Jazz up your indoor cat’s life

It’s NOT normal for a cat to eat, sleep, and hide most of the day – and get FAT. Enriching cats’ environments helps them burn calories, alleviate boredom, prevent behaviour problems and bladder troubles, and slow down the aging process. 

Here are five tips to make your home cat friendly:

1. Cats need elevated spots to hang out in. Buy cat shelves to hang at different heights or simply clear a window ledge. They also love scratching posts and plenty of cosy hiding places like boxes and tunnels.

2. Stop ignoring your cat. One of the reasons cats have become so popular is because people think you don’t need to do anything with them. Of course, this is far from true and is one of the reasons there are so many overweight cats. Play with your cats once or twice a day for at least five minutes—during TV commercials is ideal!

3. Activate the cat’s hunting drive. See if your cat likes feeding from enrichment toys hidden around the house.  The kibble will only fall out of the toys a few pieces at a time stimulating the hunting instinct and preventing the cat from eating too quickly. You can buy these food-dispensing toys or make your own from a toilet paper roll, with both ends sealed off. Fill the tube with kibble and poke holes in it.

4. Redefine and rotate toys.  Move cat toys around the house. The feather toy in the living room is a whole new toy in the bedroom. Cut holes in an empty box and move it around the house. Exercise your cat’s hunting instinct with mouse-sized toys jerked around the floor.

5. Take your cat new places. Fenced-in outdoor pet patios or cat runs break up the indoor cat’s day and provide live entertainment.

The more time you spend enriching your cats’ environment, the smarter and healthier they will be. A cat’s mind is a terrible thing to waste!

Weight loss worry

Minette has lost weight - despite a raging appetite. She has also been a lot more talkative than usual. Her owners are (and Dr Kate) are suspicious that she might have hyperthyroidism. Minette very kindly let us take a sample of blood - you can see the hair under her collar was clipped so we could see her vein.
Minette is about 20 years old and very fit for her age. She is on medication for high blood pressure and has kept her kidney disease at bay with a special diet for over a year. Her owners' vigilance and care should keep her going for a few birthdays yet!

Cool cat!

Rainbow Ginger was in for her annual check up this morning. She passed with flying colours and chilled out on top of the Chiller while we examined her brother, Burchil.
Burchil had his ears cropped last year because he had developed skin cancers on them. Rainbow's pale nose could develop sun cancers too if she doesn't keep out of the sun.
Their owner is keeping them inside for most of the day, especially the afternoon when the Australian sun is at it's most dangerous.
Not a bad idea for the humans to avoid the sun then too!

Tabby all patched up

Remember Tabitha? She was diagnosed with kidney disease earlier this year. After a bit of persuasion she took  to her special diet for failing kidneys with relish, although she misses her weekly fresh rabbit.
This week she had her progress tests. Her potassium levels were fine - diseased kidneys lose potassium - and her phosphorus levels were normal too. If phosphorous gets too high or potassium too low then cats lose their appetite and feel ill.
We were concerned to find that her creatinine levels were creeping up but as they are not affecting her appetite or quality of life we will just monitor her again in 3 months time.
Overall the special low protein, low phosphorous, high potassium kidney diet is keeping her healthy and happy so that she can properly supervise the next patchwork project - and at 16 years of age that's pretty important!

Disaster readiness

Are your pets disaster ready?

The 10th anniversary of the fires that devastated many parts of the ACT in January, 2003, reminds us that we should always be prepared for the unpredictable. Storms, fires and floods can come at any time and affect pets as well as people. Many pets were lost in the fires of 2003. Some were injured or died, others never found their owners and were re-homed or euthanased. 

Catch-me-if-you-can Cleo

Make sure that your cats are microchipped and that your contact details on the ACT register are up to date. If you have time attach a tag with your mobile number and address, and your vet’s phone number to your cats’ collars so that if someone without access to a microchip scanner picks them up you can be contacted. 
Have an emergency kit packed in advance. Include non-perishable food like dry cat kibble, water in spill proof containers, a cat carrier, litter tray and blankets as well as a first aid kit. 
The first aid kit should have gauze swabs, bandages, disinfectant, cotton wool, scissors and a towel to wrap your patient in. Even the most placid animal may react unpredictably when in pain.
Decide where your cats will go if you have to evacuate. You may have family or friends outside the danger zone who would look after them. 
If you leave your cats at home leave them in the safest enclosed room in the house, usually the bathroom, with food and water.  Leave a notice on the gate or door of the house with your contact details and saying that there are pets inside.

How to catch a cat

Some truth in this! If you put the cat carrier out in the lounge or bed room a few days ahead of your cat's vet visit he may just find it a comfy and secure hiding place.... instead of something to avoid and make a fuss about!

how to get your cat to come inside....

Cats can have hypos too!

Ivo is a diabetic on insulin. For many months his dose was stable but just lately we have had to increase it to control his blood sugar levels adequately.
The last dose increase was one too many. Last Wednesday night he was wobbly on his feet and looked a bit spaced out. His attentive owner soon realised he was having a hypo and gave him an early dinner. Within minutes he was back to his normal self.
Ivo spent a chilled out day with us today while we checked the fluctuations in his blood glucose. With the dose reduction we hope he will have a much better week this week.

Dr Kate meets Myanmar cats

Add caption

Sorry I've neglected you for the last month - I've been making some new friends in South East Asia.
This very friendly fellow lives in a monastery on Inle Lake, Myanmar. We were told that the cats sometimes perform for visitors but on the afternoon we visited they were very definitely on holiday, too. I had to pick this cat up before he roused even slightly.
Very few dogs live in the homes built over the water on Inle Lake but I saw cats on every window sill.

Thinking of a new pup?

Preparing to meet the new pup

How to tablet your cat

This is an excellent video on tableting a cat. Note how the assistant holds those front legs from behind and how the pill giver holds the head vertically. One thing they miss telling us is that it is important that the cat has a drink or food to wash the pill down. I squeeze a wet cotton ball straight into the cat's mouth after dropping the pill in.

oooo

Getting your cat in the carrier...

Does your cat put on the brakes and go all out to avoid the carrier? Try this technique, ably demonstrated by Mike Karg, an American cat vet.

Hayfever season

Thurston

Poor old Thurston has been scratching his face and ears non-stop since the blossoms came out last week.
Like his owner he is allergic to spring pollens. Unlike his owner whose eyes and nose stream in spring, Thurston gets itchy, mainly around his head. He has scratched the hair away above his eyes and made his skin bleed.
Scabs and little sores dot the back of his head and are scattered down his back.
His owners treat him for fleas with a monthly treatment so that fleas and flea allergy don't irritate him, too.
Thurston has gone home on allergy tablets and will feel more comfortable soon.
Next spring  he'll be living in Queensland.  Away from the blossoms he and his owner might enjoy spring more.

Lily toxicity

Day Lily

All species of lilies are toxic to cats. Indoor cats with little choice in plant munching material are most at risk as they will try any cut flower that comes into the house. 

Any part of the plant – flowers, leaves or stems - is dangerous. Even lily pollen licked off the coat destroys cats’ kidney tubules. 

Lilies proven to poison cats include: Easter Lily, Tiger Lily, Day Lily, Glory Lily, Stargazer Lily, Rubrum Lily, Asian Lily and the Japanese Show Lily

If you see your cat with lily on her coat, in her mouth or in her vomit don’t wait for signs of poisoning. The sooner we get it out of her system and start treatment to protect the kidneys the greater her chance of survival.

Affected cats vomit and are depressed within hours of ingesting lily. Some then seem to recover before starting to show signs of severe kidney failure a day or so later. Others continue vomiting, go off their food and get more and more depressed.

If emptying the stomach and medications to prevent absorption of the toxin are effective, the chance of recovery is excellent.

If your cat absorbs enough toxin to cause damage to her kidneys then her outlook is very poor. It is essential to seek emergency care immediately after ingestion of the lily plant.

Behind the scenes at the vet's

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at a 'real' vet surgery? Come along to our Open Day on Sunday, 16th September 10am - 2pm and have a sticky beak! We are opening our surgery, lab, procedure, hospital and imaging rooms to our clients. Our nurses and vets will be there to answer your questions and show you around. Share cat queries and stories with Dr Kate in the big consult room.
A sausage sizzle and drinks will fuel the humans and Pup Cakes the dogs. Face painting and balloon twisting will entertain the children (and children at heart). The dogs will be kept out of mischief with fancy dress, tail wagging and talent competitions.
Watch the dogs dance and negotiate Rally-O and find out more about our surgery charity AMRRIC (Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous communities)

Cats have allergies too!

An allergy to flea saliva is the most common allergy we see in cats. Cats allergic to fleas groom more than normal and some develop large ulcers on their lips or in their mouths. Some scratch furiously around their head and ears, others develop pimple-like lesions on their rumps and trunks, or red lines on their legs and bellies. Cats are so fastidious with grooming that we frequently find no trace of the fleas.
After a thorough check for other parasites and problems we treat the affected cat, any other pets in the household and the house for fleas before we go on to allergies that are more difficult to treat and diagnose.
As usual cats love to confuse their vets - cats with food or pollen allergies may show all or any of the same signs as flea allergic cats! Food allergies are the least common type of allergy but we prick our ears up if a cat has intermittent vomiting or diarrhoea as well as skin signs. 
We prescribe a special low allergy diet if we suspect food allergy. If the signs go away on the diet then we trial different proteins until we find the one the cat is allergic too.
Atopy, which is the proper name for allergies to pollens, dust mites and other inhaled allergens, is more common than food allergy, but more difficult to diagnose and treat.

Mika well-cared for today

Mika captured the heart of Nurse Kate today while she was in for her desexing surgery. Kate stayed with her until she was fully recovered from her anaesthetic. She then reluctantly left Mika resting in a heated cage with her soft toy whale while she attended the other patients in hospital.

Desexing Max

Here's Max preparing for his big surgery. Although he is only 4 months old Max is a big Siamese and already showing interest in his sister so his carers decided it was time for him to be neutered.
He will have to watch his waistline because his metabolic rate will drop about 30% and unless he reduces his food intake he will soon be a fatty!

Quick recovery

FC has recovered from her desexing surgery at Hall Vet Surgery and is playing with her toy.
Most cats desexed before 6-7 months of age recover very quickly from general anaesthesia and surgery. We have to warn their carers to stop them climbing curtains and trees the day after surgery!

Can Molly come to our Open Day???

Miss Molly wants to know if she can come to our Open Day on Sunday 16th September. Unfortunately, Molly, cats can't come but Dr Kate will be available to discuss health issues and preventative care strategies with concerned carers in this very room.
Dogs (well behaved and on leads) are welcome. A Rally-O course, fancy dress competitions, dog training and Dancing with Dogs displays, and heaps of other fun will keep them busy from 10am - 2pm.
Cats no doubt know it all already, and would be happier keeping the home fires burning I think!

Watching her weight

Beautiful British Blue Tess is looking to the future. She is just entering her more senior years and is trying to get some extra grams off her waist line. She hopes to avoid nasties like diabetes, arthritis and heart disease by getting her weight down.
She still has a fat pad swinging from her belly under that soft thick coat. Another 200gm weight loss should do the trick.
Good luck Tess!

Tiger, Tiger sitting tight

Tiger is just on his way home after having his blood pressure checked. He sat quietly while we wrapped a cuff around his arm. He thought the cold gel we put on his wrist for the Doppler probe was the worst part.
Because a cat's pulse is so small we have to amplify it with the Doppler. We pump the cuff up until we cannot hear the pulse and then slowly let the air out until we hear the pulse. At this point we read his blood pressure from the dial.
Tiger has a heart murmur and kidney problems. Heart disease often lowers the blood pressure but kidney failure increases it. Fortunately Tiger's blood pressure is normal.

Finding Nemo...

We found this Nemo in the peak of health when he came in for his 2 year old check up yesterday. He had a little plaque on his molars and will include some meat strips or Greenies in his diet to stop it building up any more.

We vaccinated him for enteritis and flu, and wormed him with the spot-on Profender before he hopped back in his cage to go home. We'll see him again this time next year.

Skin infection

Missy-Moo has a very unusual bacterial infection in the skin of her belly. Two weeks ago she visited us with lots of 'pepper-pot' draining holes on her belly. The skin was thick and spongey. She hadn't complained to her family about it but they noticed she was spending a lot of time keeping herself clean.
After surgery to remove the worst of the inflamed and infected skin and to take samples to send to the lab she started on antibiotics that we thought might be effective against the most likely causative bacteria.
Two weeks later the lab has found the culprits but hasn't identified them or found the most appropriate antibiotic for her yet.
Today we took Missy-Moo's stitches out and her belly is looking much, much better. Her owner commented that she has been playing more and is getting back to her happy self.
Missy-Moo is not impressed with daily tablets, but will have to continue with them for many weeks yet. If she stops too soon the infection could flare up again.

Love is in the air!

Mika has been trying to find a way out into the wild world for the past 3 days. Her yowling, rolling and over-the-top affection are driving her family crazy.
Although she is only 4 months old she has come into season and could fall pregnant if she found a tomcat outside.
Cats will often start to cycle as the days get longer in August and September, even if they are barely out of kittenhood themselves.
Mika's carers have booked her in for a spey next week. Once cats start cycling they keep it up every 2-3 weeks until they fall pregnant - and Mika's owners don't want their beautiful Burmese to have motley kittens!

Diabetes

Mini checks out her blood glucose this morning

Cat diabetes is very similar to human diabetes. Slimming down and a particular diet help control or even cure it.
However diabetes in cats always requires an intial intense period of insulin treatment and, unlike humans, cats require a high protein diet to overcome their diabetes.
Mini visits us every Thursday morning for a blood glucose test. Her carer gives her an insulin injection twice a day with her meals. Until we find the best dose for her she will visit us every Thursday for a weight check and a blood glucose check.
Mini had already lost her extra kilos when she was diagnosed so she didn't have to go on a weight reduction diet. High protein diets help keep cats' blood glucose down and reduce the insulin dose though. 

Medications in food

This morning I received a very sad email from a cat whose carer is adding chicken flavoured medicine to his food:

Dear Dr Kate,

I'm writing to report  on the appalling conditions the slaves are forcing me to live in. For the past two and a half  weeks my life has gone from good to bad. I was running the place, had that rotten new dog playing right into my paws. 

Then the slave took me to see you. As the problems started shortly after my visit I thought it was best to make my complaints directly to you (my constant complaining to the slave has not resulted in any improvement in my conditions...) 

Initially I was forced to take some revolting medicine - it made me gag and froth and retch - but I do feel better now. My cough has completely gone.

Now they think they can hide "chicken" flavoured poison in my food. I’m not stupid enough to fall for their tricks! 

I went on a hunger strike and refused to eat, hoping my protest would guilt them into feeding me something normal - it didn't work. I have cried and whinged every minute of the day. 

Yesterday I gave in and ate the food with the poison in it - just to lubricate my throat, you understand. I just couldn’t go on with my tummy rumbling so much. 

Today I managed to climb up on the fridge where they keep the dog treats (why didn’t I figure this out years ago??). I've threatened to stay here on the fridge and/or throw myself off if conditions don’t improve ie if THEY DON’T FEED ME DECENT UNADULTERATED REAL FOOD!

They are ignoring me. Dr Kate, please help me! Talk to them for me. Please....

Regards Gus

Gus enclosed this photo of his poor suffering self:

Poor Gus! He will feel so much better if he relents and eats his 'adulterated' food. Already the antibiotics for his chest infection have reinvigorated him! The asthma medicine that his carer is putting in his food will make him feel better every day.

Senior health screening discount

Have you booked your older cat for a senior screen yet? Coco has been reading about the advantages of 6-12 monthly checks for cats over 10 years of age and is worried that some of her friends might miss out on the Hills senior screening program.

Hills are offering a $20 discount on the cost of a check up and any tests that have to be done. Just go to Hills senior screening to print your voucher out. Book a check up with us and bring the voucher with you.

(No worries if you haven't got access to a printer - just ask our receptionist to print a voucher out for you)

High blood pressure

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure, a silent killer of older cats.

What causes hypertension in cats?

Hypertension is usually secondary to another disease. Kidney disease is the most common cause of hypertension but cats with adrenal gland tumours or treated for hyperthyroidism also develop high blood pressure at times. Sometimes no underlying cause is found.

Most cats with hypertension are older than 9 years of age.

What are the effects of hypertension?

Hypertension damages all body organs but we notice it most in:

• the eyes. The small vessels in the retina break under pressure. The bleeding detaches the retina and the cat becomes blind.
• the brain. Ruptured blood vessels cause ‘strokes’, fits, twitches or unusual behaviour
• the kidneys. Increased blood pressure damages the delicate filtration system of the kidney.
• the heart. The heart has to work harder to push the blood out into the body and the heart muscle thickens and becomes less efficient. Sometimes the heart goes out of rhythm or we hear a murmur with the stethoscope. Affected cats may show signs of heart failure such as breathlessness, lethargy, weakness or fainting.

How do we detect hypertension?

We measure the blood pressure of all cats over 9 years old as part of the regular seniors’ examination. We also check the blood pressure of all cats with kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, or with any signs of eye, brain or heart disease. 

Most cats tolerate the cat sized cuffs we put on their arms. Some don’t like the feel of the gel or the sound of the amplifier we use to hear the pulse. We try to put them at ease so that we get an accurate reading.

How do we treat hypertension?

A daily dose of amlopidine as a fragment of tablet (Norvasc), or as chicken, fish, cheese or beef flavoured drops to put on the food, brings the blood pressure down rapidly.

After a week on amlopidine we recheck the blood pressure to see if it has come down to normal. If all goes well we recheck it every 3 months. 

Sometimes other medications like benazepril (Fortekor or Vetace) are added in, particularly if we detect kidney disease.

Hairballs or asthma?

At first Gus's carer thought he had hair balls. So did the friends she asked. He gagged and convulsed and brought up froth. She gave him some laxative paste.

Everything in the litter tray seemed normal and for a while Gus seemed OK.

When she rushed off to work he was curled up on the lounge in the sun room as usual. 

But the gagging started up again, especially at night. She noticed that he wasn’t eating all his dinner and sometimes stopped he stopped in the middle of the gagging and breathed heavily.

One night he crept on to the end of the bed and wheezed and gasped for breath until she was sure he was choking to death. 

Next morning she rushed him into us. We X-rayed his chest and found a very hazy lung and signs of chronic bronchitis.

We took samples from Gus’s lungs and found he had pneumonia. Gus had developed an airway and lung infection on top of the chronic bronchitis. 

Cats get asthma and bronchitis, just like humans do. For some it is worse when there are lots of pollens blowing about, for others being cooped up inside with the stagnant air and dust mites in winter set the wheezing and coughing off.

His carer remembered that he had always had a bit of a wheeze, especially in spring and early summer. She hadn’t thought much of it.

It is very easy to confuse coughing with vomiting or regurgitation. Usually food or bile will come up at some stage with vomiting. Vomiting cats often lose their appetite or have diarrhoea as well. Coughing cats don’t go off their food unless they develop an infection as well.

Some asthmatic cats have life threatening breathing difficulties if they are not treated adequately. If you notice your cat coughing, gagging, breathing with difficulty, especially with the mouth open and the neck extended, contact your vet.

Check out Fritz the Brave for more information or for reliable support and information if your cat has asthma or bronchitis.


Gus is back to his irascible self after a long course of antibiotics. He's getting used to a puffer and spacer, and quite likes all the attention we give him. 

Ten reasons to adopt a cat

1.You'll have a lot to choose from.

2. Kittens are easier than puppies, and equally ADORABLE. 

3. It’s about time you started the longest relationship you’ll ever have.

4. It’s time to neaten up those electrical cords anyway.

5. Kittens are much better entertainment than “real” housewives from anywhere, vampire dramas, and (lack of) talent shows.

6. You need to improve your skills at photographing things in perpetual motion.

7. Kittens find you attractive even when you’re wearing sweatpants and have bad hair.

8. The cat you already have is bored, sedentary, or getting too big for his britches.

9. You’re bored, sedentary, or getting too big for your britches.

10. It’s never a bad time to make unconditional love a part of your life.

from CATalyst

A new cat in the family?

Tips for Introducing a New Cat into Your  Feline Family 

 CATalyst Council, a group of  animal health and welfare organizations working on behalf of cats, has a great list of tips to make the introduction a little smoother for all concerned:

1. Before you bring a new cat home, prepare a room where the newcomer can be comfortable and separate from your other cats. Ensure the room has a litter box, water and food containers, a comfortable place to relax and toys. Keep the door to this room shut for a day or so to allow your new furry friend to get used to being in a new place. This will also allow your existing cats to smell around the door and get used to the idea of a new cat in the house.

2. Periodically switch out a blanket or pillow in the room where the new cat is being kept with one from another room of your home. This will allow all cats to smell each other and get used to the others’ scents. 

3. Slowly start allowing the new cat and your other cat(s) to see each other using a baby gate or other similar device, which will keep them separate and allow you to supervise their interactions. Praise the cats when they are being curious about one another (try using treats, a favorite toy or petting) to help them realize that their new friend is a wonderful thing and not a threat. 

4. When all cats seem comfortable with each other, try allowing them to meet without the baby gate, but only under your supervision. Again, use treats (praise, petting, toys or treats) to reinforce how great it is to have a new friend in the house.

5. When they all seem to be getting along well under your supervision, allow the new cat to come out and explore your whole house without supervision. 

Pale and wan

In the last few weeks we have seen several anaemic cats. Their carers brought them in because they sensed something was wrong but they weren’t sure what. 

All of the cats had gone off their food and were a bit quieter than usual. Anaemic dogs

are more lethargic than normal, but it’s hard to tell if a cat is lethargic, especially in winter!

On examination we found the cats’ gums were paler than usual and ordered a blood count. All of them had red cell counts that would have humans gasping for an oxygen mask. Cats are definitely experts at conserving energy and hiding any illness.

The youngest kitten had found a tasty box of rat poison, which stops the blood from clotting normally. He had bled into his chest and was having difficulty breathing. The direct antidote and a few days in hospital soon had him back on the prowl.

The pathologist found some blood parasites called Hemoplasmas in a blood smear from a four year old Burmese named Chloe. Rest and a course of antibiotics soon had Chloe in the pink again.

Old Jester was not so lucky. His vet found that he had an enlarged liver. When we took a sample of the liver we found cancer cells. He had bled into his abdomen. Chronic diseases like cancer also suppress the bone marrow where blood cells are made. 

Old timer Lord Wellington had kidney disease. Cats with kidney disease are often anaemic. Wellie is on a special diet for his kidneys, which has bought him several extra years of life so far. He is comfortable with his moderate anaemia at the moment as he has had time to compensate for it. Anaemia of kidney disease is difficult and expensive to treat but his carers are considering his options at the moment. 

Blood transfusions in cats are always a risky business. Both donor and recipient have to be exactly the same blood type. We also cross match the bloods because some cats react even to their own blood type. On most occasions we can avoid a transfusion if we keep the patient quiet and unstressed for a few days.

If you think something is not quite right with your feline friend you are probably right! We always take your gut feelings seriously so don’t hesitate to call us. Better to catch dropping blood counts early than let your cat suffer.

DON'T feed the man meat...

Kittens on all meat diets soon get thin bones. 

Young Rolly’s arm broke last week when he jumped off the couch. It was not very far down from the couch, especially for an energetic 4 month old kitten.

When we looked at his X-rays we were horrified to find that his bones had less calcium in them than his muscles.

Rolly prefers plain meat so his owner had been feeding him just that - chicken breast, beef mince and the occasional chunk of liver. 

No meat has enough calcium in it for growing bones. The ratio of calcium to phosphate is completely upside down causing the body to mobilise calcium from bones for essential organ function.

Specialty kitten diets have extra calcium and protein in them. The calcium and phosphorous are in the correct ratio to support bone growth and organ function.

While I recommend that all kittens should taste a variety of meats so that they are not fussy later on, kitten foods of all kinds should be the mainstay of a kitten’s diet. 

Once they are adults cats can have more meat. Meat strips and chunks keep adult cats’ teeth clean and healthy.

Rolly is on a good quality kitten food and a calcium supplement to strengthen his bones. He also sports a smart fluoro green cast on his left arm.

Herpesvirus and sore eyes

Two cats with sore eyes came to visit this morning. Meeka is a bouncy 8 week old Burmese. Jafar is a more sedate, but no less fun-loving, 7 year old Himalayan.

Meeka came from a breeder last weekend and has just developed a bit of a crusty discharge in the corner of both eyes. When I had a close look his eyes were a bit red and more watery than normal.

Jafar has episodes of red weepy eyes every few months. He is a bit of a stress-head and the episodes seem to correspond with changes in the household like a new house, visitors or an intruder cat in the yard.

They are both showing signs of feline herpesvirus infection. Meeka’s infection may progress to a runny nose and sinusitis or she may throw it off and never have another episode. If she goes off her food or is lethargic we will prescribe antibiotics for secondary infections.

Herpesvirus in Jafar hides in a nerve ganglion and just comes out when he is stressed. The conjunctivitis is a bit painful so we recommend artificial tears to keep the eye well lubricated. He is also taking an antiviral drug to try and reduce the viral load and conjunctivitis.

The other cat in Jafar’s household must have developed an immunity to the virus as she has never shown signs even when Jafar is shedding virus everywhere.

We keep a close watch on Jafar’s eye because herpesvirus can cause ulceration of the cornea, the window of the eye, and occasionally loss of the eye.

Cat medicine study

Sorry posts to Hall Cat Vet have been sparse lately. I have been studying an intensive cat medicine course this year and Cleo has been very strict with me. Here she is supervising my nutrition study.
The good news is that she thinks my knowledge is now adequate and I will have more time for translating it onto Hall Cat Vet now!

Feline’s superior taste

Have you ever wondered why cats are not interested in chocolate cake, doughnuts or jelly beans? Recent research has found that they don’t have the taste buds for sweetness.

Researchers found that carnivores like cats have lost the gene that encodes the taste buds for sweetness. This is because their diet is primarily animal-based rather than plant-based. 

The missing gene is necessary for successful utilization of plant material.  In human beings and other omnivores, and in herbivores the missing gene codes for the taste receptors for sweets of plant origin like fruits and berries.

Because cats have a mainly animal-based protein diet the genes for the missing enzyme were not selected for and so they evolved without it.  

Other affected species included dolphins, sea lions, seals, otters, and hyenas. It appears that the ability to taste sweets has been lost in most carnivorous species. I guess they’ll never know what they’re missing.

Feline AIDS and your outdoor cat

Cat AIDS results from infection with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV suppresses the immune system of infected cats. Like a human infected with HIV, a cat infected with FIV shows no signs for years and then falls foul of every passing parasite and infection. 

Australia’s cats have one of the highest rates of FIV infection in the world. Because the virus is spread by biting, outdoor cats are more likely to be infected. In a Sydney survey 25% of a feral cat colony were infected with FIV.  In pet male cats allowed outside the prevalence was 12%.

Fortunately an FIV vaccine is available in Australia. Kittens under 6 months who go outdoors are vaccinated at their kitten checks. 

We can run a test for the virus at the Surgery for older cats before we vaccinate them. Cats who go outdoors, especially if they fight, should be tested and vaccinated.

Cats with FIV eventually become ill with diseases like trench mouth, demodex, toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosus, kidney disease, fitting and cancer. Although we treat each disease as it comes up, eventually the infected cat dies at a much younger age than its peers. 

Treatment of the FIV infection itself is very difficult as cats are very susceptible to the side-effects of many of the drugs used to treat HIV. Feline interferon shows some promise but is very expensive.

I always knew cats were different!

BRAIN not needed: nerve signals are not necessary to control the muscles of a cat's pupil. A light-sensitive pigment in the iris can do the job instead.

Mammals were thought to rely on signalling between the eye and brain to resize the pupil and control the amount of light reaching the retina, but researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered that eyeballs isolated from animals that are active at night or at dusk and dawn - including cats - continued to respond to light. They traced the effect to melanopsin, a light-sensitive pigment in the iris muscle.

The pigment plays a similar role in birds, fish and amphibians. It might provide dark-loving mammals with an additional pupil-shrinking tool that helps them avoid being dazzled if suddenly exposed to light.

See this report for more information on this intriguing finding.

New food? I don't think so!

How do I convince my cat to eat the kidney diet?

·         Switch to the new food gradually. Most cats need at least a week to make the transition and many take a month or so.

·        Only try one brand of food at a time. Offer one brand for at least a week before trying another.

·         Try mixinga little of the new food with the old and gradually increasing the proportion of new food.

·         Alternatively provide both foods side by side and let the cat get used to the new scent and taste without being forced to consume it.

·         Don't be discouraged! Keep putting the new food out. If it is rejected take it away for the moment and put it down again at the next meal time.

·         Serve food on a flat food dish like a saucer rather than a bowl. Some cats reject a food if their whiskers rub the side of the food dish.

·         Serve food at room temperature or warmer.

·         Some cats prefer food from a newly opened container every time.

·         Other cats like their food stored in a plastic container rather than its original can.

·         Offer foods with different textures - minced, pate, chunks -  or different formulations - dry or moist. Many cats change their preferences when they develop kidney disease so don't be afraid to offer something that they didn't like before.

·         Add flavour enhancers like low sodium chicken broth, tuna juice, oregano, brewer's yeast, or a small amount of favourite food.

·         Feed more moist food to increase fluid intake. Cats with kidney disease need to consume a lot more water per day than healthy cats.

·         Make sure water is always available. Place water dishes near your cat's favourite resting places. Cats who like to lap from dripping taps or shower recesses often like water fountains like the Drinkwell water fountain.

Kidney disease diets

Changing to a diet specially formulated for cats newly diagnosed with kidney disease is the most effective way of supporting them.   Specially formulated kidney diets have been proven over and over again to improve the quality of life of catswith kidney disease and extend their life expectancy.

·         More importantly, from your cat's point of view, cats on kidney diets end up in hospital on a drip much less often than those on regular foods.

·         Potassiumis added to kidney diets because cats with kidney disease often have low levels of potassium. Low potassium blunts cats’ appetitesand make them feel unwell.

·         Phosphorousbuilds up in the blood of cats with kidney disease. High phosphorous levels put them off their food and eventually weaken their bones. Cats in untreated advanced kidney failure develop "rubber jaw" -  the high phosphorous levels drain the calcium out of their jaw bones.

·         Cats' systems become more acidic in kidney failure. Kidney diets help buffer the acidity and improve the cats'  well-being.

Company

Coco keeps me company reading vet journals - about cats, of course!