First Few Days Cat

Keywords:
Adopt, cat, feline, new, adjust,  kitten, safe, litter box, food, diet, scratch, post, vaccine, booster, parasite

First Few Days Cat

First Few Days Cat

If you are coming in today with a newly adopted cat or kitten, I want to first congratulate you for most probably saving a life. Adopting a new cat can be very exciting! I should know-we just added number four to our feline crew. And, sharing your home with a cat is great, but I guess the first few days and nights can be a little trying for both you and your new friend. Because cats are a little less social than dogs, they seem to be a little bit more cautious in their new environment and need more time to adjust to their new home, their new `family' and, if you have any another pets, their new `pet family' as well.

At the beginning, I recommend you feed your new addition the same food he/she was being fed at the shelter or rescue agency. If and when you decide to change foods, make sure you do it gradually, over a few day period, which will help avoid intestinal problems, like diarrhea. You can feed any number of foods, but make sure they meet or exceed those standards set by the aafco-the association of American feed control officials. If you have any questions about the right diet, make sure to ask us today.

To help make your new cat feel at home, you want to provide a small, quiet, comfortable room, with some of the necessities, like a cushiony place to sleep, some safe toys, a scratching post, food and water, and a litter box. We like to call this his "safe room. "Until you are sure that he's litter box-trained, I wouldn't recommend giving him the run of the house yet. A good way to help your cat use his litter box is to bring him to the box and place him inside so he can get used to the feel and smell of the litter. Once he seems to feel safe and knows how to use his box, you can open the door to his room and gradually begin allowing him access to the rest of the house.

As far as the number of litter boxes to have and where to place them, it all depends on the size of your house or apartment, how many stories, and how many other cats are sharing the box. If your place is large, you should consider placing a second litter box at a second location, and you should have at least one on every floor. As a general rule of thumb, you want to have one more box than the number of cats in the household. Trust me; we can spend an entire office call discussing litter box issues, so try these basic guidelines first, and if you start having problems call us! .

One more piece of advice--you definitely want to get a scratching post, and you want to get a good one. Most new pet parents buy a small, boring post and put it in some remote room in a corner, then wonder why their cat never uses it. Cats, by nature, want to hang around where you hang around, and like to be high up so they feel less vulnerable. So, you want to buy or make a nice, tall post, with an attractive surface and possibly with a small platform or perch somewhere high up, and start by putting it somewhere prominent, in the most popular room in the house, and then you can slowly move it to a more inconspicuous part of the room.

As far as vaccines are concerned, there are a few opinions. Most feel that kittens should receive a series of at least two vaccines protecting against panleukopenia, or feline distemper, and the upper respiratory diseases, the first usually at about 8 weeks of age, and the second 4 to 5 weeks later. Many veterinarians and cat fanciers are also now recommending a third vaccine four weeks later. Depending on lifestyle, disease prevalence in your area, and municipal codes, your veterinarian may also recommend some other vaccinations, such as leukemia or rabies. Adult cats with unknown vaccine history should receive a series of two vaccines.

The last bit of routine care that we need to cover is parasite control. Intestinal parasites are common, and can be serious if left unchecked and untreated. A few can pose a threat to you and your family as well. Screening is easy and just requires a simple stool analysis.

  Go back

Daily Pet News


Take caution when choosing a weight loss food for your fat cat
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again… An animal that is not overweight will live 30% longer than an overweight animal. So if you have a fat cat, do it a favor and put it on a diet. But before you do, know that 50% of weight control cat foods cannot do what they claim to do. The report from the American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that the best way to help your pet is to design a weight loss program with the help of your veterinarian.

Does the thunder roll your dog into a cold dark corner?
If your dog is like mine, then he crawls under the covers or into a cold dark space when the thunder rolls. Experts say the best way to battle these fears is with love and treats. The fear of loud booming noises usually develops as a puppy and can worsen with age. However, positive reinforcement such as petting your dog or offering a treat can help to rewire the circuit. That is, they will now associate the thunder with pleasant events, rather than fear of injury. Between storms, playing loud sounds and using positive reinforcement, can help to desensitize your pet to the real thing. If things do not improve, you can ask your veterinarian about anti-anxiety drugs.

Some foods that are toxic to dogs
Some foods that are considered healthy or harmless to humans can be toxic to dogs. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends keeping these items away from your dogs… Alcohol, caffeine, garlic, onions, avocado, and chewing gum. It is also advisable to limit intake of salt and sugar.

Babies can read facial expressions in dogs
A study at Brigham Young University has concluded that human babies as young as six months can tell the difference between an angry growl and a friendly bark. The study included showing two different pictures of the same dog to the infants, all of which lived with dogs. One picture was an angry looking dog with a scowl. The other was a playful looking dog with a nice smile. When playing a recording of a growling dog, the subjects tended to stare at the picture of the angry dog. When playing audio of a playful bark, the infants then focused on the happy looking dog. A BYU professor said that emotion is one of the first things babies can pick up on in their social world. Pets, in turn, are also very aware of emotions of their surroundings.

Rabies enters Colorado neighborhoods
Rabies cases in Colorado are increasing and moving from rural to urban areas. Rabies is a deadly disease and is transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. It is most common amongst raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. The number of cases has nearly doubled compared to last year. Rabies is a major concern to all species including humans, especially if it spreads to domestic animals. Keeping your pets up to date on rabies vaccinations provides the best protection against the deadly virus.

Foxtail can pose a serious threat to your dog.
Cheatgrass or foxtail weeds can pose a danger to your dog. As they dry out, the weeds become sharp, like arrowheads, and can penetrate deep into a dog’s skin. If they are stuck, they can form serious infections. Either way, they cause severe pain. Foxtail weeds have been known to penetrate into blood vessels and even into the spinal cord when a dog rolls in them. Most commonly, the weeds are stepped on and thus penetrate deep into the pads of the feet. It is a good idea to always check your dog for foreign bodies after every walk or adventure into potentially dangerous areas.

Pets need blood transfusions too
Like humans, certain medical conditions in our pets may require blood transfusions. A healthy pet can safely donate several times per year to a local blood bank. In some programs such as the one offered at LSU, a pet who donates enough blood can qualify to receive blood for free, if needed. If you are interested in having your pet donate blood, check with your veterinarian for a location near you.

Further research is necessary to find out why cats are dying
Feline infectious peritonitis is one of the most devastating and least understood infectious diseases that affect cats. The disease is caused by a virus in the coronavirus family. However, while some cats develop the fatal disease, it is unknown why others don’t. There is no cure and treatment for the disease only helps to make the animal more comfortable. The virus is transmitted through fecal contact and can actually be inhaled. There is a vaccination for the virus, but it is often given to a kitten after they have already been exposed. Research is being done to help protect our pets from this terrible disease.

Yogi Bear may have rabies?
Yellowstone County remains under a rabies quarantine. The quarantine means that dogs, cats, and other pets must be vaccinated against rabies at least two weeks before being moved outside the county. Yellowstone has been under eight quarantines in the past two and half years. Montana’s state veterinarian says that this is the time of year that pet owners need to be vigilant and take extra precautions.

Tips on getting Marmaduke off your favorite couch
Does your dog like to relax on your favorite couch when you are not home? Here are a few tips. Number one, make sure you train your dog when you are home. He needs to understand that this is not acceptable. Always be consistent. Number two, while you are training, don’t allow your pet access to your furniture if you are not there to stop the behavior immediately. Number three, if you have trouble, there are products that can be sprayed on your furniture that are safe to both your pet and your furniture. These sprays produce an odor that repels your pet. Other products will vibrate or produce a loud noise if your pet comes in contact with the furniture. Always check with your veterinarian before using any products around your pets.