Birman mews 2015 autum

Birman Mews Autumn Edition One - 2015

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To my dearest friend I stood by your bed last night; I came to have a peep.

I could see that you were crying you found it hard to sleep.

I spoke to you softly as you brushed away a tear, "It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea, you were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.

I was with you at the shops today; your arms were getting sore.

I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.

I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.

I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.

I gently put my paw on you; I smiled and said, "it's me."

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BIRMAN MEWS Official magazine of the Birman Cat Club of NZ Inc Editor Maxine Jorgensen, 113 Hautapu Road, R.D.1, Cambridge 3493, maxi.addi@clear.net.nz Contributors deadlines Autumn Issue March Winter Issue June Spring Issue Sep Summer Issue Dec ____________________________________________ Advertising rates Front cover (colour) 60.00 Back cover (colour) 50.00 (both include free B&W 1/2 pg inside) Inside front cover (colour) 40.00 Inside back cover (colour) 40.00 Inside full page (colour) 35.00 Inside full page (black image) 25.00 Inside half page (black image) 15.00 Breeders Directory - single insert 7.00 - 4 insertions 25.00 Queens Pride - Free to club members ____________________________________________ Club Membership & Records Management Please help us keep our RECORDS correct. Send any change of address, phone number or email address to the Secretary, Rhonda Rowe, 21/20 Newalls Street, Hamilton East. insanitynz@hotmail.com ____________________________________________ 2015 General Meetings dates Sunday 22nd March - Committee Sunday 17th May Margaret Suttons home, 1672 Arapunui Road, Te Awamutu Saturday 15th August Rhonda Rowe’s home 21/20 Newalls Street, Hamilton Sunday 29th November Sharon Jose’ home and this will be our end of year BBQ, all welcome. ____________________________________________ Appearing on the front cover 9 month old boy who became Birman Cat Club’s 2010 Supreme Exhibit Grand Ch Perfectpawz Royal Command, Bred by Maxine Jorgensen, Owner Judy James.______________________________________ ______ Disclaimer: This magazine is the official organ of The Birman Cat Club Inc. and is published by authority of The Birman Cat Club Inc. Nothing in this journal may be reproduced in any way without written permission from the publishers.

The opinions expressed by the contributors and correspondents are their own and not necessarily those of the publishers who takes no responsibility for their contents.

www.birmancatclub.co.nz www.facebook.com/birmancatnz Reminder: Birman Cat Show is to be held at The Good News Community Centre, Corner of Breckons Ave & Dominion Road, Nawton, Hamilton, Saturday 9th May 2015

Autumn 2015 - Mews 1 Inside this Issue Index

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Club Officials

4

Presidents Page

5

Past President & Editors Insert

6

Heartworm in Cats

7&8

Feline Aids

9

Is Your Cat at Risk

10

Feline Herpes Virus

11

Treatment & Management for FHV

12

Cat Abscess 10 Telltale signs for Fleas on your Cats

14 & 15 17

What is Chlamydia

18 & 19

Longhair section on the show bench

21 & 22

Litter training

23 & 24

Cats that lick too much

25

Raised butts in the air

26

Why do cats spray

27

Featuring the Birman Tabbypoint

28 - 32

Feline facts

35 - 38

Different cat breeds Crossword

40

Sudoku

41

Keeping pets safe over summer

42 - 44

Pros & cons of cat breeding

47 - 49

2015 AGM Minutes

50 - 52

Crossword & Soduku results

55

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Your Club Officials and Committee for 2015 President

Christine Morgan

chris_sanders@xtra.co.nz 3 Bevan Lane, Enderley, Hamilton 3214

07 853 2632 027 430 8423

Vice President

Linda Morgan

morgy1960@gmail.com

Tawa, Wellington 5028

04 232 5322 021 400 773

Secretary

Rhronda Rowe

insanitynz@hotmail.com

21/20 Newalls Street, Hamilton East

07 856 7748 027 311 5039

Treasurer

Sharon Jose'

jose@xtra.co.nz

4 Fourth Street, Waihou, R.D.3 Te Aroha

07 884 9358 027 292 0650

Privacy Officer

Christine Morgan

chris_sanders@xtra.co.nz 3 Bevan Lane, Enderley, Hamilton 3214

07 853 2632 027 430 8423

Editor Birman Mews

Maxine Jorgensen

maxi.addi@clear.net.nz

113 Hautapu Rd, RD1, Cambridge, 3493

07 827 8858 027 944 1360

morgy1960@gmail.com

Tawa, Wellington 5028

04 232 5322 021 400 773

Web Master Linda Morgan Facebook Editor Birmanalia Officer

Not applicable

Rescue and Please use the Birman Cat Club’s Facebook page and web page Rehoming www.birmancatclub.co.nz - www.facebook.com/birmancatnz Officers Committee

Christine Morgan

chris_sanders@xtra.co.nz 3 Bevan Lane, Enderley, Hamilton 3214

07 853 2632 027 430 8423

Rhronda Rowe

insanitynz@hotmail.com

21/20 Newalls Street, Hamilton

07 856 7748 027 311 5039

Sharon Jose’

jose@xtra.co.nz

34 Second Avenue, Waihou, R.D.3 Te Aroha

07 884 9358 027 292 0650

Maxine Jorgensen

maxi.addi@clear.net.nz

113 Hautapu Rd, RD1, Cambridge, 3493

07 8278858 027 944 1360

Margaret Sutton jm.sutton@xtra.co.nz

1672 Arapunui Road, RD2 Te Awamutu 3872

07 872 7804 027 672 7804

Linda Morgan

morgy1960@gmail.com

Tawa, Wellington 5028

04 232 5322 021 400 773

Rosemary Wilson

shinoto@xtra.co.nz

Te Aroha

07 884 7729 027 295 8985

Lyn England

tynlony@xtra.co.nz

135 Whangaparoa Rd, Red 09 426 9118 Beach, Hibiscus Coast 0932

Tony England

tynlony@xtra.co.nz

135 Whangaparoa Rd, Red 09 426 9118 Beach, Hibiscus Coast 0932

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Presidents Page Hi everyone, I hope the start of 2015 has been a good start that your breeding season has been successful.

I myself, have had 5 litters of kittens and have lost 3 new borns and one 6 week old baby. Not nice but the older one was born very tiny and was struggling to keep up.

RIP little angels.

We are looking forward, once more, to our annual Birman show to be held in Hamilton on 9th May. We have some new committee members, some old ones and some returning ones.

Welcome and thank you for putting your hands up to help out a club that, like many others, is only run by a few dedicated volunteers who have lives to live and troubles to get through.

Very disappointing as the Birman Club use to have a very strong committee.

Never mind, we are still going strong.

It has been a hard year and we haven’t had the Mews out like we promised due to unforeseen circumstances.

We do need pictures and stories from members to share with other members so please get on your computers and get some photos sent in and some stories about the antics your babys have been getting up to.

The show season is almost upon us and I wish you a very successful season and may the best Birman win. Be very careful driving as a lot of shows are held in the middle of winter when driving conditions are treacherous.

You all have very precious lives on board to no silly mistakes.

Take care all and all the best Christine BCC President

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Many thanks to Christine Morgan (Sanders) for standing again as President.

__________________________________________________

Editors Insert Hello Fellow Members and Welcome to my first Mews Publication I am proud to say that I am the new Mews Editor. I, Maxine Jorgensen, will be doing the best that I can to continue producing the Mews as we all have known it to have been. I won’t apologise for all the changes our Club has had to endure as our Committee workers are few and always the same members. I am sad to see there are not many of you out there putting your hands up, remembering this is for the love of the Breed that we have worked tirelessly for the Birman Cat Club.

We are grateful to Katie Wiseman to have come forward and do the best she could for Mews 2014.

To those that don’t know me, I have in the past been a NZCF Birman Breeder since 2000 under the prefix of Perfectpawz. I am no longer the Birman Cat Club Secretary, I shall however be assisting our new Secretary Rhonda Rowe until she is familiar with our clubs mechanics.

My first Birman stud was an import from Australia, breeder Marie Mahoney of Nicsha prefix and Jazperz Rhapzody maintained as well as excelled in my development for this breed.

I have sold a few breeders in my 15 years of breeding Birmans as well as having reached the pinnacle of shows. I have also helped many people get to understand this beautiful breed. I will say, I do not own a single Birman now, not even a pet.

My time has come to move on and let others show their worth to the breed. This breed like all, needs to move forward with the times as do the breeders.

I am still a NZCF breeder but I am going away from my Bengal’s to concentrate on my Cashmere (Longhair Bengal, a throw back from the originals). You will see me on the show bench and I am still going to be on various committee’s so you won’t get rid of me that easily.

I welcome your emails and information, photo’s (please email high quality resolution and clear pictures), anecdotes or anything that you deem worthy of publication for our Mews, maxi.addi@clear.net.nz Just remember that if your email address or your home address has changed, you need to let the new Secretary know this information. Our club will run as smoothly as it can if the members follow through with their contact details and support.

Thank you Birman Lovers.

Mews Editor Maxine Jorgensen 07 827 8858 - 027 944 1360 - maxi.addi@clear.net.nz

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Heartworm in Cats Heartworm in cats is something many people don’t think about because for so long, we’ve only associated it with dogs. Cats are susceptible to heartworm and there are preventatives available. Now is the time to start protecting your cat before we get into mosquito season.

(Heartworm is not known to be in New Zealand however, MAF have in the past treated a couple of dogs that have entered into our country.

It still is safer to be pro-active).

Heartworm infection takes place when a mosquito carrying infective, microscopic-size heartworm larvae, bites into a cat for a blood meal. The larvae then actively migrate into the new host and develop further as they travel through the subcutaneous tissue in the cat’s body.

At about 3-4 months, they usually settle into the arteries and blood vessels of the lungs, where they continue to develop to sexual mature male and female worms (Dirofilaria immitis). The average time from when the microscopic parasites enter the host until the females develop into mature worms and produce offspring is approximately eight months and is referred to as the prepatent period. This is about one month longer than in dogs. As adults, the heartworms can mate and the females can release offspring called microfilariae (pronounced: micro-fil-ar-ee-a) into the blood stream. The cycle begins again when a mosquito takes a blood meal from the newly infected cat and draws the microfilariae into its system.

Cats are resistant hosts of heartworms, and microfilaremia, (the presence of heartworm offspring in the blood of the host animal), is uncommon (usually less than 20% of cases).

When present, microfilaremia is inconsistent and short-lived. Some cats appear to be able to rid themselves of the infection spontaneously. It is assumed that such cats may have developed a strong immune response to the heartworms, which causes the death of the parasites. These heartworms may die as a result of an inability to thrive within a given cat’s body. Cats typically have fewer and smaller worms than dogs and the life span of worms is shorter, approximately two to three years, compared to five to seven years in dogs. In experimental infections of heartworm larvae in cats, the percentage of worms developing into the adult stage is low (0% to 25%) compared to dogs (40% to 90%).

However, heartworms do not need to develop into adults to cause significant pulmonary damage in cats, and consequences can still be very serious when cats are infected by mosquitoes carrying heartworm larvae. Newly arriving worms and the subsequent death of most of these same worms can result in acute pulmonary inflammation response and lung injury. This initial phase is often misdiagnosed as asthma or allergic bronchitis but in actuality is part of a syndrome now known as Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD).

Which Cats Are Susceptible?

Although outdoor cats are at greater risk of being infected, a relatively high percentage of cats considered by their owners to be totally indoor pets also become infected. Overall, the distribution of feline heartworm infection in the United States seems to parallel that of dogs but with lower total numbers. There is no predictable age in cats for becoming infected with heartworms. Cases have been reported in cats from nine months to 17 years of age, the average being four years at diagnosis or death.

Clinical signs The clinical signs of heartworm infection in cats can be very non-specific, and may mimic many other feline diseases. Diagnosis by clinical signs alone is nearly impossible, but a cat may exhibit generic signs of illness, such as vomiting intermittently (food or foam, usually unrelated to eating), lethargy, anorexia (lack of appetite), weight loss, coughing, asthma-like signs (intermittent difficulty in breathing, panting, open-mouthed breathing), gagging, difficulty breathing (dyspnea) or rapid breathing (tachypnea).

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Heartworm in Cats cont: Signs associated the first stage of heartworm disease, when the heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, are often misdiagnosed as asthma or allergic bronchitis, when in fact they are actually due to a syndrome newly defined as Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD).

Some cats exhibit acute clinical signs, with disease often related to the organs where the adult heartworms are thriving. Occasionally such infected cats die quickly without allowing sufficient time to make a diagnosis or offer appropriate treatment.

Clinical Signs Associated with Feline Heartworm Disease Acute

Chronic

collapse dyspena convulsions diarrhea/vomiting blindness tachycardia syncope sudden death

coughing vomiting dyspnea lethargy anorexia weight loss chylothorax

Diagnosis Heartworm infection in cats is harder to diagnose than it is in dogs and it is easy to overlook.

Diagnostic tests have limitations, so negative test results do not necessarily rule out an infection. Antigen tests, for example, only detect adult female or dying male worms. Immature or male-only worm infections are rarely detected.

The diagnostic plan for heartworm disease in cats can include, but is not limited to, a physical examination, radiography (X-ray), echocardiography (ultrasound readings of the heart), angiocardiography (X-ray of the heart with injected contrast fluid), CBC (complete blood count), serologic testing (antigen and antibody study), microfilaria testing, and necropsy (after death).

Physical Examination The results of a physical examination may appear to be perfectly normal in cats infected with heartworms. Harsh lung sounds are a frequent abnormal finding and may be present in cats without any respiratory signs. The presence of a heart murmur or abnormal rhythm is uncommon. Only rarely, have there been reports of ascites (fluid in the abdomen), exercise intolerance and signs of right-sided heart failure. In cats, the primary response to the presence of heartworms occurs in the lungs.

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Feline AIDs prevalent in Southland A serious disease deadly to cats is prevalent in the south, with vets calling for owners to vaccinate their pet moggies. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a potentially fatal virus similar to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). While FIV is related to HIV it can't be passed from cats to humans.

Exact numbers are hard to measure because individual vet clinics and pathologists test for the virus, however southern vets say it is a big problem in the south. VetSouth Veterinarian Kate Parkinson said while not all cats coming to the clinic were tested, about half those she tested were positive for the virus.

This was in stark contrast to her time as a vet in the UK when she saw only one cat with the virus. "It is really prevalent in Southland," she said. Up to 27 per cent of cats in New Zealand test positive for FIV, according to information released by animal health company Zoetis. Vets spoken to by The Southland Times agreed there was a problem with FIV in the region, but said it was up to owners to make sure their cats were vaccinated.

There are four strains of the incurable virus in the world, two of which are in New Zealand.

A vaccination has been developed overseas, but only targets one of the New Zealand strains.

Despite the vaccine's limitations, southern vets are calling for cat owners to consider vaccinating their pets, saying it is the best preventative measure they had against the virus.

"I recommend the vaccine because it [the virus] is so prevalent," Parkinson said. Cats need to be initially vaccinated three times over several weeks, followed by yearly boosters.

Northern Southland's Vets veterinarian Rebecca Morley said it could cost a lot to keep cats protected against FIV. Vaccination and testing prices varied in each practice, but could cost upwards of $40 each time, she said. Vetco Limited veterinarian Liv Gasland said the virus was common in the south and owners were often of the mistaken belief their cat was protected against the virus if they had had a cat flu vaccination. It was likely there were more cases of the virus than were reported, she said. The virus often went untreated for a period of time as initial symptoms could disappear, she said.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, weight loss, lethargy and chronic infections.

Cats could be infected for years without their owners realising anything was wrong. A cat diagnosed with FIV should be kept inside to stop the virus spreading. SPCA operations manager Richard Hay said the organisation made sure all cats were fully vaccinated, micro-chipped and de-sexed before they were adopted out to their new homes.

They did not test every cat that came in to the shelter as it was a costly process, but cats showing symptoms of the virus were tested, he said.

"The cost of it is too overwhelming for us. It's pretty obvious when they come in [if they have FIV]," he said. While domestic cats could be tested, stray cats with the virus could remain unchecked as they were hard to catch, he said. "There's a worry that [strays] are roaming around, spreading [it]," FACT BOX: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus WHAT IS IT? An immune deficiency virus similar to HIV. SYMPTOMS - Fever, weight loss, lethargy, loss of appetite.

WHAT CAN YOU DO - There is no cure so prevention is best - keep cats inside, feed them a good diet, and vaccinate. But remember the vaccine only protects against one strain of the virus found in New Zealand.

Publicised byThe Southland Times http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/65821085/Feline-AIDs-prevalent-in-Southland

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Is your cat at risk?

Feline immunodeficiency VIRUS (FIV) or Feline AIDS is a common feline retrovirus infecting New Zealand cats. It is similar to Human AIDS or HIV causing immunosuppression which leads to disease such as oral infections and cancer. Caught through bite wounds in fighting cats, New Zealand has one of the highest rates of FIV positive cats in the world. High risk animals would include tom cats, breeds that tend to fight (Abyssinians, Burmese, Rex) and potentially all outdoor cats. In New Zealand infection rates vary, current research estimates 5-15% of New Zealand cats become infected with this life threatening disease.

A new vaccine Recently a new vaccination, Fel-O-Vax FIV (Fort Dodge), has been developed to protect against Feline AIDS. This vaccine is a very important model in the fight against HIV. The vaccine was developed to protect against FIV Subtype A and D (there are 5 different Subtypes of FIV: A, B, C, D and E). In New Zealand the most common subtypes found are Subtype A and C. With a high prevalence of Subtype C in NZ research is currently being undertaken to assess the efficacy of FIV vaccination. As Subtypes A and C are closely related it is expected that good cross protection should occur and no evidence of vaccine breakdown has occurred in NZ to DATE. The decision to vaccinate For all at risk cats we recommend vaccination. A simple and quick antibody test will be run in-clinic prior to vaccination for all adult animals. Kittens may be vaccinated straightaway.

If the test is negative a microchip to identify your cat as vaccinated (as well as enabling us to track you as an owner) will be inserted and the first vaccine given. A course of 3 vaccinations spaced 2-4 weeks apart is necessary for full protection, with an annual booster given at the same time as your regular vaccine.

What if my cat tests positive?

A small percentage of cats will have a false positive antibody test. A laboratory PCR blood test to identify the VIRUS, will double check the in-clinic result. If your cat has feline AIDS we will discuss ongoing treatment. Many cats can go on to live full and happy lives carrying the VIRUS, although remain a risk to other animals if fighting.

At risk animals If your cat has recently been in a cat fight it is best to wait 2 months before testing and vaccination. It takes a while for the body to produce antibodies to the virus and produce a positive test. In all at risk pets we recommend vaccination due to the high prevalence of FIV, the safety of the vaccine and the fact is it's too late once they have the virus. http://www.thevets.net.nz/cats/index Feline Aids (FIV)

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Feline Herpes Virus (FHV) Infection Feline herpes virus (FHV, FHV-1) is a highly contagious virus that is one of the major causes of upper respiratory infections (URIs) or cat flu in cats. This virus is ubiquitous and causes disease in cats all over the world. See also Upper respiratory infections (URIs, Cat flu) in cats. Together, FHV and feline calici virus cause the vast majority URIs in cats.

What is FHV and how is it spread?

Feline herpes virus (FHV) is a virus that mainly causes acute upper respiratory infections (URIs) in cats, although it has been associated with some other diseases also (see below).

The virus is readily transmitted between cats through: · Direct contact – through contact with saliva, ocular or nasal secretions · Inhalation of sneeze droplets · Sharing or food bowls and litter trays A contaminated environment (including bedding and grooming aids) – this is less important with FHV than FCV as the virus is fragile can probably only survive for 1-2 days in the environment. With FHV, after infection, virtually all cats will remain latently infected (the virus persists in nerve cells). This means that infected cats effectively become life-long carriers of the virus. In many cats this causes no problems, and they do not continue to shed virus so are not a risk to others. However, some cats will intermittently shed virus again, and this is more common following episodes of stress or when the cat's immune system is suppressed (e.g., following the use of corticosteroids). When virus is shed again, some cats will also develop mild recrudescence of clinical signs. Additionally, persistent FHV infection can cause ocular problems.

What are the clinical signs of FHV infection · Acute upper respiratory infection – acute URI is the most common manifestation of FHV infection. Typical signs include conjunctivitis, ocular discharge, sneezing, nasal discharge, salivation, pharyngitis, lethargy, inappetence, fever and sometimes coughing.

Signs may last from a few days to a few weeks and shedding of virus typically continues for around 3 weeks. Clinical disease with FHV is generally more severe than that seen with FCV. · Keratitis – although relatively uncommon, one manifestation of chronic (long-term) FHV infection that is seen in a number of cats is conjunctivitis and keratitis (infection and inflammation of the cornea – the clear part at the front of the eye). Although keratitis can have a number of different causes, FHV infection causes the development of multiple small branching corneal ulcers (called ‘dendritic keratitis’) and this is considered diagnostic of FHV infection. · FHV-associated dermatitis – a rare manifestation of chronic (long-term) FHV infection is the development of skin inflammation and ulceration. This is most commonly seen around the nose and mouth, but can affect other areas such as the front legs. This is only seen rarely.

How is FHV infection diagnosed?

In most cases, a specific diagnosis of FHV infection will not be required. The presence of typical signs of URI is enough for a presumptive diagnosis of FHV (and/or feline calici virus – FCV) infection. If a specific diagnosis is required, ocular or oral swabs can be submitted to a veterinary laboratory where the virus can be grown in culture or, more commonly, detected

by PCR (a molecular technique for detecting the genetic material of the virus). Evidence of the virus may also be present in biopsies and can be useful for the diagnosis of FHV-associated dermatitis (skin infection).

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Treatment and Management of Feline Herpes Virus Infections FHV infections are frequently complicated by secondary bacterial infections, so supportive treatment with antibiotics is usually required. Good nursing care is critical and cats may need to be hospitalised for intravenous fluid therapy and nutritional support in severe cases. Steam inhalation or nebulisation may help in cases of severe nasal congestion and as the cat will not be able to smell food well, using tinned or sachet foods that are gently warmed will help.

Unlike FCV, with FHV infection certain anti-viral drugs are available and can be very helpful in managing the clinical manifestations of disease.

Systemic antiviral therapy: Famciclovir is a human anti-herpes virus drug that has been shown to be safe and effective in cats. It can be given by mouth and can be valuable in managing severe acute infections in particular.

Topical ocular antiviral therapy: idoxuridine, trifluridine and cidofovir are all human anti-herpes virus drugs that can be successfully used as topical ocular (eye drops) therapy for FHV-associated conjunctivitis and keratitis. Some of these drugs have to be given very frequently (several times daily) and they may be combined with topical interferon to enhance efficacy. In colonies of cats, any cat showing clinical signs should be isolated if at all possible, and strict hygiene should be ensured with disinfectant, and use of separate feeding bowls, litter trays, implements etc., careful washing of hands, use of separate (or disposable) apron etc.

Vaccination against FHV: Vaccination for FHV is important for all cats. Two or three injections are recommended in kittens, starting at around 8 weeks of age. Cats should receive a booster at a year of age, and after that should receive further booster vaccines every 1-3 years.

Vaccination does not necessarily prevent infection with FHV but will greatly reduce the severity of clinical disease. Unlike FCV, there is effectively only one strain of FHV, so vaccination is not complicated by the existence of different strains. ___________________ // ___________________

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How to wash a cat 1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom 3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the lid. You may need to stand on the lid.

4. At this point the cat will self agitate and make ample suds.

Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this!

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a ‘Power-Wash’ and ‘Rinse’.

6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.

7. Stand well back, behind the toilet as far as you can and quickly lift the lid.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.

9. Both the toilet and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Yours Sincerely, The Dog

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Cat Abscess or Cat Fight Abscess - Symptoms and Treatment A cat's skin has the ability to heal very quickly. When a tooth or claw from another cat punctures the skin it injects bacteria into the underlying tissues. The small puncture wound then quickly heals over providing the bacteria a warm moist environment to thrive and multiply. Three to five days later the abscess can be seen or felt as a soft painful swelling under the skin. Not every wound will abscess. Development depends on the extent and the depth of the bite, the number and type of bacteria present in the wound and, most importantly the ability of the victim's immune system to fight off the infection.

Apart from local soreness your cat may not show ill effects from the bite wound for some days. However, as the infection worsens, fever, loss of appetite and lethargy may be noticeable. These are symptoms of release of bacteria toxins and by products of dying tissue into the blood stream. The cat can become quite ill.

What is an Abscess on a Cat? Abscesses are accumulations of pus that usually form as a result of puncture wounds inflicted during cat fights (real fights or mock fights). There can be causes of abscesses other than cat fight wounds, for example foreign bodies such as grass seeds, splinters etc. It may not always be evident what has caused an abscess until the contents have been released and the cavity in the tissues examined.

How do abscesses on cats occur?

What are the symptoms of cat abscess?

If your cat has an abscess he will be in a great deal of pain. Suspect your cat has an abscess if: * * * * * * *

There is a sudden loss of appetite.

Your cat becomes less active. He may sit 'hunched over' for long periods of time.

He is reluctant to move or play.

He is reluctant for you to touch him or he is in obvious pain when you touch him.

He is warm to the touch indicating he may have a fever.

You may notice a lump or hot inflamed area Combined with other symptoms above your cat may begin to limp.

You may not always notice an abscess as the cat's fur can hide it.

What is the treatment for cat abscess?

The abscess may rupture spontaneously discharging thick yellow or brownish foul smelling pus through a hole in the skin. The cat may then feel a lot better and resume eating. If the cat is co-operative, clip away the fur surrounding the wound. Bathe away any discharge and any scab that has formed. Wash with warm salty water or dilute hydrogen peroxide (50/50 10 volume). The more discharge that escapes the better.

If the abscess does not rupture within a day or two it is best to have it opened and drained surgically by your vet. Your vet will drain the pus and remove dying tissue which promotes more rapid healing and resolution of the infection. Your vet will usually insert a surgical drain in the abscess site to allow further discharge to occur over the next few days. Usually antibiotics will be prescribed and the drain removed a few days later.

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Cat Abscess or Cat Fight Abscess - Symptoms and Treatment—cont.

If you know your cat has been bitten it is advisable to take it to the vet or veterinary hospital for examination. Potentially serious wounds can be treated with antibiotics before they develop into abscess. Early action can often avoid abscesses and expensive complications.

Following a cat fight, inspect your cat for tell-tale painful areas and puncture wounds.

Particularly search around the head and neck and forelegs, and on the lower back at the base of the spine. Often the injury can be somewhere to the rear of your cat. This happens because your cat is fleeing from it's attacker. Feel for matting together with tufts of hair or blood at the puncture site.

Do not dismiss small holes as insignificant.

Apply gentle pressure at the site and judge the cat's reaction for pain. Repeat this test the next day. Increasing soreness is a cause for concern.

Neutering male cats is the most effective method of reducing the incidence and severity of fights. Keeping your cat inside at night will also help prevent fighting.

When to visit the vet If you know that your cat has been bitten or has a claw wound it is best to take it to the vet before an abscess develops. Penetrating bite wounds are almost always infected.

If If If If

your cat is off it's food or in pain. the abscess is extensive. the abscess does not rupture or begin to resolve within 48 hours. the abscess ruptures but is not clearing up within 48 hours or is re-forming.

Left Before treatment

Right After treatment

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"

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10 Telltale Signs Your Cat Has Fleas Fleas Life Cycle - Typical flea cycle is 20 to 35 days.

Adult / Eggs 2-14 days / Larva 8-14 days / Pupa 5-7 days Don't know why your cat is scratching? Here are specific things that cat owners should look for to keep kitty flea-free. 10-signs-cat-fleas Fleas! Disgusting! Good thing your cats don’t have fleas, or do they?

How can you tell? If you regularly spend time with your cats, you’ll be able to figure it out pretty quickly. You will know what’s normal behaviour for them and what their coat and fur usually look like. But if they become infested with fleas, there will be both physical signs and behavioural changes that will alert you that something is wrong.

Find out how indoor cats get fleas. Exactly what’s going on, you may not know for sure. But if you notice any more than a few of the following signs, you can be pretty sure fleas are the root cause of your cat’s problems: See how to fight cat fleas safely Intense and frantic scratching or biting of their coat. Flea bites can cause a cat’s skin and fur to feel very itchy.

Your cat may suddenly start scratching his body with his paws or chewing his skin, in an attempt to get some relief from the itchy feeling.

Excessive grooming. Fleas can turn cats into non-stop groomers, especially around the hind legs and base of the tail. A cat may lick repeatedly to try to eliminate the itchy sensation.

Hair loss. Your cat may groom himself to the point that you start to see bald patches, especially on the back of the legs, neck and around the base of the tail. Avoidance of certain parts of your home. If some of your ROOMS have hardwood or tile flooring and others are carpeted, it’s the latter that’s going to harbour most of the fleas. Your cat may typically prefer the carpeted rooms, but if he’s been bitten by a lot of fleas in those rooms, he might quit going to those places. Agitation, edginess and restlessness. Your cat may suddenly behave like a wildcat. He might start growling a lot, shaking his head, hysterically rubbing his head and body on the floor or darting from one end of the ROOM to the other. He’s doing these things because the fleas are literally driving him crazy. Red skin lesions or scab-like bumps. Some cats are so sensitive to flea saliva when they are bitten that their skin becomes red and inflamed.

These lesions are extremely itchy. If the cat chews on them, they can start to ooze. Muscle loss, pale gums and lethargy. These signs indicate anemia (low red blood-cell count), which can result when a huge number of fleas consume a cat’s blood or if the cat bites his skin so deeply that he bleeds excessively. Flea anemia is most often seen in kittens, seniors or sick cats. Tiny pepperlike specks on your cat’s fur. Known as "flea dirt,” these dark brown specks are actually the faeces of the flea. They’re most often seen on the neck and rump areas, but you may also see some of these specks on your cat’s comb or brush.

If you put some of these granules on a paper towel and mist them with water, they will turn red. That’s because the faeces are composed of digested blood. Red spots in your cat’s bedding fabric. This is flea dirt that fell off your cat’s fur and onto the bedding, and then turned red when the cat’s warm body rubbed against it.

Pinhead-sized black or reddish-brown insects crawling on your cat’s fur.

These are the fleas themselves. If your cat is heavily infested, there’s a good chance you’ll see them. Part your cat’s fur in several places to see the skin. Fleas gravitate to the neck, lower back, hind legs and tail.

But even if you don’t see any, don’t assume there are no fleas in your home. Fleas go through four stages in their life cycle, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Even if there are no fleas on your cat’s body, there could still be fleas in the three developmental life-stages in your furniture, carpet or baseboards, just days or weeks away from turning into adults and invading your cat. That’s why it’s important to always be tuned in to the signs of flea infestation. Today, your cat may be flea-free.

Tomorrow, he might not be.

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Chlamydiosis (Chlamydia) in Cats What is feline chlamydiosis (chlamydia)?

Feline Chlamydiosis or Chlamydia is an infection caused by a bacterium-like organism. It is an unusual bacterium because it lives and multiplies inside the body cells of the cat whereas most bacteria live outside cells. The full name of the bacterium is Chlamydia psittaci (feline strain), in the past it was also known as Feline Pneumonitis. Pneumonitis implies inflammation of the lungs but most problems associated with Chlamydia infection in cats involve inflammation of the upper respiratory tract particularly conjunctivitis that is often recurrent or chronic.

How does a cat become infected with Chlamydia?

Because Chlamydia lives inside cells of the body and is not able to survive for long in the environment, spread of infection relies on direct or close contact with an infected cat.

Following infection, the incubation period (time before development of disease associated with infection) is between 3 and 10 days.

Which cats are most at risk to this disease?

Young cats and kittens are especially vulnerable to this infection although Chlamydia can be detected in cats of all ages. It is the most common cause of infectious conjunctivitis in cats.

What clinical signs does a cat infected with Chlamydia develop?

The bacterium primarily infects the conjunctiva (the delicate membrane lining the eyelids and covering the edges of the eyeballs) causing inflammation (conjunctivitis). In normal cats the conjunctiva is not readily visible and has a pale, salmon pink color.In cats with conjunctivitis, the conjunctiva becomes swollen and reddened often making it more visible. The nictitating membrane or “third eyelid� in the inner corner of the eye may protrude partially across the eye and be red. One or both eyes may be involved. Affected cats initially develop a watery discharge from the eyes that later becomes thicker and is usually a yellow or greenish colour.

The eyes are uncomfortable and cats often keep the affected eye(s) closed. Most cats remain bright and otherwise appear normal, but some may develop a fever or lose their appetite.

Occasionally, sniffles and sneezing may also occur. In adult cats, infertility can result from infection. In kittens the infection may be widespread and cause a fatal pneumonia.

If left untreated, the conjunctivitis and associated discomfort and discharge may persist for several weeks or months during which time the cat is also a source of infection to other cats.

There may be apparent recovery and then relapse.

How can Chlamydia be diagnosed?

Chlamydia infection can be diagnosed in several ways with isolation of the organism the method of choice. This involves taking a swab sample from the eyes. The swab is then placed in special transport media and sent to a laboratory where the organism can be grown in culture and identified. Sometimes the Chlamydia organisms may be seen in stained smears. Another option is a blood test for the presence of Chlamydia antibodies. This test can be useful in cases where a negative laboratory culture result is received or as a general screening test of catteries or multi-cat households where conjunctivitis is a chronic problem. Chlamydiosis can be difficult to diagnose because there are many causes of conjunctivitis and cats may have multiple infections at the same time.

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Chlamydiosis (Chlamydia) in Cats, cont Are other cats in the household at risk of infection?

Chlamydia is spread by close or direct contact with an infected cat so any other cats in the home may have come into contact with the bacterium and be infected. For this reason, once Chlamydia has been diagnosed, all cats in the household should be treated.

Is my family at risk?

Occasionally cases of Chlamydia conjunctivitis occur in people in the same household as affected cats. If anyone is having sore or runny eyes they should consult their doctor and tell him or her that there is Chlamydia infection in the cat. Such infection is uncommon and once diagnosed is readily treatable.

Is there any treatment for Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection, and it can be successfully treated with a course of oral antibiotics. Only certain antibiotics are able to penetrate inside the cells where Chlamydia resides. Treatment must be continued for a minimum of 4 weeks and for at least ten days after the eyes appear normal. In some cases, topical antibiotic treatment in the form of eye ointment may also be given.

Since some cats can be infected sub-clinically (not show signs themselves but act as a source of infection to other cats) treatment should be given to all of the cats in the household. Although the infection can be debilitating in some cats, it is treatable with a low risk of recurrence as long as the entire household is thoroughly treated.

How can Chlamydia be prevented?

Various vaccines are available and are most useful in breeding catteries where it can be difficult to completely eliminate Chlamydia. In colonies where Chlamydia is endemic, vaccinations are recommended to minimize the risk of future outbreaks.

Vaccination may also be desirable in Chlamydia-free colonies and in household pets to provide protection for high risk situations such as boarding catteries and breeding. Chlamydia is often a component of multivalent (multiple organism) vaccines for cats. Your veterinarian will advise you on the appropriate vaccination choices for your cat.

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Longhair Cats the Birman needs to Out-Shine on the Show Bench (As per NZCF standard) Persian - PER A true longhaired breed, the Persian is a big, strong cat whose luxurious flowing coat concealing a large cobby body and low sturdy legs. The head is massive, broad and round with tiny, well-furred ear set wide apart. The eyes too, are wide set, large and round giving a sweet expression. The nose is snub, cheeks FULL, broad muzzle and strong chin. The coat is long and thick all over with a immense ruff around the head and a tail that is short but in proportion to the body. The Persian is a dignified and calm breed that has a great desire for affection which it accepts regally. They are good natured and quiet and make good house cats. Regular grooming is essential Exotic - EXO The Exotic is the easy care Persian with a coat that is dense and plush.

Otherwise they have the same physical features as the Persian. They are gentle, affectionate and laid- back. However they are more outgoing than the Persian and seek human companionship enthusiastically.

Ragdoll - RAG The Ragdoll is a semi-longhaired cat of Himalayan pattern and come in three variations which are either Colour Pointed, Mitted (white feet) or Bi-colour, all with blue eyes. The name comes from the ability these cats have to relax and go completely limp when being handled, but of COURSE, only when it suits them!

They are PLAYFUL, gentle and affectionate cats who seem to have a "nothing bothers me" attitude. They make quiet, sweet and endearing pets and appear to love being carried around and held by their owners whether adult or child, although their docile nature could make them vulnerable to boisterous youngsters.

Their coat is thick and silky but non-matting so only moderate, but regular, grooming required.

Maine Coon - MCO The Maine Coon was developed in U.S.A and is the official cat of the State of Maine. It is a large breed and males can reach up to 10 kgs in weight and females up to 6 kgs. They are solid, rugged and well suited to survival in a harsh climate, having a waterproof coat, but they also tolerate hotter climates with ease. The semi long coat has a longer ruff and full bushy tail, requiring moderate grooming. They are playful and very vocal cats but have a chirping trill rather than a meow. Gentle and affectionate they are not a lap cat but like to sit next to their owners and follow them around. A little reserved with strangers, they make good hunters. .

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Longhair cats the Birman needs to Out-sine on the show bench - cont Turkish Angora - TUA One of the most outgoing and affectionate of all cat breeds, the rare and beautiful Turkish Angora has a fascinating history and is considered a national treasure in its native land. Many Turkish Angora owners consider their cats a treasure as well! Turks are not only intelligent, but extremely adaptable, loving and playful, which makes them an excellent choice for families with young children, and lively companions for senior adults. They readily accept dogs and other animals, but their assertive natures often make them the alpha pet in the household.

Turkish Van - TUV The Turkish Van evolved around the Lake Van region in south eastern Turkey. Known for their fondness of water, it is believed they swam out to meet the fishing boats and scrounge a meal.

A waterproof coat developed and to withstand the climatic extremes of this region, they also sported two different coat lengths. The Turkish Van has a long, muscular BODY of medium size and fine bone with a graceful lithe appearance.

A short wedge-shaped head, the ears are large, pointed and set high on the head with tufts.

The eyes are round to almond shape, pink rimmed and eyes of amber or blue - they can also be odd-eyed, with one blue and one amber Norwegian Forest Cat - NFO The Norwegian Forest cat, aka 'The Viking Cat', is a large, semi-longhaired Norwegian breed.

It is an ancient breed, and is one of the largest of all domestic breeds, with only the American Maine Coon being larger.

It is a powerfully built cat with long hair, a full ruff, tuffeted ears and a bushy tail. The Norwegians front legs are slightly shorter than the hind legs.

Its long outer coat is glossy and water resistant, while the thick undercoat adds protection against the cold.

Siberian - SIB The Siberian is a medium/large, strong cat of medium length hair, which takes 5 years to mature. The females weigh less than the males. They are extremely agile and athletic. Their muscles are mighty, outstanding and powerful. The back is medium and slightly lower in front than in the hind, but appears horizontal when in motion. A barrel shaped, muscular torso, develops with age. The hind legs, when straightened, are slightly longer than the forelegs. The paws are round, big and quite powerful. The overall appearance should be one of great strength, and power; the facial expression is quite sweet.

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Kitten Litter Box Training Unless you’ve rescued an orphaned kitten who is still in the bottlefeeding stage, chances are you won’t have to teach the furry little one how to eliminate but you will have to create a litter box set-up that’s conveniently located and easy to get in and out of. You will also have to provide guidance and help your kitten with timing.

Some kittens get the hang of the litter box right away and others need more hand (paw) holding. Just don’t assume kittens come pre -programmed to know where all the pee and poop belong. They need your help!

A Box Fit For A Kitten As the kitten grows, she’ll appreciate having a big box with lots of room, but for now, the litter box set-up needs to be kitten-friendly. The box should be easy for a young kitten to get in and out of. A high-sided box will be too difficult for a youngster to crawl over, especially with a full bladder. Keep in mind a kitten won’t have the bladder control of an adult cat so when she has to “go” it’s usually urgent.

Choose a low-sided box. This will not only help in terms of being able to get into it, but also, if the kitten can see the litter, it may serve as an added reminder. Seeing the soft substrate may remind her that this is the place to dig, eliminate and cover her waste.

As the kitten gets older you can then place a larger box next to the smaller one to start a gradual transition. You can even place the smaller litter box inside the larger box to get her used to the new set-up.

Never use a covered box or an electronic box with a kitten. The box set-up should be convenient, safe, simple, quiet and hard to miss.

The Litter Choice There are many types of litter on the market but in general, the best choice for a kitten is one of the soft, scoopable types. A texture that resembles sand on the kitten’s paw pads will be much more comfortable and will make it easier for her to dig and cover. It’s also more comfortable for her when she’s perched in elimination position. Standing on traditional clay litter that has some sharper edges or hard crystal-type litter may not be as comfortable for a kitten who is just learning the ropes when it comes to bathroom etiquette.

To Clean Or Not To Clean With an adult cat you would hear me telling you over and over again to keep the litter box conditions absolutely pristine. With a kitten though, it’s a good idea to leave a little (notice, I said “a little”) of her liquid or solid waste in there. This will help serve as an added reminder of where the pee and poop go.

If you find a little solid waste outside the litter box, instead of tossing it in the toilet, place it in the litter box so she’ll have a little scented reminder of where it should’ve been placed.

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Litter Box Location For a kitten, the box needs to be really, really easy to find. Kittens don’t have great bladder control so you shouldn’t expect your new youngster to be able to get all the way across the house or down a flight of stairs to find the box. Confine your young kitten to a smaller portion of the house so she can easily get to her litter box. Once she starts having access to more of the house, place litter boxes in multiple locations. Litter boxes should be in open areas where the kitten can easily see them. They should also be in quiet areas so kitty isn’t easily distracted. The location should be safe and secure so the kitten doesn’t have to worry about the family dog sticking his nose in there or achild or other family member startling her.

Help Remind Your Kitten Typically, cats may eliminate after a nap, after playing or after eating. Your kitten will probably be on that schedule and then some because she’ll need to eliminate more frequently than an adult cat. Frequently bring her over to the litter box on a regular schedule as she learns to perfect her potty timing.

When You Need to be the Mother Cat If your kitten isn’t getting the whole dig, eliminate and cover routine, or if she was taken from her mother too young and didn’t get that lesson, you’ll have to assist her. When you bring your kitten over to the litter box for a potty break, use your finger and dig a little in the litter. The sound and sight of that might entice her to do the same. If she eliminates but doesn’t cover it, take your finger and cover it a bit so she can see what the sequence is supposed to be. DON’T take her paws and cover the waste. That will only cause her to pull away and can start you off with potential litter box aversion. Just let her see YOU do the covering.

Never Punish for Out Of Box Accidents Your kitten is just learning and she may not make it to the box in time. Don’t punish her in any way for missed litter box attempts. Instead, look at what you might be able to do to make it easier for her next time. Perhaps she was playing too far away from the box and you didn’t bring her back for a potty break in time. Maybe the box is too hard to get into? Was someone in the family holding the kitten for too long while she was squirming to get away in order to get to the box? Litter box accidents aren’t the kitten’s fault. Any punishment will only start to create a fear of you (not what you want when you’re establishing a new relationship) and potentially cause a litter box avoidance problem.

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Cats that Lick Too Much Some cats are more fastidious than others, but obsessive grooming signals a problem. Nellie, a seven year old female spayed tortoiseshell, rolled over on her back and revealed a bald belly. That's when her owner suddenly noticed she had a cat that licked too much. Licking comes naturally to cats, but sometimes this normal grooming urge crosses the line into obsessive behaviour. If your cat's licking seems excessive in frequency or duration, don't ignore the problem. Here's what you can do if you suspect your cat's habitual grooming behaviour isn't so normal anymore.

Licking Cats typically spend between 30 and 50 percent of their day grooming themselves, says Pamela Perry, DVM, animal behaviour resident of the Animal Behaviour Clinic at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. It's a huge chunk of their day, she says. Because cats groom frequently, owners usually don't notice a problem until they observe significant hair loss or skin lesions, she adds.

Why Cats May Lick Cats will lick when an area of their body is itchy or painful, says William Miller, Jr. VMD, a board certified specialist in dermatology and a professor at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. If pain is the issue, the licking is focused on the painful area, like in cases of disc disease or anal sac impaction. With itchy diseases, however, the licking is more widespread. We call these cats fur mowers, and their problem is common in cats, Dr. Miller says. The area being 'mowed' gives us a clue as to the cause, which can include anything from parasites in kittens to neurological diseases in older cats, but there is great overlap, he says.

For example, compulsive licking at the tail head may indicate a flea infestation, while cats with pollen or food allergies may lick their backs, abdomens or other areas of the body.

Licking that causes excessive numbers of hairballs or hair loss is abnormal, Dr. Miller notes. Bald skin is more prone to sunburn, frostbite or other environmental insults, he says. As long as the licking doesn't break the skin's surface, no infection will occur. If the cat gets more passionate about licking and abrades the skin surface with its rough tongue, infection can occur. Infection will intensify the licking and a vicious cycle will be set up, resulting in a serious infection, he explains. The solution to fur mowing is to identify the underlying cause and correct it. The owner can check for fleas, lice and fur mats, but beyond that, a veterinarian should intervene, Dr. Miller says. "Over-the-top" licking does not always stem from a physical health problem, the behaviour can occasionally have a psychological cause. Cats like consistency and predictability, and change can be stressful, Dr. Perry says.

A recent move the addition or loss of another pet in the home, or even a change of schedule can cause anxiety in cats. Licking which in such cases is considered a displacement behaviour may calm and comfort a cat, but it can sometimes become habitual if the source of the problem is not properly identified and addressed.

When Licking is Stress-Related If all medical problems have been ruled out, then we normally treat over grooming as the result of some form of stress in a cat's life, Dr. Perry says. If possible, she recommends making changes or introductions gradually, bringing familiar items such as bedding, to a new home, adding cat-friendly vertical space, high places where cats can retreat and feel safe and keeping their environment stimulating by finding a few minutes (ten to 15 minutes daily will do) to PLAY with them each day. Most cats really enjoy interaction, Dr. Perry says. Finding what your cat likes, whether it's cuddle time with you or a favourite toy that is like a SECURITY blanket, can relieve stress. Finally, if your cat is seriously stressed, a form of temporary anti-anxiety drug therapy prescribed by your Veterinarian may be warranted, she says.

In addition, like people who bite their fingernails, the repetitive act of licking may involve a stress-relieving pleasure component that reinforces the behaviour, Dr. Perry says. Thus, feline licking can become a habit that persists after the cause is identified and resolved. Usually, the behaviour is forgotten, naturally or with the help of medication in about a month, Dr. Miller says. Whether the cause is physiological or psychological, solving an over grooming problem will require time and patience on the owner's part. For Nellie, who had recently endured the loss of a companion animal in her home, the solution required consistent attention, affection and routine. It took a few months, but her hair is growing back and her life has returned to normal.

By Susan Easterly

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Why Do Cats Raise Their Butts in the Air? When you stroke your cat down her back does she suddenly go into elevator butt position lowering her front end and raising up her hind quarters? If so, that’s a very common position meant as a friendly gesture and an invitation to continue scratching or petting her in that location.

You’ve Hit the Spot Although elevator butt may seem rather insulting to us, it’s actually the cat’s very positive response to the fact that you’ve hit just the right spot when petting her. Typically, that spot is at the base of her tail.

Not all cats enjoy being scratched or petted along the spine or at the tail base, but if yours does, you’ve probably witnessed that elevator going up.

Intact Cat Behaviour When intact females display elevator butt it has a much more specific meaning. The position, known as lordosis, is how the female shows the male she’s ready for mating. With intact cats in lordosis, the tail position will be different than plain old elevator butt. The tail will be off to the side in preparation for entry by the male. The female may also tread with her hind paws.

If your intact cat is displaying true lordosis it means she’s in estrus so it’s very important to make sure you keep your indoors. When in estrus females are noticeably more affectionate and vocal. You’ll probably be presented with the lordosis position just about every time you pet her.

You may even notice one or two unfamiliar cats hanging around outside the window as well.

These are intact males who are well aware of the fact that there’s a mating opportunity nearby. Be extra careful about not letting your female cat outdoors and then contact your veterinarian about having the cat spayed as soon as the heat cycle is over.

Isnt she Lovely & Firecracker

Vanika wondering how her dinner ended up outside. After all she had left it inside in her food bowl, alive offcourse.

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Why Cats Spray

Even though you may not be able to see it, if your cat sprays in your home you can definitely smell it. The unmistakable odor indicates that all is not peaceful in your cat’s universe. When a cat sprays, it can put everyone in crisis mode and it can put the cat at risk of being relinquished to the shelter, given away or sadly, even euthanised. Many people don’t understand why cats spray so they don’t understand how to effectively deal with it. Many people misunderstand the motivation behind spray marking behavior. All-too-often, cat parents simply label the behaviour as territorial marking but that isn’t the only reason cats spray. Unless you can uncover the true cause for the behavior, you won’t have much success in stopping it. So it’s time to sharpen your detective skills and do some undercover work.

Spraying vs. Indiscriminate Urination To start with, you need to know that there’s a difference between spraying and indiscriminate urination. If a cat urinates outside of the litter box it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s spraying.

These are two behaviors and can have very different causes. Indiscriminate urination is usually done on horizontal surfaces. Spray-marking is usually done up against vertical objects (although some cats do spray horizontally). The posture for spraying is different from typical urination. When a cat sprays he typically backs up to the object, twitches his tail and begins treading with his front paws. He may also close his eyes while spraying. When a cat (male or female) displays normal urination, he squats. When a cat indiscriminately urinates there may be an underlying medical cause or the conditions in the litter box may be unappealing. Even if the box is kept clean there may be something about the set-up that’s not appealing. There could also be something going on in the environment that is causing stress to the cat or making him feel as if it’s not safe to use the litter box.

Communication is Why Cats Spray When a cat sprays, it’s a form of communication. Surprising to many cat parents, both male and female cats can spray. I’ve seen so many cases where cat parents completely overlooked the female cat and were convinced (incorrectly) it was the male doing the spraying. The pheromones in urine spray reveal lots of information about the sprayer. It’s the feline version of a resume. A cat may spray-mark his territory to define the perimeter for other cats. He may also spray to create a familiar scent in his territory. Some cats will spray a family member’s belongings, not as a way of territorial marking but rather, as a way of self-soothing by mixing scents. Since scent and familiarity play important roles in the feline world, some cats spray new objects that are brought into the environment. Confident and non-confident cats spray.

A confident cat may spray as a grand display of his victory after a confrontation with another cat. A less-than confident kitty might spray-mark as a form of covert aggression. It’s a way of giving a warning without actually having to risk a physical altercation.

The information in the sprayed urine reveals information such as age, sex, sexual availability and status. These are important facts when it comes to cat-to-cat communication, especially in an outdoor environment where close encounters could result in injury or death. Not all cats spray and if you gradually ease your cat through changes in his life such as the introduction of a new spouse, new pet, new baby, new house, etc., you’ll greatly reduce the chances that he’ll feel the need to spray. And of course, if you have an intact male cat you stand a 100% chance of spray-marking behavior so it’s a very wise idea to have him neutered. If your intact male is currently displaying spray-marking behavior, having him neutered will, in almost all cases, stop the spraying behavior.

Need More Help about Cat Peeing?

For step-by-step information on dealing with a cat who sprays, refer to Pam’s books Starting from Scratch or Think Like a Cat. For multi-cat households, refer to the book Cat vs. Cat. They all contain in-depth chapters on spraying behaviour and indiscriminate urination.

Note: This article is not meant as a medical diagnosis. If your cat is displaying any type of litter box aversion or a change in behavior, contact your veterinarian because there could be an underlying medical cause.

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Featuring the BIRMAN TABBY POINT PATTERN: There should be clearly defined “M” marking on the forehead, light coloured ‘spectacle’ markings round the eyes with spotted whisker pads. Ears solid with no stripes. Clear ‘thumb marks’ which are less apparent in dilute colours (and mottled in the Tortie Tabby Point Birman). The legs should have clearly defined, varied sized broken stripes and/or rings with solid markings on the back of the hind legs above the gauntlets. The tail should have many clearly defined rings, in varied sizes ending in a solid coloured tip. Any silver brindling on body of the non silver colours to be a serious fault.

NOTES: 1. The nose leather should be outlined in pigment or to tone with the points.

2. Markings in kittens are less well defined.

3. A fully ringed tail is desirable but a solid top-tail, ringed on the underside, is not a fault.

Left & right Seal Tabbypoints (Ali Kat) Below Blue Tabbypoint (Romeo)

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As per NZCF Breed Standard of Points 2015 The Birman Tabbypoint Number

Colour

Body Colour

Point Colour

Nose leather

SBI F

Seal As for SBI Tabbypoint

SBI F/A

Blue As for SBI A Tabbypoint

Seal brown markings on a Dark brown pale brown agouti background.

Blue-grey markings on a light See Notes beige agouti background. (updated Nov 2012)

SBI F/B

Chocolate As for SBI B Tabbypoint Lilac As for SBI C Tabbypoint

Chocolate markings on a light Chocolate with pinkish bronze agouti background. tinge Mushroom-pink markings on Faded lilac pale beige agouti background.

SBI F/C

SBI F/D Red As for SBI D Tabbypoint

Rich red markings on a light apricot background.

Pink ‘Freckles’ may occur on nose, lips, eyelids and ears. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalised.

SBI F/G

Cream As for SBI G Tabbypoint

Buff cream to a pale sand markings on a paler cream agouti background.

Pink ‘Freckles’ may occur on nose, lips, eyelids and ears. Slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalised.

SBI F/K

Caramel Off-white. Tabby shading Tabbypoint if any gently into dark blue/grey with a brown cast (blue lilac and fawn based) to tone with the points.

Clear dark blue/grey with a Blue/grey brown cast (blue lilac and fawn based) tabby markings with a soft metallic sheen on a light beige agouti background.

SBI k/FG Apricot Warm creamy white, Tab- Clear Salmon toned tabby Nose ,Eye Rims and Paw Tabbypoint by shading, if any, with a markings, with a soft powdery Pads: Pink outlined in a powdery cream cast, to metallic sheen on a light apri- darker pigment. Freckles tone with the points. cot agouti background. may occur, slight freckling in a mature cat should not be penalised.

(An Article from Julie Simpson)

Basic Genetics: Agouti

Gene A, a Agouti gene ‘A’ Gene ‘A’ is responsible that each hair gets yellow banded. In all tabby varieties except the red tabby gene ‘A’ is necessary that the underlying tabby pattern which is present in each cat becomes visible to you. You find this gene also in the silver tabbies, in the goldens and colourpoint tabbies.

AA Homozygous Agouti, the tabby pattern gets visible.

Aa Heterozygous Agouti, the tabby pattern gets visible.

Non - Agouti gene ‘a’ Gene ‘a’ is recessive to gene ‘A’. If a cat carries gene ‘a’ double (aa) then its coat colour gets solid and you cannot see the underlying tabby pattern which is present in each cat. Gene ‘a’ is called to mask the tabby pattern. When you look on new born kittens, i.e. black kittens, in the first days you can see the underlying tabby pattern. These tabby stripes disappear when the kitten is growing, if it does not carry gene ‘A’, but carries aa. aa

Homozygous Non-Agouti coat colour gets solid, the Tabby pattern cannot be seen.

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COLOUR EXPECTATIONS CODES colour

gene combination

colour

gene combination

black tabA- B- D- oo by chocolate chocolate aa b- D- oo A- b- D- oo tabby aa bcbc D- cinnamon cinnamon A- bcbc D- oo oo tabby male: male: black

aa B- D- oo

colour

(BY JULIE SIMPSON) gene combination

colour

gene combination

blue

aa B- dd oo blue tabby A- B- dd oo

lilac

aa b- dd oo lilac tabby A- b- dd oo

fawn

aa bcbc dd oo male:

fawn tab- A- bcbc dd by oo male:

aa -- D- OY

aa -- D- OY

aa -- dd OY

aa -- dd OY

or

or

or

or

A- -- D- OY

A- -- D- OY

A- -- dd OY

red self

red tabby

cream

cream tabby

A- -- dd OY

female:

female:

female:

female:

aa -- D- OO

aa -- D- OO

aa -- dd OO

aa -- dd OO

or

or

or

or

A- -- D- OO

A- -- D- OO

A- -- dd OO

A- -- dd OO

black blue tortie aa B- D- Oo tortie tab- A- B- D- Oo blue tortie aa B- dd Oo A- B- dd Oo tabby by chocolate chocolate lilac tortie aa b- D- Oo tortie tab- A- b- D- Oo lilac tortie aa b- dd Oo A- b- dd Oo tortie tabby by cinnamon fawn cinnamon aa bcbc DFawn A- bcbc dd tortie tab- A- bcbc D- Oo aa bcbc dd Oo tortie tabtortie Oo tortie Oo by by black tortie

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TORTIE TABBY POINT These colours show the normal Tabby pattern which has been overlaid with shades of light and dark red. The extent and distribution of the Tortie areas are not important providing that both elements, Tortie and Tabby, are clearly visible.

NOTES: The nose leather should be mottled pink and pigmented or to tone with the points.

W/HOLDING FAULTS: 1. Solid Points 2. Tortie Point – any one point showing complete absence of red.

Caramel: These colours show the normal Tabby pattern which has been overlaid with shades of dark blue/grey with a brown cast (blue, lilac and fawn based), and apricot evenly distributed on all points, with a soft metallic sheen. The extent and distribution of the Tortie areas are now important providing both elements, Tortie and Tabby are clearly visible.

Number SBI F/E

Colour Seal Tortie Tabbypoint

Body Colour As for SBI E

Point Colour

Nose leather

Seal brown markings on a pale Plain or blotched brown agouti background, overlaid brown or pink. and intermingled with shades of light and dark red.

SBI F/EA Blue Tortie Tabbypoint

As for SBI E/A Blue markings on a light beige agouti background, overlaid and intermingled with shades of light and dark cream.

Plain or blotched blue or pink.

SBI F/EK Caramel Tortie Tabbypoint

As for SBI E/K These colours show the normal Plain or blotched Tabby pattern which has been blue/grey or pink. overlaid with shades of dark blue/ grey with a brown cast (blue lilac and fawn based) and apricot evenly distributed on all points, with a soft metallic sheen. The extent and distribution of the Tortie areas are not important providing both elements, Tortie and Tabby are clearly visible.

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SMITH JANTKE

ADORABELLA FIRECRACKER

JONTY SHARING WITH A HEDGEHOG

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Right

Belzicatz Amaretto Truffle Chocolatepoint

Left

Adorabella Sweet Kandy Kisses Sealpoint

Right

Perfectpawz Whispering Dreams Chocolatepoint

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FACTS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE FELINES THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW THEY CAN BE ALLERGIC TO YOU

1. DOES YOUR CAT COUGH FREQUENTLY? You might be to blame. According to a 2005 study, feline asthma which affects one in 200 cats—is on the rise thanks to human lifestyle.

Since cats are more frequently being kept indoors, they’re more susceptible to inflammation of their airways caused by cigarette smoke, dusty houses, human dandruff, pollen and some kinds of cat litters. And in rare cases, humans can even transmit illnesses like the flu to their pets.

2. THEY’RE NOT ALWAYS AFFECTED BY CATNIP In fact, half the cats in the world don't respond at all sensitivity to Nepeta cataria is inherited; cats with one catnip-sensitive parent have just a one-in-two chance of developing the sensitivity.

If both parents have the sensitivity, however, the chances rise to three in four.

3. CATS CAN ACTUALLY LIVE WITH DOGS Forget what Peter Venkman said about cats and dogs living together causing mass hysteria. A 2008 study by scientists at Tel Aviv University showed that if the animals are introduced while they're still young—six months for cats, and a year for dogs—they'll get along just fine.

4. DESPITE WHAT YOU'VE READ, YOUR CATS LIKE IT WHEN YOU PET THEM You might have read about a study that suggested cats get anxious when you pet them. But that was a misinterpretation. “As a matter of fact, the majority of the cats enjoyed being stroked,” study co-author Rupert Palme of the Institute of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, explained later. “Only stressed." So go ahead, pet away!

5. CATS HAVE STRATEGIES FOR SHARING SPACE “We think we know about [domestic cats] because they are so familiar to us—living in our homes and being part of our families,” Professor Alan Wilson of Royal Veterinary Collegewrote on BBC.com. “In fact, we know less about some aspects of their behaviour than we do about many wild cats.” So in 2013, Wilson and a team of other scientists attached GPS trackers and cameras to 50 felines in Shamley Green, Surrey, for a BBC special. They found that the cats appeared to timeshare territory to avoid squabbles with other felines though the cat-cams the kitties wore did capture a few fights.

6. A CAT'S BRAIN IS MORE COMPLEX THAN A DOG'S Sure, their brains are small, accounting for just 0.9 percent of their body mass. But according to Psychology Today, "the brains of cats have an amazing surface folding and a structure that is about 90 percent similar to ours." The cerebral cortex—the part of the brain that's responsible for cognitive information processing is more complex in cats than in dogs, and cats have some 300 million neurons, as compared to 160 million in dogs.

Some research does suggest that dogs are slightly smarter than cats, but cat owners might have a different opinion on that.

One more fun cat brain fact: The most sophisticated supercomputer in 2010 performed 83 times slower than a cat’s brain.

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FACTS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE FELINES THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW THEY CAN BE ALLERGIC TO YOU CONT:

7. AND THEIR SHORT-TERM MEMORIES ARE PRETTY GOOD UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES Short-term memories typically fade away in about a minute, but in a study published in Current Biology in 2007, scientists determined that cats' short-term memory of certain things lasts 10 minutes. The scientists tested it by stopping cats after their forelegs, but not their hindlegs, had cleared an obstacle. They distracted the cat with food and then waited to see how long the cats would remember having stepped over the obstacle. The cats remembered for about 10 minutes and would bring their hind legs up where they remembered an obstacle, even if it had been removed. But when cats saw the obstacle and were distracted before they had a chance to step over it with their forelegs, they didn't remember the obstacle, indicating their visual memory is not so great. "We've found that the long-lasting memory for guiding hind legs over an obstacle requires stepping of the forelegs over the obstacle," researcher Keir Pearson of the University of Alberta in Canada said. "The main surprise was how short lasting the visual memory on its own was just a few seconds when animals were stopped before their forelegs stepped over the obstacle."

8. FERAL CATS WANDER FARTHER THAN FREE ROAMING HOUSE CATS A two-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois-Champaign tracked 42 cats with radio collars and showed that the feral cats traveled more than free-roaming house cats. One of the ferals, a mixed-breed male, had the largest range of the wild cats with 1351 acres; the mean distance for house cats was a mere 4.9 acres. That same study found that feral cats were also more active than house cats, which spent 97 percent of their time sleeping or engaged in low levels of activity. A mere 3 percent of their time was spent engaged in high levels of activity, like running or stalking prey, while the feral cats were active 14 percent of the time. "The un-owned cats have to find food to survive, and their activity is significantly greater than the owned cats throughout the day and throughout the year especially in winter," said Jeff Horn, a former graduate student in the department of natural resources and environmental sciences, who conducted the study for his master's thesis. "These un-owned cats have to search harder to find food to create the (body) heat that they need to survive."

9. SOME OF THEIR ILLNESSES ARE SIMILAR TO OURS Cats are susceptible to more than 250 hereditary disorders, and many of them are similar to diseases that humans get. A genetic defect in a cat's DNA can cause retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that also affects 1 in 3500 Americans, and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a genetic relative of HIV. Felines even have their own form of Alzheimer’s Disease, and, like us, they can get fat in fact, 55 percent (approximately 47 million) of American cats are overweight or obese.

10. CAT DOMESTICATION BEGAN IN CHINA The Near Eastern Wildcat, native to Western Asia and Africa, is believed to be the primary ancestor of all domestic cats now living around the globe. Photo via Sonelle via Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons license. Scientists once believed that cats were domesticated in Ancient Egypt approximately 4000 years ago, but new research, published in 2013, shows that a breed of once-wild cats lived in close proximity to farmers in China some 5300 years ago. "Our data suggest that cats were attracted to ancient farming villages by small animals, such as rodents that were living on the grain that the farmers grew, ate and stored," says Fiona Marshall, study co-author and archaeology professor at Washington University in St. Louis. "Results of this study show that the village of Quanhucun was a source of food for the cats 5300 years ago, and the relationship between humans and cats was commensal or advantageous for the cats. Even if these cats were not yet domesticated, our evidence confirms that they lived in close proximity to farmers, and that the relationship had mutual benefits."

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FACTS ABOUT OUR FAVOURITE FELINES THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW THEY CAN BE ALLERGIC TO YOU CONT:

11. SPOTS COME FROM A PARTICULAR GENE

Once, scientists didn't know how cats both big and small came by their distinctive blotched patterns. But a 2012 study pointed to a gene that scientists called Taqpep. Blotched cats had mutations on both copies of the gene, while striped cats did not. They also discovered that patterned markings are caused by variations in another gene, Edn3, and are expressed at high levels in the darkly coloured hair cells. The scientists believe that early in a cat's development the Taqpep gene establishes a periodic pattern for stripes or a spotted or blotched pattern by determining the level of Edn3 presented in each skin area.

12. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY PURR BECAUSE THEY'RE HAPPY Sure, cats purr when they appear to be content, but they also purr when they're giving birth, sick, nursing, wounded, or in a stressful situation. Scientists aren't quite sure why, but they do have some ideas. "Cats purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz," writes Leslie A. Lyons, an assistant professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis, in Scientific American.

"Various investigators have shown that sound frequencies in this range can improve bone density and promote healing. Because cats have adapted to conserve energy via long periods of rest and sleep, it is possible that purring is a low energy mechanism that stimulates muscles and bones without a lot of energy." Purring could help alleviate the dysplasia or osteoporotic conditions that are more common in dogs. So it's probably more plausible that cats use purring to communicate and as a source of self-healing.

13. THEY REALLY CAN’T TASTE SWEET THINGS Cats aren't interested in sweet stuff because of a defect in the gene that codes for part of the mammalian sweet taste receptor. The receptor contains two protein subunits, T1R2 and T1R3, which are each coded for by a separate gene. The defect occurs on the T1R2 protein in domestic cats, as well as in cheetahs and tigers.

14. DISRUPTING THEIR ROUTINES CAN MAKE THEM ACT SICK Even healthy cats can exhibit symptoms of illness, including going to the bathroom outside the litter box, vomiting and a decreased appetite if there’s a change in their routine according to study published in the January 1, 2001 issue of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

15. THEY ARE MASTERS OF LAPPING UP LIQUID—AND KEEPING THEIR CHINS DRY Unlike dogs, cats don't dip their tongues into liquid like ladles. Instead, it's only the surface of their tongues that touch the water. According to MIT News, "The smooth tip of the tongue barely touches the surface of the liquid before the cat draws its tongue back up. As it does so, a column of liquid forms between the moving tongue and the liquid’s surface. The cat then closes its mouth, pinching off the top of the column for a nice drink, while keeping its chin dry." Liquid adhesion causes liquid to stick to the cat's tongue, and the cat draws its tongue back so rapidly that inertia the tendency of the moving liquid to continue following the tongue overcomes the gravity that's pulling the water back down to the bowl. The cat snaps its mouth shut before gravity can overcome inertia.

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17. THEY KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO GET WHAT THEY WANT FROM THEIR OWNERS CONT

“While cats are certainly not bred to be herding animals like some dogs, they do learn to direct human behaviour and motion when their behaviour is reinforced,” Dilara Goskel Parry, a cat behaviour expert at Feline Minds, told The Dodo. "For example, ‘I do this, and my person is going to feed me.’ The darting and rubbing, which is called marking, likely starts as excitement, such as they feel right before feeding time. Many cat guardians reinforce these behaviours that they may find annoying simply by moving faster and feeding the cat.”

18. EVEN COMPUTERS LOVE CATS Your cat loves to sit on your computer, probably because it's warm. But computers love cats, too: Google’s artificial “Brain,” a computer that contains 16,000 processors and can learn whatever it wants from the Internet, is really into cat videos.

19. THERE'S A REASON THEY DRINK WATER OFF THEIR PAWS It's basically a matter of preference. Feline expert Mikel Delgado told The Dodo that "some cats may prefer licking their paws to drinking out of a water bowl if they don't like the shape of the water bowl. Cats are subject to ‘whisker stress’ where they may not like pressure on their whiskers while they eat or drink. It could also be because the water level isn't quite what they would like it to be, it’s usually too low.” Of course, they could also be doing it for a far simpler reason: Pawing the water creates ripples, which makes the water more interesting.

20. MALES HAVE BARBED PENISES Hey, at one point, humans did, too. Scientists aren't entirely sure what cats need the 120-plus backward-pointing spines for, but they have a number of theories: That the spines encourage ovulation in the female; that they provide stimulation for the male; that they ensure his genes are passed along; or that they keep the penis in place during mating. Neuter your cat early, and he'll never develop those spines.

21. CATS SPEND A LOT OF TIME GROOMING OK, that fact on its own isn't very surprising. But just how much time cats spending grooming is. According to Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, cats spend between 30 and 50 percent of their days cleaning themselves. Self-cleaning has a number of benefits: It helps cool cats off, comforts them, stimulates circulation, and keeps them clean of odors that might attract predators. Sometimes, your cat might even groom you—that's her way of showing affection and marking you as one of her family group, enjoy it!

A good Christian Wife As her husband lay dying in his hospital bed, his wife listened to his dying wishes.

Being a mean spirited man through life, the good Christian wife has always atoned to his every requests.

The lack of money was never an issue, but anything purchased was always followed up by producing a receipt should that initial purchase have been granted by him.

So when the wife promised to bury her husband with all his money her friend was astonished.

‘How can you possibly agree to that outrageous request’.

Oh! Said the wife, I have never gone against any of his wises in our lives together, so I will obey his dying request.

However, good luck to him in cashing the cheque.

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Cuddles time

Sleep time

Sharing time

Pretending time

Chill time

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Different Cat Breeds Crossword 1

2

3

4 5 7

6

8

9 10 11

12 13

16

14

17

15

18

19 20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27 28 29 30 31 32 33

34

35

Results on page 55

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Questions for Different Cat Breeds Crossword on page 38 Across

Down

Down

3

Hair not fur

1

Mixture

18

Very Vocal

7

Floppy

2

Accidental mating of two

19

Large babies at birth

9

Powerful

4

Natural spotted cat

20

Curly long or short haired

11

Non pointed Siamese

5

Could be a rabbit in disguise

21

Pesky people cat

14

Marble coated

6

With spots

23

Waterproof coat

15

Isle of Man

8

Folded ears

24

19

Long hair Oriental

10

Crinkly

Long hair version of the Siamese 27 Short hair of the Cymric

22

Solid black

12

Loves human companionship

28

Small nostrils

25

Short hair version

13

Long haired tailless

29

Pointed cat with white socks

26

Long hair with attitude 16

Solid and silky

31

With a pelt and glitter

30

Hairless

Small nostrils

34

Long haired double coated

32

Busy

33

Double coated

35

Floppy

17

Answers on page 55 .

Sukoku

2

Results on page 55

6

4

8

9

4

2

6

3 5

5

5

8

7 8

3

4

7

5

2

8

6

9

2

8

8 3

6 7 1

6 6

7

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Keeping pets safe over the summer Tuesday, 13 January 2015, 4:33 pm — Press Release: New Zealand Veterinary Association Chocolate, fruit mince, and sausages – three of the key ingredients to a Kiwi Christmas – are dangerous and potentially fatal for dogs, advises the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA).

This time of the year is synonymous with barbeques and an over-abundance of rich foods. “Being the festive season, we also tend to want to treat our furry friends a little more,” says Dr Cath Watson, president of NZVA’s Companion Animal Society.

“Many of the rich foods that we eat, namely chocolate, fruit mince, and fatty barbeque meats like sausages, don’t just cause upset stomachs in humans. For dogs, they can cause everything from mild reactions such as vomiting and diarrhoea to severe reactions such as abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, tremors, and pancreatitis - a potentially-fatal inflammation of the pancreas.” The bitter alkaloid ‘theobromine’, found in the cacao plant, is what makes chocolate toxic for dogs.

A standard 200g block of dark chocolate contains around 1400mg of theobromine – potentially enough to kill a small dog of around 7-14kg, and cause tremors and seizures in large dogs above 20kg. “The cacao beans are ground to produce chocolate liquor which is then made into chocolate. More chocolate liquor in a product means more theobromine, resulting in higher toxicity,” says Dr Watson. “Baking chocolate, therefore is the worst, followed by semisweet and dark chocolate, then milk chocolate. Chocolate flavoured cakes or cookies and white chocolate have the lowest toxicity.”

A toxic dose of theobromine for a dog can be as low as 20mg per kilogram of weight, whereby vomiting and diarrhoea and hyperactivity may result. “Cardiac signs, including very rapid heart rate, may become present if a dog consumes more than 40mg/kg. Tremors and seizures may occur after consumption of a 60mg/kg dose, and fatalities, or pancreatitis resulting in fatalities, have been seen with a dose of around 100-200mg/ kg.”

In severe cases of pancreatitis, it’s actually the fat content of chocolate that is hazardous for dogs, rather than theobromine itself. Because Christmas barbeque meats like sausages are extremely high in fat, these too pose serious heath risks for dogs. To contextualise with a human example, a small dog eating one sausage is equivalent to eating 14 sausages – just think about what that would do to your internal organs.

“Don’t allow dogs to eat scraps and ensure they can’t reach the barbeque while any meat is on it,” advises Dr Watson. “Pancreatitis may occur when fatty meat is consumed and a dog’s digestive enzymes are in the pancreas, rather than the stomach. This causes severe inflammation of the pancreas which results in vomiting and pain.” Other serious problems can occur when dogs get into scraps, Dr Watson adds. “These include ingestion of bones, which not only cause gut irritation, but can cause blockages that require surgery to treat.” Moreover, Christmas cake and mince pies aren’t safe for dogs, either. “Fruit mince contains raisins and grapes, both of which are toxic to dogs,” says Dr Watson.

“The mechanism of toxicity is considered unknown, but consumption of these fruits can result in rapid loss of kidney function and anuria (lack of urine production). Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep all sweets out of dogs’ reach.” If your dog consumes (or you suspect it has consumed) chocolate, Christmas fruit mince, or fatty meats, contact your veterinarian immediately. If your regular clinic is closed for the holidays, details of an alternative clinic will be provided on their phone messages.

As we move into the hotter summer months and enjoy the longer days and warmer nights, the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) is encouraging pet owners to keep their pets cool, comfortable, well hydrated and free from heat-related health problems. “Summer should be a fun time for you and your pet.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to get out and about with your dogs particularly in the great New Zealand outdoors so we believe it’s timely to remind owners that pets are very sensitive to the heat and their comfort and safety can be compromised. If you think it’s hot outside, it’s even hotter for your pet,” says Dr Cath Watson, President of the NZVA Companion Animal Society. She says there are some basic precautions to ensure pets enjoy the season and it’s important to be familiar with the early warning signs of an overheated pet, such as increased effort when breathing, excessive panting, and weakness.

“Pets should have access to cool, fresh, clean water all the time, regardless of the weather, but it is particularly critical in summer. They should have easy access to plenty of cool shade and shouldn’t be kept in the sun for long periods.” NZVA’s ‘keep your pet safe in summer’ checklist below covers the main issues owners should be aware of to help pets stay safe.

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Keeping pets safe over the summer – NZVA cont.

As we move into the hotter summer months and enjoy the longer days and warmer nights, the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) is encouraging pet owners to keep their pets cool, comfortable, well hydrated and free from heat-related health problems. “Summer should be a fun time for you and your pet. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get out and about with your dogs particularly in the great New Zealand outdoors so we believe it’s timely to remind owners that pets are very sensitive to the heat and their comfort and safety can be compromised. If you think it’s hot outside, it’s even hotter for your pet,” says Dr Cath Watson, President of the NZVA Companion Animal Society. She says there are some basic precautions to ensure pets enjoy the season and it’s important to be familiar with the early warning signs of an overheated pet, such as increased effort when breathing, excessive panting, and weakness. “Pets should have access to cool, fresh, clean water all the time, regardless of the weather, but it is particularly critical in summer. They should have easy access to plenty of cool shade and shouldn’t be kept in the sun for long periods.” NZVA’s ‘keep your pet safe in summer’ checklist below covers the main issues owners should be aware of to help pets stay safe.

Exercise Owners should avoid excessive exercise for dogs on hot days, and walk them during the cooler hours, either early morning or evening. “Summer isn’t suited to intense exercise – do it at an easier pace and if temperatures hit the 20s or higher don’t take them running,” says Dr Watson.

“In summer you need to monitor your pet during exercise for signs of exhaustion, such as heavy panting, and if necessary to stop exercising and provide them with immediate shade and water. It’s a great idea to carry a bottle of water with you.” Dr Watson also advises in summer it is best to avoid walking your pet on concrete, asphalt, and even dry sand as the heat can cause painful burns or abrasions on an animal’s sensitive paw pads.

Overheating and heatstroke Heat stroke is one of the biggest concerns for pets over summer, as it can lead to permanent organ damage or death. It is caused by exposure to extreme environmental temperatures especially when an animal lacks shade, ventilation, or water.

“Dogs and cats have few sweat glands which means they can’t cool off by sweating, like humans do.

Instead, they lose heat and moisture from their tongues by panting. Unfortunately, this is less effective when it’s hot and humid and their body temperature will become dangerously high very quickly. To replace water loss, fresh drinking water should always be available.” Signs of heatstroke can include heavy panting and drooling, glazed eyes, difficulty breathing, lethargy, refusal to obey commands, dizziness, lack of coordination, vomiting and collapse.

Dr Watson says heatstroke is an emergency and owners must act immediately before taking their pet to a veterinarian. “Wet the coat thoroughly with cool water, and apply towels soaked in cool water to hairless areas such as the groin, tummy and ‘armpits.’ You should also give them some water to drink in small amounts.” Whether the animal starts to respond or not, they need to be seen by a vet without delay for urgent medical attention.

Animals at particular risk of heatstroke if they are very old or very young, unwell, overweight or not used to prolonged exercise. Additionally, some breeds of dogs with short noses, such as boxers, bulldogs and pugs, can be prone to respiratory distress in extreme heat.

Pets and cars Pets should never be left alone in cars. Dr Watson says that every summer there are reports of dogs being left alone in cars with often tragic results. “It was distressing to read earlier this month of a dog that died after being forgotten in a car for hours in soaring heat. Even in the shade or with windows slightly open, the temperature in a vehicle quickly rises and it can become life threatening in just minutes.”

Sunscreen While there is high awareness about the need for people to apply sunscreen daily to avoid skin cancer, it’s less known that animals are also susceptible to sun-related cancers such as squamous cell carcinomas.

“Sunscreens are available for pets which can be applied to the areas of the skin with little or no hair like the nose, mouth, ears and on the belly.” Veterinarians can advise on appropriate sun blocks for pets.

“However, avoiding the effects of direct sunlight is still the best option to protect your pet,” says Dr Watson.

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Keeping pets safe over the summer – NZVA cont.

External parasites Dogs are particularly vulnerable to fleas, ticks and insect bites in summer. To avoid it being a season of scratching and discomfort for your pet Dr Watson advises pet owners to see their veterinarian who can advise on the best preventive products and management programme suited to their pet.

She also warns that insect bites or stings can lead to an allergic reaction in pets and may need to be treated.

Lakes, rivers and streams - algae poisoning NZVA advises pet owners to check their local council website for updates on water safety before taking their pet for a refreshing swim.

“We recommend keeping pets away from lakes, rivers and steams, as blue-green algae blooms become more common over summer. Dogs that play, swim or forage around affected areas can suffer from the toxic effects of this algae.”

Clinical signs of algae poisoning depend on the toxin present, however general signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, blood in stool, weakness, disorientation, and seizures. Aggressive, urgent treatment by a veterinarian is needed to treat these quick-acting poisons, which can kill an animal in just hours.

“Summer is a great time for families to get outdoors with their pets and enjoy the warm weather,” says Dr Watson, “but please remember that your pets are sensitive to the effects of the heat and need to be protected too.”

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PROS AND CONS OF INBREEDING

Inbreeding is the mating together of closely related cats, for example mother/son, father/ daughter, sibling/sibling matings and half-sibling/half-sibling. It is the pairing of animals which are more closely related than the average population. For breeders, it is a useful way of fixing traits in a breed - the pedigrees of some exhibition cats show that many of their forebears are closely related. For example, the name of Fan Tee Cee (shown in the 1960s and 1970s) appeared in more and more Siamese pedigrees, sometimes several times in a single pedigree, as breeders were anxious to make their lines more typey. Superb specimens are always much sought after for stud services or offspring (unless they have already been neutered, cloning may solve that problem in the future) having won the approval of show judges. To produce cats which closely meet the breed standard, breeders commonly mate together animals which are related and which share desirable characteristics.

Over time, sometimes only one or two generations, those characteristics will become Homozygous (genetically uniform) and all offspring of the inbred animal will inherit the genes for those characteristics (breed true). Breeders can predict how the offspring will look.

‘Line-breeding’ is not a term used by geneticists, but comes from livestock husbandry. It indicates milder forms of inbreeding.

Line-breeding is still a form of inbreeding i.e. breeding within a family line and includes cousin/ cousin, aunt/nephew, niece/uncle and grandparent/grandchild. The difference between line breeding and inbreeding may be defined differently for different species of animals and even for different breeds within the same species. It is complicated by the fact that a cat's half-brother might also be her father!

However, inbreeding holds potential problems. The limited gene-pool caused by continued inbreeding means that deleterious genes become widespread and the breed loses vigour. Laboratory animal suppliers depend on this to create uniform strains of animal which are immuno-depressed or breed true for a particular disorder e.g. epilepsy. Such animals are so inbred as to be genetically identical (clones!), a situation normally only seen in identical twins. Similarly, a controlled amount of inbreeding can be used to fix desirable traits in farm livestock e.g. milk yield, lean/fat ratios, rate of growth etc. In human terms, inbreeding is considered incest; cats do not have incest taboos.

Outcrossing is when the two parents are totally unrelated. In pedigree animals, this often means where a common ancestor does not occur behind either parent within a four or five generation pedigree. In animals with a small foundation gene pool, this condition is difficult to meet.

One of the first people to document the methodical use of inbreeding was Robert Bakewell (born 1725, Leicestershire, UK) who called his system breeding ‘in-and-in’ because careful selection of stock bred a trait into a breed at each generation.

Until Bakewell, British livestock was based on locally occurring strains (landraces) where males and female mated freely. By segregating the males and using his "in-and-in" system, Bakewell controlled which traits were passed on to subsequent generations. This included breeding only the best rams and bulls to their own daughters or granddaughters (backcrossing, inbreeding) to improve the next generation. In the pre-genetics age, Bakewell used inbreeding to change the face (and husbandry) of British livestock and make the livestock more profitable. First I will define some terms used by animal breeders. In general I've avoided specialist terms, but you will meet these terms outside of this article.

Homozygous means having inherited the same "gene" for a particular trait from both parent e.g. for fur length. Barring random mutation, 100% of the offspring of a Homozygous individual will inherit that gene. Inbreeding increases Homozygosity by "fixing" a particular trait. Purebred animals display a high degree of Homozygosity compared to mixed breeds and random-bred animals. The idea of purebred animals is that they should "breed true". When one purebred is mated with another of the same breed, the offspring will have uniform characteristics and will resemble the parents.

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PROS AND CONS OF INBREEDING cont Heterozygous means having inherited a different gene for a particular trait from each parent.

For example one gene of long fur (recessive) and one gene for short fur (dominant). 50% of a Heterozygous individual's offspring will inherit one form and 50% will inherit the other. Carefully controlled ‘out-crossing’ increases Heterozygosity for selected traits by introducing new genes into the hybrid offspring.

Heterosis is the scientific term for hybrid vigour. It is possible that there are ‘bad’ genes which produce less vigorous individuals when in the Homozygous state because good genes have been bred out along with the undesirable characteristics, theoretically the bad genes could be bred out, but in practice this doesn't seem to happen. The other theory is simply that you simply need to have a mixture of two different genes to get the desired effect as they somehow complement each other, highly inbred animals lack this diversity and have poorer immune systems. Sex-linked refers to a trait which is passed on, or determined by, a particular gender. In Abyssinian cats there are several versions of the red colour. One is sex-linked i.e. a male cat only needs one copy of the gene but a female needs two copies of the gene to produce the red colour. Degree of Homozygosity means the number of genes an animal is Homozygous for. If most of its genes are matched pairs it has a high degree of Homozygosity, if most of its genes are mismatched pairs it has a low degree of Homozygosity. An animal can be Homozygous for some traits, but Heterozygous for others.

NATURAL OCCURRANCE OF INBREEDING This is not to say that inbreeding does not occur naturally. A feral colony which is isolated from other cats, by geographical or other factors, can become very inbred especially if a dominant male mates with his sisters, then with his daughters and grand-daughters. When he is deposed it will most likely be by his own son or grandson which therefore continues the inbreeding. The effect of any deleterious genes becomes noticeable in later generations as the majority of the offspring inherit these genes. Scientists have discovered that cheetahs, even if living in different areas, are genetically very similar. Possibly disease or disaster drastically reduced Cheetah numbers in the past creating a genetic bottleneck. All modern day Cheetahs may be descended from a single surviving family unit hence their genetic uniformity.

In the Cheetah, the lack of genetic diversity makes them susceptible to disease since they lack the ability to resist certain viruses. Extreme inbreeding affects their reproductive success with small litter sizes and high mortality rates. Some scientists hope that the appearance of the ‘King Cheetah’, characterised by its blotched markings, means that the Cheetah can develop a healthier gene-pool through mutation (provided man doesn't wipe them out in the meantime). Mankind has contributed to the loss of diversity by sport-hunting cheetahs and reducing the number of available mates.

Hunters preferred to shoot unusual specimens (i.e. genetically diverse ones) for the trophy room and this previously included long-haired "woolly cheetahs" and grey/blue Cheetahs indicating much greater genetic diversity in the past. Despite the hopes of scientists, some cheetah populations are showing further signs of inbreeding. Confined to ever-smaller areas such as wildlife reserves, the populations have become genetically isolated from each other.

In one population there is an increasing frequency of misaligned jaws and kinked tails.

Continued inbreeding will reinforce, or fix these traits. Ultimately, they could reduce the Cheetah's hunting effectiveness - the kinked tail will reduce its agility and cornering ability and the misaligned jaws may not be able to hold onto prey. The wolf was once widespread throughout North American, but many of the remaining packs are isolated and have become inbred. The isolation/inbreeding problem has become so acute that conservationists have taken wolves from one area and introduced them into a another area to revitalise the gene pool. In some areas, the choice of mates is so reduced that wolves have resorted to mating with domestic dogs - an extreme form of Outcrossing called Hybridization. A similar situation in Scotland where the Scottish Wildcat mates with domestic cats is threatening to wipe out the wildcat as domestic cat genes become more widespread. These are two cases where outcrossing (following, and followed by, inbreeding) may lead to extinction of a species (analogous to loss of type in domestic breeds).

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PROS AND CONS OF INBREEDING cont Another animal suffering from the effects of inbreeding is the Giant Panda. As with the Cheetah, this has led to poor fertility among Pandas and high infant mortality rates. As Panda populations become more isolated from one another (due to humans blocking the routes which Pandas once used to move from one area to another), Pandas have greater difficulty in finding a mate with a different mix of genes and breed less successfully. It is almost inevitable that the Giant Panda will become extinct even if cloning techniques become available since the gene pool is now probably too impoverished for the species' long term viability. It may, therefore, be considered that all purebred animals will ultimately become unviable through inbreeding and that breeders must work carefully to maintain type while slowing down the detrimental effects of selective breeding.

There have been numerous studies into inbreeding and viability. Mandarte Island, off Vancouver, Canada is so tiny that every single song sparrow can be ringed, monitored and matings recorded.

Researchers know exactly how inbred each individual is. When severe winter storms wiped out over 90% of the birds, Lukas Keller of Zurich University, Switzerland found that all inbred individuals were killed. He defined ‘inbred’ as matings between first cousins or closer Loeske Kruuk, Edinburgh University, Scotland found that collared flycatchers born from brother-sister matings were more than 90% less likely to survive to maturity than offspring of non-incestuous matings.

Ilkka Hanski of Helsinki University, Finland found that 50% of male offspring of brother-sister matings in a certain species of African butterfly were sterile.

Natural isolation and inbreeding have given rise to domestic cat breeds such as the Manx which developed on an island so that the gene for tailless-ness became widespread despite the problems associated with it.

Apart from the odd cat jumping ship on the Isle of Man, there was little out-crossing and the effect of inbreeding is reflected in smaller-than-average litter sizes (geneticists believe that more Manx kittens than previously thought are reabsorbed due to genetic abnormality), stillbirths and spinal abnormalities which diligent breeders have worked so hard to eliminate.

As mentioned, some feral colonies become highly inbred due to being isolated from other cats (e.g. on a remote farm) or because other potential mates in the area have been neutered, removing them from the gene pool. Most cat workers dealing with ferals have encountered some of the effects of inbreeding. Within such colonies there may be a higher than average occurrence of certain traits. Some are not serious e.g. a predominance of calico pattern cats.

Other inherited traits which can be found in greater than average numbers in inbred colonies include Polydactyly (the most extreme case reported so far being an American cat with 9 toes on each foot), dwarfism (although dwarf female cats can have problems when try to deliver kittens due to the kittens' head size), other structural deformities or a predisposition to certain inheritable conditions.

The ultimate result of continued inbreeding is terminal lack of vigour and probable extinction as the gene pool contracts, fertility decreases, abnormalities increase and mortality rates rise.

On the other hand, too much out-crossing will cause loss of type and therefore the loss of a distinct breed.

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A good Christian Wife As her husband lay dying in his hospital bed, his wife listened to his dying wishes.

Being a mean spirited man through life, the good Christian wife has always atoned to his every requests.

The lack of money was never an issue but anything purchased was always followed up by producing a receipt should that initial purchase have been granted by him.

So when the wife promised to bury her husband with all his money her friend was astonished. ‘How can you possibly agree to that outrageous request’ Oh! Said the wife, I have never gone against any of his wises in our lives together, so I will obey his dying request.

However, good luck to him in cashing the cheque.

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The Birman Cat Club is pleased to be affiliated with the following Overseas Clubs: K Birma Sallskapet, Sweden Birman Cat Club of Canberra Inc, Canberra Birman Cat Fanciers of Queensland Inc, Queensland Sacred Cat of Burma Fancier’s Association of Australia Inc Birman Cat Club of Australia Inc Sacred Birman Fanciers Group of South Africa The Seal & Blue Point Birman Cat Club, United Kingdom Southern & South Western Birman Cat Club, United Kingdom The Birman Cat Club, United Kingdom

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Answers to Crossword — Different Cat Breeds page 40 Across 3.

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Long hair with attitude [TIFFANY] Long haired tailless [CYMRIC] Busy [BURMESE] Floppy [RAGDOLL] Natural spotted cat [EGYPTIANMAU] Marble coated [CLASSICAT] Short hair of the Cymric [MANX] Powerful [SIBERIAN] Long haired double coated [SOMALI] Very vocal [SIAMESE] Large babies at birth [JAPANESEBOBTAIL] Solid and silky [MANDALAY] Mixture [TONKINESE] Non pointed Siamese [ORIENTAL]

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Pesky people cat [SINGAPURA] Hairless [SPHYNX] Floppy [RAGDOLL] Double coated [RUSSIAN] Curly Long or short haired [SELKIRKREX] Long hair version of the Siamese [BALINESE] Isle of Man [TASMANCYMRIC] Hair not fur [DEVONREX] Solid black [AUSTRALIANBOMBAY] With spots [OCICAT] Loves human companionship [LAPERM] Small nostrils [PERSIAN] Waterproof coat [TURKISHVAN] Could be a rabbit in disguise [TURKISHANGORA] Pointed Cat with white socks [BIRMAN] Folded ears [SCOTTISHFOLD] Small nostrils [PERSIAN]

Results - Sukoku page 41

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The End