Ionizers Hurt Cats

Do ionizers hurt cats? Air purifiers often (always?) have a setting for sending out negative ions into the room. This is part of the air cleaning process. The purpose of negative goes beyond that, it seems. There are claimed to be a number of health benefits for humans including accelerating the delivery of oxygen to our cells and tissues. Ions also help to remove dust, pollen etc from the air. They apparently make the dust particles fall out of suspension in the air. The dust falls to the floor. You can make smoke fall to the floor as well.


Can I smell ozone? Nah....Jeep sniffing the air - photo by abbyladybug

But it has been said that the ionizer setting on an air purifier should not be used if you have a cat. How can that be, I wonder, as a cat's anatomy is very similar to ours. We know that because cats are often used in animal experiments to test products designed for humans (I personally find that unacceptable). I am told that there is a lot of stuff on the internet which says that ionizers should not be used around birds as well.

Is it a question of amount? The ionizer creates ozone...which is a polarized oxygen. Particularly it creates negative ions of oxygen. Ozone in large doses can be pretty corrosive and hard on your lungs, human lungs. If those lungs are a lot smaller, it seems reasonable to suggest that the dosage needs to be a lot less to avoid causing harm. My initial thoughts (and I am not sure) are that ionizers are geared up for human use only and ionized air needs to be regulated to a certain level to be beneficial. Smaller animals might benefit from ionized air but the ionization needs to happen to much lesser level. If not damage can be caused. So people who claim that ionizers hurt cats may be correct. Do you know better?

Ionizers Hurt Cats to Cat Health Problems

Homeopathic EaseSure - Supports pet brain function & routine nervous system health for Dogs & Cats

Photo published under Creative Commons:

The Future of Cat Breeding?

Can we see a part of the future of cat breeding by observing what has happened to the Kennel Club in Great Britain? The Kennel Club has had to change the breed standards of 209 of its registered dog breeds as a result of a BBC program (Pedigree Dogs Exposed) that claimed that the club encouraged the breeding of unhealthy dogs through misdirected breed standards and judging at shows (including the biggest show of all, Crufts) that focused on appearance over health and temperament.

The program led to loss of sponsorship forcing the club to give way and change what was an ingrained practice established over decades. This has come as a major shock to the club and more particularly the various dog clubs and breed committees affiliated to or working on behalf of the Kennel Club. The committee members are often traditionalists. They have been doing what they do for generations. They became blind, I would argue, to what they were actually doing, focusing on the wrong thing, appearance, for the sake of status and profit at the expense of the animal they so loved and cared for.

However, grass roots members of the Kennel Club seem to disagree with the club. One committee member was kicked out of the King Charles Spaniel committee for assisting the BBC. The grass roots wanted her back and voted her in. The senior members of the committee all resigned forcing this member to back down. I am not sure why she did back down though. Anyway the point is, it is very hard to change well entrenched ways and one wonders sometimes whether the senior dog breeders are actually concerned about their animals' health as they no doubt claim to be. But they will be obliged to follow the new breed standard. Change will occur.

The same kind of thing, I believe, may well happen with the major cat associations. The CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) in the USA is the bastion of tradition but a tradition based on breed standards that have gradually veered off course under their management, resulting, albeit on a lesser scale, in some cat breeds being bred with health problems. Will there be a similar television program about cats? What is the future of cat breeding? The world is changing and the breeders aren't.

The CFA would do well to snap out of its cosy world and face the modern world. It will then ensure a long future but without change there will be mounting pressure from animal rights and grass roots to change, which may jeopardize its position and standing in the long term. Other cat assocations follow the ways of the CFA. These may face similar problems. The associations need to care more for the future of cat breeding.

See Cat Breeders and Animal Rights | Cat Breed Standards Need Reviewing | Persian Cats | Complete Book of Cat Breeding, The

Cats in Cold Weather

Cats in cold weather, if they are outdoor cats, can get into difficulties associated with the cold. Here's some brief examples:

Going in and out from warm to very cold can, it is thought, raise the potential for catching a cold and cats get 'em just like us.


Cat on Ice -- DoBe not sure about ice -- photo by yeimaya

Cats if locked out will seek warmth. That could be under a recently parked car or actually in the engine compartment - very dangerous. People say we should bang on the car before starting off in very cold weather, to frighten off any cat inside.

Roads are salted in icy weather. Fine, but not too fine for the humble domestic cat as the salt and perhaps other chemicals used to de-ice roads gets picked up in between the toes and on the paws. This then gets licked off and into the cat, which can cause health problems. Sometimes salt is not used as it is too expensive. Substitutes could be more toxic to cats.

Cats with a single coat (see cat hair) such as some moggies or the purebred Oriental Shorthair will feel the cold more. How about a coat!? Specially tailored, very flashy.

Older cats will be more susceptible to falls and breaks in the cold just like us. If it's very cold it is probably better to keep our cats in all the time, which is commonplace in the USA anyway. Cats in cold weather need special consideration really.

Feral cats are more able to survive in the cold particularly if they have a reliable source of food.

Cats in Cold Weather to Home Page

Photo published under:

Cats Lick Plastic Bags

Why do some cats lick plastic bags? This is potentially dangerous as cats also like to crawl into spaces and play and that could lead to suffocation. Ideally, cats should not have access to plastic bags. Clearly if the bag tastes good to a cat that makes it potentially more dangerous!


Milo likes plastic bags. He might just like playing in them. It could be as straight forward as that. Photo by Malingering

What is in or on the bag that makes it attractive to lick? This is a hard one to crack. Plastic bags are usually made of polyethylene, which is made from ethylene. The bags are pretty much just that except for some lubricants used in manufacture. It is hard to see what is attractive to lick if the product is plastic. After all it shouldn't taste like food. However, the other type of "plastic bag" is biodegradable and is made of starch. The starch is obtained from corn or potatoes and converted to lactic acid, which can be polymerized into biodegradable plastic called polylactide. Starch is also used in the manufacture of dry cat food as it is needed in the manufacturing process. So there is a connection here between cat food and plastic bags but I am not sure that it is one that explains why cats lick plastic bags. This is just a thought I had (but see below)

The conventional view is that the plastic originates in manufacture from animal fat, which provides the attraction. I am not sure about that as it is made fro ethylene. There is also the medical condition called PICA. Cats and other animals including humans can suffer from it. They have a compulsion to eat non-food products or non-nutritious objects and/or food ingredients such as flour, starch or raw potato. We have here then another connection with biodegradable bags mentioned above as they are made of starch .

My current theory as to why cats lick plastic bags is because they are suffering from a mild version of PICA and the bag is a biodegradable one. The underlying cause of PICA is unclear but could be due to biochemical deficiency, and more often, iron deficiency (src: Wikipedia). In short it may be due to a mineral deficiency and the substance eaten or licked contains that mineral. The first port of call would be the vet and a look at the diet, I'd guess.

Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life and see my review of this book.

Cats Lick Plastic Bags to Cat Health Problems

Cats Early Neutering

"Reasons we do not do early altering:

First, FIP can be "triggered" at an early age and even before a kitten is sold at 12 weeks. In their new home, an apparently healthy kitten can later begin to decline at about 8 months of age but the triggers to produce the disease actually occured prior to 3 months of age. Some believe that 3 triggers within a 30 day period can result in FIP. Some triggers are: 1) early weaning; 2) vaccines; 3) poor quality food; 4) change of environment; 5) early alterning.

Kittens go through enough stress without the additional stress of altering. Second, kittens need to develop trust in humans. To take them away from their mother, put them into a vet clinic for the day, leave them to go through fear, stress, anesthesia and pain seems not only cruel but a break in that trust.

Third, we believe hormones are what results in males looking like males, and females looking like females. This is why we suggest altering at about 7 months of age.

Fourth, there is no conclusive proof that early altering is not a cause of health issues down the road."

Cats Early Neutering

Neutering Cats

Cat Buyers

How many cat buyers of cats could say that their vets want to give 5 or 6 different vaccines, spay or neuter and declaw etc., a few days after the kitten arrives in it's new home. Does this happen fairly frequently? Are some vets money hungry? Is the situation out of control? Is the recent recession making things worse?

Finally, are vets truly concerned about improving animal health or making money or something in between. Doctors take an oath to act in the best interest of people. Solicitors in England are obliged to act in the interest of the client and in default can be "struck off" (prevented from practicing).

Are animals and cats in a more vulnerable position? Should there be better control over vets? Cat buyers should ask questions. Declawing is out, out, out. Vaccinations are sometimes unnecessary and can result in damaging the health of cats.

See: Are Cats Hurt by Commercial Food and Vaccines and Cat Vaccination Recommendations.

Best Water For Cats

The best water for cats is pure "energized", alkaline and toxin-free, so say those that know but are they right? And what is this kind of water? It certainly isn't the tap water in the United States. I am not sure about the UK or other countries but the situation in Europe is probably broadly similar. And it isn't bottle water either.


photo copyright gari.baldi under Creative commons license.


Tap Water - best water for cats? No.

Tap water in the USA (and I'll refer to the USA as people from that country are the major source of visitors to this site) is obviously drinkable but some say that it is not ideal for the maintenance of either human or cat's health. Examples of the chemicals found in tap water are:

Chlorine: Some health authorities think that on balance chlorine is beneficial in tap water but others disagree including some doctors. For example, Joseph M. Price, a doctor working in the USA thinks that it is an insidious poison. Chlorine kills bacteria in the water making it healthier but the downside (and there is always a downside) is that it reacts with other substances in the water to form toxins called trihalomethanes (THMs - they are also called organochlorides). THMs are dangerous to health and can suppress the immune system (for info about boosting a cat's immune system see: Immune System of Cats). Ozone is better at disinfecting water, apparently.

Flouride: This chemical when added to tap water helps prevent tooth decay. In some areas of the UK flouride is added it to tap water. 70% of people use fluoridated water in the USA. In Australia 67% apparently use fluoridated tap water.. It has been added to the supply of all US cities. (source: Times Online).

There could be dioxins, parasites, inorganic poisons, pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi in tap water too. That said we shouldn't get panicky about it. It keeps us alive most of the time.

Some eminent medical people advise against the use of fluoride in tap water. "I would advise against fluoridation.. Side-effects cannot be excluded ..."- Dr. Arvid Carlsson, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine (2000). And "I am appalled at the prospect of using water as a vehicle for drugs. Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis. Any attempt to use water this way is deplorable." Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd, Past President of the American Medical Association. Once again there is disagreement about the health benefits. In short though tap water is not the best in terms of preserving health and well being of cats. It is not the best water for cats.


Bottled Water - best water for cats? No.

Then we have bottled water. Some cynics might argue that bottled water is the biggest scam perpetrated on mankind until the financier Maddof (the $50 billion fraudster) came along. Bottled water is a triumph of marketing over substance. Studies in the USA have found that 30% of bottled water has a degree of chemical contamination such as neurotoxins and carcinogens (styrene, toluene and xylene). Antimony is used in the manufacture of the plastic (polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) and this leaches out into the water, even more so in when it is warm (source: National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) studies, Shirley's Wellness Cafe). I think all right minded people can write off bottled water unless it is supplied by the US armed services to troops in Iraq or Afghanistan. More water is used in the manufacture of the bottles than there is in it when sold. A billion USDs worth of plastic water bottles is dumped in landfill in the US yearly. This has a sense of parrallel universe about it. Oh, and sometimes bottled water comes from taps!


Super Clean Water - best water for cats? No.

This very clean water sounds wonderful. Yet it is not good for us. Water produced by reverse osmosis has been called "hungry" or "death" water. Not a recommendation. There is nothing in it. Also it has positive and not negative ions and it is acid rather than alkaline (high pH). Water should bring nutrients and flush out free radicals.


Best Water for Cats

In contrast pure "energized", alkaline and toxin-free has, it seems, no critics, except it is probably beyond the means of most. This is claimed to be the best water for cats (and of course any higher animal) by Shirley at Shirley's Wellness Cafe. Were and how do we get this almost mythical elixir of life? Well, it can be produced in our homes using a machine purchased on the internet. Isn't life wonderful? They are called alkaline ionizers.

The water produced is a powerful antioxidant, an effective alkalizing and hydrating agent and a detoxifier. So it is claimed. Here is a book that claims this: The Miraculous Properties of Ionized Water - The Definitive Guide to the World's Healthiest Substance. Clearly this water is designed to be drunk by humans but it is equally beneficial, it is claimed, for cats and other animals. The best ionizers sell for: $1,795 (http://ionmicrowater.com/catalogue.htm#aquarius1) in the US and for a similar price in the UK (http://www.lifeionisers.co.uk/)

Disease thrives in an acid (low pH) environment. These machines produce alkaline (high pH) water. The antioxidant properties are important for health.

Update: There may be downsides to this water. Please read another article on the quality of water for cats by clicking on this link.

My current conclusion is that good old tap water is probably the best for cats. You know what it is and you know it is safe for humans and therefore must be okay for cats.


For lots more information on antioxidants by "the experts" these books may be of interest:

• The Antioxidants
• The Super Antioxidant Diet and Nutrition Guide: A Health Plan for the Body, Mind, and Spirit - this obviosly relates to people but the anatomy and processes of cats and humans are similar and the arguments as to benefits similar too.
  

• Best Water For Cats to Cat Health Problems

Immune System of Cats

Can the immune system of cats be improved by transfer factors? What in heavens name are transfer factors? Transfer factors are immune messenger molecules. "They are found in white blood cells, colostrum, and eggs. They are often given credit for the perpetuation of species by transferring immunity against many pathogens that would otherwise kill the offspring." (published under Wikimedia® creative commons license license = Attribution-ShareAlike License).

They are said to the smallest molecules in the colostrum (mother's milk). The mother passes on her immunity to her offspring through transfer factors. She is also passing on information about her immune system through the transference of transfer factors.

Transfer factors are manufactured for sale to be used by people. The same product can and is used by veterinarians to treat cats. This commercially available preparation is claimed to enhance and stimulate the body's own immune system to fight against all pathogens, viral or otherwise. The people who sell this preparation say that there are 3 important functions of transfer factors - (a) boosting the immune system, (b) increasing the intelligence of the immune system and (c) modulating the immune system - suppressing an over-active immune system (a overactive immune system can damage the body it is designed to protect and some nasty illnesses are as a result of an abnormal immune response)

So to recap transfer factors are produced in the body of higher animals, naturally, and can be manufactured for sale and are important in the creation of an effective immune system. More information is available in this book: A Guide to Transfer Factors and Immune System Health. This is another recommended read: Transfer Factor: Natural Immune Booster (Woodland Health)

Some (all?) veterinarians that practice holistic and homeopathic medicine recommend treatment by transfer factors. It is a proactive measure. For example Rob Robertson, M.D. says that almost all pet illness can be referred back to a failure of some sort of the immune system. So boosting it and making it more effective can help prevent disease. Another example is provided by Dr. Falconer DVM in response to a question about treating bone cancer in pets. He recommends the transfer factors product used for humans at 2 capsules a day as part of the treatment (src: Shirley's Wellness Cafe)

The concept, then, is that the immune system of cats can be compromised (suppressed) by various factors including poor commercially available food, unnecessary vaccinations and a host of other reasons and prescribing transfer factors can help to boost, balance and repair the immune system to aid recovery from illness. There are testimonials that support the claim that transfer factor treatment can cure a pet where all conventional medication has failed and the cat or dog is being prepared for euthanasia.

If we are interested, I guess the next time we are seeing the vet we should ask about them. My bet is that vets not practicing homeopathic medicine will scoff at this treatment. They may not even know about it. Where can we get the preparations? Well you can get the preparation designed for humans on Amazon for a start: 4LIFE Tri-factor transfer factor plus. The vets practicing homeopathy use human transfer factor preparations on animals it seems. However there is a feline preparation available on Amazon too: TF Feline Complete (Contains Transfer Factor) 60 - 2 gram servings.

OK, over to your guys if you want to explore more. It is important that the immune system of cats is optimized and this is one way of getting there it seems to me - worth a try I'd say.

Immune System of Cats to Cat Health Problems

Feline Allergies

Feline Distemper Symptom

Are Cats Hurt by Commercial Food and Vaccines?

Are cats hurt by commercial food and vaccines? It is argued by some that poor commercial food that are low in nutrients suitable to a cat and high in toxins (for commercial manufacturing reasons) can damage cat health. Combine this with the still prevalent concept of yearly vaccines and some veterinarians argue that there has been an increase in chronic ill health of cats and dogs.

One such person is Michael E Dym, who practices Classical Veterinary Homeopathy. He argues that illnesses and behavioral problems that were rare in the 1960s are more frequently encountered today. He blames, as I mentioned, pet food and unnecessary vaccinations. He says that most of the health problems originate in a breakdown in the immune system.



This can result in a wide range of illnesses such as: degenerative arthritis, chronic skin/ear allergies, digestive upset, seizures, gum/ teeth problems, kidney and liver failure, thyroid, adrenal and pancreatic disorders and cancer across all ages and breeds.

Sometimes diseases are being treated with cortisones and antibiotics to suppress the symptoms when a more fundamental diagnosis of underlying causes should be made. He recommends Homeopathy as an alternative.

My highly cynical thoughts for what they are worth are these. Vaccinations are profitable for veterinarians. Vets have high overheads and need big salaries because they are well qualified. That indicates a motivation to over treat either by way of vaccination or by suppressing symptoms with drugs. It is easier to suppress symptoms than find the underlying cause plus the problem is still there needing more treatments. Vaccinations can it seems cause more ill health than they are intended to prevent. In addition there are the huge drug companies. They need to sell lots of drugs and who buys them and on what terms? Of course vets buy them. There is a kind of juggernaut effect. Health has become too commercial. You cannot effectively combine health and profit without some negative aspects creeping into the equation.

Cats and dogs can get a hard deal. They have no voice. They hide pain and discomfort. There is an element of guess work. Food is cheap, which means poor quality. It should be more expensive. This would reduce the number cat owners, reducing ultimately the number of stray cats and euthanized feral cats (over 2 million per year in the USA).

Another vet, Dr. Pat Bradley, DVM, Conway, USA says that the most common problems that he sees related to vaccines on a regular basis are ear or skin conditions, such as chronic discharges and itching. He also sees behavioral problems such as fearfulness or aggression.

And yet another Dr.Blanco, D.V.M says that you can take healthy animals and often soon after the vaccination, things like itching of the skin or excessive licking of the paws can be seen, sometimes even with no eruptions. There are probably many more vets with similar opinions.

Are Cats Hurt by Commercial Food and Vaccines? Yes, sometimes. I think we need to think more about these aspects of cat care. I don't have my cat vaccinated anymore. She is old and has had enough of them. Anyway she stays at home all day with little chance of catching anything. And I think about cat food more. It is hard though to get involved in these things as it takes time and that is often in short supply unlike the drugs.

The only real food for cats is properly made homemade cat food. This is raw supplemented cat food. And vaccinations should be seriously considered and discussed with the vet and don't get bullied!

Are Cats Hurt by Commercial Food and Vaccines? to Cat Health Problems

See the website of Michael E Dym, VMD

See Cat Vaccination Recommendations

Cat Illness Prevention

Gaia - to illustrate this page nicely - photo by fofurasfelinas

Cat illness prevention is possible with certain diseases. What about some of the most common and expensive (in respect of veterinarian bills) diseases - can they be prevented?

One classic, common and potentially expensive to cure illness is caused by foreign bodies trapped in the intestine. Cats like to play and chew on things and that is good as it provides exercise provided the objects with which our cat is playing are the right ones, things he/she can't swallow like thread. Bits of thread can be very damaging if swallowed and may need an expensive trip to the veterinarian and at this time of economic woe that is not a good scenario, nor is it good for the cat as it is life threatening.

I guess the moral is to keep items that can be ingested by our cat out of reach. That is quite a big call as there are so many possibles but a quick look-see might at least get rid of the worst offenders. Bengal cats have a particular propensity, it seems, to use their mouths on objects (see Bengal Cat Behavior). Objects that can pass through the stomach can be arrested at the intestine. What then of objects that can be ingested but stop at the stomach? These are a wider range of objects. Keep anything that might be eaten out of reach.

My cat once suffered from cystitis, an infection of the urinary tract. Blockages of the urinary tract are not uncommon and some cats have a greater propensity to this condition. A simple proactive measure, and one that I took up, is to ensure that our cat drinks well. I add water to microwaved fish, for example. Making sure that there is plenty of fresh water available is obvious, and, also, not depending, uniquely, on dry cat food is wise. Some veterinarians recommend wet (canned) food over dry food. One well known American vet and author is Elizabeth M Hodgkins DVM (see grain free cat food or cat food recipe as examples). See also Feline Kidney Disease and FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease).

Bladder Stones another urinary tract disease is also commonly encountered. Please read the full post, Feline Kidney Stones, for full details as to how to minimize the occurrence of this disease. In short a good quality wet food diet low in magnesium and acid is the best for cats with a propensity to contract this disease. In this instance cat illness prevention is possible.

Another Urinary Tract Disease is renal failure. This can happen with a cat poisoned by car antifreeze. The recent large scale incidences, in the United States, of cat and pet poisoning caused by melamine in cat food and pet food generally caused renal failure and death. Another poison that damages the kidney is the house plant Easter Lily: See House Plant Poisonous to a Cat. See Cat Poison. Cat illness prevention is possible in this case too as dangerous products can be stored safely. The garage is out of bounds, always. Wandering cats can be attracted to car antifreeze. People should be aware of this. Some nasty people deliberately poison with antifreeze; please watch out for this.

Hyperthyroidism is a relatively common disease. There is nothing that can be done to prevent it but if caught early complications can be minimized. Signs are weight loss combined with a good appetite.

With current knowledge there is nothing that is currently known that can be done to prevent: Mast Cell Tumors, Fibrosarcoma (Skin Cancer), Intestinal Cancer. However, Skin cancer can be rarely be caused by vaccinations (see Cat Vaccination Recommendations). Also see Cat Coats White -- white cats are more prone to skin cancer, extra care should be taken in the sun.

Cat illness prevention is possible with respect to a number of common and expensive to cure diseases.

Cat Illness Prevention to Cat Heath Problems

Is Christmas Bad for Cats?

This sounds like Scrooge talking but is Christmas bad for cats? Seeing that I am like Scrooge, I'll say, "Yes". But it's not all bad.

First there's the food. We tend to give our cat bits of Christmas food; heavens there is usually too much of it and lots can go to waste, so why not give it to our cat? This is probably not a good idea unless it is in small doses. It is giving our cat an unbalanced diet for a start. Although a bit of turkey surely wouldn't go amiss.

Then there is the noise. Cats have great hearing, much better than ours. The extra noise generated can be very disturbing. Then there are the visitors. A lot of cats don't like strangers (to them). They tend to go and hide. That is the downside. Is there is any upside?

Well cats don't recognize Christmas so for them it is just a little more disturbance to their precious routine and they like routine particularly when they get older. But some disturbance is welcome and some presents are welcome too.

A particularly nice disturbance is wrapping up the presents; nice and messy and plenty of paper to rummage around in and make more messy. Then there is the string etc. All great fun. As to presents, some cats go crazy for catnip. Timmy, a stray cat I feed, found some that Helmi gave me and he just goes mad over it and then zonks out as if he had taken a sleeping pill.

Here he is after a bout of catnip:



So, is Christmas bad for cats? Nah, not really, provided we are sensible and don't give out cats too much left overs.

See

• Homemade Cat Food
• Grain Free Cat Food
• Cat Food Recipe

Ragdoll Cats Can Inherit Mucopolysaccharidosis MPS1 (Lysosomal Storage Disease)

Ragdoll Cats can inherit Mucopolysaccharidosis MPS1 (Lysosomal Storage Disease) and the other variety of this disease: Mucopolysaccharidosis MPSM (Lysosomal Storage Disease). It may also affect Maine Coon Cats to a lesser degree. I simply passing on what I see on the internet. Each individual person, breeder or owner, will obviously check themselves and do what they think is right to investigate further.

OK, what happened and what is the disease? At the moment there is nothing that I can find out about how this happened or which breeding lines are involved. There seems to be an Australian connection (a breeder or breeders there may have cats that are passing this defective gene on). The gene is autosomal recessive as far as I am aware.

It would seem (but to be confirmed) that the older Ragdoll lines from the UK and Australia are OK. USA imported Ragdolls into Australia may be at risk as are Ragdoll cats that have been bred from outcrosses other than domestics. I presume this to mean outcrosses to other approved purebred cats.

Testing can be done under the auspices of the CFA associated DNA testing service, VeriSNP™ Universal Genetic Evaluation. As I understand it people send in a sample such as a hair or a cheek swab and the test is carried out on it.

It would seem that the people who run the testing program are DNA Diagnostics, Inc and Texas A&M University Animal Genetics Laboratory(TAES) - but please confirm. It would also seem that they have a website: CatGenes which spells things out some more. See this page for example: http://www.catgenes.org/mps.html. However, they describe the two diseases (MPSM and MPS1)in exactly the same way. That seems strange to me.

Ok that's about all I know on the subject of Ragdoll Cats can Inherit Mucopolysaccharidosis MPS1 (Lysosomal Storage Disease) for the time being...more to come or perhaps someone can add a useful comment and if so thanks in advance.

Click: Genetic Diseases in Purebred Cats for more on the subject of genetic diseases generally.

Deaf Cat

This simply stunning Maine Coon cat, stunningly photographed by Helmi Flick is a deaf cat. The photograph is copyright Helmi Flick - please respect copyright. The cat is Cathy Betts’ white Maine Coon "Pale Rider," the very first cat that Helmi photographed at her very first show and a portrait that she is still be proud of today. And rightly so, I say.

This post is about one of the causes of a deafness in cats. It's about white fur and deaf cats.

I have already touched on this in these posts:

Odd-eyed Cat
Cat Coats White

But this post has some more detailed information. White fur and deaf cats is about hereditary deafness in cats. The inheritance of pigment genes (the genes that cause white fur) is not the only cause of deafness in cats. And the process of deafness caused by the inheritance of genes that cause white fur is complicated by incomplete penetrance (in which all aspects of "deafness syndrome" are not present). Also environmental factors may play a role to complicate things further.

Certain genes that produce white fur have been identified. They produce white fur by suppressing melanocytes. The picture below is published under Wikimedia® creative commons license license = Attribution-ShareAlike License. User: Arcadian.



Melanocytes are cells located in the bottom layer (the stratum basale) of the skin's epidermis and in the middle layer of the eye (the uvea).....The melanocyte is a cell derived from the neural crest. During embryogenesis, the melanocyte migrates to the epidermis, hair follicles, eye (choroid, ciliary body and iris), inner ear (stria vascularis), and the leptomeninges (medulla)......Through a process called melanogenesis, these cells produce melanin, which is a pigment found in the skin, eyes, and hair. (src: Wikipedia® - this section is a Wikipedia® verbatim copy of a part of a larger article)

So, the genes that produce white fur do this by indirectly suppressing the production of pigmentation that results in colored fur. This can be by way of stopping migration of the cells from the neural crest and/or their maturation on arrival at their destination from the neural crest and/or their survival, once there.

For cats the genes that do this are the dominant allele of the white gene (W) and possibly the piebald gene (S), which is recessive. Both these genes can be modified by other genes, which are yet, as I understand it, to be fully understood.

_____________________________

Cat breeds with the dominant white gene (W):

White
White Cornish Rex
White Scottish Fold
White Devon Rex
European white
White British Shorthair
White Turkish Angora
White Manx
Foreign white
White Exotic Shorthair
White American Wirehair
White Persian
White American Shorthair
White oriental Shorthair

_______________________________

The white pigment gene in cats is autosomal dominant over genes that produce color. It is not related to albinism. Cats that are W gene homozygous are more prone to have blue eyes and deafness. There is a correlation between the number of blue eyes and likelihood of deafness. Although cats that carry the Siamese (CS) dilution pigment gene as well can have blues without deafness. Are purebred cats less oftern deaf that moggies? Apparently, there might be a higher prevalence of white, longhaired cats than the equivalent shorthaired cats. There is no reported deafness with the piebald gene (S) apparently (is this still true?).

When the W gene is expressed strongly deafness appears. The deafness is brought on because the melanocytes in the stria vascularis play a role in maintaining the ionic environment required by the cochlea hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells are part of the process of translating movement into auditory signals. The stria degenerate. The hair cells die and the cochlea structures collapse. The auditory nerve fibers degenerate. Thus is created the deaf cat with white fur. A deaf cat can still cope well but people need to be aware of the deafness. Our behavior should be modified accordingly. This is an example of where the cat can dictate of modify the behavior of humans. Usually, human behavior dictates the behavior of cats. For an indoor cat a cat's world is entirely the human world.

The Stria vascularis is shown in the following picture published under Wikimedia® creative commons license license = Attribution-ShareAlike License. User: Dicklyon.




Deaf Cat - Source: Tufts' Canine & Feline Breeding and Genetics Conference October 2-4, 2003, Sturbridge, MA

Deaf Cat - Wikipedia Licensing:
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Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR) is caused by the Feline Herpes Virus. You can read about the Feline Herpes Virus, a method to control it and the symptoms of FVR on this page:

Feline Herpes Virus

FVR is also known as feline influenza and feline coryza. It is very contagious and can be severe (fatal). This disease is not confined to domestic cats but can infect the big cats as well.

"Rhino" means the nose - "tracheitis" means inflammation of the trachea. The trachea is the tube that runs from the larynx to where it branches into each lung. Accordingly Rhinotracheitis means an inflammation of the nose and trachea caused by a viral (a virus) infection.


Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis to Cat Health Problems

Feline Herpes Virus

I came across the subject of the Feline Herpes Virus again because I noticed that a number of cat breeders use a food supplement called L-lysine. I wondered what it was and what it did. Lysine is an amino acid. In fact, it is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize it. It is an important substance for humans because it is a necessary building block for proteins in the body. It may also provide a remedy for herpes simplex infections in humans.

Experienced cat keepers and breeders say it can control the Feline Herpes Virus. Users of one particular brand of Lysine, Duralactin Feline L-lysine, say that it is one of the best ways to control herpes, feline or human. One purchaser of this product, who looks after "special needs cats" suffering from herpes says that "when there is more lysine (and therefore a greater proportion of lysine compared to arginine), viral replication is suppressed and cytopathogenicity is inhibited" (forgive me for quoting you verbatim but it is in the cause of accuracy).

There are many manufacturers of lysine but this particular product (Duralactin Feline L-lysine) is apparently very attractive to cats. They love the taste of it; so no problem administering it. Caution should be exercised, however, as it contains milk protein and ordinary milk can cause diarrhea in cats.

A well known Bengal cat breeder simply buys lysine products made for humans such as capsules and crushes them with a spoon and sprinkles the powder on the cats' food.

OK, so we know that lysine helps control the Feline Herpes Virus. But what is this virus? The herpes virus group (another general term for this virus) produces a disease called Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), which is an upper respiratory infection (URI) and a feline viral respiratory disease. Feline Herpes Virus is one of two major causes of feline viral respiratory disease. Incidentally, the other major cause of feline viral respiratory disease is the Calicivirus group.

The severity of the illness varies. The disease is transmitted by direct contact with the infected discharge from the eyes, nose and mouth and by contaminated litter trays, water bowls and a person's hands.


Kitten with Conjunctivitis. Photo by maystone1 published under creative commons license.

Symptoms begin about 2-17 days from exposure (as stated above). The symptoms reach a maximum about 10 days later. The first sign is severe sneezing. This lasts for 1-2 days. This is followed by conjunctivitis (eye infection) and a discharge from the eyes and nose indicating a cold. This is followed by a fever, apathy and a loss of appetite. The discharge becomes purulent (puss like). The cat breathes through the mouth.

At this point the virus could be the Calicivirus or Feline Herpes Virus. The symptoms of the herpes virus then follow this course: the cat develops a "spastic cough". Corneal ulceration may develop on the eye (see feline eye diseases). Secondary bacterial infection, dehydration, starvation and weight loss combined could then be fatal. Bacteria infections can cause conjunctivitis - see picture of cat with conjunctivitis.

In addition to the lysine mentioned above as a means to control the disease, cats should be isolated, rested and confined to a humidified room (using a home vaporizer). Eating and drinking should be encouraged. Eating a drinking again should ensure that the worst dangers are overcome.

Clearly a visit to the vet is needed who will probably administer antibiotics to control secondary infections. Cats that have suffered from the acute illness become carriers. Feline Herpes Virus lives in the lining of the throat. The virus is shed in the mouth when the cat's immune system fails to contain it due to stress. The cat may show signs of a mild URI at this time.

Apparently a vaccination is available. A veterinarian will advise on this.

From Feline Herpes Virus to Cat Health Problems

Source: Various including feedback on Amazon! Also Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook by Drs Carlson and Giffin.

Cats left alone

Cats left alone for a short time is OK but we tend to think that leaving cats home alone for long periods is alright because the cat is an independent individual and not a pack animal. Dogs are pack animals and it seems we would rarely if ever consider leaving a dog alone for long periods.

Some of us have busy lives, increasingly more so. That makes keeping a cat less of an option. The best cat keepers are retired or semi-retired people as they are less likely to leave cats home alone and can care more thoroughly for them.

Cats left alone is not that uncommon and can lead, in extreme cases to the death or serious illness of the cat. Simply leaving out a big pile of dried cat food and a bucket of water isn't good enough as anything can happen and frequently does. For example, the water could be knocked over. Or, the water could be knocked over into the dried food making it inedible or it could then go off. Bacteria and mold could form in wet food if left out. A stray cat might come in and eat the food left out. There are endless possibilities if we are not there.

Also, some diseases can kill quickly. For example, Feline Urinary Obstruction can kill in three days (src: Petplace.com). See Cat Health Problems for a large range of cat diseases. In short we need to be there to take charge when problems occur. And if we can't, we need to get someone in, either a professional or a reliable neighbor.

Cats left alone should be for no longer than 24-36 hours max. the experts say and common sense dictates that this must be the case. Christmas is coming up and that, as we all know, is a time when we are more liable to be tempted to leave cats home alone.

It is all about taking responsibility for our cats. Yes, it can be sort of a problem, sometimes, when we want the pleasure of keeping a cat but also retain some freedom. I love cats, but, I myself, have problems, sometimes, with the restriction in freedoms that keeping cats entails. But the bottom line is this. When we decide to keep a cat we should (I'd say must) ask whether we can commit to caring properly for the life of the cat. If the answer to that is in the negative, we should not go down that 15-20 year road.

It seems sometimes that we want it both ways, but a cat needs a fair bit of input if we are to discharge our responsibility towards her/him. If we adopt/keep a cat we should always ask whether we are discharging that responsibility and we need to look at things from the cat's perspective.

Cats left alone to Home Page

Photo: this cat was not necessarily alone. The picture is just to illustrate the article. Photo by AIBakker

Mucopolysaccharidosis and Siamese cats

Mucopolysaccharidosis and Siamese cats.

I'll keep this short as Mucopolysaccharidosis is a complex disease, which also affects humans. In Medical, Genetic & Behavioral Aspects of Purebred cats (Edited by Ross D. Clark, DVM) it is stated as affecting the Siamese cat sometimes.

Mucopolysaccharidosis VI is a disorder affecting metabolism caused by a defective autosomal recessive gene. It causes a deficiency in an enzyme called N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (src: Wikipedia); the above book calls the enzyme arylsulfatase B. This results in the storage of long chains of sugar carbohydrates in the cat's cells.

The symptoms are:

• skeletal abnormalities including:

1. wides spaced eyes
2. small ears
3. flattened face
4. frontal bossing (prominent forehead)
5. kittens at 1o weeks are smaller than normal and have corneal clouding and prolapsed third eyelids. There front are larger than normal. At 5 months they have an abnormal gait.

Mucopolysaccharidosis and Siamese cats to Cat Health Problems

Feline Sneezing

Introduction

When we sneeze it is because of an irritated nose, we can feel it. The irritation can be from various sources, some benign and transient and some disease based. Feline sneezing is the same.

Feline sneezing is a sign of nasal irritation. The lining of the nose is stimulated which sets up the reflex action of sneezing, the purpose of which is to get rid of the irritation by ejecting the thing that is causing it.

Goku

This boy, Goku, lives with fofurasfelinas (the well known cat photographer on Flickr, real name Giane Portal) and he apparently may have an allergy causing sneezing. The photograph is by fofurasfelinas. See base of post for rights to publish.

If I go into London for a few hours, a day or two later I sneeze because of a build of dirt in the nose (the London atmosphere is grimy). Likewise, if our cat looks healthy but has a bout of sneezing it may well be a benign irritant that can be resolved by the sneezing.

The big question with feline sneezing is when is it caused by a disease that requires a veterinarian's attention. I understand the reasons for delaying going to the vets (money!) but delay can make things worse, obviously.

Some detail

I guess careful observation and awareness plus a knowledge of our cat will inform us when to go to the vet. A short bout of sneezing by an otherwise healthy cat is fine and normal. The authors of "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" (Drs Carlson and Giffin - a great book by the way, recommended), say that if the sneezing lasts a day it could be a sign of feline viral respiratory disease. Personally if my cat sneezed for more than about one hour I'd be watching carefully and after three hours I'd be thinking of going to the veterinarian.

If the sneezing is vigorous ("violent" the doctors say) with head shaking (to help release the irritant) and pawing at the nose, the cause is probably a foreign object in the nose (see below).

A runny nose caused by a cold causes feline sneezing. If the discharge from the nose lasts for several hours it may mean an infection. The type of "discharge" that accompanies the sneezing is significant:

• watery - local irritation or allergic rhinitis
• mucoid - feline viral respiratory disease complex (see below)
• yellow - bacterial infection

Feline viral respiratory disease (URI - Upper Respiratory Infection) can be accompanied by a fever, loss of appetite, eye discharge, drooling and a cough. If both nostrils are blocked breathing might be through the mouth.

If there is blood in the nasal discharge this indicates a chronic bacterial infection, fungal infection or a tumor.

A simple cat cold caused by a virus that results in relatively mild symptoms can also result in feline sneezing. All the above will mean a visit to the vet asap.

Reverse sneezing

Infrequently encountered and harmless the cat produces a loud snorting sound. It is caused by mucus building up at the back of the throat, which results in a spasm of the larynx muscles. This apparently is nothing to be alarmed about. I have never seen it happen.

Foreign bodies in nose

Small objects can become lodged in the nose. This may be because cats use their nose (sense of smell) a lot to identify objects. An object stuck in the nose causes violent sneezing. Our cat will use all means to expel it. She may do one or more of the following:

• the head may be tilted to the affected side
• the eye on the side of the blockage may squint
• the nose may be dropped to the floor, the neck extended and the cat breathes deeply

Objects stuck in the nose can cause secondary (bacterial) infections requiring antibiotics. Although a visit to the vet is strongly indicated it may be possible to see the object if, for example, it is near the end of nose. It may be possible to remove it (with great care and if in doubt the vet will do it). It may be possible to see it at the back of the throat (the nasal passages join the throat).

Nasal Allergies

These are caused by allergens (airborne allergens). There are bouts of feline sneezing and a watery discharge. See feline allergies for a general discussion on allergies affecting cats.

Sinusitis

As a result of common viral infections secondary bacterial infections of the frontal sinuses can occur. I get secondary bacterial infections in my sinuses so I can fully understand this one. The symptoms are a yellow purulent (like pus) nasal discharge and frequent sneezing. Blocked sinuses cause headaches (I should know). A cat with a headache may sit quietly with eyes partially closed and her head hanging. There could be a loss of appetite and weight loss. Fungal infections can cause sinusitis. I believe that a fungal infection of the skin can migrate to the sinuses and ear canal as well. This may result in an increased production of ear wax.

Polyps and tumors in nasal cavity and sinuses

Tumors cause feline sneezing, obstructed breathing and possibly bleeding. Advanced tumors may be noticed by forcing the face out of shape or causing an eye to bulge. Polyps are rare. They block the Eustachian tube and cause a middle ear infection. The Eustachian tube goes from the middle ear to the back of the mouth (pharynx) and equalizes pressure in the ear.

Feline Sneezing to Cat Health Problems

Photo: published under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs creative commons License

Are lethargic cats ill?

Are lethargic cats ill? No, not necessarily. Although lethargy is often a common sign of illness, alone it is far from conclusive.

The key is to be aware of our cats normal movements (including bowel movements!), activity patterns and of course eating habits. When we add lethargy to a change in usual behavior that continues for say 12 hours or so we reach a situation where a visit to the veterinarian could and should, perhaps, be considered.

Typical additional symptoms and signs of illness might be lack of appetite, vomiting, poor breathing, diarrhea and gums looking pale.

Once we have decided things don't feel right we need, I think, to monitor our cat closely and without delay (when we consider it time) to visit the vet.

I've built two pages that might help:

Cat Health Problems lists a pile of potential health problems from the serious diseases to illnesses that we might treat ourselves

Cat Illness Symptoms is the other side of the coin and sets out symptoms of a range of illnesses and points to the possible cause.

Cat flea treatment

Bobcat scratching - fleas? - almost certain - photo by ehoyer

In my experience, on a day to day basis, cat flea treatment should be fairly straightforward.

These are the factors:

Keep the home clean and well hoovered.

If a I feed a stray cat I check him for fleas and apply cat flea treatment (see below).

Check for fleas daily with a flea comb. Act on the information. The sooner one spots fleas the less likely they are to present a big problem.

Fleas like to inhabit areas around the chin, neck, back of head, the end of the spine (just before the beginning of the tail).

If I find fleas I comb them out.

If there are too many I use Frontline or a similar dropper treatment. The instructions should be followed carefully.

I continue to comb after giving Frontline to check on progress. The fleas will gradually disappear. I comb some out as well.

Important I think in support of cat flea treatment: Hoover around the areas where the cat sleeps or likes to sit and watch. This should be done regularly, at least once a day. Fleas jump off the cat and live in carpets.

Routinely continue to monitor until satisfied the infestation is under control.

When combing out fleas some skill is required to catch and crush. They move fast and jump off the comb. I move fast to beat them. I crush them on the comb with my nails.

Don't use the insecticide sprays as a cat flea treatment. They can be poisonous to a cat particularly Pyrethrin and Permethrin Insecticides. These are for dogs. They are poisonous to cats and cause symptoms such as drooling, spasms etc in about 6 hours from application. I'd steer clear of these. Keep it simple and even monitor the reaction to Frontline as this is a chemical going into the skin of the cat.

If a more major cat flea treatment is needed it might mean a bath with an insecticide but I'd check with the veterinarian on the insecticide. Kittens require extreme care.

Cat Flea Treatment to cat and dog parasite pictures