Why Don't Cats Go Bald?: The Questions You'Ve Always Wanted To Ask Your Vet - Softcover

Excerpt copyright Skip Sullivan MD and David Fisher

Chapter 1:

In Search of the Perfect Cat

MEOW!

“Some people have cats and go on to lead normal lives.”

—Anonymous

Are you a cat person? If you have a cat, you are by definition a cat person, whether you like it or not. If you're thinking about getting a cat, then you need to know if you could be a cat person. Try this little true or false quiz:

If you answered true to at least ten of the above twelve questions, then you are, indeed, a cat person. If you didn't, then you might have to settle for—quelle horreur!—a dog.

As a vet at The Cat Practice, I've treated countless thousands of cats. As a cat lover, I've owned several dozen, although I use the word owned rather loosely. Undoubtedly most cats would consider the concept that they could be owned by anyone or anything amusing. They are independent creatures who some say (dog people mostly) might sum up their relationships with their “owners” as “you scratch my back . . . you scratch my back.” That said, cats are nothing if not mysterious. Your cat may be as loyal as a dog, as protective as a mongoose, as wild as a tiger. Cats are much like snowflakes, in that no two are exactly alike.

There are all kinds of cats—and you need to find the right cat for you. As a vet I get a lot of questions about how, when, why, and which cat to bring home for keeps. Often people are looking for very specific traits in a cat, usually based on those things they loved about their previous pets. They want a calm cat, or an affectionate kitty, or a gregarious feline who plays nicely with other animals and/or young children. One client came to me determined to find another cat just like the one she'd recently lost. That cat had loved to sit in front of the television—and the client wanted another cat who would watch television with her. Determining a cat's potential boob-tube interest may not be easy, but there are some answers we vets can give to those in search of the perfect cat.

MEOW!

“One must love a cat on its own terms.”

—Paul Gray

Cat or Kitten?

Whichever you choose, it's a choice you're going to have to live with for years. The short, safe answer: Choose an adult cat. Adult cats have fully-formed personalities. You know who you're bringing home. But, but . . . I know, I know, those kittens are so adorable. In animal shelters kittens are always adopted first. They've got that whole cuteness factor going for them. And they seem to know that. Who can resist a playful ball of fur who likes to gnaw on your finger with its baby teeth? The problem is that it is very difficult to accurately determine whether or not that precious little guy will grow up to chomp on your fingers with adult teeth. I certainly don't want to talk anyone out of adopting a kitten. But chances are if you adopt a cat at one or two years old , you'll have him for as many years as you'd have one adopted as a kitten. Just remember, an affectionate young adult cat is going to be affectionate its whole life, while an affectionate kitten may end up in love with your expensive couch!

But if you insist . . .

Which Kitten Is the Pick of the Litter?

Many people insist on a kitten, based on the theory that they can mold that kitten into the cat they would like it to be. Remember: You cannot mold a cat. Cats do what they want to do. You may be able to motivate a cat (think chicken liver) but never mold one. With that in mind, you must try to determine the character of the kitten before you take it home with you, at least as far as you are able to.

First, observe the way the kitten interacts with the litter. The friskiest kitten initiates play or other activities; she's the one who claims her mother's best nipple first. This kitten will grow up to have a bold, aggressive disposition. She's also the one that's going to wake you up early in the morning by pulling at your hair. But if you like your cats lively, then she might be the one for you.

If you prefer a quieter companion, look for the loner of the litter. He's the cautious one that always stands aside, watching his littermates play. Odds are he'll grow up to be a more submissive cat than his littermates—and thus perfect for you.

CAT TALES

Getting a kitten is always a crapshoot. I raised one of my own cats from about a week old. She was an adorable kitten, never anything but loving and comforting, but over time she went from a calm, malleable kitten to an anxious adult cat. For example, if she was sleeping on my chest and the phone rang, POW! She'd gouge my chest with her claws to better enable herself to propel toward the ceiling—to escape from the clutches of the dreaded ringing telephone—and then disappear from sight. Who knew that adorable kitten would grow up to be so afraid of the telephone ring? I mean, who would be calling her?

MEOW!

“One cat just leads to another.”

—Ernest Hemingway

How Many Cats Is Too Many Cats?

All of us have heard stories about the local “cat lady”—the half-mad woman in the neighborhood whose home or apartment is overrun with cats. I personally have encountered people with as many as seventy cats. And sometimes more. Such was the situation with a wonderful couple we'll call Mr. and Mrs. Katz. They lived and worked on a college campus, and they couldn't say no to any abandoned, stricken, or desperate cat. For about fifteen years they were my pro bono commitment. The feline population in their home ranged between sixty and one hundred. I was aghast when I looked at their home photos. Every available surface, every couch and shelf, the kitchen counters, sinks, toilet tanks, even the appliances were covered in cat. If this hadn't been a pro bono arrangement, their annual vet bills might have equaled the gross national product of a small European nation. If you can't refuse help to a needy cat you are a great human being, but without significant financial assistance you'll soon be destitute. So how many cats are too many? I hate to generalize, but I think that compassion crosses the line into crazy at more than six. If you have six or fewer cats you're probably okay—but more than six puts you in the same area code as the crazy cat lady.

The answer also depends on your living situation. I'm most familiar with New York City, where a one-bedroom apartment of probably less than seven hundred square feet is quite common. In that situation two cats will fill any extra space. But if you're lucky enough to have a large apartment—the kind of apartment in which you can't stand in the living room and see the rest of it—then go for it. And if you live on a farm and can easily keep and feed numerous cats in the barn, then the maximum number of cats is precisely whatever your spouse tells you it is.

You May Be a Crazy Cat Lady If . . .

1. You have more cats than kids.

2. Your cat food bill exceeds your rent.

3. You go Christmas shopping at PetSmart.

4. You need a king-size bed—and you're single.

5. You have single-handedly solved your neighborhood's rodent problem.

6. Your cats have bigger birthday bashes than you do.

7. People with cat allergies are hospitalized if they walk past your building.

8. Friends think that sweater you're wearing is mohair.

9. You, yourself, are hospitalized for a hairball.

10. Your spare room is Litter Box Central.

11. Your living room is Litter Box Central.

12. What's a litter box?

How Much Does Keeping a Cat Cost?

Maintaining healthy cats can be pricey. In addition to food, cats should have an annual checkup, get the correct inoculations, and be treated by a professional when the situation calls for it. And treating a cat can be expensive. A serious illness or an injury that requires care in an animal hospital for several days can easily cost between two thousand and five thousand dollars. Even basic checkups and vaccinations will cost several hundred dollars. You can see how keeping too many cats can easily put someone on the road to the paw house.

Is One the Loneliest Number?

Single cats can be wonderful pets and there is absolutely nothing wrong with having only one. That said, cats are social animals and they can get lonely. I've noticed that single cats can be needy for human attention—especially if they're left alone all day while you're at work. Solitary cats may not get enough exercise—and they may from suffer boredom as well as inactivity. For lack of anything better to do, they'll chase their own shadows, their own tails, and you. And then there's the couch, or the instrument of retribution. Be forewarned: Bored cats may take out their frustrations on your furniture. Or, as it soon will become known, your former couch.

Double the Cats, Double the Fun?

The advantage to keeping two cats is that each of them will remain active when you're not around. They will stimulate each other. They'll get a lot of exercise playing with each other. An added benefit of two cats is mutual grooming—it's very hard for a cat to wash its own ears. Generally they'll lick their wrists and use them to clean their ears, but the rough tongue of another cat is much more efficient than a wet wrist.

The presence of a second cat takes a lot of pressure off you. You (and your furniture, of course) are no longer your cat's sole source of attention, affection, and play. Cats like company. And while it's acceptable and often necessary, leaving any animal for extended periods without company or stimulation isn't ideal. There are some shelters—particularly in large cities—that require potential adopters to take two kittens rather than one. There is a sound reason for this: In Manhattan, many people who live in apartments are gone as long as twelve hours a day. We don't have a rule like that at The Cat Practice because I've always believed a loving home is better than a cage, but we certainly do our best to encourage it. I recommend going for two.

Does the “Go for Two” Recommendation Apply to Kittens as Well?

Keeping kittens in pairs is also good. The ideal solution would be to adopt two littermates, two kittens. Surprisingly, the respective sexes aren't important—but if you do get a male and a female, they should definitely be neutered and spayed—and sooner rather than later. Intact female cats can become impregnated as early as four-and-a-half months old. You can't rely on her intact brother to trouble himself with human taboos on incest. If she goes into heat, he's there. Believe me, they should be altered—and unless you're interested in owning a family, they should be altered while they're very young. Spay as early as four or five months.

It may be easy to judge if your cat is in heat: She will become very vocal, and instead of meowing she will be howling, and howling loudly and continuously.

When petted she will lower her front end and raise up her hind end while cocking her tail base to the side to better expose her vagina.

On the other hand, she may show none of these symptoms and still be in heat. So if there is a male cat in your house, or in your neighborhood, or in your country, you should have your female spayed as early as possible.

CAT STAT

Female cats are capable of giving birth to new litters every four months. At three to seven kittens a litter, you can see why you need to neuter and spay your cats.

How Will My Adult Cat Feel about a New Kitten?

When cats are adopted together as kittens, they are lifetime companions. But if you are adding a companion for an adult cat, it is almost imperative that the second cat you get be younger than six months. Four months old is perfect. The older cat will not perceive a very young cat as a physical threat, and should accept it much more readily than it would an older cat. That said, if you already have an adult animal in the house, you want to find a kitten that will compliment your older cat, rather than provoke it. It isn't really important to match sexes, but it is very important to match personalities. A shy, quiet adult cat may well be overwhelmed by an aggressive kitten. It's important to match personalities if you're attempting to bring together two adult cats as well. That doesn't mean they should have the same personalities—two alpha cats will definitely struggle for dominance—but rather their personalities should complement each other. For example, a bold, outgoing cat will probably be a poor match with a fearful, retiring cat. Matching personalities successfully obviously requires a little luck, and a lot of attention.

When two cats are introduced to the same environment it's unlikely it will be love at first scent. So you're going to need patience as they adjust to each other. At best, it will take them a few weeks to adjust to each other. So expect hissing, sparring, and conflict. The best thing you can do during this period is stand back. Cats have been doing this for a long time without some long-legged referee flailing around and calling fouls.

CAT TIP

Some shelters will let you become a foster-owner of a cat or kitten or allow you to take it home on approval. If this is offered, take advantage of it. If nobody mentions it, ask about it. This is a tremendous opportunity to see how well-suited the cat is to your environment, the people you live with, and your other pets. For a time we did a lot of adoptions at The Cat Practice. Our policy was that we would take back the animal if it didn't work out. But truthfully, even I was surprised when one of my clients returned a cat—two years later! A few weeks should be more than enough to make a decision.

What Do I Do If I Find an Abandoned Litter of Kittens?

Kittens happen. And usually their mother is much more capable of taking care of them than you are. So the first thing you should do when you find an apparently abandoned litter is make sure these kittens are, in fact, abandoned. This will take some time and effort on your part, but it could make all the difference in their lives. Not to put too much pressure on you, of course. Fortunately, most kittens are born in the warmer months so unless the cats are in imminent danger of freezing to death the best thing to do immediately is absolutely nothing.

Pregnant cats will build a safe, warm nest, usually in an out-of-the-way place. If you should come upon a nest do not approach it right away, cute as those little critters might be. Mom might simply be out hunting. If possible, retreat a good distance and watch the nest from there. If you have the time and patient, stay there, otherwise you might miss the return visit of the new mother. If there is no sign of the new mother within a few hours then cautiously approach, but stay about five feet away and just take a good look at the brood.

How big are the kittens? If they're mouse-size they were just born. Are their eyes open? If yes, then they're four or five weeks old, or even older. Put down some baby food near the nest. You can buy soft baby food in the market. You might want to start them on solid foods with Baby Food Jr.–brand meat, chicken, turkey, or lamb. This is easy to find and is pure, soft, and easily manageable. Any type of hard food will probably be too difficult for them to eat. If you move away, and the kittens come out and eat the food, they're six weeks or older. This food ploy will also help you determine if Mom is around. If she does show up, you're a good soul, and, most important, you're off the hook.

Can I Really Play Mommy to a Litter of Kittens?

The younger the kittens, the more difficult your job is going to be. If you've waited those hours and the mother hasn't returned, it's time to intervene. Remember: Protect yourself. That's right. Protect yourself from those adorable little munchkins because they may bite. Don't take it personally, it's a defensive reaction—but it can still hurt. You might even want to wear gloves. If you do remove the kittens from their nest you should also continue leaving food near it and check back frequently—from a distance—to make sure their mother hasn't come back. If she should return, go ahead and put the kittens back in the nest and see if she'll take over.

CAT STAT

It is universally accepted that once kittens are handled by a human and carry a human's scent, the mother will no longer care for them—and sometimes the universe is wrong. In my experience mothers will care for their kittens after they've been handled by people. Please don't be afraid to handle kittens, however young.