Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.

When the 4th of July holiday rolls around, it’s a good time to remember that not all of us enjoy these celebrations that include loud noises and aerial explosions. In recent years, as various municipalities attempt to schedule 4th of July celebrations on appropriate weekend evenings, it is more common that fireworks now span two, three or even four weeks. Which means what was once one day of unexpected fireworks, now becomes many.

Therefore, it’s important to remember that our cats are not immune to the effects of fireworks, and what you can do as a cat owner to help your furry family.

Pancake will sleep through pretty much anything. In fact, I’m pretty sure she once slept through a local power transformer that exploded, sounding a bit like a bomb had gone off in the backyard. Tiller, on the other hand, runs off the second anything seems amiss.

For instance, we bought a new tennis racket the other day, and Tiller still won’t go near the closet where it is kept. Why? I have absolutely no idea. And if you get the racket out of the closet, you won’t see her for at least an hour. She’s been with me pretty much since the day she was found under a bush with a bad eye, she’s never had any run-ins with tennis or rackets or any other odd inanimate objects, but there you go. And fireworks are even worse- one bang, and she’s hiding for the rest of the night.

Cat Safety Tips for the Fourth of July

So, what steps can you take to help keep your cats safe on the 4th? There are a number of easy options:

• Keep cats indoors during times of fireworks or other outdoor activities.
• Ensure your cat is microchipped, and that the information is up to date
• Consider using feline pheromone diffusers that can help enforce calm and reassurance in a cat’s environment. Try to plug the diffusers in for a few days prior to the festivities, for best effect
• Close windows and doors, if possible, to help block outside noise. If they are left open, ensure screens are in place, to prevent your cat from accidentally escaping
• Play white noise, or similar masking sounds, to help diminish background noise
• If your cat is extra nervous, speak with your vet and see if any medical therapies might be useful, such as a medication to calm or sedate your cat for a few hours around the festivities
• Give your cat a space to feel secure in the house- maybe a nice box with some blankets and toys, or their bed placed into a closet where they might want to hide. Also shut off access to parts of the house they don’t use, so that you can monitor their whereabouts, occasionally, and won’t have to tear apart the house to find them
• If there are specific things that give your cat comfort- a stuffed toy, a certain shirt from their favorite human, a blanket fort in the laundry closet that you’re always trying to keep them out of, try to find a way to provide that little bit extra on these stressful days

As we recognize more and more the impact that celebrations such as the 4th of July can have on native animals, as well as our own beloved pets, hopefully the future will still be bright but also a little bit less noisy! In the meantime, some simple steps above can help to keep things a bit calmer for our feline friends.

The post Having a (Not So) Blast on the Fourth of July: Dr. Lauren’s Tips by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

Antifreeze and other chemicals containing ethylene glycol, such as hydraulic fluid, de-icing products, motor oil, paints, solvents, and wood stains, are toxic to cats and other animals. A small spoonful of antifreeze can kill a cat, and most felines don’t survive unless they’re treated within 6 hours.

Antifreeze Poisoning

The initial signs of antifreeze poisoning include vomiting, lethargy, incoordination, excessive urination, hypothermia, excessive thirst, and seizures. Unfortunately, the cat’s condition seems to improve after 12 hours, which can cause an owner to think they have recovered.

They can become dehydrated and breathe faster, but kidney damage, comas, and death are more likely after 12 hours.

Keeping Olga Safe

I don’t let Olga outside or allow her to explore my garage, where most of my toxic chemicals are stored, so she is less likely to be exposed to ethylene glycol than an outdoor cat. However, I’m always careful about where I store household cleaners and other hazardous products.

Olga can open doors and cabinets, and I don’t keep anything toxic in the bathrooms since she likes to open the cabinets occasionally. Although cats dislike sweet food, they’re attracted to antifreeze’s aroma.

They can get sick from licking their paws after walking through an antifreeze spill in the garage or sipping from a container with ethylene glycol. It’s difficult to understand why someone would intentionally poison a cat, but it happens more often than you think.

Punishing a Cat Murderer

Several years ago, I was visiting a friend when I heard people screaming outside. When we went outside to investigate, we learned that one of the neighbors had left a tray of antifreeze outside to kill a stray cat.

Some of the apartment’s residents had become attached to the cat and frequently fed him, and they wanted to murder, or at least mortally wound, the man who had killed him. They pounded on the murderer’s door and yelled, but he was either in class or hiding inside.

He was never injured or killed by the angry mob, but one of the cat lovers contacted the local university’s editor-in-chief. The cat killer was a journalist until he murdered the cat, and I’m glad the editor decided that unethical employees don’t make the best writers. I understand that stray cats annoy people and kill wildlife, but several humane deterrents can keep them away.

Animal Cruelty Laws

In the United States, killing a cat is a felony and can result in fines of up to $5,000 or 2 years in prison. Each state imposes different penalties, but some legislatures are trying to establish an animal cruelty registry that is modeled after sex offender lists.

Increasing the fines and prison terms for offenders may decrease the number of antifreeze deaths, but they won’t convince me to allow Olga to explore the outdoors. I’m paranoid enough about dropping a chunk of onion or garlic on the floor when I’m making dinner, and I don’t want to worry about another person injuring or killing my cat.

Keeping your cat indoors may seem selfish since they cannot explore the environment and hunt small animals, but it protects them from poisons, parasites, automobiles, and cruel humans.

The post Antifreeze Poisoning in Cats: Keeping Olga Safe From Toxic Chemicals by Christopher Bays appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

With five cats ruling my house, I have very little doubt about my role. Timely provision of food, water, and entertainment is expected, but there are times that I feel a little bit like their dealer, with catnip being their drug of choice.

Statistically, only around 60% of cats respond to the intoxicating effects of catnip, and that figure is reflected in my household, with Alex, Cyril, and Zelda being both attracted to and affected by catnip; Clutch and Zazzles have no interest in the stuff. Zelda, in particular, will start meowing aggressively if it’s been several days since her last ‘fix’, and the sound of opening the catnip tub is met with equal, if not greater, enthusiasm than the sound of the food container.

Recently, I was tasked with making some homemade cat toys, and the catnip crew were only too happy to help test them out.

But as I watch the wide-eyed antics of my intoxicated felines, I can’t help wondering – am I enabling an addiction?

The Ins and Outs of Catnip

Catnip, also known by its scientific name, Nepeta cataria, is a member of the mint family. These plants produce the chemical nepetalactone which repels insects, but appeals to many of the feline persuasion. This chemical works its way into your cat’s pleasure center by way of a particularly sensitive olfactory organ located in the roof of their mouth, called the vomeronasal organ (VMO for short). If you’ve ever noticed your cat pulling a comical grimace when they are sniffing something, this is called the Flehmen response – or as we used to call it in my house, “stinky face” – whereby they draw scents and pheromones into the VMO. From here, your cat can glean an absolute mass of information about the world around them.

One of the more important pieces of information processed by the VMO is to do with sex, like the presence of competition or the receptiveness of females. So the messages reaching your cat’s brain appear to be similar to arousal, which certainly explains the blissful response! It’s just a shame that only 60% of the cat population gets to enjoy it.

Can Cats OD on Catnip?

The catnip plant is not toxic to cats, but if they ingest a huge amount they may develop some unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. I’ve never seen this in my cats.

I usually bulk buy my catnip in a 1-ounce tub, which might not sound like much, but is the equivalent of 3-4 herb jars, and it usually lasts for several months…unless the cats manage to break into the container.

Thus far, the only downside my cats have experienced to this treat is some occasional eye irritation, a consequence of rubbing their face too aggressively against the carpet!

Am I Enabling Addicts?

I don’t think so. Although their ears prick up when I open the drawer containing this intoxicating treat, and the opening of the tub brings 60% of my cats to swarm excitedly around my feet, they do not spend the rest of their time looking for more, in a desperate search for their next ‘fix’. Although Zelda does get a tad demanding if she feels it’s been too long since her last dose, she is not completely consumed by her need for the ‘nip.

And if I can provide some extra amusement and enrichment in their lives, I’m absolutely going to do it. I just wish there was a way for Clutch and Zazzles to experience the same bliss I see in Zelda, Alex, and Cyril’s glassy, dilated pupils!

The post My Cats Are Addicts…And I Am Their Dealer by Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.

OK, I admit it. I sleep shame Pancake. If you’ve read my previous articles, you’ve likely seen multiple comments about how often she can be found… sleeping. To the point that some days I actually wonder if she does ever leave the sofa during the day, while I’m at work.

A recent podcast by the Huberman Lab, however, made me question if I needed to rethink her hours of time whiled away sleeping.

When we are born, as babies we enter the world as polyphasic sleepers. So what happens, and what is polyphasic sleep?

According to the sleep foundation, polyphasic sleep is sleeping marked by multiple intervals of sleep and wakefulness throughout the 24-hour day.¹ Apparently there are even further schedules such as the Uberman, the Everyman, and the Triphasic, if you want to get really nitty gritty.

The Benefits of Polyphasic Sleep

In newborns, our brains lack the capability to discern day and night signals that indicate sleep and wakefulness patterns in adulthood. But adult cats don’t; they are diurnal creatures, so they obviously understand such signals. So why do animals such as cats retain this sleep pattern as they age? In fact, even fire ants participate in polyphasic sleep. So, what are we humans missing?

Some initial studies theorized that predation risk may have meant an evolutionary tendency towards polyphasic sleep. Basically, you were probably less likely to be a larger someone’s snack if you weren’t caught snoozing for 8 hours straight.

But a more recent study refuted this idea, suggesting that predation risk did not correlate with polyphasic sleep; instead they theorized that small animals may simply need more frequent feeding and therefore their sleep schedule evolved to mimic their appetite and energy needs. (No one has yet done a study on whether, given the option of a memory foam mattress, and endless take out deliveries, if cats might elect to change to a monophasic sleep schedule!)

The Drawbacks of Polyphasic Sleep

When done in a human context of using polyphasic sleep to limit non-waking periods to two hours today, at least one review study found no benefits, and actually detrimental effects in physical and mental wellbeing, as well as productivity levels.

But cats aren’t limiting their sleep to two hours, attempting to squeeze every last drop of productivity into their day. Perhaps, a smarter approach would be to take a page from their book: relax more, sleep more, schedule less, and slow down. Unless it’s a red dot, or a feather toy, or a particularly tasty bug, in which case, all bets are off!

The post Sleep Shaming or Bio-Hacking: The Science of Feline Polyphasic Sleep by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

I try not to bore my dog-loving friends with too many cat stories, but it’s challenging since I live with an amusing goofball who never ceases to surprise me. Cats are fascinating subjects, and I doubt I’ll ever have trouble writing about Olga’s antics. Although, like most cats, she dislikes change and enjoys following a routine, she can be unpredictable.

I can count on her to glare at me and whine when dinnertime is a few hours away, but she doesn’t initiate the begging process at the same time every day. After several naps, she’s glued to the window and can’t keep her eyes off the birds and squirrels in my yard. She spends more time there since the temperature has increased and a new visitor caught her attention.

Window Watching

A field mouse, or more likely several field mice, has been hopping across the lawn in the late afternoon. I understand that mice spread disease and carry parasites, but I’m glad to see the rodents as long as they do not inhabit my house or take over my backyard. They distract Olga and allow me to spend my last hours of work in a calmer state.

She gets so excited that she attacks the blinds and scratches the windowpanes. I don’t get upset since she’s taking her frustration out on inanimate objects instead of my legs or back. When she’s not distracted by the wildlife and thinks I’m waiting too long to serve dinner, she usually finds something else to attack before becoming violent.

Hunger Attacks

I haven’t trained her to practice restraint when handling her afternoon hunger, but she seems more patient than a year ago, when she would chew on my shoelaces, dive on my back, or claw up my legs. However, she still attacks me occasionally or runs to the other side of my house and howls in the laundry room.

Some people hate cats because of their unusual or unpredictable behavior. They’re worried about a surprise attack, but I look forward to them. When Olga runs up to me after hiding behind the couch, paws me in the back of the leg, and fluffs up her fur to look more menacing, it cracks me up.

Demonic Behavior

I keep the door closed when I’m in the shower so that she can’t tear into the shower curtain, but besides that, I’m pretty tolerant when she morphs into a demon. I like watching her run laps around my house and leap from the couch to the recliner. Her eyes are dilated, and she looks like a cat possessed. I have a rocking recliner, and when Olga dives on it, the back slams into the drywall.

It sounds like someone hit the wall with the sledgehammer, and the first time she did it, the noise scared her, but now, it doesn’t phase her. She ignores it and continues to run at full speed until she slows down a bit and attempts to climb the wall molding in the hallway. Sometimes, she scratches my antique desk or tears into the headboard of my bed. I tell her to stop or chase her away, but it’s hard for me to get mad at her. She’s an amusing little creep, and that’s why I think some pet owners love talking and writing about their insane felines.

The post Why People Love to Talk About Their Cats: Olga’s Entertaining Nature by Christopher Bays appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

Whether it’s a worming tablet, flea treatment, or a course of antibiotics, trying to medicate your cat is not always easy, and when I set out to create this guide, I thought I’d have the ideal model in my easygoing feline, Clutch. Boy, was I wrong! On the plus side, however, he did provide us with some great examples of how to cope with an uncooperative patient!

Some things I have learned about medicating cats, both my own, and my patients:

• Trim claws first – at least if they do object, they’re doing it with short talons!
• Make them feel comfortable and secure – choose a location they feel happy in and place a towel or non-slip mat underneath them.
• Cats aren’t stupid – if the medication tastes awful, they won’t eat it in their food.
• 4 hands are better than 2 – if possible, get someone to help you.
• Confident handling is essential – check out my previous post on How To Safely Restrain Your Cat for more tips and tricks.

Eye Drops

The trick with giving eye drops is to come from behind the head rather than front on – this is much less confrontational for your cat. Use the heel of the hand holding the drops to pull the lower eyelid down whilst using the other hand to steady the back of the head.

Clutch really let the team down on this one! He, like many cats, was not tolerant of eye drops at all. But, it gave me the chance to use the technique I developed for my Chihuahua, Ned. I use a tiny bit of cotton wool and wet it with the eye drops, enough to ensure that the drops will drip into the eye as I wipe the cotton wool over the eyelids. Clutch may not have loved this either, but it allows you to get the drops right into the eye rather than trying to ‘point and shoot’. Just be aware that you will go through your eye drops more quickly with this technique.

Spot-ons

A lot of people get preoccupied with parting the fur and making sure they can see the skin before applying flea products. Yes, it is important that the product be applied to the skin, but as long as you get the nozzle through the fur to the skin, you can be quite sure it’s reaching the right place. You will always get some of the liquid on the fur, so be aware that this stuff can leave permanent oily marks on clothes, walls, and furniture!

Liquids and Pastes

Though I am loath to use towel wrapping on cats, Clutch once again proved to be the most difficult patient! Although he keeps his claws sheathed, he is very good at pushing me away and wriggling free, so he became our towel-demo boy.

When giving liquids and pastes to your cat, you need to tip the head back as far as you can, as this takes a lot of the strength away from the lower jaw. You need to direct the syringe towards the back of the tongue, but don’t shoot the liquid out too quickly.

Tablets

*Groan*

We all hate giving our cats tablets. Even the ones that claim to be palatable, rarely are. Here are my hot tips for giving tablets:

• If they taste awful, food is probably not going to hide them, and crushing them into food will only make them reject a larger amount of food.
• Hiding medication in food only works if the tablets are flavorless or not bitter.
• Gelatine capsules (vegan alternatives are available) are a great way to turn multiple tablets into a single medication, and come in a range of different sizes.
• Pill givers and pill putty are lifesavers!

If you need to get a tablet down your cat’s throat, you need to get it over the back of the tongue. I can guarantee that anything short of that will result in a failure, even if you don’t realize it at the time. Holding their mouth closed or rubbing their throat will just mean that the tablet that gets spat out later is more sticky.

Here’s The Real Tip

If you really struggle with medicating your cat, speak to your veterinary practice. You’ll be amazed at how helpful they can be, from showing you different ways to get those medications in, looking for alternative formulations, or even giving your cat the medication for you.

Don’t be shy – we’re here to help!

To see these tips in action – along with Clutch making me look foolish – check out the video.

The post How to Give Your Cat Medication: Dr. Karyn’s Tips (with Video) by Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.

As a veterinarian, I tell people that one of the most important things you can do for a cat, is to ensure that they are microchipped. In fact, one of my cats once escaped while in the wilds of Alaska, and the only way I got her back, months later, was via her microchip. Miles away, cities away- the chip was her saving grace. She’d navigated the rugged Alaskan wilderness on her own, and without the microchip (or chip, as we often refer to it), would have had no way to communicate who she was, or where she belonged.

These days, many shelters won’t adopt cats out until they are spayed/neutered and microchipped. But those that come by cats through other means, such as finding a stray or adopting a kitten from a friend, know that chips are a key part of pet ownership. And with modern technology, they can now have multiple uses. Let’s take a look.

Microchips: What, How & Why?

Microchips are generally placed in the scruff of a cat, under the skin, but not in muscle. Arguably the best time to do this is under sedation or general anesthesia during the time they are being de-sexed, as the needle gauge (size) is rather large, and can be uncomfortable. The microchip itself is about the size and shape of a grain of rice, and often cannot be felt once implanted.

Microchips work passively: a handheld, battery-powered reader can scan a chip within a few inches of the chip, and read out a several-digit number. This number is then linked via a database to the cat owner’s information.

In clinics, I’ve had many stray cats brought in, with finders desperately wanting to reunite the stray cat with its family. The majority of these cats don’t have microchips, and those that do, often have chips that haven’t been registered, or the contact information is out of date. So, if you do get a cat with a chip, always remember to complete the additional registration steps, to link the microchip number to your contact information. And if you move or change any of your contact information, don’t forget to update the microchip, as well.

And, if you ever need to look up a chip, know that there are various databases that the chip can be registered with- it’s not like a car where each car is registered to a single state. Rather, it’s like deciding to order a pizza: multiple different restaurants, each with their own menu. The American Animal Hospital Association is making things easier, as they’ve compiled a database of all the microchip registries, which is a good starting point.

Legally, microchips are becoming compulsory, or required, in many places, which is a good turn of law. Recently, all of England now requires cats to be microchipped and gives owners a 30-day window to adhere. For the cats out there that cannot speak for themselves, I think this type of legislation speaks volumes: microchip your cat, so they can find their way home.

The post Microchip Now: To Prevent Apocalypse Now by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

Aggressive cats sometimes guard their resources when they live in multi-pet homes, and they can prevent other felines from using the litter box or eating their meals. Although resource guarding and other undesirable behaviors can be addressed with training and veterinary assistance, some cats are protective over more than just their food, toilet area, and toys.

The Canine Advantage

Using dogs as reliable protectors is an ancient practice that still exists today, but can we rely on our housecats to protect our families and property? In most cases, I would say, “No!” If humans had been more involved in selectively breeding cats with desirable traits thousands of years ago, we could rely on larger felines to attack burglars, recover illegal drugs, rescue lost humans, and remove explosives.

Dogs are easier to train for those tasks because they’re more eager to please humans, and working breeds have a long history of serving them. Most cats are more likely to hide when their owners are threatened, but there are exceptions; some risk their lives to save other animals and humans.

Life-Saving Kitties

You may have seen videos of cats protecting small dogs from coyotes or drawing enraged dogs away from their owners so they can get to safety. I prefer those clips to the ones of cats playing the piano, and they make me wonder whether Olga would protect me in a life-or-death situation. She’s a guard cat in some ways, but her idea of protection is much different than mine.

I don’t expect her to repel a home invasion or chase a porch pirate into oncoming traffic, but she protects me from pests. A flying insect’s life expectancy plummets when it enters my home because of the gray panther prowling around.

Pest Control

Like most healthy cats, Olga is a light sleeper. She springs to action if she hears or senses a housefly or other bug in her territory. Her impressive eye-to-paw coordination allows her to catch flies in midair, sometimes using two paws.

I don’t think she’s protecting me exactly; most felines enjoy hunting insects and other small creatures because of their instincts but not out of their love for their owners. However, flies and other insects carry diseases, and when fewer pests inhabit your home, you’re less likely to have an infestation or get sick.

Olga the Watch Cat

Sometimes, Olga alerts me with a grunt when someone pulls into the driveway. If she’s sleeping, she may not react until there’s a knock on the door, but she usually comes to me if someone or something approaches my house. When she hears a helicopter in the distance, she jumps up and runs to the window.

Unlike fireworks, she’s not afraid of helicopters, but the sound irritates her, and instead of running away, she stares at the sky and paws at the windowpanes. Our cats protect us in some ways, even if they aren’t as skilled as dogs. I’m confident that Olga, like Sam the Shetland Sheepdog in Lethal Weapon 2, will alert me in time to escape a helicopter attack.

• See also: Working Cats: Felines That Have Important Jobs & How to Have One

The post Do You Have a Guard Cat? How Olga Guards Her Territory by Christopher Bays appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.

Fortunately for us, cats are pretty good at keeping themselves clean, rarely needing any major intervention from their humans, apart from some brushing and the occasional nail clip. However, some cats do suffer with waxy ears, or they may need to have their ears cleaned as part of treating an infection.

I’m lucky that only one of my cats, Clutch, needs regular aural attention. He has a couple of small polyps on the area outside his ear canals that make him a bit more prone to getting dirty ears, but fortunately don’t cause any other issues for him. He’s also a bit unusual for a cat in that he’s not quite as fastidious about his self-grooming as most other cats! Luckily, he’s quite cooperative with my efforts to keep him clean and tidy, including having his ears cleaned, and even having a bath!

So with his help, I’m going to talk you through cleaning cats’ ears, starting with why it might need to be done, and how to do it safely.

Do They Need To Be Cleaned?

For the most part, you won’t have to worry about cleaning your cat’s ears, but if you’ve noticed them looking dirty, crusty, smelly, or anything else unusual, the first thing you need to do is make an appointment with your vet.

Although, like with Clutch, some cats are just prone to waxy or dirty ears, in the majority of cases, if a cat’s ears need to be cleaned, there’s a medical reason. Ear mites, ear infections, polyps, and even certain types of cancer can result in discharge from the ears that might be creamy, crumbly, black, brown, or smelly, and different problems need different treatments. Part of that treatment may involve cleaning the ears or applying ear drops, or your cat may just need a regular cleaning regime.

The important point is that you should always seek veterinary advice before putting ANYTHING into your cat’s ears – the last thing you want to do is make anything worse.

How to Clean Your Cat’s Ears

This is something that will require at least some level of restraint, so I recommend checking out my article and video about how to safely restrain your cat. I am really lucky in that Clutch allows me to do most things to him with minimal fuss, but not all cats will be quite so compliant. It’s important to be able to see what you’re doing, so you want to make sure you’re in a place and a position that allows you to examine the ears, and if possible, have a second set of hands to help you.

Always make sure you have everything you will or might need before you get started, because even the most tolerant cat will lose patience very quickly if you have to keep stopping and starting. Your equipment list should include:

→ make sure you are using ear cleaner and ear drops that your vet has prescribed or recommended

→ if you have been advised to clean the ears before applying ear drops, it’s a good idea to wait 10-15 minutes after cleaning before applying any medicated drops.

Step 1: Set a Calm Scene

Place a towel on the table or bench you’ll be working on, or on the floor if you prefer. This provides a nice non-slip surface and can be used to wrap your cat if it becomes necessary. Bring your cat to your chosen spot and give them a treat and a fuss. Provided their ears aren’t painful, give them a bit of a rub and a scratch as a way of easing into the ear clean.

Step 2: Identify the Anatomy

Before you start poking, prodding, or cleaning, take a good look at the ear and make sure you can identify the ear canal. Your vet can help you with this, and the photo below of Cyril’s ear shows the canal very clearly.

Step 3: Clean Outside the Ear Canal

This is what the cotton buds are for. Although you should NEVER put cotton buds into the ear canal, they are perfect for getting wax from out of the nooks and crannies formed by the cartilage surrounding the ear canal.

Step 4: Clean Inside the Ear Canal

If your cat is particularly sensitive or painful, or if your vet has advised you not to put any cleaning solution into the ear canal, a good option is to pour a generous amount of ear cleaner onto your cotton pad/ball, and place this over your finger to clean as much of the ear canal as you can reach.

Because of the angle of the canal, you will not be able to hit the eardrum unless you start angling cotton buds into the ear.

Step 5: Apply Drops or Cleaning Solution Directly Into the Ear Canal

Don’t put any solution into the ear canal unless your cat has been examined by a vet.

Hold the pinna (ear flap) against the top of the head so you can see the ear canal. Insert the nozzle into the canal to apply the solution or drops as your vet has prescribed. Keep a firm hold of your cat’s head and ear to prevent them from shaking their head, causing the drops to fly out of the ear.

Firmly massage the cartilaginous base of the ear – most cats will enjoy this step, and it helps the medication or cleaning solution reach the deep part of the ear canal. If you are using an ear cleaner, use the cotton pad/ball to wipe any discharge and solution from around the ear canal. Repeat until you are not getting any more discharge out.

Step 6: Part as Friends

Be sure to give your cat a fuss, a treat, and an extra ear rub to make sure you end on a positive note.

Your cat will likely flap their ears and shake their head for some time after their ear clean, but if this persists more than 4-6 hours, a vet check is advisable. If your cat develops a head tilt that lasts more than 4-6 hours after a clean/treatment, phone your vet.

Minimize Restraint = Minimize Stress

I find that cats are much more likely to stress and fight back when we wrap them tightly or use excessive force to hold them still. If you can make ear cleaning a positive experience, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to clean your cat’s ears on your own, using just some firm but well-placed hands, keeping their stress levels low. However, if your cat is really not tolerating their ear hygiene, you may find that a towel wrap may be the safest way for you to proceed.

Though not all cats are as insanely relaxed as Clutch is, in many cases ear cleaning can be quite a therapeutic, beneficial, and enjoyable procedure that your cat may come to not just tolerate, but enjoy.

Join us next week when my cats and I take on medication!

The post How to Clean Your Cat’s Ears: Dr. Karyn’s Tips (with Video) by Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.

Note: This is part three of a three-part series. Click here to read parts one and two:

In the final article in this series, we will take a more in depth look at how acupuncture is actually believed to work, in general, and in some of the specific conditions.

Although, at present, no one fully understands how acupuncture works, there is a fairly conclusive body of both Western and Eastern research to say, unequivocally, that it does! As with any treatment modality, there will always be patients who don’t respond as predictably as others, but that is nothing new in the world of medicine.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Many theories exist as to how acupuncture works: modulation of the nervous system, stimulation of fascia, and all sorts of interesting theories abound. In fact, speaking of fascia for a moment, it wasn’t until I began studying acupuncture that I had a new appreciation for this incredible substance. In vet school, we were taught it was merely a connective tissue: basically lifeless, and functioning as nothing more than a wrap holding our innards together. Today, acupuncture and many other medical modalities take advantage of the intricate complexities of fascia.

Interestingly, though, and similar to general anesthesia, we simply don’t fully understand how acupuncture works: simply that it does.

What Happens During an Acupuncture Session?

So, what actually happens during an acupuncture session?

• First, you generally schedule an initial consult with a veterinary acupuncturist, to allow for your cat to be examined, and the issues for which you are seeking treatment
• Next the acupuncturist will determine a treatment plan. Treatment plans are very individualized and can vary widely. Just as not all vets will have the exact same approach to, say, a vomiting cat or a kitten with a fever, so too do the options vary widely with acupuncture treatments. Often, an initial treatment for a cat will involve selecting a few main acupuncture points, to get the patient used to the treatment, and to also see what effects it will have.
• An initial treatment may be done the same day, or a different day, from the visit. The acupuncture session itself will generally last around 20 minutes.
• During the session, fine gauge needles are inserted into the selected acupuncture points, these needles are often imperceptible to the person (or pet) experiencing the treatment; other times their placement is described as warm, tingling, itchy, or a dull ache.
• Some acupuncturists will simply insert, and leave, the needles. Others will use them for additional stimulation, either by rotating them, or even by using them to provide electroacpuncture
• Treatments generally occur weekly, for a selected number of weeks, after which treatments are then scaled back as needed

I’ve used it quite successfully for emergency CPR in neonatal kittens, as well as for arthritis. I’ve treated one patient with a chronic limp that responded amazingly well after only a single session.

It is important to remember that acupuncture isn’t a substitute for other medical therapies, but is generally best approached as a co-therapeutic modality. But acupuncture opens the door to so many new options in the treatment of so many chronic diseases, not to mention acute ones, that it leaves a world of new veterinary medicine to explore. A world that is actually around 3,000 years old. These are exciting times, indeed.

The post Feline Fine: How Acupuncture Works, Part Three by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.