Kitty's First Christmas

 

If you follow this space, you already know that for many families, 2020 was the year of the pet. Puppies and kittens were added to homes in record numbers. And now that the holidays are upon us, these youngsters will be entering the challenging phase of adolescence. Like human teenagers, adolescent puppies and kittens can be defiant and prone to mischief. When combined with standard holiday decorations, these traits can lead to veterinary emergencies, especially for kittens and cats. 

Young cats are often drawn to indoor plants. The holiday versions of such greenery, particularly poinsettias, amaryllis, holly, and lilies can be toxic to cats when ingested. Additionally some of the seasonal essential oils we use to scent our homes in December cannot be processed by the feline liver, and can lead to severe illness and death. Finally, tinsel is irresistible to most young cats, and if swallowed can cause a linear intestinal foreign body. This life-threatening condition requires risky emergency surgery. It has always been my recommendation that cat parents avoid these products when decorating for the holidays. 

Somebody's on the naughty list!

                                                                                      

The Free-Feeding Fail

 

The Free-Feeding Fail

As 2020 begins winding down, the puppies and kittens who joined our families when Covid forced us to stay home have begun to mature. For many of us, our lock down routines may be starting to change as well. Maybe our children are back in brick and mortar school. Or perhaps the home office is empty and the commute has returned. As our routines change, our pets' lives will change with them, and disruptions to their feeding schedules often occur. When this happens, many pet owners give up on scheduled meal times and leave food down at all times so their pets can eat at will. Known in veterinary circles as free feeding, this type of feeding schedule often creates far more problems than it solves.

Pets who are free fed can develop behavioral problems and are more prone to finicky eating. This becomes problematic as pets enter the stages of life when long term medical problems become more common. Many health concerns can be managed with supplements or medications, some of which must be given with regularly scheduled meals. Liver support supplements and insulin are just two examples of treatments that cannot be given independent of meals. Additionally, many pets require prescription diets which may not be especially palatable. Pets who lose their food drive as a result of having constant access to food may not be eager to accept such changes. It is therefore always recommended to maintain scheduled meal times as your pet matures, and to remove any uneaten food fifteen minutes after presenting it.

                                        Remove all uneaten food fifteen minutes after presenting it.

Pets as Presents? Bah, Humbug!

Every January, South Florida's animal shelters and rescue organizations take in hundreds of unwanted puppies and kittens. Sadly, these young souls who looked so cute under the Christmas tree are often deemed too much for their new families to handle. Pets should never be given as gifts, especially to children who may be too young to understand the nature of a long-term responsibility such as pet ownership.

Pet stores do a brisk business during the holiday shopping season, and many of the puppies sold at such establishments are products of puppy mills. Puppy mill dogs are mass produced for profit, and are often plagued with medical and behavioral problems. If someone on your gift list genuinely wants a pet, and is mature and responsible enough to handle caring for one, consider adopting from one of our many shelters and rescue organizations. Contrary to popular belief, these pets are not necessarily "projects", and nearly 30% of them are purebreds. There are also numerous breed-specific rescues for families who may wish to adopt a purpose-bred dog.

Finding Newborn Kittens

Spring in South Florida brings a baby boom, not just amongst wild animals, but free-roaming outdoor cats as well.  It is not unusual to find litters of newborn kittens on and around our properties at this time of  year.  If you stumble upon such a litter, the first thing to do is determine if they have been abandoned or dumped.  Stray and feral cats have no choice but to leave their litters for extended periods of time to find food.  Observe the litter for about three hours, and if the mother cat does not return, you may have to intervene.  If she does return, it is best to let her care for the kittens until they are fully weaned.  This takes roughly eight weeks from the time of birth.  Hand rearing kittens involves mixing formula, bottle feeding, scheduled feedings, and sleepless nights.  And without putting too fine a point on it, the other end of the kitten must be cared for as well! If possible, it’s best to let the mother cat do this for you. If the litter has been dumped, or if the mother cat does not return, visit www.AlleyCat.org for detailed information on caring for neonatal kittens.  Most importantly, ask for help.  These are the times when we find out who are friends truly are!

If you have an outdoor cat, or are feeding a neighborhood stray, you can prevent this scenario by having the cat spayed or neutered. Female cats can begin having litters as early as five months of age!  And nursing mother cats can become pregnant before her current litter is even weaned.  Miami Dade Animal Services provides low-cost spays and neuters for stray and feral cats.  You can also gain access to low-cost care by contacting The Cat Network at www.thecatnetwork.org.