and rotate. I can e-mail the radiograph to a radiologist for a second opinion if I need to. I can save the x-ray to a disc and give it to the client so that they can take it for a second opinion if necessary.

It’s great. At the moment, only 24% of veterinary

practices have one, so I feel we've really plunged into the modern with this baby.

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Some Great LOLCats

funny-pictures-cat-wants-his-birthday-cake

funny-pictures-cat-can-now-be-removed-safely

The first ever LOLcat: From the March 1929 issue of Parents’ Magazine, page 73. Someone might call this a LOLcat. Either way, 1920s Nursery Cat Is Watching You Parent.

Ha, Ha, Ha, It must be so!

The first ever LOLcat: From the March 1929 issue of Parents’ Magazine, page 73. Someone might call this a LOLcat. Either way, 1920s Nursery Cat Is Watching You Parent.

Ha, Ha, Ha, It must be so!

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Jaundice – when your furry fellow turns bright yellow.

Introduction

Yesterday, I examined a cat name Pan who came in for weight loss and poor appetite. On physical examination, the cat was visibly jaundiced. In honor of Pan (who's getting an ultrasound-guided liver biopsy at my hospital on Friday), I'm posting this article to my blog.

If there was one thing Minka Esbensen could count on, it was her cat’s appetite. Kitty, a 9-year old male sealpoint Himalayan, has had his minor illness throughout his life – a little colitis here, a sprained paw there – but through it all, one thing remained consistent: the enthusiastic appetite. When the famous appetite disappeared for three days late last February, he was in my office in a flash.

According to Ms. Esbensen, Kitty had showed minimal interest in his food over the past three days. He could be coaxed to eat a few treats, and was still drinking normally, but he simply would not eat his regular food. He was a little lethargic, and had vomited twice two days prior, and twice the day before. On physical examination he checked out fine, except for some mild weight loss (10 ounces). Bloodwork was offered, but was declined by Ms. Esbensen. The plan was to offer him a variety of different yummy foods, and see how he did over the weekend. I thought that was reasonable.

On Monday, he was back. Kitty had absolutely zero interest in food, including people food. In the exam room he was bright and alert, but he had lost another four ounces. On examination, a new finding had emerged: the skin inside Kitty’s ears had a fa

int yellow appearance, as did the whites of his eyes and his gums. Kitty had developed jaundice.

Jaundice 101

“Jaundice (also called icterus) is a yellow discoloration of the tissues. It is most visible in the skin, the mucous membranes (for example, the gums), and the whites of the eyes. The yellow coloration is due to an excessive amount of a substance called bilirubin in the bloodstream”, says Dr. Michael Stone, a board-certified internist at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

To understand the phenomenon of jaundice, a brief explanation of normal bilirubin metabolism is in order. Bilirubin is an orange-yellow pigment that comes from the breakdown of hemoglobin. The primary source hemoglobin is from old red blood cells. When red blood cells become old, most of them are removed from the circulation by cells called macrophages, which reside mainly in the spleen and liver. Once the red blood cells are gobbled up by the liver and spleen macrophages, the hemoglobin inside the red blood cells is metabolized to produce bilirubin. This bilirubin is then released into the circulation, where it binds to a protein called albumin. The albumin then transports the bilirubin to the liver.

Once the albumin-bilirubin arrives at the liver, the liver cells extract the bilirubin from the albumin, and then secrete the bilirubin into the biliary system (the gall bladder and the bile ducts). Eventually, bilirubin is released, along with bile, into the small intestine, where it plays an important role in digestion.

The feline liver is very good at taking bilirubin out of the bloodstream and delivering it to the biliary system, maintaining the serum bilirubin level in a pretty well-controlled range. To figure out why the bilirubin level in the bloodstream might become elevated, we need to examine the three traditional categories of jaundice.

Classifying the jaundice

Knowing the physiology of bilirubin metabolism allows us to understand the mechanisms by which excessive levels of bilirubin might develop. “One way bilirubin levels could build up is if too much bilirubin is being produced because of rapid red blood cell destruction” says Dr. Stone. “Another explanation for too much bilirubin in the blood stream would be an inability of the liver cells to properly remove it from the bloodstream. A third reason would be an impaired ability to release bilirubin from the biliary system into the intestine. These three explanations correspond to the traditional, shorthand way veterinarians classify jaundice: pre-hepatic, hepatic, and post-hepatic.” Although there is considerable overlap between the categories, this simplistic classification system allows for a clearer understanding of why cats turn yellow.

The literal translation of the word “pre-hepatic” would be “before the liver”. Indeed, pre-hepatic jaundice has nothing to do with the liver. The liver is fine. The problem has to do with excessive bilirubin production as a result of hemolysis - undue destruction of red blood cells. As mentioned above, bilirubin is derived from hemoglobin contained in red blood cells. The spleen and liver constantly monitor the circulation, removing old, damaged, or abnormal red blood cells from the circulation. If the liver and spleen remove too many red blood cells from the circulation, too much bilirubin will be produced. The liver will shift into overdrive, removing as much of the bilirubin as it can. Eventually, the liver’s capacity to remove this excessive amount of bilirubin is exceeded, and bilirubin levels build up in the bloodstream, staining the tissues yellow.

Pre-hepatic (hemolytic) causes of jaundice is less common in cats, compared to dogs. The most common cause for hemolysis in cats is Mycoplasma haemofelis (formerly called Hemobartonella felis), a red blood cell parasite. These parasites cling to the surface of the red blood cells. Macrophages in the liver and spleen recognize these cells as being abnormal, and they dutifully remove them from the circulation, releasing bilirubin into the bloodstream. There other causes for hemolysis in cats, as well.

Hepatic jaund

ice, as the name implies, is jaundice that develops as a result of liver impairment. Severe liver disease, such as cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of the liver and bile ducts), hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), or liver cancer may impair bilirubin metabolism, preventing the liver from processing the bilirubin effectively. As a result, the bilirubin levels become elevated, leading to visible jaundice.

The third category, post-hepatic jaundice, is said to occur when the primary abnormality is an impaired ability to excrete the bilirubin due to an obstruction of the flow of bilirubin and bile through the major bile ducts. Common causes of bile duct obstruction include cancer and gallstones.

Of the types of jaundice, hepatic causes are the most common. Common signs of liver disease in cats include poor or absent appetite, lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, unusual behavior, and prolonged bleeding.

Diagnostic approach to a cat with jaundice

With Kitty showing signs of jaundice, it was time to do a little investigating. The first step in evaluating the cause of feline jaundice is to rule out any pre-hepatic causes. In other words, is the high bilirubin level due to excessive destruction of red blood cells? This is easily determined by measuring the hematocrit – the percentage of the blood that consists of red blood cells. This test can be readily performed in-house in all veterinary hospitals. The normal hematocrit for a cat is somewhere between 29 and 48%. If a jaundiced cat has a hematocrit that falls in this range, then red blood cell destruction is unlikely to be the culprit. If, however, the hematocrit is low (less than 20%), hemolysis is likely to be the cause of the increased bilirubin levels, and further evaluation for causes of hemolysis is warranted. A complete blood count was performed on Kitty, and his hematocrit was a robust 41%. No anemia.

Once pre-hepatic causes have been eliminated, the cat should be evaluated for causes of liver disease (see sidebar). Liver diseases that frequently cause jaundice in cats include cholangiohepatitis, hepatic lipidosis, lymphoma, feline infectious peritonitis, and toxic liver disease. Evaluation for liver disease should include a complete blood count, serum chemistry panel, urinalysis, and blood clotting evaluation. Kitty’s complete blood count was normal, however, the chemistry panel and urinalysis told a different story.

Increased liver enzymes are expected in most cats with jaundice. Most biochemistry panels report the activity of four liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT). Elevations of the first two, ALT and AST, reflect damage to the liver cells. Elevations of the second two, ALP and GGT, reflect an impairment of bile flow within the tiny bile channels between liver cells. In most cases, all four enzymes are elevated. Bilirubin levels are also reported on the chemistry panel, and of course these levels will be elevated, confirming and quantifying the jaundice. Not surprisingly, Kitty had elevated ALT, AST, and ALP levels. His GGT level was normal. The bilirubin level was markedly elevated, approximately 15 times the normal value.

The urine of jaundiced cats will often be a bright, almost fluorescent orange, due to increased bilirubin levels. “While it may be normal for dogs to have a small amount of bilirubin in their urine, the presence of bilirubin in feline urine is always an abnormal finding”, notes Dr. Stone. Indeed, Kitty’s urine specimen glowed a bright orange. The complete blood count in cats with liver disease may be normal, as it was with Kitty, or it may show an elevated white blood cell count in cases of liver infection. Abnormally shaped red blood cells (called poikilocytes) are a common finding in cats with liver disease. Other laboratory tests may be warranted, depending on circumstances.

Post-hepatic causes of jaundice, i.e. obstruction of bile flow from the gall bladder and/or common bile duct, is much less common than jaundice due to primary liver disease. Diagnosis of bile flow obstruction, due to cancer, gallstones, etc. is best diagnosed via ultrasound.

Diagnostic imaging of the liver is an important part of the diagnostic workup for jaundice. Liver size, and the presence of calcified gallstones, may be evaluated with abdominal x-rays. Ultrasound, however, is a more useful technique and provides a wealth of information. Ultrasonography is the technique most often employed to differentiate post-hepatic causes of jaundice (tumors, gallstones, etc.) from hepatic causes (primary liver diseases). Ultrasound usually allows identification of liver cancer, liver cysts, and/or liver abscesses. Abnormalities of the liver tissue itself, such as lipidosis (infiltration of the liver with fat), cholangiohepatitis (infiltration of the liver with inflammatory cells), and lymphoma (infiltration of the liver with cancerous lymphocytes) can sometimes be differentiated. Ultrasound of Kitty’s liver ruled out post-hepatic causes of his jaundice, supporting what we already suspected – that a liver disorder was his main issue. Indeed, the appearance of his liver on ultrasound suggested some type of cellular infiltrate. Was this a cancerous infiltrate, or was it an inflammatory disease, such as hepatitis?

While bloodwork and ultrasound provide an abundance of information regarding the liver and biliary system, a definitive diagnosis ultimately requires a liver biopsy. There are several ways of obtaining a liver biopsy, the two most common being needle biopsy and surgical biopsy. A needle biopsy is obtained by inserting a biopsy needle – either “blindly”, or using ultrasound guidance – into the liver and obtaining a small sample. Alternatively, a biopsy specimen can be obtained during exploratory surgery. The advantage of needle biopsy is that it is less invasive, and often only requires mild, short-acting anesthesia. With a needle biopsy, however, there is a risk that the specimen obtained may not be representative of the disease process that is present, especially if the disease is focal, involving a discrete portion of the liver. Exploratory surgery affords a better biopsy specimen, and allows the surgeon to visually assess and to feel the liver, as well as other abdominal organs, and take additional biopsy specimens if warranted. Of course, the disadvantage of exploratory surgery is that it is invasive, involving general anesthesia, and a longer hospital stay. It is also more costly. Ms. Esbensen elected for Kitty to have a surgical biopsy, to maximize the chances of obtaining a definitive diagnosis.

After a blood clotting profile confirmed that his blood clotting ability was unaffected, Kitty was taken to surgery, and a biopsy of his liver was obtained. The diagnosis: lymphocytic cholangiohepatisis, an inflammatory disorder. While Kitty was under anesthesia, a feeding tube was placed in his esophagus through a small incision in the left side of his neck. This allowed Ms. Esbensen to provide proper nutrition, as well as to provide him with the medications and supplements necessary to treat this disorder.

Kitty was faithfully given his medication through his feeding tube, and he began to gain weight and feel better. Most noticeable was the jaundice, or lack thereof. The yellow tinge to his skin, ears and gums was slowly dissipating. For three weeks, however, he refused to eat. Four weeks after his medical therapy was prescribed, a serum chemistry panel was obtained, and all of his liver parameters had returned to normal, including his bilirubin. During the fifth week, he began to eat a few treats on his own. Ms. Esbensen and I both suspected that the feeding tube had begun to annoy Kitty, and that removing the tube might actually spur him to eat on his own. With some trepidation, we removed the tube. Shortly afterward, Kitty began to eat on his own. Nearly two months after his initial bout of poor appetite, Kitty was now his usual, hungry self.

Conclusion

Jaundice is a common problem encountered in feline practice. Years ago, there was an old adage amongst veterinarians: “a yellow cat is a dead cat”. Thanks to numerous diagnostic and therapeutic advances, this is no longer the case. When faced with a jaundiced cat, the veterinarian’s challenge is to figure out where the derangement in bilirubin metabolism is occurring, and then formulate a proper diagnostic plan. Over the years, the prognosis for treating the diseases that cause jaundice have improved markedly, and many jaundiced cats recover and live long, healthy lives.

Signs of liver disease in cats

Decreased or absent appetite
Lethargy
Weight loss
Vomiting
Dehydration
Odd behavior
Prolonged bleeding
Ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen; less common in cats with liver disease, compared to dogs)

Common causes of liver disease in cats

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease)
Cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of the liver and bile ducts)
Lymphoma (a type of cancer)
FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a fatal viral disease)
Toxic hepatopathy (liver disease secondary to ingestion of a toxin or poison)
Hepatic amyloidosis (accumulation of amyloid, a type of protein, in the liver. Often seen in Oriental and Siamese breeds)

Read my article:
"Jaundice - when your furry fellow turns bright yellow."

Introduction

int yellow appearance, as did the whites of his eyes and his gums. Kitty had developed jaundice.

Jaundice 101

Classifying the jaundice

Hepatic jaund

Diagnostic approach to a cat with jaundice

Conclusion

Signs of liver disease in cats

Decreased or absent appetite
Lethargy
Weight loss
Vomiting
Dehydration
Odd behavior
Prolonged bleeding
Ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen; less common in cats with liver disease, compared to dogs)

Common causes of liver disease in cats

Hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease)
Cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of the liver and bile ducts)
Lymphoma (a type of cancer)
FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a fatal viral disease)
Toxic hepatopathy (liver disease secondary to ingestion of a toxin or poison)
Hepatic amyloidosis (accumulation of amyloid, a type of protein, in the liver. Often seen in Oriental and Siamese breeds)

Read my article:
"Jaundice - when your furry fellow turns bright yellow."

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Totally Cracked Cat Care

I found this Cat Care article on Cracked.com. HILARIOUS! Obviously, these are not the facts and is intended to be comical. For interesting and true facts about cats and cat care, please visit my Feline Articles.

Now, on with the show:

Owning a cat is one of the worst things you can do to yourself. Here are some practical tips on how to go about it.

The average cat (automatic transmission shown)

Despite the myths perpetuated by the cat media, cats are not "clean animals".
Purring stops being cute when it's being done right next to your ear at 3 in the morning.
Everyone should have a cat.

Cats can be obtained from many sources. Be assured that no matter which source you choose, someone will look down on you. Here are a list of cat providers and who will look down on you for using each one.
Source: Pet Store
Who Will Yell At You? Pretty much everyone except the pet store owner. Pet store cats generally come from kitten mills, and are raised in terrible conditions with little care given to their health or well-being. Buying from pet stores puts money into the kitten mills and keeps them going. While it's true that cats are malicious creatures and deserve to be tormented, they should only be tormented by a caring owner who can craft individual torments tailored to the cats' worst fears, not by a faceless factory farming system.

Pictured: A kitten mill. As you can see, quality control is shoddy at best.
Source: "Free Kitten" Ad / Friends
Who Will Yell At You? Cat people (cat rescuers, humane societies) aren't really fond of this method either. New kittens created by cat owners' refusal to disrupt the operation of cat genitals are displacing existing cats already in need of a home. Also, shelters and rescues make sure their kittens get their rounds of vaccinations and spaying/neutering and FIV/FLV checks before they leave to seek their fortune, and worry that home-bred kittens will miss out on some of this.
Source: Animal Shelter
Who Will Yell At You? This causes a lot less yelling, but some people feel that an animal shelter cat may be a handful for first-time cat owners. Shelter animals sometimes have terrible pasts that cause them to be what you might call "at risk," but if you know what you are getting into and are willing to enter them into after-school programs and offer tough love and monitor their homework every night, you could make it work and also get a Stand and Deliver vibe.

Shelter cats from bad backgrounds are prone to self-destructive behavior.
Source: Animal Rescue
Who Will Yell At You? Why the hell would anyone yell at someone for adopting a cat from a rescue? There are people out there that for some reason or another have a vendetta against animal rescues and claim they are only in it to make a profit, since they charge adoption fees. However, taking a shelter cat and picking up the bill for its food and shelter and all its medical problems as well as its routine vaccinations and neutering in the hope of making a profit with a $100 adoption fee is one of the stupidest business models anyone could come up with.

Kitten/Adult?
This is just making the choice between whether the cat already hates you now or will hate you later. Also, not all cat hatred is the same. It can range from passive aggressive hatred to spastic surly hatred. There's no way to know how a kitten will develop, so if you're set on one kind of personality, like you really want a passive aggressive cat, the only guarantee is to get an adult.
Cat hatred.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to becoming a mature adult cat.
Color
You also have a choice of cat color. The least chosen color is black. Why do people hate black cats? Because they're racists. Pick a black cat.
Gender
Male cats have the foulest smelling pee of any pet animal. Spayed females will get saggy boobs. If you've had their genitals cut off like a responsible cat owner, none of the other differences matter much. If you want some slyly referential jokes about the differences between males and females that are based on human gender stereotypes you will have to insert them yourself. This is a respectable website.

While it is hilarious to watch a cat suffer, cat diseases can not only torment the cat itself but can also spread to other animals and even yourself. A healthy cat is a cat that does not give you parasites or invite lawsuits from other animal owners.
Cat Vaccinations
Cats should be vaccinated against rabies and some diseases with long names. The best thing about vaccinations is that they make kittens sleepy for a while afterwards so you can finally get some peace for a moment.
Cat Leukemia / Cat AIDS
Cats can get FLV (cat leukemia) and FIV (cat AIDS). These are incurable and nobody has come up with an awareness month or a Cat AIDS Walk (couldn't keep cats going in same direction) so chances are they will stay that way. You should make sure your cat gets tested. Show it some brochures if it's refusing to go.

"If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone."

Fleas / Ticks
Cats are great nesting grounds for fleas and ticks. Some kind of flea preventative/flea killer is a must. Some popular flea preventatives are Frontline, Advantage, Revolution, and the cleansing flames of purifying fire.

The problem with claws is that cats have them. Unfortunately they are entitled to them by their Second Amendment rights so declawing will probably send you to the Supreme Court. Seriously, declawing is a very controversial topic that we will bravely sidestep by giving you some tips on how to stop cats from clawing things.
Tools
You will need:

A scratching post.
A can of compressed air used for cleaning computers.

A cat owner's best friend.

Method
This is complex, so pay attention. Encourage your cat to scratch (1) the scratching post, possibly rubbing catnip on it. When your cat tries to scratch something it shouldn't, like the Mona Lisa, spray it with (2) the can of compressed air. This will stop it from scratching and also scare the living daylights out of the cat, which is an excellent bonus.
Trimming
Trimming the claws regularly also keeps them blunt which is good for when the cat decides to climb Mount You. While having its nails trimmed, the cat may scream like it is dying, which is just inexcusable whining. Unless you have cut the quick (blood vessel) in which case it is you who are the asshole.

It doesn't take much training to get cats to go in the litter box (Step 1: Show cats litter box. Done.) which can lull you into thinking this isn't an area you need to worry about.
Shoddy Burying
The truth is that while cats will generally do their business in the litter box without incident, the aftermath isn't always so pretty. Many cats, especially when young, do not fully grasp the concept of burying their work and may try creative variants such as stepping in it, burying a completely unsoiled adjacent patch of litter, or pawing retardedly at the side of the litterbox.
Tracking
Even if the burying is done well, cats generally leave the box with some litter on their paws. Some make attempts to clean it off, some couldn't care less, but in all cases there will be litter all over your house soon enough.

Pictured: The excavation at Pompeii, a classic case of what happens when cat litter tracking goes unchecked.

Foul Stench of Hell

Cat waste is one of the worst smelling substances known to man. A concentrated male cat pee litter clump can knock out an elephant. Anyone recommending a "green" and "environmentally friendly" cat litter like recycled newspaper pellets that doesn't contain any odor control can go straight to hell. Pine-based litters and wonderful environment-killing chemical-soaked litters are a couple of good odor-control options.

Kitten Care Handbook Submitted by: Mortal Wombat | Nov 24, 2009 | Source: Kitten Rescue

A list of great tips for taking care of a new kitten and raising it to be happy and healthy. Don't see why anyone would need it.

Tama The Train Station-Managing Cat Speaks Out On Homeless Japanese People Living In Closets Submitted by: Mortal Wombat | Nov 23, 2009 | Source: Cracked.com

A Cracked column actually written BY a cat and posted by columnist Michael Swaim. A rare case of a cat reaching out to care for a human... by offering a position in cat care.

Wealthy Cat Leaves Entire Fortune To Piece of String Submitted by: Mortal Wombat | Nov 23, 2009 | Source: Cracked.com
Breaking cat news by Cracked columnist Cody. Is your cat getting proper estate-management advice?

The average cat (automatic transmission shown)

Despite the myths perpetuated by the cat media, cats are not "clean animals".
Purring stops being cute when it's being done right next to your ear at 3 in the morning.
Everyone should have a cat.

"If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone."

A scratching post.
A can of compressed air used for cleaning computers.

A cat owner's best friend.

Pictured: The excavation at Pompeii, a classic case of what happens when cat litter tracking goes unchecked.

Foul Stench of Hell

Kitten Care Handbook Submitted by: Mortal Wombat | Nov 24, 2009 | Source: Kitten Rescue

A list of great tips for taking care of a new kitten and raising it to be happy and healthy. Don't see why anyone would need it.

Tama The Train Station-Managing Cat Speaks Out On Homeless Japanese People Living In Closets Submitted by: Mortal Wombat | Nov 23, 2009 | Source: Cracked.com

A Cracked column actually written BY a cat and posted by columnist Michael Swaim. A rare case of a cat reaching out to care for a human... by offering a position in cat care.

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Feline H1N1: No Need To Panic

I have been asked by a few people about the possibility of cats getting swine flu. Can they get it? Can they transmit it to me?

I imagine most of you saw this news item that was published a few days ago: The Oregon state public health veterinarian has reported that a pet cat has died from presumed 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection. The cat was one of 4 cats in the household and became ill approximately one week after a child in the household had a flu-like illness. It developed labored breathing and was presented to a veterinarian on November 4. The cat was not coughing or sneezing but had pneumonia. The cat's condition deteriorated over the next 3 days, and it died on November 7. Samples were

obtained and tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Additional samples were sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for confirmation and are still pending. At this time this is a presumed, not confirmed, case of 2009 H1N1 influenza infection.

The three other cats in the household also became ill with different degrees of sneezing and coughing, but recovered from their illnesses. Samples collected from these cats were negative for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

For more current information about H1N1 in cats, check out these resources:

2009 H1N1 Flu Virus Outbreak

Frequently Asked Questions by Veterinarians about 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus

The messages to cat owners remain the same. This is not cause for panic, but underscores the importance of taking pets to a veterinarian if they are showing signs of illness. This is especially important if someone in the household has recently been ill with flu-like symptoms.

To date, all of the sick pets became ill after a person in the household was ill with flu-like symptoms. There is no evidence to suggest that cats have or will spread the virus to humans or other animals. At the moment, it seems more likely that people can spread it to their cats, rather than the other way around. Proper hygiene and sanitation measures should be followed to limit the spread of the influenza virus.

I have been asked by a few people about the possibility of cats getting swine flu. Can they get it? Can they transmit it to me?

For more current information about H1N1 in cats, check out these resources:

2009 H1N1 Flu Virus Outbreak

Frequently Asked Questions by Veterinarians about 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus

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