FAQs

Question 1:
My cat lives totally indoors, and is very healthy. Does she need to visit the veterinarian on a regular basis?

Question 2:
My cat does not like to be placed in a carrier, and is stressed when she is in it.
Can I transport her without a carrier?

Question 3:
My cat lives totally indoors. Is it necessary for her to have vaccines?

Question 4:
My cat lives totally in doors. Should I spay (female) or neuter (male) my cat?

Question 5:
How do I know if my cat is ill?

Question 6:
How does my cat contract Feline Leukemia Virus (Felv) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)?

Question 7:
Can I contract Felv or FIV from a cat?

Question 8:
Should my cat be tested for Felv and FIV?

Question 9:
My cat was tested for Felv and FIV when she was eight weeks old, and tested negative for both. Why should she be tested for FIV at six months of age?

Question 10:
My cat is never allowed out doors. Should I declaw her?

Question 11:
What is involved with declawing a cat?

Question 12:
What are side effects of declawing?

Question 13:
What is heartworm disease?

Question 14:
If my cat is totally indoors, should she take a heartworm preventative?

Question 15:
I have two cats, is one litter pan sufficient?

Question 16:
I have a female kitten and would like her to have one litter of kittens.

Answer 1:
Yes. Your cat may have problems of which you are unaware . Your veterinarian can bring these problems to light with a thorough examination.

Answer 2:
No. She may become startled or frightened, and her first response is to jump down and run.

Answer 3:
Yes. New York State mandates cats must be vaccinated for Rabies by four months of age (3 months in NYC). The Distemper vaccine is a combination of distemper and upper respiratory diseases. Upper respiratory diseases are transmitted through the air, therefore, can come in through the windows and doors. Distemper disease (Panleukemia) can be tracked in on feet.

Answer 4:
It is extremely important to spay or neuter your cat for its health, to prevent behavioral problems, and for population control purposes. Female unsprayed cats can develop a very serious, life threatening uterine infection called pyometra. Cats spayed after their first “heat” are at higher risk of developing mammary gland adenocarcinoma (breast cancer). The risk increases if she is not spayed prior to one year of age. Unaltered male cats have a tendency to mark (spray). This can result in unpleasant odors, abuse of the cat, relinquishing, or euthanizing the cat. Both unneutered females, and males are more insistent on escaping from their home. This has the potential for creating unwanted kittens, adding to the overpopulation problem.

Answer 5:
Cats are not vindictive or antisocial. Your cat may have an illness if she is urinating or defecation in places outside of the litter box. Cats may hide when they are in pain or do not feel well. Unexplained weight loss or gain may signal illness. Changes in activity and an increase or decrease in the amount of time a cat spends grooming are reasons to consider illness in your cat. Changes in food or water consumption may be a response to illness or disease.

Answer 6:
The most common way these diseases are contracted is by a bite from an infected cat. Cats, also, can catch these viruses from sharing food/water bowls, coming into contact with blood and other body fluids from infected cats.

Answer 7:
No.

Answer 8:
All kittens on adoption should be tested for these viruses. All cats coming into a home where cats currently reside should be tested. All cats allowed out doors should be tested annually. All cats that have been bitten or injured by another cat or unknown animal should be tested.

Answer 9:
We do not get accurate test results for FIV unless a cat is five to six months of age .

Answer 10:
This is a difficult question to answer. There are options to declawing. The best choice for keeping nails harmless, is to trim nails as short as possible without hurting your cat, then trimming the very ends of each nail on a weekly basis. This needs to be done consistently, and within a short time nails will become nubs. When kittens or adult cats are adopted it is very important to acclimate your pet to having nails trimmed. This is best achieved by gently stroking legs and feet and each individual toe. Please do this when your cat is quiet and calm. Cats can be trained to use scratching posts. However, cats all have specific preferences for texture of scratching posts. You may need to try several textures before you find one that is right for your cat. Another alternative is to place soft paws on your cat. If all options have been thououghly explored, declawing is an option.

Answer 11:
Declawing is orthopedic surgery. It is equivalent to removing your fingers to the first joint.

Answer 12:
Declawing is an extremely painful procedure for cats. If not performed properly, the cats can experience life long pain. Cats may change behavior and begin scratching with rear nails or biting.

Answer 13:
Heartworm is a parasite that is transmitted by mosquitoes. If your cat is bitten by an infected mosquito, a microscopic larval stage heartworm is injected into the skin. This small heartworm takes up residence in a large vessel coming from the heart (pulmonary artery) and can grow as long as long as twelve inches. One to five heartworms may reside in your cat. This is a potentially fatal disease for your cat, and can cause irreparable heart and lung damage.

Answer 14:
Yes. Mosquitoes can fly indoors. It takes only one mosquito bite to inflict heartworm disease.

Answer 15:
Rule of thumb for litter pans is to have one more litter pan than the total number or cats that live in a household.

Answer 16:
There are approximately three million cats that are euthanized in the United States daily. Bringing more cats into the world means that the kittens that are born to your cat with take the life of another cat that needs to be adopted. Also, for health reasons it’s important to have your cat spayed by six months.

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