Modern Cat Spring/Summer 2020

cat

Stop Inappropriate Clawing! Proven strategies to eliminate damage to your home

The lifestyle magazine for modern cats and their companions

SPRING· SUMMER 2020

HOW TO:

Socialize Your New Kitten!

Is CBD Right For Your Cat? Help for anxiety, pain & more

we’re i t givingy! awCa ool Cat Publications Agreement Number 40743013 Return Mail Dept, 202–343 Railway St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1A4

Win ff p18 Stu

Fear Free Vet Visits: It’s Possible!

Can My Cat Eat That?

The Tiniest Kittens

Explore, Play, Relax!

p22

Let’s Play! These toys will delight your cat

How to create a fun feline environment

moderncat.com DISPLAY UNTIL SEPT 15 ‘20

$6.95

p24

Destructive Scratching

Cat-astrophe! Are You Making These 5 Mistakes? p68 find out inside!

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SPRING/SUMMER 2020

VOL 9

NO 1

30 FEATURES 24

Scratch That! Clawing Behaviour in Cats and What to Do Proven strategies to eliminate damage to your home.

BY MIESHELLE NAGELSCHNEIDER

30

How to Socialize Your Kitten The importance of your kitten’s early life experiences + life skills and positive associations to build on at home

BY ZAZIE TODD

34

52 THE GOODS 22

It’s Playtime!

Toys to delight every type of cat.

A Recipe for Feline Fun! How to create an environment that lets your agile, athletic, sensitive cat explore, play, relax.

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Cat-tastic Beds Seriously cozy beds to thrill both you and your cat.

BY ROSE FROSEK

38

When Cats Are Stressed and Depressed How to identify and minimize chronic stress in cats.

36

Sippin' Pretty Please your cat & encourage water consumption with a cat fountain!

BY PAM JOHNSON-BENNETT

BODY & SOUL

58

Fear Free Vet Visits: It’s Possible!

The fear-free principles of “America’s vet” Dr. Marty Becker are transforming veterinary practices and improving the emotional wellbeing of cats.

46

Cat Pain Scale

48

Allergic to Cats?

BY JENNIFER NOSEK

50

Healthy Paws: Solutions for everything from a dull coat to smelly breath and sore joints.

68 Cat-astrophe! Are You Making These 5 Mistakes?

Fear Free certified animal trainer Mikkel Becker shares

the top five things people unwittingly do wrong when it

comes to their cats.

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In USA: MODERNCAT (ISSN 1929-3933) Volume 9, Issue 1. Published semi annually by Modern Cat Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 061114003. Postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

PHOTO LEFT MARTINA GUTFREUND

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64

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Hero Cats These five heroic cats saved life and limb. From a toddler that almost choked to death, to a man that would have lost his arm if not for his neighbour's cat's intervention, these stories will warm your heart.

52

Is CBD Right For Your Cat? For a host of cat lovers, CBD has proved a miracle cure, helping cats with everything from arthritis and seizures to pain and anxiety.

BY VIVIEN FELLEGI

64

Have Cat, Will Travel Road tripping with your cat: tips and tales from the road.

BY TRACEY TONG

BY JANE MUNDY

72

Can Cats Eat...?

We answer the most commonly Googled questions.

74

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good cat and a good book. Editor-in-Chief Connie Wilson's current must-reads.

76

How to Make the Most of Playtime!

Expert play tips that tackle everything from how you should play with your cat, to how often, plus novel playthings found around the home!

80

Last Lick We're here with your cattoo (aka cat tattoo) inspiration via these inked tributes to feline best friends.

CAT LIFE 18

We’re Giving It Away!

We’ve got months of cool cat stuff, from cat trees to free cat food, up for grabs! Turn to page 18 to see all the fabulous giveaways!

REGULAR FEATURES 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Contributors 10 Stuff We Love 12 The Scoop 20 Photo Contest 78 Marketplace

20 COVER CAT Zuma, a crazy-adorable five-week-old foster kitten, photographed by Andrew Marttila. To find out how you can start fostering and saving kittens’ lives, turn to page 14!

Inset illustration Michelle Simpson.

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u're o Y ? s o ie Allerggto want! t goinread this

48

EDITOR'S LETTER

Social icon

Circle Only use blue and/or white.

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

CONNIE WILSON WITH DAO DAO, PHOTO TANYA KING

OUR READERS WRITE

irst off, thanks for being a part of our amazing community of cat lovers. It’s a wonderful thing when you find your people. The community we’ve built together is truly special, created out of a deep love and respect for cats, and it’s what I’m most proud of. At Modern Cat, we’re dedicated to helping people and cats live better lives together, through problem-solving tricky behaviours, deepening the understanding of cats and their unique needs and motivations, and celebrating and elevating the cat-human bond. We’re also all about rescue and grass-roots efforts to help cats of all type and stripe. In this issue, you can expect all of that and more. Two expert, acclaimed cat behaviourists tackle destructive scratching and stress and depression in cats, we highlight Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw’s work with the most vulnerable of cats—bottle babies (ready yourself for extreme cuteness)—and we share a whole host of tested and approved solutions to elevate—in some cases literally—your cat’s indoor environment. We also have finds to make play time more fun and engaging, delve into CBD for cats, and share tips to make trips to the vet fear free (yes, really). And that’s just the tip of the tail, so to speak. From beautifully minimal scratchers and cat shelves to expert advice on how and when to socialize your new kitten, we’ve got it all. So, jump right in! Hero-cat stories will warm your heart, adorable cats galore throughout are guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and you’ll gain a better understanding of your feline best friend. We hope you enjoy the issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. And if you’re not already, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, for contests, regular giveaways of cool cat stuff, and the best cat stories, photos, and videos of the day.

Model Behaviour

“Jugg says thanks @modern_cat_mag for featuring the story of my bros @coleandmarmalade...but I think I'd make a better cover meowdel” —@juggandzigzag

Me Time

this!

Carmen the Tabby curls up with her favourite magazine.—Submitted by Aubrey

With love,

Realm of Influence

Connie Wilson, Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief

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“Just finished pawrusing through the latest edition of Modern Cat. Great magazine but I’m left pawndering as to why moi is not featured as a Celebrity Cat Influencer!!!”—@whenhairymetice

cat

C O N TRIBUT OR S

S P R I N G · S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 VOL 9

NO 1

Publisher

Zazie Todd, PhD, is an adjunct professor of Psychology at Canisius College, where she teaches a graduate course on Communicating Anthrozoology to the Public. She is also a certified animal behaviour consultant, Psychology Today contributor, and author of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology.

In this issue, Zazie explores the importance of a kitten's early socialization period and shares tips to make the most of this "plastic" time. Turn to page 30 for the details!

Modern Cat Inc. Editor-in-Chief

Connie Wilson Editor & Creative Director

Jennifer Nosek Design & Production

Hayley Schmidt Affiliate Development & Digital Marketing Manager

Nicole Ephgrave Sales & Marketing

Linda Helme Comptroller

Cecilia de Roca Chan, CPA, CGA Accounting Services & Subscription Services

Vicki Szivos Sales & Marketing Assistant

Georgia Riddle-Olsen Audience Development Coordinator

Yaunna Sommersby Subscriptions & Office Assistant

Becky Belzile

Pam Johnson-Bennett is a certified cat behaviour consultant and bestselling author of eight books on cat behaviour, including the “cat bible,” Think Like a Cat. She is considered a pioneer in the field of cat behaviour consulting and starred in the Animal Planet series Psycho Kitty. She was also a vice president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and founded their cat division. Pam owns Cat Behavior Associates, located in Tennessee, where she lives with her husband, two children, a rescued cat, and a rescued dog. Turn to page 38 for Pam’s expert advice on how to help stressed and depressed cats.

INTERESTED IN SUBSCRIBING? Give us a call at 1-800-417-6289 or subscribe online at moderncat.com/subscribe Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERNCAT (ISSN 1929-3933) Volume 9, Issue 1.

Published semi annually by Modern Cat Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Cat, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERNCAT (ISSN 1929-3933) Volume 9, Issue 1.

Published semi annually by Modern Cat Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003.

Postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

PHONE

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Joren Cull is an award-winning freelance illustrator and animator.

Among other accolades received, his work was selected by The New York Times as one of their Top 50 illustrations for 2017. In this issue, Joren brings to life the fear-free vet visit—yes, it’s possible! Turn to page 58 to see Joren’s illustration and discover how you can make anxiety-filled vet visits a thing of the past. Find Joren at jorenmania.com or follow @jorencull for more illustration goodness.

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(604) 734-3131 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3131

FAX

SPRI NG · S UMMER 2020

(604) 734-3031 OR

TOLL FREE

(866) 734-3031

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements.

Copyright 2020 by Modern Cat Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Cat and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Cat Inc. Modern Cat is published two times a year. Two-year subscription prices: Canada $18CAD, U.S.A. $18USD, foreign $45USD. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Cat Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4

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www.moderncat.com Publications Mail Agreement Number 42496543 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

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Stuff We Love

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Modern Cat staffers’ picks of the litter!

1 Kitangle Corner Kitty litter box was designed to be in plain view, solving the issue of where your cat wants the litter box (somewhere central) and your desire to hide it! They fit into small spaces, along walls, and in corners despite being amply sized, and the low entrance makes it accessible for kittens and senior cats. And the lid is optional and removes for easy cleaning and scooping!—Becky ($174, kitangle.com)

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2 No morning is complete without my morning coffee or tea! This Ceramic Cat Coffee Mug from LeCatShop is the purrfect accessory to start my morning right and show my cat-lady pride.

—Linda ($25, lecatshop.com) 3 Your cat wants this hammock! Cat Bird Seat’s absolutely beautiful hammocks allow your cat a high perch, making them feel safe. Made from wood, sisal, and fleece covered foam for next-level comfort and including all the hardware needed to install, they’re tested to hold up to 45 pounds, so cats of all sizes can enjoy!—Jennifer ($175 CAD, catbirdseat.ca)

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4 Cat sitters on call! Kitten Sittin’ offers professional, in-home cat sitting from cat lovers committed to your kitty’s wellbeing while you’re away. Eliminate travel anxiety with trusted, experienced cat sitters who customize their visits to meet your cat’s medical, dietary, and playtime needs.—Vicki (kittensittin.biz)

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5 The Kattails Kat Kave Litter Box is designed with larger cats in mind! My big boy Beavis struggled when using a typical litter box and the mess he made was constant. This box is easy to clean, has no middle seam, and helps keep the litter mess under control!—Hayley ($160 on amazon.com)

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6 Looking for an all-natural, eco-friendly litter with outstanding odour control and no chemicals or artificial fragrances? Look no further! Next Gen Pet’s Green Tea Fresh is an all-natural cat litter made from wood scrap (no clay or bentonite) and green tea powder, suppressing bacteria naturally. This is a healthy, low dust, clumping litter both you and your cat will love!—Connie ($16, nextgenpet.com)

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7 Grooming cats isn’t always the easiest, particularly those with longer coats. The Grooming Gloves from HandsOn make a huge difference, helping to keep your cat’s coat under control and looking great, while keeping your cat comfortable and stress-free. It’s more like petting and less like brushing!—Jennifer (Regularily $30, now just $25! handonsgloves.com) 8 My cat gets into all sorts of trouble. Coverage through Nationwide Pet Insurance gives me peace of mind and helps me protect him, without having to weigh the cost! I can see any vet and then get my money back on my vet bills.—Georgia (Plans starting at $35 a month, petinsurance.com) 9 Cats love running water. Help your cat stay hydrated and healthy with a Cat H20 fountain.

This BPA-free fountain aerates and filters water, is super quiet, includes a filter change indicator and multiple drinking levels, and is dishwasher friendly. Fresh water for your cat has never been easier!—Cecilia ($32, mycath2o.com) 10 My cat Rosie, a very picky eater, absolutely loves the wet food recipes from Healthy Shores! Made in a human-grade facility from wild-caught fish from sustainable fisheries, they’re wheat, soy, and grain-free, and feature ingredients like flaxseed and taurine, so I can feel great about what she’s eating.—Yaunna (From $2.50 per can, healthyshores.com)

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11 Being eco-friendly and using a reusable bag has never been cuter! These adorable Cat Ecobags from UKIUKI are made from natural cotton, feature durable straps, and you can choose which cat design you want printed on the bag.—Nicole ($20, amazon.com/UKIUKI)

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THE SCOOP 6 9%

of owne rs sin their pe g to t

57%

of owne rs with th dance eir pet

GE T YOUR GROOVE ON!

Spotify Will Generate a Playlist For Your Cat! Tell Spotify about your cat’s personality, and the music streaming service will create an algorithmically generated playlist for your music fancying feline!

Do you play music for your cat? The music streaming service Spotify just released a way to create an algorithmically generated playlist to enjoy with your cat—or dog, iguana, hamster or bird.

Spotify conducted a survey of 5,000 users worldwide who also have pets. 71 percent said they play music for their pets, and 8 out of 10 believe their pets like music. Interestingly, only around half said they think their pet likes the same type of music that they do. The survey also found almost one in five pet owners named their pet after a music artist or group.

Genres that pets seem to prefer: Classical and soft rock.

The Top 5 ArtistInfluenced Pet Names:

Here's how to use Spotify's new tool to create a personalized playlist for your pet.

Bob Marley

1. Go to Spotify.com/pets.

Bowie

2. Select your pet. Pick from a cat, dog, iguana, hamster or bird.

Ozzy

3. Choose the trait that best describes your pet's personality, such as

Freddie Mercury

relaxed, friendly, energetic or shy. Spotify will sync those choices with your own taste in music to create the playlist vibe.

4. Add your cat's name and a photo for the playlist cover. You’ll also receive a

personalized share card.

5. Get your groove on with your cat! You can share and compare your cat’s

playlist using #SpotifyPets.

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Elvis

THE SCOOP

PHOTOGRAPHED BY ANDREW MARTTILA.

Kitten season is a handful for animal shelters

THE TINIEST KITTENS NEED YOUR HELP! Bottle babies are the most vulnerable felines. Here’s how you can help save these adorable orphaned newborns.

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he amazing Hannah Shaw, aka Kitten Lady, is a professional kitten rescuer (best job ever!) and fierce animal advocate. Her speciality is bottle babies, the orphaned newborn kittens who need round the clock care to survive the first five precarious weeks of life. Her must-have new book, Tiny But Mighty, outlines how you can help save these tiny kittens and become a hero. Intrigued? We thought so! We asked Hannah why you should consider becoming a foster and what’s involved, so you can step up and become a saviour to a kitten that needs you.

“Kitten Lady” Hannah Shaw

Why should everyone consider fostering kittens?

A: Everyone should consider fostering kittens because

it's a short-term commitment that makes a lifelong impact in the life of a vulnerable animal. One of the great things about being a kitten foster parent is that you can choose the population that works best for your lifestyle, and you can foster only when you're ready and able! If your schedule doesn't allow you to foster bottle babies, you can always foster mama cats with nursing babies, or even weaned kittens. That said, I choose to focus on bottle babies because they're typically the hardest to find foster homes for.

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PHOTOS ANDREW MARTTILA AND HANNAH SHAW

By Jennifer Nosek | Photographs by Andrew Marttila

Bottle babies Phillip and Winston get a midnight meal PHOTOS ANDREW MARTTILA AND HANNAH SHAW

The process of raising kittens is as close to actual magic as I’ll ever get. The moment I bring home a new batch of filthy, hungry wiggle worms, it’s like I suddenly grow five extra hearts.

What is involved in fostering bottle babies?

A: Bottle baby foster parents will need to keep kittens

warm by providing them with a covered heat pad, monitor their progress by weighing them daily, intervene medically if any health conditions arise, and of course keep them on a consistent schedule of being stimulated to go to the bathroom and bottle-fed with a nutritious kitten formula.

Orphaned kittens require bottle feeding from 0-5 weeks of age, and the frequency of feeding decreases by an hour each week, so you always have an extra hour of sleep to look forward to! For instance, a two-week-old kitten will eat every three hours, and a four-week-old kitten will eat every four hours. While you do wake up in the middle of the night to care for them, it's just a few minutes of care at a time— and those minutes are worth it! Once they reach five weeks, they're ready to start weaning onto wet food...and once they've reached eight weeks, they're ready to get spayed or neutered and adopted into their forever home! Anyone can learn to care for kittens, and I've outlined everything you need to know in my book, Tiny But Mighty.

Why is fostering important? In your book you say that so many people tell you that if they had a million dollars they’d open an animal shelter. The good news is you don’t need a dollar—just time and love—to get started helping kittens!

A: A lot of animal lovers don't realize just how vulnerable

young kittens are, and how truly at-risk they are when they enter the US shelter system. Orphaned neonatal kittens require around-the-clock care that is difficult or even impossible for an animal shelter to provide due to limited operating hours. That means that the only chance a kitten may have to survive is the availability of a foster home!

When a shelter has an abundance of foster homes lined up, kittens don't have to risk euthanasia due to their age and needs—they have a safe space to call home for a few weeks while they become big and strong.

Can you foster kittens/bottle babies if you already have cats?

A: Most people who foster kittens have their own

permanent resident cats, myself included! For the health and happiness of all, I suggest keeping foster kittens separate from resident cats by keeping them confined to a playpen or a spare room. You'll want to avoid any shared supplies or physical contact for at least two weeks while you monitor the kittens' health and provide preventative care.

Of course, keep your cats up to date on vaccines, and follow their lead—if they want to avoid the kittens altogether, then make sure you give them that option by keeping the kittens in an area they can easily stay away from, like a playpen in a far corner. My cats come first, but I've always managed to find creative ways to fit fostering into my home and my life. moderncat.com

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CC was adopted by Dr. Duane Kraemer, a senior professor in Reproduction Sciences Laboratory, and his wife, Shirley.

World’s First Cloned Cat Lived to be 18 CC, the first cloned pet, lived a “long, normal, happy life”—and even had kittens!

T

he world’s first cloned cat passed away this spring at 18 years of age in College Station, TX after a long, healthy life.

Named Copy Cat, or CC for short, the cat was the first successfully cloned pet with 100 percent genetic identity. She began her life at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences as a result of ground-breaking cloning work undertaken by their researchers and was adopted by Dr. Duane Kraemer, a senior professor in the college’s Reproduction Sciences Laboratory, and his wife, Shirley.

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CC made news with each birthday, as well as her pregnancy—CC was one of the first cloned cats to become a mother. At five years old, she gave birth to three kittens that lived with CC for the rest of her life, proving that cloned animals can live the same full, healthy lives as non-cloned animals, including being able to produce healthy offspring.

“While she lived a long, normal, and happy life, CC was extraordinary in what she represented to the Kraemers, the CVM, and science as a whole,” said Dr. Eleanor M. Green, the dean of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M. “The entire CVM community mourns her loss… especially the Kraemers, for whom CC was a beloved pet for 18 years.”

CC’s story starts with Dr. Mark Westhusin, a CVM professor and the principal investigator of the Missyplicity Project, a $3.7 million effort to clone a mixed-breed dog named Missy,

With news coverage of this project, people across the US became interested in saving pet tissue for potential future cloning, resulting in the establishment of Genetic Savings and Clone (GSC), Inc. Meanwhile, Dr. Westhusin and his Texas A&M team began to explore the cloning of cats.

CC was produced using nuclear transfer of DNA from cells of a female domestic shorthair named Rainbow.

The nuclear transfer proved successful and the embryos were transferred into a surrogate mother, who gave birth to a healthy kitten about two months later.

Although the cats were identical on a genetic level, developmental factors led them to have slightly different colour distribution and coat pattern.

While CC represented a great advancement in genetic research, to the Kraemers, she was also a beloved family member.

“CC was a great cat and a real joy,” said Dr. Kraemer. “She was part of the family and very special to us. We will miss her every day.”

The research that led to CC’s birth kicked off a global pet cloning industry led by ViaGen Pets, which today clones cats for $35,000 and dogs for $50,000.

MEDICINE & BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

owned by John Sperling, founder of the University of Phoenix.

PHOTOS LEFT TEXAS A&M COLLEGE OF VETERINARY

THE SCOOP

ENTER TO WIN

We’re giving it away! Enter to win fabulous giveaways April through September. Go to moderncat.com/giveaways to enter! Lucky readers will win every two weeks.

april

may

1st-14th

Win 1 of 12 FurZoff, the new and better way to remove pet hair from your home and vehicles.

Made in USA of 90% recycled material, it’s 100% durable!

15th-30th

One lucky cat owner will be getting Armarkat’s S5402 cat tree! Made with polished scotch pine natural wood, this modern cat tree is perfect for a multi-cat home, holding 3-4 cats.

june

1st-14th

Win 1 of 3 feline wellness packs from Vetericyn.

Includes a bottle each of their Antimicrobial Feline Facial Therapy, Hydrogel, and Wound & Skin care.

15th-31st

Win 1 of 3 prize packs from Nom Nom! Includes a variety pack for cats, a bag each of chicken and beef jerky, and a microbiome kit.

july

1st-14th

Win $200 worth of products from Zero Odor Pet! Products include their Zero Odor Eliminator and Litter Spray & Odor Eliminator.

august

15th-30th

Win 1 of 10 Katapult 2-in-1 interactive toys from KuhleKatz!

The unpredictable bouncing spring and catnip infused mouse promote mental stimulation and independent play.

1st-14th

Win 1 of 3 prize packs from Nom Nom! Includes a variety pack for cats, a bag each of chicken and beef jerky, and a microbiome kit.

15th-31st

Win a Breezy Cat Carrier from Instachew! This stylish carrier features a tinted window, shock reduction system, and a built-in fan.

september

1st-14th

15th-31st

1st-14th

15th-30th

Win 1 of 10 Indoor Hunting Feeders from Doc & Phoebe!

Cater to your cat’s instincts while they hunt for their food!

Win a gift basket from bluestem! Keep your cat’s teeth healthy with a selection of their comprehensive oral care products.

Win 1 of 4 Kitty Litter prize packs containing 6 bags of litter each from Neon Litter!

Available in a range of fun colours, this awesome litter will have your cat raving!

Win 1 of 2 test kits from 5Strands Affordable Pet Testing! Create a healthier lifestyle for your pets by discovering and managing their food intolerances and environmental allergens.

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Beginning April 1, 2020 at 12:01 AM (PST) through September 30, 2020 at 11:59 PM (PST), enter each day at moderncat.com/giveaways. Each biweekly giveaway ends at 11:59 PM (PST). Every two weeks, the specified number of winners for that giveaway will win the prize featured in the giveaway calendar (ARV: $200). Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Contest is open to legal Canadian and US residents 18 and older as of date of entry. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Giveaway subject to complete official rules available at moderncat.com/giveaways.

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INSET PHOTO: WILLA ROSE SUBMITTED BY DOMINIQUE CECCHETTI

s y a w a e v i G t a Gre

R E P SU PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS !

E CUT betty

ubi

bane

marie stormy

tiguidou charlotte

monte

berry

beavis

tiger lily

barnaby & lottie

purrl

old man seamus

phoebe gizmo

saber daphne

bear

stanley

dobby

butter bean

robbie

Think your cat ought to grace the pages of Modern Cat? Upload your cat's photo at moderncat.com/photocontest. Not only will he or she be entered to be our Cat of the Week, but a selection of the photos entered will appear on these pages!

willow

king ozzie

mozart

COOL STUFF

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Bring the fun with ViviPet's Tower of Tracks cat toy! Four levels and four balls stimulate your cat as they bat at the balls and spin them around the track. Bonus: you can insert a cat teaser toy into the top for added excitement! vivipet.com

IT'S PLAY TIME!

Toys to delight every type of cat

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Playtime will be extra fun with Feline Frenzy Catch a Meowse Toys from P.L.A.Y.!

These exciting plush toys feature a builtin pre-stuffed and refillable catnip pouch that will keep your cat coming back for more! petplay.com

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For the cat with sophisticated tastes.

Indulge in a sushi-themed treat with these supercute Catnip Sushi Toys from Munchiecat! This catnip-infused set is made from ultra-soft fabrics and also crinkles and jingles. munchiecat.com

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Keep your cat entertained with this adorable “Sour Puss” lemon-shaped cat toy from Yeowww! Catnip. Filled with organically grown catnip and made from durable cotton twill, this toy keeps the fun going! yeowww.com

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$

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Want to keep your cat physically fit and mentally stimulated? Look no further than the Wiggly Wand from Dezi and Roo! The toys attachments are wildly enticing and—bonus—the telescope wand is easy to store! deziroo.com

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The Katapult from KuhleKatz will make your kitty go crazy for playtime! Featuring a catnip-infused mouse on a spring, this interactive toy is designed to stimulate your cat’s natural hunting instincts and encourages activity. kuhlekatz.com

ILLUSTRATION MICHELLE SIMPSON

BEHAVIOUR

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Clawing Behaviour in Cats and What to Do Is your cat’s scratching behaviour ruining your furniture and driving you up the wall? Here are proven strategies to eliminate damage to your home

By Mieshelle Nagelschneider,

cat behaviourist, international cat behaviour scientist, and author of The Cat Whisperer Illustration by Michelle Simpson

C

ats have evolved over thousands of years to use their claws for a variety of reasons. But even though clawing is a natural behaviour that your cat should be allowed to perform daily, there’s no reason to regard clawing on your sofa and rugs as inevitable—which most owners do. For example, in one study of 122 cats with owners who viewed them as having no behavioural issues, 60 percent of the cats scratched furniture.

Cat clawing behaviour is only deemed a behaviour issue if we the owners don’t like where the clawing is occurring. Fortunately, there are proven strategies that will allow your cat to be a cat while eliminating damage to your home and help decrease clawing behaviour that may have become excessive.

Reasons Behind Cat Clawing Behaviour Clawing for nail maintenance: Cats need to claw to maintain the health of the nail and to remove old sheaths, exposing the sharp claw.

Clawing for exercise and mobility: Clawing also allows cats to exercise and stretch.

Cats are digitigrade, meaning they walk on their toes instead of the bottoms of their paws. As a form of isometric exercise, cats stretch their muscles by embedding their claws into a surface and then pulling back. In addition to using their claws for exercise, cats use them for balance and climbing, which are so important to their feelings of safety.

Clawing to reduce stress: Cats are highly skilled at de-stressing and don’t need yoga or a spa weekend getaway. They have many ways to release stress and emotional energy— in addition to claw marking behaviour, pacing and meowing are common behaviours to reduce stress. One common example many cat owners share with me during a consultation is how their cats will claw mark while their scheduled meal is being prepared. Being hungry and having to wait for food can create stress, not just for cats, but for many other species as well.

Clawing to Mark Territory: With scent glands between their toes, cats can leave a scent mark at the same time they are leaving a visual mark. If you have a single cat, he will claw mark to give himself a sense of confidence, security, and familiarity with his environment. If you have multiple cats, they will claw mark more often than single cats. Clawing is used to mark territory, warn other cats, and help avoid physical confrontation. You may notice more dominant cats claw marking in front of subordinate cats.  moderncat.com

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What to Do!

De-stress Your Cat to Decrease Clawing Behaviour Stress is often underappreciated in cats and can be one of the main causes for normal day-to-day clawing behaviour as well as excessive clawing. If a cat’s environment is mundane, his stress response system can become activated and this can lead to more clawing behaviour than what’s necessary.

How to Bust Feline Stress to Decrease Clawing: Incorporate a food puzzle into your cat’s daily life using his regular cat food or healthy cat treats. A food puzzle prolongs chewing and feeding while providing your cat with a foraging activity that should be part of his daily behavioural repertoire.

Scientific research has shown that food puzzles reduce stereotypical stress-related behaviours in cats.

Feeding your cat several small meals a day as opposed to two larger scheduled meals (with the help of a timed feeder if needed) can also help reduce stress because having food more readily available vs. no food for several hours at a time is less stressful. Also, in multi-cat households, cats can be more aggressive and less cooperative with one another when fed on schedules or too many hours apart.

Feline pheromone products are effective in reducing stress in cats by helping them feel calmer and safer in their environment and this means less stressrelated clawing behaviour. Try Feliway. This synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure mimics the cat’s natural facial pheromones, creating a sense of familiarity and security. (30-day starter kit, $20 on amazon.com) One of the best ways to de-stress your cat (and prevent him from becoming stressed to begin with) is to play with him a few times each day. Using an interactive toy like a wand toy that you maneuver or a battery-operated toy can help exhaust his natural predatory behaviour and reduce clawing behaviour.

Promote Clawing Behaviour Where You Want It Purchase a few scratching posts, pads or other cat scratching items. My cats prefer the corrugated cardboard scratchers in a variety of shapes and sizes. Experiment with where you place the scratchers until you see your cat using them on his own. You can train your cat to use them by dragging a toy across the scratcher, adding a sprinkle of catnip, praising, and offering a food reward!

Deter Clawing Behaviour There are few gentle and humane products that deter cats from clawing certain areas or items in your home. Sticky Paws are see-through strips of sticky tape to apply to furniture or rugs. The other product is SSSCAT which is a motion sensor air-in-a-can.

Both these products work while you’re not around and because cats have a very short learning curve, it only takes a few times to learn what areas of the home are off limits to clawing. Never verbally or physically reprimand a cat for any reason. This will only create more stress and more unwanted clawing behaviour.

Watch Mieshelle as the cat expert on the Nat Geo Wild TV show “Animals Doing Things” with Howie Mandell, as well on National Geographic cat behaviour documentaries.

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“It’s in the nature of animals, who have a distressing disregard for sticker prices, sometimes to just tear things up. Cats will claw silk drapes into streamers, rugs into shreds, and couches into something that resembles the furniture you see at the most depressing yard sale you’ve ever been to. Or they do other things to annoy us, like jumping on the computer keyboard, plucking food off the dining room table while you’re calling the guests in to eat, or licking the butter you left on the kitchen counter— even though you have sat them down many times and carefully explained how the cons of such behaviours outweigh the pros.

Luckily, you can stop all of these behaviors—humanely.”

—from Mieshelle Nagelschneider's feline science behaviour book The Cat Whisperer

Trim Your Cat’s Claws A clipped nail with a blunt end can make a difference in reducing clawing behaviour while also reducing damage to the home. Have your vet show you how to do this if you’re unsure. You can also place nail caps on your cat’s newly clipped nails which can eliminate damage from natural clawing behaviour.

Never declaw a cat. This inhumane practice is like having your fingers amputated at the knuckle.

Need more behavioural advice on scratching or other problems?

Contact thecatbehaviorclinic.com to schedule a phone or video consultation with Mieshelle. Known as “The Cat Whisperer,” Mieshelle’s most recent study of animal behaviour was at Oxford University. Her cat behaviour science book, The Cat Whisperer, is the first scholarly-cited cat behaviour book for cat owners. Published in four languages by Random House Publishing, it’s required coursework reading for several catbehaviourist certifying organizations. 

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CatTastic Beds!

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The handcrafted SUSHI SMOOSH beds from Sushi Cat Style are made from the softest flannel in the cutest patterns (Mermaids! Vintage campers!) and provide just the right amount of smoosh to cradle your cat’s body. Plus the whole thing can be thrown in the washer/dryer! sushicatstyle.com

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HOW TO SOCIALIZE YOUR KITTEN! The importance of your kitten’s early life experiences + life skills and positive associations to build on at home

by Zazie Todd

W

hatever age your cat, have you ever thought about what their first experiences were like?

The early weeks of a kitten’s life help to shape the adult cat they will become.

The Sensitive Period Kittens have a sensitive period for socialization from two until about seven or eight weeks of age. The sensitive period is a special time in brain development when young animals are especially receptive to new experiences. By two weeks, the kitten’s eyes and ears are already open (although vision remains blurred for a few more weeks), they are able to smell, and their motor skills are

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developing very quickly. During this time, kittens are learning all about the world, playing with their fellow kittens, and exploring the environment.

Lauren Finka, PhD, feline researcher at Nottingham Trent University and author of The Cat Personality Test, says, “It’s really important to understand that this period (from around two to eight weeks of age) is the time when kittens are most susceptible to learning important lessons about the world.

Their brains are much more ‘plastic’ compared to those of adult cats, meaning they are generally curious and, you could say, more ‘open minded’.”

This time is when kittens learn about people and (hopefully) that they can be friends. “The domestic cat isn’t born with an innate desire to be around humans, so

the sensitive period is a really important time to help them to learn that we are not scary and are associated with nice things!” Lauren says.

Kittens should be handled by more than one person during the sensitive period, preferably including men and women, children, and adults.

When kittens are only handled by one person during this time, they learn to be friendly with that person, but they are not so friendly with new people.

However, research shows that if they are handled by five people during the sensitive period, they are much more comfortable with strangers and friendly towards them. Handling for 40 minutes to two hours a day is better than just 15 minutes a day, but early research showed that even five minutes

a day can have profound effects. “Studies evaluating the effect of kitten handling on subsequent behaviour toward people showed that handling by multiple people for as few as five minutes a day can have lifelong benefits, especially if done prior to seven weeks of age,” says Dr. Kenneth Martin, DVM DACVB.

Tips If kittens have the right experiences at this time, they will become well socialized to people and other cats and get used to things and sounds in the environment, such as dishwashers, vacuums, and TV. Handling must be gentle (i.e. the experience must be a good one) in order to ensure the kitten is comfortable and learning to like people.

When getting a kitten, ask about the kittens’ early life. Also pay attention to what the mother is like, as a friendly and confident mother cat is likely to have friendly, confident kittens.

If you want to be sure your kitten will be happy in a busy household with friends and family coming and going, choose a kitten who is friendly towards you and seems confident, not one who is hiding and would be better suited to a quiet home.

Building on Very Early Experiences Early socialization usually happens in the home of the breeder or shelter because kittens typically go to their new home between eight and 12 weeks of age. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook—it’s important to build on those early experiences because this will help your kitten to generalize from what they already know. “Kittens will usually be beyond the age of their sensitive period when they go to their new home,” Lauren says. “However, they are still able to learn and to make both positive (and negative) associations with people, other animals, and their general environment. It’s a great idea to continue to introduce your kitten to all the things that you would like them to be comfortable with when they are older.

For example, the vacuum cleaner, different sorts of people (male, female, young, and old), being in a cat carrier, being at the vets, and receiving veterinary handling.”

Although the sensitive period for socialization has passed by the time most new kittens are adopted, kittens are still learning in those early weeks in their new home. This period

(eight to 14 weeks) is an important time for learning play skills, says Dr. Martin. Very young kittens engage in self-play and batting objects with their paws, and from about three weeks they begin to engage in social play with littermates. Social play increases from four to 11 weeks of age and peaks by 12 weeks, he notes. Supervise object play (especially with wand toys) so the kitten cannot hurt themselves.

Dr. Martin also notes that an important aspect of socialization is localization, in which kittens become attached to specific environments. “Cats tend to be most comfortable with environments to which they were exposed at a young age,” he says. Together, “socialization and localization shape future behavioural responses and prepare cats for a myriad of social and environmental experiences later in life.”

It’s important to do this in a very positive way, Lauren notes. “The key is to expose your kitten to these things in a little and often way so as not to overwhelm them, and to always use treats, play or other things they like to create positive associations with these new experiences.”

Children typically love to play with kittens, but ensure the kitten is having a positive time too. Kate LaSala CTC, CBCCKA, a New York City-area behaviour consultant and owner of Rescued By Training says, “Always supervise to ensure safety for both the kitten and child. Teach kids how to properly touch and interact with the kitten and be careful the child isn’t playing too rough, scaring or chasing the kitten.”

If bringing your kitten into a home with a dog, Kate advises, “Don’t rush introductions and always make sure both animals are safe and comfortable—not just coping. Remember your kitten may have never been introduced to a dog before and that could be very scary. And if your dog has never lived with a cat before, there might be some training that needs to happen.”

Kitten Socialization Tips: Encourage interactions, don’t force them. The key is to make them positive experiences With small children, guide their hands so they learn to pet the kitten gently.

Although it’s tempting to let kittens play with your hands, it’s not a good idea because it won’t be so cute once they are grown up. Instead redirect them to toys any time they are trying to catch your fingers.

When introducing a dog to a kitten or cat, use something that smells of the dog first (e.g. bedding) and give treats to make it a positive experience. Only when that is going well can you let them see each other. Always have the dog on leash at first and keep initial introductions short so that neither animal gets overwhelmed.  moderncat.com

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Learning Life Skills Some veterinary clinics offer kitten kindergarten classes.

“Kitten Kindy” is the feline equivalent of puppy class and the trend was started by Dr. Kersti Seksel, a veterinary behaviourist in Australia. Kittens can start kitten kindergarten between 8 and 13 weeks old. The first class typically happens without kittens present and is an opportunity for people to learn about how to raise a cat. Then there are one to two more classes, which the kitten attends too. Expect between three to six kittens and ideally two presenters to keep an eye on everything. Kittens must have their first set of vaccinations before going to class.

If you can’t attend kitten class, you can still practice the following life skills at home. They are also worth doing with adult cats, but expect it to take longer (even much longer if your cat has had some prior bad experiences).

Tips Use treats, little bits of tuna or prawn, petting, and/or play as rewards and to make positive associations with anything new.

Teach them to come when called. Say their name and then give them a reward. Over time, gradually increase the distance they come to get the treat.

Get them used to gentle handling such as looking in the ears and touching the paws. Be very careful and build up gradually. If you accidentally cause a bad experience, it might instead make the kitten fearful.

Have the base of the cat carrier out and use treats or play to encourage them to go in. Once they are used to this, add the lid and repeat the process. Ensure they are free to come and go. Over time you can start shutting the door for a few seconds and build up. This will help them get used to the carrier and make going to the vet easier. International Cat Care have some helpful videos that demonstrate this.

Expose your kitten to vehicle travel. As soon as your kitten is comfortable in his carrier, it’s time to introduce short car trips. Reward short trips with special treats or a meal fed in the carrier. Make sure your kitten feels safe by securing both the carrier and the bedding inside; neither should slide. The best place for the carrier is behind the front passenger seat.

Make the vet fun. With your vet’s permission, occasionally stop in simply to receive a tasty treat from the staff and to explore the exam room, nothing more (no procedures or exams). Accustoming your cat to good things happening at the vet’s office can go a long way toward stress-free vet visits later in life.

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A five-week-old British Longhair kitten. Five weeks is when the fun starts, says Alley Cat Allies. Kittens are extremely playful at this age, especially now that their eyesight is fully developed. Interacting with people is important for kittens at five weeks of age, says the organization, recommending spending two hours each day playing with them.

The Adult Cat A kitten that has been well socialized will likely grow up to be a friendly, confident cat. But don’t despair if your cat is shy or if you missed the early socialization period by adopting an adult cat. The sensitive period for socialization isn’t the only thing that affects cats’ behaviour. Oher factors, including genetics and life experiences, also play an important role. Learning, including learning about the social world, can happen at any age. Even cats without early positive experiences can learn; the process just takes longer.

Tips Help your kitten or cat feel safe by providing hiding places that are just the right size for them.

If your cat is shy, they may prefer to play with visitors (e.g. with a wand toy) rather than be petted, or maybe they will prefer to hide. That’s okay. Aim for your cat to be comfortable in all interactions.

Always give cats a choice of whether or not to be petted.

Ask your vet if you have any concerns about your cat/ kitten’s behaviour 

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Dezi & Roo’s Hide and Sneak unique cat toy tunnel

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Cats Up High: Vertical Space and Your Cat

Cats need vertical space; their need to perch dates back to their wildcat ancestry. And make no mistake, your domestic house cat still has a lot of the wild in him. Scientists say there is little genetic difference between say, a Tabby, and a wild cat. In fact, there’s some debate over whether cats fit the definition of domesticated as it is commonly used, says Wes Warren, PhD, associate professor of genetics at The Genome Institute at Washington University in St. Louis.

“We don’t think they are truly domesticated,” Warren tells Smithsonian. He instead refers to cats as “semidomesticated.”

For the multi-cat home, providing vertical space becomes even more essential. Creating vertical space allows your cats to more easily share territory without conflict and can go a long way toward creating harmony in homes with more than one cat.

Give your house panthers the vantage-point they’re looking for with cat trees and cat walks. Armarkat’s beautiful Classic cat trees feature perches, baskets, ramps, and hanging sisal ropes, offering lookouts and hideaway spots to delight your cat and provide needed vertical space. (From $75, armarkat.com)

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2

If I Fits, I Sits: Cats and Boxes

Your cat derives security and comfort from enclosed spaces.

The standard cat reaction to a stressful situation is to run and hide. Boxes provide a perfect safety zone to retreat to where cats can observe unseen. Of course, this also has an advantage from a predation perspective—cats are ambush predators and a box provides an ideal hiding spot from which to stalk prey (or your ankles).

Ethologist Claudia Vinke of Utrecht University in the Netherlands studied stress levels in shelter cats. Working with a Dutch animal shelter, she provided hiding boxes for a group of newly arrived domestic cats while another group received none. The study found a significant difference in stress levels between the cats with boxes and those without.

The cats with boxes adapted to their environment faster and experienced less stress. They were also more interested in interacting with their caretakers.

"Hiding is a behavioural strategy of the species to cope with environmental changes and stressors," the researcher told Wired.

But wait, you may be thinking, my cat doesn’t seem stressed; he just really digs carboard boxes. It could also be a temperature thing. For cats, our normal house temperature is darn cold!

A study by the National Research Council found that the thermoneutral range for a domestic cat is 86 to 97 degrees

Fahrenheit. That's the temperature zone in which cats are "comfortable," i.e. they don’t need to generate heat to keep warm or expend energy cooling themselves. That range is also 20 degrees higher than ours, which goes a long way towards explaining why cats love to bake in the sun, even on very hot days. It could also explain, in part, why they love curling into too-small boxes. Cardboard is insulating, so that awkward-looking squeeze into a tiny box could actually be keeping them nice and warm, in addition to busting stress and providing a hideout from which to plot a stealth attack.

Try any box, Dezi & Roo’s Hide and Sneak tunnel combining the thrill of crinkling paper bags with the fun of a cardboard box and a unique tunnel ($11, deziroo.com), or Dharma Dog Karma Cat’s gorgeous, handcrafted felted Himalayan wool cat caves ($70, dharmadogkarmacat.com).

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It’s Playtime!

Why Your Cat Needs to Play Cats still retain their hunting skills. Despite having ample food supplied by their servants—I mean humans— they’ll still go out and kill mice, insects, birds, and whatever else tickles their fancy if given the opportunity. By keeping your cats indoors, you ensure they don’t fall victim to predators or speeding cars, but it then falls to you to engage your cat in play that lets them stalk, play with, and ultimately go in for “the kill.” Using a wand toy, you can engage your cat in this sort of mentally and physically satisfying play—just be sure to let your cat eventually catch and “kill” his “prey” or the play session will leave your cat unsatisfied.

Try the awesome Eco Catty Pillar from Honest Pet Products, a totally sustainable and natural toy made from organic felted wool and hemp twine. Cats dig the natural lanolin aroma and love to bat and chase it as it rolls! Plus, it’s handcrafted by rural Nepalese women, supporting impoverished families. $1.50 for every purchase goes to helping Nepalese families in need! ($16, honestpetproducts.com).

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Cat Scratch Fever: Why Your Cat Needs to Scratch

Scratching is necessary for your cat’s health; it’s how they remove the outer sheath from their claws, mark their territory both visually and with scent (cats have scent glands on their paws), and stretch their bodies and flex their feet and claws, says the Humane Society of the United States.

Make sure your cat’s need to scratch doesn’t run up against your desire to have un-ruined furniture by providing ample and adequate areas for your cat to get her scratch on. And this is key: though the temptation may be to hide the scratching post away in the spare room, this definitely won’t work for your cat. If you want your cats to actually use their scratchers, they need to be placed in socially significant areas, like the living room. Making sure that both you and your cat can be happy with this set up is Prevue Pet Products, creators of scratching posts that will delight your cat and look good next to your sofa ($90, prevuepet.com). Also try Sofa Scratchers ($50, sofascratcher. com), an ingenious, contoured sisal scratching post meets couch corner protector. Just slide it under the leg of your sofa to anchor it in place!

The more approved, well positioned scratching areas you provide, the less likely your furniture is to be targeted.

Jump Around: Cats Need Exercise

Cats are natural athletes and have an innate need to jump, a behaviour that is often discouraged. Give your cat somewhere to jump to without knocking things over by installing cat shelves. Cat shelves also give your indoor cat an opportunity to exercise, something that most indoor cats are sorely lacking, notes expert feline behaviourist Mieshelle Nagelschneider.

Try Hangman Products’ gorgeously minimal wallmounted cat shelves, designed to help your cat reach new heights and promote positive scratching behaviour. Holds up to 30 pounds. (From $65, hangmanproducts.com)

Hangman Product’s wall-mounted “Tabby” cat shelf

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WHEN CATS ARE STRESSED & DEPRESSED How to identify and minimize chronic stress in cats

By Pam Johnson-Bennett

M

ost cat caregivers recognize when a cat is in acute stress. Physically, the cat’s body language changes into a crouched position, the cat may growl or hiss, the ears are pinned back, and the pupils are very dilated. For many, this is a familiar position seen at the veterinary clinic [for how to reduce vet visit trauma, turn to page 58]. Acute stress is usually obvious and cat caregivers can often identify the cause for the cat’s response. But what about the more insidious, lower level chronic stress? More detrimental to your cat’s health, long-term stress can go missed, with damaging consequences. Here’s how to identify and address chronic stress in cats.

Is Stress Always Bad? It’s impossible to eliminate all stress in a cat’s life. Some degree of stress is essential when it comes to survival. When an animal feels threatened, the acute stress response triggers hormones that trip the fight/flight/freeze response. The surge of hormones from the stress response helps an animal prepare to fight, run to safety, or freeze in place. This response is intended to be short-lived to equip animals for what is needed in a temporary situation. After the threat is gone, all physiological systems go back to normal settings.

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The problem for most cats isn’t the obvious acute stress, but rather, the more subtle and easily overlooked chronic stress.

This is the type of stress that seems to stay under the radar of many caregivers. Chronic stress, if allowed to continue longterm, can contribute to medical problems, behaviour issues, and even depression. The body wasn’t created to endure unrelenting chronic stress.

Chronic Stress Signs of chronic stress are easy to overlook. They could include a change in appetite, litter box habits, activity level, and even change in appearance as the cat may begin overgrooming. Because these behaviours seem to creep up slowly over time, they can be missed by even the most diligent caregiver. This is the type of stress that takes up residence in situations such as when there’s ongoing tension in a multi-cat family, or when litter box conditions remain unsatisfactory for a cat. Other factors that can cause chronic stress include punishment, loneliness, inconsistent family schedules, constant family chaos, and even long-term illness. The list could go on. The point is that it can be easy to miss signs of chronic stress, but the effects can be very detrimental.

Some signs of stress may include: ➜ Change in litter box habits ➜ Change in appetite ➜ Change in social behaviour ➜ Change in sleep patterns ➜ Excessive grooming ➜ Change in normal vocalization ➜ Increased aggression ➜ Hiding

How to Minimize Stress: Think Like a Cat Step number one is to uncover the cause(s) of the stress. This involves using your think like a cat skill to look at the environment from her perspective. You can provide a loving, comfortable home for your cats but also miss the fact that every time one kitty tries to use the litter box, she gets ambushed by a housemate cat. Or, maybe your cat is very bonded with you and now that you’ve changed to a job that requires longer hours away, she remains stressed because of the inconsistent schedule.

As you look at the environment from your cat’s point of view, you may notice not one, but multiple stress triggers that could use tweaking to reduce or even eliminate their effects. The most important fact is that you don’t want to just let your cat live in a state of chronic stress as that can impact her health, may lead to depression, and it’s heartbreaking in terms of quality of life. 

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Here are some tips to get you started on stress reduction: #1 Have your cat checked by the

veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical problem that could be contributing to chronic stress.

#2 Help your cat adjust to being in

a carrier by leaving the carrier out as a cozy hideaway and feeding your cat near and eventually inside the carrier.

#3 Choose a veterinary clinic that

emphasizes low-stress handling and fear reduction. (see page 58)

#4 Re-examine the litter box set-up

to make sure you have enough boxes, they’re in multiple locations, kept clean, and are the right size/type for each cat in the home. The recommendation is to have as many boxes as you have cats plus one extra for good measure. Senior cats or ones who are less mobile will benefit from having litter boxes that are easy to enter and exit so choose lowsided boxes and increase locations for maximum convenience.

#5 Increase the fun factor and build

kitty confidence by doing at least two interactive play sessions every day.

Use a fishing-pole type toy and conduct fun play sessions so your cat can enjoy being the Mighty Hunter. Interactive toys allow you to move the toy like prey so the cat can truly enjoy the hunt. Don’t forget to let them go in for “the kill.”

#6 Address ongoing multi-

cat tension in the home by doing necessary behaviour work or even do a total reintroduction if needed. This process involves separating the cats and reintroducing them as if they’ve never met.

#7 Increase environment enrichment by adding elevated areas for climbing/playing, cozy hiding places, scratching surfaces, and solo playtime opportunities so your cat can have fun when alone in the home.

#8 Provide good quality nutrition and make sure the feeding station is secure and quiet. Make sure another cat isn’t bullying at the feeding station and that the food bowl is not in the middle of household traffic. Cats typically prefer quiet, safe areas to enjoy their meals.

#9 Gradually and gently socialize your cat by introducing new things, people and experiences in a way that doesn’t overwhelm. Doing so gently can help a kitten be more comfortable around people and other animals as an adult.

#10 Introduce change in your cat’s life in a gradual and comfortable way since cats don’t like abrupt changes.

#11 In a multi-cat environment,

make sure there are enough resources and that they’re spread throughout the home to avoid resource-guarding behaviour.

#12 Incorporate clicker training

to help rebuild trust and encourage confidence. For a timid or reluctant cat, clicker training becomes a comfortable language between the two of you that allows the cat to take baby steps of progress and get rewarded.

#13 Do new cat introductions very gradually and give the cats a reason to like each other by offering treats, food or playtime when they are in the

presence of each other. It’s all about reducing feelings of being threatened and increasing positive associations.

#14 Pay attention to changes in

behaviour, litter box habits, appetite, and appearance.

#15 Provide choice for your cat

so she has control over how much interaction she wants and how much personal space she needs.

#16 If you think the stress is due to

loneliness, consider the addition of a cat buddy but remember the introduction must be done in a gradual, positive way.

Some signs of loneliness may include lack of interest in playtime, changes in eating habits, depression, destructive behaviour, lack of interaction with family or being very clingy. Keep in mind that these could also be signs of a medical issue so always have your cat checked by the veterinarian.

#17 Use consistency and patience when training, and never use punishment. 

NEED MORE HELP? If you feel overwhelmed or if your cat’s stress has crossed over into depression, contact your veterinarian. You may need a referral to a certified behaviour professional such as a veterinary behaviourist.

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HERO

CATS These five heroic cats saved life and limb. From a toddler that almost choked to death, to a man that would have lost his arm if not for his neighbour's cat's intervention, these stories will warm your heart.

By Vivien Fellegi

April & Sophie

A

ccording to an old adage, dogs regard us as family, while cats see us as staff. Veterinarian Gary Weitzman, President of the San Diego Humane Society, isn’t buying it. “Cats bond to us the same way as dogs…they (just) show it differently,” he says. While canines crave round-theclock petting, felines are more restrained in their show of affection. But though they may play hard to get, cats reward their patient owners with head bumps, friendly meows, and slowly blinking eyes which signal trust, says Gary. And sometimes by saving our lives.

“Cats are attuned to our emotional state and their superior sense of smell picks up pheromones we emit when we’re stressed or unwell,” says Gary. That’s when our cats can swing into action to protect us. And while not every cat is perhaps hero material, there are a lot more of them than people realize. Meet five hero cats who saved lives and limbs:

PIXIE: Doting cat saves life of toddler Sophie and Mike Sawyers’ rescue cat, Pixie, has been protecting their toddler all her life. From the moment April was born in 2015, the brown Tabby cat and the baby were inseparable. Pixie followed her charge around everywhere and snuggled close to her when she cried. “I think she’s got that mother instinct,” says Sophie Sawyer, who lives in Melksham, England.

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That sixth sense proved to be invaluable one night in November 2016. The couple was fast asleep when Sophie awoke to the sound of Pixie careening up and down the hallway. Thinking the cat was just chasing a mouse, Sophie dragged herself out of bed and tried to calm her down before the cat awoke her daughter.

Pixie wasn’t cooperating. She raced toward the nursery, running in circles outside its closed door. When Sophie entered the room and flicked on the lights, she found her 18-month-old toddler keeled over, coughing and choking.

Sophie screamed for her husband, and together they whacked April’s back until a few shiny green grapes popped out of her mouth. April’s breathing returned to normal immediately, and she fell back asleep. The frightened couple and their cat kept a vigil by the girl’s bed for an hour to make sure she was okay.

Sophie credits her cat with saving her daughter’s life.

“If it wasn’t for Pixie, I can’t imagine what would have happened.”

Sophie decided to publicize her cat’s caring. An article in the local Melksham Independent News began a flurry of media attention, culminating in a National Cat Award from the Cats Protection, a UK feline welfare charity. Sophie is saving these clippings for the day April is old enough to understand what happened.

But the Sawyers’ biggest reward was their own sense of wonder, which sprang out of sharing their story. “What happened (was) amazing,” says Sophie. “We’re so grateful.”

HOMER: Blind rescue cat

chases off intruder from owner’s bedroom The last thing Gwen Cooper needed was a blind, black kitten. The timing was terrible—in the summer of l997, Gwen was living at a friend’s house while nursing a broken heart. And she already had two cats.

But Gwen’s vet, who had cared for the abandoned animal, was desperate to find a home for the special-needs animal. Gwen was her last resort.

Gwen’s objections disappeared the moment she picked up the scrawny cat, who purred and nuzzled her neck.

“He …just melted my heart,” she says.

The cat she named Homer (after the blind Greek poet) had a zest for life undiminished by his handicap.

He loved plucking rubber bands and pounced unerringly on buzzing flies.

Homer’s blindness made him brave.

“He never knew how much smaller he was than other cats—he would always stand up to them,” says Gwen.

Homer’s courage saved his owner’s life. In the summer of 2000, Gwen was jolted awake by Homer’s growls.

Turning on her bedside lamp, she saw a strange young man hovering over her bed. “I was instantly terrified,” she recalls. She tried to dial an emergency number, but the intruder told her “Don’t do that.”

Gwen & Homer

Sensing her fear, Homer launched himself at the burglar, who turned tail and fled.

Homer’s fearlessness rubbed off on his owner. “The biggest thing I got from Homer is that sometimes…you just have to take a blind leap.” In 2004 she took a chance on dating her best friend, though she feared losing him if the relationship failed. Today they’re happily married.

She also embarked on a writing career, which was cemented by the publication of Homer’s Odyssey, a memoir about her life with the cat. Gwen earmarked 10 percent of the bestseller’s royalties to support organizations serving disabled animals. My Life in a Cat House, about all her favorite felines, is her latest book.

Though Homer passed away in 2013, his legacy endures. Readers still email Gwen to tell her that they’ve been inspired to adopt a special needs animal on account of her story. “I find that gratifying and… incredible,” she says.  moderncat.com

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IVY: A

MONTY: A

standoffish Siamese mix springs into action to save trapped man

rescue Tabby saves his owner from slipping into a diabetic coma

Ivy

When Mary Johnston first set eyes on the Manitoulin Island, ON rescue cat in the winter of 2017, she was more impressed with the cat’s appearance than her personality.

The elegant part-Siamese cat with the vivid blue eyes was striking. So too was her behaviour.

“She’s friendly enough if you don’t go near her,” says Mary. The 74-year-old from the tiny Northern Ontario community of Tekhummah (population 400) learned that the hard way when she first tried to pick up her new friend.

“She almost removed my arm,” she recollects.

Ivy, however, was to redeem herself a few weeks later.

Mary was absorbed in a book when Ivy jumped from the windowsill onto her lap. Mary ignored her at first, but the cat kept pacing back and forth until Mary became alarmed.

“It was unusual behaviour—she didn’t (normally) snuggle,” she says. Ivy continued to bother Mary until she got up to see what was going on. It was then Mary heard a noise through the window that sounded like the deep growl of a cat in distress.

Going outside to investigate, she traced the sound to a nearby barn. Entering through the open door, Mary found her neighbour, Eric Russell, trapped 13 feet in the air, dangling by his arm and screaming for help. “I was shocked,” says Mary.

The farmer had been on a ladder repairing his garage door when a spring broke and pinned his arm. He was in agony and had almost lost hope when Mary arrived.

“Hold on,” she told him. Mary alerted Eric’s wife, who called 911. The paramedics rushed him to hospital, where he was diagnosed with nerve damage in his arm. The doctor told Eric that he was close to losing the limb altogether.

Eric thanked his feline rescuer, who became an international media sensation, with toys and treats. The hero cat, however, is immune to fame.

“She thinks she’s a prima donna at the best of times,” says Mary. When she’s not tormenting her feline housemate, Ivy is curled up on the sofa by herself. But Mary is used to independent animals—her other cat, Nellie, refuses to be touched at all. Mary doesn’t mind. “If they’re happy, I’m happy,” she says.

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Monty

Patricia Peters was only seeking a feline companion for her cat, Max, when she adopted Monty from the Edmonton Humane Society in 2011. But she connected immediately with the tawny cat who snuggled close against her chest.

“He picked me—I knew I had to take him home,” she says.

Adopting Monty turned out to be a very good decision.

The rescue cat was attuned to his new owner right from the start. Whenever Patricia was ill or upset, the Tabby would jump into her lap and comfort her until she felt better.

Monty’s intuition proved invaluable one night in March 2012 when he woke her up by nibbling on her fingers. She tried to brush him off, but the cat persisted until she sat up to push him away. That’s when the recently diagnosed diabetic noticed that she was dizzy and confused. As she staggered down the hall, Monty was glued to her side and when they reached the kitchen, the cat jumped onto the counter and sat beside her blood testing kit. Her blood sugar was 2.7, dangerously low.

After popping some sugar tablets, Patricia lay down on her couch, hoping to snooze before retesting. But Monty kept her up by walking on her body. When the second result came back normal, they both returned to bed and fell asleep curled up together. “He stayed there all night with me…watching over his mama,” says Patricia.

It wasn’t until the next day that Patricia recognized the enormity of what had happened. Without Monty’s intervention, she would have probably slipped into a coma from which she may not have recovered.

Her doctor wasn’t surprised by the cat’s diagnostic ability. “Cats detect a lot of things people are not aware of,” he said. It’s possible that Monty picked up his owner’s blood sugar through the smell of her breath.

Monty became a celebrity almost overnight and was even inducted into Purina’s “Hall of Fame.”

Back home, Monty continues to monitor his owner’s health, meowing and pawing her leg whenever her blood sugar drops. “He’s …my little guardian angel, watching over me,” says Patricia.

IF HE DIDN’T… WAKE ME UP I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

BLAKE:

Shelter kitten saves the life of his rescuer Blake

In 2015, Glen Schallman gave himself the best Christmas present when he picked out a new pet at the North Texas Humane Society in Fort Worth.

The little black cat stood out immediately. “There’s this kitten…jumping up and down, meowing, going crazy, while the other(s) are doing nothing,” he recalls. When the staff put him in Glen’s arms, the cat circled his neck with his paws. “He was saying ‘Take me home, I’m yours,’” says Glen.

Blake’s trusting demeanor was remarkable given the filthy, cramped home he’d been rescued from along with 26 other hoarded animals.

He seemed to have forgotten these abuses as he took over Glen’s place, jumping on the furniture and stealing bagels.

He also began to take care of his new owner. Glen suffers from three rare brain conditions causing severe daily seizures: unilateral schizencephaly, polymicrogyria, and hypothalamic hamartoma. He calls them “a triple whammy.

On their first day together, when Glen’s arm began shaking, Blake put his paw on the trembling limb. He was saying

‘You’re going to be okay, daddy,’” says Glen.

Three days later, Blake made good on that promise. Glen was awoken from a full-blown seizure by his new kitten nibbling his toes. “If he didn’t…wake me up I would not be here today,” he says.

Glen cradled the cat and smothered him with kisses. ‘’I’m proud of you,’” he told his feline saviour, who won an ASPCA Humane Award in 2016.

Blake and Glen’s other cat, Maxwell, continued to demonstrate an uncanny ability to predict an impending convulsion. They would “grab my leg and push me to lay down,” says Glen.

Blake’s neurologist was impressed. Glen is the oldest survivor with his brain conditions, and the doctor attributes this to his feline medics.

Glen, in turn, doted on Blake, who developed digestive problems and passed away October 30, 2019 in Glen’s arms.

He’d play ball with Blake in the middle of the night and dole out chicken-flavoured treats when his cat nudged the fridge door.

“I (will) remember him as my angel and my hero,” says Glen. 

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BODY & SOUL

Measured angles and distances for the ears, eyes and muzzle.

Cat Pain Scale

A new study provides a much needed, simple scale to assess feline pain veterinary research team from the University of Calgary has created a new Feline Grimace Scale for vets, veterinary students, and cat owners alike.

An ongoing issue with the treatment of cats is that pain frequently goes unidentified and therefore unaddressed.

Video-recording of cats. A wide-angle lens camera was placed between the cage bars and cats were videorecorded undisturbed for 6 min.

DR. DANIEL PANG AND BARNEY COURTESY OF RILEY BRANDT/UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

“Cats in particular can be hard to assess for the presence of pain, meaning that they often receive less pain-relieving medication than dogs, even when they undergo similar surgeries or have similar painful diseases,” notes Dr. Daniel Pang, one of researchers.

In the study, “Facial expressions of pain in cats: the development and validation of a Feline Grimace Scale,” the researchers observed and assessed a total of 70 cats over a nine-month period. The cats selected for assessment all varied in age, breed, and gender. Twenty of the cats were healthy while another 50 cats were those admitted to the emergency and critical care unit at the veterinary teaching hospital in Quebec, where the research was conducted. (All of the cats included in the study were only recruited and observed after the team received written consent from their owners.) One of the biggest challenges in doing research like this?

“Patience! As with all research, things never go as planned and as in this case, things can take much longer than expected,” says Dr. Daniel Pang.

“Because we did not cause any pain in the cats we studied (we depended on cats being presented to our emergency service), we had to wait for cats to be brought in. This is always unpredictable.” All the cats were video-recorded

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Dr. Daniel Pang and Barney

Feline Grimace Scale Eyes

No Sign

Moderate Sign

Obvious Sign

GRIMACE SCALE DIAGRAM UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, ADAPTED F R O M E V A N G E L I S T A E T A L . 2019 S C I E N T I F I C R E P O R T S 9, 19128

Feline Grimace Scale Ears

No Sign

Moderate Sign

Obvious Sign

Feline Grimace Scale Whiskers

Healthy Shores

No Sign

Moderate Sign

Obvious Sign

undisturbed in their cages in this case-control study. Painful cats received analgesic treatment and videos were repeated one hour later. Five action units were identified: ear position, orbital tightening, muzzle tension, whiskers change, and head position.

The research, however painstaking, resulted in a clear cut illustrated scale by which to assess the facial expression of cats (via eye, whisker, and ear position) and assign a corresponding level of pain. It is the researchers’ hope that these grimace scales will result in cats receiving timely veterinary care and, once at the vet, receiving an appropriate level of pain management.

Find the full study at nature.com/srep. moderncat.com

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BODY & SOUL

ALLERGIC TO CATS? New Cat Food Reduces Cat Allergens Get ready for more cuddle time…

L

ove cats but you or someone in your household suffers from cat allergies? Managing cat allergens is a struggle for the one in five adults who are sensitized to cat allergens. To help keep cats and the people who love them together, Purina has introduced a new cat food designed to assist in the management of cat allergies. The culmination of more than a decade of research, Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is the first cat food to reduce the allergens in cat hair and dander.

“Many people think that cat hair is the root of their problem," explains Ebenezer Satyaraj, PhD, immunologist for Nestlé Purina Research and lead investigator on the research that led to the development of Pro Plan LiveClear, "but it's actually what's on it—the major cat allergen called Fel d 1, a protein that cats produce naturally in their saliva.”

All cats produce Fel d 1, regardless of breed, age, hair length, sex or body weight. When cats groom, Fel d 1 gets on the hair and skin through the saliva, and eventually into the environment.

The key ingredient in Pro Plan LiveClear is a specific protein sourced from eggs. When cats eat LiveClear, the protein binds to the Fel d 1 and safely neutralizes it in the cat's mouth.

By reducing active Fel d 1 in the cat's saliva, it reduces the allergen that is transferred to the cat's hair and dander

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when they groom, ultimately reducing the allergen in the environment.

Pro Plan LiveClear was shown to reduce the allergens in cat hair and dander by an average of 47 percent in as little as three weeks when fed daily.

Cat safety was critically important when developing the product. “As a cat lover and veterinarian, my focus is on the health and safety of the cats under my care. The beauty of Pro Plan LiveClear is that it reduces cat allergens in cat hair and dander without impacting the physiology of the cat,” explained Kurt Venator, Chief Veterinary Officer at Purina.

“Because scientists don't know exactly why cats produce Fel d 1, our goal was to neutralize it rather than inhibit its production.” A six-month safety study also showed that the egg product ingredient coating the LiveClear kibble is completely safe for cats to eat. The action happens in the cat's mouth, but once swallowed, the ingredient is digested like any other protein.

This complete and balanced dry cat food is meant to be fed daily and comes in three formulas—Adult Chicken & Rice, Adult Salmon & Rice, and Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Turkey & Oat Meal. With this groundbreaking approach to cat allergen management, the quality of life for allergic cat owners and the cats they love just got better!

BODY & SOUL

Healthy PAWS Solutions for everything from feline acne to smelly breath and untrimmed nails.

GOOD FACE Flush irritants from eyes and ears, plus manage acne and cuts with the Feline Antimicrobial Facial Therapy from Vetericyn Plus.

Antibiotic and steroidfree, it helps soothe and prevent infection. ($13, vetericyn.com)

LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE Snappy Tom Natural Cat Food is grain free and contains no artificial additives.

Choose from a variety of delicious high protein foods specifically formulated for cats and kittens. ($1.70, web orders to US only, snappytom.com)

IMMUNITY BOOST Optimize health and strengthen illness response with Purica’s Immune Pet Immunity Support supplement. This powerful blend of Ashwaganda and medicinal mushrooms detoxifies and enhances immune response. ($48, purica.com)

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EAR HEALTH Zymox Ear Solution is veterinarian recommended for relief of feline ear infections— without antibiotics! This safe, gentle, and natural formulation reduces inflammation and helps problematic ears. ($30, zymox.com)

DENTAL HEALTH The vet-approved Pet Dental Water additive from OxyFresh makes dental health easy!

Simply add to your cat’s water bowl to effortlessly maintain clean teeth between vet visits. ($16, shop.oxyfresh.com)

TRIM NAILS Why you should trim your cat’s nails: trimming claws will blunt damage to surfaces and the longer the claw, the more your cat will want to scratch to remove the sheath. Safely cut your cat’s nails with Conair’s ergonomically designed cat nail clippers. The soft grip, no-slip design and stainless-steel blades make it a cinch. Just add treats! ($9, chewy.com)

BODY & SOUL

IS CBD RIGHT FOR YOUR CAT? For a host of cat lovers, CBD has proved a miracle cure, helping cats with everything from arthritis and seizures to pain and anxiety

By Tracey Tong

C

BD oil gave Lee Ellis four extra months with the furry love of her life. The story of Lee and Molly, a long-haired Tabby, started more than 20 years ago. Born to a feral mom, Molly was rescued by the Scarborough, ON resident when she was only four months old.

“She slept next to me every night and woke me up early every day—whether I wanted an early wakeup call or not,” says Lee, who owns Three Star Pet Sitting Services. “Even though I loved other kitties, she was my number one.”

ll this a al r natu has y remedovers l cat ing sing s. praise

As Molly grew older, she developed arthritis. In November 2018, Molly was almost 21 years old, and had fallen trying to get out of the litter box, and again when she tried to jump on a chair. Gabapentin, a medication prescribed to treat neuropathic pain in cats, wasn’t working—it made her “a bit wobbly,” says Lee. “I was running out of options because of her age and I didn’t want to keep giving her medication because it gets processed through the liver.”

She made the difficult decision to put her beloved cat down, but changed her mind, and decided to wait and see if the CBD oil she had recently started giving Molly made a difference.

She’s so glad she waited.

A few days later, Lee noticed that Molly was getting in and out of the litter box easier and jumping on the couch without problems. “One day I saw her cleaning the base of her tail with one leg behind her head, something that struck me only because I hadn't seen that in a long time.” 

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BODY & SOUL Lee attributes the vast improvements to CBD oil, which gave her four more precious months with her cat. She is one of many pet owners whose ‘cat came back’ after turning to cannabidiol—more commonly known as CBD—to treat their cat’s ailments.

“Most are seeking a safe 'natural' option for their cats; some are looking for alternative options to add to conventional therapies that may not be working well,” says Dr. Katherine Kramer, medical director for VCA-Canada Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital, a small animal integrative hospital in Vancouver, B.C. Whatever the reason, the decision as to why and when to use a product should be discussed with one's veterinarian, Dr. Kramer adds.

“Your veterinarian should always be your first resource for any health question that involves your pet,” says Dr. Kramer, who is also a director of the Canadian Association of Veterinary Cannabinoid Medicine. “CBD (as well as other supplements) can potentially interact with many medications so your veterinarian needs to know. Although your veterinarian cannot legally recommend, prescribe or dispense any cannabis products, they can help guide their clients on how to find and use safe, quality products.”

There are many ailments and symptoms that can be treated with CBD. There are several good indications for the use of CBD in cats, only one of which is pain and inflammation conditions such as the one Molly suffered later in life. Other conditions that could benefit include cancer, chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, seizure disorders, and behavioural conditions (such as anxiety, inappropriate urination, obsessive grooming, cognitive decline), says Dr. Kramer.

CBD & Your Cat

Get started with CBD with these products designed for cats!

Jasper Sorën’s Feline CBD is a high concentrate formula for cats of all sizes, allowing for flexibility to adjust daily dose for maximum results.

The double independentlab-tested formula blends organic hemp oil with broad-Spectrum CBD isolate from Colorado growers. ($109, jaspersoren.com)

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She continues: “More research is needed, but CBD may also be potentially helpful for allergies, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, and bone fractures. As we learn more about how these products interact with the endocannabinoid system, we should find even more indications for their use.”

Many pet parents turn to CBD when conventional medicine is not providing relief, says Dr. Kramer.

After his worst arthritis flare-up, Bingley, a 14-year-old Maine Coon cross, was barely able to walk in the fall of 2018. His owner, Michelle Kempenich, took him to the emergency vet, where he was given gabapentin and antiinflammatories.

“After a week, he seemed better, but he still was having regular flare-ups in his front end—mostly his neck,” says Michelle. “In November of 2019, I decided to try CBD oil with some skepticism.”

The Calgary, AB resident started Bingley with one dose per day with the intent of increasing over time. Although the oil’s manufacturers said it can take up to two weeks before a difference is noticed, Michelle saw a difference in less than a week.

“He was behaving like he did before all his pain began.

He was playing again, and wrestling with his brother, and hunting his toys at night. I have been able to wean him down to one dose of anti-inflammatory per week (instead of every day) and so far, so good. He's still on the Gabapentin and I'm not willing to risk taking him off it, but the CBD oil has made such a huge difference for him. I just ordered 

Suzie’s CBD Bites for Cats are full-spectrum, human-grade, and organic—the hemp is grown on their own USDA organic farm—providing the benefits of CBD in a chicken and tuna flavoured treat your cat will love! ($16, suziespettreats.com)

Feline Blend Health Drops from Healthier Pet combine 99.2% pure CBD isolate with organic hemp oil, as well as Omega 3’s for added health benefits. Lab-tested to human-grade standards and designed to work quickly, they help treat an array of feline ailments. (From $35, healthierpet.org)

These Pet CBD Drops from Green Roads are specifically formulated for cats! They blend hempderived cannabinoid extracts with MCT oil to help keep your house tiger calm and decrease anxiety during stressful situations. (From $20, greenroadsworld.com)

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BODY & SOUL “I love that it works for her when she needs it, isn't something she has to take all the time, and she is still mobile and playing at her age. If she's walking stiffly with her back hunched a little unusually, I rub along her back and hips and gauge her responses to see if she needs the assist.”

my second bottle so I don't risk running out. I'm still amazed at the change in him. I really didn't think it would work, but I was so wrong.”

CBD oil also helped Theresa Horne address her three-yearold Calico cat Chloe’s severe food allergy. CBD “helped a lot with the itching and that helped with the rash since she wasn't over grooming or chewing at her paws as much,” Theresa says. While Theresa was changing Chloe’s diet (the culprit was chicken), CBD also helped Chloe relax, she says, which was an important factor in letting her skin heal. (Stress can contribute to overgrooming.)

“She was on the once-to-twice-a-day dose for a little over a month while we were trying new foods and eliminating all the chicken from her diet. Since we have changed her diet and she is feeling all better, I don't have to give her CBD drops on a regular basis anymore,” says the Stratford, P.E.I. resident.

Diana Miller believes that CBD is giving her more time with her cat, Miss Piggy.

Adopted at eight weeks old, Miss Piggy, a yellow shelter cat now on the cusp of 22, is feeling the effects of age (renal issues and arthritis in the spine), but her pain meds weren’t agreeing with her.

“She has been in considerable pain the last year,” says the Clinton, MO. resident, who was using CBD oil for her own osteoporosis. She learned the company also made CBD oil for pets, and the rest is history.

“After five days, we started seeing a difference in her activity… She is sleeping without pain now and is able to go up and down stairs again and jump up on the couch again,” says Diana. “Seeing her out of pain is worth it… Hopefully it will buy us more time together as my cats are family.”

Kayla Loney of Silver Spring, MD, gives Amalie, her 14-year-old tortoiseshell cat who she adopted as a stray, CBD oil for her back pain.

“We moved to Maryland from Arizona, so both she and I have barometric responses to weather changes throughout winter,” says Kayla.

“Amalie was between having regular days and days where she would beat and yell on everyone in the house—humans

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or cats,” says Kayla. Those were the days that Kayla would administer the CBD oil.

For Kayla and Amalie, intermittent CBD usage seems to be the most effective and reliable. “Amalie will get hers twice a week, depending on the weather and season. If the weather change is making my body hurt, I empathize with her and give her the CBD before she gets cranky.”

“I love that it works for her when she needs it, isn't something she has to take all the time, and she is still mobile and playing at her age. If she's walking stiffly with her back hunched a little unusually, I rub along her back and hips and gauge her responses to see if she needs the assist.”

“The CBD definitely helps,” says Kayla, who works for a local pet supply business that focuses on nutrition and holistic options. “Usually within an hour, she gentles down and goes on with her day.”

A leader in her field, Dr. Kramer says she credits a cat for introducing her to the field of veterinary cannabinoid medicine.

“Eddie was an 18-year-old cat with severe arthritis, chronic pancreatitis, chronic kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and heart disease,” says Dr. Kramer.

“His quality of life was threatened by his pain level and he was not tolerating his pain medications very well. As we discussed euthanasia, Eddie's family asked about using CBD. This was all very new to me, but…we were running out of options so we worked together to start Eddie on CBD. Within a few days he started eating again. Soon he was playing again and we were able to stop his other pain medications. He enjoyed a very good quality of life until the end. Eddie's response to CBD was so amazing that I began to look at using it with my other patients. Now, I can't imagine practising without it!”

Lee agrees that CBD oil works wonders. Last year, on March 17, Lee finally had to put Molly—who also had a chronic renal insufficiency and a heart murmur—to sleep due to a mass on her abdomen. Lee’s adamant that the CBD oil gave Molly “a reasonable quality of life.”

“I was thrilled with the extra four months,” says Lee. She recalls her vet telling her, “‘every day's a gift’—which was exactly how I felt.” 

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Fear Free Vet Visits: It’s Possible!

The fear-free principles of “America’s vet” Dr. Marty Becker are transforming veterinary practices and improving the emotional wellbeing of cats

By Jennifer Nosek | Illustration by Joren Cull

Dr.

Marty Becker had been a veterinarian for almost three decades—a fulfilment of his childhood dream; he’d wanted to be a vet from the age of six—when he had his “a-ha” moment.

He attended a talk by veterinary behaviourist Dr. Karen Overall, who spoke on how pets were almost always taken against their will for vet visits, grooming, boarding, and training. It was a light-bulb moment for Dr. Becker.

Dr. Overall argued that those who care for animals (veterinarians, nurses, trainers, groomers) were causing repeat, severe psychological damage to pets by what they were doing—or not doing.

“Before Overall’s talk I thought the signs I saw of fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) were just collateral damage, an unfortunate part of working with animals,” says Dr. Becker.

“After her talk, I knew that if we wanted to match up with our veterinary oath to prevent or relieve animal pain and suffering, we had to change the way we practiced.

That very year Dr. Marty began his passion project, Fear Free Pets, developing a set of principles and practices that would dramatically change the way pet

professionals interact with the animals in their care. An online education company for pet health professionals, FearFreePets.com, followed. To date, almost 60,000 pet professionals (veterinarians, nurses, trainers, groomers) have paid and are registered for certification; of those, 37,000 have completed certification. It’s transforming practices and the lives of pets.

“Fear Free is clearly the biggest game changer in our practice in my career—and I have been practicing for 33 years!” says Dr. Robin Downing, an animal pain expert, founder of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, and owner of Windsor Veterinary Clinic and The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colorado. “The idea of seeing the veterinary visit through the eyes of the patient is something incredibly novel in the veterinary profession, and yet, once you think it through, it seems pretty self-evident. Once we understand all the ways that we unthinkingly come across to the pet as threatening, like a predator, it opens the door to a completely different interaction.”

Inside a Fear Free-certified veterinary practice, 

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At-home Tips to Help Ensure a Stress-Free Vet Visit Getting your cat from the living room to the exam room in a calm state is the first step, says Dr. Becker.

Here’s what to do:

Dr. Marty Becker

the receptionists avoid eye contact with the cat and start giving treats right way.

They provide the cat parent with a warm fleece blanket or towel with speciesspecific pheromones on it, as well as a pheromone-impregnated cotton ball to place in the cat carrier. Once in the exam room, the cat and pet parent are left in the room to listen to calming music, let the pheromones work their magic, and find where they want to be examined—on the owner’s lap, on the floor on a yoga mat, in the bottom half of their carrier, inside the sink, cradled in the scale, or up on the table. (Most exams are done with the pet on the floor.) The nurse/vet avoids prolonged eye contact with the pet and starts giving treats as soon as they enter, with a goal to give about 60 tiny treats in a 15-minute exam.

“We are like Grandma or Grandpa,” laughs Dr. Becker. “We spoil these pets and by doing so, put the ‘treat’ into treatment!”

Everyone in the practice is wearing pheromones—the dog-pheromone Adaptil below the waist and the cat-pheromone Feliway above the waist. They make sure the cat is on a warm, non-skid surface, and use techniques such as considerate approach (avoid eye contact, turn sideways, and crouch down), gentle control (getting positional compliance in a way that doesn’t scare or harm the cat like restraint does) and Gradient Touch (making sure they let the cat smell instruments like the stethoscope or otoscope, which have been cleaned and wiped down with a pheromone wipe after each use) then touch the area they’re going to examine—like the chest to hear the heart and lungs or a back leg to vaccinate—a couple of times before they apply the instrument or stick with the needle.

“Basically, it’s like treating tiny horses,” says Dr. Becker.

If a cat’s fear/anxiety/stress levels are too high to begin with or keep rising, they’ll stop the exam/procedures and re-evaluate with three options: retreat and come back another day (“A different day and different way,” says Dr. Becker); give an oral chill pill (like generic Xanax or an FDA-approved product like Sileo) and wait 30 minutes for it to work; or go straight to sedation. “Fear Free practitioners think of sedation as a first option not a last resort and sedate early and often,” says Dr. Becker.

At Dr. Downing’s practice, they employ pre-visit pharmaceuticals to get a jump on the anxiety vet visits can provoke. “One very important addition to what we do is the liberal use of PVPs—pre-visit pharmaceuticals,” says Dr. Downing. “By using PVPs we actually prevent our patients from escalating to the torture of FAS.” “Cats are in a room with natural light coming in through a large window, and they have the opportunity to wander about in the Feliway-infused room before we actually start their examinations,” says Dr. Downing. “Both iCalm Cat music and Rescue for disinfection [a powerful yet gentle, odour-neutral and fragrance-

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Get the carrier out a week before a wellness visit (not the night before or the morning of the visit which often causes a pet to panic) Start feeding high value treats in the carrier Start a magic carpet ride of pheromones that will go from carrier to car to clinic Withhold food for 12 hours before the visit (unless medically contraindicated) so that your cat comes in hungry and responds better to food rewards Preheat or precool the vehicle so that your cat goes from 72 degrees in the home, to 72 in the vehicle and 72 in the vet clinic Cover the carrier on three sides with a towel or sheet to reduce visual stimuli Play classical or reggae music on the way in Do not baby talk your cat Once at the practice, leave your cat in the car, go check in, and go back out and wait in the vehicle until it’s your turn to be seen.

38% of cat owners find it stressful to take their cat to the vet and 58% report that their cat hates going to the veterinary clinic. free disinfectant] have made a tangible difference in their reaction and response to our handling. Everyone wins in this scenario—most importantly, the pet, but also the pet owner as well as all members of the healthcare team.”

One of the Fear Free principles that has proven particularly transformative for Dr. Downing is examining pets on the floor. “I see ALL my canine patients who are over about 12 pounds on the floor,” she says. “And the tiny ones aren’t typically on the floor anyway—they are most often on a lap or in their owner’s arms.

“I built my veterinary hospital eight years ago,” says Dr. Julie Reck, owner of veterinary Medical Center of Fort Mill in Fort Mill, South Carolina. “It had four exam rooms and a large lobby. The large lobby made it easier for people with pets to wait. Fear Free practice has eliminated the waiting room because the goal is to reduce stressful patient interactions. We now have a small lobby and seven exam rooms! We also have calming music piped throughout the hospital as well as built-in benches that prevent pets from cowering under the seating.”

Dr. Jon Bloom, a partner at Willowdale Animal Hospital in Toronto, Canada, is also a Fear Free practitioner.

“Currently, approximately 50 percent of pets have signs of FAS when visiting the veterinarian. The telltale signs are so common that most have accepted the signs as the new normal. But it doesn’t have to be that way!” he says.

“Visiting the vet can be an amazing experience. Cats come out of their cat carriers and wait for me to walk through the exam room door. They can’t wait to be spoiled rotten, all during the same time while I’m examining them and providing the care they need. They are excited to enter and reluctant to leave.”

As with other Fear Free-certified vets, at Dr. Bloom’s practice they put the needs of the pet first. “If pets don’t like being up on high exam room tables, then we examine them on the floor,” he says. “If they don’t like liver-flavoured treats, then we offer them chicken-flavoured treats. If they feel more secure being near their owners, then we do their entire exam, vaccine, blood sample collection, etc. beside their owners.”

“Fear Free visits simply have a different approach, a different feel, a different vibe, and a different experience for everyone involved,” he says. “It’s healthcare the way you thought it ought to be.” 

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ADVENTURE

HAVE CAT, WILL TRAVEL! Road tripping with your cat: tips and tales from the road

By Jane Mundy

“P

eople think I’m nuts because my cat Evelyn goes pretty much wherever I go,” says Joanne Hubert. “Evelyn is used to going outside—she is so smart and easygoing, but of course not all cats are created equal.”

Cats and road trips can be dicey—unless you plan ahead and have lots of patience. With the right preparation you can avoid heart-wrenching meows that reach ear-piercing and blood-curdling screams. It is possible to have a purring, happy travelling cat that sees the car as a gently moving playpen rather than a steel box hurtling down the highway of doom.

A carefully choreographed trip, mapping pit stops where you can leash kitty and walk her around is essential for her welfare, as well as yours and other drivers.

Not Planning Ahead Generally, dogs are born travelers and love hanging their heads out the window, smelling the open road, while cats contain a bundle of neuroses ready to explode at the slightest change to their day. Any cat person knows they generally

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prefer the familiar: buying a different kind of cat food or moving the kitty litter box has the potential to derail, never mind putting them into a moving vehicle surrounded by unfamiliar sights and sounds.

I remember one road trip in gory detail, even though it happened decades ago. Windshield wipers on full speed, the miserable downpour outside wasn’t nearly as bad as the tornado inside. My sister and I were going camping and she insisted on taking Buster, her badass, semi-feral, 25-pound Tabby. Needless to say, we didn’t get too far on the highway with free-range Buster until we had to turn back.

The upholstery was in shreds, as were our nerves. It was an accident waiting to happen. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Evelyn Rides Shotgun “I had to train Evelyn to be a good traveller,” says Joanne. “She was a foster kitty, but you know how that goes—it was love at first sight.” Joanne works long hours in the film industry and wrote in her contract that Evelyn must come along. “I had a collar and a leash, and a little table on wheels so I could wheel

PHOTOS MARTINA GUTFREUND

Alberta-based Martina Gutfreund takes her beloved Bengal, Suki, with her on adventures around the world. Follow them on Instagram at @sukiicat or pick up their book, Travels of Suki the Adventure Cat.

Suki Cat is one of the adventurous felines taking Instagram by storm—1.8 million followers and counting. Her adventure-partner Martina Gutfreund notes, “I think it is very important to highlight that we do not let Suki off leash! I often edit the harness and leash out in her photos for a cleaner image, but the only time Suki is off leash is when she is in our garden at home.

Canadian national and provincial parks require by law that pets are on leash, and we completely agree with this for a number of reasons!

There are plenty of predators in our neck of the woods that could easily have Suki as a snack, and it is also very important to make sure that your pet does not injure smaller wildlife since this is not your pet’s natural environment!”

her around the office—she was so tiny. Then I got her two apartment cat condos—one at home and one at the office—that gave Evelyn private and quiet time, which is so important for cats.” As well, Evelyn had a slew of people visiting her at work so she was very socialized.

There is a downside to Evelyn’s social skills—she likes other people’s vehicles, such as the telephone repair guy who left the back of his van open and Evelyn jumped in. “He was laughing and he also said it’s more common than people think. Pets get into workers’ trucks and drive away with them,” says Joanne. “And another cautionary tale: if you have visitors, make sure they don’t go home with kitty in their car.”

In the past ten years, Evelyn and Joanne have logged thousands of miles driving to and from work. “I know it was dangerous and wrong not to put her in a crate,” says Joanne. “She would lie flat across the dashboard of my Subaru for the 20-minute drive, to and from work. It took Evelyn a week before she was super-chillaxed in the car and knew the command ‘We are going to work.’ I’d put her harness on and she would wait at the front door.

“I believe that taking Evelyn to work gave her the smarts. And the more cats are left alone, the wilder they get. I also believe Evelyn is so clever because she was socialized as a kitten, not like the 13-year-old cat I adopted—he would not travel well.”

“Do as I say, not as I do” Even though Joanne doesn’t put Evelyn in a crate (“she would scream bloody murder”) she does have some precautions in place, such as making sure the windows are never down (AC is always on) and having a proper leash.

Joanne recently traded in the Subaru for an RV because she plans on travelling across Canada with Evelyn and her three dogs. And Evelyn is attached to a six-foot leash when they aren’t driving. “An RV is like a house, and a lot of people live in RV’s with their cats,” adds Joanne. “Once we are rolling I take her off-leash so she can move around but she always stays in the cab over the driver’s seat. Having said that, most cats aren’t experienced travelers and I recommend crating kitty when driving.” At the risk of sounding really nuts, Joanne confesses that she bought the RV for Evelyn.

Step-by-Step Training Before taking your cat on a road trip, Joanne advises (as do others) that you both drive around the block for a few minutes and for the next few weeks increase the time and distance, until kitty feels safe and not freaked out. 

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V roo m

!

“I put Evelyn’s treats in the car, including her favourite pillow and blanket, catnip and a spray you can buy to calm and relax. Little tools help, but don’t just throw them in and expect it to happen: Patience is a virtue.”

Road Trip Prep 1

Pack extra food and water, petsafe cleaners, tethers, and toys.

2

Map out your route to include rest areas where your fur baby can use the bathroom and have a short play time, stretch and stroll.

3

Consider where you’ll use the bathroom as well. Reader Laura Riddle recommends stopping at pet stores to use the bathroom as you can bring your pets inside with you; a genius tip. Never leave your cat or other pets alone in a hot car.

4

Consider disposable litter trays or opt for scooping and bagging.

5

When choosing a safety-tested crate, make sure it’s big enough so your cat can stand up, lie down and turn around. But if the crate is too big, kitty can get bashed around.

6

The BC SPCA recommends "airline type" (not cardboard) cat travel carriers to keep your cat safe. A sturdier carrier provides greater protection and security for your cat, and it will protect your cat from escaping and from injury in the event of a crash.

It must be well vented for plenty of air. And make sure the crate is secured to your car through proper vehicle straps.

7

If you hate a crate, make sure a harness and tether is snugly fastened and your cat cannot roam around the car.

8

Crate or not, turn off power windows. Cats are escape artists.

9

Never let kitty sit on your lap. In case of an accident, there is a risk of being injured from the airbag, not to mention going through the front windshield.

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The Law and Driving with Pets—Buckle Up! Pet travel is on the rise: 85 million U.S. families own a pet, a 56 percent increase from 10 years ago. Although 37 percent of pet owners travel with their pets every year, less than 20 percent of pet owners buckle up their furry companions when they travel, according to a 2017–2018 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association.

With this growing trend, pet car restraint laws are being considered. For instance, some U.S. states require pets in moving vehicles to be secured Joanne Hubert and her cat Evelyn in a carrier or wear a seat belt.

Failure to comply can result in a fine of $250 to $1000. In Arizona, for example, if you drive with an animal on your lap or if a police officer determines your transportation method creates an unsafe situation, you can be charged under distracted driving laws.

In Ontario, Canada, pets don’t need to be belted or restrained in motor vehicles. The Highway Traffic Act, however, states that the motorist may be charged with crowding the driver’s seat if a pet is interfering with the driver’s safe control of the automobile.

Most every city has its own bylaws regarding leashes and restraints that you must follow precisely, so do some research before hitting the road. For instance, the province of Ontario bylaw states that: Cats needs to be placed in a carrier or a crate and then the carrier/crate needs to be secured.

No animals on the driver’s lap. Animals should be in the back seat secured by a crate or seatbelt harness.

For the ultimate cat carrier whether travelling by plane, foot, or car, look no further than the LE SturdiBag. This extremely light but durable pet carrier is made of tough fabric with a solid floor and tension rods so it keeps its shape and is designed to meet in-cabin airline travel specifications. $115, sturdiproducts.com

stylis fu n ctio nh & a l!

Even with kitty in a crate, you must never leave an animal alone in your vehicle—even five minutes with the windows cracked can cause heatstroke.

If you leave your animal unattended, in Canada you could potentially be charged under the Criminal Code of Canada and the provincial SPCA Act. Always keep in mind that having an unrestrained kitty in the car means a distracted driver and an increased risk of an accident that could injure you, your pet, and anyone else involved.

Besides possible injuries and fines there could be devastating financial consequences. Your insurance company may deny your claim if you did something that caused an accident. So make sure everyone is buckled up and comes home safe and sound.

Tales from the Road When my big white cat was a kitten, he came with me everywhere. Fritz jumped in the truck, sat shotgun, and we traveled all over B.C. Fast forward

25 years and we drive everywhere with Halliday, a tiny Abyssian Blue. Although she wears a Supergirl jacket and loves walking on her leash—I put on my coat when on she’s at the door—Halliday isn’t a good traveler and meows constantly.

On long distance car trips she also wears a halter and leash and sits in a big soft crate with a metal frame and netting so she can see out. This makes her safe and not very happy but she settles down and cheers up after a few days. It takes an animal time to get used to anything. Years ago, my three cats sat on the front seat on my lap and looked out the car window—I know that’s dangerous and I highly recommend a crate.—June Pretzer I had a cat that went wherever I did, including to my parents when I got married. The day after, we started for home. On the way, Chlöe began howling like mad in her carrier so I rummaged around for the stuffed bunny she liked to sleep with. I let her out for a quick moment, hoping to check her over but

I never got the chance. Somehow, she managed to step on our leftover wedding cake, sinking up to her chest with both front paws. Do you think I could catch her to return her to her carrier? She managed to leave cake pawprints on absolutely everything we were bringing back, including luggage, wedding gifts, and rented suits.

Icing pawprints ended up on all four headrests, us, and even the dashboard where I managed to recapture her but by then, our car was destined to smell like a bakery until we sold it a year later. The cake, well, it looked like Swiss cheese by then. Once she was back in her carrier, she curled up and went right to sleep. So cat typical!!!

—Victoria Milley Little Kitty loved road trips and boat trips. He lived in a sailboat, Jeep, and RV. Nothing seemed to phase him and he was always on deck or at a window, enjoying the scenery. Cat boxes were a challenge but he never had an accident.

—Debra Miller 

Looking For Cat-Travel Inspiration?

Follow These Instagram Accounts!

Fo 1. llo 8m we rs !

173,962 likes sukiicat

@sukiicat Stunning photos of Suki the Bengal cat’s outdoor adventures will give you serious wanderlust.

Fo 15 llo 9K we rs !

2,035 likes adventurecatsorg

@adventurecatsorg Photos of cats who enjoy adventure may inspire you to hit the road with your cat.

Fo 98 llo .1 we K rs !

17,063 likes boltandkeel

@boltandkeel From kayaking trips to van life, these adventurous feline brothers are living their best lives and sharing gorgeous photos along the way. moderncat.com

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CAT-ASTROPHE Are You Making These 5 Mistakes?

Five things people unwittingly do wrong when it comes to their cats

is this not my “essed” imprface

We asked Mikkel Becker, a Fear Free certified animal trainer, for the top five mistakes she sees people making with their cats. Here is her nix list.

Mistake #1:

Feed from a food bowl “The food bowl misses the mark when it comes to an awesome opportunity to challenge your cat’s body and mind. Cats like to prowl, pounce, and hunt for their food. Mealtime is the ideal time to invoke your cat’s inner lion or lioness. Rather than just mindlessly eating, challenge your cat to scout out, hunt down, capture, and ultimately enjoy portions of their meal in stages. To do this, feed from a food puzzle rather than from a bowl. Doing so will contribute to a more content, settled, easier to live with cat.”

Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor Hunting Feeders engage your cat’s instincts by letting them hunt for their food! $20, docandphoebe.com

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Mistake #2:

Free feed or over feed “Over half of cats are overweight or obese.The extra pounds may appear harmless or even cute—more-to-love-on, right?

Not so much; the extra pounds can shorten your cat’s lifespan, as well as decrease your cat’s quality of life during day-to-day activities. Extra pounds increase stress and pain on the joints, decrease mobility, and increase the risk of certain health conditions, like diabetes. If you feel that food equals love, just remember that one study actually showed that cats were more affectionate with their humans when they were fed a moderate, controlled diet versus an excessive amount of food.

Free-feeding also limits your ability to monitor your cat’s health. Because cats are so adept at hiding illness, a diminished appetite may be one of the only outward signs that your cat isn’t feeling well. Monitoring your cat’s food intake is a vital way to keep tabs on how your feline feels, allowing for timely intervention with the cat’s vet. A healthy appetite and adequate water consumption is especially important for cats as they can suffer life threatening kidney failure if food and water intake is limited.” 

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Mistake #3:

Assume cats are independent and don’t need extra attention “Cats are not the solitary creatures they’re often portrayed to be. Many cats are actually very affectionate, sociable, and enjoy time with their humans and, in some cases, other animals. Cats can develop distress upon separation from their people and become very upset by a change in caregivers. For that reason, preparing your cat to calmly handle times of separation is important, as is keeping a consistent caregiver when you’re away. More than merely feeding and scooping the litterbox, make sure the caregiver also takes time to play with and pet your cat. Ensuring your cat has company while you are away lowers stress and helps your cat to pass the time and take your absence in stride. Even more withdrawn or shy cats appreciate a consistent caregiver and predictable schedule and routine for visits, feeding and litter scooping.”

Mistake # :

Forgo regular veterinary check in’s “Cats are expert at hiding illness and pain. Ongoing, preventive veterinary care is a must-do for keeping cats healthy and happy and catching illness in the early stages.

Timely intervention ultimately increases the chance of a positive prognosis and increased quality of life. Don’t let your cat’s fear keep you from taking your cat to the vet. Find tips for lowering vet visit stress at FearFreeHappyHomes.com or look for a professional who will actively partner with you in your efforts to protect your cat’s emotional wellbeing during the delivery of physical care.”

Mistake #5:

Believe that socialization efforts are important only for dogs “Cats are highly sociable, friendly, intelligent creatures who relish opportunities to learn. Humans often do kittens a disservice by not prioritizing happy, early learning experiences in the same way as is done for puppies. Because far too few kittens are offered positive exposure to a wide variety of people, other animals, and situations in the same way that puppies are, kittens are less likely to be as adaptable and calm in the face of varied situations encountered in the future. Early exposure paired with positive reinforcement and introduced at a pace the cat is comfortable with is helpful for creating a foundation of confidence the cat can lean on throughout life. Intentional exposure by foster families, rescues, breeders, or early adopters is important for offering the key early learning experiences that cats need.” 

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We answer the most commonly Googled questions as to what cats can eat!

CAN CATS EAT DOG FOOD?

You might think this is a no-brainer, but Google says otherwise, as does Dr. Patty Khuly, who says you’d be surprised to learn just how many cat owners feed their felines dog food. If your cat sneaks some dog food or vice versa, it’s no big deal. But neither cats nor dogs should eat the other’s food long term as they have very different nutritional requirements. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning eating meat is a biological necessity.

(In addition to all members of the cat family, dolphins, eagles, alligators, and minks, among others, have evolved to eat only meat.) Dogs on the other hand, are omnivores and need a more varied diet. To meet the specific needs of felines, cat food is higher in meat-derived protein than dog food (likely explaining why dogs will gulp down cat food given the opportunity) and is balanced to meet the specific needs of cats. If a cat is fed dog food long-term, they can suffer serious health complications.

Here’s why: Vitamin A must be included in cat food. Though dog food may contain additional vitamin A, it likely won’t be in the amount needed by cats because dogs can turn beta carotene into vitamin A. The amino acid taurine is required by cats, whereas dogs can make their own. If a cat is regularly fed a taurine-deficient dog food, they can develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a terrible heart disease. Cats fed a fish-only diet can also develop this condition as fish is very deficient in this amino acid. (If you’re feeding a commercially prepared fishbased diet, you likely don’t have to worry as most cat foods offer more than sufficient taurine.)

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Cats need arachidonic acid, a fatty acid, added to their food, whereas dogs can make it themselves.

Most dog foods contain insufficient protein to meet a cat’s needs. Likewise, the high protein levels in cat foods can cause health issues in dogs, such as pancreatitis and obesity, over the long term.

CHOCOLATE? Any chocolate is a big no-no. Chocolate is toxic to cats and can be lethal. The problem component is theobromine, and it is present in all kinds of chocolate, including white chocolate, though the most dangerous types of chocolate are dark and baking chocolate.

Ingesting chocolate can cause abnormal heart arrythmia, tremors, seizures, and even death.

NEVER FEED YOUR CAT ANY:  Onion

 Sugary things

 Garlic

 Chocolate

 Kelp

 Caffeinated drinks

 Grapes or raisins

 Alcohol

eggs are annt e excelld an tious nutri for t a tre s. c at

EGGS? Eggs are a superfood for cats. An excellent source of protein, they’re

easy to digest and contain essential amino acids to help keep your cat’s body in top form. Don’t feed eggs raw, however; raw egg carries the risk of food poisoning for people as well as cats. Furthermore, avidin, a protein in raw egg whites, limits the absorption of vitamin B biotin, which is needed by cats for skin and coat health. Want to feed your cat egg? Offer a bit of scrambled egg as a treat or poach the egg and let your cat lap up the runny yolk once cool. Just make sure that additions to your cats’ diet make up no more than 15 percent of their diet.

HAM? Cats can eat ham but it isn’t good

for them. It’s not the pork that’s the problem; it’s the fact that ham is a cured meat, resulting in high salt content. It’s also high in fat. A little piece of ham won’t kill your cats but they shouldn’t be given it regularly. It’s much better to offer your cat a bit of plain cooked chicken.

BANANAS?

Bananas are carb-heavy, which is just one of the reasons cats don’t need them. Margaret Gates, director of the Feline Nutrition Foundation, says, “Cats have no requirement for carbohydrates in their diet and feeding carbs to cats can lead to many problems. While cats can digest them in a limited way, carbs should really only make up zero to two percent of their diet.” While it’s safe to offer your cat a bite of banana (they’ll likely turn up their nose), there are many other more appropriate meatbased treats that would be better suited to a feline’s unique dietary requirements.

CHEESE? Forget the image of a cat

lapping up a bowl of cream. Many cats become lactose intolerant after weaning, so any rich dairy, such as cheese, should be offered only occasionally and in small amounts. It’s generally safe to hide a pill in a bit of cheese but feed too much and your cat could suffer from gas and diarrhea.

BREAD? While cats can digest bread no

problem, it can get in the way of meeting their high requirements for protein and fats if they fill up on carbohydrates like bread. A bite or two won’t hurt them but remember cats have no need for carbohydrates and shouldn’t be fed bread regularly.

And be sure to stay clear of giving your cat any breads flavoured with garlic or onions! moderncat.com

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Connie’s Book Club

Curl up with a good cat and a good book EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNIE WILSON’S SELECTION OF MUST-READS.

CatWise: America's Favorite Cat Expert Answers Your Cat Behavior Questions

By Pam Johnson-Bennett Feline behaviour expert Pam JohnsonBennett pulls on vast experience from her pioneering 30-year career as a cat behaviour consultant to answer the 150 most-asked questions from bewildered cat parents. This comprehensive guide explains the why’s behind our feline companions more puzzling actions, solves problematic behaviour, and will improve your relationship with your cat. A must-have for your library of essential cat books or an ideal gift for a new cat parent.

Lizzie’s Heart

By Susan Lantz Simpson This charming novel is a delight!

In her tight-knit Amish community, kind-hearted, impulsive Lizzie Fisher has almost as many secrets as she has chores. Whenever she can, she sneaks away to care for an abandoned litter of kittens in her care and to hone her disapproved-of drawing skills by sketching her adorable charges. Things get complicated when handsome Stephen Zimmerman “helps” her out of trouble. She finds they both have lovelorn siblings and together they embark on a matchmaking scheme—only to find the siblings aren’t the ones falling in love.

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The Meaning of Meow

By Pamela Weintraub Prepare to devour The Meaning of Meow, written by Pamela Weintraub, the former editorin-chief of OMNI and executive editor of Discover. The author of 16 books has devoted the past two years to the feline mind, delving into cat psychology; the result is this fascinating read.

Featuring the world’s top experts and veterinarians, as well as cat owners, it explores a wide array of cat-topics from how to raise a kitten to become a great cat, to understanding your cat’s purrs, meows, and body language.

The Cat: A Natural and Cultural History

By Sarah Brown A must read for all cat lovers, The Cat is a fascinating exploration of the natural and cultural history of our feline best friends. This comprehensive look at everything ‘cat’ dives into evolution, biology, behaviour, and much more, offering insight and surprising facts about kitten development, social organization, how cats think, communication between cats and people, historic and extinct breeds, and much, much more. Paired with over 250 stunning photos and including a beautiful photographic directory to more than forty breeds, The Cat delights and captivates.

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PLAY

How to Make the Most of Playtime!

How much should I play with my cat?

How can I get my cat to play? How can I keep my cat interested in her toys?

The following tips answer all of the above and more, and include novel playthings found around the home

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1

Be sure not to frustrate your cat.

Laser pointers are great for helping indoor cats get a workout. Just be sure to sub in a wand toy or other physical toy at the end of the play session and allow your cat to catch his “prey,” completing the kill cycle. Not doing so can cause compulsive behaviours in some cats, such as overgrooming to release their frustration at not being able to catch that elusive red dot.

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2

Keep most of your cat’s toys hidden away and

p kee eye r youn the o ize! pr

present a new toy or two every few days. By rotating toys, you keep the toys interesting and novel, encouraging play rather than disinterest. You can also “marinate” old toys with catnip. Place the toys in a Ziploc bag with a bit of catnip or dried valerian root and let ‘steep’ for a day before reintroducing the toy to your cat.

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#

3

Go fetch! Yes, cats

can play fetch. Be sure to use a toy with enough heft that you can throw it across the room but that is small enough for your cat to carry in her mouth. Anytime your cat returns it to you, be sure to offer treats or affection. Remember treats should account for no more than 15 percent of your cat’s diet. Primal’s Freeze-Dried Turkey Liver Munchies ($7, primalpetfoods.com) make perfect tiny treats cats adore. If your cat doesn’t return the toy, simply go pick it up— exercise for you too!

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7

Play throughout the day. Multiple shorter play

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8

Explore catnip alternatives.

sessions throughout the day or evening are better than one epic play session. Aim to engage your cat for 10-15 minutes at least a few times a day.

Your smarty cats will love the challenge of puzzle toys by Nina Ottosson. Cats bat at the pegs and swivel the covers to find hidden treat compartments. Adjust the difficulty and even feed your cat from it to engage natural instincts! ($20, petstages.com)

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4

Utilize household objects to add

interest to your cat’s environment. Everyone knows cats love boxes but paper bags also make great crinkly playthings and hiding spaces. Or cut off the bottom to create a tunnel! Or why not collect some fallen leaves from outside and partially fill the bag with it? The leaves smell alluringly of the outdoors, make a great crunchy sound, and cats love batting at them/investigating the novel texture. Or throw in a couple pieces of kibble or little treats. Just be sure to cut any handles off the paper bag to be safe. You can also use a paper towel roll to create an easy homemade food puzzle. Just place a treat part way up the tube before presenting to your cat and let your cat figure out how to release that treat!

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5

Play Ping Pong! Ping pong balls are a

cat favourite. Their lightweight means they can easily be sent flying across the room with the tap of a paw. And importantly, they’re big enough that there’s no danger of your cat swallowing the ball.

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6

In a 2017 study, researchers found that one in three cats did not respond to catnip. Of the cats that didn’t show a response, 75 percent responsed to silvervine. And one in three of the catnip non-responders showed a response to Tatarian honeysuckle. Both silvervine and honeysuckle produce a euphoric effect in cats similar to catnip. Try Dezi & Roo's Cloud Nine Silver Vine! (Starting from $6, deziroo.com)

Add ice cubes to your cat’s water dish. Many cats love batting at

and licking ice, which is also wonderful as it encourages cats, notorious for consuming little water, to drink more, thus preventing dehydration and potential problems such as kidney disease and lower urinary tract disease. (If your cat is attracted to running water or you’re worried he doesn’t drink enough, consider a running water fountain. Go to page 36 to find the perfect fountain for your cat!) moderncat.com

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LAST LICK

Juliet Syn Lyi

Christy Nicole

David Pierro

Jen McCrea

We're here with your cattoo (aka cat tattoo) inspiration via these inked tributes to feline best friends.

Stephanie Hughes

Dawn Knights Social icon

Circle Only use blue and/or white.

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

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STEPHANIE HUGHES TATTOO BY TYLER RILEY AT NANNY FLOS TATTOOS

Cattoos!