This is charley

What a cat! Charley enjoys life and is not inhibited about getting around. His condition will not deteriorate, in fact as he grows older he may adapt to his brain malfunction even more successfully.

Tooth decay

Many cats suffer holes in the teeth where the teeth meet the gums. These  neck lesions, or FORLS, are intensely painful.
Cats with bad mouths show less interest in food. Some approach the food bowl eagerly but then pain overcomes hunger and they leave most of the food. They chew cautiously, drop food from the mouth, or swallow with difficulty. Dribbling, blood-tinged saliva, and bad breath are common.
Reluctance to eat leads to weight loss.
Tartar builds on the holes and rubs the inside of the cheek causing further pain. Severely affected cats paw their mouths or shake their heads.
The only effective treatment is extraction of the affected teeth under general anaesthesia.
Most people comment that their cat is much happier and more relaxed afterward. The short-lived pain of extraction is much less severe than the chronic and intense pain of the tooth neck lesions. We can prevent the pain of extraction but not the pain of neck lesions.
The cause of neck lesions is unknown. However, good dental health and a healthy diet help preserve teeth as long as possible. Regular veterinary checks reveal and treat neck lesions early.
Chunks of meat and small bones such as gravy beef, rabbit or chicken carcasses, kangaroo, chop bones or chicken thighs encourage chewing and prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar. Greenies are a palatable treat that clean the teeth as well. A bowlful of special dental foods such as Royal Canin dental or Hills t/d several times a week prevent dental disease.
Chewing meat and dental biscuits stimulates the production of saliva, which contains natural antibacterial substances, and scrapes plaque and tartar from the teeth.
Calicivirus vaccination helps prevent gingivitis.

Cat labour

Things are pretty hectic up at my sister's farm at the moment - even Nick was flat out on the tractor when I arrived on Easter Day.

Sadie's bad day

Sadie is not having a good day - last night she found some tasty capsules on her human's bedside table. No sooner had she licked up the yummy powder she found inside them than her humans whisked her off to the Emergency Centre at Fyshwick.
Despite her protests the doctor hooked her up to a drip and started her on tablets to counteract the drugs. DRUGS???? Sadie's eyes widened - no wonder her heart was beating very fast and her legs wouldn't behave. Now she thought about it she also felt a little faint.
Labradors are not the only ones that hoover up every morsel they can find. Some cats love to clean up after their owners and sneak in extras too!
This photo was taken  at Hall Vet Surgery this morning. Sadie says this is not her best side but at least she's feeling more normal today. Cats take a long time to metabolise many human drugs so it will be a few days until she is really herself again.

Dog flea products toxic to cats

Flea products containing permethrin are highly toxic to cats.

Products for dogs such as Advantix spot on for fleas and ticks and Permoxin, a spray, contain permethrin.  Do NOT ever apply them to cats.

Cats which groom or sleep with dogs treated with these products in the previous 48 hours can be poisoned also.

Signs of toxicity include: tremors, twitching, drooling, incoordination, convulsions, coma and death. Some cats flick their paws, twitch their ears, or are sensitive to touch or sound. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also common.


Signs start within 1 to 3 hours of ingestion or application but can be delayed up to 12 hours. Effects can last more than 3 days.

More than 500 cases of permethrin poisoning have been reported in Australia. A quarter of these cats died despite treatment.

Visiting the vet?

Veterinary visits don't have to be stressful for you or your cat. Happy visits to the vet start well before the big day. Ideally we should acclimatise our cats to carriers and cars while they are still kittens.
How can we minimise these stresses here and now though?

1. Ask reception to book you at a quiet time or when no dogs are around if possible

2. Socialise cats to the carrier and car:

• Leave the carrier out permanently in your home. Many cats will use it as a comfortable resting or hiding place or playaround it, particularly if it has been about since they were kittens

• Withhold food before travel to prevent travel sickness and consequent negative feelings about car rides

• Short practice rides in the car followed by a good experience such as a favourite food help some cats to relax about cars

3. Apply Feliway spray to bedding in the carrier regularly and just before transport. Feliway contains a natural pheromone that relaxes cats. Familiar clothing from a favourite person before a visit or hospital stay may also calm your cat

4. Cover the carrier with a towel or blanket or place one over the cat inside the carrier so that she can hide if she needs to

5. In the waiting room place the carrier up off the ground on a seat or bench and well away from dogs