Make vet visits easier

FC in for her annual checkup

Bringing your cat to the vet can be a stressful experience for you, your cat, the vet and the nurse.

Some cats yowl as soon as the car starts, others pee in the carrier every trip.

An upset cat is difficult for your vet to examine and stress skews some blood tests.

How do we make visits to the vet less stressful for all concerned?

Leave the carrier out permanently in your home.  Many cats will rest or hide in it or use it as a play thing, particularly if it has been about since they were kittens. Pop some treats in the carrier so that your cat associates it with a pleasant experience.

Apply Feliway spray to bedding in the carrier regularly and just before transport. Feliway contains a natural pheromone that relaxes cats.  Lining the carrier with a favourite person'sclothing may also calm your cat.

Withhold food before travel to prevent travel sickness and consequent negative feelings about car rides. Short practice rides followed by a good experience such as a favourite food help some cats to relax in the car.

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

In the waiting room place the carrier up off the ground on a seat or bench and well away from other cats. If your cat is wide-eyed, trembling,or huddled at the back of the carrier ask the receptionist to put her in a spare quiet room.

Because cats hide illness and pain so well they need regular, scheduled visits to the vet to ferret out problems like arthritis, thyroid and kidney disease and liver and heart decline. Annual visits are adequate for cats less than 8 years old. Older cats need checks more often, especially if any problems have been identified.

Unfortunately, cats often don’t show us they’re sick until it’s almost too late.

Reducing the stress of vet visits means more frequent checkups and a longer, healthier, and more comfortable life for your feline friend.

All in the family

Cleo grooms her daughter Cinta

Are the cats in your household stressed by each other? 

In their natural state cats live with their relatives - their mothers, siblings and offspring. We expect them to live in close quarters with total strangers and then wonder why they mark indoors, have bladder problems and overgroom - all signs of stress.

You know your cats consider each other family if they sleep together and groom each other, paying particular attention to each other’s heads. When all the cats in your household think of each other as family stress levels are low. 

More often in multi-cat households each cat considers the other as just another tenant of the house and would rather not share dining, toilet and rest areas. When forced to share tension levels between the cats will rise and fall. Occasionally we see outright aggression between housemates. Sometimes the only sign is the occasional spray of urine up the curtain or recurrent cystitis (inflammation of the bladder).

Check out your cats’ sleeping arrangements. If they are sleeping separately and not grooming each other with complete ease then make sure you have multiple resources available so that each ‘family’ can eat, drink and toilet in private. If you have three cats who do not groom each other then you will need feeding and water bowls, and a litter tray in three separate areas.

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

Bored Cat Syndrome

Yes there is such a thing!!

Keeping cats indoors increases their life spans because they don’t become victims of cars, other animals, diseases or thievery. Unfortunately many cats are left alone without stimulation or a feline friend while their human companions are at work and school. Some of these cats develop behavior problems or stress illnesses while others become dangerously obese from lack of exercise. Most of these latchkey cats suffer from Bored Cat Syndrome!

It is impossible for most people to stay home and entertain their cats all day. Enrich the home environment and give cats choices to avoid Bored Cat Syndrome:

• Stabilise cat trees with lots of shelves by adding a larger base or fastening the tree to a wall or the ceiling. Position one next to a secure window and hang a bird feeder outside the window to maximize cat fun while preserving birds’ lives.
• Carpeted shelving around walls at different heights give cats lots of opportunity for exercise and contemplation of their home comforts. Many access points to the shelves give cats choices and prevent them from being cornered without an escape route.
• Wide window perches allow cats to scope out the neighborhood from the safety of their homes.

Fight obesity and stimulate your cat by making your cat work for his food:

• Treat balls or shapes packed with healthy treats or dry food provide hours of chasing and playing fun. Make a puzzle out of a cardboard box with two to three holes in each side, just big enough for a paw to reach in for biscuits, but not big enough for a head to be caught in.
• Play hide and seek with treats or dry food. Scatter them behind sofas, up cat trees or on shelves while your cat is otherwise engaged.
• Many cats enjoy exercise wheels like these kitty treadmills

Other ways remedies for bored cats:

• Videos made for cats keep them occupied and stimulated when they are left alone. Video Catnip and The Cat Sitter feature the sights and sounds of birds, fish, mice and other animals. Some cats are fascinated by these videos; others give a passing glance and continue with their own agendas.
• Televisions talk shows or home and garden shows keep some cats fascinated
• Some cats love to play in running water like the Drinkwell Pet, available from Hall Vet Surgery.
• Many cats enjoy the company of other cats. Consider both cats' personalities before bringing a newcomer into the house. Some cats do not adjust to another cat in the household. Proper introductions can take months even when two cats are well suited.

Help! My cat is urinating indoors

Marking or toileting?

Spraying small amounts of urine against vertical objects such as chairs or walls is a territorial marking behaviour. Male and female cats urinate in a squatting position leaving a greater volume of liquid.

Why do cats spray?

• Entire male cats are the most likely to spray
• Medical problems such as cystitis, diabetes, kidney disease and obesity exacerbate abnormal toileting behaviour.
• Anxiety and stress are the most common causes of spraying. Cats are creatures of habit and like to have their own space and toys. Even though they are willing to share a house and bed with you they need places and things of their own to be happy. If they think that something that belongs to them is being taken over by someone else they feel threatened. They have to let everyone know that it is theirs. The natural way to stake their claim is to mark it with the facial scent glands or urine. This is like writing their name on their things. Putting urine or facial scent on a thing or place makes a cat feel secure, especially if they feel out of place, nervous or afraid.

What makes cats anxious?

• A new cat or kitten. Introduce a new pet into the household gradually. Let them get used to each other through a screen or glass door. Exchange their bedding and let them sniff and sleep on it. Remember to reassure and cuddle the established pet as well as the cute new one.
• A new baby. Let your cat hear the sounds and sniff the clothes of a new family member from a safe, private place. Give the cat lots of attention.
• Changes in furniture or carpets and disruptions such as building or painting. Lock your cat in a room well away from tradesmen and the strange sounds and smells associated with their work.
• A strange cat wandering in the garden or even through the cat flap.
• The loss of a human or animal companion. Strongly bonded cats will need extra care and attention if mourning a friend who has moved or passed away.
• Incompatible cats, especially if a lot of cats live together. Determine which cats do not get along and keep them in separate parts of the home with their own litter and sleeping areas.
• Stress. Enriching a cat’s environment minimises stress.
Cat scratching posts, toys that mimic prey, tunnels, outside runs and a variety of high spots and hideouts will keep your cat happy and stimulated. Vertical space is often more important than horizontal space. Some cats appreciate an indoor garden sown with grass, cat nip and cat mint. Find several toys they like and rotate them regularly. Your company is important. Even an old cat will appreciate a game with a ribbon on a stick or a glittery ball. Make your cat work for food by hiding it in various locations around the house or in food puzzles such as plastic containers with holes cut in the sides. More suggestions for the indoor cat.

Routine is important for some cats. Ten minutes each day play and grooming your cat to provide regular predictable attention that helps reduce their anxiety. Feed them at a set time.

What if I can’t identify or remove the source of the anxiety?

If you cannot identify or remove the source of the anxiety then provide your cat with a safe haven. A room where your cat can safely retreat or relax without fear of disturbance is ideal. A small, enclosed and elevated space lined with your worn clothes is also good. Most cats will mark a limited space with facial rubbing and bunting only.

Clean urine marked areas with a special enzymatic cleaner like Urine Off that eliminates the scent. If your cat can smell urine he will mark it again. You may have to lock him out of the room for a while to help him forget it.

Protect a habitual spraying site by placing dry food or a bed at the base. Cats are usually reluctant to spray their own key resources. Food and beds are also reassuring and may reduce anxiety. However, a stressed cat may move to other areas and mark there instead.

A natural pheromone spray called Feliway calms some cats and reduces the urge to spray and mark. Spray it on previously marked areas or plug a Feliway diffuser in or near the area he most marks.

Never punish cats. If caught in the act they can be picked up and placed on the litter tray, stroked and calmed. Never ‘rub the cat’s nose in it’ as this will make a nervous cat even more likely to toilet indoors.

Cats with anxiety related behaviours like spraying often need anti-anxiety medications in addition to the above changes to resolve the problem.

Urine problems

Indoor cats  straining to urinate and not producing much but bloody urine have bladder problems. Some exhibit their frustration and pain all over the house.

The urinary passage of male or desexed male cats can block up with crystals and mucous. If your cat is tense and restless then he may have a blockage and you must contact a vet immediately before the bladder bursts.

Stress causes bladder inflammation or cystitis in some cats.

Kidney or bladder infections and bladder stones cause similar signs.

When you come to the vet surgery we examine your cat for urinary blockage and shock. Then we analyse your cat’s urine for infection, crystals and mucous plugs. We might order an X ray or ultrasound to rule out bladder stones.

If we find no sign of blockage, infection or stones then  we conclude that your cat has Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) or Interstitial Cystitis (FIC).

Contributing causes:
No single cause of FIC has been identified. However, several factors have been shown to increase the risk of FIC. These include:

• Stress
• Indoor confinement
• Dry food
• Obesity
• Low water consumption
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Frequent meals

How can you prevent further episodes of FIC?

• Introduce a predominantly wet food diet such as food in sachets or cans, or raw meat. If your cat prefers dry food you may have to introduce the new foods gradually. Add a little of the wet food to the biscuits and gradually increase the amount of wet food. Alternatively sprinkle the biscuits with water and increase the amount of water added over a few weeks until the biscuits are soft and wet.
• Increase your cat’s water intake. You might try adding more water to the food or offering water flavoured with chicken stock. Some cats like running water. Pet fountains are available in many pet stores. Cats often like drinking water from the shower recess or basin. Provide water in a variety of bowls in different shapes, sizes and textures to identify your cat’s preference. If rain water or filtered water is available your cat may prefer it to tap water.
• Encourage frequent urination. Provide at least one litter tray per cat plus one more filled with the preferred litter and in private locations.
• Reduce stress in your cat’s life. Some cats are very sensitive to their environment and may respond to any changes by becoming nervous or fearful and developing problems such as cystitis. A comfortable quiet hideout for resting, such as a cupboard, quiet bed or sofa, or on top of the refrigerator, is essential for all felines. Some nervous individuals may require a refuge in a quiet, sheltered part of the house away from other pets and people, and furnished with the necessities of life.
• Minimise interaction with other cats for fearful individuals. Check out the Indoor Cat website for signals that your cat is on edge. You may have to provide a feeding point, litter tray and hideout for each cat to minimise the tension.
• A Feliway diffuser may help to reduce stress in many situations.
• Enrich your cat’s environment. When we confine our cats indoors they become dependent on us not only for their physical needs and environment but for their emotional and intellectual needs as well. Cat scratching posts, toys that mimic prey, tunnels, outside runs and a variety of high spots and hideouts will keep your cat happy and stimulated. Your company is important. Even an old cat will appreciate a game with a ribbon on a stick or a glittery ball. Make your cat work for food by hiding it in various locations around the house or in food puzzles such as plastic containers with holes cut in the sides. The Indoor Pet website has lots of suggestions.

New look web site

The Ohio State University has expanded its wonderful Indoor Cat site to include dogs. The importance of mental health to overall health and well-being has long been identified in human medicine. Poor welfare and chronic stress can also lead to mental and physical health problems in our pets.
The treasure trove of hints and help for keeping indoor cats is still there - just click on the pic of the cute kitten on the left.  I've found the problem solving section especially useful for stressed pusses.

The Indoor Pet Initiative

A word from above

Coco surveys the world from the top of the bunk bed

Cats need high places.  Perhaps to preserve their natural superiority, perhaps to see danger coming, perhaps so that they can watch without being seen ... who knows?
All I know is that cats who don't have high perches or hiding holes can show signs of stress.  Every day I see them with bladder inflammation, excessive grooming, urine marking and other signs of feline stress.
Does your cat have a hidey hole, high or low?

Calm cats

When cats feel safe and happy they rub their faces against the furniture, walls and other objects. They are depositing a scent known as a pheromone that makes them feel at home and relaxed.

Researchers have developed a cat facial pheromone look-a-like for stressed cats that capitalises on this calming effect. It is available as a spray or in a diffuser known as Feliway.

A couple of squirts of Feliway spray in the carrier before a visit to the vet or a trip in the car helps relax a tense puss. Many boarding catteries spray their accommodation to help the cats settle in and start eating more quickly. If you take your cat with you on holidays then Feliway spray around the holiday cottage will relax him.

We leave a Feliway diffuser on in the cat ward at the surgery to calm nervous patients.

Feliway diffusers are also great for chronically stressed cats. These cats use other marking behaviours that are less acceptable to their owners. Urine marking, aggression toward other cats or people, house soiling and cystitis are signs of stress.

Feliway diffusers left on continuously in cats’ favoured areas help restore their balance and create a feeling of well-being. Together with modifications of the environment and sometimes medications we can lower stress levels and minimise unsociable habits.