Cats and Pumpkin

Posted on October 31, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

It’s that spooky time of year where black cats and pumpkins are all the rage. But did you know that many cats dine on pumpkin year round? Why add pumpkin to your cat’s diet? Does it work?

pumpkin and cats

Pumpkin is a popular way to add fiber to a cat’s diet. Fiber can be used to manage diarrhea, constipation, diabetes, satiety, and hairballs.
Fresh pumpkin is said to have about 3 g of dietary fiber per cup while canned pumpkin can have up to 7 grams per cup.

What is fiber?

The story about fiber is complex so I will just say that fiber is substances in food that cannot be digested by the enzymes in the small intestines. Fiber arrives in the large intestine undigested and unchanged.

Fiber can be soluble in water or not (insoluble).

Soluble fibers

Some soluble fibers form a gel in the intestines that slows digestion of carbohydrates, keeping blood sugar levels steady.
This gel may also block fat that would otherwise be digested.
Other soluble fibers ferment in the large intestine, forming the short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that are part of the cross-talk between the intestinal microbiome and the brain.

Insoluble fibers can pass through the GI tract intact and function to “bulk up” stool and help waste move through the gut.

THE TAKEWAY: It important to have the right amount of the right type of fiber.

Too much fermentable fiber can result in excess gas and gastrointestinal discomfort.
not enough insoluble fiber may result in diarrhea.

Fiber and carnivores

We tend to think of plants when talking about fiber. But our cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they mainly eat meat. Do they need fiber?

“animal fiber”

A wild cat will eat the entire mouse – fur, bone, cartilage, gut content, tendons, ligaments. These indigestible parts act as fiber – bulking up stool and helping waste pass through the intestines. Even the chitin in the wings of that grasshopper can function as fiber. Some of these materials ferment in the large intestine forming SCFA that allow the microbiome in the gut to talk to the brain.

A study looking at “animal fiber” compared a diet of whole rabbits (fur and all) versus supplemented beef for captive cheetahs. The cheetahs eating the whole rabbits had more SCFA in their stool than those cheetahs eating supplemented beef. The stools of the rabbit-fed cheetahs were also bulkier due to the “animal fiber”.

We don’t feed our cats whole rabbits – plant fiber is more easily sourced so commercial cat food includes these. Research has shown that feeding our cats moderate amounts of fermentable fiber such as beet pulp helps feed the intestinal microbiome without a lot of gas and bulky stool.

“Differences in fiber type and amount likely result in many of the gastrointestinal issues that pet owners see that vary with diet – they can often explain a pet who has poor stool quality on one diet but perfect stool on another. Too much or too little or the wrong mixture of fiber is a much more likely reason for a pet to not do well on a specific diet than a food allergy…” (from Fiber Frustrations, Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University)

Back to Pumpkin and cats…

Pumpkin has both soluble and insoluble fiber. One tablespoon of canned pumpkin contains about 0.1 g of soluble fiber and 0.4 g of insoluble fiber. By comparison, 1 teaspoon of metamucil ( psyllium) provides 10 times as much fiber: 2 grams of soluble fiber and 3 grams of soluble fiber.

While pumpkin is safe for most cats, you may have to give a lot of pumpkin to match the level of fiber in say, one of the veterinary therapeutic diets. There are no real guidelines to supplementing fiber in commercial cat diets so talk to your vet if you feel that your cat needs fiber to manage diarrhea, constipation, or hairballs. Your vet can recommend a diet or supplement with the appropriate type and amount of fiber.

If you decide to supplement your cat’s diet with pumpkin, be sure to choose canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. While pumpkin and cats are a safe combination, the sugar and spices in pumpkin pie mix are not good for your kitty.

The nutritionists at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center (Tufts University) recommend that …“If supplemented, fiber should always be given gradually over a few days to weeks until the stool reaches the desired composition or other desired benefit is reached (or it becomes clear that it is not helping).”

Happy Halloween!

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Treat the whole cat for a better quality of life

Posted on October 24, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Elevated feeding station for a cat — Athena’s microchip feeder raised up on a platform.

My oldest cat, Athena, is 16 1/2 years old now. She was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and osteoarthritis a few years ago.

Signs of CKD

Weight loss
Poor appetite
Lethargy
Increased thirst
Increased urination
Vomiting

Kidney disease can result in reduced appetite and weight loss due to underlying nausea. As the kidneys become less efficient, cats drink more and more water to compensate for the reduced filtration, but they just can’t drink enough. One side effect of this draw on the body water by the kidneys can be constipation. And constipation can also result in reduced appetite.

Athena was losing weight, seemed depressed, did not want to eat and was not very active. Her quality of life seemed to be declining.

My vet recommended:

a laxative
an appetite stimulant

I added the laxative to Athena’s moist cat food. When she ate things were good.

If she did not eat:

she did not get the laxative >>she would become constipated >> she would not eat even with the appetite stimulant.

I felt we were trapped in a downward spiral.

It is important to treat the whole cat when managing an older cat with multiple disorders.

treat the whole cat

medical treatment

In addition to kidney disease, Athena also suffers from arthritis. Having been a fairly active cat who went on daily walks, it was disheartening to see her decline her walk and stay at home. Her gait became stiffer, in spite of a heated bed and daily exercise in the form of play.

So, I wondered, what if the pain due to arthritis was a bigger player than we thought?

What if stiff and painful>>not moving as much>> bowels don’t move as well>> constipation >>drop in appetite?

I asked my vet “What if we treat the arthritis pain?” Athena moved fairly well in the vet clinic but x-rays showed quite a bit of arthritis in one hip and one knee. The vet prescribed gabapentin twice daily for Athena.

dietary changes

To reduce the constipation, Athena needed more fluid and a laxative. I decided to try a hydration supplement, Purina Hydracare, and added the laxative to the Hydracare. Fortunately, she liked the Hydracare so down went the laxative in a little Hydracare! This way I knew she got the laxative without stressing about her eating her entire meal.

environmental changes

Because her hips are painful, it occurred to me that “maybe crouching down is painful” so I elevated the feeding station. While she eats, she puts weight on her back legs, helping strengthen her back legs, which are most likely weaker from her previous lack of activity.

eureka!

Athena has responded well to the gabapentin – it does affect her balance a bit but she has become more active again and we have resumed our daily walks.
Increased activity combined with the hydration supplement and laxative seem to have have eliminated the constipation.
Athena accepted the elevated feeding station right away – I guess being more comfortable encourages her to eat more.

the takeaway

It is important to “treat the whole cat”. Treating Athena’s arthritis pain seems to have been a game changer. Although reduced appetite and constipation often accompanies kidney disease, reducing the pain of arthritis has balanced this out, increasing mobility and appetite.

She is still an old cat but her quality of life has improved dramatically with these changes.

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Caring for a blind cat

Posted on October 10, 2021October 18, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

You’ve stopped by the pet shelter and are interviewing the cats for adoption. You’re looking to adopt an adult cat – you feel your life is just too hectic to take on a pair of kittens. There is an orange male cat who seems friendly and rubs your outstretched hand in greeting. He is simply charming!

You find a shelter volunteer for more information. She asks you how you feel about caring for a blind cat. You do a double-take – the cat moves confidently around his enclosure, then turns and approaches you. Nothing about him makes you think he can’t see.

Blindness in cats can arise from a number of factors:

genetic condition present at birth
trauma to the eyes
cataracts due to aging or diabetes
detachment of the retina, resulting from high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, or hyperthyroidism
infectious organisms, such as FeLV, FIV, can cause inflammation in the eye and lead to blindness.
untreated eye infections resulting from upper respiratory infections can also cause blindness

“keep an eye” on your cat’s eyes – see your vet if:

your cat is squinting
her third eyelids are swollen
her conjunctiva are red and swollen
there is discharge from her eyes – clear to greenish-yellow
her pupils are not the same size
she starts rubbing her eyes

Caring for a blind cat

Caring for a blind cat or cat who is gradually becoming blind is similar to caring for a “sighted” cat. Blind cats and “sighted” cats have the same environmental and emotional needs.

Blind cats adapt quickly to their surroundings. How do they do it? They rely on their other senses – smell, touch, and hearing – to get around.

The blind cat’s superpowers

superpower #1 – smell

Cats live in a landscape of odors. Cats have two ways of detecting odors in their environment:

the cells lining the nose and nasal cavity
the vomeronasal organ or VNO in the roof of the mouth

In the VNO, there are 3 types of “receptor proteins”. These receptor proteins respond to chemicals such as odors. We know more about the V1R protein than the other two.

Cats have 30 genetic variants of the V1R protein. Genetic variants refer to changes in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. More genetic variants of the V1R protein allow cats to detect a greater variety of scents than say, dogs, who have only 9 genetic variants of this receptor protein.

Cats can associate certain odors/scents with a particular experience, place or other animal. For example, to a cat, another animal or person has a signature scent that the cat uses to identify that individual.

superpower #2 -TOUCH :THE WHISKER POSITIONING SYSTEM

Each whisker is embedded in a cluster of nerve endings located 3 x deeper in the skin than the surrounding hair follicles. Not only do whiskers alert your cat to the piece of furniture nearby, they alert him to changes in air currents, from say an open door or window.

Cats use their whiskers to navigate – whiskers help the cat pinpoint where she is relative to her surroundings – “can I fit behind this sofa?” Needless to say, a blind cat finds her whiskers crucial to getting around.

superpower #3 – hearing

Cats have one of broadest hearing ranges of all mammals. They are able to hear the high-pitched ultrasonic squeaks of mice and also the low-pitched tones of the human male voice.

Cats’ cone-shaped ears move independently of each other. Sounds will reach each ear at different times and allow the cat to pinpoint the source of the sound.

Watch as these blind cats track a bird.

CAT FRIENDLY HOMES FOR blind kitties

Setting up a cat-friendly home for a blind or partially blind cat is much the same as setting it up for a sighted cat. He will need multiple, separate litter boxes, feeding and water stations, and safe places to retreat to.

Your blind kitty will use his incredible sense of smell and ability to discriminate between scents, to navigate his environment. His hearing and whiskers will also alert him to the presence of other animals and objects. And just like any “sighted” cat, he should be introduced gradually to a new environment. (Yes, rearranging the furniture is a “new” environment.)

Alana Miller of Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary has some tips for caring for a blind cat:

Blind cats should only be indoor pets. Make sure there are no open pet doors, windows or other ways your cat could get outside. (A secure area like a catio can give your blind kitty a safe outdoor experience).
Make sure the house is safe. Keep cleaning chemicals, power cords or other potential tripping hazards out of your cat’s reach. Be aware of spaces he could explore and get stuck in like behind washer/dryers.
Stairs. Make sure you’re with your cat the first few times she uses the stairs until you’re sure…she knows where they are and is able to navigate them.
Know where your blind cat is. He can’t see you and may not know he’s under your feet… you don’t want to step on him by accident.
Let your blind cat know that you are going to touch her. A blind cat can’t see your hand coming … she might startle when you touch her. As you approach, make sure you rub your fingers together or make a gentle noise with your hand to alert her.

Whether you adopt a blind kitty or your older kitty has vision loss, remember your blind cat has the same needs as sighted cats. With some modifications, you can provide a safe and enriching environment for your blind cat.

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probiotics for cats: gut-brain communication

Posted on September 19, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Feeling “gutsy”? “Butterflies” in your stomach? These are the signs that your brain and your gut are communicating with each other. There is constant “crosstalk” between these two organs.

The tiny microbes that call the gut their home form a community or “microbiome”. Some of the ways this microbiome communicates with the brain are:

Millions of neurons line the GI tract and signal the brain of changes in the microbiome.
If the brain triggers the release of fight or flight hormones, the movement of the intestines and the content in them changes.
The GI microbiome affects the development of neural systems that control stress.
Gut microbes can affect immune cells in the GI tract. These changes are picked up the neurons in the walls of the GI tract.
Gut microbes produce short chain fatty acids and neurotransmitters that directly affect the brain.

Our cats are also mammals with a similar gut-brain communication. Imbalances in your cat’s GI microbiome can result not only in diarrhea but also can affect mood, anxiety, and conditions such as dermatitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

How and what we FEED our cats affects the microbiomes in their guts. As we learn more about how the gut talks to the brain, we are finding specific ways to influence these microbiomes through diet. This gives cat owners a low-stress way of managing their cats’ health by feeding them.

probiotics for cats

A microbe is microorganism, usually a bacterium, that causes disease or fermentation. We can influence the GI microbiome through prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics.

Prebiotics refer to indigestible fiber that feeds the “good” (beneficial) bacteria in the GI tract.
Probiotics are live bacteria or yeast that are beneficial to the health of the host – human, cat, dog… – who consumes them.
Synbiotics refer to the combination of pre- and probiotics – fiber and bacteria/yeast.

The bacteria/yeast can be freeze-dried and packaged as a supplement. The bacteria remain in a “dormant” state until they are exposed to the right conditions of acidity, temperature and water and become active and “live” once more.

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR CAT’S GI MICROBIOME

Some of the more common probiotics for cats include Fortiflora and Proviable.

Fortiflora is manufactured by Nestlé-Purina. The supplement contains the bacterium E. faecium SF68 and has been shown to reduce viral and antibiotic-induced diarrhea in cats. A newer version of this supplement, Fortiflora SA, includes the prebiotic psyllium, resulting in an improved resolution of diarrhea. Fortiflora has also been studied with regard to reducing side effects from feline herpes virus. Fortiflora is available over the counter; Fortiflora SA is available through your veterinarian.

Nutramax Proviable is another powdered synbiotic for cats found to be effective in resolving feline diarrhea . Proviable contains seven strains of bacteria: E faecium,
Streptococcus (Enterococcus) thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L bulgaricus, L casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and L plantarum. Proviable is available over the counter.

Another probiotic on the market features the bacterium Bifidobacterium longum, that has been shown to help cats and dogs stay calm. Calming Care is a Purina product available over the counter.

a diet to maintain your cat’s gi biome

Hill’s Pet Nutrition has developed a canned and dry diet for cats designed to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal microbiome. The food incorporates a blend of prebiotics designed to encourage the growth of “good” bacteria in your cat’s intestines.

Research on cats at the Hills Pet Nutrition Center showed that feeding the “biome” diet increased the “good” bacteria and post-biotics – those short chain fatty acids (SCFA) from fiber fermentation. SCFA are thought to regulate processes in the Central Nervous System and ultimately shape behavior and cognitive function.

MORE ABOUT probiotics for cats

A company called Animal Biome offers to tailor the use of probiotics to the individual cat or dog. The company cites problems with the “one size fits all” approach using probiotics to manage the microbiomes. The composition of the your pet’s microbiome is identified using DNA sequencing. Supplement therapies are available to restore your cat’s microbiome balance.
Other companies offering similar services include Nom Nom and MIDOG.

Probiotics provide us with additional ways to manage not only GI upset but possibly anxiety, skin issues and IBD in our cats. More research should identify additional probiotics for cats that target specific conditions.

SHOULD I USE PROBIOTICS/SYNBIOTICS FOR MY CAT?

For an occasional bout of diarrhea, a probiotic such as Proviable or Fortiflora can be effective. If the diarrhea persists or recurs, see your vet.

Prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics are dietary supplements and, as such, are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many dietary supplements claim to treat medical conditions and are basically unapproved drugs.

a word to the wise…

Stick with the supplements that have some clinical studies supporting their use. The supplements mentioned in this post are used in many veterinary clinics, have substantial amount of research supporting their development, and are safe to use with your cat.

postscript…

I am moving into a new home and I am concerned about how the process of moving will affect The Feline Purrspective team. As things are getting boxed up, some of my cats were more clingy; my ex-feral cat seemed edgy and paced more. I decided to give the Calming Care supplement a try. So far, the kitties do seem calmer after about a week on the supplement, although, maybe they are just getting used to the moving boxes!

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What Makes us Allergic to Cats?

Posted on September 11, 2021September 12, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Some consider Sphynx cats to be “hypoallergenic”.

Did you know that about 1 in 3 people in the United States are allergic to cats and dogs? Those of us who are mildly “allergic” are familiar with the sneezing and runny nose that may come with handling our pets. More severe reactions may include signs of asthma, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing.

What makes us allergic to cats?

A protein called Fel d1 is the primary allergen in cats, accounting for about 95% of the allergy responses in adults sensitive to cats. Fel d1 is mainly produced in the cat’s salivary and sebaceous glands and is spread through the cat’s fur as he grooms. As he sheds fur and skin (dander), Fel d1 is distributed throughout your home. Breathing in dander or having contact with it can trigger an allergic reaction in a sensitive person.

Fel d1 is light, easily airborne and can be found just about everywhere, even in pet-free homes and institutions such as schools. Usually these levels are low and do not impact people in general.

Reducing Fel d1 in your home

Being allergic to cats does not always mean you have to re-home your feline friend. What you need to do is reduce the amount of Fel d1 in your home. Here are some things you can do:

Fur tends to “stick” more to fabrics – vacuum upholstery and carpets frequently.
Consider switching out carpet for hardwood or vinyl floors.
Use covers that you can launder on sofas and upholstered chairs.
HEPA air filters and HEPA vacuum filters can also help.
Clean regularly and frequently.
Open the windows when you can.

What about bathing my cat?

Bathing your cat does reduce the amount of Fel d1. Researchers do not agree on how long the beneficial effects last – one study found that washing cats significantly reduced the airborne amount of allergen but the levels of Fel d1 returned to pre-wash levels within the week. Many cats do not like to be bathed – a weekly bath may become a weekly battle.

Purina has developed a waterless shampoo for reducing Fel d1 which does not require immersing the cat in a tub or hosing her down. This may be easier to use if you want to try bathing your cat. The shampoo is said to reduce allergens 33% in 24 hours .

Chickens and Eggs – can they keep us from being allergic to cats?

Chickens produce antibodies against environmental antigens that they can transfer into their eggs and give their chicks immunity against these antigens. Researchers at Nestle-Purina were able to develop an “anti-Fel d1” antibody by exposing hens to Fel d1. This “ anti-Fel d1” reduces the amount of active Fel d1 in the cat’s saliva when the cat eats food containing the “anti- Fel d1” egg product. Purina “Live Clear” is now commercially available after 10 years of research and studies. It has been shown to reduce active Fel d1 by an average of 47% after 3 weeks of feeding.

“Hypoallergenic” cats

All cats produce Fel d1 – some produce more than others. Intact male cats produce more Fel d1 than female cats and neutered and spayed cats. Older cats may produce less Fel d1 than younger ones.

Some cat breeds are known for not producing much Fel d1. These cats typically do not shed much. It is thought that the reduction in the amount of hair reduces the amount of Fel d1 in the environment. On the other hand, these cats still groom and spread dander that has sebaceous secretions containing Fel d1. Among breeds thought to produce less Fel d1 are:

Sphynx
Cornish and Devon Rex
Siberian cats (may have a genetic mutation that causes them to release less Fel d1)
Russian blue
Balinese
Peterbald

Sphynx cat doll — A doll based on a Sphynx cat!

What does the future hold for those of us who are allergic to cats?

The Crisper Cat: A Virginia based company, Indoor Biotechnologies, is looking into removing the Fel d1 gene from cat cells in order to develop a truly “hypoallergenic” cat.

A Vaccine to Make Cats less Allergenic: Saiba Animal Health is developing a vaccine for cats that will induce “anti-Fel d1” antibodies to form in vaccinated cats. These antibodies will bind Fel d1 and will effectively neutralize its allergenic effect on humans.

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Cat Friendly Handling – why we do it

Posted on September 5, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

a cat is examined in her carrier — A cat is examined in a familiar place – the bottom of her carrier.

The other day a client brought her cat in for an exam and vaccines. This cat had been previously seen at the clinic and had been aggressive toward the veterinary staff and the owner. She had been prescribed gabapentin to reduce anxiety when coming in for vet visits. Gabapentin is bitter, so some cats will not eat it in food and may need to be given the pill.

The owner was unable to get her cat to eat the powder in food and brought the cat in unmedicated. This cat was in a soft carrier and was striking with her front paws at the carrier sides when approached. When cats are in a negative emotional state as was this cat, the two ways available to the veterinary professional to try change the emotional state are food and play. This cat was having neither.

A dilemma – proceed with the visit?

the veterinary staff

If we move forward, glove up and use thick towels, we can immobilize the cat and perhaps administer vaccines. Being in the soft carrier, she would be difficult to get out, but we could give the vaccine through the mesh sides, although there would be the risk if she wiggled loose a vaccine intended to go under the skin could end up in the muscle.

the cat’s point of view

When presented with a threatening scenario, a cat has three options: 1) flight 2) fight 3) freeze (learned helplessness).
The cat in question was in a carrier in an exam room so flight was out of the question. She decided to fight, which she was ready to do, striking at the carrier sides when the owner or veterinary staff approached.

Imagine being snugly enveloped by towels, you can’t see what’s going on nor can you move. Some cats will continue to thrash, kick, and bite; other cats will give up at some point. The exam may be very brief, perhaps just measuring the heart rate through the towel. Whether the cat continues to fight or gives up, the experience is negative. If the cat perceives that fighting is successful – after all, she goes home after the struggle – she may fight even harder on the next visit. The cat will stick with a strategy she thinks works.

the stress of the vet visit

So many owners are stressed about how their cat is treated at the vet clinic, they try to avoid bringing the cat in until it is absolutely necessary. Sometimes, to the cat’s detriment, health conditions have worsened by the time the cat receives medical care.

owner’s stress

The cat hides under the bed when the carrier comes out.
The cat has to be “dragged” out from under the bed.
The cat does not want to go into the carrier.
The cat cries constantly on the way to the vet.
The owner anticipates that the cat will be difficult and sedation will increase the cost of the visit.

the cat’s stress

You are placed in a box that you associate with fear and anxiety.
Your box (with you in it!) is placed in a larger box that moves and smells funny.
You are frightened, may be nauseated, or may soil yourself.
The vet clinic smells of other frightened animals.
You are handled by strange humans.

Each time “heavy restraint” is used, a cat often becomes increasingly aggressive, until the exam and treatments have to be done under anesthesia.

Cat friendly handling – breaking the cycle

Cat friendly handling is geared toward following the CAT handling guidelines.

Give the cat as much choice and control as possible.
Pay attention to the cat’s body language and tailor the handling to the individual cat.
Touch the cat where he prefers to be touched.
Positive Reinforement: Make unpleasant procedures (vaccines, sample collection) worthwhile to the cat, offering food or head rubs.

Low Stress vet visits require that the veterinary staff and cat owner work together as a team. Cat friendly handling begins at home and continues when the cat and owner arrive at the vet clinic.

“A BETTER VET VISIT FOR YOUR CAT“

Train your cat to comfortable in her carrier. Consider a carrier with a removable lid so that she can at least be examined in the safety of her “home away from home”.
Desensitize your cat to riding in the car – take a drive around the block where you don’t end up at the vet.
If the veterinary team recommends an anti-anxiety “cocktail”, figure out how your cat will take it. Consider training your cat to accept medication.
If your cat has a favorite treat or food that he likes, consider picking up his food the night before for a morning appointment or in the morning for an afternoon appointment. Bring the treats along and offer them to the staff to feed kitty during his exam or procedures.
Choose a Cat Friendly Practice where the staff have had some training in cat friendly handling.

What happened with the cat we talked about earlier?

The owner felt that a cat-only practice made her cat more reactive. We elected not to proceed with the exam and suggested the owner find a clinic that was a better fit. We can only hope that the cycle of aggression will be broken.

Like taking a toddler to the doctor, the vet visit can be scary for your cat. Cat friendly handling can make the visit less stressful for both you and your cat!

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How can you tell if your cat is painful?

Posted on August 29, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats are not only predators, they are also prey for larger carnivores like coyotes. A predator will target a weak or injured prey animal so it is important that prey animals hide their pain, so they don’t become some else’s snack. Cats are no exception and are masters at hiding pain. As a veterinary technician, I have found clients often do not give pain medication that we send home because “he didn’t seem painful”.

how do I know if my cat is painful?

It is hard to assess pain in animals and young children. They can’t tell you how it hurts. There has been interest in developing methodology for computer assessment of pain in human children using facial expressions. Humans have expressive faces, with 42 facial muscles; there is a universal “pain face”, with lowered eyebrows, eyes squeezed together, nose wrinkled, raised upper lip and open mouth.

Like us, cats also have a “pain face” but it takes some practice to become attuned to it. The Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) was developed to give veterinary professionals an easy-to-use tool to assess whether a cat needs pain medication. With some practice and attention to your cat’s environment, you can tell if your cat is painful.

The FGS focuses on 5 facial features:

position of the ears
shape of the eyes
shape of the muzzle
attitude of the whiskers
position of the head

Each feature is assigned a score of 0, 1 or 2.

“0” = no pain

“1” = moderate appearance of pain

“2” = obvious appearance of pain

The highest pain score with this system is 10; a score of 4/10 indicates the need for pain medication.

The Kitty Pain Face

scoring The Ears

Score = 0 Ears are up and facing forward
Score = 1 Ears are not facing forward and further apart; they are a little “flat”
Score = 2 Ears are flattened and rotated out, like the wings of an airplane

scoring the eyes

Score =0 Eyes are open
Score = 1 Eyes partially closed
Score =2 Eyes are “squeezed shut”

scoring the muzzle

Score = 0 Muzzle is relaxed and round in shape
Score = 1 Muzzle is tense and starting to become flatter
Score = 2 Muzzle is tense and elliptical in shape

scoring the whiskers

score = 0 Whiskers are relaxed and curved downwards
Score = 1 Whiskers are beginning to straighten, as the muzzle becomes tense
Score = 3 Whiskers are straight or forward

scoring the head

Score = 0 The head is up and above the line of the shoulders
Score = 1 The head is in line with the shoulders
Score = 2 The is below the line of the shoulder

Using the FGS

The FGS was developed for veterinary staff to monitor hospitalized patients. In the validation studies, cats were observed undisturbed for 30 seconds. This could be a challenge in the home, where the cat is not in a kennel and can move around.

Pain causes anxiety and stress. The expressions making up the cat’s “pain face” overlap with the body language of stress. How can you eliminate environmental stress when scoring your cat for pain?

getting a valid score for your cat

Don’t have 30 seconds?

If you’re having trouble watching your cat for 30 seconds, try scoring your cat, then score him again in 15-20 minutes and see if you get the same results as before.

Pain or environmental stress?

Reduce the effect of the environment on your cat. Don’t have someone hold him or rub his head. Try to observe him when there is not a lot of activity in the house – try guiding him to a quiet room and let him settle down before you try to score him. Don’t interact with him – he may respond by hiding his pain.

If your cat is grooming, eating, or vocalizing, wait until she is finished before assessing her. If sleeping, wait until she is awake.

practice telling if a cat is painful

Using the FGS can be challenging but it can help you decide sometimes if your cat needs veterinary treatment. Practice observing cats that are painful or not painful to give yourself a mental map of the cat’s face and demeanor.

Go to felinegrimacescale.com, and download the FGS manual.
Using the FGS manual, practice your skills with the series of 11 cat photos on the website.
Compare your results with those of the researchers.

Other indications that your cat is painful

she is hiding or you find her in a place she usually does not frequent
she is more subdued than usual
there is a decrease in appetite and activity

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Some cats like to play more than others

Posted on August 21, 2021August 22, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats plays with featther toy1 — Zelda plays with a feather toy at the end of a wand.

Providing opportunities for predatory play is one of the components of a cat-friendly home. Like people, cats are individuals, with different tastes and experiences. This certainly is one reason for the large variety of cat toys at the pet store. But what if your cat does not want to play?

Some cats like to play more than others

A group of researchers observed the responses of 31 cats to toy balls, a fishing pole style toy with a soft bird shaped toy at the end, and recorded sounds of a chirping bird, a squeaking mouse, crumpled paper and a rustling plastic bag. Thirteen of these cats were indoor-outdoor cats; the remaining 18 were indoor-only cats.

What did they find out?

Indoor-only cats touched or played with balls sooner than indoor-outdoor cats.
Indoor-only cats started searching earlier for playback sounds (chirping, squeaking etc) than the indoor-outdoor cats.

Why do indoor-only cats like to play more than outdoor cats?

The two groups of cats had close relationships with their owners: the main difference was that one group had access to the outdoors.

The indoor-outdoor cats most likely had experience with actual prey animals. Live prey can “fight back” and cause injury to the hunter, so a slower, more cautious approach may be smarter. The indoor-only cats don’t “know any better” and showed a more intense interest in and faster response to “simulated prey”, not having had any negative experience with hunting things.

Should I try to play with my indoor-outdoor cat?

Yes, play with your indoor-outdoor cat. Play is part of the regular, positive interactions we have with our cats. The need to hunt defines who your cat is – this is what he was born to do. Although he gets a lot of stimulation while outdoors, a short, regular play time helps reinforce the cat-owner bond.

It may be a bit more difficult to find that thing he’ll play with, compared to an enthusiastic indoor-only cat.

My experience with “Gus, A former street cat”

Gus has always enjoyed “treat toss” ( I throw dental treats for the cats to chase and eat).
He is not interested in the feather and mice toys at the end of a wand.
He occasionally plays with catnip toys and balls.
After two years, he has agreed to chase a pair of tied-together shoe laces down the hall and has his own preferred food puzzle.

My indoor-only cat just won’t play with anything

Cats are individuals and some cats like to play more than others. Yes, try to entice your cat to play. It can take longer to find out what some cats will play with. It may take a few tries before they become interested enough to chase that shoelace, mouse toy on a wand or the crumpled ball of paper you throw down the hallway. If the cat walks away, then try again another day.

A play session around the same time everyday lets them know what is going to happen.
Be alert to possible frustration – your cat needs some reinforcement intermittently to keep her playing the game.
Use the laser pointer to point to a treat when ending the laser tag session.
Let her catch the toy on the wand and chew on it occasionally during a play session.
End the play session with a game of “treat toss”.

Playing with more than one cat

Even if cats are not part of the same social group , they can still manage a joint play session. Cats are good at “time-sharing” – taking turns while another cat plays. Often they will have different preferences, so they will wait for “their toy”. Cats are often very willing to wait if there is a treat session at the end (after all, hunting requires patience!)

The importance of predatory play…

It is true that some cats like to play with toys or chase treats more than others. But every cat has a hunting heritage and helping him use it strengthens the bond between you and your cat.

Tips for playing with cats

Play and Treat time is a meal

Cats do better physically and emotionally eating multiple small meals daily.
Restricting access to food (meal feeding) can make treat time a bit more special.
Include the treats in your cat’s daily calorie count.

Play and treat time – a positive, predictable interaction for your cat

Cats like to play with a variety of toys – have several boxes of toys that you rotate.
Marinate some of the toys in catnip or silvervine.
Play sessions do not need to be more than 5 minutes or so per cat.
Put all interactive toys away when playtime is over.

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Do Our Cats Bond with Us?

Posted on June 27, 2021July 3, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The stereotype of the aloof, independent cat is being challenged. Do our cats bond with us, their human caregivers? How does this attachment affect the well-being of our cats?

Studies into animal cognition suggest that cats show attachments to their caregivers, similar to those exhibited by human children and dogs.

Researchers at Oregon State University tested a group of cats and caregivers using The Secure Base Test. This test was developed to evaluate attachments to caregivers in apes and dogs; a variant is used with human children.

secure and insecure attachments

In the Secure Base Test for cats, a cat and his owner were placed in a strange room for 2 minutes. After 2 more minutes, the owner would leave and the cat would be alone. The owner would return in another 2 minutes.

Cats were described as “securely” attached and “insecurely” attached. About 2/3 of the cats were “securely” attached. These cats were willing to explore the room with their owners present and continue to explore after the owners left. When the owner returned, a “securely” attached cat would greet his owner but would continue to explore and play.

“Insecurely” attached cats were reluctant to explore and sat with their owners or hid in a corner. On return of the owners, some of these cats wanted physical contact with their owners while others avoided contact and did not seem to know what to do.

This makes me think of children at their first day of school – some kids are adventurous while others cling to their parents. So, it seems that our cats bond with us much like dogs and children.

Our personalities and our cats

Another study looked at how owner personality can affect a cat’s well-being. Over 3000 cat owners responded to a survey asking questions about the their personalities and how they characterized their cats’ behavior and health.

Owner personalities were evaluated using the Big Five test. The Big Five test assigns a score for each of the five traits below to describe an individual’s personality.

Openness – willingness to embrace new experiences
Conscientiousness – how responsible and organized a person is
Extroversion – how social and outgoing you are
Agreeableness – how cooperative, kind and trusting you are
Neuroticism – prone to anxiety and depression

FINDINGS:

Owners scoring high in the anxious (neurotic) category were more likely to have cats with medical and behavioral problems; these cats were often more aggressive, anxious or fearful
Owners scoring high in openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, and agreeableness often had cats that were less fearful and anxious, and more friendly.

These results parallel human studies: Less anxious, open, and agreeable parents are able to provide their children with guidance and limits, without a controlling, authoritarian bias. Children are happier, cooperative, and have fewer behavior problems.

THE TAKEAWAY

We can’t change who we are but we need to remember that because our cats bond with us, our moods and behavior, especially when we are stressed and anxious, can affect them.
We need to avoid micromanaging our cats and let them be cats, doing the things cats do.
We need to try to see the world from the “feline purrspective”.

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How do I know if my cat has a good quality of life

Posted on June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

How do I know if my cat has a good quality of life? Take a minute and look at your cat’s life to see if the positive experiences outweigh the negative ones.

Quality of Life or QOL is just what it says – what is the quality of health, comfort and happiness experienced by an individual human or animal? Assessing QOL can help you decide which treatment to choose for a sick pet or help you improve your cat’s welfare.

QOL tends to come up when a pet is ill and euthanasia is being considered. Because of this association with end of life, evaluating quality of life is often neglected at other times in life.

When my older cat was not doing well recently, I was thinking about her QOL. It occurred to me that QOL is something that we should be aware of and assess regularly. It is a good idea to evaluate this when we feel our cat is healthy and happy so that we have a comparison for when he is sick, in pain, or feeling insecure or threatened.

If a cat has a good quality of life, he will have many positive experiences and have few negative experiences.

Let’s start with a cat’s basic needs…

Every cat needs a safe place – somewhere she can go, away from other pets and humans
He needs food, water and litter boxes that he can use without being interfered with by other cats, dogs or humans
A stable environment allows a cat to feel confident and secure. This environment is predictable, without too much physical change, and offers opportunities for positive experiences, say outdoor access to a backyard.
Interactions with humans and other pets should be pleasant and not frightening (so tell the kids not to run and shriek at the cat!)
Your cat is a born hunter so he needs to have opportunities for predatory activity – either through play or foraging toys.

How do i know if my cat has a good quality of life?

In addition to the basic needs, what about the needs of the individual cat? Pain, emotional state, presence of strange humans and other pets or environmental stress can impact quality of life. Let’s look at the Quality of Life of 16 year old Athena.

positive experiences

Athena sleeps at the foot of the bed or under the covers when it is cold.
She likes the treats she gets before and after having her twice daily thyroid medication.
She likes to scratch on the scratching posts – in the bedroom and by the door to the backyard.
She will nap in her heated bed when it is cold or on the bed upstairs when it is warm.
When the weather is nice, she will go out into the backyard.
In the evenings, she enjoys a grooming session followed by some play with a fishing pole toy or laser pointer.
Her day finishes up with some dental treats.

Negative experiences

Athena gets another medication in the morning – a bitter liquid which she does not like.
She does not like the other cats and prefers to avoid them
She has arthritis and her joints hurt.
Sometimes she is nauseated – she will approach her food, sniff it, but not eat.

Athena enjoys about 2 x as many positive experiences as negative experiences in her day. Although she suffers from arthritis pain and is not fond of other cats, she is still able to enjoy the positive things her environment offers her, such as going outdoors and engaging in predatory play. Overall, her QOL is good but here are some improvements.

Giving food paste (for example, chicken baby food) before and after her bitter medication helps “get the bad taste out of her mouth”. We end the medicating process on a positive note with her favorite dry treats.
So that Athena can avoid the other cats, she eats from her own microchip-controlled feeder. The other cats have learned that the feeder does not open for them.
Athena receives an injection of joint protecting supplement to help alleviate her joint pain. She also has steps up to the bed and a heated bed to nap in.
If she seems nauseated, she receives medication.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CAT HAS A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE?

THE TAKEAWAY:

You want your cat’s life to have more positive experiences than negative experiences.
Make a list and see what the positive/negative balance is. Are there more positives than negatives? How can you improve things?
Compare and update lists before you take your cat in for his annual or bi-annual vet exam.
By being aware of your cat’s daily behaviors, you will be able to provide medical care and supportive care when needed, and preempt behavior issues.

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