EVERYDAY CAT CARE

Location, location, location. It applies to real estate and it most definitely applies to litter boxes. Where you put the litter box is more important than many owners realize. You can have the perfect box, filled with the best litter in the world, but if its in an area that the cat finds unacceptable, it may be rejected.

There is one rule that cat owners should never break under any circumstances: Dont put the litter box near the cats food and water. Many owners mistakenly believe that having the box right next to the cats food will serve as a reminder to him. Unfortunately, this plan can only backfire and you lay the groundwork for litter box rejection. Remember, cats eliminate away from...

In a multicat household, more than one box will be needed. This is not just because one box gets dirty too quickly (although it does), but also because some cats object to sharing and one cat may be too intimidated to pass another cat in order to get to the cats area. The litter box rule: have the same number of boxes as you have cats.

Multicat households can create litter box placement problems. If there are any territorial disputes going on or if your cats dont especially care for each other, the boxes should be place far enough apart so that if one is being guarded, there is easy access to another.. …

Many veterinary clinics across the country offer declawing, and policies regarding the procedure vary among university veterinary hospitals. Cummings School at Tufts University does not perform the surgery. University of California-Davis Small Animal Clinic normally does not perform it either, says spokeswoman Lynn Narlesky. The Ohio State University and the University of Georgia veterinary hospitals do offer declaw procedures, but only after making sure clients are aware of other management methods, representatives say.

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[From Tufts January 2012 Issue]

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently produced a five-minute video, available on its website, about the controversial procedure of declawing. Its recommendations for pet owners boil down to this: First, try some of the many non-surgical alternatives to stop cats from scratching your favorite easy chair or carpet. If these dont work, and it becomes a choice between declawing and surrendering your cat to an animal shelter or, even worse, euthanizing him, consider the surgery.

Heres what is involved in the procedure: Each of the cats claws and the third bone of every toe are removed with a laser, blade or nail trimmers. If the bone is not removed, the claw will eventually grow back. Most often, the procedure involves only the front paws. A laser reduces the risk of bleeding, and some veterinarians believe that it also …

[From Tufts February 2012 Issue]

If you need further motivation to brush your cats teeth regularly, consider this alarming statistic provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association: More than 70 percent of cats show some sign of periodontal disease by age 3.

No, that is not a typo. It is age 3. Not only does periodontal disease cause bad breath, gingivitis and tooth loss, infection in the mouth can spread through the bloodstream to internal organs and lead to life-threatening conditions, including diabetes and kidney disease.

February is Pet Dental Health Month, a vital campaign sponsored by the AVMA and supported by the Veterinary Oral Health Council.

Most people have no idea that dental health is so important to their pets, and thats why Pet Dental Health Month is such a great idea, says Larry Corry, DVM, AVMA…

[From Tufts May 2012 Issue]

Q I know there are dog treats that say on the label that they will prevent tartar and periodontal disease. Any such products for cats?
LaVerne Gurley
Humble, Texas

Dear Ms. Gurley,
A A number of cat treats are labeled as good for the teeth, but none has received the seal of acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), the only independent company whose word is accepted by the veterinary community at large. However, there are cat foods for the regular diet that contain the seal, which means the product can help with plaque and tartar control. They include Hill's prescription Diet Feline t/d and Science Diet Oral Care Diet for Cats (go to www.VOHC.org for the complete list).

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According to new research, cats have a much more refined sense of taste than previously believed, and they are highly sensitive to bitter flavors. The findings may help explain why cats are notoriously finicky, avoiding foods that may be fortified with bitter-tasting vitamins and minerals. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study also provides insight into how sense of taste evolved in all mammals, including humans. …

For the cat lover, nothing beats watching a kitten learn. That clever feline brain makes new connections daily, as nature and nurture converge to produce learning and behavior. The socialization period in kittens takes place between weeks two and seven, explains Professor Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts. Those early weeks are when a kitten most rapidly soaks up knowledge based on her experiences of the environment.

Tufts Position on Declawing Following publication of our article entitled Curb Destructive Scratching in our December 2012 issue, a few readers wrote to us enquiring about Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicines policy on declawing. The schools policy is consistent with the approach outlined in the article. We would consider performing a declawing procedure only in one of the following circumstances: …

Lets face it: The majority of us are feeling the financial pinch these days. One expense most of us are not willing to significantly cut corners on, however, is pet care. According to experts, its typical for cat owners to spend between $500 to $1,000 yearly per cat. The expenses of the first year of ownership can be considerably higher. For starters, you should consider adopting a cat from your local animal shelter instead of purchasing…

In the past two issues of Catnip, Ive shared the plight of my new adopted cat, Tony, and the trouble its been causing for my two resident cats (not to mention my quality of life). Taking the time to make gradual and safe introductions, I thought I was following the best advice of our own Dr. Nick Dodman. I even felt the relative ages made sense (all adults over the age of two but under nine).…

Health benefits of … cat videos? Apparently, cat videos on the Internet dont just make us laugh - they may also deliver health benefits, based on a study recently published online in Computers in Human Behavior. According to Jessica Gall Myrick - a media psychology researcher at Indiana University in Bloomington - watching these videos can boost your energy, heighten your positive feelings while decreasing your negative emotions. …