News for You and Your Cat

February 15, 2014

Dear ,

Ingrid and Amber

February is dental health month. Dental disease is one of the most frequently diagnosed health problems in cats. It not only affects your cat's teeth, it can have serious implications on your cat's overall health. Learn why dental health is so important, and what you can do to keep your cat's teeth healthy.

This winter doesn't seem to want to end, and for those of us who don't like cold weather, it has been challenging to keep our spirits up. But even though we still have a few weeks of winter left (thank you, groundhog!), there are simple things you can do to beat the winter doldrums.

Wishing you health, happiness and purrs,

Ingrid.

Website: www.ConsciousCat.com
E-Mail: ConsciousCat@cox.net

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In This Issue

The Importance of Dental Health

Beating the Winter Doldrums

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

Upcoming Events

Marketplace

The Importance of Dental Health

Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for cats. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, an astounding 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3.

Normal teeth should be white or just a little yellow. Gums should be light pink and smooth (except in breeds with pigmented gums). Oral disease begins with a build up of plaque and tartar in your cat's mouth. Without proper preventive and therapeutic care, plaque and tartar buildup leads to periodontal disease, which manifests in red and/or swollen and tender gums, bad breath, and bleeding. When the gums are swollen, they can be painful - a good rule of thumb is that if it looks like it might be painful, it probably is.

Cats are masters at masking pain - when in doubt, assume that your cat is experiencing at least some discomfort. The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can lead to damage to other organs such as the heart, kidney and liver, and lead to other serious health problems. Dental disease can also be an indicator of immune system disorders.

Cats rarely show any symptoms at all unless the situation is literally life-threatening. They will eat even when their level of chronic mouth pain would send a person to the emergency room. They almost never paw at their face, even with loose or abscessed teeth. They get pretty smelly breath from eating cat food, so it's tough to tell by smelling the breath whether your cat has dental disease or just had breakfast. But even though they don't show us much in the way of outward symptoms, chronic dental/periodontal disease can cause severe and often irreversible damage to internal organs. So it's important to get regular veterinary exams at least once a year, and twice a year for cats seven and older or for cats with a known history of dental problems.

What you can do to keep your cat's teeth healthy

Brush your cat's teeth

Brushing your cat's teeth is the single most effective thing you can do to ensure good dental health throughout your cat's life. And before you say "my cat would never let me brush her teeth," think again. Ideally, you get your cat used to having her teeth brushed when she's a kitten, but with a little patience and persistence, even older cats will accept having their teeth brushed. I started Allegra and Ruby on a regular brushing program at ages 2 and 1, and it's become so much a part of our nightly routine now that they will actually remind me if I forget to bring out the brush. The Cornell Feline Health Center has an exceptional video titled Brushing Your Cat's Teeth which outlines a 4-week training program that should get most cats used to having their teeth brushed. I followed this program pretty closely, and it was much easier than I expected.

Dental treats

There are a lot of dental treats and so-called "dental diets" on the market. Almost all of them are dry foods or treats. And I don't believe that they work. Most cats don't chew dry food or dry treats long enough for any of the scraping action that is the theory of how these diets and treats supposedly work to kick in. What little they do chew shatters into small pieces. Some pet food manufacturers offer a "dental diet" that is made up of larger than normal sized kibble to encourage chewing, but in my years at veterinary practices, I've seen many cats swallow even those larger size pieces whole. Additionally, dry food leaves a carbohydrate residue in the cat's mouth that actually encourages growth of tartar and plaque.

If you feed raw, you can give your cats raw chicken necks. Gnawing on the bones will help scrape away tartar and plaque. NEVER give cooked bones to your cats, they can splinter and cause intestinal perforations. Even though I feed raw, giving raw chicken necks exceeds my comfort level - not because I'm worried about them chewing on the raw bones, but because the one time I tried it, they dragged them all over the (carpeted) house.

Regular veterinary exams

Cats should see the vet at least once a year, cats seven or older twice a year.

Professional cleaning under anesthesia

Even with regular home care, your cat may need periodic professional cleanings. Cat guardians are often reluctant to perform proper dental procedures because of the need for general anesthesia, especially in the older patient.

Pre-anesthesia testing can help determine the risk associated with general anesthesia and aid in the decision whether or not to perform a dental procedure. Do not let anyone tell you that it's possible to perform a thorough anesthesia-free dental cleaning on cats. Anesthesia-free dentistry is essentially a cosmetic procedure that addresses only the parts of your pet's teeth you can see. An additional issue with just scraping teeth is that the mouth is full of blood vessels, which can launch oral bacteria into the bloodstream. Once the bacteria is in the bloodstream it can infect other organs.

Severe dental disease

In addition to periodontal (gum) disease (inflammation of the gums, also known as gingivitis), there are two other common dental diseases that are seen in cats.

Stomatitis

Stomatitis is is one of the most painful and frustrating conditions cats can develop. With this severe inflammation of the oral cavity in cats, the affected cat essentially becomes allergic to her own teeth. The outward signs of this condition are red, inflamed, and often ulcerated gums, and this can be very painful for the cat. The condition is frustrating to diagnose and treat. For more information, read Stomatitis: painful for cats, frustrating for guardians and veterinarians.

Feline resorptive lesions

Also known as feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs), and (inaccurately) cavities, tooth resorption is the gradual destruction of a tooth or teeth caused by cells called odontoclasts. Tooth resorption usually starts on the outside of a tooth at the gum line. The condition is most common in premolars in the lower jaw, but can occur in any tooth. This is a painful condition, which needs to be addressed by a veterinary dentist. For more information, read Tooth resorption: a painfully common dental disease in cats.

Oral cancer

The oral cavity is a common site for cancerous growths in cats. The most common malignant oral tumor in cats is squamous cell carcinoma. The prognosis for this fast-growing, invasive tumor is usually not good, so it is vital to identify and treat it early.

Beating the Winter Doldrums

I try to embrace each season for its special gifts, but I'm a summer girl at heart. I thrive on warm weather and sun light. Come to think of it, I'm much like a cat in that respect! I don't like cold weather, and I definitely don't like snow.

As a result, this time of year is challenging for me: the winter doldrums have definitely set in for me. Even though the days are already starting to get longer, spring still seems a long way off. And while I don't have a true case of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I still struggle with the lack of light, especially on grey, gloomy days.

People who suffer from SAD may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods during this time. They may also feel depressed. Severe cases may require treatment by a physician, but there are some simple things everyone can do that will help combat the winter blues.

And not surprisingly, our cats seem to have it all figured out. Allegra and Ruby always seek out the sunny spots in our home, but they do so especially this time of year. They don't need scientific studies to tell them that exposure to light helps with the winter blues. Short of lying down next to your cats for a nap in a sun puddle, which actually sounds like a pretty good idea to me, the following may also help:

In addition to the obvious things like eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep, make sure you schedule activities that get you outside. Even a few minutes of natural light a day can make a difference in how you feel. I go for an hour long walk at lunchtime each day in almost any kind of weather, barring a blizzard or heavy downpour.
Put more light into your life. Having a lot of lights on in your house may not be a substitute for natural sunlight, but it can raise your spirits. When it's dark outside, a dark, gloomy house just contributes to a low mood. Replace ordinary light bulbs with full-spectrum bulbs.
Consider getting a lightbox. Lightboxes are no longer the expensive proposition they used to be, good quality models can be purchased for around $50. Lightboxes are also available for pets.
Reframe your thoughts about winter. Even if it's not your favorite time of the year, find something to appreciate about the season. If it wasn't for fall and winter, we wouldn't enjoy spring as much.
Reiki has been proven to help with depression by putting the body, mind and spirit into a deep state of relaxation. Even a single treatment can provide considerable relief.

When all else fails, join your cats in that sun puddle. Alternately, curl up with a good book, a cat, and a cup of hot chocolate, and enjoy the cold, dark days from a warm spot on your sofa!

ŠIngrid King 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

Mews and Nips: German Cat Guardian Creates Cat Paradise in His Home

Stefan Hofmann, a German carpenter, said his cats became restless with standard feline toys so he transformed a room in his home into an obstacle course. "I knew I needed to find something to occupy them," he said. And boy, did he ever find a solution! The New York Daily News reports that the obstacle [...]The post Mews and Nips: German Cat Guardian Creates Cat Paradise in His Home appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Review: Aikiou Stimulo Interactive Feeder and Puzzle Toy

Puzzle toys are a great way to keep your cats entertained and mentally stimulated when you can't play with them. The toys are designed to be filled with treats or food, and they challenge kitty to retrieve the treats through varied openings in the toys. The Akioui (pronounced "eye queue") offers a new take on [...]The post Review: Aikiou Stimulo Interactive Feeder and Puzzle Toy appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Cats Are Part of the Family Business at Wood Violins

I recently received one of the most creative marketing emails involving cats I had seen in a long time. It came from Wood Violins, a company created by acclaimed musician Mark Wood. Wood Violins handcrafts absolutely amazing electric violins, and from the marketing email, it became clear to me that they have some feline assistance [...]The post Cats Are Part of the Family Business at Wood Violins appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Cat Therapy Transforms Autistic Child's Life

Much has been written about how pets can help autistic children, but most of the accounts are about dogs and horses. Today, I'd like to share a very special story about how a Maine Coon kitten helped an autistic little girl. Guest post by Arabella Carter-Johnson Looking at a photograph of my 4-year-old daughter Iris, [...]The post Cat Therapy Transforms Autistic Child's Life appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

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