Cats were born to groom. Really. In fact, if you recorded a typical 24-hour day in the life of your cat, you would discover that cats spend around one-third of their waking hours fussing over their coats. When was the last time you spent that amount of time styling your hair?
When cats are not grooming or sleeping — or daydreaming about grooming and sleeping — they are eating or thinking about eating. The rest of the time is consumed by finding inviting laps and comfy blankets, toying around with toy mice, and occasionally harassing the family dog for sport.
Perhaps one reason you chose to adopt a cat is because of the feline’s fastidious reputation. After all, you never hear someone declare in disgust: Phew! He smells like a cat! Nope, that dis is hurled at dogs — and old socks. You also never hear the term chowcat, even though there are plenty of plump felines who put chowhounds to shame.
In this section, I share some inside secrets about two favorite feline pastimes: grooming and consuming. Read on!
Q I know cats are very agile and possess great balance. So I have to laugh when my cat, Chandler, misjudges the distance of a window ledge, leaps, misses, and falls to the ground. There is not much distance from the ledge to the floor and he never gets hurt. Whenever it happens, he immediately launches into grooming himself. Chandler is a shorthaired black-and-white cat, about four years old. His coat always looks shiny and clean. Why does he groom after he falls?
A Cats are dignified critters. While they often act playful or even silly, they are easily discomfited by unexpected events or surprises. Many cat owners notice that their cat will quickly turn away from a startling experience and begin a mini-grooming session. For cats, grooming has important functions beyond health and cleanliness.
The many benefits of grooming began at birth.
Mother cats meticulously clean their kittens. That vigorous licking imparts the power of touch and strengthens the emotional connection between mother and kitten. Littermates and cats that share a household often groom each other as a way to develop their social bond. Grooming also helps cats fend off stress. Veterinary experts report that a cat’s heart rate actually slows down during a self-grooming session.
As for Chandler, it doesn’t look like he has a future as a tightrope walker for Barnum & Bailey Circus. When cats get caught doing something that startles or surprises them, they instinctively turn to grooming as a way to calm down, collect their thoughts, and restore dignity. It is as if they are saying, “What? I fell? Surely you jest. Why, I’m just making myself look marvelous.”
Even though it is hard to resist laughing and pointing at Chandler, try to stifle your giggles. Instead, be his pal by calmly calling him over for a head scratch or a little treat. He will appreciate your gesture.
Q My cat Zeus is 18 years old. I’ve had him since he was a kitten. He is a brown-striped tabby with short hair. I’ve never really thought much about his coat because he seems to keep it clean and tidy. But lately, I’ve noticed that my other cat, Venus, who is six, has begun to groom Zeus. She licks his head, inside his ears, and even the base of his tail. I thought cats were solitary creatures. Can you explain why Venus is grooming Zeus?
A Contrary to the popular but misguided notion that cats are loners, they frequently form close social bonds. Zeus and Venus share the same home, the same owner. They are part of a harmonious colony. Touch is an important way in which they communicate with one another.
Venus is displaying her affection for her senior friend in the best way she knows how — by assisting him in keeping his coat clean and healthy. In my home, Callie and Murphy do the same for Little Guy (aka Dude), my 19-year-old tabby. Little Guy is not as agile as he was in his youth, and the two younger cats seem to recognize that he is stiffer. So they team up to keep his hard-to-reach areas in tip-top shape. He doesn’t protest a bit.
Cats who spend a lot of time together, especially indoor cats who get along, will often engage in this type of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” activity. It solidifies their social bond. This social grooming, known as allog-rooming, is common in more than 40 species of animals, including rats, deer, dogs, monkeys, and cattle. In addition to the social aspect, these animals groom one another to treat wounds, tame tensions, and oust bugs such as fleas.
Even though it is sweet that Venus is tending to the grooming needs of Zeus, I urge you to keep tabs on him. If Zeus is not grooming himself at all any more, he may be coping with a medical condition that needs attention. Without Venus stepping in to assist, there is a good chance that Zeus’ coat would become dry, dull, and full of dandruff.
Q Our family recently acquired a lovely new cat named Princess, who has beautiful, long, gray fur. I love the longhaired look, but her coat tangles easily and she has several mats on her flanks and belly. I had been assuming that she would groom herself, but I now realize I need to help. I tried to comb her a few times, but I must have tugged too much and she hissed. Now when I approach her with a brush and comb in hand, she glares, runs, and hides. What can I do to make grooming time a more pleasant experience?
A Cats usually do a good job of grooming themselves, but they can all benefit from the assistance of a person with a brush. Longhaired cats and cats with very fine, fluffy fur can easily turn into matted, bedraggled ragamuffins without regular, even daily, attention. In the spring and fall, when many cats shed more than usual, a little extra grooming from their human pals helps keep them looking their best.
After your first sessions with Princess, she relates the brush and comb with hair-pulling pain — no wonder she flees from you. And you are probably feeling hesitant and reluctant to approach her, giving her more reason to think that something is wrong. Time to regroup. Have you ever taken a yoga or meditation class? Remember the lessons on deep inhales and exhales from your diaphragm? Be calm and take deep breaths when you are working with Princess. If you are relaxed, she will sense that you don’t want to hurt her.
Start your first few grooming sessions by just talking sweetly to Princess and gently stroking her coat from the top of the head to the tail. Move slowly and steadily, and back off if she tries to move away or seems tense. As she relaxes, her purr machine should engage. Use this time to finger gently through her fur for mats, lumps, bumps, cuts, or evidence of fleas. For the first few days, stop your grooming session here. You are rebuilding Princess’s trust in you.
For your next sessions, arm yourself with the right tools: a mat-splitter, a wide-toothed comb, and a slicker brush. There are many different brands on the market, but top cat-grooming experts recommend a wide-toothed or shedding comb specifically designed for longhaired cats. The reason? You want to get rid of the dead undercoat hairs that cause tangles.
First remove any mats. Hold the fur between the skin and mat and use the mat-splitter. Your second tool for Princess’s belly should be a slicker brush, which will make her coat lie flat. Finish the grooming by lifting the coat away from the body with a wide-toothed comb to add beautiful fullness. (To prevent matting, most longhaired cats with fine coats need to be combed every day taking the comb to the roots.) If Princess’s coat is silky and fine, then follow the brush with a grooming glove designed to smooth the coat and cause it to glimmer.
Use flowing strokes on Princess with the wide-toothed comb, moving in the direction of the hair growth. Start at the head and work down toward the tail and then the legs. Take a break and pet Princess and perhaps give her a taste of her favorite treat. If she struggles, let her leave and try again the next day. Don’t expect to completely comb out her fur in one session. Be content to attack just one or two mats a day until they are all gone.
Set aside five minutes each day to become your cat’s personal groomer. Pick times when you are both relaxed, like in the evenings when you watch television or read a book or in the morning when you wake up and Princess is still a bit sleepy and hungry. Use her empty tummy to your advantage and reward her good grooming behavior with treats. In no time, Princess will look forward to these glamour sessions with you.
If Princess is afflicted with lots of mats or there are any mats too close to the skin for a mat-splitter, you might want to take her to a professional groomer first and get her coat in shipshape condition, then you can follow up with daily at-home care. Don’t neglect a longhaired cat — small mats can turn into tough tangles that may need to be shaved off. A final tip: Longhaired cats can greatly benefit from regular bathing since their coats retain body oils and dust, which aggravates the matting problem. A bath also removes dead hair better than combing. Your cat will not only have to become used to the bath process but blow-drying as well. Use of a quiet medium speed, moderate-heat blower works well — most cats eventually come to love the warmth. It is a noisy dryer they dislike.
Q When I pick up my cat, she sinks her sharp, long nails into my shoulder and neck. It hurts. Even though she is an indoor cat, I don’t plan on having her declawed. How can I keep her nails trimmed and save my skin from her scratches?
A My cats Callie and Murphy sport all of their claws and easily accept having their nails clipped on a regular basis. To help you survive nail-trimming time, you need to think like a cat. If given the opportunity, a cat will try to flee the scene. That’s why I recommend that you perform this “pet-icure” in a small room like the bathroom. Once a cat scouts the surroundings and realizes there are no escape hatches, she usually complies. And if she doesn’t, she’ll be easier to catch!
Start by playing with your cat’s feet regularly to get her used to someone touching her toes. Gently squeeze the footpads to expose the nails. Do this whenever you are petting her or grooming her.
When you are ready to do an actual trim, set out the tools you will need: nail trimmers designed for cats, a thick towel, and styptic powder (just in case you clip the nail too short and it bleeds). Then bring your cat into the bathroom and give her a small treat to start the proceedings on a good note. Be upbeat. Silly as it sounds, try singing a happy tune. Don’t worry if you’re off-key — your cat won’t tell your friends. Or at least talk soothingly as you work. Sitting on the floor or in a chair, hold your cat with her back against you so that you can hold a paw in one hand and use the clippers with the other.
If your cat struggles too much in this position or tries to scratch, wrap her in a thick towel, exposing her head and her one front paw. Hold the paw steady in one hand. Position your thumb on top of the paw and your other fingers underneath and gently press to expose the nails. Snip the tip of each nail, including the dewclaw on the side. Just nip off the white part, being careful to avoid the vein that runs into each claw.
Tune into your cat’s reaction. If she starts to kick up a fuss, then do just one paw this time. You don’t want to turn a routine chore into a battle royal. See if a yummy treat will settle her down before you start on the next paw. If she’s very upset, wait and do the second paw the next day. Patience is your ally. Depending on your cat, you will need to trim nails every two to four weeks, so make nail-trimming seem ho-hum to your cat.
If you accidentally clip too deep and nick the quick, it will bleed. That’s where the styptic powder comes in. Just apply a dab of powder on the nail for a few seconds and apply pressure until the bleeding stops.
Remember to heap on the praise during the trim session. When you are done, open the door and let your cat walk (or run) out. Count to 10 before you leave the room, so your cat won’t think you are chasing her. I usually walk out and go in the opposite direction and my cats will stop in the hall, look at me, and begin some spontaneous face grooming to calm down. Within a minute or so, they are following me around as usual.
Q My cat, Emma, acts just like a dog at dinnertime. She persistently begs for food. She works the table, going from one person to the next. Sometimes she even paws at our legs or laps. Mealtime has become a battle of wills. What can I do to enjoy my food and break my pet of her food-begging ways?
A Dogs don’t have a monopoly on being food beggars, but cats are more coy and mobile. They look at you with their adorable emerald eyes and wink or softly tap your shin with a friendly paw as you prepare to take a forkful of food. Or they deftly land in your lap and begin purring sweetly. You succumb and hand your cat a food morsel from your plate.
See a pattern here? Without realizing it, Emma has “trained” your family to be her personal food servers. Some cats develop their chowhound skills to the point that they reach PhD status (Panhandling for Dinner). Some moochers evolve into bold thieves who will jump up on tables and swipe food off plates. Others develop such a preference for human cuisine that they turn their noses up at the chow you put in their bowls and con you into making them home-cooked meals.
There are two reasons to discourage begging at your table. The first is your peace of mind and the second is your cat’s health. If you are having trouble saying no to furry beggars, remind yourself that table scraps are often high in calories and low in nutritional value, especially if you allow Emma to lap up gravy or devour fat from a piece of sirloin. Consuming the wrong food can cause vomiting, diarrhea, obesity, and a host of other health woes.
Healthy treats designed for cats are much better alternatives for snacking between meals, and you can use these food “bribes” to your advantage to reinforce good behavior. However, don’t go hog wild on healthy treats either — limit them to about 10 percent of your cat’s daily chow.
To put the brakes on begging, implement a new policy of feeding your pets only from their food bowls. If you permit Emma in the dining room at mealtime, the only way to stop her behavior is to ignore it completely. Yelling or pushing her away is not effective and may actually increase her attention-seeking determination. At first, expect her begging behaviors to escalate, but eventually she will learn that no rewards are forthcoming.
Another solution is to time her meals for when you eat. Feed her in a different room where you can close the doors. Keep her there until after the dishes have been cleared from the table. Then open the door and treat her to some calorie-free TLC. Be patient. It will take some time and persistence to introduce this new routine and to stop Emma from pestering you when human food is around.
Naturally, the best advice is not to develop the habit of feeding your cat table scraps in the first place. That way, she will never know what she is missing. And you will ensure that she is more likely to stay at a healthy weight.
Q When I head out the door to go to work, I always give my dog a rawhide bone, which seems to keep him happy for the whole day. I tried giving my cat, Garfield (yes, he’s big and orange!), a small rawhide bone to chew on. He just sniffed it and ignored it. Why won’t he chew on a bone the way Buddy does?
A The truth about cats and dogs is that they sport different types of jaw structures. They eat and chew differently. Cats are strict carnivores, whereas dogs are more omnivorous and eat a wider variety of foods. Cats feature sharp, slicing teeth that are designed to snare, hold, and tear apart small prey such as mice and birds. They use their barbed tongues to rasp away bits of meat, rather than relying primarily on their teeth. Feline jaws move up and down, while canine jaws are designed to crush bones and to grind back and forth.
Garfield would probably enjoy that rawhide more if you smeared some cheddar cheese on it and let him lick it clean like a lollipop. In general, cats are fussier about what they stick in their mouths than their kooky canine chums are. That explains why it is easier to fool a dog by hiding his pill in a piece of cheese than it is to fool a cat. Most dogs will gulp down the cheesy treat without hesitation, but most cats will sniff out that disgusting pill and either surgically nibble all the cheese off the pill or saunter out of the room without another glance.
Both dogs and cats have oral fixations. Dogs often pass time and calm themselves down by gnawing on bones. It helps them to relax. Cats often turn to grooming themselves when they feel stressed or unsettled. They like the contact of their barbed tongues on their fur. Grooming is their comfort activity of choice, not gnawing on a disgusting, dog-slobbered bone.
Q I swear my cat must be part cow! Maggie is a black-and-white cat, about three years old, whom I’ve had since she was a kitten. She mostly lives indoors, but does go outside, especially when I’m in the backyard. Maggie makes a beeline right for the lawn and starts munching away. Sometimes, she eats a lot only to vomit up the blades of grass later on. Is she okay and why does she seem to like grass?
A Your Maggie, though a true carnivore, digs greens. Eating grass is actually a fairly common activity among felines. They have a natural instinct to eat grass and other plants to supplement their dietary needs. Veterinary nutritionists report that an all-meat diet does not provide certain vitamins and minerals that cats seem to know are found in grass and greens.
A second possible reason Maggie heads for the lawn is because the blades of grass serve to help oust hairballs and settle upset stomachs. Yes, the result is a gross puddle (preferably in your yard and not in your house), but Maggie understands the power of Mother Nature.
I caution you to steer Maggie away from the lawn if you use any kind of chemicals or pesticides. Instead, treat Maggie to an indoor patch of organically grown lawn in your house. Grass is easy to grow and it sprouts quickly. Better yet, grow fresh catnip for Maggie. This hardy herb is easy to grow from seeds. Just set the pot in a dark, damp area to allow the seeds to sprout and then relocate the pot to a sunny spot. I recommend a place where Maggie likes to sun herself, perhaps near a window in the living room.
You can also consult your veterinarian about providing Maggie with a commercial hairball preventative. In addition, regular wet-hand grooming can help oust dead hairs in Maggie’s coat and may reduce her hairball episodes.
Q I’ve had cats all my life and have always been able to fill a bowl, walk away, and watch them eat. Easy, right? Not any more. I recently brought in a stray cat. I’m guessing she is about three years old. I thought she would be grateful to have a home, but she is quite picky about what she eats. My other two cats eat their dry food without any problem. This new cat, Gabby, does love salmon and tuna, but I can’t keep catering to her expensive tastes.
A While cats have long been branded with a reputation as picky eaters, I prefer to regard them more as discriminating eaters. You need to assess what’s going on. Is Gabby really being a picky eater or is something else at play? Grab a notepad and write down Gabby’s eating habits over the next few days. There are several possible explanations why Gabby doesn’t gobble her kibble. She may be satisfied with treats and table scraps such as those pieces of delicious salmon and tuna you hand out. Or the other two cats may be blocking her from the food bowl. Try setting out another one to lessen the competition. Speaking of bowls, some cats don’t like their whiskers touching the sides of food bowls and will walk away from their kibble if the bowl doesn’t “fit.” Gabby may need a larger or shallower bowl.
The location may also be a turnoff, especially if the food bowl is in a noisy, high-traffic area like the kitchen. Some cats like to dine without a lot of hoopla around them.
Does Gabby spend any time outside? She may have charmed a neighbor into giving her tasty treats or she may be filling up on gophers and sparrows.
Finally, do not rule out a possible medical condition. Gabby may have tender gums or missing teeth that make chewing a challenge.
Cats like routines. If you feed your cats a variety of commercial dry food, Gabby may be holding out in hopes of something tastier than the current kibble. It’s better to stick with one brand consistently. You may spice it up a bit by pouring a little broth over the kibble, but once you find a quality cat food Gabby seems to like, stay with it. If her health needs change, switch her gradually to another type of food. I recommend working closely with your veterinarian on the best dietary choice. Good luck!
Q I’m about to adopt a pair of young cats from the local shelter. They are just a year or two old and are littermates. I don’t want my cats to get fat from overeating. Should I just keep a big bowl of kibble available to them all the time or feed them twice a day?
A Welcome to the Great Feline Food Debate. There are pros and cons to both free feeding and scheduling specific mealtimes. Many cats, whether they live as solo cats or part of a multi-cat household, seem to fare well with free feeding. They eat what they need and stop before becoming obese. Unlike dogs, who tend to bolt down whatever food is put in front of them, cats are more comfortable nibbling 10 to 20 times a day.
In your situation, I would first check with the animal shelter officials as to how these sibling felines were fed. Ask if they ate twice a day or had food available all day long, and inquire whether there were any incidents of one cat bullying or nudging the other from food bowls.
Keep tabs on your new cats’ eating habits and weigh them regularly. If they seem to maintain their weight, then free feeding is a good option. Just be sure to clean the bowls regularly — daily if you feed canned food.
Some cats, however, view free feeding as a 24-hour all-you-can-eat buffet and stuff themselves with kibble until their bellies drag on the floor. They just can’t say no to chow. Consider this startling fact: an extra three pounds on a nine-pound cat is the equivalent of adding a whopping 40 extra pounds to a 120-pound person. Added weight puts both cats and people at added health risk.
For cases in which one cat eats too much and one eats too little, scheduling specific mealtimes is recommended. This allows you to have better control over your cats’ diets. To prevent the pudgy cat from gobbling up all the food, feed him in a separate room. Then, after a designated time, around 15 minutes or so, pick up the food bowls. Another option is to feed the slender cat an extra meal at night, while the plumper puss spends the night in a room of his own without any food.
Controlled feeding also works best when a medical problem arises, such as diabetes. Cats with this condition need to have their insulin and blood sugar levels monitored on a daily basis. Feeding small amounts a number of times each day can also help a cat who eats too much food at once and may throw up a short time later.
If you find yourself unable to be at home at specific mealtimes for your cats, consider buying a timed self-feeder. These gadgets dispense controlled portions of kibble at designated times. Putting a couple of golf balls in the food dish will also help to slow down a greedy gobbler, as will spreading out the kibble on a tray or shallow dish.
Q My longhaired cat, Pretty Kitty, seems to groom her beautiful silver coat all the time. She is an indoor-only cat nearing her fifth birthday. At least once or twice a week, I can count on finding a hairball coughed up on the carpet. She never seems to pick floors that are easy to clean, like the tile in the kitchen. She gets regular checkups, and my veterinarian has not found any health problems. So why the hairballs?
A Unfortunately, hairballs can be a constant nagging issue for longhaired cats and many shedding short-haired ones as well. Cats normally swallow hair when they groom. The tiny barbs on their tongue act like a hairbrush, grabbing loose hair. Most of the time, this swallowed hair passes through the digestive system without incident.
However, when cats have a lot of hair to begin with or are shedding, swallowed hair accumulates in the stomach where it can irritate the stomach lining and interfere with digestion. Once the hairball reaches a certain size, the cat vomits to expel a messy wad of hair, digested food, saliva, and gastric secretions — the ingredients of your typical feline hairball. Yuck!
I urge you to consult with your veterinarian again if the number of hairball incidents increases or if your cat appears to be in discomfort when she vomits. A radiograph may be necessary to determine if a hairball is stuck in her stomach. In some cases, impacted hairballs must be surgically removed.
Even though Pretty Kitty is quite a fastidious groomer, you can help reduce the hairball incidents by brushing and combing her daily. Grooming also aids in spotting any skin or coat problems such as lumps, bumps, and fleas, removes dead skin, and minimizes matting. Your clothing and furniture will benefit, too, because there will be less flyaway cat hair circulating in your house. You can also treat her to an appointment at a pet-grooming salon on a regular basis.
Another way to combat hairballs is to feed your cat a petroleum-based lubricant, available from your veterinarian or at most pet supply stores. Some cats tolerate straight Vaseline, but many don’t like the taste. Whichever brand you use, dab a bit on your cat’s nose or paw. She will automatically lick that area and ingest the lubricant. Most of these are flavored to encourage cats to view them as a treat. Do not use butter or vegetable oil as they are high in calories and not absorbed efficiently by cats. Virgin olive oil can be used sparingly.
Why the carpet and not the tile floor? That remains one of the feline mysteries in life. My home is mostly laminate and tile, but whenever my cats have upset tummies, they too leave the evidence on the only carpeted area of my house — my bedroom and upstairs hallway.
AMBER, AN 11-YEAR-OLD SPAYED DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR, had lived with Sylvia since the age of eight weeks. This indoor-only cat always sported a clean, shiny, well-groomed coat. Although she dashed out of view any time the doorbell rang, Amber enjoyed hanging around Sylvia’s boyfriend when he visited.
About a year ago, Amber’s feline housemate, Pookie, became very sick and had to be euthanized. Sylvia told me that Amber watched her put Pookie in the carrier and leave the house and return home without Pookie. After her companion’s death, Amber started to excessively lick her abdomen and hind legs. She also began to lose weight, even though Sylvia did not make any changes in her diet.
Working with her veterinarian, Sylvia ruled out any medical conditions and possible allergic reactions to parasites, food, dust, pollen, or mold. I informed Sylvia that Amber was suffering from what is known as psychogenic alopecia. Cats normally groom as a displacement behavior when momentarily stressed, but in some cases, the frequency and duration of the sessions last longer than is considered functional. When exacerbated by stress, grooming can become repetitive and excessive, sometimes resulting in bald patches and self-chewing bite marks on the skin.
In general, psychogenic alopecia occurs more often in females than males, and it can happen at any age. It is seen predominantly, but not exclusively, in pedigreed cats of Oriental breeding and is usually associated with cats who have anxious temperaments. Clearly, Amber missed Pookie. The other cat in the home, Honey Boy, behaved like a bully, so I advised Sylvia to fit his collar with a bell so that Amber could be forewarned of his whereabouts and avoid a confrontation.
I recommended that Sylvia engage Amber in five to ten minutes of interactive exercise and play a couple of times each day. Feather toys, catnip mice, and crinkly objects are favorites with many cats. Enriching the environment with a feline hammock for the cats to climb on and giving them treat balls to play with helped calm and distract Honey Boy, which decreased Amber’s anxiety.
As an interim measure, I also suggested that Sylvia consult with her veterinarian about temporarily administering a calming medication used to treat compulsive disorders such as psychogenic alopecia. Amber’s grooming behavior was reduced and her coat regained its shiny, healthy look.
Contributed by Alice Moon-Fanelli, certified applied animal behaviorist
Q I love my big huggable cat, Leo, but my friends joke about his size. They call him Leo the Large and ask me if I really have two cats, not one. He is eight years old and weighs 16 pounds. I tell my friends he is just big-boned, but I know he is overweight. He doesn’t seem to have any health problems, however. What’s wrong with having a chubby cat?
A Plenty. I know from experience. My youngest cat, Murphy, was always the athletic one of my feline trio until a few years ago. Each morning, I would take her for a walk in my neighborhood. She would come running to the door when I brought out the leash and harness. Then I added a dog to the family, and then another. Instead of taking Murphy for a walk or tossing a paper wad down the long hallway for her to fetch, I started walking and running with my canines.
Murphy sat home and ate and ate. Kibble by kibble and treat by treat, she packed on the ounces until she reached 15 pounds. Like you, I had to come to grips with my part in creating a fat cat. Unfortunately, you and I are not alone. Up to 40 percent of all cats in the United States tip the scales as overweight or obese.
Overweight cats are at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and a host of other conditions. As their bellies expand, they are less motivated to do anything beyond eating, sleeping, and making the occasional trip to the litter box. They often drink less water, which makes them likelier candidates for stones in their urine or for urinary tract infections.
Let’s help Leo slim down smartly. Take a “before” photo of him and put it in a visible place such as your refrigerator door. Start a food diary and weigh Leo once every three days. If you keep his food bowl always full, cease. Ask you veterinarian for advice on a high-quality diet food (some have more fiber, which helps the cat feel fuller) and slowly wean him from his regular food to the lower calorie version. Set up specific mealtimes and measure each portion according to the directions on the package. Use an actual measuring cup, not a plastic deli container or other imprecise scoop. Spread out his kibble on a cookie sheet instead of a bowl. It will take him longer to eat his chow.
Work with your veterinarian on slowly decreasing Leo’s food portions. You don’t want to cut back too quickly. In cats, the dangers of “crash dieting” can lead to hepatic lipidosis, more commonly known as fatty liver disease.
Your goal is for Leo to lose a few ounces per week, so that the excess weight comes off gradually and doesn’t return. As the ounces start to melt, bring out the inner kitten in Leo by encouraging him to play and move around more. If you have stairs, put a low-calorie treat like shaved bonito fish flakes at the top of the stairs when Leo is at the bottom. Show him the treat and call him up. Drag a toy on a string for him to chase. Buy him an interactive toy that will engage his attention when you are away.
Take monthly progress photos of Leo. Within six months or so, your friends will be calling him Leo the Lean.
Q My dog, Max, is a gentle Bull Mastiff who loves to swim and take baths. My cat, Star, definitely resists getting wet. I have to bathe her occasionally, though, because Max tends to slobber on her and she smells like a dog. Why do cats hate baths so much?
A Cats are extremely conscious of hygiene. If they were people, they would probably be labeled obsessive-compulsive because they would be washing their hands numerous times a day. They would never be caught in public wearing a dirty T-shirt or clothes that clashed. They like sporting clean, well-groomed coats. That must be why cats with black-and-white coats are fondly referred to as tuxedo cats — not Oreo cookie cats.
While an encounter with a skunk or some sticky or oily substance does necessitate human intervention, most cats never need to be bathed at all. A good brushing (daily for fluffy felines and less frequently for shorter-coated cats) helps keep skin and fur healthy. Unless Star is regularly drenched with dog drool, let her take care of the problem herself with self-grooming. If she is still stinky, try using a dry or mousse shampoo or unscented, alcohol-free wipes rather than subjecting her to a full-fledged bath.
If you do feel that she needs to be bathed, start with room-temperature water in a sink or tub, only on the feet at first. Use a cup to pour water over the back (the faucet can be frightening), give a gentle massage, towel dry, and let the cat go. Accustom your cat to short sessions with no shampoo at first, then gradually add a quick foamy shampoo massage and a thorough rinse.
As for the notion that all cats take to water like oil to vinegar, that statement does not in fact hold water. Some wild felines, like tigers and ocelots, may cool down from the jungle heat by swimming, or enter water to hunt fish and other aquatic creatures. Corky, my childhood cat, loved to swim with our dogs in our backyard lake and would follow anyone holding a fishing pole in hopes of landing a bluegill dinner. Many domestic cats are fascinated with water even if they don’t like to swim, and some come to enjoy regular baths. (See questions in part III.) I’ve seen several cats looking quite happy aboard fishing boats in southern California harbors, though admittedly, they are not actually in the water!
Q The vet determined during our last visit that my cat, Cosmo, must take pills twice a day for an ongoing medical condition. I know that the medicine will make him feel better, but it is becoming more difficult to administer the pills. He seems to have a sixth sense about when I plan to give him medicine, and then he runs and hides. How can he know it is pill time?
A For one thing, cats are creatures of habit, so if you have been giving Cosmo his pill at a regular time, he has come to expect that you will “attack” him, as he sees it, at the same time every day. He is also probably associating the rattle of the pill bottle with the unpleasant event. Cats are also quite adept at gauging our emotions. It sounds as though you are stressed and frustrated when it is time to give Cosmo his pills. He studies your body language, sees the tension building in your muscles, and knows exactly what is coming next.
Giving medicine to our pets will never rank among our favorite activities, but remind yourself that you are doing a great job of taking care of your cat. Up to 40 percent of pet owners fail to comply with their veterinarians’ instructions on medicating their pets. The main reason? It’s too much of a hassle.
Since you must give pills to Cosmo twice a day, try stashing the bottle in a place he likes to hang out, like next to your sofa or favorite recliner or in the nightstand by your bed. Take the pill from the bottle and wait a bit. Let Cosmo come to you. Help him relax — and you, too — by treating him to a therapeutic massage. Listen for his purr machine to engage and his body to relax. Then quietly grab the pill and, while still speaking sweetly, calmly, and confidently, open his mouth and pop in the pill, making sure to place it far enough back in his throat that he can’t spit it out. Hold his mouth closed for a moment and gently stroke his throat to make sure he swallows.
If that isn’t feasible, here is Plan B: Motivate your cat to come to you at pill-dispensing time by associating a favorite treat (we’re talking Grade-A level, like canned tuna, not stale kibble) with the rattle of the pill bottle. Reward him for coming to you. Without making rushed movements, pick him up and pop in the pill — or sit on the floor so you can better hold him. You may need to wrap him in a towel to keep him from scratching you.
And then there is Plan C: This works more for dogs than cats, but there are always feline exceptions. You can try grinding the pill into a powder, concealing it in a tablespoon of canned food or meat baby food, or rolling it into a glob of cheese. Some cats love vitamin supplements or hairball remedies in a tube, and a dab of this, hiding the medication, can be put on the roof of the mouth, where it will stick. Please check with your veterinarian first, however, to make sure that pulverizing the pill won’t affect its potency.
Whichever option you choose, speak in upbeat tones and remember to breathe in and out deeply to keep your body from tensing. If Cosmo scoots away after the pill time, ignore him and walk in the opposite direction or stay put and read or watch TV. You want to communicate to him that pill time is not a big deal.
WHEN OWNERS REPORT THAT THEIR CAT IS VOMITING, I must do a little detective work to make an accurate diagnosis. In this case, Pumpkin’s owner made my job easier when she declared, “Pumpkin likes to eat plastic, especially those plastic grocery bags from the corner deli.”
Armed with this information, Pumpkin and I took a little trip to the X-ray table. Plastic bags, unfortunately, are radiolucent, which means they don’t show up well on X-rays. However, I could see on Pumpkin’s X-ray an abnormal gas pattern in the intestine and something not right in his abdomen. The verdict: Pumpkin most likely swallowed something that was obstructing his intestinal tract. Any food that he ate was unable to move past the obstruction and was forced back out.
The smell of the vomit suggested that the obstruction was far enough along in the intestinal tract for the food to be in the process of being transformed into poop when it hit the obstruction and came back out. I mention this not to gross you out but to illustrate that sometimes a seemingly trivial observation — the vomit smelled awful — can yield important clues for veterinarians.
Pumpkin was admitted to our hospital, rehydrated with intravenous fluids, and given preoperative antibiotics. During exploratory surgery, one section of the intestine was inflamed with a telltale bulge. I made my incision and spotted a shredded plastic grocery bag. Then I noticed two other smaller pieces of plastic, which turned out to be proof-of-purchase coupons cut out from a package of disposable diapers.
What is it about plastic bags that entice cats? Some speculate that cats like the coolness, the texture on their tongue, or the sound it makes when they lick or touch it. The most logical reason I’ve heard is that cats do this because gelatin is utilized during the manufacture of some plastic bags. Gelatin is an animal product, and some cats are attracted to the gelatin smell. Although this is still a theory, it makes sense to me.
Pumpkin’s case is an excellent example of how a behavioral issue — a crazy craving for plastic — can lead to a potentially dangerous medical condition: gastrointestinal obstruction. Pumpkin’s owner may want to consider old-fashioned cloth diapers for her next baby.
Contributed by Arnold Plotnick, DVM
Q I was scratching my three-year-old cat, William, under his chin recently when I felt some scabby bumps and noticed flakes of what looked like dirt. I know he doesn’t have fleas, and he’s always taken good care of his coat. I was afraid that he might have mange or even skin cancer, but my veterinarian diagnosed it as feline acne. I’ve never heard of this condition. Can you tell me more about it?
A Teenagers aren’t the only ones who develop acne — some cats do, too. Medically speaking, feline acne is a keratinization disorder, which is a fancy way of saying that pores under the chin become blocked with cellular debris, causing blackheads. Left untreated, these clogged pores can become swollen and infected. They eventually rupture and create bloodied scabs, raised lesions, and patches of baldness. Cats with white chins may look like they have goatees.
Veterinary experts do not know what causes this condition or how prevalent it is among the feline population. Popular theories point to heightened stress, use of plastic feeding bowls, fleabites, a genetic predisposition, or allergies as possible triggers. Feline acne can appear just once and disappear forever or it can last for the cat’s entire lifetime.
Keeping a case of feline acne under control requires working closely with your veterinarian and possibly a veterinary dermatologist. There are a variety of treatments available, from over-the-counter ointments to prescription medications, but the trick is finding which one works best on your cat. Here are a few common treatments:
FLEA COMB. Run the comb gently under the chin on a daily basis to lift and remove dried scabs and blackhead flecks.
MEDICATED ACNE PAD. Dab your cat’s chin once or twice a day to keep the blackheads on the chin from worsening. Let the area air-dry.
EPSOM SALT COMPRESS. Hold a warm compress on the chin for three to five minutes a day to dry out the area and reduce inflammation. Then apply Vitamin A ointment to repair damaged skin cells.
PRESCRIPTION SHAMPOO. Apply this with warm compresses to cleanse and exfoliate dead skin in the chin area. Check with your veterinarian for dosage instructions.
BENZOYL PEROXIDE GEL. This prescription medication typically contains 2.5 to 3 percent benzoyl peroxide that penetrates deeply into the hair follicles to remove blackheads. Caution: the peroxide can bleach fabric if the treated cat rubs his chin against the furniture or carpeting.
ORAL ANTIBIOTICS. Given in pill or liquid form, medication may be prescribed if the acne becomes infected.
My veterinarian friends offer one final bit of advice: Do not squeeze any pimple under your cat’s chin — you risk causing an infection.
One of the best ways to communicate with our cats is through touch. Most cats love to be stroked, petted, and scratched. Most people enjoy the feel of that silky fur and the sight of a happy, purring face. When properly performed, the power of touch delivers many therapeutic and health benefits.
One of the best ways to touch is through massage. Daily massages can help you detect fleas or ticks. You can also look for cuts or suspicious lumps. Massage can play a role in chronic conditions such as arthritis. Although not a cure, gentle massage reduces joint stiffness and pain by delivering oxygenated blood to those trouble spots.
Massage strengthens the people–pet bond, helps curb aggression and other unwanted behaviors, and improves a cat’s sociability with people and animals. Another advantage is that regularly massaged cats become accustomed to being handled. They associate touch with positive experiences. That can take the stress out of combing and brushing, nail trimming, car trips, veterinarian visits, and cat breed shows for both the cat and the owner.
Start with a basic massage stroke known as “effleurage.” This French word means “to flow or glide” or “skim the surface.” Effleurage is always performed toward the heart in the direction of the venous blood flow, which helps remove wastes and toxins and refresh the tissues and muscles. On a cat’s legs, for example, work from the toes toward the knees and hips.
GO WITH THE GLIDE. This classic massage stroke is simply a straight, flowing, continuous motion. Move your fingers or palm from the top of the head down the back to the tail.
CREATE CIRCLES. Move your fingertips in clockwise or counterclockwise circles about the size of half-dollars.
DO THE WAVE. Make side-to-side rocking strokes with open palm and flat fingers (mimic the movements of a windshield wiper).
FOCUS ON FLICKING. Pretend that you are lightly brushing imaginary crumbs off a table. You can flick with one, two, or three fingers.
USE THE REAL RUB. Move along your cat’s body slowly, exerting feather light, light, and mild pressures. See which she responds to best.
HEED THE KNEAD. This gentle caress uses an open-and-shut motion of your palm and all five fingers. It is ideal for the spine area.
And some final suggestions for a massage session that is soothing and satisfying for both you and your cat:
Do approach your cat slowly and speak in a soothing tone.
Don’t force a massage on your cat.
Don’t massage your cat when you feel stressed or hurried.
Do use clean hands — no need for oils, creams, or lotions.
Do pay attention to feedback. Look for purring, rolling on to one side, kneading, and soft eye blinking. Stop your massage if your cat squirms away from you, hisses, sinks his back under your hand, or meows in protest.
Don’t press too deeply — you could harm your cat.
Don’t try to substitute massage for medical treatment for conditions such as arthritis. Let it complement the care plan devised by your veterinarian.
