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Despite their reputation for being "low maintenance" creatures, cats are nonetheless a huge responsibility. Cats are fascinating creatures with very distinctive, and instinctive, behaviors. They are innately curious, mischievous and independent. They love to climb and stalk, they scratch, and they often mark their territory. They can also be very reserved and dignified. Whether your cat is a stray adopted from a shelter or a purebred, it still deserves and requires the same care and attention. Owning a cat requires you to give understanding, affection, shelter, food and general care. In return, you receive loving companionship. Modern research has shown that owning a pet can have measurable health benefits. By providing responsible and quality care for your cat, you are also giving yourself the benefit of a healthier life!

Bringing your new cat home

Being prepared is the name of the game. Before bringing your new playmate and companion home, you should be sure to have basic supplies set up and ready for its arrival.

Food - Because the food you select going to be your cat's sole source of nutrition, it can have a large impact on his or her health and well being. Ask friends who own cats, or speak to your veterinarian before deciding which food to choose. Often times your cat might choose for you! It is important to note what kind of food your cat was being fed previously, especially if he or she was thriving. If a food change is necessary, gradually transition to the new diet over a 7 to 10 day period by adding more of the new food and less of the old food until the transition is complete. Contrary to popular belief, cats should not drink milk. Milk may often cause diarrhea due to lactose intolerance. If you have a very young kitten who needs milk, specially formulated kitten milk replacement is available through your veterinarian.

Litter Box Materials - Purchase a litter box, cat litter and scoop. Make sure to choose a pan large enough for a full-grown cat and deep enough so your cat does not scatter litter when he or she scratches it. If you're bringing home a kitten, make sure the box is small enough so he or she can access it easily. There are a variety of litters available, so you may have to try a few different kinds to determine which one you and your cat like best. If you have more than one cat, a general rule of thumb is to provide one more litter box than the number of cats in the household. For example, if you have four cats, you should have five litter boxes. Even in a one cat household, it is a good idea to have a litter box on each floor.

Bed - From the beginning, you should determine where you would like your cat to sleep. It can be very difficult to break the habit of sharing your bed once the habit is formed, especially for the cat! Generally, cats like small, quiet places to curl up and snooze. For warmth, try lining a cardboard box, with sides high enough to block a draft, with an old cushion or any soft, washable material. To encourage your cat to use the bed, put an old item of your clothing in the bed to help him or her feel secure. Often times, cats will choose their own beds, such as laundry baskets full of laundry, so it is wise to establish where your cat can and cannot sleep before finding cat hair all over your clothes!

Carrier - These come in various styles and materials. You should select one that is large enough so your cat can comfortably stand up and turn around when he or she is full-grown. It should be well ventilated, secure and easy to clean.

Scratching Post - Scratching is one of the most innate cat behaviors. Scratching helps cats clean away dead scales from their nails and allows them to mark their territory (both visually and with their scent). Having a scratching post in the house provides your cat with an acceptable target for his or her scratching, as opposed to your new couch!. The post should be sturdy and tall enough so your adult cat can stretch out to full length. There are a number of colors, styles and materials for scratching posts, so it should be very easy to find one that suits your home. If you notice your cat snagging or getting stuck to the scratching post (or your clothes!), it might be time to trim his or her nails. Ask your veterinarian to demonstrate the proper technique and to give you tips on proper nail care.

I.D./Collar - Even an indoor cat should wear a collar with an up-to-date identification tag in the event that he or she escapes outdoors. Make sure the collar is made of flexible or breakaway material to lessen the likelihood of choking if it becomes entangled in something. You may also want to explore another, more reliable identification option with your veterinarian, such as microchipping.

Grooming Tools - Cats are notoriously clean and spend many hours a day grooming themselves. It is still important; however, that you regularly groom your cat to help remove excess hair and dander. This helps lessen the likelihood of hairballs. Establishing grooming as part of your cat's routine and rewarding him or her after each "session" makes it a pleasant experience for both you and the cat.

Toys - Cats play with ANYTHING that moves, rustles, rolls or sways. Many of these "toys" are safe household items such as empty plastic thread spools, unshelled walnuts, cardboard toilet paper tubes or waxed paper balls. Cat nip toys, as well as feathers or something with bells, work well, too! Although cats tend to enjoy playing with string, yarn or tinsel, ingesting any of these could cause severe gastrointestinal problems.

Socialization of your new cat

When bringing your cat or kitten home, make sure the house is quiet and allow your cat to settle in and explore without too much interference. Keep your new cat or kitten confined to a particular part of the house or a particular room and definitely keep him or her indoors for the first few weeks. Once your cat has settled into its new home, the socialization process should begin. Introduce him or her to neighbors and visitors, allowing time for the cat to get acquainted with all the normal household noises and activities. Other pets should be introduced to him or her slowly and only under close supervision. It may take some time for a pet to get used to the new arrival "invading" the house and realize that the new cat is staying!

Regular Health Care

Establishing regular health care is an important element of your cat's well being. Regardless of your cat's age or where he or she was acquired, regular veterinary exams are crucial. These visits generally include vaccinations, inspection of the eyes, ears, mouth, abdomen and coat, as well as heart and breathing patterns. It is during these examinations that questions about your cat's health can be answered, even if it is a minor issue.

Dental exams are also an important part of your cat's routine health care. Plaque buildup is the most common dental problem in cats and can lead to deposits of hardened calculus on the tooth surface. If plaque is left unchecked, it can cause inflammation of the gums. This condition can worsen until the teeth eventually loosen and fall out. To prevent this, talk to your veterinarian about regular dental care for your cat.

Unless you have a pet that you intend to use for breeding, it is very important to have your cat spayed or neutered. Check with your veterinarian to determine the best time for the procedure. This helps prevent unwanted litters, manage pet overpopulation, prevent undesirable behaviors (urinating or "spraying") and may improve your cat's overall disposition. Spaying also eliminates the risk of uterine infections, lessens the chance of hormonal imbalances and reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering lessens the likelihood of testicular cancer and unwanted behaviors such as aggression and "roaming."

Holiday Time

If you are traveling, you need to consider how best to care for your cat while you are away. Cats can be safely left at home alone for up to two or three days, provided they are left with enough food and fresh water and have access to a clean litter box. If you decide to leave your cat home alone, it's a good idea to have a neighbor or pet sitter check in on him or her daily. If traveling for a long period of time, consider hiring a pet sitter or board your cat at a pet boarding facility. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a respected place to board your cat and be sure to ask for a tour of the facility. It is important to see where your cat is going to be living while you are away.

Ultimately, as you get to know your cat and form a lasting bond and friendship, you will become the best judge of what's best for him or her. Providing a caring and loving home will help to ensure the health and well-being of your cat, which will, in turn, benefit your health and well-being. If a question regarding the care of your cat arises, never hesitate to call your veterinarian for advice.

Domesticated dogs are most likely descendants of wolves. Many behaviors naturally exhibited by dogs are reflections of wolf-like ancestry, rooted in instincts thousands of years old. Some of these behaviors are at odds with the wishes of the dog owner, who wants a domesticated companion that responds to human cues. Understanding the natural basis of canine behavior can be the best place to start a successful human-animal relationship.

Social Behavior: Dogs retain some of the basic behaviors of wolves, including living in relatively small social groups, following a leader, and exhibiting territorial protection. Dogs have relatively stable, hierarchical social structures that mediate interactions between group members and help them avoid regular aggressive confrontations. Complex body signaling of dominant and submissive postures is involved in the establishment and maintenance of these hierarchies. Therefore, in domestic life, it is important for humans to maintain a leadership role in the household.

It's Important To Socialize Your Dog To Avoid Aggressive Behaviors

Communication: Dogs use a combination of vocal, visual and olfactory cues to transmit a variety of messages from friendly greetings to threats. A vocalization should be evaluated in association with the dog's body language and the situation in which the vocalization is delivered. Visually, dogs use their body posture and expressions to relay messages. A dog that uses body postures to increase apparent size is usually trying to drive off another party. Conversely, dogs that use body postures to minimize their size are often encouraging approach. Olfactory cues play an important role in communication. The scents are often at levels undetectable by humans.

A Dog's Posture Is A Good Indicator Of The Message It Is Sending

Sexual Behavior: Intact female dogs will come into heat about every six months. During early estrus, the female dog becomes more playful and urinates more frequently. Non-neutered male dogs often exhibit behaviors such as urine marking, mounting, and roaming. Neutering often curtails these undesirable behaviors.

Chewing/Ingestive Behavior: It is normal for dogs to have a desire to chew on a variety of items, and they usually seek items to chew if they are not provided. Dog owners should provide their pets with numerous chew toys.

Dogs Naturally Love To Chew

Elimination Behavior: Dogs do not instinctively know to eliminate outdoors. They start to move away from their nesting area to eliminate when they are about three weeks of age and usually continue to avoid eliminating close to their sleeping and eating areas throughout life. At about eight weeks of age, puppies develop a preference for eliminating on a particular kind of surface (grass, dirt, concrete, etc). This desire often becomes a lifelong preference. Dogs may use urination to signal submission to a person or another animal. This is a normal communication behavior that usually is exhibited by young dogs. Dogs also may eliminate in situations of extreme fear.

Pets help lower blood pressure: A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that people with hypertension who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than those who did not own a pet (Dr. Karen Allen, State University of New York at Buffalo).

Pets help reduce stress: Walking with a pet helps to soothe nerves and offers instant relaxation. Studies conducted worldwide have shown that the impact of a stressful situation is lesser on pet owners, especially males, than on those who do not own a pet (Josephine M. Wills, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom).

Pets help prevent heart disease: Because pets provide people with faithful companionship, research shows they may also provide their owners with greater psychological stability, thus a measure of protection from heart disease (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets).

Pets help lower health care costs: People with pets actually make fewer doctor visits, especially for non-serious medical conditions (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets).

Pets help fight depression: Pets help fight depression and loneliness, promoting an interest in life. When seniors face adversity or trauma, affection from pets takes on great meaning. Their bonding behavior can foster a sense of security (Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship).

Not all pets are cute and cuddly and sit in your lap, but pet owners love them just the same. Snakes, iguanas, birds, hamsters, fish and others are all popular pet choices, even though they can't go for a walk in the park or come when you call. However, exotic pets may soon be scarce in the United States if Congress passes a proposed piece of legislation that would prevent "non-native" species from coming in to the U.S. and ban the sale, breeding and transporting of exotic pets in the country.

Many species of birds are considered non-native and will be affected by HR 669.

The bill, HR 669, is called the "Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Protection Act." According to the text of the bill, its aim is to "prevent the introduction and establishment of nonnative wildlife species that negatively impact the economy, environment, or other animal species' or human health, and for other purposes." The overall goal of the bill is noble enough: stopping irresponsible pet owners from keeping dangerous pets and preventing non-native species from taking over local ecosystems. However, the language of the bill is vague, and this means that traditional pets like hamsters, aquarium fish, most species of birds, and reptiles could potentially be banned under the bill. As part of the bill, substantial scientific proof would have to be provided before a non-native animal could be imported into the U.S., bred or transported across state lines.

Under the current laws in place, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must demonstrate that a species can cause harm to humans, local ecosystems and the welfare of other wildlife resources in the U.S. If HR 669 is passed, the Fish and Wildlife Service would be required to create two lists - an "approved list," for species judged as harmless, and an "unapproved list," for species judged harmful. When examining the potential "negative impact" a species might pose, HR 669 judges the animal in the context of the whole country. For instance, a reptile species that might negatively impact the local ecosystem in southern Florida but nowhere else would nonetheless be banned throughout the country. Cats, dogs, farm animals and some rabbits are included in the list of species grandfathered in under the provisions of the bill. Other species would be required to undergo a rigorous screening process in order to prove they could not potentially have any sort of negative impact on their surroundings. Pet owners already caring for exotic pets would not have to give up their pets; however, the pets could not be sold or transported across state lines.

Pets such as dragons and iguanas could be banned under HR 669.

If passed, the bill will have a far-reaching impact on pet owners, breeders, veterinarians, pet supply retailers, and a number of other groups, including the New England Aquarium. Already, pet owners, have started to band together in opposition to HR 669. The website http://nohr669.com declared April 20 as "National NO HR 669 Call-In Day" and encouraged all animal lovers to call their Congressperson and declare opposition to the bill. The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), a trade organization comprised of retailers, distributors, manufacturers, hobby groups and other animal-related businesses, has also mounted a strong opposition to HR 669.

How HR 669 will fare in Congress remains to be seen. The bill is under review by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife and a hearing is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 23. You can track the progress of the bill by clicking here.

Congratulations! You've just taken the first step toward providing the best care for your friend in its golden years. Through senior blood testing, not only can normal laboratory values be determined that are specific to your pet, but any abnormal values may be addressed in order to maintain a high quality of life for your pet as it ages.

It is recommended to have these tests performed every one to two years to monitor any changes that may occur. It is only through early detection that many age-related illnesses may be slowed or prevented. Depending on the results, more frequent testing may be recommended.

The aging process brings about a gradual reduction in your pet's physical capabilities. While dogs and cats begin to undergo these changes starting at about age five to seven years, different pets will show the various signs of growing old at different rates. The best time to recognize your pet's "senior" status and need for extra TLC is long before advanced disabilities set in.

To increase the length and quality of your pet's life, it is important to begin a process of prevention. Risks are associated with your pet's background, environment, or lifestyle. Certain conditions put him or her at greater risk of developing age-related changes or diseases. Some of these factors cannot be controlled; however, activity level, living conditions, quality of medical care, and level of nutrition are factors that can be controlled by a responsible owner. The extent to which these factors are managed help determine the quality and length of your pet's life. By identifying some of your pet's risk factors, treatment can be initiated prior to the onset of a medical problem.

Dental Disease

Tooth loss and serious gum infections become more common as pets age. The loss of teeth is a problem, and difficulty in chewing food may result. However, the spread of bacteria from the mouth into the pet's bloodstream, when infections occur around the teeth, is an even more serious risk to the older pet's health. Tumors of the mouth and gums also become more likely with advancing age. The first step in good dental care is to have your pet's teeth examined by your veterinarian.

Weight Gain

Obesity is one of the single most important risks the older pet's health. Since the older animal's metabolism and activity level slows down, most older pets have a tendency to gain weight Obesity is unhealthy in any pet, but it is especially harmful to an older animal's joints, heart and other organs.

Skin Conditions

Skin problems may occur more frequently since the older pet's skin is less elastic and repairs itself less rapidly. Hair loss is usually more pronounced, because hair follicles are less active in later life.

Cold and Warm Temperatures

Because your pet's metabolism is slowing, you may notice an increasing intolerance to heat and cold. This happens because your pet produces less of the hormones that are critical for maintaining the body's normal temperature.

Senses

Smell, sight, taste and hearing will diminish as your pet ages. Many pets adapt to these losses very well, although there may be a decrease in appetite. For such pets, a highly nutritious, well balanced diet is a must. Eye problems, such as glaucoma and cataracts, are more likely to develop in older pets.

Internal Organs

Diseases of vital internal organs—heart, lungs, kidneys and bladder—occur more frequently in older dogs and cats. As animals age, the organs also age. Therefore, a complete health assessment of the senior dog and cat includes considerable attention to these organs along with dietary recommendations to promote good health.

What you can do at home:

• Avoid excessive weight gain. Your veterinarian may recommend an exercise program as well as a special senior pet food.
• Keep your pet's living and areas clean, dry and warm at all times.
• If possible, regularly check your pet's mouth for reddened gums, loose teeth or unusual swellings. Check eyes for redness, unusual cloudiness, discomfort and discharge. Check ears for wax build-up, discharge or unusual odors.
• Thoroughly groom and inspect your older pet's skin regularly. Look for lumps, bumps and wounds.
• If your older pet's eyesight is impaired, avoid relocating furniture. Also, try not to drastically change your pet's daily routine.
• Any change associated with eating, drinking or elimination should be noted and discusses with your veterinarian. These are conditions are often associated with early stages of disease.
• Take your older pet for regular senior checkups, even if he or she seems to be well. It is always easier and less expensive to prevent a problem rather than treat a problem.
• Feed only the food your veterinarian recommends. Since many "treats" are high in sodium, you should not permit your older pet to eat them unless recommended.

Your older pet is a real member of the family. With proper care and regular testing, your loyal companion should be able to live a long and healthy life.

Abscesses in cats are serious conditions. Unlike abscesses in humans and dogs, for example, they function deep below the skin and like the legendary iceberg, this unseen portion does most of the damage. An abscess in a cat is not "just an abscess" as so many people offhandedly observe. It is a condition which requires medical attention and antibiotic therapy.

Despite the great natural resistance of cats to infection, abscesses are common and are caused by a break in the skin through which bacteria enter. All cats carry lethal bacteria in their mouths and these bacteria cause the vast majority of cat abscesses when they are left behind in a bite wound.

Bite wounds from fighting are the most common causes of cat abscesses. Young male cats often suffer from abscesses at the base of the tail. This location usually denotes a bite wound inflicted by a mature tomcat who has been defending his "territory" by attempting to bite off the testicles of inexperienced competitors. Mouth abscesses, especially in older cats, often come from lack of dental care.

Two Cats Fighting

The most common symptoms of an abscess are heat and swelling of the skin, at the site of the infection. The owner can usually feel a soft lump at this location and it is obvious (from the cat's reaction) that the area is painful. The cat's temperature rises, and he (or she) may refuse to eat. Often, the original bite wound can be seen.

Neglected abscesses may extend into the deeper body tissues, unnoticed by the cat's owner. The infection can enter the bloodstream causing a septicemia (blood poisoning) with subsequent damage to the heart, kidneys and other vital organs. Sometimes this damage can be detected clinically; however, it is usually not detected until later in the cat's life. It can also shorten the animal's lifespan by several years. Sometimes, such septicemias become overwhelming and actually cause the cat's death at the time of the abscess. Bite wounds in the tail or the limbs may set up a bone infection necessitating amputation unless early treatment is initiated. Bone infections are extremely difficult to treat. Ear abscesses often spread to the brain causing convulsions and a slow, painful death.

Cat Recovering from Extensive Bite Wound Abscess
Note the Elizabethan collar around the cat's neck.
This is necessary to keep him from licking the wound.

Abscess wounds on the flanks, or other areas where the skin is loose, may lead to what is called cellulitis. Instead of localizing in one lump, the infection spreads under the skin throughout the loose tissues. Very often, the cat is extremely toxic (suffering the effects of blood poisoning) and requires extensive medical treatment. If this infection is near the spinal column, it may even enter the spinal cord and lead to complex nerve damage. Advanced cellulitis can even kill a cat.

Treatment

Many cat abscesses break down, discharge a considerable volume of pus, then appear to heal spontaneously, only to flare up again. This recurrence is due to the unique tendency of a cat's skin to heal more rapidly than the tissues it covers. Since the skin has healed and the deep-seated infection has not drained adequately the infection returns.

Proper medical care of a cat's abscess involves local surgery (wide excision, debridement and drainage) in order to remove the deep infection, allow drainage, and promote complete healing. This must also be accompanied by supportive antibiotic therapy. Abscesses that are draining satisfactorily may only require antibiotic therapy.

Following surgery, three to ten days of continued treatment and observation are usually required. The period may be longer if complications are involved. Following veterinary hospital discharge of the cat, the owner should notice an improvement in the cat's health. If there are any signs of an abscess re-forming, the cat should be brought back immediately for further treatment.

Flying first class is about to get a whole lot furrier. Starting in July, Pet Airways will offer pets-only flights for companion animals traveling between five major cities: New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. The first flight is slated to take off on July 14, and Pet Airways hopes to quickly expand its services to other "pawsengers" in other major cities.

About 76 million cats and dogs travel with their people each year, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, though relatively few travel by air. That's because air travel is often uncomfortable and stressful for pets, according to Dan Wiesel, the president and CEO of Pet Airways.

"Currently, most pets traveling by air are transported in the cargo hold and are handled as baggage," Wiesel said. "The experience is frightening to the pets and can cause severe emotional and physical harm, even death." Cargo holds in airplanes are often subject to extreme variations in temperature, according to Wiesel, and pets don't always receive the gentlest handling from airline workers.

How does a pet airline work? Pet Airways uses the Beach 1900 turbo-prop plane to transport pets. Normally able to seat 19 passengers, the Beach 1900 planes used by Pet Airways have specially-modified interiors where pets are safely secured in their carriers using a proprietary restraint system. The cabin is fully-lit and climate controlled, with plenty of fresh air circulating for pets. Pet passengers lounge in a temperature-controlled environment and are monitored throughout the flight by a specially-trained attendant. Once the plane lands, pets are taken to a special "pet lounge" where they wait for pickup.

Wiesel and his wife, Alysa Binder, got Pet Airways off the ground in part because of Zoe, their Jack Russell Terrier. Binder and Wiesel always wanted to bring Zoe with them on vacation, but they knew Zoe wasn't comfortable flying in the cargo hold of an airplane. Making other travel arrangements were logistically challenging, and the couple decided to find a way to make air travel for pets safe and comfortable.

Airfare for pets is about $150, about the same price as flying a pet on a major airline. Flights occur once a week, and reservations can be made on the Pet Airways website, and pet owners can track their pet's travel progress using Pet Airway's Track Your Pet feature. As Pet Airways expands, you may soon find your pet flying through the air with the greatest of ease!

A Nevada company and the couple that owns it has pleaded guilty to distributing the tainted ingredient that lead to the 2007 nation-wide pet food recall that killed or injured thousands of pets across the country.

On June 17, Sally Qing Miller and her husband, Stephen S. Miller pleaded guilty before a federal judge to one count of selling adulterated food and one count of selling mis-branded food. The Millers own ChemNutra, Inc., which imports food ingredients from China and resells them to food manufacturers. The Millers and ChemNutra were named as co-defendants in the case.

ChemNutra and the Millers were indicted in February 2008, along with Chinese companies Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company (XAC); Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts and Crafts (a Chinese export broker), for their role in distributing the tainted wheat gluten. According to the Associated Press, Chinese officials shut down XAC in 2007 following the pet food recall.

With the guilty plea, the Millers face up to two years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $200,000, and must pay restitution for victims of the recall, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. ChemNutra must pay a fine up to $400,000, as well as restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

"Millions of pet owners were impacted by the pet food recall in 2007," said Matt J. Whitworth, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "The conduct of these defendants in violating federal health and safety standards caused the deaths and illness of thousands of family pets, as well as anxiety among dog and cat owners across the country and economic harm to many pet food manufacturers."

According to the Justice Department, ChemNutra imported more than 800 metric tons of wheat gluten from China. The wheat gluten was tainted with melamine, an unsafe food additive often used to increase the protein count in food components. As part of the guilty plea, the Millers and ChemNutra "admitted that melamine was substituted wholly or in part for the protein requirement of the wheat gluten so as to make it appear the wheat gluten was better or of greater value than it was ... (and) The labeling was also false and misleading because melamine was not listed on the label as an ingredient."

The wheat gluten was then sold to pet food manufacturers and used as an ingredient of hundreds of different varieties of pet foods. Canada-based pet food manufacturer Menu Foods produced most of the 60 million units of recalled pet food. In 2008, Menu Foods agreed to contribute money to a $24 million settlement fund for pet owners whose pets were sickened or killed because of the tainted food.

The melamine-tainted food caused kidney failure in dogs and cats. During the recall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 17,000 complaints from pet owners. The Veterinary Information Network estimated between 2,000 and 7,000 pets died because of the contaminated food and tallied health care costs for the recall at between $2 million and $20 million.