Things to Keep Away from Kitties!

          Cats have a habit of getting into everything from cabinets to pantries to tightly-sealed spaces, but did you know that their curious romps could result in your kitty being poisoned? Cats have a keen sense of smell and are usually intelligent enough to avoid toxic substances, but many things are undetectable to them, especially foods that are mixed with other ingredients. Most substances that are toxic to humans when ingested (cleaning products, medical syrums, etc.) are also toxic to cats, but cats also have a list of strange sensitivities that are not common knowledge. The following is a breakdown of the most common toxic substances to avoid in households with cats.

          #1 Dairy: The age-old image of giving a bowl of cream to a kitten is certainly based in truth considering how much cats love the taste of milk products, but the sad truth is that adult cats can not digest the protein enzymes in cow's milk. Ice cream, cheese, milk, cream, sour cream, kefir, yogurt, and whey should all be avoided. Once cats have been weaned off their mother's milk, they no longer need the probiotics and proteins found in milk. Casein, a milk protein, actually interferes with a cat's ability to absorb other nutrients. So, all in all, it is best to avoid giving dairy treats to cats once they have reached adulthood.

          

          #2 Houseplants: Many varieties of common houseplants are toxic to cats, which is unfortunate considering how much they love to nibble on grasses and hide in potted trees. The best way to keep a house feeling green and lively without killing your kitty is to furnish it with safe plants and give your kitty access to cat grasses, common seedlings which can be purchased for a few dollars at pet supply stores. Common plants that are toxic to cats include aloe vera, azalea, baby's breath, carnation, daffodil, hyacinth, marijuana, lillies, citrus fruits, tomato, and tulip. When ingested, these plants can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and death. A complete A-Z list of toxic plants can be found here: House Plants that are Toxic to Cats.

Kitties love playing with houseplants, which is why it is especially important to know which ones can make them sick!

          #3 Onions and Garlic: The enzymes in onions and garlic destruct red blood cells in cats. Also, due to the mild intensity of their stomach acids compared to those of humans, garlic and onions severely irritate the stomachs and intestines of cats. Also, the intense flavors are overwhelming for them and can cause watery eyes and sneezing (much like in humans)!

          #4 Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, an alkaloid that is toxic to cats. It also contains caffeine, which their little systems can not handle, and sugar, which they can not taste or process. No chocolate for kitty!

          #5 Yeast: Cats can not tolerate this fungus and experience urinary problems, digestive issues, and allergic reactions when they ingest it. Keep kitty off the counter when baking with yeast!

Cats have a very short digestive tract and a sensitive system, so it is important to prevent them from ingesting irritable substances.

The Kitty State of The Union: Cat Health and Numbers in the United States

          In The United States of America, the population of domestic cats has grown to over 153 million as of January 2011. While many are housed as pets, euthanized, or sterilized to prevent reproduction, current control methods fall short of solving the issue of strays. An estimated 70 million cats live outside in feral colonies facing physical challenges and negatively impacting the natural ecosystem. With the majority of animal shelters already operating at full capacity, the current status of feline overpopulation calls for a new, low-cost solution to house and socialize mass numbers of cats. 

          Stray cat overpopulation in the United States presents an issue both to cats themselves and the ecosystems they impact. As domesticated animals, cats have no natural ability to combat fleas, ear mites, frostbite, infections, and disease, not to mention injuries or cruelty. Add scarce food and shelter to the mix and many feral cats suffer needlessly. In addition to challenges faced by cats, they pose a threat to native wildlife. According to the American Bird Conservancy, domestic cats are considered to have been primarily responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species since the 1600s. Sterilization and human companionship alone cannot provide solutions to the issue of wildlife predation as even well-fed cats take prey.

With cats reproducing at a rapid rate, too many are left without homes and care.

          Current popular control methods include housing animals as pets, a practice accounting for approximately 54% of U.S. cats, euthanasia, and efforts to reduce reproduction such as sterilization and breeding restrictions. With most shelters operating at full capacity, new solutions to feline overpopulation are desperately needed.

 

Cats Don't Dig the Sweet Stuff

          According to an article from The Salem News, cats do not possess the necessary taste buds for detecting sweetness. While humans, dogs, and other creatures with varied diets have as many as 10,000 taste buds to detect various flavors and nutrients, cats, who only need meat to survive, are limited to 500. While many housecats are given vegetable and grain-rich kibble, cats in the wild feed solely on small live prey such as rodents and birds.
          While cats may not be able to taste sugar, carbohydrates and fats in many sweet items still attract them. This is why cats are often found licking yogurt, whip cream, ice cream, and other dairy-based desserts. The ability to taste sweetness serves a biological function in animals who consume fruits and veggies for nutrition, but carnivores like cats need only to be enticed by meat. Because cats have no need for sugars and can not taste them anyway, it is best to avoid allowing them to consume it. Cancer and other disease cells thrive on sugar and wreck havoc on the health of cats.

This silly kitty is probably attracted to the coolness of the icee, rather than its sweet flavor.

Cats Might be Smarter Than Dogs?

Cats, though fickle, are an inquisitive and intelligent species.

          The intelligence of cats is often underrated due to their virtual inability to be trained. Dogs may respond beter to human communication, but are they truly "smarter" then cats? New scientific research suggests that cats may in fact be the brighter species. Felines have over 300 millions neurons in the cortex of their brains, whereas dogs are limited to 160 million neurons. Cats are also known for their self-sufficient habits such as litter box usage, hunting skills, and keen senses, allowing them to be potty-trained and able to feed themselves without nearly as much training as dogs.

Cats are quick learners who quickly figure new things out with little trial and error. Unlike dogs, cats rarely repeat unsuccessful attempts to obtain food, toys, or coerce their owners. 

Cat brains are similar to human brains in their composition and complexity.

          According to How Stuff Works, researchers have been aware that cats are able to learn complex tasks since as early as the 1920's. A Pennsylvania State University test conducted in the 1950's concluded that cats are capable of "oddity learning" in which the animal is shown three objects and is rewarded for choosing the one that looks least like the other two. In the test, cats consistently pawed a small round object amongst square blocks to win a food reward. Some studies have concluded that cats do as well with this kind of learning as monkeys.  According to Dr. John Wright, a certified animal behaviorist and psychology professor at Mercer University, "most cats are extremely capable problem solvers. Cats know how to size up a situation and then act on the information received". Many cats cat even train their owners to feed them, pet them, and take care of them. A behavior that, when you think about it, is pretty darn smart! 

          

11th Annual National Feral Cat Day

           Today is National Feral Cat Day, a yearly event started by Alley Cat Allies, a cat advocacy group dedicated to promoting the humane treatment of feral felines. In honor of this year's Feral Cat Day, over 300 events are being held throughout the nation including free spay and neuter clinics and awareness seminars.

            Feral cats are descendants of domesticated housecats who are born and raised in the wild, often forming colonies in both rural and urban areas. Because they are unsocialized, it is very difficult to take them in as pets. They often display aggressive behavior and are much more instinctually "wild" then socialized domestic cats, and they are very weary of humans. As their populations grow quickly, they are often trapped and euthanized to reduce their effects on local ecosystems. Trap, Neuter, Return, a program designed to reduce feral cat populations without injuring or killing them, has been adopted by many shelters and animal advocacy groups throughout the United States. 

             The purpose of National Feral Cat Day is to promote awareness about the mistreatment of feral cats and encourage citizens to participate in local Trap, Neuter, Return programs by either setting humane traps themselves or donating time or money to TNR groups. 

             Details on local event times and locations can be found here: http://nationalferalcatday.org/

           

           

          

Willow's Adventure - One Cat's Journey Shows the Value of Microchipping

iPet Companions: Playing With Kitties Over the Internet.

         A new robotic toy called the iPet Companion has hit the market this week, allowing cat owners to play with their cats by controlling a toy from a remote location and watching the interaction on a webcam. A commerical version of the gadget has become a popular marketing tool for Humane Societies to encourage cat adoption by allowing potential parents to "meet" available cats without making a trip to a shelter.
          A New York shelter, Bideawee, offers online "Kitty Play Dates" that allow users to see kittens play with a toy that is responding to real-time remote control commands. Since the program's introduction in early October, over 2,000 visitors from as far away as Asia have logged on to the website to interact with the shelter's cats. According to an article from GizMag.com, various shelters have seen a significant increase in kitten adoptions since the installation of the iPet machines. 

Kittens play with the iPet Companion at Bideawee animal Shelter.

          A blog post from Technabob.com prices the home gadgets around $850.00 each for cats, a hefty fee for many cat owners. Other (less expensive) ways to connect with your cats while you are away include having a friend or neighbor check in on them and report back to you, or setting up a Skype account that you can access from a work computer or smartphone. By opening Skype on a home computer and setting it to auto-answer, you can videochat with your kitty by calling their name and watching them on screen.

A screen shot from the iPet Companion home version.

Bathtime!

                   Cats are very clean animals who spend up to 30 - 50% of their waking hours "bathing themselves". Their tongues are lined with coarse, barb-like hairs that comb dirt and debris out of their fur. For the most part, there is no need to bathe indoor, shorthair cats, but long-haired cats or those who spend time outdoors may get too dirty to be able to keep themselves fully clean. Even the cleanest of cats occasionally gets themselves covered in something by knocking over a bowl of soup, rolling in a potted plant, etc., so keeping a bathing plan handy is useful for all cat parents. 

               The first thing to be aware of is that most cats detest water. Wear long-sleeves and trim their claws before bathing unless you want to end up looking like you had a fight with a rosebush. Fill the tub about half way with warm water, making sure it is low enough to allow kitty to touch the bottom. Use either a large cup for pouring water directly onto the fur or a detachable shower head (one of the scariest things for them is the loud sound of a running shower and the overwhelming experience of water flying about). 

              Ease them into the tub by holding them above the water to let them "swim" with their paws, then slowly but surely lower them until they are standing in the water. Your kitty will probably fight this, so pet and speak softly to them while holding them firmly. You may even offer them a treat!

Cats will often reach for anything available to help them get out of the water! Watch out for sharp teeth and claws!

              Rub a small amount of cat shampoo (available at pet retail stores) into their wet fur, avoiding their head completely. If you must wipe something off their face, do it with a wet washcloth separately from the bath session. Rinse them clean by gently pouring small amounts of water directly onto their fur (or using a gentle setting on a detachable showerhead) to reduce the level of intense noise and physical stimulation.

             Have several large, plush towels at the ready so you can wrap kitty up and soon as you pull her out of the water. While my cat absolutely detests baths, she always cooperates with me when I wrap her up in warm towels and hold and "pet" her (dry her off). Some cats will tolerate a blowdryer on a low setting and others will simply run and hide much too quickly for you to even attempt such a feat.  

              Offer kitty treats and praise for enduring the horror of bathtime with you!