SimplyCats Vet Clinic Blog

We are hoping to host another ‘open day’ here at the practice with the proceeds to go to a local cat charity. We are provisionally looking towards late October, early November 2011.
If you have any unwanted items that would be suitable for raffle / tombola prizes or know anyone who would be able to offer sponsorship of any kind…..ie teas, coffees, cakes, sweets and toys for kids prizes we would gratefully receive them.
Many thanks for your support.

A few days ago we held a client evening in Durham, aiming to educate our client owners of older or geriatric cats on the best nutrition and healthcare for them.

It was a very informative evening with a talk first by Louise from Royal Canin to discuss the nutritional requirements for the older cat. This was then followed by a presentation from our resident vet, Sarah Middleton on health problems associated generally with the older cat. A lot of the symptoms described by Sarah rang true with some clients…some having ongoing problems such as renal failure or diabetes and they were able to ask further questions that they may have forgotten to ask during a consultation. They in particular found the evening very informative and it made aware the need to monitor their pet’s progress by regular check ups with the vet.

We had a ‘buffet break’ which was kindly sponsored by one of our drug reps – Mick from Novartis.

This was then followed by our Registered Veterinary Nurse, Penny Dyer who introduced her new nurse clinics aimed specifically at the geriatric patient.
As with all our client evenings it is a great opportunity for like-minded people to congregate in an informal manner and we would welcome suggestions from our clients for future topics that they would like to see covered in evenings such as this.

I began working at Simply Cats on the 21st February as a receptionist, and I would like to thank Sarah, Paul and all the staff for allowing me this great opportunity. Over the last five weeks I have learnt a great deal about our feline friends regarding their health, welfare and nutrition needs.
Up until this point I was unaware of the large number of different breeds which exist in the feline world. I have been introduced to so many beautiful breeds of cats and their very friendly owners. During our conversations I have gained a lot of useful information. I would like to thank you all for patiently biding with me during this massive learning curve in my working life.
Here at Simply Cats I have found there are a number of ways information can be cascaded. In and around the reception area there are numerous free leaflets which give useful help and advice regarding how to care for your cat. Also there are sample books on display which can be obtained through the practice. Simply Cats also hosts client evenings, which deal with the different aspects of feline care. I attended the most recent one on Wednesday 23rd March and my friend came along too. We both enjoyed the evening and the information we gained was very informative.
I must go now as I have two pairs of hungry eyes staring up at me (this sounds like a pun for a song). Those eyes are reminding me they have mouths and it is tea time, it’s been along time since breakfast. Those eyes belong to my two hungry dogs.
Carol

One of our clients had a cat called Iffy due to give birth at any time. Watching her closely for signs of labour, her owner phoned us to say she had started with her labour.
After some hours had passed, poor Iffy had given birth to two kittens but was growing steadily tired.
Iffy’s owner brought her down to SimplyCats to see if there were any other kittens still inside. After an examination and ultrasound it was determined that there was at least one other kitten left still to be born.
As Iffy was so tired and had not progressed within a certain timescale, it was decided that she should undergo a caesarean section.
The kitten was born, very weak and cold – and unlikely to survive due to being in distress whilst inside Iffy.
Iffy was, however, an excellent mother who recovered quickly and was able to feed successfully all three kittens. At her post operative check we took some photographs – the kittens are SO CUTE!

As you can see from the picture, Caroline’s fat cat – Dubby had a great Christmas dinner. After a couple of glasses of wine and his willpower dulled, Caroline’s husband fell victim to the ‘feed me’ face and threw down a yorkshire pudding onto the floor. Dubby immediately leapt onto the pudding, steadying it with his paw.

He actually looked rather funny as he tore off strips, much like a lion on the savannah eating its kill !

To follow he ate a sprout in one lick….needless to say Caroline had a few sharp words to say to her husband as she looked in the litter tray later on…..ewww

The moral of the story is “if your cat is on a special diet, don’t feed him extras, such as yorkshire pudding and sprouts as

a) he will put on weight and
b) you would not like to see / smell the litter tray afterwards, and
c) cats are not meant to eat human food”

Caroline’s youngest cat, Maisey enjoys ruining a game of ‘pop up pirate’ by patting the dice and playing pieces away from the board with her paw – but the question is – is it really Maisey or some strange alien cat in disguise???

This month at SimplyCats one of the main topics of conversation amongst the vets has been a shift in our approach to vaccination. In the ongoing battle to protect our pets against disease, our understanding of vaccination protection is constantly changing as new technologies emerge to combat new viral strains and their changing behaviour. To keep in line with the latest thinking we will now be using the PUREVAX feline vaccination range at SimplyCats.
 
We thought this would be a good opportunity to touch on the subject of what your vet is actually doing when you bring your pet in for a health check and vaccination.
 

Often referred to as a “booster”, we think it is important to impress that this annual visit to the vet is for more than just an injection. We should be thinking of it more as an Annual Medical Exam AND a vaccination.
 
Your vet does not get to see your cat very often (hopefully!) so this maybe the only opportunity to have face to face time with you and your pet and to perform a hands-on clinical examination.
 
This is important:

to detect the early signs of any health problems that your cat maybe hiding from you

to discuss any routine health issues commonly associate with ageing (such as weight gain and dental disease)

to monitor any ongoing health problems if your cat is under regular treatment

to allow your vet practice to dispense vet-only medicinal products (such as vet-only flea and worm treatments) throughout the year.
 
It is also a great opportunity for you to bring up any issues or oddities concerning your cat’s well being or behaviour, that are maybe nothing to worry about, or that may require further attention.

Claire

As we all probably know, cats can be quite particular about what is in their food bowl. Most cats will have a favourite food, texture or flavour and will often turn their nose up at anything different.

Remember – fussy eaters are made not born.

Bad habits are easier prevented than cured.

By swapping and changing your cat’s routine or by tempting them with titbits if they reject a food in their bowl. They will quickly learn how to manipulate you into feeding them the tastier food rather than a healthy and balanced diet.

Think about it from your cat’s point of view, if you were rewarded with a treat every time you didn’t eat, what would you do?

To avoid fussy cats, it is best to stick to a routine.

Is your cat really being fussy?

Sometimes, fussiness is more down to the way you serve food rather than the food itself.

Cats generally prefer to eat in private and don’t appreciate an audience. Try and provide some privacy for your cat at meal times.

- Ensure your cat’s bowl is clean. Several cats will not eat out of a bowl that has some old food in it. Try and get into the habit of washing the food and water bowls after every use.

- If your cat usually eats dry food but has become fussy, you may have to replace the food. Dry food absorbs moisture and therefore becomes stale, particularly in warm weather.

- If your cat usually eats wet (tinned/pouched food) it may be because it is cold. Cold wet food doesn’t have much smell, and cats often won’t eat what they cant smell. Wet food can be made more appealing by warming it up until warm to “mouse temperature” (warm to the touch) this releases the aroma and therefore stimulates the cats appetite.

- If your cat has access to outside, he/she may be having an unscheduled snack on the other side of the cat flap and come dinnertime he/she just may not be hungry.

- Cat’s don’t have psychological eating disorders and unless there is an underlying reason for a lack of appetite, your cat will most likely eat when they get really hungry. When your cat does eventually eat, offer lots of praise and affection as soon as they have finished eating.

 - If your cat continues to be fussy try an alternative high quality cat food, often a change in recipe will prompt your cat into eating again.

Some questions to ask yourself when thinking about your cat’s eating habits.

- Where is your cat’s food is positioned, is it near a busy thoroughfare or next to the washing machine? 

- Does your cat get bullied when eating by other cats/dog/children?

- Is the food on a raised level and is there an easy way for arthritic cats to get to their food?

- What type of material is your cat’s bowl made out of? Cats do not appreciate plastic bowls as they can taste the residue, they prefer ceramic, glass or even metal bowls. The larger surface area the better.

- Is your cat’s food bowl next to the water bowl? Food and water should always be placed in seperate areas, and do not feed from a “double diner” as your cat can be put off the food by the presence of water and will drink more water if food is not near by. In the wild if a cat catches food in the wild near a water supply, the act of killing and dismembering the food will lead to contamination of the water, so cat’s will always seek out another water source.

It is important to remember that if your cat refuses to eat for 24 hours or more, contact us at SimplyCats for an urgent appointment. Refusal or reluctance to eat can indicate a serious complaint and dental problems.

If you notice your cat’s gums are red or swollen, or if the breath is unpleasant please ask us at SimplyCats for a dental examination.

 Claire

I have just returned from a lovely holiday to USA. We went to Memphis to visit the home of Elvis Presley (I am a HUGE fan) and have previously been in 2007. We had planned to go back again this year with my Mam and Dad but very sadly, I lost my Mam last July so we decided that my husband Keith, my Dad and myself should still go, as that is what Mam would have wanted. It was strange without her but we managed to have a good time and remembered her every day. We moved onto Las Vegas after Memphis and that really was something to see…..an experience you could say . We also went to the Grand Canyon, which was spectacular.
I have eaten too much but I suppose that’s what holidays are for and I am now trying to lose the extra pounds I have put on.

My best friend’s Mam and Dad looked after my two cats and my Dad’s cat while we were away. They only live 3 doors down from my Dad so she just came up to the house to feed and clean them all.

When we arrived back, my Dad’s house looked like a bombsite!  My Dad’s cat Tibby had broken through the cat flap and my oldest cat, Maisie had followed him out…problem being, Maisie is a house cat and dosen’t go out. Anyway, when my friend’s Mam came the next morning and discovered the cat flap broken, she panicked, but to everyone’s suprise Maisie came trotting up the garden path and straight into the house.

My kitten, Megan had been such a good girl and hadn’t made any attempt to go out, she was just curled up on the settee. Only problem was they had been in Dad’s cupboard and pulled all sorts out, there was ornaments all over and hairs on everything….oh well the joy of being a c at lover I suppose.

Joanne sitting outside the house where Elvis was born

Joanne and Dad in Las Vegas

Joanne

Cats will drink water from the strangest of places – puddles, the toilet, bath, sink, even the shower tray.

Being guilty of all of the aforementioned, Caroline decided to purchase a cat water fountain for her cats.

This was especially for Maisey who is the worst offender, climbing into the sink while Caroline was getting washed and licking the water from the tap as it is flowing.

Here is a picture of Maisey licking the actual fountain, rather than drinking out of the reservoir itself.

Caroline can now get washed in peace and can recommend the use of water fountains for similar offenders.

Caroline

I’m off to pastures new…so to speak.

I’m joining a multi-discipline veterinary referral practice, to expand my nursing knowledge and skills. I will be working at a practice we often use for our out of hours cover if Sarah and Paul are unavailable.

I will still be working at SimplyCats a couple of days a month. So I’ll still be at SimplyCats just not as much as usual. You can’t get rid of me that easily.

I’ll still use my SimplyCats e-mail daily as usual, even on my days off so please feel free to still e-mail me and bend my ear if you have any queries as I’ll still be available as usual for all of you.

Claire

Maisey strikes again at Caroline’s house sleeping where she shouldn’t.

This time on the piano stool which is covered in a velvet-like fabric, perfect for attracting cat hairs! Despite pushing the stool halfway under the piano.

Maisey still manages to squash herself in and deposit the required hairs, ready for the posterior of the next piano-playing victim!!

Caroline

It’s time for Caroline to share some more nature photography shots – the close up of the bee on a foxglove was taken in July after much waiting and near misses from stings!

The photo of the poppy field is above Rainton Meadows. For those of you who live locally will know that is is a nature reserve created from the old pit works.

Caroline

 Some interesting cat facts for you to ponder

- Sir Isaac Newton invented the first known cat flap. While he was in his attic trying to conduct light experiments, his cat kept nudging the door open and letting the light in, spoiling his experiments.

- Cats have more bones than a human being; humans have 206 bones and the cat has 230 bones.

- Cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.

- Airlurophile is the word cat lovers are officially called.

- On average, a cat will sleep for 16 hours a day.

- A domestic cat can run at speeds of 30 mph.

- The life expectancy of cats has nearly doubled over the last fifty years.

- There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on the underside.

- When a cat rubs up against you, it is marking you with its scent claiming ownership.

- Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.

- The cat’s tail is used to maintain balance.

- Cats see six times better in the dark than humans.

- The ancient Egyptians were the first civilisation to realise the cat’s potential as a vermin hunter and tamed cats to protect the corn supplies, on which their lives depended.

- Cats like to be stroked as it reminds them of when they were kittens and were licked by their mothers.

- Cats see so well in the dark because their eyes actually reflect light. Light goes in their eyes, and is reflected back out; their eyes actually work as built-in flash lights.

Claire