Cats - Vicky Halls

Vicky Halls
CAT CONFIDENTIAL
The Ezine Your Cat Would Want You To Read!
April 2011
Inside This
Issue
Special Features
Cats and Passive
Smoking
Feliway - How to Use
it Effectively (Part 2)
Calm Owners, Calm
Cats!
Your Home Made
Puzzle Feeders
Feline Asthma
Rehoming an
Asthmatic Cat
Cats „n Needles!
Cat Behaviour
Online Course
One Cat & Her Easter
Bonnet
Viewing a Pedigree
Kitten - What To
Look Out For
Regular Features
February Prize Draw
winner!
Feline Respiratory Disorders Special Edition ...
Breathe In!
For those of you in
the Northern Hemisphere it‟s now officially Spring – a
time when our cats
once again start to
explore the sights,
sounds and smells
of the great outdoors after being
stuck to a radiator
all winter!
This is also a time of
year when us humans
can develop respiratory
problems due to rising
levels of pollen. However, did you know that
cats can also suffer
from respiratory conditons caused by the envi
puncture as a complementary therapy for
your cat? We bring
you a fascinating
story about this.
ronment in which they
live? In this edition we
focus on what those
conditions are and what
causes them.
And speaking of how
human actions can effect a cat‟s health, we
also bring you a great
item on how being calm
ourselves can help to
promote calmness in
our cats! And have you
ever considers Acu-
Cat Behaviour Facebook Group
Cat of the Month
Tip of the Month
Cats in the News
Rehoming stories
Breed Profile
Contact
Email
[email protected]
Web site
www.vickyhalls.net
Click here to share Your Cat
Behaviour Stories At Vicky‟s
Facebook Community!
In this edition we also
have a plethora of
fantastic home-made
puzzle feeder photos,
which will hopefully
inspire you to get out
the cardboard and
glue!
Along with our usual
regular features, including the funniest
video you‟ll have seen
in ages and an unbelievable ‟Cats in The
News‟ item, we really
hope you enjoy this
edition!
More of Your Cat Photos Please!
We‟re looking for
imaginative photos of
cat‟s reading a book,
newspaper, magazine
etc that we can feature
as the „Thank You For
Reading Our Ezine‟
photo at the end of
each edition. So get
clicking and send
your photos to:
[email protected]
… and put your cat in
the spotlight!!
Cats and Passive Smoking
We all know that passive smoking has a
very real effect on humans, but do we
ever think that our cats can suffer the
same consequences? An item in the New
Scientist takes up the debate.
Passive Smoking Kills Pets Too
Passive smoking may be as bad for pet cats as
it is for humans, researchers have discovered.
"Cats that live with cigarette smokers are twice
as likely to develop feline lymphoma," says Antony Moore of Tufts University. Feline lymphoma is a deadly cancer of the blood and immune system. "It was believed that the major
cause of feline lymphoma was feline leukaemia
virus," he says. "But the results of our study
clearly indicate that exposure to environmental
factors such as second-hand tobacco smoke
has devastating consequences for cats."
Cats could be peculiarly sensitive to passive
smoking but a more likely explanation, says
Moore, is the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of
the average house cat. The modern cat tends to
spend most of the day sleeping indoors and
constantly re-breathes the same stale tobacco
smoke. They also swallow relatively large quantities of contaminated dust, soot and ash when
they groom themselves.
They found that, adjusting for age and other
factors, cats exposed to second-hand smoke
had more than double the risk of acquiring the
disease. In households where they were exposed to smoke for five years or more, cats tripled their risk. And cats living with two smoking owners had four times the cancer risk. Chris
Laurence, chief vet at the UK's RSPCA, says:
"Lymphoma is far and away the commonest
tumour in cats so this is a very important finding."
Diseases of affluence
Pets are increasingly suffering from the same
diseases of affluence as their western owners,
such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. As
well as passive smoking, rich diets, lack of exercise and increasingly good veterinary care that
allows them to stagger into old age are all
thought to be major factors. Elizabeth Bertone
says: "If owners fed their animals better food
and took them for the occasional walk then it
might do them and their pets some good."
Moore's team studied 180 cats treated at a
Tufts veterinary hospital between 1993 and
2000.
Cats and Passive Smoking
- Sammy’s Story
Sammy‟s story, told by his owner
Martin, is an example of how our human lifestyle choices can affect our cats.
SAMMY
“Can cats suffer from the same diseases that
can affect humans? The answer is yes they can
and they do! From kidney disease, heart problems, liver disease, eye problems, deafness, arthritis, dental problems to name but a few.
Scientific research has shown this to be a fact
and I believe that one of my cats, Sammy, had
been affected by the lifestyle of those who
loved and cared for her for 11 years.
Cats and Passive Smoking - Sammy’s Story (cont)
I was introduced to Sammy but at
that time Sammy was known by
the name of PussPuss. First I saw
a long haired tortoiseshell cat,
short stocky legs and a thick tail
and then her face, large yellow
eyes that seemed to reflect so
much sadness as she looked into
me.
I immediately decided to adopt her
and give her a home. She was 11
years old and her owner had died
leaving her alone. A kind
neighbour had looked after her for
a while but nobody wanted her so
she found herself being cared for,
like so many many others, by Cats
Protection.
We already had three cats, Suzy
then 8 years old and Katie an
abandoned 15 year old with arthritis, together with Scotty 2 years old
having been an abandoned kitten.
PussPuss as she was known then
joined the family. She settled in
well but always held herself a little
bit apart from the others.
When she was registered with our
vet her microchip did not tally
with the name PussPuss but it did
with the name of Sammy! Once
we called her by that name there
was immediate recognition. Her
elderley owner had died and others
had simply called her PussPuss not
knowing her real name.
We ran out, picked her up and
dried her with warm towels. An
appointment with the vet and
tests followed. Each test, kidneys,
heart, liver all came back negative.
Then came the X-Ray.
Sammy, the day before she was
released from her pain
Azaleas mark her final
resting place
Two years later we noticed
changes in Sammy. She was
not jumping up and moving
about as much and liked to
curl up around a potted
shrub and sleep in the sunshine and not to stroll
around the garden as she
used to do.
Then one day it was raining
heavily and Sammy was just
sitting in the middle of the
garden and appeared to be
staring at the grass.
Diagnosis. Sammy was dying
from lung cancer. No cure, no
hope but at least an end to her
pain and suffering. Not a hard decision to make and one made out
of love. To end unecessary suffering is, to me at least, the ultimate
act of love to any animal. I believe
that Sammy, undoubtedly loved
and cared for, lived her 11 years
with a smoker. Two months later
we lost Katie to a brain tumour
another condition shared with humans!
I have, over my lifetime seen suffering and pain in many forms, in
both animals and humans. There
is no doubt that cats (and dogs)
who live with us can be affected
by a polluted environment in just
the same way as we can.
We are the cause of the pollution,
not them, and just as we are being
taught how to look after OUR
environment in order to benefit
our health then it follows that we
are duty bound to think of and
care for those creatures who cannot speak for themselves but who
love us unconditionally and look
to us for care and comfort when
they need it.” Martin
Facebook – Cat Behaviour Group Update
What have you been talking
about lately in Vicky‟s Cat Behaviour Facebook Group?
One of the hot topics up for discussion was how to re-introduce fighting cats. As we know, multi-cat
households can, in some cases, be
problematical and if cats fall out,
even if they previously got on well, it
can be very distressing for all concerned.
Trying the strategies of scent exchange; allowing your cats to have
sight of each other, before going on
to allowing them to have physical
contact might help. But if not, this is
one for behavioural intervention
from a feline-specific behaviourist.
Do cats view their humans as „their own‟? Was
another thought provoking
question and one which we
thought you‟d like to draw
your own conclusions from,
based on your own experience!
“Come and join in
our discussions or
write Something on
my Wall! Vicky”
The very important subject of how much we
should be feeding our
cats was also raised. It‟s
vital here to take advice
from your vet specifically
in relation to your own
cat, and in the case of dry
food, don‟t forget to stick
to the feeding guidelines
indicated on the packs.
So come and join in the discussions and become a
member of Vicky‟s Facebook Group! It‟s easy to
join, just click on the Facebook widget:
And be sure to check out
Vicky‟s new handy video
tips on her Facebook page!
February Prize Draw Winner!
In our February edition, we
offered you the opportunity to
win a copy of Tom Cox‟s
recently released book „Talk to
The Tail‟.
So it‟s with great pleasure that
we‟re able to announcing the
name of the Ezine subscriber
who has won this fantastic
prize!
This beautifully written book is
a wonderful read for any animal
lover ....
Congratulations to Beth
Akers. The book on it‟s way
to you and we‟re sure you‟re
going to love it!
Feliway - How To Use It Effectively
How you use Feliway®
will depend on the situation your cat is faced with
and/or the behaviour he
or she is exhibiting. Below you‟ll find further details about using Feliway®
to help cats face common
challenging situations or
for those showing
obvious symptoms.
Following a disruption to
the cats' environment
(redecoration, visitors,
new pets, new baby).
Plug the diffuser into the
room in which the cat(s)
display(s) signs of distress or
discomfort.
To help a cat settle in a
new environment (after
moving house; during kitten socialisation; following
adoption)
Plug a Diffuser into the room in
which the cat(s) display(s) signs
of distress or discomfort. Leave
it plugged in continuously for
four weeks. Replace refill as
required.
For transportation or during a stay in a cattery
Apply Feliway® Spray directly
into carrier or pen 15 minutes
before introducing the cat (one
spray in each of the four corners, two sprays on the floor
and 2 sprays on the ceiling).
(Part 2)
During fireworks
During fireworks it is important
to keep your cat(s) inside and
block cat flaps. However, this
may cause your cats further
stress, especially in multi-cat
households. Recent research
has shown that 80% of pets become fearful during fireworks
with 65% of cats hiding.
Plug the Feliway® Diffuser in
the room where the cat(s) rest
(s) or retreat(s).
Leave it plugged in continuously
for four weeks or as long as the
situation lasts. Replace the refill
as required, up to 5 refills can
be used with each unit.
For more information on preparing your cat for fireworks
please visit:
www.petfireworkfear.co.uk
Find out more at
www.feliway.com or ...
Leave it plugged in continuously for four weeks or until
the problem subsides.
Replace refill as required.
PS. Keep an eye on the Facebook
page for „That Purple Cat‟ as
Feliway 60ml Spray
Re-apply before each journey
or daily during the cats' stay in
the cattery.
Feliway Diffuser
If using Feliway® Spray in the
cattery always allow 15 minutes
before allowing the cat back
into the area.
every so often, depending on his
mood, he runs a competition to
win free prizes!
Calm Owners, Calm Cats!
How Learning To
Meditate Can Help
Your Cat
By Lorraine Murray
People often think of meditation in either religious terms or
have images of hippy communes! However meditation is
a very natural and simple way
to help you de-stress and to
help your cat.
We do not realise how much impact we have on our environment
(or our environment on us) in
terms of energy. Many people
simply notice their physical world
and the people you share it with.
However if you are travelling to
work you probably do not notice
the birds singing or the breeze on
your face as your thoughts will be
tied up with the journey… where
you are going… work or worries.
stressed and then leave the
room – you leave a residue of
stressed energy that you cannot see but your cat can feel. I
am sure you have heard the
expression “could cut the atmosphere with a knife”.
This is referring to how we can
feel but not necessary see negative vibes. When we are angry
or upset, we give off negative
vibes. The more peaceful we
can be, the more our cats can
benefit too.
But as a meditation tutor and Reiki
teacher, I know that our energy
interacts all the time with the
world – we simply do not notice
it. When you start to notice it, it
can have the most calming effect
on your energy and wellbeing.
This is why if we pay attention to
our cats as we are stroking them,
our health will benefit! We focus
on the softness of their fur and the
vibration of their purr. At this
moment you and your cat are exchanging energy in a very peaceful
way.
Learning to Meditate
There is often a misconception
that learning to meditate is difficult. It can be challenging at
first but with regular, short
practices you soon begin to see
the benefits of meditation – a
clearer mind, the ability to focus, having a better night‟s
sleep, less tired and feeling
more positive and peaceful
within.
How your Energy Affects
Your Cat
As well as the excellent advice that
Vicky gives cat owners about looking after their cats, you can also
help your cat by paying attention
to (and calming) your energy. If
your energy is stressed, your cat
picks up on this. Even if you are
In our courses we encourage
students to take it step by step
and to use day to day activities
(like stroking your cat) to „be in
the moment‟. By being in the
moment we start to enjoy this
rather than stay preoccupied
with the past or the future –
both areas where we can
worry and feel anxious although it does not make logical
sense to do this as we cannot
change either!
Here is a simple exercise to
practise. You can sit in a chair
or stand and if you want your
eyes to be open look out the
„sides‟ of your eyes (it softens
your gaze). Then take your
attention to your breath. Notice the tip of your nose and
just notice your breath moving
in and out. Your mind will
wander but gently guide it back
to the breath. Thoughts will
come in but just go back to
your breath. Then start to
think or feel the word „peace‟
or „calm‟ as you breathe in.
When you feel you can do this
then also attach the word
„peace‟ or „calm‟ to your out
breath. Just keep doing this for
maybe 1 minute.
Congratulations! You just tried
meditation. You can also try
this whilst stroking your cat
and notice how it feels. Maybe
your cat will start to purr or
show you his/her tummy - a
sign of trust.
continued on the next page ...
Calm Owners, Calm Cats! (continued)
How to start Learning
Meditation
If you live in Edinburgh, Scotland
then you would be welcome to try
one of our meditation courses.
However if you live further afield,
then you could either find a local
meditation group or follow a
guided meditation CD at home. I
have produced many over the
years in response to my clients
asking to try this at home.
If you are very new to meditation,
I would suggest you start with the
beginner‟s meditation CD. I developed this when I started teaching
meditation to people with Cancer
at a local cancer charity.
Or if you prefer to try meditations that help you to relax
more deeply then you could try
the Developing Awareness
meditation CDs which are ideal
if you are simply a bit rusty or
you want to try meditation to
help release fears.
We will soon be releasing news
of our Online Chakra (Energy
Centre) meditation course
which is suitable for all levels of
experience – if you are interested in putting your name
down on our healing list, then
please drop me an email with
your name and address.
Please feel free to email me on
[email protected] if you have
any questions or experiences
to share about meditation
(especially if practising with
your adorable pussycats!)
For Meditation Course Information: http://
www.ilovefgt.com/courses/
meditation/
For Meditation CDs Information: http://www.ilovefgt.com/
shop/
Home Made Puzzle Feeders
As I‟m sure you know by now,
Vicky is a huge fan of puzzle
feeders for cats.
Using this type of feeder provides stimulation for your cat by encouraging them
to „forage‟ for their food.
It‟s also great for those cats who are
prone to obesity as it helps them to eat
in smaller portions.
As owners who are obviously very keen
to implement best practice when it
comes to your cat‟s emotional and physical health, you have responded to this
advice by creating some brilliantly imaginative feeders of your own design!
This photo shows Clare‟s cats Billy and Jimmy
testing out Vicky‟s own design, but to see some
of the wonderful feeders that you‟ve created
see the next page!
Home Made Puzzle Feeders
(continued)
IndyCat masters the classic toilet roll pyramid!
Dexter concentrates on the job in hand!
Suki Green ”Nearly there...”
”... Got it!”
Al Pacino goes for gold!
This isn’t quite what we had in mind?
“Look out for our June edition when we’ll be reviewing a brand new feeder to
the market - The Catit® Design Senses Maze.
For more information about the Maze visit
http://www.hagen.com/uk/cats/addinfo/catit_design_senses.cfm
Feline Asthma
Continuing our „respiratory‟
theme this month, we
thought it would make good
sense to re-publish an item
on Feline Asthma that we
first featured in August
2009. Many thanks to Dr
Sarah Caney of
www.catprofessional.com
for allowing us to publish
this article.
Inhaled therapy for cats
Dr Sarah Caney
Inhaled Therapy for
Asthmatic Cats
Background
Inflammation and narrowing
(bronchoconstriction) of the
lower airways (bronchi and
bronchioles) – often referred to
as „feline asthma‟ – is recognised
as a common problem in feline
practice.
The major clinical signs reported
in affected cats are coughing,
wheezing, breathlessness and
lethargy. Clinical examination
often reveals that breathing out
(expiration) is especially difficult
for affected cats. It is common
to see abdominal effort associated with expiration and your
vet may hear wheezes when they
listen to the chest with a stethoscope.
There is no single test that can
positively diagnose „asthma‟ and
diagnosis relies upon exclusion
of other causes of these clinical
signs such as cancer, heart failure and pneumonia.
Many aspects of this disease
‘Asthma can be associated
with breathlessness. Some
affected cats will breathe
with their mouth open and
if this does not settle
quickly, emergency advice
are still poorly understood
and management has centred
on use of antiinflammatories and drugs
which help open up the airways (bronchodilators). Traditionally this has involved
oral medication with prednisolone and bronchodilators
such as terbutaline or theophylline.
Oral therapy can be practically difficult for some cats
and owners. Side-effects of
the anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids including an increased appetite (and hence
weight gain in the long-term)
and insulin resistance (which
can lead to diabetes mellitus)
are potential long-term concerns.
In recent years, inhaled therapy
has been advocated for cats
with asthma. Both glucocorticoids and bronchodilators can
be administered by this route
and many cats and owners have
found this an easy way to deliver medication to their cat. It
is particularly helpful in those
situations where the cat is cared
for by one person since tablet
administration is not always
possible without two people!
Inhaled medications are administered using metered dose inhalers (MDIs). MDIs are typically designed for use in adult
humans where actuation of the
MDI (aerosolisation of a dose)
can be timed to coincide with a
deep intake of breath. This
however is impractical in cats.
The alternative is to use what is
called a „spacer‟ with a breathing mask.
Inhaled therapy has a second
advantage in that, depending on
which agent is used, it can
greatly reduce the blood drug
levels of glucocorticoids compared to oral prednisolone therapy thus greatly reducing the
risk of side-effects.
The MDI is attached to a
spacer unit which is held over
the cat‟s face. The spacer device
comprises a chamber which has
dimensions similar to that of a
loo roll inner tube. The MDI is
attached to one end of the
chamber; at the other end of
the chamber there is a one way
valve to a face mask which is
Feline Asthma (cont)
placed over the cat‟s mouth and
nose. The spacer unit recommended
for use in cats is the AeroKat unit
which was designed for use in cats
and small dogs.
Administering inhaled therapy
to cats
Cats should be introduced to the
face mask gradually (over a period
of several days) so that this does not
frighten them. For example start by
holding the mask near your cat
whilst reassuring it. Gradually increase contact with the mask until
the cat will let you place the mask
over their nose.
Reward with plenty of cuddles and
little treats! For initial therapy, follow the steps below but start by actuating the dose with the mask off
the cat, as this is likely to be better
tolerated. Once the cat is comfortable with this, the dose can be actuated as described below:
 Attach
the MDI to the AeroKat
unit
 Hold the unit over the cat‟s face
 Actuate a dose (press down the
MDI) to supply drug to the spacer
chamber
 Allow the cat to take 10 – 15
breaths
For those cats that continue to dislike having the face mask on when
the dose is actuated, the dose can be
actuated and then the mask placed
over the cats face. This is thought to
result in a lower dose reaching the
airways so, in some cases, a second
dose may be needed to provide sufficient drug.
For those cats that continue
to dislike having the face
mask on when the dose is
actuated, the dose can be
actuated and then the mask
placed over the cats face.
This is thought to result in a
lower dose reaching the airways so, in some cases, a
second dose may be needed
to provide sufficient drug.
What medications and
dosing regime should I
use?
As always, this treatment
should only be used on the
advice and under strict guidance of a veterinary surgeon.
Inhaled medications can
take up to a few weeks to be
fully active so cats with severe asthma may need to be
on oral drugs as well as the
inhaled therapy for a few
weeks.
Drugs commonly used
include:
Bronchodilator therapy:
b2-adrenergics such as salbutamol and albuterol are most
commonly used. They have a
rapid speed on onset (5 – 10
minutes) and relatively short
duration of action (2 – 4
hours) meaning that they are
suitable for use „as needed‟ including in emergency situations. Some longer acting
preparations of bronchodilators (eg salmeterol) are also
available and can be helpful
preventative treatments in
those cats benefiting from
long-term therapy with these
agents.
Glucocorticoid therapy:
Fluticasone propionate given
twice daily is a commonly recommended glucocorticoid,
having high potency but virtually no absorption into the
bloodstream and therefore no
risk of side-effects. Cheaper
glucocorticoids (eg, beclomethasone dipropionate)
can also be used but at high
doses may have side-effects.
High strength MDIs of these
products (generally 200-250
mg/actuation) have been used
in cats (1-2 doses twice daily)
but this can be reduced according to the response.
AeroKat units are available in
the UK through
BreathEazy Ltd.
Tel: 0845 6808975
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.breatheazy.co.uk
Rehoming An Asthmatic Cat
As it’s Easter we thought
we’d share with you the
chocolatey story of a pair of
cats who needed a very
special home ...
Reception cats for about two
months. Buttons in particular loved
meeting and greeting people and it
wasn't long before cat lovers fell in
love with these two adorable boys.
As fate would have it a friend of
Button's and Chocolate's new
owners happens to be the owner
of an asthmatic cat, so support and
advice is always at hand.
BUTTONS & CHOCOLATE
In April 2010 Buttons and
Chocolate, both 10 years-old,
were handed into the care of Cats
Protection.
Chocolate
Whilst in CP care it was noticed
that Chocolate had a cough and
some breathing problems on exertion. X-rays of his chest were
consistent with chronic airway
disease. Consequently, Chocolate
was treated with antibiotics, corticosteroids and bronchodilators
and made excellent progress. He
also did well on Terbutaline syrup
and low-dose Prednisolone and is
now stable.
After a very long stay 9 month
stay at the National Cat Adoption
Centre, they finally found their
forever home by the Sussex seaside in January of this year.
Prior to being rehomed both Buttons and Chocolate were our
Single White Feline!
One of our readers kindly
drew our attention to this
interesting video...
So for all you single girls out
there, the truth has now beenexposed!
We do believe that Buttons and
Chocolate would have found a new
home much sooner had they been
cats with no medical issues.
The two main aspects that make
rehoming cats difficult are 1) the
cat being elderly (bearing in mind
that some people regard 7 year old
cats as geriatric!!) and 2) medical
issues, such as asthma that require
either regular check-ups by a veterinarian or - 'worse' still - ongoing
medication.
Buttons
Both aspects were met in the case
of these two lovely cats but they
were lucky enough to find themselves a new home with people
who were willing to give harder-tohome cats the chance they so deserve!
Just click on the photo to view
the video!
Cat Of The Month
Our April Cat of the Month is
“Bonnie”.
Bonnie‟s story is told in the words of her
owner Mary.
“My cat Smudge was missing for 3 months
and I could not stop crying. The RSPCA
called me twice about cats they had found but
in both cases it wasn‟t Smudge. They said I
needed a cat in my life and asked me if I was
prepared to foster? I needed a cat in my life so
of course I said yes.
I got Bonnie, a beautiful 10 year old cat in
December 2007. Just three days later the
RSPCA phoned me telling me that someone
wanted to see her, but by this time I had already fallen in love with her and wanted to
keep her. Bonnie‟s previous owner had not
taken her to the vet in time and she had to
have her tail removed. She had treatment for 9
months and I had to take her for injections
every 6 weeks for a whole year. However,
she‟s now well again!
dog. I put up posters in that area and on
the 14th April someone phoned me as they
had seen a black cat - I went over there and
he was no where to be seen - I shouted
Smudge's name and but he never answered
me.
The next morning I received another call from a lady who‟d seen my poster BUT
then she saw a cat dead on the pavement.
When I went to take a look, it was
Smudge. I buried him at home in his favourite spot in my garden. It was good that
I had finally brought him home.
Stately Smudge
That is why my darling Bonnie means so
very much to me.
Playful Bonnie!
I am so pleased that she‟s appearing as the
April Cat of The Month as it was April
when I found Smudge and it'll be a tribute
to him. Mary”
Unfortunately I found Smudge dead in April.
It was awful what I went through. Smudge
had been with me for 13 years and was never
out at night, always slept on the pillow next to
me and only stayed out for a maximum of one
hour. I presumed he‟d got in someone‟s vehicle.
In April I received a call from a lady who lived
about 9 miles away from me - she had found
his collar in a field where she walked her
Bonnie in box!
Cats ‘N Needles!
If you‟ve ever tried acupuncture you‟ll have
hopefully experienced some of the positive
benefits it can bring. Here‟s a story of
feline acupuncture success told by Sally.
Tonka had his pins put in and left in for
approximately 5 minutes. We were
amazed as he settled down on my lap and
didn‟t move the whole time.
“One of our rescue Tonkinese cats, Tonka underwent a dental in October 2009, at the age of 15,
during which several teeth were removed including his 2 lower canines.
Following this he kept “mouthing” all the time as
if his mouth was causing him distress. At a further visit to the vet they concluded that, because
of the removal of his teeth, his jaw had become
unstable and needed wiring. This was done in
January 2010. Unfortunately this did not solve
the problem and he was subsequently diagnosed
with feline oro-facial pain syndrome (similar the
neuralgia in humans). We subsequently found
out that this syndrome is predominantly found in
Burmese cats and, of course, the Tonkinese is half
Burmese.
Various drugs were prescribed but because these
were human drugs used for epilepsy and Parkinson‟s disease they were either too difficult to administer (I would have trouble swallowing them!)
or too strong so that he spent all his time in a stupor.
We therefore looked at alternative therapies, particular as we have another cat that is kept well on
a homeopathic drug, and our vet suggested acupuncture. We must admit that we were sceptical
as Tonka is a highly strung cat and we could not
imagine him sitting there whilst someone stuck
pins in him but we had to try something as he was
obviously in a lot of distress.
So off we went to the acupuncturist, who is a
trained vet now specialising in homeopathic
remedies and acupuncture.
Our first visit involved a consultation for him to
detail Tonka‟s history during which Tonka was
able to walk about and become relaxed. Then
Tonka looking calm
For the first couple of months we went
back every couple of weeks and then
gradually increased the time between visits
so that we are now going approximately
every 4 to 5 weeks. Tonka continues to
accept his treatment without any problems – he is more bothered by the 30
minute car journey than the treatment.
The change in him is amazing. He still
mouths sometimes when he eats and particularly if he is stressed which he has
been lately as we recently lost his brother,
Ootai, and they had been together for 16
years. Once we think the acupuncture is
wearing off we simply make an appointment.
To be honest we don‟t think he would be
with us now but for this alternative treatment.”
Cat Behaviour Online Course
Tutored By Vicky
“Hi
I just wanted to get in touch to offer you
another opportunity to sign up for the
following cat behaviour course:
An Introduction to Tackling Feline
Behaviour Problems Online
This is a Online course, which means
that no matter where in the world you
live you can take part!
The Course is offered by the Royal
(Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The
University of Edinburgh.
This introductory course is suitable for cat
owners and anyone who works with cats on
a professional basis and it‟s written and tutored by me!
So for all of you who‟ve missed out on it so
far, you can find further information relating to the course by following the link below:
http://www.vet-cpd.co.uk/prodshow/online_cpdtackling_feline_behaviour_problems.html
I would be delighted to welcome my Ezine
readers onto the course!”
Vicky
Vicky’s Upcoming Events
Vicky will be speaking at a twoday event run by Cat
Professional, focussing on
elderly cats.
Aimed at Veterinary Surgeons
and Veterinary Nurses, the
course takes place on
Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th May at The Holiday
Inn - London Gatwick.
For further information and to
reserve your place please visit
the Cat Professional web site:
http://
www.vetprofessionals.com/
elderly-cats.html
Romney House
Cat Rescue will be
Holding an evening
for Cat Owners at
the Conservative
Club, Sevenoaks Road, Orpington,
Kent on the evening of Saturday
14th May.
Vicky and Clare will both be in attendance, and Vicky will be giving a
general talk on cat behaviour. So if
you would like to find out more
about the work of the Centre or
have the opportunity to ask Vicky
some cat behaviour questions,
please come along.
For further information please
email:
[email protected]
or you can visit their web site:
www.romneyhousecatrescue.org.uk
During April Vicky will be speaking
about geriatric cats at a special cat
symposium which forms part of „The
Animal Event‟. This is a huge event for
animal lovers and takes place at the
Beekse Bergen Safari Park,
Hilvarenbeek in the Netherlands.
This will be a great event for all animal
lovers and for those of you who buy a
ticket to the Safari Park, the entire
‘Animal Event’ is included in the price
of your ticket!
The Event takes place on the 15th,
16th and 17th April and is open from
10am to 6pm local time.
For further information, visit the event
web site at: http://www.animal-event.nl/
Tip Of The Month
Yes it‟s nearly Easter and a
time for giving and receiving ... chocolate! We know
we‟ve mentioned this to
you before, but as it‟s very
important we make no
apologies for repeating it!
Don‟t Be Tempted To Give
Your Cat Any Of Your
Easter Chocolate!
“Some cats show a keen interest in chocolate, probably due
to the fat content but don't be
vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle spasms and seizures.
tempted to allow your cat to
share any of your Easter Eggs.
Chocolate contains an alkaloid called theobromine, found
in the cacao bean. In sufficient
quantities it can cause
Theobromine is present in
higher concentrations in the
dark and bitter chocolates
(and dogs are at greater risk
than cats due to the amounts
they tend to consume) but
why take the chance?
So if your cat shows interest
in any of your chocolate this
Easter, just say NO!" Vicky
One Cat and Her Easter Bonnet!
Normally Vicky and her team
prefer to see cats „au naturel‟
and not necessarily dressed in
human clothing, unless it‟s required for some physical
condition....
To watch the video just click on the pic !
However, when the cat in question is
the one doing the dressing up we
can‟t really complain!
Here‟s Minou putting on her Easter
Bonnet....
“How we laughed...!!”
Cats In The News
Sal the Cat summoned for jury
service... and court rules he 'must
attend' (courtesy of the Mail Online)
A pet cat has been summoned for jury duty
- and has been told by courts he 'must attend'
Despite owner Anna Esposito's protestations that a mistake has been made, a jury
commissioner has ruled that Sal must attend the court.
you ask me.'
There are ten statutory disqualifications
preventing people from serving on a jury
- and Mrs Esposito said Sal was not suitable because he could not understand
the language. However, jurors are 'not
expected' to have a perfect command of
the English language.
The other exemptions did not apply because Sal was not ill, too old or a convicted felon.
She wrote that Sal was 'unable to speak
and understand English' - and included a
letter from her vet saying that the animal
was a 'domestic short-haired neutered feline'.
Bizarrely, the court ruled the animal must
report to the courtroom. If the matter is
not resolved he will have to report to Suffolk Superior Crown Court in Boston, U.S.
on March 23. Anna wrote Sal's name under
'pets' on the last census - she crossed out
'dogs' and said he was a cat. She said:
'When they ask him guilty or not guilty?
What's he supposed to say - miaow?
'Sal is a member of the family so I listed
him on the last Census form under pets
but there has clearly been a mix-up.'
Husband Guy added: 'I said, Sal, what's this?
I was shocked. He likes to sit on my knee
and watch crime shows with me but even
so he's still under qualified for jury duty if
Case closed? Sal's details were recorded when
there was a Boston state census - and he appears to have been mistakenly identified as a
human when the forms were processed.
It is thought he accidentally ended up on
the juror list when paperwork was misread at the last census.
Rehoming Stories From the Cats Protection
Introducing
Gil & Baghera,
Molly and Pussy who
are currently in the care
of the Cats Protection‟s
National Cat Adoption
Centre. Here are their
stories...
GIL & BAGHERA
“We may be two separate
cats but our hearts beat as
one because we are inseparable!
Our names are Gil (I was
told I am a „lilac shaded silver Tiffany„, 9 years old)
and Baghera (a pedigree
Bombay, 11 years old). People admire our looks and
say that we look beautiful
but because we are mature
cats we have not found a
new home yet. Admittedly,
we are not the most confident cats and tend to be a
little nervous, especially
when we meet people for
the first time. However, we
would love to find a new
caring home soon and we
would be no trouble at all.
As we are very sensitive little souls we would ideally
love to be part of a quiet
household without children
or other pets. We may find it
difficult to „sell ourselves‟ to
visitors at the Adoption Centre but perhaps someone
might take an interest in us
through this story and will
come and visit us so we have
the chance to get to know you
better? Until then - we will be
waiting for you.“
MOLLY
“Hello! Please
may I introduce myself I am Molly,10
years old and
I am feeling
lonely. I have
been looking
for someone
to take care of
me for over six months now
and I wonder if that special
someone is still out there?
My friends here say I am a
very pretty cat with lovely
markings. My previous owners
claimed I was unsuitable with
children and I was given up
for adoption. However, it
turned out that I was in pain
which caused me to be a little
irritable at times. I never
meant to be grumpy, it was
just my way of asking for help.
The vet here discovered that I
have arthritic hock joints but
she is very pleased with my
progress and I seem a lot more
comfortable now.
So please, if you feel you can
give a little girl in the prime of
her life a loving, comfortable
home come and meet me today. I
am longing to be loved again.“
PUSSY
“Pussy may be
a common
name for a cat
but I am by no
means a common cat! I am a
gentleman of
16 years who is
still very much interested in what
life has to offer.
I love meeting and greeting people
and I know that the only reason
why I have not found a home yet
is my intermittent sneezing.
When I was younger I caught the
cat ‟flu virus and the sneezing is
something that has stayed with
me. If I could make it go away I
would, I would do anything to
find a loving new home, but unfortunately people will just have to
accept that the occasional sneezing
is part of me.
If you could look past this you will
find a very friendly and affectionate cat who has so much love to
offer. I don‟t ask much, I am quite
happy to do my own thing and
have little naps during the day. I
will be as good as gold if only I
could be part of someone‟s life
again. Please do not pass me by! “
For more information on Gil &
Baghera, Molly, Pussy or any of the
cats at the National Cat Adoption Centre, please call 01825 741330 or visit
their web site www.ncac.cats.org.uk
Viewing A Pedigree Kitten
What To Look Out For ...
In our last edition we gave you an idea
of the types of questions you should be
asking a breeder before you even go to
view a pedigree kitten.
If you have received satisfactory answers to
these questions it would then be sensible to
make an appointment and view the kittens. A
further checklist can be carried out once there,
as follows:
Does the kitten have...
 Bright eyes with no discharge?
 Clean anus with no sign of diarrhoea?
 Clean ears with no evidence of dark brown
wax?
 Clean, healthy coat and no pot-belly (this
would indicate a worm burden)?
The new kitten owner also has a duty to the
breeder to be reasonable in their demands and
appreciate that, even with the best possible
start, things can go wrong where no blame can
be apportioned.
The law regarding the rights of the new owner
or the breeder in situations when the kitten is
of poor quality is difficult to establish as it is so
rarely tested. Everything that has been postulated above regarding the legality is largely
speculative. A kitten is a living, breathing creature and very different to a new car or piece of
equipment; it would never be straightforward
to establish a standard for quality control.
With this in mind the best advice is ultimately,
caveat emptor- LET THE BUYER BEWARE!
Further information can be obtained from:
www.gccfcats.org GCCF Breeding Policy – Guidelines for
Healthy Breeding.
www.fabcats.org
Inherited disorders in cats.
Reproduced in part from an article written by Vicky for „Your
Cat Magazine‟
Is the kitten...
 Alert and interactive with the environment?
 Playful with the other kittens in the litter?
 Keen to approach visitors?
 Is the environment...
 Free of a strong odour of urine?
Even then, if you are not happy about anything
you see when you arrive, be brave enough to
walk away and look elsewhere.
No breeder can ever guarantee that they will
produce the perfect kitten, physically and mentally, but they can provide a helpful and caring
response to problems should they occur.
Breed Profile
This month we‟re continuing our A-Z Breed
Profile feature with the
Balinese.
UK and the breed achieved recognition and Championship
status in 1986.
Balinese breeding stock is still
limited, so matings to Siamese
are still encouraged to widen the
gene pool.
Lifespan: The average life expectancy is about 12 years.
What The Breeders
Tell You:
GCCF breed classification:
Semi-Longhair
Country of Origin: USA.
The Balinese first appeared
in America in the 1940s-50s
when longhaired kittens
regularly appeared in Siamese litters. In 1973 a Balinese was imported into the
Physical Traits: The Balinese is
a longhaired Oriental type with
the bone structure, coat colour
and pattern of the Siamese, a
fine silky coat and bright blue
eyes.
Character Traits: Playful, talkative, inquisitive and social, to
name but a few! The Balinese is
described as quieter than the
more „reactive‟ Siamese. Breeders state that these cats need
company and if you are out at
work all day, they advise you to
acquire a cat pal for company.
What the Breeders May
Not Tell You:
Reported inherited and congenital defects: Lysosomal
storage disease (typically
causing uncoordinated walking). It is strongly suspected
that other diseases including
congenital strabismus
(squint), small intestinal adenocarcinoma (bowel tumour)
and lymphoma (cancer) are
inherited.
Undesirable Behaviour: There
are just too few Balinese
around to be evaluated. I
don‟t think I‟ve seen more
than a couple in my entire
career. As they are so closely
related to the Siamese, it is
possible they may, if they do
go wrong, follow a similar
pattern.
Thank You For Reading Our Ezine
Misty finds the ‘how
to train your owner’
section particularly
interesting!