Take Your Cat to the Vet Week

This week (August 22 through 28) has been declared as Take Your Cat to the Vet Week. You’re probably wondering why such an event is needed. Unfortunately, the CATlyst Council and the American Humane Association estimate that even though cats outnumber dogs in the U.S. by 15 million, cats see the veterinarian half as often as dogs. In fact, Feline Pine, which founded Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, surveyed feline owners in 2009 and discovered that fewer than half of the owners took their kitties to the vet for checkups unless they were ill. However, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that felines visit the veterinarian twice a year for checkups.

CatChannel speculates there are a few reasons pet parents do not take their cats to the vet as often as they should. First, it is difficult to get a cat into his or her carrier. Oftentimes, when you pull out the carrier, a cat will bolt under the bed or the couch and is difficult to capture.

When I take my kitties to the vet, I pick up one of my cats while my roommate gets the carrier ready. It is definitely easier to get a cat into a carrier when you have two people on the task. However, if you do not have anyone to help you get your feline into his or her carrier, you might want to put your kitty into the bathroom and then get the carrier out. Take the carrier into the bathroom with you and shut the door. This will ensure your cat does not have a lot of room to run around or things to hide under.

Another great idea is to help your cat get used to, and even like his or her carrier. Petfinder has some tips on how you can get your pet to like his or her carrier. You can read the tips here.

I speculate another reason pet owners do not take their felines to the vet as often as is recommended is that the vet can be expensive. If your kitty does not have many medical problems, you might want to look into pet insurance, which will help cover the cost of preventative vet care. If you are on a limited or fixed income, do an Internet search for “low-cost veterinary care” in your city and state. Many states offer low-cost vet care for individuals who cannot afford to pay full price for their pet’s vet visits.

Even though vet visits may be stressful for both you and your feline, they are very important. Cats are very good at hiding health problems from humans. If you do not notice subtle changes in your cat’s behavior, he or she can suffer for weeks or months before you notice that he or she may not be feeling well. You can read more on how to tell if your cat may be sick in my posts How to Tell if Your Cat is Sick - Part 1 and Part 2.

Regular checkups can help diagnose and treat diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, arthritis, and kidney failure earlier, which could mean less suffering for your furry friend and less expensive treatment for you as well.

Regular vet visits are beneficial for both you and your furry friend. If you haven’t been to the veterinarian in the past six months, I really encourage you to schedule an appointment for your kitty soon.

Sources:

Petfinder: Take Your Cat to the Vet Week 2011

CatChannel: The CATalyst: Celebrate Take Your Cat to the Vet Week

Egyptian Mau

The Egyptian Mau is a beautiful, intelligent cat. This breed makes a great pet and is popular at cat shows as well. We believe Jewel may be part Egyptian Mau, so I thought I would tell you about this great breed.

History

Egyptian Maus originated in Egypt. They came to North America in 1956 when Russian Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy imported three Egyptian Maus from Italy with the help of Richard Gebhardt. Two of these were silver females named Liza and Baba. The other was a bronze male named JoJo. The breed was accepted by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1977 for championship competition. In 1979, the breed gained recognition from The International Cat Association as well.

Physical Appearance

The Egyptian Mau is the only naturally spotted domesticated cat. The Mau’s spots are random in shape and size. According to The International Cat Association (TICA), the legs, tail, neck, and upper chest are barred with at least one “broken necklace.” The shoulders and haunches are places where spots turn into stripes.The breed also has an “M” mark on its forehead, like many other breeds do. The breed’s eyes are large, almond-shaped, and gooseberry green in color. The Mau’s ears are medium to large, broad at the base, slightly flared, and somewhat pointed. Other characteristic facial features include a worried expression and mascara lines around the eyes.
The Mau’s hind legs are longer than its front legs, which gives it what is referred to as a “tiptoe” stance. This breed also possesses a medium-length tail and coat.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association and The International Cat Association accept the Egyptian Mau in three colors for championship competitions: silver, smoke, and bronze. However, these cats also come in solid black, solid blue, and dilute versions of the primary colors blue silver, blue smoke, and blue spotted (the dilute version of bronze).

Personality

Egyptian Maus are intelligent cats who bond closely to their humans. They are curious, playful, and energetic. Some Maus will even play fetch with you.

Safe Plants for Cats

As I'm sure you are aware, there are hundreds of plants toxic to cats. But what if you love having houseplants or want to have a flower garden? Fortunately, there are also hundreds of safe, non-toxic plants to cats you can keep in your home or garden.

African Violet: African violets are beautiful flowers, which are most commonly kept as houseplants, but they can also be grown outdoors. African violets require good light and especially thrive in warm, but not hot, temperatures (up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit). In winter, African violets should be kept in the sunniest, warmest windows in the house. You can read more about how to take care of African violets on the University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program website.

Baby's Tears: Baby's Tears can be grown inside as a houseplant or outside in an ornamental garden. Baby's Tears is a creeping herb that contains yellow or bright green leaves and lots of small white flowers. This plant needs soil that is constantly damp and it thrives in humid climates.

Bachelor's Buttons: Bachelor's Buttons, also known as Cornflower, is another good flower to use in an ornamental garden. Bachelor's buttons are most commonly bright blue, but they also come in pink, purple, and other shades of blue. The plant requires full sunlight and an average amount of water.

Blood leaf: Blood leaf is an annual shrub, which is often seen in ornamental gardens. According to How Stuff Works, blood leaf desires full sunlight, but they can grow in partial sunlight or in the shade as well. This shrub does not tolerate frost at all, so plant it after this danger has passed. Blood leaf also needs moist soil in order to thrive. You can learn more about how to plant and grow blood leaf by visiting How Stuff Works.

Candy Corn Plant: Candy corn plant is a unique plant with lush green leaves and tubular orange flowers with yellow tips. This plant grows vigorously and according to the website, Guide to Houseplants, if not pruned, the plant can grow to be six feet in length. The website suggests putting candy corn plant on a trellis or in a hanging basket. You can keep this plant indoors or outdoors during spring and summer months. However, this safe plants for cats does not tolerate the cold or frost well at all, so be sure to bring it back inside in the fall when temperatures start to decline again.

Celosia Spicata: Celosia spicata is another flower that would look great in a flower garden. It contains medium to dark green foliage and violet or pink flowers, which may have a silvery tint to them. These flowers need full sunlight and require well-drained, constantly damp soil. This non-toxic annual plant can tolerate frost, which makes it unique.

Fireweed: Fireweed is a plant containing beautiful purple flowers. It is safe for cats and can reach two to five feet in height. According to the website Illinois Wildflowers, fireweed desires full to partial sunlight and cool to warm temperatures.

Polka Dot Plant: Polka dot plants contain green leaves with rose or pink spots. While this plant is pretty hardy in a range of temperatures, it does not tolerate temperatures below 55 degrees. Thus, you need to bring it in during fall and winter months if you do not keep it as a houseplant year-round. This plant thrives in high humidity. If you do not live in a humid environment, it is a good idea to mist the polka dot plant daily, particularly early in the day, according to All About Indoor Houseplants. Medium light is best for this plant in nearly every season. However, high light is suggested for this plant in wintertime.

Marigolds: Another non-toxic plant to cats is the marigold. Marigolds are quite hardy and can tolerate drought environments. They desire well-drained average soil and full sunlight. They come in several colors: red, yellow, orange, cream, gold, or are bicolored. This flower is a good one for flower gardens.

Goldfish Plant: Goldfish plant is unique in that its flowers resemble goldfish. Goldfish plant is a perennial and will bloom for several years if you care of it properly. This plant can grow to be three feet in length if you do not pinch off the growing ends regularly. This plant prefers full, indirect sunlight, and would do well in a hanging basket.

Marigolds: Marigolds are good for flower gardens and come in a variety of colors: red, yellow, cream, orange, gold, or can be bi-colored. Marigolds are drought tolerant, so they do not require a lot of water to thrive. They do prefer full sunlight, though.

If you love flowers and have a cat, I hope you will check out these safe, non-toxic flowers and plants to cats for your home or garden.

Denver Dumb Friends League Discounts Cat Adoptions Through August

The Denver Dumb Friends League currently has over 700 kittens and cats in their possession. The organization wants to find good forever homes for all of these felines. Thus, Denver Dumb Friends League is offering discounts on all kitten and cat adoptions through August 31, 2011.

All cats 5 months old and older are currently $10 and all kittens younger than 5 months old are $70.All adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, microchip, a free visit with a participating veterinarian, initial vaccinations, and a bag of Hill's Science Diet cat food.

You can check out all the cats and kittens the Denver Dumb Friends League has to offer by visiting this page or by visiting the shelter, located at 2080 S. Quebec St, Denver, CO 80231. The shelter is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 11am-7pm, Tuesday and Thursday 12pm-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm. You may also visit all of the cats and kittens the organization has at its Castle Rock location, the Buddy Center, by visiting this page or by visiting the shelter in person. The Buddy Center is located at 4556 Castleton Court, Castle Rock, CO 80109. Their hours of operation are Monday through Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 10:30am-5pm.

The organization also has a few cats in foster care who may also be adopted. You can view the adoptable felines in foster care by visiting this page. All visits to cats in foster care must be set up by appointment only.

If you are considering getting a new kitten or cat, please check out all the felines the Denver Dumb Friends League has for adoption.

Purina Recalls Select Bags of Cat Food

Nestle Purina PetCare Company issued a voluntary recall of certain 3.5 and 7-pound bags of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food, which was shipped to 12 states last December. This recall comes after it was discovered that some of the bags are contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled bags of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food contain a, "Best by," date of May 2012 AND one of the following production codes: 03341084 or 03351084. Recalled bags also contain one of the following UPC codes: 17800-01885 or 17800-01887. Best by dates and production codes are located on either the back or bottom of the bag.

If you have one of these recalled bags in your possession, you are advised to stop feeding it to your cat and dispose of the food right away.

Cats who contract Salmonella may present with fever, decreased appetite, and/or abdominal distress. If Salmonella is left untreated in cats, they may become lethargic, vomit, have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, and fever. If you notice your cat exhibiting any of these symptoms and he or she has eaten from a bag of the recalled food, seek veterinary care for him or her.

It should also be noted that humans can get Salmonella if they do not wash their hands thoroughly after handling contaminated pet food or coming into contact with surfaces that had contact with contaminated pet food. Symptoms of Salmonella in people may include: fever, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping. On rare occasion, Salmonella can result in more serious conditions in people, such as arthritis, eye irritation, muscle pain, arterial infections, urinary tract symptoms, and endocarditis. If you experience these symptoms after having had contact with the recalled product, please contact your doctor.

Contaminated bags of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food were shipped to: Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Minnesota. However, the distributors who received the contaminated bags of food may have shipped them to stores in other states as well.

Source:

CatChannel: Purina Cat Food Recall