Tag Archives: cat

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TB in cats

You may have seen the recent articles about TB (tuberculosis) in cats, and people.This is a very rare occurrence, and the recent reports relate to an outbreak last year  in 9 cats in Newbury, Berkshire. The symptoms in the cats were varied, but included weeping infected wounds, pneumonia, loss of appetite and enlarged lymph glands. It is thought that the cats became infected from wildlife carrying the disease.  TB is spread by a bacteria (Mycobacterium bovis), which mainly affects cattle and badgers, which is why all milk is now pasteurised to remove the possibility of picking up TB from cow’s milk.  It appears that in this outbreak people became infected from their cats which makes it a zoonotic disease  (a zoonosis is a disease passed from an animal to a person), which is very unusual.

The risk of your cat being infected by TB is extremely low, but if your cat has non healing wounds, skin nodules or  has lost their appetite, you should make an appointment with the vet.

Click here for a BBC article about the outbreak.

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10 Interesting cat facts !

The domestication of cats was based on mutual benefit. In the earliest days of agriculture, people were forced to deal with an unforeseen consequence: rodents devouring  crops and spoiling the grain. Following voraciously in their footsteps were predators like snakes and owls—and cats. The cats with the friendliest dispositions were eventually welcomed into human settlements, highly valued for their ability to destroy vermin. The house cat was domesticated from the African wildcat approximately 10,000 years ago in the Middle East and has rarely strayed from our side since.

10 Interesting Cat Facts !

  1. Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat flap
  2. It was once thought that the ancient Egyptians were the first to tame cats, but a pet cat has since been found in a 9,500 year old grave in Cyprus
  3. Cats have around 230 bones in their body, while humans only  have 203 bones
  4. According to the 2010 PAW Report there are 11.9 million pet cats living in the UK
  5. When cats run they can reach speeds of up to 30mph
  6. According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest cat lived to be 38 years and 3 days
  7. Chocolate is poisonous to cats
  8. A person that loves cats is called a ailurophile
  9. Julius Caesar was scared of cats, a condition known as ailurophobia
  10. Cats use their whiskers to judge if they can fit through a hole
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Microchipping your cat

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Microchipping  your cat

reading a microchip

Microchipping is one of the most effective forms of pet identification, but too few cat owners have their pets microchipped. The 2011 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report has revealed that 54% of cats in the UK are not microchipped. That’s around 6.4 million cats without microchips.

If cats are microchipped, they are more likely to be reunited with their owners because microchipping is a permanent form of pet identification, unlike collars which can become lost. A cat’s microchip can be read in seconds by a handheld scanner at most veterinary practices or animal shelters.

Cats are naturally inquisitive creatures. Some inspect delivery vehicles and are inadvertently locked inside. There are stories of cats that have turned up hundreds of miles from home and are returned to their owners thanks to their microchips.

We offer cat microchipping at our surgeries in West London. The procedure is quick and often painless – your cat won’t even need to be anaesthetised. Using a syringe, the microchip will quickly be inserted under the skin between your cat’s shoulder blades. It takes no longer than giving a normal injection.

Some cats regularly lose their collars, so microchipping could be a cheaper option in the long run. A microchip will stay with your cat for its entire lifetime. Collars are also a potential hazard to cats as they can easily become snagged on things. Dextrous cats can even get their paws caught underneath a collar, which can lead to painful wounds.

If a cat is believed to be a stray and it is brought into our practice, we will immediately scan it to find out if it has a microchip. If the cat can’t be identified, then it could be rehomed, while its real owner is left forever wondering what happened to their beloved pet.

Call Young Veterinary Partnership today or drop into our practice to enquire about microchipping your cat.

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Firework related pet anxiety

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Image courtesy of Bill Longshaw; freeigitalphotos.net

More than 80% of owners say their pet is afraid of firework noises. Signs of stress in dogs include trembling, shaking, hiding behind furniture, barking excessively, and trying to run away. Cats are much better at hiding their anxiety, but symptoms may include excessive meowing, refusal to eat, hiding, or vertical scratching and spraying.

Often mild reactions to fireworks can be managed with a pheromone (scent) spray; called Feliway in cats and Adaptil in dogs. These products can be purchased from our surgeries.

More severe reactions in dogs may be managed with a combination of sound desensitisation, using CD’s such as Soundsscary, and Adaptil.  Occasionally tranquilizers may be prescribed after consultation with your vet, but these are generally used as a last resort.

Further tips for reducing firework anxiety include:
i. Provide a den or hiding place; this works best if it is a place previously chosen by your pet when they have been frightened before.

ii. Plug a Feliway diffuser or Adaptil diffuser close to the den at least a few days before the fireworks start.

iii. Try to ignore behaviour such as whining and crying, panting or pacing.   Pets can pick up on their owner’s anxiety, and if you try to soothe them it can reinforce the belief that fireworks are something to be afraid of.  It is also important not to scold them.

iv. Close doors and windows, close curtains and turn on music or the TV to mask some of the noises.

v. Keep cats indoors and have them microchipped in case they escape.

Please contact any of our surgeries in West London for further information or a consultation.  Please see www.youngvets.co.uk for contact details.

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Cat poisons

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The most common poisons encountered by cats are

  1. Lillies
  3. Dog flea products containing permethrin
  4. Aspirin and other salicylates
  5. Paracetamol
  6. Antifreeze- Ethylene Glycol
  7. Liquid Potpourri
  8. Glow sticks
Lilly Poisoning
Many people are not aware that a common plant such as the Lilly is extremely poisonous to cats. All parts of the plant, stem, flowers and pollen are poisonous.

If your cat ingests any part of a Lilly plant you should seek immediate veterinary attention, as it can cause acute kidney failure.

After a cat has eaten part of a lily plant, signs of stomach upset (vomiting, lack of appetite, or lethargy) may be present. Clinical signs may be seen from 2 hours to 4 days after ingestion  of the plant, and  signs of kidney failure may begin which can include loss of appetite, depression, vomiting, and occasionally lack of urination.

With early treatment  (within 18 hours) with aggressive decontamination (making the cat sick and giving activated charcoal) and fluid therapy for 48 hours the prognosis can be good with  complete recovery.

Luckily lillies do not appear to be toxic to dogs or rabbits.

Dog Flea products containg pyrethrins

Cats are much more sensitive to pyrethrins than dogs.  Poisoning usually  occurs when a spot on dog flea product is administered mistakenly to a cat. These pyrethrin containing spot on preparations are the ones commonly found in pet stores and supermarkets.

Signs of toxicity are varied and include excess salivation, vomiting, weakness, excitability, tremors, seizures.

Treatment involves controlling seizures with phenobarbitone or gas anaesthesia,  (they are less responsive to diazepam),  intravenous fluids, maintenance of body temperature and glucose levels, and washing the product off the skin with washing up liquid.  Signs may persist for 1-4 days.

The prognosis can be good with early and aggressive treatment.

Occasionally cats may also show scratching at the application site , chewing feet or extremities, and nervous behaviour due to a problem called paresthesia. This is treated with decontamination of the site with washing up liquid, and application of vitamin E oil to the application site.

Aspirin and salicylates


Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is present in many over the counter analgesic ointments, as well as the common tablet form. Non aspirin salicylates are found in topical acne creams, lotions, sunscreens, facial masks, and make up, deep heat, Ralgex cream and Boots pain relief heat rub.

Toxicity to cats with aspirin is possible with ingestion of more than 30mg per kilogram weight of cat. Thus for an average 4kg cat 120 mg of aspirin may be toxic.

Signs of toxicity can appear hours to days after ingestion,  causing vomiting, diarrhoea and gastrointestinal ulceration with blood in the vomit or black faeces.  Collpase, fever, tremors seizures, bone marrow suppression and cerebral oedema may also be seen.

Treatment involves making the cat vomit or washing out the stomach, followed by activated charcoal. A course of gastro-intestinal protectants (sucralfate and h2 blockers) may be needed for 10-14 days. Intravenous fluids and regulation of body temperature may also be needed.

Paracetamol

Paracetamol is highly toxic to cats at  a dose rate of 45mg/kg or 180mg for an average 4kg cat), and symptoms include blue (cyanotic) mucous membranes (gums, or tongue) and difficulty breathing.  later symptoms include blood coloured urine and jaundice (yellow colouration of skin and mucous membranes due to liver damage).

Treatment includes making the cat vomit, or washing out the stomach, oxygen therapy, gastric protectants (activated charcoal),  intravenous fluids.

The prognosis is generally poor, even with treatment.

Ethylene Glycol   (Antifreeze)

Antifreeze products that are used in car radiators and  sometimes brake fluid, contain ethylene glycol that is highly toxic to cats. The substance has a sweet taste and may be drunk or the cat may get it on their feet and then lick it off.

It causes vomiting, a staggering walk and kidney failure. Treatment involves decontamination of the cat and hospitalisation and intravenous fluid therapy. Early treatment can give a full recovery but  unfortunately if kidney failure develops it can be fatal.

Liquid potpourri

Cats exposed to liquid potpourri can develop server skin , eye and mouth lesions. They contain essential oils and cationic detergents that are toxic to cats.

Treatment is usually successful but may require several days of hospitalisation and supportive care.

Glow sticks

Glow sticks when broken contain a substance that is irritating to cats and may cause excessive salivation, agitation and vomiting.  The symptoms are usually shor-lived lasting only a few minutes. Normally washing any part of the coat contaminated and giving milk or tuna juice to dilute the taste is all that is required.

For contact details of your local surgery see www.youngvets.co.uk

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Cat heart disease – veterinary ultrasound scan

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Cats can develop heart disease called cardiomyopathy. The most common form is caused by a thickening of the heart muscle (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).

Unfortunately cats often hide this problem very well, and may show no symptoms until seriously ill.  Your vet may be able to hear a heart murmur or irregular rhythm, which could indicate a problem.  It is important to have regular check ups (at least yearly) so that your vet can check for problems like this. The best way to diagnose this disease is by ultrasound scan.

This video shows a normal cat heart on ultrasound scan. You can see the moving heart valves (mitral valves) of the left side of the heart towards the bottom of the picture. These  valves are between the top chamber called the atrium and the bottom chamber called the ventricles.

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Cat nail clipping

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Cat nail clipping is possible at home, as long as you have a little knowledge.

  • First of all what type of nail clippers should you use ?

nail clipper

These nail clippers are the type that i use most commonly in practice, but there are smaller variations on this design that also work well. The type of clippers that i would avoid are the “guillotine” type.

  • How do i clip the nails ?

This is ideally a two person task, and is easier performed on a table at about waist height.  While one person holds your cat still, you can the hold a paw and clip the tips of each nail.  If you look at the diagram below you will see an area of the claw marked with dotted lines called the ungual process. This is the sensitive part of the nail that contains sensory nerve endings and a blood supply (also called the quick), and should NOT be cut.

anatomy of cat claw

When you look at the claw from the side, often the tip of the nail is much finer, and it then thickens as you move towards the base. This thicker region contains the blood vessel and should be avoided.

So if you can see the fine tip of the nail this is the part to be clipped.

  • How often should i clip my cats nails?

If your cat goes outside,  or uses a scratching post you may never need to clip your cat’s nails. However the nails can  grow quickly just like our own nails , and so can be clipped whenever the sharp points have regrown.  If in doubt clipping every 3 months should be fine.