Do’s and Don’ts for your kitty treats

Like humans, your kittens may like a different treat. Here are a few treats you can give to your feline friends:

• You may give upto a quarter cup of milk at a time, but more may cause diarrhoea.


• You can give yogurt for calcium and digestion.


• You may mix yoghurt with a small dash of taurine powder, a flavour the cats like and is good for them.


• Protein-based meat, poultry and fish are good for your cat. Just make sure there are no fish bones.


• Treats should not form more than half the diet.


• Avoid garlic and onion seasonings as these are toxic for cats.


• You can give Dental Chews or Greenies for cats in the recommended quantities.

(Kit Humphrey, featured columnist of Cats & Kittens, is a retired physician from Siberian Gatos Cattery in the US.)

Ask the expert..Mar-Apr 10

Q: How do we groom cats? Are there any cat grooming parlours in our country?
- Adil B Khan, New Delhi

 

A: Dr K G Umesh: A clean shiny coat is a sign of good health and nutrition. By grooming your cat, you can, however, help to encourage growth and shine of the hair. Cats are naturally clean animals, so your cat may need little grooming, particularly if she has short hair. Longhaired cats need to be groomed more regularly, possibly as much as once a day, and it is best to get your cat used to this when she is a young kitten. Grooming can be something both you and your cat will enjoy. If your cat (or kitten) is initially nervous, it is advisable to spend some time playing with her, until she is comfortable being touched and handled. Let her play with the comb or brush, so she gets used to them and loses her anxiety. Groom all the dead hair out of the coat using a comb or soft bristle brush. Be particularly gentle when combing the head, then groom down the body, the tail, and the legs. Once groomed thoroughly, go over the coat with the brush to remove all loose hairs. The hair of longhaired cats and kittens can easily become matted. Once hair is matted, it will have to be removed before the cat can be groomed; this may involve sedating the cat and clipping the hair by a professional cat groomer or your veterinarian. If your cat is dirty, you may use a clean, damp cloth to wipe her down. Wet the cloth with warm water only, don’t use any soaps. Grooming your cat offers you an excellent opportunity to check her skin for lumps, rashes, discharges or any other signs that your cat is not well. Your vet can able to advise good grooming parlours available in your city.

For the purrfect feline eyes…

Your kitty is prone to conjunctivitis. If you spot signs of conjunctivitis, rush to her vet immediately to avoid discomfort and save her eyesight. Here’s more on this red eye disease.

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is a common eye problem in cats. It is the inflammation of conjunctiva, a membrane lining the inner eyelids and the eyeball. It covers the third eyelid also. A healthy conjunctiva is pink in colour but when it is infected, it becomes red and swollen.

Harmful effects of conjuctivitis

If conjunctivitis is left untreated, it may lead to a lot of discomfort to your feline friend and may seriously affect the eyesight. Conjuctivitis may affect one eye or both.

Symptoms of conjuctivitis

The common symptoms of conjuctivitis are:

• Reddened and swollen conjunctiva, particularly in the corner of the eye.


• Discharge from the eye, either clear or pus-like


• Third eyelid protrusion.


• Squinting eye.


• Cat eye infections may be accompanied by frequent sneezing and possibly an upper respiratory tract infection.

Causes of conjuctivitis

The underlying causes for conjunctivitis can be broadly classified as non-infectious or infectious. Trauma to the eyes, allergies, foreign objects, and chemicals are some of the non-infectious causes. Common infectious causes can be due to feline chlamydia (a type of bacteria), feline mycoplasma (a group of organisms somewhat like bacteria) and Feline Herpesvirus Type-1 (FHV-1). FHV-1 is an upper respiratory virus, also known as rhinotracheitis and is not transferable to humans. FHV-1 is the most common cause and most cats are exposed to the virus when they are kittens. This virus will lie dormant during the life of the cat and will flare up anytime.

Treatment of conjuctivitis

It depends on the underlying cause. Eyedrops or ointments are commonly used. All cases of conjunctivitis should be treated at once. So, rush your kitty to your vet on the first signs of the disease.

(Sudhersena is volunteer at the Blue Cross since 1998 and an avid animal lover, owns nine cats and three dogs. She is associated with a number of animal welfare campaigns and programmes. For further information, contact: Blue Cross of India, 72 Velachery Road, Chennai –32 or e-mail at bci@bluecross.org.in )

Japanese Bobtails: simply divine!

There is never a dull moment with Japanese Bobtails. Not only are they unique in looks, they can quickly steal your heart with their love and loyalty.

When we got our first Japanese Bobtail eleven years ago, I was amazed at how quickly she bonded with my daughter and our family. We got her when she was a year old and she bonded immediately with our family. She follows my daughter around the house. If she hears my daughter but does not see her, she will ‘call out’ to her with her sing-song voice until she finds her.

Body beautiful…

The Japanese Bobtail is a medium sized cat, well muscled but straight and slender. The unique short tail resembles a bunny tail with the hair fanning out to create a pompom appearance which camouflages the underlying bone structure. The head is triangular in shape. The high cheekbones and unique set of the large eyes lend a distinctive Japanese cast to the face. They come in many colours. Their eyes can be odd eyed, blue, green or gold. They come in longhair or shorthair.

Friendly and intelligent…

The Japanese Bobtail is active, energetic and very affectionate. Their outgoing and loving temperament makes them excellent pets. They are loyal to their pet parents. All of my Japanese Bobtails have gotten along well with my dogs and other cats. They love attention. They are people oriented breed. They are high energy but not destructive or hyper. They will keep the entire family entertained. They are lively and active; love to play well into their later years.

Good learners…

We have had many Japanese Bobtails who could turn on the faucet to get a drink or flush the toilets, many could open doors and drawers to get their own treats and many played fetch. They can be taught to walk on a leash as well.

Kitten kare…

Japanese Bobtails kittens are intelligent and learn to use litter box quickly. They love to play and love to cuddle and be held. Since they are healthy breed, their kittens are always hearty and healthy.

Grooming…

As they have no undercoat, Japanese Bobtails come either in longhair or shorthair for which a weekly brushing is all that’s normally required.

Activities…

Climbing, running, playing with other kittens are normal activities of Japanese Bobtails who also play ‘fetch’ if taught. Fond of playing with toys like balls, feathers, catnip, etc for hours, they do well in agility courses at cat shows.

How’s it to live with them?

Japanese Bobtails are entertaining and always put a smile on your face. They are in fact loyal companions who wish to please their owners and be with them.

(Lisa Rowe with her daughter Samantha own the cattery Samiz Cats homing Japanese Bobtails in Ohio)