Cat
The liver of a cat is less
effective at detoxification than those of other animals, including humans and
dogs; therefore exposure to many common substances considered safe for
households may be dangerous to them [24][25]. In
general, the cat's environment should be examined for the presence of such
toxins and the problem corrected or alleviated as much as possible; in
addition, where sudden or prolonged serious illness without obvious cause is
observed, the possibility of toxicity must be considered, and the veterinarian
informed of any such substances to which the cat may have had access.
For instance, the common
painkiller paracetamol or acetominophen, sold under brand names such as Tylenol
and Panadol, is extremely toxic to cats; because they naturally lack enzymes
needed to digest it, even minute portions of doses safe for humans can be fatal[26][25] and any suspected ingestion
warrants immediate veterinary attention.[27] Even aspirin, which is
sometimes used to treat arthritis in cats, is much more toxic to them than to
humans and must be administered cautiously[25]. Similarly,
application of minoxidil (Rogaine) to the skin of cats, either accidental or by
well-meaning owners attempting to counter loss of fur, has sometimes proved
fatal [28][29].
In addition to such obvious
dangers as insecticides and weed killers, other common household substances
that should be used with caution in areas where cats may be exposed to them
include mothballs and other naphthalene products [25],
as well as phenol based products often used for cleaning and disinfecting near
cats' feeding areas or litter boxes, such as Pine-Sol, Dettol (Lysol), hexachlorophene,
etc. [25] which, although they are widely
used without problem, have been sometimes seen to be fatal[30].
Many human foods are
somewhat toxic to cats; theobromine in chocolate can cause theobromine
poisoning, for instance, although few cats will eat chocolate. Toxicity in cats
ingesting relatively large amounts of onions or garlic has also been reported [25]. Even such seemingly safe items as cat food
packaged in pull tab tin cans have been statistically linked to hyperthyroidism;
although the connection is far from proved, suspicion has fallen on the use of bisphenol
A, another phenol based product as discussed above, to seal such cans [25].
As is well known, many houseplants
are at least somewhat toxic to many species, cats included [24]
and the consumption of such plants by cats is to be avoided.
A tabby cat
grooming itself
Cats are known for their
fastidious cleanliness. They groom themselves by licking their fur, employing
their hooked pappilae and saliva. Their saliva is a powerful cleaning agent,
but it can provoke allergic reactions in humans. Some people who are allergic
to cats—typically manifested by hay fever, asthma or a skin rash —quickly
acclimate themselves to a particular animal and live comfortably in the same
house with it, while retaining an allergy to cats in general.[citation
needed] Many cats also enjoy grooming humans or other cats. Some
cats occasionally regurgitate hair balls of fur that have collected in their
stomachs as a result of their grooming. Longhair cats are more prone to this
than shorthairs. Hairballs can be prevented with certain cat foods and remedies
that ease elimination of the hair and regular grooming of the coat with a comb
or stiff brush. Cats expend nearly as much fluid grooming as they do urinating.
Indoor cats are usually
provided with a litter box containing litter, typically bentonite, but
sometimes other absorbent material such as shredded paper or wood chips, or
sometimes sand or similar material. This arrangement serves the same purpose as
a toilet for humans. It should be cleaned daily and changed often, depending on
the number of cats in a household and the type of litter; if it is not kept
clean, a cat may be fastidious enough to find other locations in the house for
urination or defecation. This may also happen for other reasons; for instance,
if a cat becomes constipated and defecation is uncomfortable, it may associate
the discomfort with the litter box and avoid it in favor of another location. A
litterbox is recommended for indoor-outdoor cats as well. Daily attention to
the litter box also serves as a monitor of the cat's health. Numerous
variations on litter and litter box design exist, including some which
automatically sift the litter after each use. Bentonite or clumping litter is a
variation which absorbs urine into clumps which can be sifted out along with
feces, and thus stays cleaner longer with regular sifting, but has sometimes
been reported to cause health problems in some cats.[31]
Toilet-trained
cat
Litterboxes may pose a risk
of toxoplasmosis transmission to susceptible pregnant women and
immuno-compromised individuals, although this risk is greatly decreased in
indoor-only cats which would not normally be exposed to the disease. Transmission
risk may be reduced by daily litterbox cleaning by someone other than the
susceptible individual.
Some cats can be toilet
trained, eliminating the litterbox and its attendant expense and smell. Training
involves two or three weeks of incremental moves, such as moving and elevating
the litterbox until it is near the toilet. For a short time, an adapter, such
as a bowl or small box, may be used to suspend the litter above the toilet
bowl; numerous kits and other aids are marketed to help toilet-train cats. When
training is complete, the cat uses the toilet by perching over the bowl.[32] Occasional accidental dunkings, which can traumatize
the cat to the point of its avoidance of the toilet, urinating and defecating
in undesirable locations around the house, can be avoided by use of a simple
insert of one or two crossbars or a widely spaced grid to prevent falling in
but allow feces to pass; such safety devices have recently become commercially
available. Otherwise, if a cat is not trained to use the toilet, it is wise to
keep the lid shut to prevent thirsty or curious cats from falling in.
Cat
scratching wooden post.
Cats are naturally driven
to periodically hook their front claws into suitable surfaces and pull
backwards, in order to clean the claws and remove the worn outer sheath as well
as exercise and stretch their muscles. This scratching behavior seems enjoyable
to the cat, and even declawed cats will go through elaborate scratching
routines with every evidence of great satisfaction, despite the total lack of
results. Indoor cats benefit from being provided with a scratching post so that
they are less likely to use carpet or furniture which they can easily ruin.[33] Commercial scratching posts typically are covered in
carpeting or upholstery, but some authorities advise against this practice, as
not making it clear to the cat which surfaces are permissible and which are
not; they suggest using a plain wooden surface, or reversing the carpeting on
the posts so that the rougher texture of the carpet backing is a more
attractive alternative to the cat than the floor covering. Some indoor cats,
however, especially those that were taken as kittens from feral colonies, may
not understand the concept of a scratching post, and as a result will ignore
it.
Close-up of
a cat's claw, with the quick clearly visible
Although scratching can
serve cats to keep their claws from growing excessively long, their nails can
be trimmed if necessary, with a small nail trimmer designed for humans, a small
pair of electrician's diagonal cutting pliers, or a guillotine type cutter
specifically designed for animal nail trimming. Care must always be taken to
avoid cutting the quick of the claw, analogous to cutting into the tip of a
finger and equally painful and bloody. The position of the quick can be easily
seen through the translucent nail of a cat with light colored claws but not in
cats with dark colored nails, who therefore require carefully trimming of only
small amounts from the nails.
Main article: Onychectomy
Declawing is a major
surgery known as onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, which removes
the tip of each digit (from the first knuckle out) of the cat's forepaws (and
rarely the hind paws). The primary reason for declawing cats is to prevent them
from damaging furniture; in the United States, some landlords may require that
tenants' cats be declawed. Rarely, vicious cats, cats that frequently fight
with other pets, or cats that are too efficient at predation of songbirds etc.
are declawed.
Many veterinarians are
critical of the procedure, and some refuse to perform it because the absence of
claws in a cat:
For these reasons, all
authorities recommend that declawed cats never be allowed to freely roam
outdoors. This surgery is generally not recommended for an adult animal, and is
rare outside of North America, being considered an act of animal cruelty in
many Western countries. In Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland,
declawing is forbidden by the laws against cruelty to animals.[34]
In many other European countries, it is forbidden under the terms of the European
Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless "a veterinarian
considers [such] non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary
medical reasons or for the benefit of (the) animal".[35]
In Britain, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported cats that have
been declawed and subsequently most are euthanized[citation needed].
In 2003, West Hollywood, California became the first U.S. jurisdiction to
outlaw declawing by veterinarians or animal groomers practicing in city limits,
but the law was overturned.[1].
While some people suggest
cats not be declawed until 5-6 months of age, many veterinarians who practice
this surgery are of the opinion that it is advantageous to declaw the cat as
soon as it is old enough to sustain surgery (around 2-3 months of age,
depending on size), reasoning that younger cats are more adaptable to the
amputation, and that distal phalanges in the cat at this age are still flexible
cartilage rather than bone, making the operation less severe.
Close-up of
a declawed paw.
After a cat has been
declawed, it should be allowed to rest, and restrained from jumping (if
possible) for a few days. After being declawed, as after any surgery, there may
be a period of about a week, sometimes less, when the cat will be uncomfortable
being played with or picked up. As with any surgery, there is a slight risk of
death, as well as of complications which may leave the cat with an increased
risk of infection and/or life-long discomfort in its paws.
An alternative to declawing
is the application of blunt, vinyl nail caps that are affixed to the claws with
nontoxic glue, requiring periodic replacement when the cat sheds its claw
sheaths (about every four to six weeks). However, the cat will still experience
difficulties because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cat&action=history
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html