If you have ever owned a cat as a pet or known someone who has a cat, then chances are you have probably been suddenly awakened at least once during your life at 5 AM as she or he raced through the house or stood in front of your face meowing and demanding that you get out of bed. You are not alone. There is a reason for this strange behavior. Cats are crepuscular. The word crepuscular is used to describe animals that are most active at dawn and dusk. Don’t be surprised if with the approach of spring and the sun rising earlier, your cat starts rising earlier too, as crepuscular beings, it is simply in their nature.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways for you and your feline friend to live in harmony without having to function everyday on 3 hours of sleep. If you would rather get your beauty sleep, here are a few helpful tips to help keep your cat sleeping in too:

• Evening play – Even 20 to 30 minutes of evening play each night will help tire your kitty out so that he will want to catch plenty of Z’s come morning time. Why not try enticing kitty with his favorite toy and a bit of running, or jumping around chasing after it? Try to get your cat to be active whether it means running, stalking, jumping or “killing”. Your cat will love the attention and he will also love stalking his favorite toy mouse or feather wand across the house. The best part? You can both sleep at night.

• Keep Kitty Awake – Cats are prone to sleeping all day, so if you allow them to do just that, it means less sleep at night for you as kitty will have way more energy to waste away once night comes. Try switching your cat’s routine up a bit by keeping him awake more during the day. Set a couple alarm clocks to wake kitty up, leave a message on the answering machine talking to him. Put out his favorite toy or a bit of catnip when you are gone. If possible have a friend or sitter visit during the day when you are away to keep him plenty of company. If you are at home with kitty during the day, take some time to play with him and pay special attention to him, anything to keep those eyes open for just a few more hours during the day so that by the time nightfall comes around he will be just as tired out as you.

• Use An Automatic Feeder – Rather than giving into your cat and getting up in the morning to feed him or her, think about investing in an automatic feeder and setting it to open at the appropriate time. Getting up every morning to feed Miss Kitty will only reinforce her begging.

• Be Patient – Eventually cats will adjust to their new schedule and everything will get back on track. Even better news is that mature cats usually don’t go through this phase every year nearly as much as younger cats do. Just be patient with kitty as best you can. It’s going to take a while for both of you to adjust but it can be done.

If you are wondering if cats and raccoons are related, technically speaking, raccoons belong to the family Procyonidae. This family consists of animals such as the coatis, olingos, ringtails, kinkajous and red panda. (Though some scientists think that the red panda should be placed in a family of its own)

Cats on the other hand belong to the Felidae family. It should be noted however that both the Procyonidae and Felidae families are part of the order Carnivora. However other than this similarity, cats and raccoons do not have much else in common as far as any relations go.

Cats are allergic to garlic along with other similar items like onions. This includes both fresh and dried products used for spices. The toxins that both of these items include are S-methylcysteine sulfoxide, propyl disulfide, methyl disulfide, and allyl disulfide.

What Will Happen If My Cat Eats Garlic?

Both garlic and onion are used as flavor enhancers in many foods. Some human baby foods also have onion in them. It is not recommended that these types of products be fed to pets. In both dogs and cats, the toxins listed above that are found in garlic and/or onion can actually cause what is known as Heinz body anemia. This condition essentially results in a breakdown of the red blood cells and anemia. The very small amounts of garlic that are present in some commercial pet foods have typically not been shown to cause any problems however.

In addition to fresh and dried products that are used for spices, all bulbs, bulbets, flowers, and/or stems of garlic and onion are poisonous to both cats and dogs.

Toxic Dose

While the actual toxic dose needed to negatively affect a cat is unknown, it should be noted that cats do seem to be more sensitive to such products than dogs.

Symptoms Of Toxicity

The following symptoms are common when a cat ingests garlic or onion:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Anemia
• Discolored urine
• Weakness
• Liver damage
• Asthmatic attacks
• Allergic reactions
• Contact dermatitis (in cases of skin exposure)

Taking Action

If you think that your cat has ingested garlic or onion it is important to get them immediate medical attention. Time is of the essence and could be the deciding factor in whether or pet lives or dies. Never ignore signs of your pet ingesting these types of products, especially if you witnessed them consuming garlic or onion. It also never hurts to call your veterinarian or pet poison control center ahead of time before seeking medical treatment just to give them a heads up. Inducing vomiting and bathing your pet thoroughly if dermal (skin) exposure has occurred are also options one can take, but in any case contacting a veterinarian is your best bet and should be done either way.

Rapid Response And Treatment

If you suspect that your cat has eaten garlic or onion there are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your pet is getting the best treatment necessary. They are as follows:

• Don’t panic! Panicking can interfere with the process of helping your pet.
• Take a few seconds to safely collect any have on hand any material involved in the accident. This may greatly benefit the situation when it comes time to talk to your vet or APCC toxicologists, as they may be able to determine what poisons are involved.
• In the event that your pet needs to be taken to a veterinarian if possible, take the product’s container or wrapper with you. Be sure to also collect in a sealable bag any material that your cat may have vomited or chewed.

If you witness your pet consuming toxic material do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any symptoms. Sometimes, even if poisoned an animal may appear normal for several hours or even days after the incident. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving your cat’s life.

Call your local veterinarian or the ASPCA animal poison control center for more information. The telephone number for the ASPCA poison control center is (888) 426-3335. There is a $65 consultation fee for this service.

Having the following information on hand is also helpful:

• The species, breed, age, sex, weight, and number of animals involved
• The animals symptoms
• Information regarding the exposure, including the agent, the amount of agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure
• If possible have the product packaging or any garlic stems, pieces, bulbs, etc. available for reference

If your cat is losing consciousness, suffering from seizures, or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your cat to your local veterinarian or clinic immediately. Treatment can potentially save your cat’s life. This often includes inducing your cat to vomit, limiting the absorption of the toxin by administering activated charcoal as an absorbent, and/or administering intravenous fluid therapy to prevent dehydration. Your vet or poison control center will know what is best in this type of situation. Never ignore garlic or onion poisoning, this could make the difference in whether or not your cat lives or dies.

Preventing And Dealing With Future Kitty Emergencies

When it comes to preventing poisoning and other emergencies in the future it is a great idea to invest in an emergency first aid kit for kitty. This kit should include the following items:

• Phone numbers to your local veterinarian clinics, poison control centers, etc.
• A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide (3% USP) used to induce vomiting
• A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (used to administer peroxide)
• Saline eye solution
• Artificial tear gel (this will be used to lubricate eyes after flushing)
• Dishwashing liquid (mild and grease cutting) – Will be used for bathing an animal after skin contamination
• Forceps to help remove stingers
• Muzzle (can be used to protect against fear or excitement induced biting during emergency)
• A can of your pet’s favorite wet food (can be used to calm the animal)
• A pet carrier

When your cat or kitten has worms, it is the result of coming into contact with a parasite (usually a flea) that has entered your cat’s body. As a result, most kittens are actually born with worms and will need to be dewormed. A deworming kills the worms and will most likely need to be done several times during the months that make up kitten hood to ensure that all parasites are completely gone.

It is for this reason that every kitten should be checked by a veterinarian to see if he or she has worms. While your kitten is there your vet can also do a general health exam to ensure that kitty is in proper health.

Most Common Types Of Worms In Cats And Kittens

Among the many parasites that can infect your cat’s body, roundworms are the most common source of worms in kittens and tapeworms are the most common source of worms in adult cats. Roundworms get into the kittens through their mother’s milk and into mother usually by a way of contaminated soil.

One way to tell if your kitten might have roundworms is a pot bellied appearance. Roundworms themselves actually look a lot like spaghetti noodles and can often be seen in kitty’s stool and/or vomit. They are easily treated with an oral medication.

Tapeworms in adult cats on the other hand are usually the result of the cat ingesting a flea with the tapeworm inside it during normal self grooming. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to contracting tapeworms this way and/or through eating prey such as raw meat or fish.

Tapeworms are about 1 cm to ¼ inch long in appearance and you may see them moving around the fur of your cat’s anus. Once the worms have left the anus and have dried up they look like grains of rice and can often be spotted in places where your cat sleeps. Due to the fact that these worms usually come from fleas, chances are if your cat has tapeworms he or she also has fleas.

Therefore, your cat will benefit most from both a deworming and flea medication in order to stop the vicious flea cycle that takes place during this process. Make sure that your vet checks for both fleas and tapeworms if your cat is suffering from one or the other as the two come hand in hand.

Important Information About Deworming And Medications

Never attempt to deal with a worm or flea problem by yourself. This can be extremely dangerous. Especially if you are buying an over the counter medication. Just because a medication is made and sold over the counter does not mean that it is safe for your cat or that it will even work for that matter. The unfortunate truth is that many of these types of medications have caused fatalities in cats. They are especially dangerous if used on kittens. Always get worm and/or flea medications from your veterinarian just to be on the safe side.

Occasionally cats can have a reaction to deworming medications even if it has been administered by your veterinarian. In this type of scenario vomiting, diarrhea, shaking and/or poor coordination are often exhibited by kitty. These are all telltale signs of a bad reaction to the medication. If your cat is suffering from any of the above symptoms you should contact your vet immediately.

Contrary to what some may believe, kittens are not born naked. Their skin is covered by a short, soft and/or sometimes wooly like hair or fur. Sometimes the kitten’s fur is already a similar color to what is expected as an adult, other times it is not. Most kittens will develop a coarser, longer, and sometimes darker coat by the time they reach six to eight months of age. This also depends on the breed of the cat, as different breeds have different rates of coat development. Other factors that may determine a cat’s coat development include day length, hormones, average outdoor temperature, and nutrition.

Interesting Facts About A Cat’s Fur

Did you know that cats have four types of hair? There are short fluffy hairs that are referred to as secondary hairs, underfur or undercoat. The second type of hair is the longer and stiffer outer hairs that are called primary hairs. These hairs are also sometimes referred to as guard hairs, outer hairs, or the outer coat. Unlike some other mammals, cats have hair called awn hairs. Awn hairs are much thinner than primary hairs. Last but not least, a cat’s whiskers are actually specially developed hairs known as tactile hairs. These tactile hairs help the cat sense their surroundings.

The ratio of the number of primary to secondary hairs in a cat can differ by age and/or breed. Newborn cats actually lack primary hairs. This is why a kitten’s coat is short and short. Usually after about 6 months a kitten will have developed a good number of primary hairs so that their coats are longer and coarser. Many variations exist again depending upon cat breed and can affect different factors of the coat such as length, color, and/or texture.

Each hair on a cat grows from a simple opening within the skin known as the hair follicle. Even more interesting, kittens are born with all of the hair follicles it will ever possess. Any future differences or changes of the cat’s coat will be due to changes within the follicle. Each hair shaft produced by a cat’s hair follicle will eventually die and be shed and replaced by a new hair shaft produced by that particular hair follicle.

Cats continuously shed dead hair from their hair follicles and replace them with a new live and growing hair. Technically there is no such thing as a non-shedding breed of cat. The extent or rapidity to which an individual cat sheds is however governed by age, amount of sunlight, breed, sex, hormones, outside temperatures, allergies, nutrition, health, etc.
Shedding

Depending on the breed of cat and the cat as an individual, each cat will shed and regrow hair at different rates. If a cat sheds often it is more noticeable than if he or she sheds extensively but for a period of only several weeks. Most indoor cats tend to shed in a more or less continuous fashion due to artificial heat and light. While cats that are kept strictly outdoors tend to shed for several weeks during major seasonal changes, most notably during spring and fall. Usually outdoor cats can be found shedding more secondary hairs in the fall for warmth and the losing the underfur in the spring to replace most of it with longer primary hairs. The hair coat also changes in appearance and texture; however the absolute numbers of hair follicles and hair does not.

Hair Growth In A Cat

Interesting enough, the hair of a cat does not actually grow continuously, but rather in cycles. Similar to how we humans grow eyebrows. Anagen is the first phase in which the hair is produced. During this phase, the new hair grows alongside the old hair, which is subsequently lost. Catagen is an intermediate stage in the cycle, and telogen is the resting phase in which the cat’s hair follicle is basically left dormant. Kitty’s hair follicles are not all in the same phase at the same time either, which explains why we do not see a lot of bald cats.

Although you may have grown up watching cartoons or reading children’s stories where the neighborhood friendly feline gets a cup of cream or milk and is perfectly content upon receiving it, the truth of the matter is that in reality most cats are technically lactose intolerant.

Lactose Intolerance In Cats

Contrary to what many people may believe or have seen in the media, many cats just like people, actually have trouble properly digesting milk due to its lactose (milk sugar) content. The result? Violent diarrhea and/or stomach upset and a not so happy kitty.

According to cat nutritionists and veterinarians the only time animals are exposed to lactose is when they are babies – in their mother’s milk. In order to digest lactose, both the human and feline digestive systems must contain the enzyme lactase. While we have plenty of this enzyme in our systems at birth and it helps us thrive on our mother’s milk, as we get older and start growing up, it is completely normal for people and even cats to begin producing less lactase. What this means is that we begin to lose our capability to properly digest lactose. Eventually possibly leading to lactose intolerance.

What Happens When A Cat Drinks Milk?

When a lactose intolerant cat drinks milk, the undigested lactose passes through the intestinal tract, drawing water in with it. Bacteria in the colon also ferment the undigested milk sugars, thus producing volatile fatty acids and leading to upset stomach, diarrhea and possibly even vomiting. The most common symptom in lactose intolerant cats is diarrhea, and usually occurs within 8 to 12 hours after ingesting the milk.

If you are reading all of these facts and wondering why Mr. Boots has never shown any signs of distress when you fed him a bit of milk in the past it could just be because your cat can tolerate milk just fine. Some cats have a higher tolerance for lactose than others, it really just depends on the cat, but in any case milk should only be given to cats sparingly and as a very special treat every now and then.

What If I’m Not Sure Of My Cat’s Tolerance For Milk?

If you are not sure whether or not milk is a good idea for your cat, the best way to check your cat’s milk tolerance is to try offering him or her a tablespoon or two of milk. If you do not see any symptoms within a day, chances are good that your cat will do just fine with a bit of milk as an occasional treat. Just keep in mind that this should be just that, an occasional treat. In fact, most veterinarians do not recommend giving your feline milk. Cats do not need it, and the potential problems that come along with it actually outweigh the benefits.

An important rule of thumb to follow is that treats of all sorts whether it be milk, tuna, meat, cheese, or other foods that we humans consume on a daily basis, should make up no more than 5 to 10% of your cat’s diet. The rest of your cat’s calories should come from a high quality, nutritionally complete cat food.

If you are not exactly sure what this means for your cat, you should speak with your veterinarian or a pet nutritionist. It is also important to remember that offering your cat table food can often teach them to be finicky.

Lactose In Other Forms

Sometimes a cat that can’t tolerate lactose in milk may be able to eat other forms of dairy such as yogurt, cheese, butter, cream or ice cream and/or vice versa. This is because different forms of dairy foods contain varying amounts of lactose. There are two reasons for this. Foods like yogurts and ice creams are often diluted with other ingredients, such as water or added fats. In addition, they may also be cultured, meaning microorganisms have digested part of the lactose. Therefore, if you want to give a sensitive feline a bit of dairy, the chances of intolerance reaction are a lot less likely with cheese products, yogurts, and/or other cultured dairy.

Other Things To Consider

Kittens And Milk

Technically speaking, cow’s milk is inadequate for kittens. Though kitty’s have lactase in their system, simply speaking there is just not enough of it to properly digest the overload of lactose that is found in cow’s milk. However, the lactose is not the only problem. The casein to whey proportions are also a cause for concern when it comes to cats.

If your kitten is still a youngster and needs it’s mother’s milk, there are plenty of milk replacements on the market today that are made specifically for kittens to safely and properly consume and digest. These types of products can often be found being sold at your local veterinarian clinic or pet store.

These milk replacements often contain cow’s milk; however it has been modified to approach as closely as possible the nutrient composition of a mother cat’s milk. This means that the casein and whey rations have been adjusted and the amount of lactose has also usually been reduced significantly. If you are raising an orphaned kitten, milk replacements formulated specifically for kittens are definitely your best bet as far as milk products go.

Adult Cats And Milk Replacements

When it comes to adult cats and milk replacements on the other hand, these milk replacement products are just like any other dairy product. They can and should only be offered in small amounts as the occasional treat. The same goes for any dairy substitute designed for humans, and yes this even includes soy and lactose free milk products. They can be given to kitty as treats, but generally speaking, there is no other reason to use them.

Cats And Water

One last but very important thing to keep in mind is that milk should never be used as a substitute for water. Your cat will always require plenty of fresh, clean water. Water not only keeps your cat hydrated, it also helps your cat regulate body temperature, digest food, eliminate waste, lubricate tissue, and allows salt and other electrolytes to pass through the body with ease.
To encourage your cat to drink water, try placing several bowls all at different depths around the house. Many cats love flowing water. There are plenty of pet stores out there that sell fresh flowing kitty fountains for a decent price. The best thing about these products? They are usually dishwasher safe and come with replaceable filters, making them easy to keep clean and giving your kitty only the best quality H20.

It can be difficult at times to know which types of foods are and are not okay to feed to your kitty. Generally speaking, peanuts and/or pistachios are not considered to be toxic to cats however all nuts contain fats, which can cause gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and diarrhea. In other words, your cat would be better off if you didn’t feed it such things. Here we will look at the health risks involved with feeding peanuts to your cat.

High Fat Content Can Lead To Potential Health Risks

Foods such as nuts, which contain high fat content can product an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. Many commercial nuts are heavily salted which also poses a risk for the development of sodium ion toxicosis when consumed in large quantities. Another important thing to consider is that cats cannot properly digest peanuts like we humans can.
The bottom line? While the occasional peanut is not likely to be a major issue for your cat, it is not recommended that you feed your cat a significant amount of nuts as it can actually cause more harm than good. Besides, cats can’t taste sweetness anyways, so he or she probably won’t be very disappointed if you don’t feed them peanuts. If your kitty accidentally eats a peanut or two they will probably be okay in the long run, but you should try to avoid willingly feeding your cat this type of food and in the future should try to keep peanuts and other foods like these away from kitty’s reach just to be safe.

Maintaining A Balanced Diet

A cat’s diet should be well balanced and foods such as peanuts or other types of nuts that are high in fat content and salt are better off avoided. A cat’s diet should be close to what he or she would eat naturally if out on their own in the world; this usually does not include nuts. Better safe than sorry.

Just like dogs are allergic to chocolate, so are cats. Chocolate poisoning or Theobromine poisoning is an overdose reaction to the alkaloidtheobromine that is found in products such as chocolate, tea, cola beverages, acai berries among other foods. Cacao beans contain about 1.2% theobromine by weight, while processed chocolate, generally contains smaller amounts. Highly refined chocolate candies typically have smaller amounts than say that of dark chocolate or unsweetened chocolate used for baking.

Typically speaking, the amount of theobromine that is found in chocolate is small enough that it is able to be safely consumed by humans. However there have been some occasional side effects from the consumption of larger quantities, especially in the elderly. In extreme cases, emergency room treatment may be necessary.

Why Cats Are Allergic To Chocolate

The affects that chocolate have on domesticated animals is much more serious and this type of poisoning unfortunately has been known to happen accidentally and frequently on many occasions. One reason that chocolate is so dangerous for your feline friend to consume is because cats and other domesticated animals metabolize theobromine at much slower rates than we humans do. If large numbers of chocolate are consumed it can trigger life threatening pancreatic several days later.

Typically, the most common victims of chocolate poisoning are dogs, for which it can be fatal. However, the toxic dose for cats is even lower than for dogs. One good thing to note however is that cats are generally less prone to be found sneaking into chocolate since they are actually unable to taste sweetness.

Symptoms Of Theobromine/Chocolate Poisoning

Initially the first signs of theobromine poisoning are as follows and typically appear within 10 hours of ingestion:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased urination
• Excitability
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Slow heart rate
• Dehydration

Eventually the above symptoms can progress to:

• Cardiac Arrhythmias
• Epileptic Seizures
• Heart Attacks
• Internal Bleeding
• Death

What To Do If You Suspect Your Cat Has Ingested Chocolate

The basic rule to keep in mind when it comes to a cat consuming chocolate is that the more cocoa in the chocolate, the higher the levels of theobromine. Plain and/or dark chocolate contain more cocoa than milk chocolate and have 4.5 to 10 times more theobromine in them. The amount of theobromine in chocolate also varies from one manufacturer to the next.

The toxic dose of Theobromine for pets is 100-200 mg/kg. (1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds). There are many charts that you can find online to help you figure out the amount of theobromine found in chocolate etc.

Rapid Response And Treatment

If you suspect that your cat has eaten a large quantity of chocolate there are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your pet is getting the best treatment necessary. They are as follows:

• Don’t panic! Panicking can interfere with the process of helping your pet.
• Take a few seconds to safely collect any have on hand any material involved in the accident. This may greatly benefit the situation when it comes time to talk to your vet or APCC toxicologists, as they may be able to determine what poisons are involved.
• In the event that your pet needs to be taken to a veterinarian if possible, take the product’s container or wrapper with you. Be sure to also collect in a sealable bag any material that your cat may have vomited or chewed.

If you witness your pet consuming toxic material do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any symptoms. Sometimes, even if poisoned an animal may appear normal for several hours or even days after the incident. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving your cat’s life.

Call your local veterinarian or the ASPCA animal poison control center for more information. The telephone number for the ASPCA poison control center is (888) 426-3335. There is a $65 consultation fee for this service, but isn’t your cat’s life worth it?

Having the following information on hand is extremely helpful:

• The species, breed, age, sex, weight, and number of animals involved
• The animal’s symptoms
• Information regarding the exposure, including the agent, the amount of agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure
• If possible have the product packaging available for reference

If your cat is losing consciousness, suffering from seizures, or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your cat to your local veterinarian or clinic immediately. Treatment can potentially save your cat’s life. This often includes inducing your cat to vomit, limiting the absorption of the toxin by administering activated charcoal as an absorbent, and/or administering intravenous fluid therapy to prevent dehydration. Your vet or poison control center will know what is best in this type of situation. Never ignore theobromine poisoning, this could make the difference in whether or not your cat lives or dies.

Preventing And Dealing With Future Kitty Emergencies

When it comes to preventing theobromine poisoning and other emergencies in the future it is a great idea to invest in an emergency first aid kit for kitty. This kit should include the following items:

• Phone numbers to your local veterinarian clinics, poison control centers, etc.
• A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide (3% USP) used to induce vomiting
• A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (used to administer peroxide)
• Saline eye solution
• Artificial tear gel (this will be used to lubricate eyes after flushing)
• Dishwashing liquid (mild and grease cutting) – Will be used for bathing an animal after skin contamination
• Forceps to help remove stingers
• Muzzle (can be used to protect against fear or excitement induced biting during emergency)
• A can of your pet’s favorite wet food (can be used to calm the animal)
• A pet carrier