Healthy bites

• Don’t ever give raw egg whites to your kitty as it contains avidin, which neutralizes biotin (an essential vitamin) making it unavailable to the cat.
  
  


• Don’t boil fish—you will destroy the nutrition. 
  
  


• Don’t feed dry food to cats having bladder problems. 
  
  


• Don’t feed a cat with dog food. 
  
  


• Don’t give a cat more than two egg yolks a week. 
  
  


• Don’t feed poultry bones as these are small and splintery and could choke the cat. 
  
  


• Don’t give your cat alcohol, however, small the quantity… except when administered under veterinary advise as an antidote to anti-freeze poisoning.

(Joan Henderson is based in Australia and she has judged furry felines in many other countries including the USA, Bermuda, Malaysia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Philippines and New Zealand)

Fun ‘n’ frolic

Kittens love to play. They love to pounce on things and other kittens. Here are a few tips to make playing fun for them

 

• If they are separated from their siblings, they must be provided with small toys that skitter and move when they pounce on them and interactive play when you are home, such as a Cat Dancer.


• Play with them interactively a minimum of twice a day in prolonged play.


• Leave other toys out when you are tired or unavailable.


• Anything on a string so you can make it jump is wonderful, but the kitten will tear it apart, so make sure it is safe for them as they do so.


• All our cats loved the ping pong ball in the ring and the Cat Dancer. Many are very fancy such sparkly Mylar crinkle balls, and some kittens definitely prefer the sparkly things.
  
   


• It is good to rotate toys out of their sight for a few weeks at a time to keep a toy from getting old and boring.


• Cats love to knead. If they have claws they will scratch. Immediately give them a scratching post or place.


• You can buy a cat tree.


• As they love to climb, especially as they get older, some form of tower or tree is recommended. Spray it with catnip to make it desirable at once, and take your kitten to it every time s/he scratches.

(Kiturah Humphrey, featured columnist of Cats & Kittens, is a retire physician. From Siberian Gatos Cattery in the US, she is responsible for cattery policies and choices that include a programme to eliminate Corona Virus, HCM, Bartonella, Toxoplasmosis, etc.)

Minding his own business…

Cats are easy to maintain, particularly in matters of house training. They like to bury their waste, are fastidiously clean, and are creatures of strong habit. These factors make house training very easy to achieve.

 

Natural way to deal with nature’s call

By the time kittens are seven or eight weeks old, they will have learnt to tidy up after themselves. Many experts believe that they learn this by watching their mothers or siblings. That’s why you will almost never find a cat excreting near his sleeping or food area.

Others believe that this behaviour is more instinctive and stems from a desire to conceal their scent from predators or dominant cats. In a home, the cat perceives the human to be dominant, and covers up his litter to avoid offending our sensibilities.

Either way, if your kitten is around two months old, he has probably already got into the habit of covering up, or if younger, will just need to be shown how by you, his new mother!

Showing the way

If you prefer your cat to use a garden or the outdoors, make sure he has constant access to it. A cat door or flap is invaluable, and once fixed, the cat will take to it in no time at all.

If your pet is a house cat, I would strongly recommend the use of kitty litter in a litter box, as this desiccates and deodourises the urine and faeces.

A few things to keep in mind while training a cat:

• Keep the litter box in a secluded area. Cats are usually shy about their business.


• Keep the litter box in one place. They don’t appreciate constant moves.


• Place a newspaper soaked in the urine in the litter box, to draw the kitten towards it. They love its sandy texture and this satisfies their natural urge to dig and bury.


• You could use commercially available litter boxes, or make one with a clean milk crate or plastic tub. Just make sure the cat has enough room, and doesn’t accidentally paw the litter over the sides of the tub.


• Restrict access to other tempting, but undesirable places to eliminate, and discourage kitty when he attempts to use another place. (Punishing cats once the deed is done is rarely effective).

Litter box care

• One of the most common reasons for failure of litter box training is not keeping the litter box clean enough. Scoop out clumps of dried litter at least once a day (twice if two cats must use the same box). Top up the litter so that it is sufficient for the cat’s needs.


• Once a week you could empty out the tray altogether and replace it with fresh litter after washing the box with a mild detergent and drying thoroughly. Cats love a fresh, clean litter box.


• Make sure the box is ventilated so that the litter has a chance to dry completely.


• Try not to change the brand of litter, and if you must, gradually introduce the new brand along with the old. Cat litter is available in most pet stores and in some departmental stores as well.

You will find that once your pet has learnt where his toilet is, and if it meets his needs of hygiene, privacy and constancy, he will almost never want to eliminate elsewhere.

Cat chat Understanding feline language

Body language, behaviour, and vocalisations are keys to understanding the feline mind. You and your cat might speak different languages, but you can still communicate with each other.

Indicators such as the look in your cat’s eyes, tone of her voice, position of her ears, and motion of her tail can provide important clues that reveal her feelings and intentions. You can learn to ‘read’ these signals, so you’ll get a good idea of what’s on your cat’s mind.

Vocalising: Something to talk about

You’ll learn a lot from your cat’s wide vocabulary of chirps and meows. You’ll know when it’s time to get up (at least in your cat’s opinion), when your cat’s feeling affectionate, or when your cat’s feeling threatened or in pain.

Meow is an all-purpose word. This can be a greeting (Hey, how ya doin?), a command (‘I want up, I want down, more food now’), an objection (‘Touch me at your own risk’), an announcement (‘Here’s your mouse’). Some cats even walk around the house meowing to themselves.

Chirps and trills are how a mother cat tells her kittens to follow her. Kitty wants you to follow her, usually to her food bowl. If you have more than one cat, they will often converse with each other this way.

The purr is a sign of contentment. Cats purr whenever they’re happy, even while they’re eating. Sometimes, however, a cat may purr when she’s anxious or sick, using the purr as a way to comfort himself, like a child sucking her thumb.

Growling, hissing and spitting indicate a cat who is annoyed, frightened, angry or aggressive. Leave this cat alone.

The yowl or howl is a loud, drawn-out meow. Your cat is in some kind of distress—stuck in a closet, looking for you, in pain. In un-neutered and un-spayed cats, it’s part of the mating behaviour (and very annoying). Elderly cats sometimes suffer from cognitive disorder (dementia) and may howl because they’re disoriented. Screaming means your cat is in terrible pain.

Chattering, chittering, twittering is the strange noise your cat makes when she’s sitting in the window watching birds or squirrels. Some experts think that this is an exaggeration of the ‘killing bite’ when a cat grabs her prey by the neck and works her teeth through the bones to snap them.

Body language

A cat gets her whole body into the act when she’s communicating.

Does your cat’s back arch up to meet your hand when you pet her? This means she’s enjoying this contact with you. Does she shrink away under your slightest touch? Save the petting for later: she’s not interested right now.

Pay attention to her eyes, ears, body and tail—they’re all part of the story.

Ears

• Forward: alert, interested, happy


• Backward, sideways, flat (‘airplane ears’): irritable, angry, frightened


• Swivelling: attentive, listening to every little sound

Eyes

• Pupils constricted: offensively aggressive; content


• Pupils dilated: nervous, submissive (somewhat dilated); defensively aggressive (fully dilated); playful

Tail

• Erect, fur flat: alert, inquisitive, happy


• Fur standing on end: angry, frightened


• Held very low or tucked between legs: insecure, anxious


• Thrashing back and forth: agitated. The faster the tail, the madder the cat


• Straight up, quivering: excited, really happy. If your cat is not neutered, he/she could be getting ready to spray something!

Body

• Back arched, fur standing on end: frightened, angry


• Back arched, fur flat: welcoming your touch


• Lying on back, purring: very relaxed, may be asking for a tummy rub


• Lying on back, growling, upset, ready to strike

Rubbing

When your cat rubs her chin and body against you, she’s telling you she loves you, right? Well, sort of. What she’s really doing is marking her territory. You’ll notice that she also rubs the chair, the door, her toys, everything in sight. She’s telling everyone that this is her stuff, including you. But she does love you, too.

Kneading

In the cat world, this is called ‘making biscuits,’ because the cat works her paws on a soft surface as if she’s kneading bread dough. This is a holdover from kittenhood, when a nursing kitten massaged her mother’s teats to make milk flow. When your cat does this, she is really happy.

The Flehman response

You’ve surely noticed times when your cat, while sniffing your shoe perhaps, lifts her head, opens her mouth slightly, curls back her lips, and squints her eyes. She’s not making a statement about how your shoe smells, she’s gathering more information.

Your cat’s sense of smell is so important to her that she actually has an extra olfactory organ that very few other creatures have—the Jacobson’s organ. It’s located on the roof of her mouth behind her front teeth and is connected to the nasal cavity.

When your cat gets a whiff of something really fascinating, she opens her mouth and inhales so that the scent molecules flow over the Jacobson’s organ. This intensifies the odour and provides more information about the object she’s sniffing. What she does with that information, well, we’ll never know.

In the mood

Is your cat playing, meditating, or having a bad day? Here’s how you can tell:

Content: Sitting or lying down, eyes half-closed, narrow pupils, tail mostly still, ears forward, purring. A really happy cat will often knead on a soft surface. 

Playful: Ears forward, tail up, whiskers forward, pupils somewhat dilated. Playing is hunting behaviour; your cat may stalk her prey (a toy, a housemate, you), then crouch down with her rear end slightly raised. A little wiggle of the butt, then … pounce! Kitty grabs her prey, bites it, wrestles it the floor, and kicks it with her hind feet. Her toy is now dead.

Irritated, over-stimulated: Pupils dilating, ears turning back, tail twitching or waving. The cat may growl or put her teeth on you as a warning to cease and desist. Intense play can quickly turn to over stimulation in some cats, resulting in biting and scratching.

Nervous, anxious: Ears sideways or back, pupils dilating, tail low or tucked between legs. The cat may slink through the house close to the floor, looking for somewhere to hide. He may turn her face to the wall to shut the world out.

Frightened, startled: Think Halloween cat. Ears back and flat against head, whiskers back, back arched, fur standing on end, tail erect or low. May yowl, growl, hiss, and spit.

Defensive: Crouched position, ears flattened, whiskers back, tail between legs or wrapped around body, pupils dilated. May meow loudly, growl, hiss and spit.

Angry, aggressive: Ears back, pupils very constricted, tail up or down with fur standing on end. An aggressive cat will stare down the other cat and growl or yowl until the other cat gives way. Cats don’t really want to fight; they prefer standoffs, but this can progress to fighting if one of the cats doesn’t back down.

(The article is contributed by Humane Society of the Unites States (HSUS). Established in 1954, HSUS seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals; www.hsus.org)

Ask the expert..Sep-Oct 10

Q. Please do advice about behavioural abnormalities in cats.
– Ashimi Das, Guwahati

 

A: Dr KG Umesh: Cats make good pets because their needs are simple and they like the security of their own home, from which they can explore their own territory and hunt. In a few respects, cats are fussy - they can be fussy about their food and even more so about getting wet. Cats are known to be solitary hunters when their way of life allows it and therefore, hunting is a normal, instinctive behaviour in cats. A comprehensive history including behavioural assessment, history and diagnostic tests are required to identify what is really a behavioural problem in cats. For example, a cat who is urinating inappropriately could have urinary tract problem or may have joint problem that makes the cat difficult to use the litter box. Cats who are deprived of social interaction with humans or other kittens during socialization period may not be able to develop normal social relationships and may demonstrate behavioural problems. These problems include rejection of or aggression toward humans (especially children), aggression toward other cats, failure to mate successfully, and rejection. Cats who begin eliminating outside the litter box on a regular basis after being trained may do so for many reasons including illness, anxiety, an aversion to the type or location of the box or litter, or a preference for another location or litter. Intact males who show urine-marking (spraying) behaviour may require neutering. An owner who appreciates the natural, instinctive behaviour of their cat such as his body language or when he is showing sexual behaviour is much better equipped to react appropriately in any situation. Proper socialization, handling, good care and understanding normal cat behaviour will prevent many of these behavioural problems.

Balinese kitties Beautiful mutants

Exotic, beautiful, lovable and playful...the blue-eyed Balinese cat will become the cynosure of your eyes if you happen to have one at home.

 

Beautiful me...

Though Balinese kitties have been derived from the Siamese cat, they have a single semi-long silky coat and plumed tail. Their stunning blue eyes take the breath away. The kittens are all born white and the main coat colour remains cream except in the darker points especially seal when their coats can be darker all over. They are available in all the same colour points: seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, cream and red. They may also have tabby, lynx, spotted and torti points in the above colours.

Kitten care...

Kittens should not leave their mother until 10 or 12 weeks of age with at least a vaccination for injection against Feline Flu. Feed them three times per day with fresh water available all the time. Give them a small cosy bed in a safe spot away from other animals. Provide a clean litter tray as well. Besides, interact, communicate and cuddle as much as possible.

Groom me little...

As the coat is single layered, it does not tend to knot or cause fur balls, and brushing is not really necessary, just gentle stroking will release dead fur. You can also use a very soft brush.

Love to play...

Kittens love to play with fluffy things, small toy mice, feathers, balls, ribbons, etc. They will run around and love to climb up on high tables and shelves.

Love to live with me...

Many people who are allergic to other cats find that they are not allergic to Balinese cats as they do not shed their fur much. Also, they are not as aloof as many breeds and love to be with people. They are inquisitive and will want to watch what you are doing. As soon as you sit down you will have at your knees to smooch and go to sleep.

I am different...

Many Balinese kittens will learn to fetch their toys and bring them back to you when thrown. They will talk to you, but are not as demanding or noisy as the Siamese. The only exception is when a female is in season, she will then cry most of the time!

I am healthy...

As they have not been genetically changed to any extent, they are healthy breed. All cats must be neutered at four months unless the owner is a registered breeder.

(Rosalind Meadmore has owned, shown and bred this beautiful breed for 10 years and enjoys promoting the Balinese Cat. Check her cattery at www.kutiebalinese.net)