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Kitty Care: As rescuers we often find
declawed cats become biters, and then are given up for adoption. Except
nobody else wants a cat who bites. In Great Britain declawing
is considered mutilation and any vet who does so is ostracized. If Kitty
gets out, or is a biter and has to be given up for adoption, declawing
can be tantamount to a death sentence. For liability reasons a rescuer
might be unable to place the cat in another home. When asked about declawing,
one man said, "Never again, it made my cat savage." If approached
in a manner which makes Kitty feel defensive Kitty might act "savage."
Assuredly, it won't make Kitty happy. The prosthesis for human
hands is a hook. Nature supplied Kitty's with five hooks: these hooks
are retractable and there is a muscle involved. No argument for declawing
has to do with the cat's welfare except vis a vis the caretaker's furnishings.
Any argument that speaks to protecting a person or child from being
scratched ought to factor in the graver danger from a cat bite. Read on: you can have a win
win situation without
ripping out Kitty's claws.
Trimming the nail tips (cat
claw scissors are sold at pet supply houses or use regular nail clippers)
and an adequate
scratching post are needed. For Kitty's scratching
alternatives, get a sturdy scratching post (think of the arm of your
couch: its height, stability and the fabric --
that's what Kitty wants to properly scratch and
exercise on). Don't invest in rinkydink,
short, wobbly "scratching posts" which your cat will only
scoff at while beelining for your couch! The Tall
Felix sold at boutique pet stores locally for about $60
(or call the maker directly in Seattle at (206)
547-0042) is
excellent. If temporarily you get a corrugated cardboard scratching
box, tape or otherwise anchor it securely to the floor or (better yet)
wall.....if you make one yourself, use the reverse
side of the carpet. It is preferable not to match
wills with Kitty: remove/protect tempting objects. Outwit/outfox
rather than have a battle of wills. Clear tape on furniture can deter.
If you mist, try to not let Kitty realize you
are doing the misting. (Hide behind a door: akin to putting pennies
in a can on a countertop so that when Kitty jumps up and triggers the
catastrophe, she or
he will probably never jump up there
again. Otherwise, Kitty will just wait until you are not around.) "Time out" in the
bathroom (or "Kitty Jail") for 5 or 10 minutes (too long and
Kitty falls asleep, forgetting all!) works quite well, and even better
if you put Kitty away in silence. Histrionics often tells Kitty his
bad behavior had the desired effect of attracting your attention. Regarding
discipline, there is truth in the jokes: "My dog thinks he's a
person; my cat thinks she's God." "Dogs come when called --
cats take a message and get back to you." Cats are emotionally
more like two-year olds, who think they are the center of the universe.
Dogs are more on the emotional level of people-pleasing four or five-year
olds. Columbo, my detective cat, used to awaken me daily when it suited
him by clawing my new furniture. I erupted loudly and he loved it: "The
food lady is up!" Then I got smart: for a few days I slipped quietly
out of bed when awakened and put him in the bathroom. His paw would
dart out under the door as he meowed piteously. "Keep it up! It's
music to my ears,"I responded. Columbo ceased his 6:00 a.m. wakeup
clawings... Meals are the highlight of Kitty's life. Many animal communicators start by asking Kitty about favorite foods. (You wouldn't want to eat just Cheerios the rest of your life, would you?) Celery and apples are good for our teeth but few make a mainstay of them. Dry food is good for removing tartar on the teeth, but for an indoor cat, meals, including canned food (or fish or meat without bones -- cooking makes the bones brittle which can rupture the intestine) is a critical component of Kitty's happiness and health. Dry food is deficient in moisture
....Cats have an inefficient lapping design and can't make up this deficiency
at the drinking bowl. Their normally concentrated urine now become more
concentrated, and little crystals begin to form. The crystals then irritate
the bladder walls, which allow bacteria to settle. The irritation causes
the cat to urinate continually. In males this can be life-threatening
without emergency care...." FUS consists of many different conditions
(causing similar clinical signs) some of which are unrelated to diet.
If the condition does occur in your cat, PROCEED
IMMEDIATELY TO THE VET.
Not using the litter box (which
now has become associated with the pain of urination) might be the first
sign you get. It can
be life-threatening, is
painful and cannot be cured with
food (some forms of it can just possibly
be prevented with a high protein diet). Too, always provide Kitty
with fresh, clean water:
Without adequate water consumption, the urine becomes more concentrated
which increases the possibility for strived crystals to form. One way
to keep the cat from being constipated and to help with hairballs is
to serve canned food. When told a cat bites we ask,
"Is Kitty declawed?" and are often told yes. Similarly upon
hearing Kitty has developed cystitis and is not using the litter box
or is obese, we find a cat who was only served dry food. Sometimes you
need a lot of flavorless foods to feel satisfied, but with delicacies
a little goes a long way. (Some
favorites: Whiskas brand flavors
are quite juicy. Avoid tuna (buy real tuna and salmon on sale
for special treats). Iams,
Science Diet, Max Cat
& Old Mother Hubbard
make first rate canned (and "crunchie") catfood.) Cats that go out do
not on average live as long as indoor cats (5 years versus
15/17 years). Besides fleas and predators (including cars) there are
"bunchers" who go to upscale areas and take tame cats to sell
to labs -- or to punks who use them to give their dogs bloodlust. For
the cat owner whose cat disappears, if the body turns up, at least you
don't spend the rest of your life wondering if Kitty is in a lab calling
out to you for help. The outdoors are only as safe
as the meanest cat in the neighborhood -- those cat bite abscesses are
expensive to treat -- as well as life-threatening to Kitty who might
pick up the FeLV or FIV viruses from a passing vagabond cat (even if
the neighbor's cats are healthy). Also, FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)
is contagious and fatal. Feral cats who hunt to survive should be distinguished
from house cats who hunt for sport. It is politically incorrect to be
chewing on birds these days unless survival necessitates it. Once you
take a cat indoors, keep him in! No one enjoys "climate control"
more than former ferals! Kitty is best off at home
with a caretaker when vacation time comes. If you take Kitty, consider
booking a flight well enough in advance so you can take Kitty in the
cabin. An airline stewardess has designed a wonderful soft-sided travel
bag approved for in-cabin airline travel (called a Sherpa
Bag, and available most places for about $60). We rescuers have heard so
many horror stories, try never
to take Kitty in extreme weather conditions and if you do transport
Kitty on a plane and there is a delay, make sure all live cargo is removed
from the plane during the layover. Paste your (and local friends') names/phone
numbers on the carrier and double tie it shut with wire ties. Of
course, Kitty is wearing an i.d. collar with new and
old location contacts. Also if Kitty is skittish, indicate that on the
outside of the carrier. How cats mange to escape is almost mystical, but it happens all too often. For local transport, always use a carrier so if Kitty spooks in his/her inimitable, unpredictable way (at a noise or proximity to a dog), Kitty's panic attack will not permit him or her to leap from your arms and get away from you (which happens even when leashed or harnessed). Kitty will be happier in the safety of his own kitty carrier (add a fresh towel). Tip: fresh litter can sometimes inspire a cat to "anoint" it before a trip thus voiding himself. |
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