GOING ON VACATION?

Is your cat properly cared for while you're gone?  Options include:  boarding,  hiring a pet-sitter,  or having a friend or neighbor check in daily.  Cats should never be left alone for more than 24 hours--Cats do not know how to ration their food and water and a life threatening situation could suddenly occur!!  Treat your cat like a valued member of your family and make sure they are properly cared for when away for the holidays or on vacation.

Staff  Tips for Getting your Cat into a Carrier

• Close the cat in a small room,  such as a powder room,  before bringing the cat carrier in. 
• Stand the carrier up on it's end (door up) and lower cat feet first into carrier.  Quickly close door.
• Leave the carrier out in cat's favorite room all the time (with door open) so Kitty can get used to it.  Try putting in some catnip and/or toys.  
• Try backing Kitty into the carrier when loading rather than head first.
• Spray the inside of the carrier with Feliway spray to reduce anxiety.
• Slip Kitty into pillowcase first,  close the end,  then put the cat in the carrier.  Remove pillowcase.
• Condition Kitty into thinking the carrier is a positive thing.  Load Kitty in Periodically for very short periods (5 minutes) and then reward him with treats and praise upon release.

FUN FLEA FACTS
There are approximately 2000 species of fleas but the most common is the cat flea.

The average life span of a flea is anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 months, depending on conditions. 

Females lay 20-30 eggs a day. 

Fossilized fleas have been found dating to 100 million years old. 

Fleas cause a wide range of medical problems including flea allergy dermatitis, tapeworms, and in extreme cases, anemia. 

If a flea were the size of a human, it could jump the length of one and a half football fields from a standing position. 

Check your cat for fleas by using a flea comb.  If you discover a live flea or peppery specks (flea dirt, i.e. digested blood), treat your cat using a veterinarian product.  Flea collars are not recommended as they are ineffective and highly toxic. 

CORNELL FELINE HEALTH VIDEOS

       The Cornell Feline Health Center now has an on-line, live action videos available on a variety of different subjects.  The Cornell Feline Health Center is a veterinary medical specialty center that is dedicated to furthering feline veterinary advances and educating both veterinarians and owners about feline health issues.

The following topics are covered:

Caring for your diabetic cat                            Trimming your cat's claws

Giving your cat a pill or capsule                       Taking your cat's temperature

Giving your cat liquid medications                    Brushing your cat's teeth

Please visit www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu to view the videos.

 TOP TEN SIGNS YOUR CAT IS OVERWEIGHT

1.  Fifteen month gestation period and still no kittens!!

2.  No longer cleans itself unless coated in cheese whiz.

3.  Cat door so large it needs a garage door opener.

4.  Waits for third bowl of food to get finicky.

5.  Only catches mice that get caught in his gravitational pull.

6.  Enormous belly keeps your hardwood buffed.

7.  Has more chins than lives.

8.  Always lands on his spleen. 

9.  Fewer calls to the fire dept., but a sudden upsurge in broken branches. 

10.  Confused guests constantly mistake him for a beanbag chair.

PRODUCTS FOR SALE AT CAT SENSE

Ultimate Scratcher:   For the ultimate in scratching luxury for your cat, stop in and check out our Ultimate Scratcher scratching posts.  At a height of 32 inches, they provide a super stretch for kitty and the sisal covering is an excellent texture for your cat to condition her claws and remove old nail sheaths.  Situated on a sturdy, non-tip base, your cat can really get into stretching and scratching without the fear of the post tipping over.

L-Lysine Soft Chews:    Is your cat currently on an L-Lysine supplement? That supplemment is now available in a soft, moist treat from Vetri-Science Laboratories. The treats are chicken/liver flavored and each bag contains about 120 soft chews.

Hide, Perch & Go boxes:   Developed for use in shelters, these boxes provide 2 stimulating envirnments for your cat.  The lower portion is a multi-entrance hiding spot and the top portion is a perch. The box easily assembles in minutes and also converts into a sturdy cardboard carrier. The box can then be reassembled and placed in the cage with your cat to give him comfort while here. Please ask to view an assembled Hide, Perch & Go during your next visit to Cat Sense.