Diagnosing and Testing for FeLV

The experts say that the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is "responsible for more cat diseases than any other infectious agent". It directly or indirectly kills more cats than any other virus. About 1-2 percent of healthy free roaming cats are infected and up to 40% of ill free roaming cats have FeLV.

Chart showing how FeLV affects cats
Feel free to use it but link back to this page please

At the time of this post there are two diagnostic tests for an infection of the feline leukemia virus in your cat.

ELISA TEST

The ELISA test detects virus antigen (an antigen is a substance that causes an immune response) in the cat's whole blood, serum, saliva and tears. It detects early and transient infections.

There is a home test kit for this, which I think is useful to reassure cat keepers especially those with multi-cat households where up to 30 percent of cats can be infected. It is expensive but so is going to the veterinarian. And they will probably try and sell you something else.




IFA TEST

This test is carried out by laboratories. It "detects virus antigen in infected white blood cells". If present the cat's bone marrow is infected. This indicates a persistent viremic state. In turn this means the infected cat is shedding the virus making him or her infective to other cats. A positive IFA test indicates that the cat will remain viremic (virus in the blood) for life.

Screening is carried out by the ELISA test and if positive it is followed by with the IFA test.

Reference: Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook - ISBN 978-0-470-09530-0



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Health Screening for Domestic Cats

Health screening for domestic cats is quite an important area of scientific medicine. Genetic research in relation to people is becoming a major force in medicine. Cats lag behind as would be expected.

Screening for diseases is especially important for cat breeders. Naturally, responsible breeders should "cull" (remove from the breeding line or programme) cats that carry genes that produce health defects in offspring. Arguably not enough is done in this regard.

Here is a list compiled from the best cat health book: Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, that sets out the cat health screening available as at the date of this post. Obviously as advances are made this list becomes increasingly redundant.





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The Shocking Truth About The Feline Herpes Virus

In the USA, the feline herpes virus (FHV) is present in 80% of breeding catteries according to a cat breeder who left a comment on this page: Feline herpes running rapid in catteries across U.S.?? Her comment is sensible and believable and is in support of other comments on that page. She says that, "It would be almost impossible for me to purchase a high end titled show cat that hasn't been exposed to Feline Herpes virus....".

A vet advised another American visitor to the page that 70 to 90% of domestic cats have the feline herpes virus. Obviously shelters are just as likely to have a similar rate of infection, perhaps even higher.

I would expect similar problems in other countries, incidentally, but refer to the USA here because I have the information from American visitors to this site - thank you for it by the way. This information is useful because people ask, "How common is feline herpes?". Answer: very common.

Personally, I find the information startling and surprising. Has it always been this way? If not, what happened? Breeders, understandably hide the problem. The only way they can control transmission between cats is to isolate them in cages all their lives - sounds like a pretty miserable life for a cat. Should cat breeders do more to control this disease? Should they be more transparent about it? I would ask the same questions in respect of cat shelter operations.

The virus can be suppressed by the cat's immune system (the cat will be asymptomatic - no symptoms) but the cat will be carrying the virus and spreading it. It is highly contagious and spread by direct contact - nasal and eye discharge and can be spread by people who are in contact with infected cats. As FHV might be in a cat for his or her entire life, the disease can flare up. These flare ups can kept to a minimum provided the cat's immune system is maintained at peak performance.

The virus causes 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.

There is a vaccine for FHV-1 available but it does NOT prevent infection with FVR. Experienced cat keepers and breeders say that Duralactin Feline L-lysine is one of the best ways to control herpes, feline or human.

There is a Yahoo group: felineherpes, that might help people who are concerned. Yahoo groups are discussion groups.

You can read some more on these pages on this site:

1. Feline Herpes Virus (2)
2. Feline Conjunctivitis

Or use the search box to find many more pages on this serious problem.

Cat Nutritional Disorders

It is possible for cat nutritional disorders to affect the central nervous system:

1. Low blood sugar - hypoglycemia - can lead to a "depressed level of consciousness" and seizures, possibly a coma. An overdose of insulin is one cause. See Feline Diabetes.
2. Hypocalcemia - this means low blood calcium. The symptoms are like those described above.
3. Thiamin deficiency - seizures and "when lifted up, cats often flex their necks, dropping chin to chest.."

Reference: Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Guide. See Symptoms of Feline Diabetes.



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Wild Cat Health Problems and Illnesses

I am talking about "genuine" wildcats not feral cats. We more or less know that feral cats suffer from the same illnesses as domestic cats but more often and they go untreated and so often kill the cat and make their lives very miserable.

But what of the genuine wildcats, cats such as the cheetah, the lion and for example the serval?

There is nothing in the index of the best book on wild cats anywhere (see advert) about wildcat health problems and illnesses! Surprising.

There is nothing on the internet that sits up and says, here is a list. I cannot find anything on a fairly decent search.

The truth is we don't know. In fact we know relatively little about the wildcats except that our presence on the planet is killing them off and pushing them out.




See also: Cat Colony Diseases

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Cat Dry Skin

Three all natural treatments for cat dry skin are listed on this page. First though, I think people are making a presumption that their cat has dry skin because he or she is constantly scratching themselves. This is usually around the shoulders, neck and face (forehead near the ears).

From personal experience I would not make that presumption. The foremost book on cat health does not refer to "dry skin" it its index. Sure, there are countless skin conditions that can cause itching and scratching but they are not cat dry skin problems and this post is about cat dry skin!

I would deal with the obvious first. Check out your cat for fleas, and mites. If you don't have one buy a good flea comb (32 teeth to the inch) and have a good comb - of your cat! If you don't see a flea keep trying. Try all over the chin, face above the eyes, behind the ears, over the shoulders, down the back and at the base of the tail and do it very thoroughly. Take your time.

Fleas can be small and large, dark brown and light brown. After the comb has passed through the fur immediately check the comb. Be fast because fleas jump off onto your cat or anywhere else. If you can't be sure hold the comb up to the light and check for movement. Crush fleas on the comb with the nail of your thumb! You'll hear a pop - very satisfying noise. You may not see fleas but that does not mean that they are not there - keep looking.

If you see fleas keep combing them all out. If there are lots check out flea treatments. It only takes on little pain-in-the-arse flea to cause some cats great irritation and plenty of scratching. Some cats are more tolerant but some more sensitive. Some are allergic.

Once you have eliminated the possibility of bugs and any other skin condition, your cat might have dry skin despite no reference to it on the Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook. Or your cat has an unspecified skin condition. In which case I would consider purchasing one or all of the following products which are natural cures:

Feline Ouch Away for Cat Skin Irritation - $21.95 Feline Ouch Away is an effective herbal extract formulation that soothes and softens irritated skin, fights infection and helps hair re-growth in affected areas.

Feline All Clear Ointment for Cat Skin Disease - $21.95 Feline All Clear Ointment is an herbal formulation that soothes and heals skin affected by bacterial and fungal infections and other cat skin disorders.

Feline Royal Coat EFA Express - Cat - $24.95 Provides your cat with an excellent, all-natural source of EFAs (essential fatty acids) they need to maintain healthy skin and shiny coats.

Good luck with cat dry skin problems. You might like to read Cat Skin Problems too.



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Cognitive Function Syndrome in Domestic Cats

In layman's terms this long title, for me, means your cat is suffering from dementia or a loss of brain function due to old age. I am sure that it is common in geriatric cats just as it is with their human companions.

The condition causes confusion, a lack of awareness of surroundings, a desire to be comforted (my assessment) because of the confusion and possible litter box problems.

There may be an underlying medical condition that needs to be checked out but failing that turning up positive, an old cat who is for example crying out at night and behaving differently is probably suffering from dementia.

My old lady cat who is 19 years old has dementia. It is not that bad but her behavior has changed. She wakes me up at some ridiculous times in the early hours and cries out loudly. You can hear her at the beginning of this video:


How far can and do we go when communicating with our cat?

There is little that we can do except love her more and make sure she is fed well and noticed.

I don't believe in the idea that a cat with dementia crying out at night should be automatically ignored. She is doing it for a reason. And in my opinion her confusion is causing a need for reassurance due to anxiety. I can provide this.

Old cats become more bony and thinner. This is in part due, I think, to their confusion. The cat with dementia loses her habits regarding feeding too.

See Geriatric Cat Care and Changes in Older Cats.



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Increased Thirst in Domestic Cat

Increased thirst in the domestic cat is called polydypsia. It is a sign of kidney failure and is accompanied by increased urination (polyuria). Two other possible cause are feline diabetes and feline hyperthyroidism.

Both these conditions are common in older cats. It is said that most older cats suffer from some degree of kidney failure.




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Cat dermatitis eczema remedy

People search for a cat dermatitis eczema remedy but the only sensible remedy it seems to me is to remove the cause of the dermatitis.

Photo by Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue

"Remedies" will suppress the symptoms perhaps. They may be effective. But if the underlying cause of the dermatitis is still present the cat's health will be negatively affected by that plus the treatment may well have side effects so the cat's health will be negatively affected by that too. Double trouble at least potentially.

I would treat the dermatitis to relieve discomfort as a temporary measure and urgently do work on finding out the cause.

Incidentally, I cannot find a reference in the index of the best cat health book, Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, to cat eczema.

A product that is said to relieve discomfort is this one: Feline Royal Coat EFA Express - Cat - $24.95
from: Pet Wellbeing Inc.

Chemicals that can cause irritant dermatitis (direct contact causing irritation) include:

• acids
• alkalis
• detergents
• solvents
• soap petroleum by products

Allergic contact dermatitis (gradual sensitisation caused by contact) can be caused by allergic reaction to e.g. flea powders, flea collar, shampoo, certain plants, leather, plastic dishes, rubber dishes, carpet dyes and medications. Litter can cause dermatitis too. This may be caused by a chemical added to the litter to make it clump better. The feet and anus would show symptoms.



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The World's Healthiest Cat

The Siamese cat was one of the first cats of the cat fancy. The cat fancy by the way is the group of people who breed purebred cats and show them at cat shows that they organise. They also formed cat associations to manage the cat fancy. There are too many of them.

When the Siamese was first introduced into the cat fancy in England from far away Siam it caused quite a stir. This was an unusual looking cat. It was a cat that was considered "exotic" in the same was the wildcat hybrids are now.

The truth is the Siamese cat is still exotic. In its pure state of seal pointing and standard conformation it is a very beautiful cat. All the selective breeding to add different color pointing and to make the cat thinner and "more refined" have probably failed. The beauty is in the original appearance.

Of course I am a purist. And I like things that are natural. But that is because natural is best. Nature can do the job better than us.

The Siamese cat today has many "body types" and pointing colors and even patterns that go far beyond the simple elegance of the original cats that lived with the King of Siam in the late 1800s.



Above video: I just woke up and it looks like it! But the info is I think useful and carefully prepared.

The body shape has been altered and molded through selective cat breeding as if it were an automobile that needed to be remodeled every few years to keep the customers interested.

We now have the super slender modern Siamese cat that the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognize. The CFA have rejected the original, traditional, Siamese cat as being too mundane. They have re-written the history books and say their version of the Siamese is the original. Wrong, sorry.

The cat fancy in their enjoyment of creating a cat that they feel is refined and elegant have taken their eye off the ball. They have compromised health. Overbreeding can have a negative impact of health. This is a bone of contention. How to get the cat fancy to focus more on health and less on appearance? Health sells cats because people are concerned about their cat's health even from the simple standpoint that it is cheaper to maintain a cat that is healthy!

Why don't the Cat Fanciers' Association create a cat breed that is marketed as the world's healthiest with no hidden inherited diseases? We have the longest domestic cat (the Maine Coon), the biggest domestic cat (F1 Savannah Magic); it is time to look under the bonnet and create the healthiest and most economical cat.

Cat Toothpaste and Cat Teeth Cleaning

Hands up the cat guardians who clean their cat's teeth.....

I don't, never have. But it concerns me. Most of us don't think about it. We don't see is as something we can do. Cats won't let us do it. But the domestic cat diet is not kind to teeth. Cat gum disease (periodontal disease) is "one of the most common problems seen in the veterinary practice"(Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook). Teeth are a concern. For many cat guardians teeth are out of sight out of mind until the cat their is bad breath or your cat is losing teeth or drooling. We should check our cat's teeth and gums regularly. Teeth cleaning at a veterinary clinic involves anesthesia and that has a risk. Apparently one in 100 cats die under anesthetic (source: my vet talking to another client).

Go on, check my teeth - Photo by polandeze (Flickr)

I don't think that it is practical to start trying to brush you cat's teeth if your cat is an adult and has never enjoyed that process!

However, if you are or have acquired a kitten this is what you might consider doing to get your cat to accept having his or her teeth cleaned:

1. Gently rub the cat's muzzle over his teeth. Your cat should accept this as it is like a cat face rubbing for scent exchange greetings, so say the authors of theCat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.
2. Next raise your cat's lip and massage his gums with your finger. Do this routinely until fully accepted then;
3. Wrap a piece of cloth around your finger and gently rub his teeth and gums. Once accepted the toothbrush can be introduced;
4. Try a child's toothbrush. It should be soft. You might try a finger tip tooth brush. There are also cat toothbrushes available.
5. If your cat won't accept a toothbrush of any kind you can go back to putting gauze around your finger and using that as a brush.
6. Before using actual cat toothpaste the authors of the Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook recommend that you use the water from a can of tuna.
7. The toothpaste can first be used by offering it to your cat on the tip of your finger.
8. You can now start to brush his teeth. The same principles apply to our teeth regarding technique. The most important part is where the gum meets the tooth. The brush should move over this area.
9. You should brush the surfaces that you see (the outside surfaces). The cat's tongue, it is said, will distribute the toothpaste over the inside areas.
   

Good luck.



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Cat Throwing Up

Cat throwing up is layperson's language for cat vomiting or feline vomiting and this page provides links to comprehensive pages on cat vomiting.

There are two pages on this website about cat vomiting:

1. Cat Vomiting 1
2. Cat Vomiting 2

The type of cat vomiting - length and material vomited gives a good clue as to the underlying cause. The first of the above links deals with aspect.

Vomiting is a symptom of an illness and not an illness in itself.



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Cat Depression

Cat depression affects cats who are ill. Cats that are ill might get depressed as this is normal. I think the word "depression" is the wrong word to use in this context. Depression indicated clinical depression. An ill cat will feel uncomfortable and unwell which will make him or her unhappy but not necessarily depressed.

Picture in public domain

You will find that anti-depressants are not prescribed (or not normally prescribed) for cats who have been diagnosed as depressed, as a free standing medical condition, because cats are not diagnosed in this way. It is not possible to accurately diagnose a cat as being depressed as a free standing mental illness in my opinion. This is supported by the book Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook where there is not reference to such a condition.

Although cat behaviorists might prescribe anti-depressants to modify behavior - I disagree with this strongly. It is treating the symptoms and not the underlying cause and drugs such as these are to be avoided if at all possible as there can be side effects. Valium can cause severe liver problems in cats. Prozac is also prescribed for elimination disorders.

Anti-depressants such as Valium (diazepam) are used to calm a cat that is anxious and as a result does not use the litter properly. These are called "elimination disorders" or "inappropriate elimination". Once again this is not ideal because the underlying cause of the anxiety (probably something that we have done or are doing) is not addressed.

When a cat is depressed because he or she is ill, we should recognise this and spend more time with her. We should always speak gently and calmly with her and make sure she is getting the proper nourishment and is grooming herself properly. We can help with grooming.

When we leave the house it can help to leave the radio on. Human voices are comforting it is thought even if they are not the voice of the caretaker.

Peace and and quiet are essential to a depressed and sick cat. The cat should have a quiet comfortable area where she can sleep free from drafts and sunlight. The area should be ventilated and be warm. Sick cats can chill down. Some form of heating may be advisable but used with care.

Cat Depression Symptoms

I think we have to use our common sense here. A cat that is still (inactive), that is hiding and quiet might be depressed. Cats are good at hiding symptoms but the better way to decide if a cat is so called "depressed" is to check for symptoms of other illnesses. Common illnesses such as pink eye can be very upsetting to a cat and make the cat depressed for example. Major illnesses such as FIP will almost certainly cause acute unhappiness. As I said "depression" is perhaps the wrong word.



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Cat Pink Eye

Cat Pink Eye - Feline Conjunctivitis - Photo by Elisa Black-Taylor

Cat pink eye is layman's language for feline conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation of the membrane at the back of the eyelids and the surface of the eyeball not including the cornea (the transparent front part of the eye).

It is fairly common and nearly always caused by a viral and/or bacterial infection. The eye is red/pink. The eye itches. The cat or kitten will paw at the eye. If left untreated it can affect eyesight.

A mild form of cat pink eye is "serous conjunctivitis". It can be caused by non-infectious agents such as allergens. If can also be a symptom of feline viral respiratory disease. It can be treated at home: eye cleansed with sterile ophthalmic irrigation solution as used for people. A vet visit may be advisable, however.

When the cat pink eye is more serious i.e. when there is mucus and crust around the eye a secondary bacterial infection is indicated (chlamydophila or mycoplasma - these are types of bacteria). This is called "purulent conjunctivitis". The first infection, a viral infection might be herpes virus, calcivirus (see URIs).

Feline conjunctivitis can rarely be caused by a fungus.

You will have to take your cat/kitten to a vet I am afraid. Treatments include irrigation, warm soaks and antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection (Neosporin ophthalmic ointment for example - USA product).

The condition can be perpetuated by organisms being shed in the cat's stool or urine - carrier state. A vet will deal with this through a 3 week course of treatment - see the vet please.

There are two other forms of feline conjunctivitis listed in the Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook: Follicular Conjunctivitis and Neonatal Conjunctivitis. The first is an irritation of the eye leading to a discharge that is caused by rough mucous glands. It is thought that the glands become rough due to allergens, pollens and infections. A vet is once again required and steroids might be prescribed. The latter condition is a bacterial infection below the eyelids. It happens before the newborn kitten's eyes open up.

Update from Elisa: The mother's nipples may need to be wiped after nursing as this can spread the condition to all of the kittens..thanks Elisa.

The cat in the picture is called "Pinky" and at the time the photo was taken Pinky couldn't see. This might be temporary. We will see. He's on Clavamox and Gentamicin antibiotic eye drops. Here are two photos showing slow progress. The first one I find very hard to look at to be honest:

Two days before the pic below - Photo copyright Elisa

Two days after the photo above
photo copyright Elisa

Pinky about 2 weeks later
- Photo copyright Elisa

You can see in the last image that Elisa has worked her magic with plenty of TLC and the right antibiotics. I can feel the relief from the irritation and discomfort. Well done Elisa. The job is not quite finished but a massive improvement.

Another update - Pinky getting better - phew. I felt for him:

Pinky getting better thanks to  Elisa's devoted work
photo copyright Elisa

Here is another update. A photo of Pinky taken 27th May 2011. I have cropped to a close up of the eyes and enhanced the contrast etc. to show up the legacy of this severe bacterial infection. He is much, much better but still has a little way to go to be in good health.

Last bits of feline conjunctivitis - photo copyright Elisa.

1-6-11 - The improvement continues - phew
I can feel the relief - Photo: Elisa

Update September 2015 - about 2-3 years later. Here is Pinky looking adult with slight "scaring" (around his nose - or am I incorrect?) from his horrible conjunctivitis but his eyes look fine now. He has been adopted. A good ending to a bad start to life. Elisa deserves a pat on the back for getting him over that terrible period.

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Cat Eating Litter

A cat eating litter must be rare and it is means a trip to the vet, for sure. Dogs are less particular about what they eat. They are omnivores with a carnivore bias. They can eat cat food for a while. Dogs sometimes eat cat litter and cat feces.

Not a cat eating litter but sleeping on it. A sign of anxiety.

I'll cut to the chase. There is no reference, as far as I can see, to a cat eating litter in the best book on cat health on the planet: Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Fully Revised and Updated. Neither is there any reference to it in a first class book on cats: The Cat: Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health. That is what tells me that it is a rare condition.

I am therefore reliant on the internet for information. And the internet is not that reliable. However my research indicates that when a cat eats litter it may be one of three conditions:

1. A dietary deficiency
2. Feline anemia
3. Pica in cats

Clearly the type of litter being consumed will inform us as to what might be wrong. Clumping clay litter may contain minerals that are lacking in the cat's diet. Eating clay based litter is very serious as it can cause a digestive tract blockage. It must stop immediately and veterinary assistance should be sought. The cat's diet will need to be reevaluated. Change the litter and the diet.

Feline anemia is a lack of red blood cells. There may be an underlying condition. Read about feline anemia. If there are signs of feline anemia then my earnest advice is an immediate visit to the vet to check out general health and underlying serious illness.

Pica in cats is a manifestation of a psychological imbalance. Check out the other symptoms. Check out stress, cat play, your absence, your behavior. Stressed cats are usually the result of our behavior. Make changes where necessary and check out the vet too.

Vets are expensive. They are getting more expensive. This presents a resistance to going to see them. But there are times when we must. A cat eating litter is serious enough for a vet visit unless something is obviously wrong after reading these pointers,



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How to get rid of fleas on cats

Siamese cat who was given spot treatment
behind the head (see spiky fur)
Photo by terriem (Flickr)

I explain how to get rid of fleas on cats. The cat flea is probably the most common cat health problem that we have to deal with. It is certainly the most common parasite on the cat's skin. An understanding of the life cycle of the cat flea helps us get rid of them. If you open the link a new page will open too so you can read it while you read this page. As you can see from the life cycle a holistic approach has to be taken to defeat the horrible cat flea. By holistic I mean that the flea needs to be killed both on the cat and on the ground in the areas inhabited by the cat. There is no point just killing fleas that are currently on the cat and ignoring the larvae and fleas that are off the cat and which will jump on him or her. At any one time, one percent of fleas are adults while the remaining 99 percent are at the larval and pupal stages. The fleas on the cat are the tip of the iceberg. This page: The Cat Flea: biology, ecology and control, provides detailed information about the cat flea.

A byproduct of getting rid of fleas on cats is that you will also cut the life cycle of the tapeworm as fleas are an intermediate host of the tapeworm.

Some cats are allergic to flea saliva, which can cause inflammation and intense itching. See feline allergies for a full list and description. Read about a visitor's cat, a Ragdoll, who is allergic to fleas.

You can tell when you cat has fleas. He or she will probably be scratching around the neck area. This area of the cat's body and the rear at the base of the tail are in my experience the two prime areas to focus on.

To confirm that there are fleas on your cat you have to have a 32 prongs to the inch flea comb. Please don't use a human nit comb as these have less prongs to the inch an are ineffective for fleas. This is an essential piece of kit and it should be used regularly. I would say daily but it depends on the circumstances. If you are getting rid of fleas on a cat the flea comb should be used at least once daily and more often if needs be.

For a normal level or mild infestation of fleas the flea comb combined with an environmental clean up will probably control the flea problem. I always start by combing around the head, neck and shoulders and then the area at the base of the tail where it joins the spine. You will find that live, mobile fleas are up front and black specks, which are flea feces and salt-like material (flea eggs) are at the rear.

The fleas in the cat's fur will try and evade the comb by moving through the fur quickly. I always go over the same area several times and expand the area of combing to catch the retreating flea!

Fleas are very athletic and extremely robust. When you have combed out a flea or two they will be on the comb. They will be moving and they will not stay on the comb for more than a few seconds. You have to move fast to kill them before they jump off the comb back onto the cat. Sometimes they will jump onto the surrounding area. Cat fleas can bite humans incidentally.

There are various ways to kill the live, jumping, dastardly robust flea. I crush them on the comb with my thumb nail against the ridge where the prongs are attached to the base. They go pop when the exoskeleton is crushed (see photo). You know then that it is killed. But watch them afterward to check. They are great survivors. Some people dip the comb in water or alcohol. I prefer my way because it is very satisfying and very positive. Whatever you do, do it fast!

Flea combing is a mechanical method of getting rid of fleas on cats. There are countless numbers of chemical methods (see Cat Flea Treatments for a full discussion). For a medium to bad or persistent flea infestation I use Frontline spot treatment (there are others) in conjunction with flea combing. Flea combing not only allows you to find and kill cat fleas it also allows you to check whether there are fleas and cats will nearly always like it especially if done regularly. Which leads nicely to the fact that if we flea comb regularly, the fur will be thoroughly untangled and in fine condition allowing the comb to pass through the fur easily. Flea combing gives the fur a nice glossy appearance.

If flea combing pulls on the fur our cat won't like it. We need our cat to like being combed as it makes the whole process of getting rid of fleas on cats much easier and even a pleasant experience for our cat. I can comb the entire body of my cat who has a dense double coat if I flea comb regularly.

Chemical treatments can be effective but as far as I am concerned they are a last resort as they are insecticides and they can have cat health consequences. Treating cats with dog flea control products and over-treating kittens can seriously hurt or kill the cat. Please read the instructions and follow them to the letter. Click on the following link for a post by a visitor; an example of how cat caretakers can hurt their cats while trying to help them: Are my cats suffering? How may I stop it?

Chemical treatments include: shampoos, powders and dusts, sprays and foams and insecticide dips. I used a foam once and my cat licked it off and started foaming at the mouth. I had to take her to the vet. I have never used these sorts of chemicals again. These products can cause toxic reactions in cats. Dips are the most effective and have the longest residual action but please take care, don't use them on kittens under four months of age and dilute the product per the instructions. These are toxic products.

Two other products can be used to kill fleas on cats (a) cat flea pill (use with caution) and (b) a cat flea collar. These have chemical treatments inside them providing protection for a good time. Collars are potentially dangerous to the cat - chocking is one hazard. Cat collars can kill. And please don't use collars that use amitraz, permethrin or organophosphates for cats. Extreme care needs to be taken when using insecticides on cats.

Flea Bathed Kitten - bedraggled but flea free - Photo by psiconauta

I will assume that the cat has been properly and consistently treated. The environment needs to treated as well, as mentioned. There are three types of environment (a) the ordinary home where there might be a mild infestation (b) the home that is a complete mess where there will be a severe infestation and (c) the multi-cat breeder type environment. The breeder will know how to control fleas so I am just going to refer to the typical home. In multi-cat and multi-animal households or facilities all the animals (ferrets, rabbits and dogs) must be treated.

One obvious aspect of environmental flea control is whether your cat goes outside. Mine do go outside and there are foxes in this part of London. You can see how fleas can be picked up outside: flea larvae drops of fox, cat lies in grass, adult flea jumps on cat. You can't rid the garden of fleas so that is a source of re-infestation.

Keeping the home thoroughly clean and regularly hoovered will, I believe, control fleas on cats sufficiently even if they do go outside. Carpets should be cleaned professionally on a regular basis but not to the point where the cost becomes prohibitive. Cat bedding should be cleaned routinely.

One non-chemical environment flea killer is food grade diatomaceous earth. It is actually used to kill parasites inside cattle. It can be added to livestock food. But it can also be sprinkled on the ground where your cat sleeps or the area where he or she frequents. It works by cutting the flea's exoskeleton, which is the hard body of the flea. Fleas don't have internal skeletons like us.

This post is based on my personal experience. A very good resource to learn about how to get rid of fleas on cats is the Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook which at about £20+ is no more than the cost of some flea treatments.

Associated Pages:

• Cat Parasites
• Cat and Dog Parasite Pictures

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Diabetic Cat Food

Moonchild, diabetic cat at shelter
Photo by Taekwonweirdo

Diabetic cat food refers to cat food that is suitable for diabetic cats and which might avoid the use of insulin injections.

The food profile for diabetic cat food is:

1. high-protein
2. low-carbohydrate

This is because cats mainly metabolise protein for glucose rather than carbohydates thus the cat food profile mentioned is "more efficiently metabolised" and a help in controlling cat diabetes.

Cat foods matching this profile at the date of this post and in the USA are:

• Purina DM Feline (Purina pet food is owned by Nestlé Purina®/Friskies who I am told conduct animal testing. This may colour your assessment in respect of buying this cat food.
• Royal Canin Diabetic DS 44.
• Science Diet m/d Feline.
• {for the UK and Europe I would ask your vet but please direct your vet. The diabetic cat food should be as stated in the above profile}

Veterinarians don't generally recommend homemade cat food because of the risk of preparing it poorly and raw food contamination. But if it is prepared properly under tightly controlled hygienic conditions complying with all the rules of raw food handling it is the best cat diet in my opinion. See Homemade Cat Food.

Apparently some vets advise adding meat to purchased, commercial cat food. A1 Savannahs add raw chicken to commercially prepared cat food for their cats - Best Kitten Food.

Best Kitten Food! Photo by Michael @ PoC

But the picture above is not a recommendation that a kitten be solely feed raw chicken. That would be very wrong, please note as the diet would lack sufficient essential nutrients such as taurine and arginine.

Elizabeth M. Hodgkins DVM is one of those veterinarians who recommend that dry cat food should be off the menu even if your cat is not diabetic.

This is because the dry cat food manufacturing process demands the addition of a "carbohydrate source" to make what they call, "kibble". It is said to be unnatural for a cat to eat such large amounts of carbohydrates bearing in mind that they are carnivores (meat eaters) - Cat Food Recipe.

Obese cats are predisposed to diabetes. Obesity "reduces tissue responsiveness to insulin". Diabetes becomes difficult to control. Overweight cats should be dieted.

One of the classic diet cat foods is Hills c/d but this is dry cat food and not recommended by some vets.

I am sure a vet would help a cat caretaker create a diet for their cat. It depends on the cat and the vet!

Examples of blood glucose curves

The basic principle is to divide the cat's calorific use by the calories in the food. The figure should be more than 1. Diabetic cat food should be provided in more than one meal to avoid high blood sugar levels after eating.

Cats on insulin injections given once daily should be fed half the cat food when the injection is administered and half at "peak insulin activity" which is 8-12 hours later (based on the cat's "glucose curve" - see image).

A glucose curve is a graph that shows blood glucose concentration over a period of time (say 24 hours) after the insulin injection. Blood samples are taken from the cat and a test conducted on the blood. Bob Tucker discusses this in his article on treating a diabetic cat.

Cats on two injections per day should be fed half the daily cat food diet at the time of the injection.

Cats on oral medication should be fed small meals throughout the day.

All short quotes and all information for this article are from Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Fully Revised and Updated. The rationale for claiming fair use of the quotes is that they enhance the sale of this book (twice advertised here) and they are short.

Associated Pages:

• Cat Diabetes Treatment
• Feline Diabetes
• I would like to know why my cat died of diabetes

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