The Daily Cat

How can I keep my cat from trying to get out when we open the door?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EDT

There is a lot of talk about outdoor versus indoor cats. As you may know, indoor-only cats enjoy a greater overall life span. Outdoor felines often succumb to any number of threats: disease, fighting with other animals, cars, poisons and more. It's therefore best to keep your cat inside. Keeping an eye on entrances is important, no matter what kind of doors you have. Remind human guests that you have an indoor-only cat by taping written alerts next to all doors that guests will be using. You can train your cat to avoid the door area, but a better long-term plan is to make its indoor living more appealing. If your cat is busy and mentally stimulated inside your home, it will lose its desire to explore the outdoors. Make sure you set aside time each day for playtime. Buy a good cat tree, provide kitty greens for nibbling and offer a sunny spot with a view of the outside, perhaps overlooking a well-visited birdbath or feeder. Some owners also install screened-in porches so their cats can enjoy the fresh air while being protected from outside dangers.

Patches is four months old and is just starting to have episodes where his back and ears twitch. He shakes his head and chews and bites his whole body before hiding under the furniture. Is he just scared?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EDT

If your cat was only running and hiding under your furniture, then I would suspect feeling "scared" was the probable main reason. The combination of actions you describe, however, sounds like a more complex problem. It's quite possible that your cat is feeling scared, but it's probably because he's not feeling well. A trip to the veterinarian is in order to properly diagnose the problem. Based on what you've written, Patches may be suffering from two types of parasites: fleas and ear mites. Both can cause the body twitching, biting and head shaking that you describe. Clues to the presence of fleas are small black specks, also known as "flea dirt," in your cat's coat. Ear mites are a different parasite. They can live in your cat's ear canal and cause irritation if they are present in large enough numbers. Related excess scratching, infections and hematomas (blood blisters) can all result and may lead to permanent problems, so it's best that your cat gets examined by a veterinarian soon.

Our kitten is ten weeks old, and it tears around rooms attacking leather chairs and curtains until it’s exhausted. We play with our pet, but it won’t calm down. Any suggestions?

Mon, 3 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Some cats go through their own rambunctious period, and yours appears to be one of them. This period usually occurs when a kitten is eight to 15 weeks old. During this time, full weaning takes place, all baby teeth erupt and hormones surge. It is a critical period of growth and development for your cat, with another key stage occurring at 15 to 18 weeks of age. It is concerning, however, that your cat is releasing its playful energy in negative ways, as evidenced by your scratched chairs and curtains. It sounds like you are a dutiful caretaker, but just be sure that when you purchase a cat tree and toys, you spend time introducing them to your kitten. Catnip can help grab your kitten's attention if your pet is catnip-sensitive. While redirecting the kitten's attention to toys, you also need to discourage bad behavior. A squirt of water from a spray bottle or a short loud noise, such as a whistle, often does the trick. You might also have to cover furniture you wish to protect, or spray it with a kitty repellent. (Not all materials can be sprayed, however.) In addition to playing with your kitten, spend some quiet time with it too. Just as humans need to learn to meditate, cats sometimes must learn to enjoy calm periods. Give your kitten a relaxing massage after playtime, for example, to help it settle down.

Whenever my kitty sees me, he slowly lifts his front paw and leaves it hanging there like it’s broken. He’s not hurt, and he only does this with me. What can this mean?

Tue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

The gesture you mention has not been fully studied and documented by cat behaviorists or featured in a major peer-reviewed journal. But there is a fair amount of anecdotal evidence from cat owners like you suggesting that cats use this gesture to attract your attention. The stance may have evolved from the gentle "tap" some cats give their owners with retracted claws, which is somewhat comparable to a person tapping you on the shoulder. (This is all assuming your cat is indeed not hurt and has been fully examined by his veterinarian.) Has your cat ever played a game involving that paw? Felines have an incredible memory, so your pet could be recalling some past activity. Far more common is when cats stretch in front of, or even on, their owners. That's not always just a sign that your cat is tired or waking up. Like a dog play bow, cat stretches can serve as a respectful greeting and may mean that your cat is ready for some fun quality time with you.

Where can I go to get my cat its shots without running up a large veterinary bill for things I don’t think are necessary?

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Where can I go to get my cat its shots without running up a large veterinary bill for things I don’t think are necessary?

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Talk to your veterinarian about his or her health recommendations for your cat. Share your concerns and have your veterinarian clarify the hierarchy of importance of their recommendation. Together you can decide how to best approach your cat's health. The above having been said, low-cost vaccinations are available through many humane societies, pet stores and other organizations. The nation's largest provider of affordable vaccinations in pet stores is LuvMyPet. You can locate a clinic near your area by visiting LuvMyPet.com.

I adopted a 2-year-old male cat last month, and I’m having trouble finding toys he’s interested in, especially toys he can play with on his own. Any ideas?

Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Congratulations on adopting an adult cat. Adult felines often make the best housemates, and yet they are so often overlooked at shelters and rescue facilities. One reason felines make such good pets is that they are smart -- often too smart for most cat toys. Cats are very in tune with their senses, so if something doesn't smell, look and sound natural and interesting, they generally ignore it. Toys filled with good, strong catnip might grab your feline's attention every so often. If catnip does nothing for your pet, try toys stuffed with dried honeysuckle. Frisky cats might chase any mechanical mouse or similar toy, but I've found that many of these toys make a horrible motor sound when they move, scaring some felines to death. The best toys of this type move in an unpredictable manner and keep going even when they hit an obstacle. Cat toys most popular with felines require owner participation. If you're interested in a toy, your cat will likely investigate it too. Perennial favorites include classics like Da Bird, Kitten Mitten, the Cat Dancer and laser toys. Manufacturers are now making similar products (like Panic Mouse) that are attached to a motor so the pole toy jerks around by itself. You might consider such a toy to keep your cat busy when you are at work or asleep. I also recommend looking at Web sites of major pet stores. Most allow readers to rate individual toys, so you can see which toys were a hit with other cats.

My Siamese cat has been howling and meowing every night for a year. What can I do?

Sun, 5 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

The sleek and regal Siamese is one of the world's oldest known cat breeds, but they are definitely not famous for being quiet. If your male Siamese has not been neutered, take care of that ASAP, since mating cycles can trigger excessive meowing. A veterinary visit can also rule out health issues that could cause frequent vocalizing, such as hyperthyroidism and hearing loss. Most likely your boy is just naturally quite vocal. Try playing with him close to bedtime. Offer catnip-scented toys if he responds to catnip, or honeysuckle-scented ones if he does not react to catnip. These herbs excite cats initially, but then seem to make felines a bit drowsy once the mild kitty buzz wears down. Any sort of playtime will do, however, as the goal is to work off some of your cat's energy so that he won't feel inclined to do that while you're sleeping.

Catnip does nothing for my cat. Could I be buying the wrong kind, or is there something wrong with my cat?

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Only about half of the cat population is sensitive to catnip, so your cat is in good company and is likely fine. The potent chemical in catnip -- a fragrant member of the mint family -- is nepetalactone. It triggers head rubbing, rolling, leaping and all sorts of playful behaviors in catnip-sensitive felines. If your cat does react to catnip, try growing the plant yourself. Organic catnip is the best option. When dried, it will store for months in an airtight container. The catnip "high" lasts only about 15 minutes, however. By that time, most cats eat the herb, become covered with the stuff or seem to just get bored. Cats that don't react to catnip often go bonkers over dried honeysuckle. Just be sure to never provide your cat with honeysuckle berries, as those are considered poisonous to felines. Some manufacturers, such as Kitty Kottage, are now offering cat-safe toys stuffed with honeysuckle for these catnip non-cravers. It sounds like yours is one of them, so honeysuckle-scented toys might be your best option.

I have adopted seven cats, with no major problems resulting from my mega-multi-cat household. But how many cats do you think are too many?

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

It's great to hear about your thriving multi-cat household. If you have sufficient room, access to veterinarians to consult with, and a well-organized system to care for the cats, this is a great way to save cats that may have otherwise been euthanized. We all, however, are familiar with media reports about irresponsible, sometimes troubled, owners who have far too many pets than they can properly manage. Conversely, just one cat could be too many for certain individuals lacking the time, space, funds and other feline necessities. So there is no right or wrong precise cat number limit, since there are too many variables to consider. Dr. Nicholas Dodman of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University recently addressed this very subject at petplace.com. He shared that inappropriate urination and other behavioral problems can surface if an owner has more than 10 cats. In his view, around 10 may therefore be "the magic number."

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