The Cat's Meow

Does My Cat Have Pica?

2009-01-06T13:27:00.001-08:00

From Calli B. via Google

"I'm a major cat lover and have been with cats as long as I can remember. However, I'm at my wit's end with my four-year-old cat, Kimmie. Ever since she was about 6 or 7 months old she started one of the weirdest habits I have seen in a cat. Whenever I'm lying down, in bed sleeping, or am sick she's developed the weird habit of sucking or licking my ear. While I enjoy this licking habit I'm also wondering why she does this. None of my friends seem to have a clue, so I'm hoping that you can give me a clue as to why she does this."

Well, the short answer is "Because she loves you!" If you look at cats when they're together and relaxed, they'll often engage in these sort of licking/sucking/biting behaviors. It's especially prevalent between mothers and their kittens. However, it's also been noticed that kittens who've been weaned too early will often engage in this sort of behavior (it's also more common in certain Asian breeds).

In little Kimmie the behavior hasn't manifested itself too seriously and, indeed, you seem to find it appealing. However, it can be considerably more serious when it manifests itself as a form of behavior referred to as pica. Simply put, pica is the act of eating non-food items. In less serious cases, cats may chew or suck on objects, but not actually swallow them (such yarn, string, fabric, wool, phone or electric cords, and plants). However, any object may be a potential target.

Other than the fact that this habit can be destructive to the items being attacked, pica can also be hazardous if these non-food items are consumed since they can lodge in your cat's stomach or intestine causing a blockage which prevents the passage of food and may actually cut off the blood supply to these organs. Both are life-threatening conditions.

Other hazards include the fact that a cat's chewing on power cords may cause electrocution or create a short leading to a fire. And, of course, many common houseplants are toxic to cats and can cause a wide range of symptoms from drooling to death. So, if your cat has a history of ingesting such non-food items and becomes lethargic, vomits, or displays other concerning behavior, take them to the vet immediately!

The exact causes of pica aren't really known. However, it's been associated with a variety of diseases including feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus, so you should always have your vet examine a cat with pica. Also, a genetic component is suspected since wool or fabric sucking/chewing is more commonly found in Oriental breeds such as Siamese cats. And while it's normal for cats to eat small amounts of grass, eating lots of plant material may be an indication of a dietary deficiency or illness.

Once medical causes are ruled out, behavioral reasons are generally looked for which can include boredom, attention-seeking, attractive odors, hunger, and learned behavior. Modifying the behavior can be tricky and can include such things as:

- Removing targeted items - Place clothing, blankets, houseplants and electric cords out of the reach of your cat.

- Providing alternative items to chew or eat - Food-dispensing toys, durable cat toys, or pieces of rawhide can be used to redirect your cat's chewing behavior to more appropriate and safe items. For cats attracted to houseplants, use small flowerpots of grass or catnip.

- Providing lots of structured play - Many cats chew on household items out of boredom. Provide interactive toys and set aside time each day to play with your cat.

- Increasing dietary fiber - It may help to increase the amount of fiber in your cat's diet. Besides providing more dietary fiber, high fiber foods usually contain fewer calories. Your cat may be able to satisfy their craving to eat more while still maintaining their weight.

- Making targeted items aversive - Occasionally, applying aversive substances (e.g. hot sauce, Bitter Apple®, Bandguard®) to an item may deter a cat from chewing it. If this is not possible, spraying strong smelling substances (e.g. citrus air freshener, potpourri) or using physical deterrents (e.g. upside down carpet runner, Ssscat®, Snappy Trainers®) around an object may prevent cats from approaching.

Of course, I doubt that your cat's simple ear chewing behavior is related to pica. As I indicated earlier, I suspect she may have been weaned too early and now considers you a mother substitute. The fact that she does this when you're sick probably means that she's trying to make you feel better. So you've become a cat-mom in more ways than one!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Too Many Cats?

2008-12-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

From MD via AOL

"We're a household of five cats (three males and two females, all spayed and neutered) and two people where everyone gets along fine. We recently adopted a sixth feline, Hilda (also spayed), and have been very surprised to discover that she's not being welcomed at all by the other five.

"When we do our nightly 'Meet and Greet' with Hilda, three of the other cats come into the room, stare at her, then proceed to pounce. Inevitably, she ends up cowering in a corner until I remove the other three cats. I know it's a territorial issue, but we've never had such a hard time introducing a new cat into our home prior to this.

"If you have any advice or ideas, please pass them on. We're at our wit's end right about now."

While I'm loathe to bring it up given that you've just adopted another feline, it could be that you've simply reached critical mass when it comes to the feline population of your household. There are a great many factors that can contribute to a cat's being comfortable in its environs, but chief among them is having their own space.

Have you put Hilda into her own room, with the door shut? While this is often the best way to introduce a new cat to a household of existing cats, it could be that the room that's now Hilda's was previously one that your other felines had staked out as their own. Naturally, there'll be some resentment at her taking over "their" territory.

It could also simply be that they had all managed to come up with a daily routine that allowed each of them their own adequate space, and "room to wander," as well as sufficient access to each of you. If they'd reached a sort of equilibrium, then even one new cat could really upset the sort of delicate dynamic that had been achieved.

Of course, litterbox issues should never be ignored in these situations, either. How many litterboxes do you have for your six felines? Standard wisdom would be seven -- one for each cat, plus one more. Yet I suspect that you may be "making do" with only two or three. While five cats may have found a way to share just a few litterboxes, adding a sixth may well (again) truly upset the delicate equilibrium that had been achieved. A similar situation may need to be considered for areas where their food is involved.

The temperaments of your various cats may also come into play. It's impossible for me to give more information without actually visiting your household and getting to know your resident felines, but overly aggressive cats will often prey on more timid ones. It could by that your original five felines were all "tough cats" who held their own against each other, while poor Hilda is simply a more gentle soul who's destined to get preyed upon by more aggressive "bullies."

I'd recommend evaluating the amount of space your household has to see if it truly can support six felines. After that, look at your litterbox and feeding situation. It's always possible that, given enough time and attention, the problem with Hilda may sort itself out. However, it's also possible that she may just not be the right fit with your current brood, and you may need to find a good, quieter home for her.

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Is My Cat Sad Because His Buddy's Gone?

2008-09-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

From Rebecca S. via gmail

"We recently had to give away one of our two cats because of aggressive behavior toward our newborn baby. It was a sad but neccessary thing to do. Now our other cat just walks around the house meowing constantly.

"Do cats grieve the loss of other feline companions? Is he missing his 'brother' and is there anything we can do to help?"

Since cats aren't pack animals and tend to keep to themselves, many people don't believe that they'll grieve for a lost companion. But as anyone who's ever suddenly found themself one cat short in a multi-cat household can tell you, cats often do indeed miss their lost companion. Cats are sensitive creatures who often form close bonds with other pets or humans and will suffer from their loss.

I remember when we had to have our Sammy put down. Mina, who'd only been with use for a few years at that point, seemed as devastated by the loss as we did. Of course, we went out and acquired another cat to distract ourselves from our pain. However, Mina never really warmed up to Agatha, and the two of them developed quite the adversarial relationship as time passed. I've often pondered as to whether this was due to her arriving so soon after Sammy's death. Who knows what goes through a cat's head?

It does sound very much as if your cat is missing his companion cat. You didn't mention how close the two of them were but, if they were, then it's all the more likely that he's missing him. The first stage of grief is known as "activation." This is where the cat is looking for it's missing companion, typically evidenced by the cat pacing the house, as if looking for their missing companion, and crying out, as if trying to find find their companion.

If this is as far as the behavior goes and it doesn't continue for terribly long, then things may be alright. However, sometimes this activation will grow into full-blown depression. Look for these signs:

- Loss of appetite - This is serious and potentially life threatening. Anorexia in cats can lead to Hepatic Lipidosis where excess fat accumulates in the liver . It's important to seek veterinary attention if your cat stops eating.

- An unusual lethargy or loss of energy. This can be tough to spot in older cats, since they may spend a lot of their time sleeping anyway.

- Withdrawal, or loss of interest in their surroundings and other interests. If they're usually there to greet you when you get home, but suddenly aren't, then this is a surefire sign.

- Clingy/needy behaviour and/or separation anxiety. Your cat's already lost one pal, and they're afraid of losing another.

At this point it's important to reassure your cat, but at the cat's pace, in its own time, while making allowances for the individual cat's nature and current condition. Things you'll want to do include:

- Give kitty lots of extra tender loving care, including cuddles, grooming, and stroking. Try to make extra time to play with him.
- Most cats will respond positively to a favorite food or cat treats. Offer him some to encourage him to eat. Even try warming the food up slightly.
- Do your best to keep his routine otherwise as normal as possible. Cats really detest any change, and too much at once will really set him over the edge.
- While it may sound contradictory, be certain to provide a quiet, private spot where he can have some time alone when he needs it, to sort through things.

As to whether getting another pet will help, the jury's generally undecided. The official word is that it's best to let kitty work through his grief before introducing another companion. However, I've heard several anecdotal accounts where the opposite was true, and introducing a new kitten was just the thing to bring out their maternal/paternal instinct and pull them out of their funk.

In extreme cases your veterinarian can prescribe an anti-anxiety or anti-depressant for your cat, should it become necessary.

Still, there's a good chance that your cat will work through his grief of missing his buddy on his own and will be the healthy, happy kitty he's always been. Ultimately, you know your cat, and can tell what's best for him from the options I've presented.

Is My Cat Losing Weight Because His Teeth Hurt?

2008-09-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

From Jason J. in Groton, CT

"We've jokingly referred to our cat, Sammie, as 'tuna breath' for most of the time that we've had him. However, lately it's become a self-fulfilling prophecy. His breath has been getting worse, and then I noticed that he was actually losing weight. I watched him as he ate and he was chewing as if something was stuck in his teeth.

"Do cats have problems with their teeth? I thought that it was mostly in older cats? I suppose that he is a little bit old, as we've had him for six years and he was pretty much full-grown when we acquired him. Does he need to go in for his annual kitty dental appointment?"

If Sammie's problem was simply "tuna breath" I might suggest simply changing his food. There are several canned or prescription foods which can make kitty's breath particularly fragrant and unpleasant. However, the weight loss and chewing problems point in a different direction.

Cats can have tooth problems just like people and in much the same way. Indeed, when a cat has a cavity or an abcess, it's just as painful as when a person has the same problem, and it will very much affect their eating habits. As you've noticed, a key indicator is often weight loss or difficulty in chewing. Noticing both of these can be a sure sign that your cat is overdue for their annual dental appointment.

Just like with you and I, cats start out with baby teeth that make way for their adult teeth. Specifically, they have 26 "milk" teeth that they'll lose between the age of 11 and 30 weeks before their 30 adult teeth come in. It's not unheard of for one or more of these milk teeth to not fall out, and this can lead to problems with symptoms as you described. However, as Sammie is older, this is most likely not what's going with him.

Bad breath (or "tuna breath" as you describe it) is one of the top reasons that that people bring their cat to the vet. Cats should have their teeth inspected twice a year as well as brushed daily, but I know quite a few otherwise responsible cat owners who only get theirs to the vet's every few years. Indeed, I suspect some of my friends don't brush their own teeth every day, so scrubbing the kitty's canines on a regular basis is probably not something that's getting done either. But ignoring your cat's dental health can result in a variety of problems.

One of the most common is tartar, or plaque, buildup, a whitish-yellow deposit seen primarily on the exterior face of their upper teeth. An accumulation of plaque can lead to serious gum problems and the eventual loss of teeth. Aside from the colored deposits, look for reddened gum lines whcih can indicate irritation from the plaque.

Of course, some cats are more prone to plaque buildup than others. I've had cats who've never needed to have their teeth cleaned and have gone their entire lives without a single problem and gone to the rainbow bridge with all thirty of their adult teeth. I've had other cats who seemed to have nothing but problems, including one who lost all but one of his canines before he was five-years-old (he was a tough ol' moggie in spite of his having to gum all his food).

A professional cleaning by your vet will take care of the plaque problem and likely leave Sammie feeling much better. However, this is generally done under a general anesthetic, which can be both dangerous and expensive. While you probably won't be able to remove a plaque buildup yourself, you can do something to prevent it from recurring (or happening in the first place).

Brushing your cat's teeth daily, weekly, or even monthly, can make a world of difference to their periodontal health. However, this can be a difficult habit to get kitty into and can take a great deal of work, especially if you're attempting to start when they're adults. Ideally, it's best to start when they're between 3 and 4 months old, but it's my experience that any cat can get used to it, provided that you're ready to be consistent, patient, firm, and persistent.

Start with a small toothbrush. Most pet stores will have one designed to be used on small animals, even ones that fit on the tip of your finger. Use a speciality toothpaste that is safe for animals. Never, ever use human toothpaste, as it's not good for cats! You'll want to start slowly, moving very gently in a circular motion, brushing the outsides of one or two teeth at a time, then stopping and giving your cat a treat as a reward for tolerating this alien procedure. You want to make it as positive an experience as possible (remember, cats don't respond to negative conditioning). If kitty gets too squirmy or restless, give it up and try again later, possibly the next day.

Over time, gradually increase the number of teeth that you scrub between rewards. With a little luck, patience, and persistence, you'll be able to brush all of your cat's teeth, top to bottom, front to back, within a few minutes. Of course, if you can't get all of their teeth, don't despair -- remember that brushing any part of kitty's teeth is better than not brushing them at all.

One other dental problem that your cat could have is a cavity or abcess beneath the gum. These problems are both painful and difficult to deal with and will require anesthetized dental care by a veterinary professional.

I'd recommend that you get Sammie to the vet as soon as possible and get his dental problem diagonosed and dealt with as soon as possible. Then, get him on a regular regimen of dental care and brushing. You'll boh be glad that you did!

Do Cats Really Steal the Breath from Babies?

2008-09-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

From Kimberly L. via AOL

"Until the day she died, my mother was convinced that cats needed to be kept away from newborn babies or they would steal their breath. She was a very rational and practical woman, but she firmly believed in a lot of these sort of 'old wives tales' and, honestly, a lot of them made good sense, and still do even today. As soon as my little sister came home from the hospital I watched as she shooed the cat out of the house, never to return (we lived on a farm, so he didn't have things so bad even outside).

"We didn't have cats in the house when my daughter was a baby, but now she has her own newborn in a house with three cats. It's got me to thinking that, if my mother was right about so many other things, then maybe she was right about this too. Is there any chance that cats can be dangerous to newborn babies?"

Rest easy, Kimberly. No less an authority than Snopes says that your granddaughter is perfectly safe around her feline companions. As the story goes, cats get jealous of newborn infants and will actually attempt to suffocate them. Specifically, they'll "suck the wind out of the baby," by placing their nose in the infants mouth while the infant is asleep.

More rationally, it's said the smell of milk on the child's breath draws the feline in for the kill. But the truth is, most cats don't care much for milk and, indeed, are lactose intolerant. Unless your cat's been taught to like milk, it generally won't seek it out.

Another theory relates to the jealousy kitty will supposedly experience when the baby is brought into the household. But in reality, things aren't that much different than when a new pet is brought into the house and the cat is competing for attention there. Cat brains just aren't built for "murderous intent" -- they're much more likely to scratch at the furniture or urinate inappropriately. I doubt they even understand that the baby is the cause of the lack of attention, only that they're getting less of it.

There's a long history of viewing cats as evil, with superstitions featuring their bringing bad luck abounding for centuries. Another baby superstition warns of not raising a kitten and a baby together, lest the cat steal the child's vitality by magic -- the cat will thrive and the child waste away.

Such folk beliefs have traditionally worked to give people a sense of control over their destinies, a small measure of security in a capricious world. Tragedy is hard enough to bear without its also being inexplicable. It's can be easier to blame the cat than to confront the idea that the cause of a child's death is unknown and could strike down another infant. If a parent can believe that preventing crib death is simply a matter of keeping the cat out of baby's room, they'll sleep easier than one who realizes such a tragedy could occur any night, cat or no cat.

In truth, I suspect the cat has more to worry about from the baby than the baby does from the cat!

How Can I Stop My Cat's Nursing Behavior?

2008-09-02T12:09:00.001-07:00

From Tamar R. via Yahoo

"Nine years ago I rescued a tiny kitten; I'd gone to the shelter to get a kitten, never dreaming I'd find one in a tiny box, outside the shelter door. We heard something yowling in indignation, so we opened the box and found a kitten that could only be 4 to 5 weeks old. I named her Magic, because she seemingly came from nowhere in that box.

"She's a beautiful silver American shorthair, incredibly smart and incredibly stubborn. After only a week, I showed her some balls, trying to teach her the concept of fetch. Half an hour later she dropped a plastic straw at my feet. I tossed it and she ran and brought it back! We still play fetch each day with straws and Q-tips. I even found balls she approved of, the little ones with glitter on them.

"She definitely thinks I'm her mom, and herein lies one of the issues I have with her. When she's in my lap, she nurses, not just with her paws, but she attempts to suckle from my shirt, right in the wrong spot, and gets my shirt all wet. Also, she licks me until my arm feels sore. I keep telling her to stop but to no avail.

"She's the most stubborn cat I've ever encountered! Not only does the affectionate behavior get out of hand, but when I'm at the computer she insists on getting in my lap. This is something I began when she was a tiny kitten -- I'd let her sleep in my lap or on my office chair. But she's not a baby anymore, and she never just sleeps, she's licking, rubbing, kneading, and I can't get my work done. If I put her out and close the door, she throws a fit! She bumps and claws at the door, yowls and just won't quit. How can I get her to stop these behaviors?"

It sounds as if you have a wonderful relationship with a very special cat. However, you're going to have to gird yourself and harden your heart more than a little bit if you're ever going to break her of these bad habits that you find so distressing. The only equipment you're going to need is a little squirt bottle of water.

What you need to do is very simple. Every time Magic gets in your lap and starts to engage in her overly-affectionate activities, push her off of you. If she insists on coming back and starts up again, give her a little squirt with the water bottle. It's important that you be consistent. If she's as smart as you say, she'll quickly learn that she's welcome to all the snuggles she can get, but the nursing behavior has got to go.

Do something similar when she gets in your lap, and put her out of the room and shut the door. If she's persistently scratching and yowling, open the door and give her a squirt. Eventually, she'll learn that a shut door means "Leave mommy alone!"

I've had people tell me to tack up some aluminum foil or other feline-unfriendly material to keep them away from the door. But I've had much better experiences with the squirt bottle. With my cats, it's never taken more than one or two squirts before they've learned their lesson. Hopefully, your experience will be similar!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Why Is My Cat Bringing Home Birds?

2008-08-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

From Candace E. in Marshall, IL

"My wonderful Sophia was already five-years-old when we rescued her. She's very attached to me, but will occasionally grace my husband with her presence if she that there are treats involved. When she is smooching with me, I get and give lots of head rubs, but then she gives me a quick 'nip' on my nose or chin. She never hurts me, as she had most of her teeth pulled before we got her (she only has six left). Still, I'd like to know what she's telling me when she gives me a little nip?"

Cats will bite for a variety of reasons including contentedness, playfulness, hunger, or (of course) aggression. The behavior I believe you're seeing is an indication of Sophia's affection for you. The weak and generally harmless bite or "nip" is something most behaviorists consider to be akin to a human kiss. The fact that it's accompanied by lots of head rubs would seem to confirm this, but also look for purring, vertical tail, forward whiskers, snd whether she arches her back when petted.

Of course, Sophia may also nip when she's ready for you to stop petting, too. All good things must come to an end, or perhaps she's just had too much of said good thing. So if you notice that the little nips are getting harder as well as other signs of irritation, such as her no longer purring, that her tail's no longer in a vertical position (and indeed, is often thumping), that her whiskers or ears are pointing back, or even that she swipes at your hand with a paw, it's her way of telling you "Enough's enough!"

It sounds like Sophia's found a wonderful home with you. Often, shelter cats who're adopted when they're older will form a particularly strong bond with their new owners, and that sounds like the case with you and Sophia. You're husband shouldn't feel too rejected -- Sophia's just decided that you're the one to go to when she needs a good snuggle!

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From Tara H. via Yahoo

"Please can you tell me why my cat has brought two pigeons into our home within the last three days?"

It sounds like your cat is quite the hunter! I know that we have one cat that's managed to catch a bird while tethered in the backyard and with his claws clipped. Cats can be quite remarkable hunters.

I suspect your cat is bringing the pigeon home for one of two reasons: He may be sharing his catch with you since he thinks that, perhaps, you're not very well equipped to do your own hunting; or, somewhere in the back of his primal feline brain is the notion that this is food. He figures that you can magically convert it to the kittie kibble that he's used to eating.

I don't know that this is necessarily behavior that you want to encourage. Still, it shows that he loves you since he's bringing you such a wonderful "gift." Take your blessings whence they come!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

My Cat is Ridiculously Posessive of Her Litterbox!

2008-08-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

From Rena via Internet

"I adopted a three-month-old "barn cat" kitten around three months ago. She's extremely intelligent and very affectionate, both with me and anyone who stops in. I named her 'Deadly' because she was a killer with her tiny razor sharp claws when I first got her. I've taught her a lot of tricks, such as 'fetch 'n' catch' with a little ball (she chases the ball when I throw it and carries it back, high stepping and strutting as she brings it back). I also taught her to sit pretty for her evening treats. I'm working on training her to 'wash her face' on command after she's eaten. I had her spayed about a month ago and that doesn't seem to be slowing her down at all.

"My problem is that Deadly is very possessive her litterbox and she gets very upset when I go to clean it out each night. I've found that I need to trick her away with a little special food. While she eats that I race to the litter box and clean it out, quickly. If she comes in before I get it done she just glares at me then proceeds to start meowing very loudly. She'll then jump over my arm to get into the box where she tries to literally push me and the scooper away before throwing herself onto the litter, trying to cover the entire thing. Whenever I add new litter she rolls around and strokes the litter while meowing very loudly.

"Can you tell me why she behaves this way? None of my friends have ever heard of a cat acting like this!"

In the wild, where a cat does their business can be a very personal affair. When one cat goes in a particular area, it's a way of saying "this is my spot -- don't mess with it." But when another cat comes across that spot, they'll often do their business in the same spot, as if to say "nuh-uh -- it's my spot too! You can't have it!" For the most part we've bred the most extreme aspects of this out of the cats we keep in our homes. Still, there's always some part of it that's going to stick around.

You mentioned that your cat was a "barn cat." Having lived for a few generations in a more rural setting could have made her vaguely wilder than her more domesticated city-bred cousins. That coupled with a, perhaps, somewhat competitive first few months, could be making her more posessive than normal of her private toilet facilities.

I suspect she'll grow out of this behavior given the right circumstances. Still, right now what you've got going with her is a bit of a game, one she's probably enjoying. And, believe me, you want to break her of this habit, especially if you ever intend to have another cat in the house. Dueling litterboxes can be an ugly thing!

I recommend getting a second, identical litterbox and filling it with litter. Each night, after you've "bribed" her away with the gourmet food, quickly switch out the dirty litterbox with the clean one before she even has a chance to notice, and tuck the dirty one away outside or someplace else concealed. When she comes over, Killer will see that her box has already been cleaned and will likely wander off disinterested before too long. When she does, then clean out the dirty box, leaving it clean and ready to swap out the next day.

After a few nights of this, she'll see that her nightly litter game isn't happening anymore and will look for something new. Before too long you'll probably be able to go back to cleaning out the box normally each night.

One other thing -- should you ever get a second cat, I recommend a separate litterbox for each feline!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Why is My Cat Sleeping in Her Litterbox?

2008-08-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

From Patricia H. via Yahoo

"Recently, I had occasion to cat-sit a friend's long-haired cat over a four-day weekend. Now, normally Tasha stays at a local cattery but this time, as the plans were made at the last minute, there wasn't room. However, for the first part of the weekend I didn't see anything of her. After looking all over the house I finally found her, sleeping in her litterbox. And she was actually in pretty poor shape, with mats in her fur that needed to be shaved and a rather severe flea infestation. Now, of course, I've never had fleas in my house so I'm at a loss as to where she could have acquired them. Could she have acquired them by sleeping in the litter? She had come with her "own" box, litter, food, bottled water, scratching post, and cedar bed. Where did I go wrong?"

Rather than asking where you went wrong, ask where Tasha's owner went wrong. The condition of poor Tasha wasn't one that she could have arrived at in such a short period of time as she was staying with you. It's likely that she already had the fleas and mats in her fur when she arrived and you simply hadn't noticed them. This isn't to say that Tasha's owner is negligent. Cats can get fleas anywhere, even from one or two you bring into the house on your pants cuff or shoe, so even indoor cats can get quite the infestation!

As to why Tasha was sleeping in her litterbox, this is very commonplace behavior for cats who are sick or traumatized. Simply being taken out of her normal household and placed in an unfamiliar one such as yours was probably enough to make her very nervous, so she went someplace where she felt comfortable -- her litterbox. It's doubtful that there were fleas living in there as it's not their favorite sort of enviroment. Rather, I'd suspect that her cedar bed is a spot that needs to be dealt with, as places where cats tend to bed down will often get infested. Indeed, she may have been sleeping in the litterbox as it was the only place where she could pass a flea-free night!

Treatment for fleas is very simple these days. A dose of Frontline on your cat will typically knock them right out. Getting rid on them in your carpets or bedding can be considerably trickier although it's extremely important all the same. The biggest problem is that flea eggs aren't killed by any of the flea sprays. Consequently, it's often necessary to treat your household more than once. Some tips can be found here.

I can only hope that your friend didn't blame you for Tasha's condition when she came to pick her up. Next time she drops her off, I highly recommend that you give her the once over to ensure that she's a happy, healthy kitty when she arrives, so that you can give her back the same way!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Why Does My Cat 'Knead' Me?

2008-08-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

>From KE via aol.com

"A stray, who was resident where my husband works, walked up to him one day, dropped what appeared to be a mouse, then ran away. But when he bent down to look at it, he realized it was a nearly lifeless kitten! We took it to our vet who pronounced the poor thing all but dead. However, he optimistically gave us instructions, some medicine and wished us luck.

"That was three months ago. Today Rocky (named since he's such a great fighter) is a very active little fellow but, probably due to his nearly dying, not only has very poor hearing and eyesight but seems to be half the size of he should be.

"Why I'm writing is because of some peculiar behavior he engages in. He regularly comes to me or my husband and tries to 'nurse' on our shirt. I'm wondering if this is normal or whether it's due to being separated from his mother so early and while he was so sick? And is it anything we need to worry about?"

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It certainly sounds as if your little Rocky had quite the close call in his early days. Still, it looks as if his mama instinctively chose the right person to drop her sick little baby off with. It sounds as if he turned out alright and is quite the healthy little scrapper today!

Regarding the kneading behavior you mentioned -- it's actually more common than you think. Some adult cats will do this on their owners (as you've experienced), a pillow, or any other convenient soft surface. It's thought to be a throwback to the "milk-treading" behavior of kittens, which is something they do while nursing to stimulate the milk flow.

In Rocky's case I'd imagine that it's probably related to the rather extreme trauma he experienced as a baby. However, it's also very much a sign of affection to you and your husband, showing that he's bonded to you as "mama." There's nothing particularly harmful about it (other than damage he can inflict with his claws), so I wouldn't try and do anything about it unless it gets out of hand. If so, gently discourage him after a minute or so.

Based on my experiences, this is something he'll probably do for his entire life, at least so long as he's with the two of you. It's a sort of "comfort" behavior, and shouldn't be interpreted as anything more or less. My female housemate would probably think it precious and consider you two lucky. But she's a little bit funny that way. I think it could be from being around too many cats!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Our Two Cats Want to Kill Each Other!

2008-08-13T10:58:00.001-07:00

From Homemaker via AOL

My daughter and her cat recently moved in with her boyfriend and his cat (both female cats). Unfortunately, the boyfriends cat is urinating all over apartment -- on walls, furniture, chairs, rugs, even doors etc. I've never seen two cats hate each other so much. My daughters cat lives in the bedroom behind a closed door since she's scared to death.

Just last night, she got out and ended up getting stuck between the counter and the refrigerator. This led to quite a fight, leaving enough fur on the kitchen floor to make another cat!

We don't know what to do. My daughter doesn't want to ask her boyfriend to give up his cat, so she's thinking of giving up hers. Do you have any suggestions?

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I suppose I don't have to tell you this, but cats can be extremely territorial. It can be especially bad in a circumstance such as yours, where both are coming into a new territory at the same time, both attempting to establish it as their own. As you've seen firsthand, it can be a very messy process, particularly when one cat is considerably more aggressive than the other.

It can take a while, sometimes as long as a month, before a cat comfortably settles into a new environment. What you've done by sequestering your daughter's cat is actually the right thing. Unlike dogs, cats can do pretty well when confined to a small space for a long period of time, especially older cats who don't require as much activity.

What you need to do is give each cat a territory they feel safe and comfortable in. Again this may take as much as a month, perhaps even six weeks, so be prepared for the long haul. Give each cat their own area with their own litterbox, food, and water (I don't know the setup of your house, but I've seen houses that can be set up such that one cat has half of the house as theirs, the other half for the other cat). Be certain that they both get plenty of attention and love. And, here's the important part, keep the each cat out of the other's territory -- no exceptions. And don't swap territories, as this will result in more urinary marking.

Of course, what the boyfriend's cat is doing when she urinates all over the house is marking what she considers to be "her" territory. While you stated that only the boyfriend's cat is doing this, it's very possible that they both are, which is why the odor is so strong. Simply put, each cat is trying to cover the other's scent with the end result that the house is becoming rather pungent. It's very likely that removing the girlfriend's cat from the equation will end this behavior.

Still, it's vitally important that you eliminate the odor from the house entirely. This can be tricky, as even when you can't smell it, your cat can. I recommend commercial products such as Febreze, Nature's Miracle, or simple white vinegar diluted with water. How to find the cat urine? Try a black light -- cat urine floresces when exposed to it (think of yourself as being on CSI, only for cats!).

If, after a few weeks, this arrangement seems to work, try occasional short supervised visits between the two cats. This amounts to opening the door and seeing what happens. Cat's respond better to positive attention than negative, so be there giving plenty of affection, support, and food to both cats. If things start to go awry then separate them immediately and try again a few days later.

With patience I've seen this sort of arrangement work, with both cats staking out neutral territory and each rarely straying into the other's. However, there're also some cats that just won't get along, requiring more drastic measures. Even then, getting rid of a cat may not be necessary. I know of a couple who has kept "her" cat in the wife's office for several years with no ill effects. Since the wife is in the office for a few hours each night the cat gets plenty of people time and seems quite content in her space.

Hopefully your situation can be resolved just as amicably with a minimum of additonal tension. Good luck!

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Cat fancier Rob "Power of the Meow" Stanson has been an observer and studied cats for over twenty years. Visit him at "The Cat's Meow" where you can view the archives or ask him your own question which he will answer in a future column!

Help! My Cat is Destroying My New Sofa!

2008-08-04T21:30:00.001-07:00

From Kaya S. in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

My husband and I recently adopted a cat, a stray who wandered up to us from out of a grassy field near our house. We had no idea where he came from, but he was very friendly and confident so we decided to take him in.

Well, of course, he was covered in fleas, anemic, and very hungry, but he quickly won our hearts over with his sweet nature, his purring (of course) and the general fun we have watching him while he plays. Seeing him and the dog go at it is a lot of fun!

Our problem is this: We recently acquired some expensive new leather furniture and he's taken to clawing it. I don't know what to do. I was going to get him declawed, but my friends said that it was painful and inhumane, so now I don't want to do that. But I don't want him destroying our furniture so soon after we've just gotten it. Do you have any suggestions?

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Well, I suppose I should refrain from suggesting that you take your new furniture back and get something more cat-friendly? I suppose so -- as most people aren't interested in redecorating with the cat in mind.

Unfortunately, one of the first things you learn upon acquiring a cat is that the notion of "no training involved" just isn't the case. However, the other popular notion, that you can't train a cat, is also not entirely true. Both of these issues come into play when the very common problem of inappropriate scratching manifests itself.

Primarily, you should understand that there are two main reasons that your cat feels the need to scratch. The first is to keep their naturally lean hunter's bodies in good shape. Even though they may be domesticated "seat cushion warmers" today, deep in their hearts a cat still remembers the good ol' days of hunting and prowling through the Serengeti. Somewhere, deep in the recesses of it's little feline mind is the need to scratch to keep these important hunting tools trim and under control.

Cats also use scratching as one way to mark their territory. So if something new has been introduced into their living space (such as lovely new leather furniture) they're going to feel a compulsion to scratch and otherwise mark it (of course, cats will also engage in scratching and marking behavior if they feel threatened, such as when a new cat, dog, or baby is introduced, although that doesn't sound like the case here).

The thing is, you can't stop a cat from scratching -- it's absolutely intrinsic to their nature. But you can redirect the behavior to someplace where you actually want them to scratch. One of the most common ways to do this is with a scratching post.

Most pet stores have these. Some are carpeted, some have sisal twine wrapped around them (it's been my experience that the latter is a particular favorite of my cats). Place the scratching post in a high traffic area, somewhere everyone in the house goes frequently. Your cats are more sociable than you may think, and they want to be where you are. Additionally, they're marking their territory, and a hidden post won't work very well for that purpose.

Of course, getting your cat to actually use the post can often be tricky. The key word here is "enticement." Play with them near the post, feed them near it, even hang things from it so that they're near it when they're in a frisky mood. The sisal twine posts can be a good place to sprinkle catnip which can make the spot very attractive to the right cat. The other key is that the scratching post is often a more desirable texture for them to scratch on than the furniture!

Ultimately, the key here is "the carrot and the stick." Clap your hands, shake a can full of dry beans, or make some other loud noise everytime you see your cat clawing the furniture. Be persistent. Or, just pick him up when he's clawing the furniture and put him on the scratching post. You want to make him understand that "Scratching furniture BAD, scratching post GOOD!"

As an aside, I don't recommend ever smacking your cat when they do something wrong, as physically reprimanding cats has been pretty much proven to be ineffective.

Persistence pays off, especially if you can start when your cat is young, like yours seems to be. I've had tremendous success in getting my cats to claw scratching posts. And, with a little bit of work, I'll bet you can as well. Good luck!

How Do I Keep My Outdoor Kitty in the House

2008-07-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

From Jill in Massachusetts

"I have a 10 month old male Persian named "Pounce" who is now an indoor cat. Back when he was around 7 months old, however, I put a harness on him so he could be outside, as I thought he would like it. It turned out he liked it so much that he has me taking him out every morning before I leave for work, and as well as when I return.

"I'd wanted him to have a treat with an outdoor walk every couple of days or so, but it's gotten out of hand. He now walks around the house crying to go out.

"Now I want to break him of this habit. I'm curious if, once a cat has gotten a taste of the great outdoors, is it possible to bring him back to being a contented indoor cat again? He is neutered and has access to five windows in the sun room to watch the outside world. And he is a great cat!"

Give your cats an inch, they'll want a mile! It used to be that my cats received a "treat" of wet cat food on weekend mornings. Somehow, it went from every weekend, to every day. Now, they're milling about before I even get out of bed. Every movement anywhere near the steps is cause for a virtual stampede to await the coveted treat. And once I do actually manage to make it downstairs, I'm greeted by a chorus of yowls, necessitating I drop everything and FEED THE CATS!

The thing is, the cats behave like this because, in their little kitty minds, it's what causes the food to arrive. While the yowling may be the most obvious, to them other behaviors, such as walking in little circles and wiggling their tail, are just as important. It's all part of the mystical ritual they have to go through to get food in a bowl. They associate these behaviors with getting the food they like - sort of a "trick" they've come up with all by themselves.

Getting back to your question, yes, it's completely possible to make a formerly outdoor cat a strictly indoor one -- All it requires is persistence and patience. My Sammy was an indoor/outdoor cat for years. However, I decided that rising vet bills associated with his repeated fight-sustained injuries were more than I wanted to deal with. So his nightly forays into the great outdoors were cancelled. For quite sometime afterwards we had to watch how long we held the door open lest we see a suddenly darting Sammy zipping past us.

Amusingly, this problem was largely solved by the installation of a glass storm door. We had it open to let some light in when we heard a loud "Bam!" followed by the shufflings of a mortified cat running to hide his aching head in shame. The poor thing must have thought that we'd put up some sort of invisible barrier to prevent his egress! He began staying far away from it from then on. Interestingly, he understood the concept of the glass patio door, and would only run through it when it was open. But the front door confounded him until the end of his days.

So we know that cats can be very ritualistic as well as incredibly patient. Right now your Pounce associates certain behaviors with going outside, behaviors you need to break him of. My suggestion would be that, every time he begins engaging in his "going out" behavior, give him a little squirt of water. Hopefully, he'll quickly learn that it will avail him nothing but the undesirable squirt. Do the same thing when he's hanging out near the door before you go out. He'll begin to associate the door with wet unpleasantness. Eventually, he'll be content to stay inside, within his territory. He may still want to go out, but will stop bugging you about it.

I always recommend people who love their cats keep them inside, as there are simply way too many hazards for them on the outside. Good luck!