Potresti aver sentito che i gatti hanno nove vite. Beh, forse è vero, ma una cosa è certa:il tuo gatto può avere una vita lunga e sana con le cure adeguate. Ci sono molte cose da considerare quando ti prendi cura di un gatto e le tratteremo tutte nelle seguenti sezioni:
Prima di prendere effettivamente un gatto, cerca di capire che tipo di gatto vuoi:gattino o gatto adulto; pelo lungo o pelo corto; gatto di razza o vicolo; maschio o femmina; tabby, patchato o tinta unita.
Se il tuo cuore è concentrato su una particolare taglia, età, sesso, razza o aspetto del gatto, fai una piccola ricerca in più prima di iniziare a trovarne uno. Potresti essere sorpreso di scoprire che il look che ami non si adatta bene al tuo stile di vita. Ad esempio, se ti piace una casa tranquilla, un siamese potrebbe non essere il gatto che fa per te:sono famigerati "chiacchieroni". Allo stesso modo, un persiano è stupendo da vedere, ma a meno che tu non ti impegni a fare la toelettatura quasi quotidiana (o a pagare un professionista per farlo ogni settimana circa), un bel gatto a pelo corto potrebbe essere un'idea migliore. Viaggi molto? Allora hai bisogno di un gatto più maturo, di almeno otto mesi o più. Due gatti stanno ancora meglio così possono tenersi compagnia mentre sei via.
Tutti amano i gattini. Sono carini, divertenti e coccolosi, non ci sono dubbi. Ma non commettere l'errore che sono "bambini". Quando un gattino è pronto per essere lontano da sua madre e vivere nella tua casa, può camminare, correre, saltare e arrampicarsi come l'equivalente felino di un bambino di dieci anni. Inoltre, se prendi un gattino oggi, in pochi mesi avrai un gatto adulto, un gatto che vivrà in media dai 12 ai 15 anni.
Se hai il tempo, l'ambiente e l'energia per allevare un gattino, fallo con tutti i mezzi:è un'esperienza meravigliosa. Ricorda solo che i gattini richiedono una manutenzione elevata. Richiedono molta attenzione. Hanno bisogno di cure veterinarie di routine che consistono in iniezioni di richiamo, sverminazione e sterilizzazione o castrazione. Quasi tutti i gattini giovani iniziano affettuosi e passivi, ma hanno bisogno di socializzazione e addestramento per rimanere così; e anche se non saprai come sarà la loro personalità adulta finché non cresceranno.
Infine, i bambini molto piccoli ei gattini molto piccoli di solito non si mescolano bene. È bello pensare che un bambino piccolo e un gattino di dieci settimane possano "crescere insieme", ma in realtà non è così. In sei mesi, quel gomitolo di pelo che tuo figlio potrebbe portare con te sarà cresciuto fino a diventare più di dieci chili di gatto adulto, e il tuo bambino di tre anni avrà... tre anni e mezzo!
Di certo non c'è pericolo di una carenza di gatti in questi Stati Uniti:ci sono un sacco di gatti in cui andare in giro e poi alcuni. Nella maggior parte del paese, potresti semplicemente aprire la porta di casa all'alba e probabilmente un gatto entrerebbe prima che tu finisca la colazione.
In effetti, il numero di gatti in giro ti mette un po' in imbarazzo. Come si sceglie quello giusto? Sarà salutare? Che dire di problemi di salute o di comportamento nascosti? Cosa succede al gatto se le cose non funzionano a casa tua?
Prendere un gatto non è come prendere un tosaerba o un asciugacapelli; non vengono con garanzie. Ognuno sarà diverso, il che significa gioie e problemi unici con ogni gatto. Tuttavia, le fonti per i gatti dovrebbero aiutarti a prendere una decisione. Sebbene la fonte non possa promettere che il gatto non si ammalerà mai, può adottare misure per dare al gatto le migliori possibilità possibili di stare bene. Buone fonti per trovare il gatto giusto per te includono:
Amici e vicini di casa. Le probabilità sono che qualcuno che conosci abbia un gatto o dei gattini che hanno bisogno di una casa. Molte volte, prendere un gatto da un vicino o da un amico funziona meglio per tutti, specialmente se si tratta di un gattino della lettiera del tuo vicino o dell'animale domestico di un amico allergico. La tua relazione personale con questa fonte di solito significa che avrai anche la storia diretta su questo particolare gatto. Un paio di avvertimenti su come prendere il tuo gatto da un amico o da un vicino, però:non aspettarti che il gatto riceva le cure veterinarie estese che ha un gatto di un rifugio o di un allevatore e fai attenzione a mescolare affari e amicizia.
Rifugi per animali. Milioni di gatti senzatetto finiscono per subire l'eutanasia nei rifugi per animali ogni anno. L'adozione da un rifugio salva una vita, fa spazio a un altro gatto ed è un modo economico per ottenere un animale domestico con iniezioni e sterilizzazione a basso costo. Preparati a passare attraverso domande e interviste, alcune delle quali potrebbero sembrare un po' troppo personali e invadenti. Non prenderla sul personale:hanno buone ragioni per farlo. Inoltre, assicurati di controllare le strutture e le condizioni degli animali domestici adottabili. Poiché gli animali vivono in stretta compagnia, malattie, vermi e pulci possono essere un problema. Pet Finders (www.petfinder.org) mantiene un database di gatti disponibili per l'adozione dai rifugi locali.
Allevatori. Se vuoi un gatto di razza, questa è la strada da percorrere. I buoni allevatori sono estremamente ben informati sui gatti in generale e sulla loro razza in particolare e sono attenti a chi vendono i loro gatti. Fai attenzione ai purosangue "a buon mercato" e agli "allevatori di seminterrati" (persone che allevano rigorosamente a scopo di lucro). Un allevatore rispettabile è interessato a mantenere un animale di alta qualità, tiene registri accurati e di solito produce solo una o due cucciolate per femmina riproduttrice all'anno. Richiedi un rinvio allevatore da associazioni nazionali di razza come la Cat Fanciers' Association (www.cfa.org).
Gatti randagi. A volte non devi nemmeno preoccuparti di trovare il gatto giusto, il gatto giusto trova te. Molte persone giurano che questi sono i gatti migliori da avere. Non ci sono colloqui di adozione o tasse quando prendi un randagio e molto probabilmente stai salvando una vita. D'altra parte, dovrai coprire il costo di iniezioni, sverminazione, sterilizzazione e simili. Molti randagi hanno altri problemi di salute che potrebbero non manifestarsi immediatamente e possono diventare costosi da curare. A volte le società umane locali aiutano con le cure veterinarie iniziali, oppure un ospedale per animali della zona può offrire tariffe ridotte per il trattamento di un gatto trovatello, ma non ci contare.
Un'altra decisione importante che devi prendere quando scegli un gatto è se avrai o meno un gatto da interno o un gatto da esterno. Scopri le ramificazioni di ciascuna decisione nella sezione successiva.
Forse niente è così pietoso come il lamento di un gatto che vuole stare dall'altra parte di una porta. Quando è la porta d'ingresso, molti di noi pensano che i nostri gatti non saranno veramente felici a meno che non escano all'aperto. Ma, ancora una volta, la maggior parte dei gatti fa lo stesso tipo di baccano quando vuole entrare (o, se è per questo, quando vuole passare da qualsiasi porta). I gatti vogliono davvero uscire? Ne hanno bisogno? E anche se la risposta a entrambe le domande è "sì", è davvero nel loro migliore interesse?
I gatti hanno bisogno di uscire come i cani?
Il motivo principale per cui i cani vengono portati a spasso è l'eliminazione, seguita da vicino dall'esercizio. Solo i cani più piccoli possono correre abbastanza in casa. I cani sono cacciatori di branchi, il che significa che lavorano in modo cooperativo per gestire la loro preda fino all'esaurimento. Ciò può richiedere tutto il giorno, il che significa che i cani hanno un istinto naturale di correre... e correre... e correre. Hai bisogno di molto spazio aperto per quel tipo di lavoro. I gatti, d'altra parte, sono "cacciatori di imboscate". Si basano su raffiche relativamente brevi di corsa molto veloce. Un corridoio di qualsiasi lunghezza decente offre molto spazio per questo. Questo, combinato con l'istinto di seppellire i rifiuti (motivo per cui i gatti useranno una lettiera) non rappresenta un motivo urgente per portare un gatto all'aperto.
Naturalmente, l'aria fresca e il sole fanno bene a chiunque:umano o gatto. Ma la vita all'aria aperta è davvero più "naturale" per il tuo gatto? Certo, i suoi antenati selvaggi vivevano all'aperto. Ma questo è stato qualche migliaio di anni e diverse centinaia di generazioni fa. Per finire, quegli antenati vivevano nelle regioni aride del Medioriente, ben lontane dal clima e dai dintorni degli Stati Uniti di oggi. Una volta addomesticati i gatti, hanno smesso di essere completamente "naturali"; una volta sradicati dal loro habitat originale, hanno dovuto fare del loro meglio per adattare gli istinti affinati in decine di migliaia di anni di vita nei deserti del Medio Oriente alle loro nuove circostanze. Alcune di queste circostanze -- il freddo pungente di un inverno del Midwest, cani e animali selvatici che li trasformeranno da cacciatori a preda, e auto e camion in corsa, solo per citarne alcuni -- non possono mai davvero adattarsi.
Cosa aspetta il tuo gatto appena fuori dalla porta di casa? Sì, ci sono alberi ed erba e tutti i panorami, i suoni, gli odori e le gioie della natura:cose buone da assaporare per tutti noi. Ma ci sono anche animali feroci, persone crudeli, agenti del traffico, malattie e agenti di controllo degli animali (che potrebbero avere il diritto legale di afferrare e sequestrare il tuo gatto, se esce dalla tua proprietà). L'unico modo affidabile per proteggere il tuo gatto da tutti questi pericoli mortali è tenerlo in casa.
A dire il vero, i gatti di campagna non sono necessariamente più sicuri all'aperto rispetto ai gatti di città. Certo, ci sono molte più possibilità di essere investito da un'auto o sbranato da un cane randagio in città. Ma fuori nel paese, abbiamo alcuni predatori che corrono più grandi, più veloci e più scaltri di un cane selvatico di città. Abbiamo anche meno luce sulle strade, rendendo i randagi più difficili da vedere e più facili da colpire e di solito più tipi di insetti portatori di malattie, come le zecche.
Tutta una serie di malattie feline gravi e mortali hanno bisogno del contatto con gatti infetti - o aree in cui i gatti infetti si trovano spesso - per diffondersi. Il virus dell'immunodeficienza felina (FIV), che provoca una rottura del sistema immunitario del gatto che combatte la malattia, viene trasmesso principalmente dai morsi di gatti infetti. E il virus della leucemia felina (FeLV) richiede generalmente uno stretto contatto prolungato con un gatto infetto, come condividere lettiere o ciotole per cibo e acqua, o toelettatura reciproca. Di volta in volta, i rischi per la malattia sono minori o trascurabili per i gatti indoor, significativamente più alti per i gatti outdoor o indoor/outdoor. I proprietari di gatti, in particolare quelli con bambini piccoli, dovrebbero essere particolarmente consapevoli del fatto che i gatti all'aperto hanno maggiori probabilità di contrarre malattie e parassiti che possono colpire gli esseri umani, da piccoli fastidi come le pulci a malattie più gravi come la malattia delle zecche di Lyme a condizioni estremamente pericolose come rabbia.
Solo perché è più sicuro per il tuo gatto vivere in casa e non vagare liberamente non significa che non potrà mai vedere la luce del giorno se non attraverso la finestra. Un guinzaglio e un'imbracatura (non un collare) sono un modo abbastanza sicuro sia per te che per il tuo gatto per prendere un po' d'aria fresca e prendere il sole. Camminare al guinzaglio è un gusto acquisito che alcuni gatti non acquisiranno mai, però. L'esperienza regolare fin dall'infanzia aiuta e alcuni gatti addestrati al guinzaglio richiederanno persino una passeggiata. Naturalmente, un gatto al guinzaglio è ancora a rischio di raccogliere le pulci e di incontrare cani e gatti scatenati nel vicinato.
Costruire una corsa per gatti in realtà non è così difficile come sembra. Le piste devono essere chiuse su tutti i lati (compresa la parte superiore) e solidamente ancorate e costruite. Gli schermi dovrebbero essere il tipo più pesante di rete per esterni e le pareti dovrebbero estendersi di qualche centimetro sotto il suolo per impedire ai gatti di scavare per uscire o ad altri animali di scavare la loro strada. Se la pista non è costruita attaccata alla tua casa con una porticina per animali domestici o un'altra porta che conduce all'interno, assicurati che includa una sorta di rifugio riscaldato e impermeabile in cui il tuo gatto possa ritirarsi in caso di maltempo.
È particolarmente importante che una pista o un altro recinto esterno abbia un tetto. I gatti sono fantastici arrampicatori e saltatori, e anche un muro da otto a dieci piedi potrebbe non trattenerli, specialmente se ci sono schermi a cui agganciarsi. Il tetto e le pareti della pista forniscono anche un altro tipo di sicurezza:tengono fuori altre cose. Le aperture nel tetto o nelle pareti consentono ad animali, persone e cose ostili o pericolosi di entrare in un'area dalla quale il tuo gatto potrebbe non essere in grado di scappare.
I gatti vagabondi entrano in lite rumorose a tarda notte con altri gatti, masticano o dissotterrano le piante dei vicini, uccidono uccelli locali (ma possono anche aiutare a controllare la popolazione locale di roditori) e seppelliscono i loro rifiuti nei giardini di altre persone. Mentre alcune persone - e alcuni proprietari di gatti - vedono questi come piccoli fastidi, molte altre persone li vedono come problemi molto più seri. Se il tuo gatto litiga, potrebbe fare di più che svegliare i vicini a causa degli ululati e delle urla. I graffi superficiali che potresti vedere sul suo viso o sulla sua schiena non sono poi così male. Ma potrebbe anche avere ferite da morso che si richiudono rapidamente, sigillando sporco e germi e creando un doloroso ascesso diversi giorni dopo. Anche i morsi durante i combattimenti sembrano essere il modo principale per diffondere il virus dell'immunodeficienza felina. I gatti inalterati che vagano liberi contribuiscono anche alla sovrappopolazione degli animali domestici, un problema che riempie i rifugi per animali al massimo e oltre, con il risultato che milioni di cani e gatti vengono "addormentati" ogni anno.
Ora che hai scelto il gatto perfetto per te, è tempo di imparare a prenderti cura di lui. Inizieremo nella prossima sezione con i suggerimenti per nutrire il tuo gatto.
"Sei quello che mangi" è un solido pezzo di buon senso che è vero tanto per il tuo gatto quanto lo è per te. Dai al tuo gatto una dieta di qualità e avrai maggiori probabilità di avere un gatto sano.
L'industria degli alimenti per animali domestici è un grande affare, e con buone ragioni. Ci sono oltre 100 milioni di cani e gatti che vivono nelle case americane, più chissà quanti altri in rifugi, allevamenti e canili in tutto il paese. Per finire, hai migliaia di persone che danno da mangiare ai randagi. Se pensi che un singolo gatto possa consumare circa 90 libbre o più di cibo per gatti in un anno, stiamo parlando di centinaia di milioni di dollari spesi ogni anno solo per nutrire il gattino.
Proprio come il cibo umano, ci sono alcune gustose prelibatezze feline che fanno bene ai gatti e alcune cose che sono fondamentalmente cibo spazzatura. Uno spuntino occasionale di cose non così salutari non dovrebbe causare danni permanenti ma non renderlo una parte regolare della dieta del tuo gatto.
Gli antenati selvaggi del gatto domestico moderno erano cacciatori, un istinto che il tuo gatto ha ancora. Sia che Tabby ti porti regali di uccelli e topi scomparsi o che salti su un pezzo di lanugine, sta esprimendo una potente spinta naturale a inseguire e uccidere la preda. Se dubiti che il tuo gatto sia un mangiatore di carne naturale (e predatore), dai un'occhiata ai suoi denti la prossima volta che sbadiglia. Quelle zanne non sono progettate per mangiare germogli di erba medica.
Il fatto è che il tuo gatto è così carnivoro che non può sopravvivere come vegetariano. Ci sono alcuni nutrienti che si trovano solo nelle proteine animali di cui il tuo gatto ha bisogno. Uno di questi nutrienti è un aminoacido chiamato taurina. Senza taurina, i gatti possono diventare ciechi e sviluppare cuori ingrossati, che probabilmente cederanno loro molto prima del tempo. E a differenza dei cani, i gatti richiedono una fonte alimentare di vitamina A e un acido grasso chiamato acido arachidonico che si trova solo nei tessuti animali. Ecco perché non dovresti mai dare cibo per cani al tuo gatto. Il cibo per cani non ha abbastanza dei giusti tipi di nutrienti per i gatti. A una sterlina potrebbe essere più economico dare cibo per cani al tuo gatto, ma potrebbe costare al tuo gatto la salute, la vista o persino la vita.
Naturalmente, ciò non significa che dovresti nutrire il tuo gatto con carne cruda o lasciarlo dipendere dalla caccia come unica fonte di cibo. Sono passati centinaia di anni da quando i gatti vivevano allo stato brado, quindi le loro abilità di caccia sono più che arrugginite. Inoltre, i gatti che cacciano o mangiano carne cruda o poco cotta possono contrarre diversi tipi di malattie, comprese alcune che potrebbero essere trasmesse a te.
Se è verde e cresce da terra, è probabile che qualche gatto proverà a mangiarlo. Questa stranezza vegetariana nella personalità del gatto carnivoro è particolarmente preoccupante se le piante in questione sono le tue preziose piante d'appartamento o, peggio, se sono velenose per il tuo gatto.
Molti proprietari di gatti considerano il consumo di piante un problema comportamentale, ed è se il gatto mangia piante non vuoi che lo faccia. Alcune persone presumono che un gatto che mangia le piante non abbia abbastanza dei giusti tipi di cibo nella sua dieta. Hanno anche ragione, ma solo nel senso che ciò di cui il gatto ha più bisogno nella sua dieta sono... le piante.
Gli esperti hanno alcune idee sul perché i gatti mangiano le piante. Potrebbe essere per ottenere alcuni nutrienti in tracce, per aiutare con la digestione o come emetico per aiutare a far crescere i capelli ingeriti e altri articoli non alimentari. Qualunque sia la ragione, mangiare la vegetazione è un comportamento istintivo nei gatti; non puoi fermarlo. Quindi la cosa migliore da fare è puntare il comportamento in una direzione con cui potete convivere entrambi.
Pianta un "giardino per gatti". Puoi trovare kit già pronti nei negozi di animali e nei cataloghi, ma una scelta più economica è farlo da solo. Se sei a portata di mano, potresti costruire un contenitore elegante in legno o puoi semplicemente usare qualcosa a portata di mano. Qualunque cosa tu faccia, assicurati di piantare il tuo orto in un contenitore che non si ribalti o si muova facilmente. Tutto ciò di cui hai bisogno sono solo un paio di centimetri di buon terriccio e alcuni semi. L'erba d'avena o l'erba gatta sono buone scelte. Potresti voler tenere il giardino fuori dalla portata dei tuoi gatti mentre il tuo "raccolto" sta arrivando, ma una volta che i verdi sono alti pochi centimetri, sistemalo e lascia che Tabby sgranocchi a piacimento.
Porta le tue piante fuori dalla portata. I gatti sono arrampicatori e saltatori incredibilmente bravi, quindi mettere le piante d'appartamento su supporti o scaffali probabilmente non aiuterà molto. Mensole del camino, davanzali e simili sono facili piattaforme di atterraggio per acrobati felini. Appendi le piante al soffitto, mettile dietro barriere a prova di gatto (ad esempio su una veranda chiusa da porte di vetro) o posizionale in luoghi in cui il tuo gatto non può assolutamente saltare, arrampicarsi o gattonare.
Proteggi le tue piante. Se non riesci a tenere le tue piante fuori dalla portata del gattino, prova a formare uno scudo protettivo attorno alle tue piante. Posizionare filo di pollo, pennarelli per piante o persino naftalina nel terreno intorno alla pianta può salvaguardarla da zampe indiscrete, ma queste barriere non sono così belle da vedere. Prova ad aggiungere del muschio spagnolo intorno alla base della tua pianta per tenere lontano il tuo gatto. A volte, spruzzare amari sulle foglie scoraggerà un gatto dal masticare. Altre volte, invece, mettere una sostanza dal sapore sgradevole su una pianta fa più danni alla pianta che ai denti del gatto.
Un gatto ben nutrito non ha bisogno di fare uno spuntino tra i pasti più di te. Spuntini troppo frequenti avranno sul tuo gatto lo stesso effetto che può avere su di te:aumento di peso malsano e una dieta squilibrata.
Certo, è difficile resistere alla tentazione di fare un regalo al tuo amico felino di tanto in tanto -- ed è perfettamente giusto cedere a quella tentazione, supponendo che ci sia un periodo di tempo abbastanza lungo tra ora e allora. Quanto tempo dipende dal tuo gatto e dal tipo di bocconcini che le dai. Se il tuo gatto sta ancora mangiando la quantità raccomandata di cibo per gatti di qualità ogni giorno e non è in sovrappeso, probabilmente non le stai dando troppe prelibatezze. Se, d'altra parte, il tuo gatto sta mangiando snack gustosi ma non così nutrienti e sta diventando più grassoccio o storce il naso a cena, è ora di cambiare strategia.
Le prelibatezze per gatti acquistate in negozio tendono a non essere ricche di una buona alimentazione. Il loro scopo principale è lo stesso delle prelibatezze umane:avere un buon sapore - davvero buono - e questo è tutto. "Gourmet" cat snacks usually have fewer artificial colors and fillers in them but still aren't meant to be fed as a regular part of Tabby's diet. The good thing about "gourmet" treats is the cost:They're usually so expensive that cat owners won't overfeed them to their cats!
A question vets hear all the time is, "Can I feed my cat people food?" There's very little that people eat that cats shouldn't (or won't), so that's not really so much of a problem. (Cat owners should be careful about feeding dairy products to their pets. Although cats love dairy products, many don't digest them well and may get sick.) The question once again is nutritional balance. Just like with home cooking, feeding your cat leftovers or using people food for snacks may not be providing her with the right nutrients in the right amounts.
Still, people food might provide some of the healthiest snacks for cats. If you give your cat some scrambled eggs or a couple of pieces of pasta, at least you know what's in it. And you might be surprised what your cat will eat. Cat owners report their pets begging for predictable tidbits such as fish and chicken as well as unexpected ones, including tomatoes and cantaloupe.
Your cat needs about an ounce of water per pound of body weight every day. That doesn't sound like much, but it adds up:An average-size cat would need two quarts of water every week.
Of course, cats get water by drinking. But there's another important source of water for your cat:the food she eats. The more water there is in her food, the less she needs to drink. Canned cat food is more expensive because you're buying water along with the food (up to 75 percent of wet cat food is water) and paying a little more for the container. Dry cat food has much less water (perhaps 10 percent by weight), which means a cat whose diet consists of only dry food has to drink a lot more.
Dehydration (not enough water in the body) is a serious problem for any living creature, and cats are especially prone to it. A cat can go without food for days, losing up to 40 percent of her body weight, and still survive. But a loss of body water of only 10 to 15 percent can kill her. Other liquids -- like milk, if it doesn't make your cat sick -- are a good source of water, but nothing beats the real thing. Be sure your cat has plenty of clean, fresh water available at all times.
We will conclude our examination of cat food with a discussion of store-bought cat food vs. homemade cat foods in the next section.
The best thing about a home-cooked meal is you're the one who gets to decide what's in it. If you're a steak-and-potatoes type, then you'll broil up a nice lean Porterhouse and a batch of new reds. On the other hand, if you go for a green salad, you can pick your dinner fresh from the garden. Trying to cut down on cholesterol and salt? When you're the cook, you make the call.
Unless you are a nutritionist or dietitian, however, you should let the experts -- the major pet food manufacturers -- prepare the major portion of kitty's diet. Working out the right amounts and balance of foods is a difficult task. Most food can get lumped into one or more of three categories of nutrition:protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Different kinds of animals (including people) need different proportions of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in their diets. (That's another reason why dog food isn't good for cats -- dogs and cats need different percentages of fat and protein to stay healthy.) What's more, those needs change during an animal's life. A kitten has different nutritional needs than an adult cat, and they both have different needs than an old codger cat. Most pet food companies have special formulas for different levels of age and activity, and there's a whole line of prescription diets for cats with various health problems.
We've all seen a cat come running at the sound of a can opener -- there's no doubt that kitty loves getting canned food. But is canned food better for cats than dry food? Non necessariamente. Each type of food has its advantages and disadvantages. The most important factor is whether the food meets your cat's nutritional needs. Of course, your budget and your cat's preference also play a role in which type of food you should choose. Store-bought cat food comes in three general forms:
Each of these types of foods has its strong points and weak points. For instance, dry food is convenient, economical, and can be left out all day. On the other hand, the way some dry foods are formulated seems to encourage the formation of bladder stones. The rich aromas of canned food will tempt even the most finicky eater, but the crunchiness of dry food helps prevent dental plaque. Semimoist combines the convenience of dry food with the tastiness of canned food but may contain the most nonfood fillers and dyes.All brand-name cat food covers the basic nutritional needs of your average cat. But if you're worried about the overall quality of the boxes, bags, and cans of feline food in the pet supplies aisle of your local market, you might want to consider one of the premium-brand foods, usually found only in pet stores or through veterinarians. Feeding your cat store-bought food ensures that she is getting the nutrients she needs. At the same time, a home-cooked supplement to your cat's regular diet is okay if you make sure the foods you select are appropriate for cats. There's nothing wrong with getting the most out of a whole fryer by cooking up the gizzards for the cat, unless they become the major part of Tabby's diet. You see, organ meats (kidney, stomach, and even liver) are all right for your cat in moderation, but they've been linked to health problems if your cat eats too much of them. Likewise, every cat on the planet loves milk and cheese, but most cats have trouble digesting them well.In the next section, we will cover another very important aspect of cat ownership -- grooming.
What's In Cat Food?Careful consumers are label readers -- and that's a good place to start in figuring out just what you're feeding your cat when you buy cat food.Many pet owners compare the nutrition information on different brands of pet food and notice that a less-expensive brand has the same nutrients as a premium cat food. What that really means is that those two foods match up in the laboratory. For example, old shoe leather might rate as high as lean chicken breasts in protein content; of course, you and your cat would both rather eat chicken. So, what you need to know is how the various nutrients match up in your cat.You see, it's not how much of a particular nutrient there is in a can of cat food that matters but how much your cat's digestive system can take up. Cheap foods are usually made from cheap ingredients, which your cat may not digest well. Just because your cat gobbles it up and yowls for more doesn't mean a food is good for her. (Think about kids and junk food.)
The moral of the story is brand-name and specialty pet foods are made by companies that do a lot of research into pet nutrition. They're always improving their foods to keep pace with the latest information, and they use quality ingredients that have nutrients your cat can use. It may cost a little more, but it's worth it.
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Ever wonder why some cats always look sleek and beautiful and others look like...well, like something the cat dragged in? While it's true that some cats (like some people) are just born with "good hair," a lot of it has to do with grooming. Now, cats are fastidious critters. They tend to take care of themselves pretty well, always licking their fur to keep it clean and in its proper place. But any cat can go from Fluffy to Scruffy without a little help from her human pals.
The magnificent coat of a champion Persian is truly a work of art. But you'd better believe that it took hours of regular grooming to get it -- and keep it -- that way. It's common sense that the more hair there is to take care of, the more work that goes into it. The fluffier the cat's hair, the more likely it is to form mats, too. These thick tangles of hair can be painful and even tear a cat's skin if the mats get bad enough. Mats get embarrassing for a cat, too, since the only way to get rid of really bad ones is to shave them off. Nothing looks more uncomfortable than a cat who has been shaved.
It's not that shorthair cats don't need regular grooming or never get mats -- they do. It's just that their shorter, coarser outer coat requires lower maintenance than a long, silky coat. A shorthair cat who's diligent about her own grooming routine can do a lot to make up for an owner who's a little lazy with the brush and comb. But regular grooming is still a must for both longhair and shorthair cats.
Cats use their tongue and teeth for grooming. Every time Tabby goes into her contortionist bathing routine, she's swallowing hair. The more hair she has (and the more grooming she does), the more hair she swallows. Hair doesn't digest and can clump up in a cat's stomach and intestines to form hairballs. The least dangerous, but still rather unpleasant, side effect of hairballs is your cat coughing them up -- quite often at times or in places you'd much rather she didn't. On a more serious note, a lot of swallowed hair can actually block your cat's intestines, calling for an operation to save her life. The bottom line, as they say in the city, is to invest a few dollars in a brush and comb -- and use them.
Because longhair cats need regular grooming (with daily grooming really being the best), you might want to consult your budget before answering this question. But even if you have the means to bring your longhair cat to a professional groomer weekly, you should still have grooming tools on hand at home -- and know how to use them. You never know when your cat might get into something that needs to be combed out right away or when she might need a touch-up between trips to the groomer.
The main advantages of a professional groomer are training, skill, and experience. A good groomer can get your cat's coat looking spiffy quickly and humanely, with a minimum amount of trauma. Really bad mats and tangles can be dealt with at home, but if you've never done that sort of thing before, you run the risk of injuring your cat -- an injury that will probably need veterinary attention. Such grooming problems are probably best left to the professionals, too.
Even folks who learn to wield a slicker brush and metal comb with a good amount of expertise will turn to a professional groomer from time to time. It could be for a bad mat or tangle, during a particularly heavy period of shedding, or just to get the full treatment so that Tabby looks her best.
Every cat owner needs some grooming supplies. A metal comb is the most essential basic grooming tool. Sturdy stainless-steel combs with wide-set, round teeth are widely available and reasonably priced. A slicker brush has bristles that look like dozens of tiny bent nails. They resemble the rasps on a cat's tongue and serve the same purpose in grooming. Most cats enjoy the sensation of the slicker brush and the metal comb -- unless, of course, you hit a tangle or mat.
You may also want to invest in a flea comb, particularly if you let your cat outdoors, live in a year-round flea climate (like southern Florida or Louisiana), or have other pets who go outdoors. Flea combs look like metal combs but with very fine teeth set close together. Flea combs can be used for regular grooming, as a "touch-up" after the slicker brush or metal comb. Grooming mitts fit over your whole hand and let you work a larger surface while petting your cat.
Here are a few tips for home grooming:
Make it fun. Most cats love being stroked and enjoy the feeling of light grooming. It's good social behavior -- cats who get along well will blissfully groom each other for long periods of time. When it's time to do some grooming, approach your cat in a friendly way, and intersperse the grooming strokes with some regular petting.
Use restraint. It's okay to restrain your cat (gently!) as long as she doesn't start to panic, but be sure to restrain yourself, too. Don't try to force your cat to sit still or stay in an awkward or uncomfortable position for too long. And be careful not to get too exuberant in your grooming strokes. Think about how much you don't like having your hair pulled, then imagine what it's like to have hair getting pulled all over your body.
Know when to quit. You may not be able to groom your cat completely in one session. Va bene. If you get her back and tail, and then she starts to fight you, give up and try finishing in a day or two. It's better to have a half-dozen five-minute grooming sessions spread out over a week and a happy cat than one 25-minute battle and a cat who runs and hides at the sight of the brush.
Get professional help. If your cat has a bad mat or tangle -- or gets something nasty on her fur -- put a call in to your veterinarian or professional groomer. If your cat just doesn't seem to be cooperating with home grooming, schedule an appointment with a professional. While you're there, ask for some tips and a demonstration of basic techniques. Groomers are usually happy to do this for clients; there's nothing more annoying for a groomer than having to constantly shave out and untangle bad mats. The cat suffers, and the groomer is more likely to get bitten or scratched.
Grooming is only part of the story, however. In the next section, we will look at some tips for bathing your cat.
How to Clip Your Cat's NailsYou can invest in specialized cat nail clippers if you'd like, but ordinary human nail clippers will work just as well. Restrain the cat with a gentle football hold. Gently squeeze the cat's toe between your thumb and forefinger, extending the nail. Gently clip off the sharp tip, being careful to stay in the clear portion toward the end of the nail (you should be able to see the reddish "quick" through the nail; don't cut this far or you'll cause discomfort and bleeding). Repeat with each toe.
No cat enjoys having her nails trimmed, but if you start them as kittens it will be easier when they're adults. Also be sure to play with your cat's paws and toes for fun sometimes, too; otherwise she'll always know you're going to cut her nails the minute you take hold of her paw.
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Except for removing a mat or performing a medical procedure, there is almost no other reason to shave a cat's hair. Cats are built to have a full coat of hair -- taking it away can throw off regulation of their body temperature and expose the usually protected skin underneath. Trimming a longhair cat's coat for appearances and to prevent tangles is fine, but it should be done by a professional groomer.
It's usually not necessary to bathe a cat, either, since they do so well keeping themselves clean. Sometimes, though, a bath is called for to treat or control fleas, to clean up an adventurous feline explorer, to treat a skin condition, or to remove a noxious or dangerous mess from your cat's fur. The squeamish, the inexperienced, and the uncertain should probably let a veterinarian or groomer take care of these mandatory baths. For those who want to try it at home, here are several bath basics.
Be prepared. Lay out your bathing supplies ahead of time. You'll need a good pet shampoo (get medicated shampoos for fleas or skin conditions from your vet, not over-the-counter); a large fluffy towel; a brush and comb; and either a handheld shower head or plastic tumbler for wetting and rinsing. It's a good idea to comb out your cat's hair before bathing, if possible, especially for longhairs. If you know how, now is the time to trim your cat's nails. (Note:You can protect your cat's eyes during a bath with a neutral ophthalmic ointment available from your veterinarian.)
Ready your bathing stations. Use a large sink with a dish sprayer attachment or the bathtub. Start the water before you put the cat in, and make sure it's not too hot or too cold. A comfortable temperature for your hands should work fine. You're going to get wet, splattered with suds, and possibly jumped on by an upset, sopping cat, so dress appropriately in clothes that can get soiled yet protect you from scratches.
Before you add the cat. Bathing a cat is often a two-person job -- one to restrain and one to bathe -- but you can do it yourself. Either way, practice restraint techniques on dry land before the bath. With one hand, grasp your cat firmly but gently at the base of the neck or on the scruff, pressing down slightly. See how well you can reach the various parts of your cat's body with the other hand. Figure out when and how you'll have to change grips during the bath. Get your bathing routine down step-by-step before the cat is in the tub or sink; otherwise, Tabby will be able to make a break for it in your moment of hesitation or confusion.
Start the suds. Wet down your cat, starting from the head and working your way to the tail. Apply the shampoo the same way, lather, and rinse thoroughly. (Read the label directions on medicated shampoos carefully. Some require 5 to 15 minutes before rinsing in order to be effective.) Thorough rinsing is important. Leftover soap residue can irritate your cat's skin or be swallowed when your cat licks her fur. Rinsing also gets rid of fleas and other parasites that are immobilized -- but not killed -- by the bath.
Drying a cat. Gently squeeze excess water out of your cat's fur, wrap her up in a large fluffy towel, and dry her off. If she'll stand for it, you can comb out any tangles right away; otherwise, wait until she's dried off and settled down. If you're lucky, your cat may tolerate the sound and feel of a blow dryer. Don't count on it, though -- many cats are terrified by them. This is not something to discover right after a bath. See how your cat reacts to the blow dryer on a non-bath day. If she's scared witless, stick with a towel. You might be able to gradually get her used to the sound and feel (especially if you begin regular baths in kittenhood) -- and then again, you might not!
A large part of keeping your cat healthy is removing potential dangers from your cat's environment. On the next page, we will show you how to cat-proof your home.
We all know to keep dangerous substances away from children, and it's important to remember that we should be even more careful with cats. We all know the old saying about what curiosity did to the cat. Because they are smaller, more mobile, and have more sensitive noses than children, cats are more likely to investigate, getting into things that can be dangerous. To prevent your cat's curiosity from becoming fatal, there are a few household dangers to look out for.
Drapery, blind, and electrical cords. To your cat's eye, the dangling end of a drapery or blind cord is an open invitation to play -- and possibly to disaster. Even just crawling between drapes or blinds and the window (an all-time favorite feline pastime) can land Tabby in a tangle. Cats who get caught in the loops of pull-cords panic. At the very least, the blinds or drapery rod will come down with a crash. At worst, a cat can strangle, do fatal internal damage, or actually get so worked up that his heart gives out. For maximum safety, tie or wrap all window cords well out of feline reach.
Electrical and telephone cords pose something of a tangling threat but more often are dangerous on account of chewing. It might be the taste or texture of the plastic coating, but for some reason, a lot of cats can't resist nibbling. There's not much direct danger in chewing phone cords (except when you try to make a call on a line that's been put out of commission by your cat) since there's very little current running through them.
Electrical cords are another story altogether, of course. Wherever possible, run the cords under rugs and carpets or behind furniture that sits flush to the floor and wall. If a cord has to be run where a cat can reach it, buy some inexpensive plastic conduit, which is available at most hardware and building supply stores. For a larger investment, you can get flat strips of heavy-duty vinyl that not only protect the electrical cords, but also keep the cords flush to the floor to prevent tripping.
Occasionally, a very determined cat will make his way through all the physical barriers. Treating the cords with a bad-tasting substance like bitter apple might do the trick. A little behavior modification, using positive reinforcement, will help, too.
Cleaning fluids, antifreeze, and other poisons. We don't just buy cleaners to get our house clean; we want it disinfected and smelling nice, too. Unfortunately, some of the very products we buy to sanitize and deodorize pet areas are outright dangerous for your cat.
Pine-based cleaners and those containing phenol (the most popular being Lysol disinfectant) are particularly toxic to cats and shouldn't be used on food bowls or in pet areas, sleeping quarters, or litter boxes. Of course, any cleaning compound can be poisonous if taken internally, so keep everything secured in a locking cabinet. (A simple spring latch won't keep a determinedly curious cat out.)
Ethylene glycol is the stuff that makes antifreeze work. It just so happens that it also smells and tastes very sweet. A significant number of cats and dogs -- and even small children -- suffer from ethylene glycol poisoning every winter. Because it's present in large amounts in almost every home and is often very fatal if swallowed, antifreeze and other products containing ethylene glycol should be considered dangerous and never left where pets or children can get to them.
Cats who go outdoors run the added risk of lapping up antifreeze spills and drips, an especially tempting thing for a thirsty cat to do since those puddles of tasty liquid don't freeze on cold days. You can protect your own cat (and other outdoor cats and strays) by immediately cleaning up and washing down any of your own spills or drips, or you can purchase one of the new nontoxic brands of antifreeze that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. It's important to also keep in mind that once your cat leaves your property, there's no guarantee that everyone else in the area is going to be equally careful.
In general, anything that's toxic to you will be poisonous to your cat as well. The rule of thumb is:If you'd keep it out of reach of a child, keep it out of reach of your cat.
Poisonous plants. A cat chewing on your houseplants is more than an annoyance, it can be dangerous or even fatal to the cat.
Technically, any plant that makes your cat sick when eaten is a "poisonous" plant. (Nearly all cats will eat grass or plants to purge themselves, however, so vomiting alone may not be a reliable sign of poisoning.) Still, some plants have particularly serious effects. The list of potentially poisonous plants includes:apricot (pits), azalea, buttercup, caladium, calla lily, castorbean, cherry (twigs, leaves, bark, fruit, and stones), chrysanthemums, crocus, daffodil (bulbs), daphne (berries), holly, hydrangea, iris (leaves, roots, and fleshy parts), ivy, lily of the valley (leaves, flowers, roots), mistletoe (especially the berries), mushrooms, narcissus (bulbs), oak (acorns, young shoots, and leaves), oleander, peach (pits), philodendron, poison ivy, potatoes ("eyes" and sprouts from the eyes; the edible part of the potato is safe), privet, rhubarb (leaves), rosary pea (shiny red and black seeds), star of Bethlehem (bulb), string-of-pearls, sumac, and sweet pea (seeds and pods).
Dieffenbachia is a fairly common houseplant that also goes by the name of "dumb cane." The dumb cane is aptly named. Chewing dieffenbachia can actually paralyze your cat's mouth, making it impossible for him to eat and drink. The name "dumb cane" comes from the most noticeable effect of this paralysis on people:They can't talk.
Poinsettias (Christmas flowers) belong to the nightshade family -- flowers notorious in fact and literature for their deadly properties. A study a few years back seemed to show that poinsettias -- long believed to be dangerously toxic to cats and dogs -- don't make cats any sicker than many plants considered nonpoisonous. Still, it's always safest to keep cats away from any houseplant, just to be sure.
Windows, balconies, and screens. "High-rise syndrome" might sound like some sort of pop psychology explanation for violent crime, but it actually describes an epidemic that hits a number of cats every year, especially in warmer weather. "High-rise syndrome" is a collection of various injuries that are the result of a fall from a high window.
Amazingly, there are many stories of cats surviving falls from several flights up. But there are far more who fell and didn't make it. The saddest part of it is nearly all of those falls could have been prevented.
Every window that you plan to open needs to have a screen. And not just any screen. A cat-proof screen has to fit the window frame securely enough to stay firmly in place when confronted by ten or more pounds of cat. When ordering or replacing screens, use a heavy-duty grade of hardware cloth since ordinary screens can be easily torn by claws or teeth. Even a fall from a second- or third-story window can cause serious injury or death, so inspect all screens regularly, especially toward the end of winter in cold-weather areas of the country. Screens can warp, tear, or fatigue in the off-season.
Some city cat owners think letting Tabby out on the balcony of their apartment is a safe way to give him some fresh air and sunshine. Actually, a good number of "high-rise syndrome" cats were stalking moths, birds, or other irresistible things on an upper-floor balcony, when an ill-timed pounce or missed step sent them over the railing. Even a leash or tether on an open balcony doesn't ensure your cat's safety. A panicked cat dangling by his collar or harness can be strangled, seriously injured, or squirm loose and fall anyway.
Though you buy toys to amuse your cat, the wrong toy can be dangerous. In the next section, we will teach you what toys are safe for your cat.
The Animal Poison Control Hotline"My cat is a chowhound -- she never misses a meal," one cat owner recalls. "So when she didn't come running at dinnertime, I knew something was very wrong. I found her under the bed, and when I coaxed her out, she was staggering and drooling. I was terrified. She had this funny smell, which I recognized as the cleaning fluid I kept in my linen closet. I ran to the closet, and I found the door open and the can of cleaning fluid spilled on the floor.
"The problem is, we live a good 30 minutes from the nearest veterinarian. I didn't know how long she had been poisoned, and I wasn't sure that she had another half hour to spare. Then I remembered about the hotline -- and it saved my cat's life."
The ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center (also called the Animal Poison Hotline) is operated by the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Call 1 (888) 426-4435. There's a $55 flat fee, chargeable to a credit card (have your charge card ready). For more information, contact ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (1717 South Philo Rd., Suite 36, Urbana, Illinois 61802).
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It's like something right out of a Norman Rockwell painting:a fuzzy little kitten tumbling around with a ball of yarn. Well, old Norman apparently never had to rush his cat to the vet for emergency surgery to get a couple of feet of that yarn unraveled from the poor cat's digestive tract. Yarn and string can turn even the most disinterested cats wide-eyed and playful but should never be left where cats or kittens can get at it on their own. Besides choking and intestinal blockage dangers, a cat who gets tangled up in string or yarn -- even during supervised play -- can panic and injure himself, possibly fatally. Take special care to keep sewing thread and dental floss out of feline reach; it's much finer and can become imbedded in the tissues of your cat's mouth, stomach, and intestines.
Cats will turn anything shiny, crinkly, or small enough to bat across the floor into a toy. Since Tabby doesn't have hands, he has to pick up these makeshift toys in his mouth, where they can be easily swallowed (or if not easily swallowed, can cause choking). At best, a foreign object in your cat's digestive system can trigger vomiting or diarrhea, but it can often be much worse. Keep things like paper clips, foil, and rubber bands safely tucked away.
Cellophane candy wrappers are particularly dangerous. Cats can't resist the crinkly texture, and the sugary residue makes them a cinch to get eaten. The wrappers can liquefy in your cat's stomach, coating the lining and blocking the uptake of nutrients from food.
What makes for a safe cat toy? Here's what to look for:
Something sturdy. If it can get tossed, thrown, gnawed, clawed, batted, kicked, licked, and repeatedly pounced on without coming apart, it's a good cat toy. Catnip-filled toys encourage play, but most cats like to eat catnip and will try to lick and chew their way to that scrumptious herbal filling. Catnip toys made from light fabric or felt will most likely be in shreds--and the shreds in your cat's tummy -- within a week. Ditto for plastic or vinyl toys that can be chewed up, cracked, or shattered.
No (re)movable parts. Catnip mice with yarn tails; crinkly cater- pillars with bug eyes; oversized plush "bumblebees" with glued-on felt features, and plastic mesh balls with tantalizing little bells inside are four of the more popular cat toys. But they share a common failing:small and potentially dangerous parts that come off. If you can pull or peel a part or decoration off a cat toy, the odds are your cat can, too. In fact, go ahead and try it with all your cat's toys -- it's better to have some catnip mice without tails than make a trip to the vet to get the tails out of your cat's stomach.
Something fun. A toy just isn't a toy if your cat won't play with it. Cat owners are often disappointed--and frequently annoyed -- to find that the $100 worth of custom cat toys they bring home get passed over for a piece of crumpled paper or a simple table tennis ball. Cats like games that involve what they do best:climbing, running, leaping, stalking, and pouncing. Pick toys that encourage those behaviors, and your cat is bound to use them. That's the allure of the table tennis ball -- it rolls and hops and skitters away when your cat pounces on it, encouraging batting and chasing. Cats see moving edges better than stationary objects, so toys that wiggle, bob, or weave fascinate them and trigger the stalking and hunting reflexes.
In our final section, we will cover perhaps the most important part of caring for you pet -- finding a good veterinarian. Finding a good vet for your cat is just as important as finding a good doctor for yourself.
Choosing a veterinarian for your cat is a lot like choosing a doctor for yourself. You want someone with a good bedside manner and someone you like and trust. If you have special needs, you also want a doctor who understands and keeps those needs in mind.
If you're a first-time cat owner, have recently moved to a new area, or need to find a new veterinarian, you can just try opening the Yellow Pages to "Animal Hospitals." All veterinarians go to school as many years as medical doctors and have to meet strict standards for licensing, so you're bound to find a competent and professional vet that way. But the relationship among you, your pet, and your vet is going to last for many years, and if you took the time to find just the right cat, it makes sense to find the right vet. This might be the one area where city folk have it over country folk. A small town may just have one vet, while a big city has dozens within several miles.
Besides the Yellow Pages, here are some other sources for finding a good veterinarian:
Contact professional organizations. The American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org) can refer you to affiliated veterinarians in your area, and the American Animal Hospital Association (www.aahanet.org) can direct you to clinics that meet its standards. The AVMA can also help you find feline specialists, behavior experts, veterinary eye doctors, and other professionals. Like any specialist, though, expect to pay heftier fees.
Get recommendations from other "cat people." Friends, family, and neighbors who have cats usually also have veterinarians. Take advantage of their experience, and get recommendations from them.
Once you get a referral for a veterinarian, call up, introduce yourself, and find out when you can drop by to see the facilities and meet the doctors. Make your visit brief but thorough. Be discriminating, but don't be put off if the vet and the clinic staff can't spend a long time with you -- they do have a hospital to run and patients to take care of. If you have a lot of questions and need the vet's undivided attention, the most polite thing to do is make an appointment -- and offer to pay for it.
If you are going to drop by the facility and meet with the vet, here are some items to consider:
Feline Vaccinations What exactly are vaccinations, and how do they help keep cats healthy? Here's how most vaccines work. Researchers find the germ causing the disease--for example, the virus that causes feline distemper. Next they produce a harmless, noncontagious version of the virus. This form of the virus is used to vaccinate healthy cats. The vaccine triggers the cat's disease-fighting immune system, which attacks and destroys the virus. This exposure "primes" the immune system so that if the same virus shows up again -- even the dangerous, contagious version -- it will be destroyed before it can cause illness.Vaccines protect your cat from common diseases, mostly caused by viruses. When a virus invades an animal's body, no medicine can kill it. You can give a cat with a virus things like antibiotics from now until doomsday, and it won't cure the disease (although the antibiotics will help treat or control infections that might start as a result of the cat's being sick with the virus). Viral diseases just have to run their course, after which the victim is often immune for life. Vaccines (usually with regular booster shots) provide your cat with the benefits of being immune without actually having to suffer through the disease.
Vaccines can't cure diseases caused by viruses. Going back to feline distemper for a moment, if a cat has already contracted this disease, the vaccine won't stop it. Vaccines also can't prevent every viral disease every time. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, so every once in awhile a cat who has all his shots will still get sick with something he's supposed to be protected against. Some diseases, like FIV, are caused by viruses that shut down the immune system when they first enter the cat's body. In those cases, the vaccine can't do its job because its tools (the disease-fighting system of the cat's body) have been taken away.
Get your cat's shots from a veterinarian or animal hospital. At the bare minimum, cats should be up-to-date on their rabies shot and distemper-combination vaccine. The combination shot usually carries protection against feline distemper (panleukopenia) and common upper respiratory diseases that cause cold- or flu-like symptoms in your cat (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and chlamydia). Vaccines may be given as an injection under the skin or in the muscle or as an aerosol administered directly into the cat's nostrils.
Any cat being vaccinated for the first time usually needs a series of shots, spaced several weeks apart. For kittens, these shots start at seven or eight weeks of age and continue until they are four months old. Rabies vaccines are given as one shot administered initially to a kitten over three months of age and to adults of any age. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends that subsequent boosters for many diseases (depending on the type of vaccine used) be given a year from the initial series and then every three years thereafter. Check with your veterinarian for vaccine scheduling recommendations for your cat.
Vaccines for other cat diseases have been around since the mid-1980s, particularly the one for feline leukemia virus (FeLV). FeLV (or FeLeuk, as it's sometimes known) attacks a cat's white blood cells and can produce a kind of cancer. Research shows that most cats exposed to FeLV don't get sick, but even infected cats who appear healthy can still pass the virus on to other cats. Once a cat does get sick from FeLV, though, the odds of recovery are poor.
The FeLV is a funny creature -- it doesn't last long outside of a cat's body, unless it stays a little moist. So the most common way FeLV gets passed is prolonged close contact between a healthy cat and infected cat -- things like mutual grooming, or sharing food, water, or litter boxes. This also means that the FeLV vaccine may not be necessary for a cat that is never exposed to FeLV-infected cats. A simple blood test can determine if your cat (or any new cat you're thinking of taking into your home) is infected. If not, keeping your FeLV-free cats indoors and away from FeLV-infected cats is probably all the protection they need (outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats are a different story). If your cat tests positive for FeLV, the vaccine won't help, either; vaccines don't kill the virus, they only protect uninfected cats from getting it.
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) are also fatal cat diseases caused by viruses. There are laboratory tests for their detection, but the test used currently for FIP can give inconclusive results. Vaccines exist for FIV and FIP, but the jury is still out on their effectiveness in preventing disease transmission. Your veterinarian can help you figure out if your cat is at risk for these diseases and if the potential benefits of each vaccine outweigh the risks.
While you will face many challenges as a pet owner, you now know the basic care tips that every cat needs to be happy and healthy.
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