You love your pet, so you want to feed him the best-quality food that you can find. But pet food nutrition labels aren’t the same as those for human food. It can be hard to tell if one product is better than another by simply reading the name on the label.
Keep your eyes open for a few signs that you’re buying the best food for your dog or cat.
Ingredients Aren’t Enough
When you shop for yourself, you might read the list of ingredients to see what’s in the food that you’re thinking about buying. So it makes sense if you look at ingredients on pet food packages as well.
“That’s where the pet parents’ eyes are drawn,” says Julie A. Churchill, DVM, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.
An ingredients label lists food by weight, with the heaviest item listed first and the lightest item last. Heavier foods that sound good (berries or carrots) may be higher up on the list than other foods that weigh less (dried meat), but that may not tell the whole story.
“Things that are water-rich — fruits and vegetables — that will push them to the top of the list,” Churchill says. “Meat and chicken are 70% water, so they’re heavier [and listed higher on the label]. Owners may mistakenly say: ‘It’s got more meat in it,’ but it may have less chicken in it than those foods that add chicken meal, which is a cooked, dry product.”
Read the Fine Print
Most companies that sell dog and cat food include a statement on the package based on the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Model Pet Food Regulations. It should say whether a food is designed for puppies or kittens, pregnant pets, or adults. It may have other details as well.
It’s not the most prominent part of the label,” Churchill says. “It’s usually in small print.”
Many AAFCO statements say that the food is “complete,” which means that it contains all of the nutrients that pets require. It may also say that the food is “balanced,” which means that those nutrients are there in the proper ratios for dogs or cats at that stage of life.
Research Is Key
The best thing that an AAFCO statement can say, experts say, is that the product was used in a feeding test using AAFCO guidelines.
“They fed their product to dogs or cats in different life stages, so it’s not just a formula on paper being sold,” says veterinary nutritionist Martha G. Cline, DVM, vice president of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition.
Products that have been tested are more likely to have the health benefits they promise than those that haven’t been tested.
“Some companies have very nice science behind them,” says Nolie Parnell, DVM, clinical associate professor at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. “They spend time and resources, maximizing health in our pets. Other companies don’t even have a budget for research and aren’t putting that investigating time in.”
If you’re unsure about what’s best for your dog or cat, ask your vet for help.
“They should have the basic knowledge to make basic recommendations,” Parnell says. “They should have the skill set to see if the food company is reputable.”
Your vet may suggest certain food for your dog’s breed.
“There’s not one perfect dog food for every dog,” Cline says. “Every dog and cat is going to be a little bit different. There’s not one perfect diet out there that’s going to be the right diet for every single animal.”
Even if you’re happy with your pet’s food, ask your vet every now and then if your choice is still good.
“There isn’t one food that is ideal for your whole life,” Churchill says. “As your needs change, your veterinary team will make recommendations.”
You have decided you want to share your life with a kitten and be responsible for it all through cat-hood. Your commitment could last for the next 14 to 15 years or even longer. This is a serious undertaking and you want to get it as right as you can. There are lots of places to go and get a kitten but once you have made this decision, you have to choose one individual.
More often than not it is looks that we go for – a particular favourite colour or marking. However, there is much more to it than that – what do you ask and what do you look for? You want to know about the kitten’s personality, the kitten’s needs and the kitten’s health.
What shapes a kitten’s personality?
Think of the different cats you have met in your life. Some have been extra friendly, some nervous or fearful, some bold, some even perhaps aggressive. The cats we come across in our lives can vary from pet cats to community cats to wild living or feral cats. How they have come to be those cats depends on their parents, where they were born, how much handling they have had, and what experiences they had both at an early age and later in life. All of these things can have a profound effect.
A pet cat could be defined as one that’s happy to be around people and to interact with them – just what most of us want. However, at the other end of the spectrum is the feral cat, an amazing creature which, although it looks exactly the same as a pet cat and is of the same species, can behave very differently – in fact, more like a cat belonging to a wild species (more of this later).
Cats have a wide range of personalities. How confident or fearful a cat is in adulthood will be affected by what happens in kittenhood. Much of this ‘personality’ development has already taken place before we get our kitten. For the cat, learning to enjoy the company of people takes place pretty early in its life – somewhere from about three weeks to seven or eight weeks old. During this time the kitten hasn’t yet learned to fear everything, and its mind is open to forming bonds with other animals or people and learning how to deal with new experiences without being overwhelmed by them. Think about human children when they’re toddlers, and how fearless they often are – running off without a care, touching and tasting everything, falling over and getting up again. But as they get older they begin to worry and look for reassurance when they do things.
If kittens don’t experience people or human things during the early weeks of their lives they may never be able to see them as part of ‘normal’ life. Whatever happens in the feline mind as it matures in the first couple of months, it learns to avoid and fear things that aren’t familiar to it and this then seems to be fairly fixed thereafter. So a kitten which hasn’t been handled by people, met dogs or experienced everyday things such as vacuum cleaners, doorbells, children laughing and screaming and so on, may automatically find them very threatening and react accordingly. The cat may try to avoid any interaction with things it fears, perhaps hiding away or being aggressive if it’s pursued to be stroked. This often happens with kittens born to stray or feral cats which don’t meet people at an early age. People think that they are being kind in trying to nurture or ‘tame’ such cats, but often they are causing great stress. The cat’s mind doesn’t really have the ability to respond because the pathways weren’t created when it was young enough. Cats do continue to learn beyond eight weeks of age, but if the fundamentals are missing there may be little or nothing to build upon. So a fearful kitten is likely to be a fearful cat and no amount of love from an owner may have a great effect on this.
The point of this discussion about cat personality is to try and help new owners to understand what shapes the potential personality of a cat in relation to being a pet cat and living closely with people. Most owners want a cat that enjoys being with them and their family and friends. If you choose a fearful kitten because you feel sorry for it, and think that just by being kind you’ll bring it around, you may have a long and disappointing relationship. The kitten may actually develop into a very stressed adult because you’re asking it to live in a household that holds many fearful challenges for it. On the other hand, if you live a very quiet life and want a cat that’s not too demanding and will gradually get used to you and won’t be challenged by noisy teenagers or loud music, banging doors or lots of visitors, a rather less robust character may suit perfectly. If you want a cat that lives outdoors most of the time and simply want to respect it as a cat, appreciate its mousing activities and feed and care for it at a distance it’s comfortable with, then there are some less people-orientated kittens that will grow into cats which will be very happy to live this type of life.
Armed with this understanding you can approach a rehoming/rescue organisation, or a breeder or answer an advert in a newspaper and ask questions to ascertain if the kitten has had the right early experiences to fit in with your needs and lifestyle. Choosing a kitten should involve your brain as well as your heart; selecting a kitten because you feel sorry for it or want to rescue it from a squalid environment may result in many years of heartache and inadvertently encourage bad breeding practice (by rewarding the breeder because you have bought a kitten). So, research the litter just by asking questions over the telephone before you view. If you are not satisfied with any of the answers to your questions then it may be better to look elsewhere for another kitten – it may also save a lot of time travelling.
What questions should I ask over the telephone?
1. What have the kittens experienced in their first 8 weeks of life?
As explained above, this is a sensitive time in kitten learning. The best scenario is that kittens have been kept in a home environment (or moved into the home environment well within the first 8 weeks of life) and are used to all those things associated with human living – people, noises, smells, visitors, children, dogs etc. The worst scenario is that the kittens have been isolated from all the things associated with normal living so that when they do experience it in a new home it is frightening and they never really get to grips with it. This can happen in rehoming/rescue facilities if kittens are kept in a pen and not handled or exposed to everyday living – many good rehoming/rescues organisations expose their kittens to these things and make sure they are handled by different people. This can also happen in the pedigree breeder situation where too many cats are being bred, often in outside pens, and each litter is not getting the handling and exposure it needs to make good confident pet cats. It is also a risk with kittens born to free-living or feral cats, such as on a farm, where again they gain no exposure to humans until it is too late.
2. What is the temperament of the mother cat (and the father if known?)
‘Friendliness’ can be influenced by genes and, like people, cats will have a genetic component as to how they react to the world. Some will be bold, some naturally nervous or shy. For moggies or non-pedigree cats, the combination of genes from each parent is not usually controlled by people and frequently the father of the kittens is never seen. A friendly mother will pass on friendly genes as well as being relaxed and interactive with people as an example to her kittens. For pedigree cat breeders who control the matings of their cats, there is a chance to breed from friendly cats to incorporate this into the next generation. It should always be possible to view the other kittens should you decide to visit.
3. If I decide on a pedigree breed, is there a breed disposition for a certain type of behaviour?
Cats in general have very individual personalities – some are noisy, some are active, others are very laid back. However, there are some breeds where some aspects of personality are likely to come through – Siamese cats, for example, are known for their talkative nature and some breeds are quite demanding of attention. So it is best to ascertain what you might be taking on or what you want your cat to do – there is no guarantee it will happen, but it is more likely where this behaviour is seen among this group or breed of cats.
4. Ask about your particular requirements
If you have a dog at home, it is a lot easier to integrate the kitten if it has already met a dog or dogs and is not frightened. Likewise, if you have children, ask if the kitten has met children – those that have will take the high pitched voices and somewhat erratic or sudden movements of children in their stride. If the kitten has just been around women and not met men it may be fearful of loud deep voices, so again ask the question.
The answers to these questions will give you an idea of the quality of care the kittens are receiving. The next step is to visit and view the kittens.
Looking for clues about the kitten’s health
When choosing a kitten, you should check the animal for signs of ill-health, such as runny eyes or nose, dirty ears, a dirty or sore area under the tail which may indicate the cat is suffering from diarrhoea. The kitten should look well, with bright eyes, a good coat and be able to move easily.
Ask to see the other kittens in the litter and the mother to make sure that they are healthy too.
Follow your instincts and don’t be taken in by stories of how that runny eye had just happened etc. Many people come away with a kitten which is not 100% because they are told it will all be fine by the breeder or rescue.
If you have arrived to find that the rescue/breeder/pet shop or whatever facility is homing the kittens is dirty, smelly and has lots of other cats and kittens then be very wary. Good hygiene is essential to keeping kittens healthy and they can be very vulnerable.
What questions should I ask to ascertain a kitten’s needs?
1. May I handle the kittens?
Ask to handle the kitten to assess how relaxed it is with people. Is it well socialised and friendly or is it scared? Spend a bit of time with it in case it is just initially a little wary of new people but soon adapts, or whether it just tries to hide away. Ask to see the whole litter to see how they react to you, each other and the environment. Ideally, you should be looking for a kitten that responds in equal measures to all of these!
2. What sex is the kitten and how old is it?
Ask about the cat’s sex and how old it is. Pedigree kittens are usually over 12 weeks old when they are rehomed but non-pedigree or moggies may be around 8 weeks old.
3. What type of coat will the kitten have?
It can be hard to tell if a moggie kitten is going to be long haired unless its mother has a long coat (often the father is never seen). However, if you are taking on a pedigree cat then you will know how it is going to turn out. A Persian will need daily grooming and other breeds with slightly less undercoat will need regular grooming as well. However, lack of a coat does not mean the kitten will be easy to care for – some of the Rex breeds (with a sparse wavy coat) and the hairless breeds such as the Sphynx need a lot of time and effort spent on keeping the skin clean. Some will leave greasy marks on furniture and will need regular bathing (click here for information on breed health).
4. What other care will the kitten need, both now and as an adult?
Some breeds, such as Persians and Exotics, have very flat faces. In making the face this flat the natural drainage of tears from the eye may be blocked and the tears overflow over the face. This must be very uncomfortable for the cats and can cause staining or skin problems. Owners must be able to clean the eyes and face on a regular basis. Other breeds with more pointed skulls may have more inset eyes which may also need care.
Ask about vaccination – most pedigree kittens will have had their vaccinations before they can be homed, but it is worth checking. Many kittens from rescue may also have had at least one vaccination, depending on the age at which they are homed. Make sure you get the vaccination certificate if you take on the kitten.
Have the kittens has been wormed and treated for fleas? If so, what with?
Have any of the kittens got ongoing health issues requiring medication? (If this is the case and you still wish to take on the kitten, ask for advice on how to give the tablets, eye-drops or ear-drops so that you know what you have to do. )
If the kitten is a pedigree, ask about any tests for inherited diseases (click here to look at individual breeds and what they can be tested for).
5. How much attention will the kitten need, both now and as an adult?
Some breeds are more needy of attention and company than others, others will be much more independent. Again decide what suits you.
6. What food, litter etc is currently being used?
Ask what the kitten is currently eating, what type of litter it is used to etc. Check up on whether the information you have been given is correct as sometimes people have not been feeding the best diet for a growing kitten. However, if you are changing food, do it gradually so as to avoid stomach upsets.
7. Ask if the kitten is insured
In countries where it is available, such as in the UK, many breeders, rescue organisations and even individuals who have bred an ‘accidental’ litter will provide new owners with insurance cover for the kitten which lasts for the first 6 weeks in its new home. This covers health issues and other benefits. The insurance company will then contact the new owner to see if they wish to continue with the insurance. Insurance to cover vet fees (and other things) is a great idea and gives peace of mind about payment should problems occur – the first year of a kitten’s life can be its most hazardous because kittens and young cats can get themselves into all sorts of trouble – the saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ is based on some truth. Kittens must learn fast as they grow and this means being inquisitive; it can however get them into trouble. To decide whether you want to keep the insurance cover check what it actually does.
Be prepared to walk away
Potential owners must be prepared to walk away and not purchase a kitten out of pity because it’s ill or scared, just in order to ‘save’ it from its current environment. Although this sounds very hard, you don’t want to be left with a kitten that may have health or attitude problems for years to come and is likely to be difficult and disappointing to live with.
Do your homework
Do your homework first, and then go and visit. Most breeders will ask you to come along for a first viewing when the kittens are still a bit too young to rehome (the breeding organisations require them to keep kittens until they’re about 12 weeks old and have had at least their first vaccinations in order to protect them). Don’t go from one breeder to another and handle the kittens – you could carry viruses on your hands and clothes which could be passed on to vulnerable kittens, so breeders may be quite strict about asking you not to do this in order to protect the health of their cats. A good breeder or rescue centre will want to find out if you’ll care for the kitten properly and will give you lots of advice. They should be able to provide help or advice if you need it and will want to hear from you if you have any problems. They should also be willing to take the kitten back should serious problems arise but this does not always happen and often new owners have fallen in love with the new kitten and can’t bear to give it back. Knowledge and information is the key, and ignorance is no excuse for either producing or buying a kitten that’s ill or poorly socialised.
to a household can be quite stressful, to all concerned.
Indeed, it can be easier to introduce a dog to a cat than a cat to a cat. This is because a cat won’t view a dog as competition for resources – it might have to get used to its excited behaviour and learn to stand up to it to avoid being chased, but this usually happens very quickly and much more easily than we imagine. The cat-cat thing is much more difficult.
It’s usually easier to introduce a new kitten than an adult cat – this tends to be less challenging for the resident cat. Kitten body language and movements are less threatening and they have yet to adopt the concept of territory and competing with others.
A little bit of extra effort at the beginning can make the difference between a good or bad relationship in the future.
Plan ahead
Your existing cat (or cats) will have established territory and the introduction of another, albeit a little kitten, is not necessarily going to be well received. It’s important to ensure that the resident cat is not given the impression that it is under siege. When choosing your new kitten, have your cat’s personality in mind. For example, don’t acquire a very confident and outgoing kitten if your existing cat is timid or shy.
Arrange to collect your kitten on a day when you know you will have plenty of time to devote to settling it in, for example, a couple of days over a weekend or during a time when you are not at work and the household is relatively peaceful. Some planning is necessary to prepare the home for the new arrival and the introduction process so, before the kitten arrives, purchase or hire a kitten pen (or large dog ‘crate’ of similar construction) and position it in a room that your existing cat doesn’t particularly favour, for example, a spare bedroom. A kitten pen is a large metal cage with a solid floor that is normally used for kittening queens or cats after surgery that need to be confined. It is quite large with plenty of room for a bed, toys, food, water and a litter tray. They are easily collapsible to enable the pen to be moved from room to room.
Think cat!
Domestic cats eat pet food on the floor from bowls
Think cat once your new kitten arrives and think scent first. Your home will have a scent ‘profile’ which is familiar and reassuring to your resident cat. It will consist of all those things that go on there, the dogs, the children, the hobby equipment, the cleaning materials, the food you like and so on, all mixed in with your cat’s own scent. All the corners of your furniture will have been wiped by your cat’s chin and face, the doorposts have been brushed by its coat and the carpet will often bear the marks of claw sharpening and the scent from its paws. Your home is well and truly possessed by your cat.
What you have to try to do is work in the scent of the new kitten so that it, too, is incorporated into the accepted household aroma. This comes down, initially, to you. You have to try to spread and mix the scents of the cats. You’re working with the invisible, but have faith that there’s actually something there! Stroking your cat and the kitten regularly and swapping bedding will enable the kitten’s smell to become familiar and incorporated into the communal, household scent.
The first meeting
The door to the kitten’s room should remain closed initially, allowing the kitten to exercise within that space when your other cat is not around. The kitten’s food, water, toys and bed can be positioned outside the pen but the litter tray should remain within it. When the initial contact between kitten and cat takes place it may be helpful to distract the kitten with food.
The door to the room can be opened while the kitten is eating in the cage (with the cage door shut). It may be helpful, to allow the kitten to feel secure, if there is a covered box within the cage so that the kitten can hide from any unwanted attention as your other cat explores. If you wish, a small bowl of your cat’s favourite food can be located a comfortable distance away to encourage eating in safety (bearing in mind that cats are solitary feeders) without being deterred by the sight of the kitten. Your cat should be allowed to explore the cage without intervention.
It is important to provide attention to the existing cat during this transitional period but not to exceed the amount normally accepted and enjoyed. Existing routines should be maintained to demonstrate that the kitten represents no loss of resources or enjoyment.
Once kitten and cat appear calm when in close proximity to each other (with the kitten inside and the resident cat outside the cage), the pen can be moved to other rooms (of increasing importance to the resident cat), leaving out those particularly favoured areas where the adult cat spends the majority of its time. Depending on progress, several weeks of this regime may be needed before opening the cage and letting the cats get to know each other, some introductions can take considerably less time and the kitten accepted fairly quickly. When the cage door is left open and the kitten is allowed to mix freely the contact between adult and kitten should still be closely supervised. It may be advisable to separate the kitten and adult cat when supervision is not possible, at least until their relationship is firmly established.
Both kitten and adult, in the long-term, should be provided with their own resources (bed, litter tray, food bowls, water bowls etc) positioned in separate locations and their own private areas where they can rest undisturbed by the other.
Having a cat can mean different things to different people. Some want a cat to cuddle and sit on their laps; others are happy to live with a very independent cat which spends most of its time outside and doesn’t want too much human interaction.
What is important is that you try to find a cat that will interact with you if you want it to. All cats are not the same and how each individual cat behaves with you can depend on its inherent personality and early experiences (or lack of experiences), which can make it fearful or confident with people and life in general.
The environment in which you keep a cat is also extremely significant – for example if it lives with many other cats which do not get on, then it will be stressed and will react differently than if it was on its own.
While there is no guaranteed way to choose the perfect cat for you and your lifestyle, understanding your expectations as well as what makes cats tick will help you to bring home a cat that should be able to cope with its new environment and be the pet that you want too.
To care for a cat you will need to:
Provide plenty of human companionship
Provide regular, suitable meals with a constant supply of fresh water
Provide a clean and comfortable bed
Provide the cat with outdoor access or be prepared to empty and clean a litter tray on a daily basis
Provide it with a stimulating and safe environment
Groom it regularly. Longhaired cats require daily grooming
Have it neutered between 4 and 6 months old
Vaccinate against the major feline diseases regularly
Worm regularly and provide treatment for fleas
Take the cat to the vet when it shows any sign of illness
Insure your cat or make sure you can afford the cost of any veterinary treatment it may need
How much care and attention does a cat need?
As pets go, cats are relatively low maintenance compared to dogs which need companionship, walking, training etc. However, like any pet, they do need care, and some cats need more care than others. Do you want to spend a lot of time with your cat, do you want it to be demanding, or do you have limited time? Cats can fit into busy, modern lifestyles more easily than dogs, as they are pretty independent, can be left alone much more easily and are more suitable for smaller flats or houses. Cats are often chosen by people who have busy and stressful lifestyles and who want some companionship when they go home to relax.
What do you want from your relationship with a cat? If you’re the kind of person who really needs to have a close relationship with your cat and to be able to handle it and have it interact with you, then you’ll be disappointed if you take on a nervous cat that hides every time you come into the room. You may want to think about one of the pedigree breeds which can be more interactive and perhaps more needy of human company than some moggies. This may however become a problem for the cat if you are out at work all day and only available to give attention on evenings or weekends.
Some cats need to know exactly what’s going to happen when, in order to feel relaxed. Such cats would be quite happy living with an old lady who rarely has visitors and leads a very quiet life, but would probably find it quite stressful living in a home full of kids and other animals with lots of visitors and activity. Other cats, however, might thrive on different interactions with lots of people and fit in perfectly well in a busy household.
If you’re not likely to have the time or inclination to groom a cat on a daily basis, don’t even think of getting a Persian or a cat with a long coat. In pedigree jargon, any cat with a longer coat, aside from a Persian, is called semi-longhaired because the coat is not as full as the Persian’s and does not have such a thick undercoat; however, it is still long and requires grooming. In addition, if you are extremely house-proud, you may not want lots of hair everywhere.
A shorthaired cat is a much easier option, as most cats are fanatical about their coats and keep them in immaculate condition. That’s not to say that they don’t leave hairs around – bear this in mind if you’re thinking of getting a white cat but have dark furniture, or vice versa. Likewise, a cat is quite likely to sharpen its claws indoors, often on the stair carpet, sometimes on the furniture or even on the wallpaper. Whether your cat does this can depend on the cat itself and also the environment you provide for it; however there are things you can do to try and deal with this, but it is best to acknowledge from the outset that your cat is an animal with free will and natural behaviour that may not suit someone who needs to have an immaculate house.
Can I keep a cat on vegetarian food?
Are you a vegetarian and want your cat to be one too? If you want a vegetarian pet that won’t challenge your beliefs, then it would be better to get a rabbit – a cat is a carnivore first and foremost, and looks and behaves as it does for just this reason. A cat is what is called an obligate carnivore – it has an absolute need for some of the nutrients found in meat and all of its senses of smell and taste are atuned to being a carnivore – it would be unfair and very dangerous to health to even attempt keeping it as a vegetarian.
Is there a type of cat which doesn’t hunt?
You may have a great aversion to your cat hunting outside. Perhaps you are a bird lover, or are simply unable to deal with small carcases on the floor. Hunting is normal behaviour for cats. Keeping a cat indoors may prevent it actually killing anything, but it will still need an outlet for this, its most instinctive behaviour, and not all cats will be happy with an indoor lifestyle. Likewise, if you’re simply getting a cat to keep vermin at bay, you won’t want to find yourself with one which isn’t especially interested in huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’ and prefers being a couch potato! Older cats are likely to hunt much less than younger ones and some cats don’t bother at all, but there is no easy way to know how a cat will behave.
Can I keep a cat indoors?
If you think about the lifestyle of a cat which has access outdoors you will realise that being outdoors brings a huge variety to its life and allows it to use all of its hunting behaviours if it wants to. Of course, there are risks outside for cats, but you need to balance these with the very positive aspects of physical and mental stimulation and an outlet for natural behaviour.
Can I have a cat with a baby or young children?
There is no reason not to have a cat or kitten if you have children. It is up to parents to teach their children from the very beginning how to approach, stroke and handle cats and to treat them kindly. Many children have fantastic relationships with their cats and learn about respecting other creatures and being gentle – it is done successfully all the time, but it is up to parents to lay down the rules. Perhaps taking on a new kitten when you have a new baby or a toddler might be a lot to handle at once, so ensuring you have time for all the parties is part of a successful relationship. Likewise, if you are pregnant there is no need to get rid of the cat. Simple and basic hygiene precautions and common sense management of the cat, while the baby is small, can ensure all cohabit happily and safely.
Should I get an adult cat or a kitten?
A kitten gives you the opportunity to take on an animal right from the beginning and treat it and care for it so that it gets the best start in life. You will also be able to get some idea of its character. However, kittens require a lot of attention and some forethought to prevent them from getting into trouble. If you leave them alone you have to make sure they will be safe while you are away. You may also have to organise neutering, initial vaccinations and so on, depending on where you get your kitten from.
While kittens have a huge ‘cute’ factor, it is worth remembering that they don’t stay kittens for very long – just six months out of a potential 14 years or more.
With adult cats, it is at least clear if they are long or short haired. You should be able to get a good idea of a cat’s personality, although if it is being kept in less than ideal circumstances and is stressed or frightened it may act very differently compared to when it is relaxed. A confident adult cat is likely to move in and settle down quite quickly; a nervous one may take more time. It will be much easier to leave an older cat alone in the knowledge that it is not going to get itself into trouble, and it will generally be much less hard work and worry than a kitten. An adult cat will probably already be neutered and vaccinated.
What sex of cat should I get?
The sex of a kitten doesn’t really matter, as long as you neuter your kitten before it reaches puberty (at about four months of age) when the influence of sex hormones kick in. Un-neutered cats may exhibit unwelcome reproductive behaviours. For example, un-neutered male cats will mark their territory with strong smelling urine while un-neutered female cats can come into season every two weeks if they do not become pregnant.
If you are getting just one cat or kitten, it doesn’t matter which sex you choose. Equally, if you want two kittens and you are getting two from the same litter, the sex of either cat is probably not important. However, if you have a resident cat and are getting just one kitten or another cat, it may be worth considering going for one of the opposite sex to try and remove some of the competition factor. A kitten may be a better option than another adult cat in such cases as the young cat’s immaturity seems to remove this competition factor – for a while anyway during which time you hope they will get to like each other! Neutering also removes the need for so much competition and makes the choice of sex much less important.
Should I choose a specific breed or moggie?
The majority of cats kept as pets are what we call moggies or domestic short or long haired cats – that is they are a random mixture of lots of different cats, we have often have little idea about their parentage (well the father anyway). This means we have no control over the colour, body shape, coat length or anything else that the kittens can inherit from their parents. So, for example, if your kitten is from a moggie mum but its father is unknown, it may develop a longer coat than you desire if the father was indeed longhaired.
There is more to choosing a pedigree cat than just liking a certain coat colour or length – there are ethical considerations with some breeds if you really want to consider the cat’s welfare. There are also health issues which you need to check with the breeder and things you need to ask. Good breeders aim to breed healthy, people-friendly cats and avoid (or seek to deal with) inherited disorders which arise.
What breed of cat should I choose?
There are many different breeds, some of which will require extra care and attention, for example if they have a very long coat or even no coat at all. Some pedigree cats are more people orientated and may not like to be left alone for long periods. If you are out all day at work it may be worth getting two kittens together for company – do your research about the breed you are interested in. Always make sure that health comes first, no matter what the ‘look’.
Can I have a cat if I have a dog?
If you have other pets there should not be a problem in getting a cat, but you just need to make sure that you take everything into consideration. If you have a dog you just need to make sure that you make introductions carefully so that your new cat is not chased or injured while the dog gets used to it. Not all dog types make good companions for cats.
How many cats can I have together?
It’s very easy to ‘collect’ cats – they’re addictively beautiful, they’re small and they’re quite easy to care for. Even if they don’t get on, they tend to remove themselves from the situation rather than fight. However, there may be a great deal of tension between cats which owners just don’t pick up on. Cats originate from a largely solitary species and although they can live in groups these are usually related individuals or are self-selected so that cats are not sharing space with cats that they don’t get on with. Cats may start to spray or soil in the house because they’re trying to deal with a situation where they feel under stress because of other cats, and this might be all that owners notice.
If you have two cats living together very successfully then think very carefully before you add more. If you have three cats living well together then thank your stars and quit while you’re ahead! The trouble with adding more is that it might not be just the relationship between the resident cats and the new one that causes problems; it may upset the whole equilibrium of the resident cats’ relationship and introduce difficulties even between the original cats as tension and stress levels rise. Any new cat needs careful introduction.
The best way to have two compatible cats is to choose siblings. These will have grown up together, and this usually bodes well for a good future relationship (although never guaranteed!).
What does it cost to keep a cat?
If you are buying a pedigree cat then there will be associated costs and these may be quite large. Pedigree kittens usually come vaccinated and in some cases already neutered. If you are getting a cat from a rescue organisation then they may ask for a donation or a fee and again it will probably come already neutered and vaccinated. Kittens or cats from friends or neighbours don’t usually come neutered or vaccinated, wormed, treated for fleas or anything else and it will be up to you to register with a vet and get these things done. Neutering is obviously a one-off cost, but several vaccinations will be required to make sure that a kitten is protected from infectious diseases; thereafter a regular booster vaccination will help to protect it during its life (requirements depend on the cat’s lifestyle and risks associated with that – your vet can advise you). Then there is food, preventive health care regarding treatment for fleas and ticks and worms, cat litter if you want or need an indoor litter tray, beds and grooming equipment if you take on a longhaired cat. Microchipping is also recommended in case your cat goes missing. We recommend that you also insure your cat so that if an accident or illness happens then you do not have to worry about the costs. Choose your insurance carefully to make sure you get what you expect or need.
I am allergic to cats – is there any breed which is better than others?
Many people think it’s a cat’s hair that causes us to react to them by sneezing, wheezing or itching. In fact it’s a protein or allergen called Fd1, present in feline saliva, which causes the allergy. Because cats groom themselves regularly they have saliva all over their coat. This dries on the coat and when the cat scratches, moves or brushes past objects the dust or dander and the hairs which contain the allergen are spread about. Cat-lovers who really want to have a cat but are allergic sometimes think that by choosing a breed with less, little or no coat they can avoid the problem. However, as it is saliva that causes the problem, this is unlikely to help, and although longhaired cats do seem to cause more allergic reactions that’s probably only because, having more hair, they’re also covered with more allergen.
It’s worth trying out different cats by visiting friends with cats to see if they elicit less of an allergic reaction. Unfortunately it’s a very difficult problem to get around for people who react or who have family members who are allergic.
What should I do with my cat when I go on holiday?
If you go away on holiday you also need to consider who is going to look after your cat. If you are only away for a day or two you can ask a neighbour to pop in and feed it and check it is OK. If you are away for more than this you may want to consider a boarding cattery, as many cats may wander looking for company. If you have a nervous cat it may hide when the feeder comes and he or she may not be able to be sure that everything is all right. A good boarding cattery will keep your cat safe and you can relax while you are away. There are bad boarding catteries however.
When should I get a new cat?
If you are considering getting a new cat or kitten, choose a time when it is quiet in your house (not in the middle of a family celebration etc) and perhaps when you have a day or two when you can help it to settle in and be there while it finds its way around, not just before you go on holiday etc.
Where do I get a cat from and how do I choose it?
Once you have thought about the responsibilities and costs of keeping a cat and what type you want, then consider where you are going to get it and how you are going to choose your cat or kitten.
Every once in awhile, your veterinarian gives you unpleasant news. Sometimes, that news sounds like this:
“Your dog has worms.”
Nobody wants to hear that her dog has internal parasites, but worms in dogs are more common than you might think. They are also usually treatable. One of the medications veterinarians frequently prescribe for dogs with worms is Panacur, a deworming medication used to treat several species of canine parasites.
What Is Panacur?
Panacur is the brand name of an oral deworming medication with the active ingredient fenbendazole. It is used to treat internal parasites in domestic animals, including dogs, cats, horses, and livestock. In dogs, Panacur is most often used to treat hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm (Taenia), and whipworm infections, although it is important to note that Panacur is not effective against Dipylidium tapeworms.
In addition to these worms, Panacur (fenbendazole) is approved in Europe to treat Giardia in dogs and is sometimes used off-label in the U.S. to deal with Giardia infections. It is also occasionally used off-label to combat lungworm infections.
How Does Panacur Work?
Deworming medications work in different ways to eliminate parasites. Some target specific life stages, while others attack the biological processes of the parasite. Fenbendazole kills parasites by binding to tubulin (a type of protein), which interferes with the parasites’ ability to form microtubules, which combine to form the structure of the worm cells.
So how do you introduce this parasite eliminator into your dog’s system? Panacur is given orally, either in granules, a suspension, or a paste. Talk to your veterinarian about the best formulation for your dog and for tips about how to properly administer a dewormer.
Side Effects of Panacur for Dogs
Panacur is generally considered a very safe medication and is one of the safest dewormers on the market. Its active ingredient has a selective affinity for parasitic tissue, which means it usually ignores your dog’s body tissues unless given in very high doses, and even then dogs can tolerate doses up to 100 times higher than recommended. Manufacturers list vomiting as a possible side effect, and some formulations, like Panacur Plus, contain other medications, such as ivermectin and praziquantel, which can have more serious side effects.
Even though the drug is generally safe, you still need to exercise caution. Some dogs may have an allergic reaction to the dying parasites themselves. Watch out for symptoms of an allergic reaction in dogs, which include facial swelling, itchiness, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, shock, pale gums, cold limbs, and coma. You should also talk to your vet about giving Panacur to pregnant dogs. Your veterinarian may have to adjust the dosage, and Panacur is not recommended for puppies under six weeks old.
How Much Panacur Should I Give My Dog?
When it comes to the dosage and duration of Panacur or any other medication, talk to your veterinarian. While the Internet is a great source of initial information about drug dosages, your veterinarian may have his or her own reasons for adjusting your dog’s dose and duration. These changes are based on your dog’s medical history or condition, and an inaccurate dosage and duration estimate could harm your dog and lead to parasite resistance.
The dosage and duration of the drug also depends on the intended use. Your veterinarian might prescribe a different dosage for Giardia than he would for roundworms, for instance, so make sure you follow his instructions to ensure that your dog receives the full benefit of the medication.
For more information about Panacur for dogs, you can always consult your veterinarian.
When people aren’t debating whether cats or dogs are more intelligent, they’re equating them as mortal foes. That’s a stereotype that both cat expert Jackson Galaxy, host of the Animal Planet show My Cat From Hell, and certified dog trainer Zoe Sandor want to break.
Typically, cats are aloof and easily startled, while dogs are gregarious and territorial. This doesn’t mean, however, that they can’t share the same space—they’re just going to need your help. “If cats and dogs are brought up together in a positive, loving, encouraging environment, they’re going to be friends,” Galaxy tells Mental Floss. “Or at the very least, they’ll tolerate each other.”
The duo has teamed up to host a new Animal Planet series, Cat vs. Dog, which airs on Saturdays at 10 p.m. The show chronicles their efforts to help pet owners establish long-lasting peace—if not perfect harmony—among cats and dogs. (Yes, it’s possible.) Gleaned from both TV and off-camera experiences, here are eight tips Galaxy and Sandor say will help improve household relations between Fido and Fluffy.
TAKE PERSONALITY—NOT BREED—INTO ACCOUNT.
Contrary to popular belief, certain breeds of cats and dogs don’t typically get along better than others. According to Galaxy and Sandor, it’s more important to take their personalities and energy levels into account. If a dog is aggressive and territorial, it won’t be a good fit in a household with a skittish cat. In contrast, an aging dog would hate sharing his space with a rambunctious kitten.
If two animals don’t end up being a personality match, have a backup plan, or consider setting up a household arrangement that keeps them separated for the long term. And if you’re adopting a pet, do your homework and ask its previous owners or shelter if it’s lived with other animals before, or gets along with them.
2. TRAIN YOUR DOG.
To set your dog up for success with cats, teach it to control its impulses, Sandor says. Does it leap across the kitchen when someone drops a cookie, or go on high alert when it sees a squeaky toy? If so, it probably won’t be great with cats right off the bat, since it will likely jump up whenever it spots a feline.
Hold off Fido’s face time with Fluffy until the former is trained to stay put. And even then, keep a leash handy during the first several cat-dog meetings.
3. GIVE A CAT ITS OWN TERRITORY BEFORE IT MEETS A DOG.
Cats need a protected space—a “base camp” of sorts—that’s just theirs, Galaxy says. Make this refuge off-limits to the dog, but create safe spaces around the house, too. This way, the cat can confidently navigate shared territory without trouble from its canine sibling.
Since cats are natural climbers, Galaxy recommends taking advantage of your home’s vertical space. Buy tall cat trees, install shelves, or place a cat bed atop a bookcase. This allows your cat to observe the dog from a safe distance, or cross a room without touching the floor.
And while you’re at it, keep dogs away from the litter box. Cats should feel safe while doing their business, plus dogs sometimes (ew) like to snack on cat feces, a bad habit that can cause your pooch to contractintestinal parasites. These worms can cause a slew of health problems, including vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and anemia.
Baby gates work in a pinch, but since some dogs are escape artists, prepare for worst-case scenarios by keeping the litter box uncovered and in an open space. That way, the cat won’t be cornered and trapped mid-squat.
4. EXERCISE YOUR DOG’S BODY AND MIND.
“People exercise their dogs probably 20 percent of what they should really be doing,” Sandor says. “It’s really important that their energy is released somewhere else so that they have the ability to slow down their brains and really control themselves when they’re around kitties.”
Dogs also need lots of stimulation. Receiving it in a controlled manner makes them less likely to satisfy it by, say, chasing a cat. For this, Sandor recommends toys, herding-type activities, lure coursing, and high-intensity trick training.
“Instead of just taking a walk, stop and do a sit five times on every block,” she says. “And do direction changes three times on every block, or speed changes two times. It’s about unleashing their herding instincts and prey drive in an appropriate way.”
If you don’t have time for any of these activities, Zoe recommends hiring a dog walker, or enrolling in doggy daycare.
5. LET CATS AND DOGS FOLLOW THEIR NOSES.
In Galaxy’s new book, Total Cat Mojo, he says it’s a smart idea to let cats and dogs sniff each other’s bedding and toys before a face-to-face introduction. This way, they can satisfy their curiosity and avoid potential turf battles.
6. PLAN THE FIRST CAT/DOG MEETING CAREFULLY.
Just like humans, cats and dogs have just one good chance to make a great first impression. Luckily, they both love food, which might ultimately help them love each other.
Schedule the first cat-dog meeting during mealtime, but keep the dog on a leash and both animals on opposite sides of a closed door. They won’t see each other, but they will smell each other while chowing down on their respective foods. They’ll begin to associate this smell with food, thus “making it a good thing,” Galaxy says.
Do this every mealtime for several weeks, before slowly introducing visual simulation. Continue feeding the cat and dog separately, but on either side of a dog gate or screen, before finally removing it all together. By this point, “they’re eating side-by-side, pretty much ignoring each other,” Galaxy says. For safety’s sake, continue keeping the dog on a leash until you’re confident it’s safe to take it off (and even then, exercise caution).
7. KEEP THEIR FOOD AND TOYS SEPARATE.
After you’ve successfully ingratiated the cat and dog using feeding exercises, keep their food bowls separate. “A cat will walk up to the dog bowl—either while the dog’s eating, or in the vicinity—and try to eat out of it,” Galaxy says. “The dog just goes to town on them. You can’t assume that your dog isn’t food-protective or resource-protective.”
To prevent these disastrous mealtime encounters, schedule regular mealtimes for your pets (no free feeding!) and place the bowls in separate areas of the house, or the cat’s dish up on a table or another high spot.
Also, keep a close eye on the cat’s toys—competition over toys can also prompt fighting. “Dogs tend to get really into catnip,” Galaxy says. “My dog loves catnip a whole lot more than my cats do.”
8. CONSIDER RAISING A DOG AND CAT TOGETHER (IF YOU CAN).
Socializing these animals at a young age can be easier than introducing them as adults—pups are easily trainable “sponges” that soak up new information and situations, Sandor says. Plus, dogs are less confident and smaller at this stage in life, allowing the cat to “assume its rightful position at the top of the hierarchy,” she adds.
Remain watchful, though, to ensure everything goes smoothly—especially when the dog hits its rambunctious “teenage” stage before becoming a full-grown dog.
Cat vs. Dog Airs on Saturdays at 10 p.m. on Animal Planet
