CHEZ FAY

Veterinarians

Good veterinary care is very important to your cat's health and longevity. If you love your kitty, make certain she has a regular veterinarian and goes in for an annual checkup.

Some of my friends think they are saving money by taking their pets to "pet supermarkets" for annual shots. They take their pets to a "cheap" veterinarian for routine procedures. They only use "the good veterinarian" when life threatening conditions are involved. What they do not comprehend is that they could actually be jeopardizing their beloved pet's health. Furthermore, saving a few dollars on shots could mean more money in the long run because a medical problem has not been diagnosed and treated at an early stage. While it is true that "pet supermarket" shots are considerably cheaper than an annual checkup, that's tantamount to comparing what it costs me to go to a clinic for my annual flu shot to what it costs me to go to my doctor for my annual physical. Furthermore, I've compared the charges of the "cheap" veterinarian to those of the "good" veterinarian and they are insignificant.

During their annual checkup, my kitties not only get their shots. They get complete physicals. Our veterinarian, Dr. Giles, alerts us to any health problems she may see developing. She lets me know if any of my kitties need dentistry. On those occasions when my kitties have gotten sick, their complete medical histories are readily available to her. A good veterinarian, like Dr. Giles, is even a better veterinarian when and can give better care when she knows the animal and their medical history.

Dogs vs. Cats

Some of our friends refer to us as "cat people" while insisting that they are "dog people." While we currently live with 6 cats, my husband and I have both had dogs in the past. Even though I refer to them as "pooh eaters", I like dogs. One interesting observations I have made is that a lot of "dog people" do not own any pets at all.

When adopting a pet -- any pet -- you need to fully comprehend the responsibilities involved. If you have a dog, you need to understand that you will need to get up on cold rainy mornings and walk the dog before you go to work. Then, after putting in a full day on the job, you will need to come home and walk the dog again. Oh, and one more walk before going to bed. When I owned a dog, I felt terribly guilty because I often worked long hours. I thought of my poor little doggie sitting there with her legs crossed waiting for me to come home.

In many ways, cats are easier to care for than dogs. Still, there is considerable work and responsibility involved. Litter boxes need to be cleaned at least on a daily basis if you do not want your house to "smell like cat." All of our cats require a lot of grooming, and an occasional trip to the groomer for trimming.

People who do not know cats often refer to them as "aloof." My husband often laughs about the "aloof" show cats we observe giving their owners an affectionate kitty kiss. Our cats are waiting to greet us at the door when we come home from work. Furthermore, our cats will not settle down for the night until they are sure that my husband and I are both safely home. Anyone who thinks cats are aloof or not friendly has obviously not met our cats -- especially the lap fungus, Panyan Pou!

Don't do it! I'm going to take a stand here which may not be popular. However, it is my belief that if you plan to adopt a kitty and plan to have it declawed, you should not be adopting the kitty. People who put the well-being of their tacky replaceable upholstered furniture above that of an irreplaceable kitty need to reexamine their values and the commitment required to be a good cat owner.

That said, there are other alternatives to declawing. There is an excellent product on the market called Soft Paws®. They are caps that are glued onto the cat's claws. Most veterinarians will outfit your kitty with Soft Paws for you and show you how to do it yourself. Some groomers also apply Soft Paws.

Our kitties are very good about using their scratching posts. I have experimented with various scratching post materials (carpet, sisal and tree bark) and find that our kitties use the sisal posts the most. Kitties like to stretch when they scratch. So, make sure you get a scratching post tall enough so your kitty can stretch out. I had a scratching post custom made so it would be tall enough for my Maine Coon Cat, MeCoon. You should also make sure your scratching post is sturdy enough so that it doesn't move or (heaven forbid) tip over while your kitty is using it.

Finally, put the scratching post in a location where the kitty will use it. I had a friend who told me that she could not get her cat to use the scratching post. Come to find out, she had put it behind the door in the spare room that no one uses. No wonder kitty wouldn't use it! Our most used scratching post is in a high traffic area between the living and dining rooms.

I sometimes rub catnip into the sisal on the posts, which entices the kitties to scratch. However, in my multi-cat household, I have not had to train my kitties to use the scratching post. If one kitty uses the scratching post, the other kitties will follow suit.

Despite what MeCoon says, we actually do feed our cats. No matter how much you love your cats, remember that they are cats -- not people. Foods that are good for humans are not necessarily good for cats. Some human foods, such as onions and chocolate, can even kill cats! It is important that you feed your cats a good quality food specially formulated for the nutritional needs of cats.

There are many excellent cat foods on the market. Some are better then others. Wellness© is far and away the best cat food I have found. Our kitties love it!

If you can't find Wellness© cat food in your area, I also recommend Nutro's cat foods They have an extensive product line. I frequently feed my cats Nutro's Natural Choice which is available at most pet stores.

Our cats are fed dry food almost 100% of the time. The crunchy foods are better for the cats' dental health than wet foods. We also "free feed" our cats, meaning that food is available around the clock. However, MeCoon complains if the dishes aren't filled to the brim. At one point we had to put MeCoon on a diet, which meant that food was only put down in the mornings and evenings. Now that she's a mean, lean, purring machine, we have resumed the free feeding and MeCoon is holding her weight.

It's also important that you feed your cats from the proper china (Panyan Pou made me say that). Seriously, you should choose dishes that are easy for your cat to eat from. Cats like for their whiskers to be free and clear while they are eating. The dishes should be wide enough to accommodate their whiskers. Obviously, a dish which is good for a Siamese cat might not be wide enough to accommodate a flat-faced Persian. While some people put their cats' food on saucers, I have found that my kitties push more food from a saucer onto the floor than they consume. Cats can actually develop acne from their food dishes! This usually occurs if plastic dishes are used. Plastic is porous and harbor bacteria. I recommend metal or ceramic dishes. Panyan Pou recommends Waterford and Wedgwood.

Created on: January 17, 2003