Becoming A Cat Parent 101
Congratulations! You’re about to become a new cat parent. Few things are as rewarding as adopting and caring for a kitty. But a cat’s personality can run the gamut from a fuzzy fur-ball who wants to sit in your lap 24-7 to one who prefers to be admired from a distance. The goal of this article is to provide you with some pointers & things to consider to help you chose the correct cat to add to your family.
Shelter staff can help you find your perfect companion. Bring along a list of charateristics you are looking for in your new pet to help them better find cats who fit your list.
Personality
Cats can have such different personalities that sometimes it’s hard to believe they are all the same species. Some cats are cuddly & allow people to pet and hold them. Other cats like to be petted only on their own terms. Some cats are calm & spend most of their time napping. Other cats will race around the house all day, looking for bugs and adventure. Some cats are very vocal and meow frequently, while others tend to be quiet. If you’ve always imagined snuggling with your cat, be intentional about adopting a cat that seems cuddly from the get go.
Age
Like puppies, kittens can be a lot of work. While most kittens learn how to use a litter box without too much trouble, they require serious supervision and patience. Kittens will get into everything they can get their paws on. You need to keep a close eye on them to keep them safe. Also, it’s important to know that a kitten’s personality can change a lot as he grows up. When you adopt an adult cat, typically there usually aren’t any surprises. A cuddly, playful adult cat will probably stay that way.
Hair Debate
Long-haired cats are beautiful but they need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting and hairballs. The issue isn’t so much the brushing itself, since a few minutes a day is fine. But some cats hate being brushed so you’ll need to teach them to endure their daily brushing. If you can’t brush them and their coat gets matted, they might need to be shaved by a professional groomer.
Don'ts of Adding a Cat to the Family
1. Surprise/Gift Cat: No impulse choices or gifts PLEASE!! Everyone in the home needs to be on board with the new family member. This is CRITICAL to the success of the adoption and the cat’s well being. Being on board means more than just saying “It’s okay" or "Sound's fun". Adding a cat to your home will result in changes for everyone & is a decision that should always be well thought & talked through.
2. Adopting a cat not suited to your household: Kids, dogs, cats, or other pets to contend with? Make sure your potential new addition will mesh well with your current family. This may mean visits to the shelter with your pets/children.
3. Not allowing time for your new cat to adjust: This one does depend on your cat. My personal experience (2 cats now) I have just let them loose in my apartment at the time and let the fun begin, BUT with most cats, an adjustment period is very helpful. Find a smaller quiet room where they can spend a few days to adjust with food, water, and a litterbox. Don't forget to spend lots of time with them building a bond.
4. Not research your breed: If you do decide to purchase instead of adopt, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. For example, flat nosed cats like Persians tend to have a lot of upper respiratory/general breathing issues long term due to their conformation. Are you prepared for extra vet bills for this? Other breeds are extremely affectionate or completely independent. Know what you want from a cat and ensure the breed you are buying fits those needs/wants.
5. Hoarding: Self explanatory. Don't adopt/buy more pets then you can safely/comfortably/financially afford, house & care for.
6. No vet budget: All pets cost money. We always endeavor to provide quality care at an affordable price, but it still does add up with exams, vaccines, prevention, spay/neuter surgery, & rentals. Not to mention any unforeseen vet visits, food, treats, & toys. Make sure you have the financial capacity each month to afford a new family member.
2. Adopting a cat not suited to your household: Kids, dogs, cats, or other pets to contend with? Make sure your potential new addition will mesh well with your current family. This may mean visits to the shelter with your pets/children.
3. Not allowing time for your new cat to adjust: This one does depend on your cat. My personal experience (2 cats now) I have just let them loose in my apartment at the time and let the fun begin, BUT with most cats, an adjustment period is very helpful. Find a smaller quiet room where they can spend a few days to adjust with food, water, and a litterbox. Don't forget to spend lots of time with them building a bond.
4. Not research your breed: If you do decide to purchase instead of adopt, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. For example, flat nosed cats like Persians tend to have a lot of upper respiratory/general breathing issues long term due to their conformation. Are you prepared for extra vet bills for this? Other breeds are extremely affectionate or completely independent. Know what you want from a cat and ensure the breed you are buying fits those needs/wants.
5. Hoarding: Self explanatory. Don't adopt/buy more pets then you can safely/comfortably/financially afford, house & care for.
6. No vet budget: All pets cost money. We always endeavor to provide quality care at an affordable price, but it still does add up with exams, vaccines, prevention, spay/neuter surgery, & rentals. Not to mention any unforeseen vet visits, food, treats, & toys. Make sure you have the financial capacity each month to afford a new family member.
I know this was a ton of information to take in all at once, so I apologize if it was overwhelming, but as always, my constant goal is to provide you, as a pet owner, the best information, facts, & advice I can provide to provide the best care for your pets.
Stay tuned for next week's article continuing on our topic of the month: National Adopt a Cat Month
Stay tuned for next week's article continuing on our topic of the month: National Adopt a Cat Month
Spay & Neuter Debate/ Declaw Debate
I have previously covered reasons to spay & neuter your cat, but since this is such an important topic to cover, it definitely deserves to be covered again. I will also be covering the declaw debate. I know this is a sensitive & heated topic for owners, so my intention, as always, is to provide you with as much quality information & facts as I can so you can be better informed as an owner to make wise decisions for your pet.
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The media, vet clinic, TV commercials (thank you ASPCA) stress the fact that too many kittens and puppies are produced every year, and that there just are not enough potential owners to keep up with the demand. The obvious conclusion is that we should breed fewer cats and dogs, produce fewer litters, and educate the public on the importance of spay/neuter procedures. The easiest way to ensure that less litters occur is through sterilization procedures, so a larger percentage of cats and dogs are incapable of breeding.
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Having a litter of kittens may seem like a fun thing to do. Some even believe that it helps their female cat, in some way, to develop more completely or become a better pet.
Neither is true
Becoming pregnant and having a litter of kittens in no way alters the maturity level of the cat, either physically or mentally. In most cases, people find out that it is hard to find good homes for all of the kittens, even if they are advertised "Free to a Good Home." In addition, not all pregnancies go smoothly. Difficult labor, kitten mortality, and potential health problems in the mother, such as uterine and mammary gland infections, can take all the fun out of the experience. I have included below several of the risk of keeping your female cat intact.
Risks of Not Spaying
1. Pregnancy: Cats can have large litters, sometimes 10+ kittens.
2. Mammary Cancer: This is the 3rd most common cancer in cats. Spaying your female cat reduces her risk of mammary cancer by 40-60%.
3. Tumors in the reproductive tract: Cancer/tumors can occur in both the ovaries & uterus
4. Infection in the reproductive tract: Also known as a pyometra, this life threatening infection causes the uterus to fill with pus which is often fatal.
1. Pregnancy: Cats can have large litters, sometimes 10+ kittens.
2. Mammary Cancer: This is the 3rd most common cancer in cats. Spaying your female cat reduces her risk of mammary cancer by 40-60%.
3. Tumors in the reproductive tract: Cancer/tumors can occur in both the ovaries & uterus
4. Infection in the reproductive tract: Also known as a pyometra, this life threatening infection causes the uterus to fill with pus which is often fatal.
The typical age that kittens are spayed is between 5-8 months old, but can be done earlier. Some animal shelters spay & neuter as early as 2 months old. Early neutering does not affect the growth rate, and there are no appreciable differences in skeletal, physical, or behavioral development between those animals neutered early than those neutered at a more traditional age.
Our clinic requires kittens to weigh 4lbs &
be 4 months old before we preform a spay.
be 4 months old before we preform a spay.
For male cats, there are different benefits other than pregnancy prevention when owners choose to neuter.
1. Prevents disease: FeLV & FIV are disease common in cats who roam. FeLV is also transmitted via cat bites which most commonly occurs between intact males
2. Prevent injury: Intact males are significantly more territorial than neutered males which causes a dramatic increase in the number of fights between intact males which leads to bite wounds, abscesses, and other injuries.
3. Reduces Roaming: Intact males are always looking for a mate which can cause them to frequently wonder away from home. This can lead to hit by car accidents, cat fights, or wildlife encounters.
4. Keeps your house cleaner: Intact males spray urine to mark their territory. This means your house is going to smell like cat urine.
5. Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer: One of the more common cancers in cats, we take away the testicles during surgery, this eliminates the the risk of that particular type of cancer.
1. Prevents disease: FeLV & FIV are disease common in cats who roam. FeLV is also transmitted via cat bites which most commonly occurs between intact males
2. Prevent injury: Intact males are significantly more territorial than neutered males which causes a dramatic increase in the number of fights between intact males which leads to bite wounds, abscesses, and other injuries.
3. Reduces Roaming: Intact males are always looking for a mate which can cause them to frequently wonder away from home. This can lead to hit by car accidents, cat fights, or wildlife encounters.
4. Keeps your house cleaner: Intact males spray urine to mark their territory. This means your house is going to smell like cat urine.
5. Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer: One of the more common cancers in cats, we take away the testicles during surgery, this eliminates the the risk of that particular type of cancer.
Please contact our clinic directly to schedule an spay or neuter for your cat
If you still decide that you are going to keep your cat intact (male or female), I strongly encourage you to read our handouts on breeding, pregnancy, & partition.
Please click on the picture below for direct link to our resource page.
Please click on the picture below for direct link to our resource page.
Declawing remains a controversial topic in companion animal medicine. There are, however, some situations in which declawing may be considered, such as when a cat’s excessive or inappropriate scratching behavior causes risk of injury to immunocompromised people or remains destructive despite conscientious attention to behavioral modification and alternatives.
The decision whether to declaw a cat should be made by you as the owners in consultation with one of our veterinarians.
The decision whether to declaw a cat should be made by you as the owners in consultation with one of our veterinarians.
This is a controversial topic, as such, this part of the article will be as factual as possible.
Please consult your veterinarian if you are considering declawing.
Please consult your veterinarian if you are considering declawing.
What actually is declawing?? Declawing is a medical procedure where the nail & end of the bone of each toe is amputated to prevent the claw from regrowing. Seen below in the photo I have provided, the dotted line is where the incision is made on each toe. At our clinic, we do offer front declaw only in addition to all 4 declawing.
Is declawing the right decision for my cat?
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Scratching is a normal behavior of cats. It conditions the claws, serves as a visual and scent territorial marker, allows the cat to defend itself, and provides healthy muscle engagement through stretching. In many cases, a cat can be trained to scratch only appropriate surfaces. However, a cat's excessive or inappropriate scratching behavior can sometimes become destructive, or cause injury to people in the home.
There are numerous training and management options that can help redirect scratching appropriately:
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If you are considering declawing, we encourage that decision to be made
prior to the cat turning 1 year old for faster recovery time & less possible complications.
prior to the cat turning 1 year old for faster recovery time & less possible complications.
Because elective declawing is performed primarily for the benefit of the owner rather than the cat, the procedure remains controversial.
The decision to have a cat declawed should be carefully considered in consultation with your veterinarian.
Declawing should only be performed after reasonable behavior modification attempts and alternatives have been exhausted. Declawed cats should not be allowed outdoors, unless they are under direct supervision as we have taken away one of their main way of defending themselves.
The decision to have a cat declawed should be carefully considered in consultation with your veterinarian.
Declawing should only be performed after reasonable behavior modification attempts and alternatives have been exhausted. Declawed cats should not be allowed outdoors, unless they are under direct supervision as we have taken away one of their main way of defending themselves.
As I mentioned before, this continues to be a controversial topic, & if you would like more information or to discuss this more, please feel free to contact our clinic to speak to one of our staff members. Next Monday is Vet Appreciation Day so stay tuned to learn more about our vets on staff!!
Confessions of an Online Shopper: Cat Edition
Hi guys,
I have spent the majority of this year focusing on topics that I hope provide good educational information to improve your abilities & knowledge as a pet owner. Sometimes though, some relaxation is needed. For this post, I let my inner online shopper go wild & found some of my favorite cat products across the board...from cat furnature to cat foods to treats to toys & everything in between.
I have spent the majority of this year focusing on topics that I hope provide good educational information to improve your abilities & knowledge as a pet owner. Sometimes though, some relaxation is needed. For this post, I let my inner online shopper go wild & found some of my favorite cat products across the board...from cat furnature to cat foods to treats to toys & everything in between.
This article specifically is strictly opinion based...please do your own
research prior to purchasing anything for your animals so it first
your needs & your pet's needs
research prior to purchasing anything for your animals so it first
your needs & your pet's needs
Cat Furniture
**Photos are links for purchase if desired**
I have included a variety of options. Many of these options are on Amazon, but you can find great options at Petco & Petsmart as well. Watch your customer reviews when purchasing any cat furniture, especially if your cats are a little more "heavily built".
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Food
**Photos are links to food websites if desired**
When it comes to food, there are so many great options out there. My best advice is to take some time to wonder the food aisles, see what options are available, & what food(s) would be best suited for your pet's needs. Companies make so many amazing options, from breed dependent options, to high energy needs, to sensitive stomach & skin, to weight management/loss foods.
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Treats
**Photos are links for purchase if desired**
Most treats out there are decent choices for your cat. Try switching it up every once in a while to provide some variety in treat choices.
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Toys
**Photos are links for purchase if desired**
It's all fun 'n games with these fun toys!!
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Odds 'n Ends
**Photos are links for purchase if desired**
Everything extra that the most hard core cat lover needs & dreams of.
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I had so much fun shopping for all these things. I hope you enjoyed this month's blog article. Stay tuned next month for our Lost Pet Prevention articles!!
