Cat Fights (Monthly Cat Care Article)

Disclaimer: the staff writers here are not vets nor are they qualified to give medical advice. This article’s purpose is strictly to share stories/information and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Please take your cat to the vet if you suspect anything might be wrong with them. Your vet will know best what to do in your specific situation.

No matter how watchful or careful we might be as pet parents, sometimes our little ones end up at odds with each other. If you have an outdoor cat, they might have altercations or unpleasant run-ins with other neighborhood cats or wild animals. If you have multiple indoor cats, they might get on each others’ nerves and try to settle scores the old-fashioned way. Fighting also commonly occurs when you introduce two new cats to each other. These interactions can vary in severity — sometimes it is merely a mild scuffle, other times it can result in serious injuries for the cats involved (and the humans trying to separate them).

Treatment for cat fight injuries also varies, depending on the severity of the injuries the cats have sustained. Extremely serious injuries — deep wounds, broken bones, large bites, injuries to the face/neck — may require emergency veterinary treatment. In these cases, especially if the injures are from a fight with a wild animal or stray cat, the cat should be taken immediately to a vet or animal ER. The cat may need surgery, blood transfusions, and/or booster vaccinations. Milder injuries sustained in fights with wild animals and stray cats may not always require emergency treatment — for example, they might have received scratches or bites that are not deep. However, these injuries should still be checked by a vet in a timely manner, and the vet should be consulted to see if booster vaccinations and/or antibiotics are necessary to protect the cat from potential disease.

Untreated injuries, especially ones from wild animals and stray cats, can result in deadly consequences for an affected cat. They could become ill with rabies, FIV/FeLV, or various bacterial infections. Bites and scratches from other animals can easily transmit a wide variety of viruses and bacteria into the injured cat’s bloodstream. Untreated rabies is almost always fatal, and FIV/FeLv are lifelong infections that can gravely impact a cat’s health. For these reasons, it’s extremely important to keep your cat’s vaccines up to date, as well as to give the cat additional booster vaccines if they do end up hurt in a fight. Infection of bites/scratches is also a concern. Signs of infection include warmth, redness, and swelling around the site of the injury, as well as general listlessness and fever. To help prevent infection, any visible injuries should be immediately cleaned with water and some kind of antiseptic. Later on, the cat should receive a course of prophylactic antibiotics from the vet, either in the form of a shot, pills, or liquid medicine.

Injuries sustained in fights with other household cats may still pose a risk for disease and infection, although the risk is generally lower, especially if the household cats are all kept indoors and are up to date on their vaccinations. In these cases, cats may still require emergency treatment if injuries are severe, but if the injuries are mild — i.e. scratches and scrapes that are not too deep — they do not necessarily require veterinary treatment. The injuries still need to be cleaned with water and an antiseptic, but they will usually heal well on their own, provided that infection does not occur. If infection does occur, the cat will require a vet visit and antibiotics.

When it comes to cat fight injuries, it’s important to act swiftly in assessing the danger and risk the injuries pose to the cat’s health. Sometimes cats require quick, lifesaving treatment, and potentially deadly infections are always a possibility. Regular vaccinations, as well as other general safety precautions, such as keeping cats indoors and away from wild animals, are a necessary part of protecting a cat’s health and overall well-being.

March 2, 2019 0

Crazy Cat People

There are those of us who love cats so much that we spend lots of time with them. We play with them. We feed them. We cuddle with them. We talk with them. There are those who will call us crazy for loving cats as much as we do.

I say those people don’t understand what it is like to be around cats. To interact with people who don’t speak the same languages we can. And still we learn to understand each other. We learn to live together for the benefit of us all.

For the culture I’ve grown up in, crazy cat ladies are more popular than crazy cat men. In Italian a crazy cat lady is expressed in one word: gattara. In Italian a crazy cat man is also just one word: gattaro. I am very much a gattara and all the cats who have lived with me know it.

March 1, 2019 0

Cat Quotes 1:03

With their qualities of cleanliness, discretion, affection, patience, dignity, and courage, how many of us, I ask you, would be capable of becoming cats? —Fernand Mery Her Majesty the Cat

Some of us may hope to become cats or at least to be considered honorary cats. Cats are something many do esteem to be, yet they fall short in one way or another. Personally, I’ll settle for being an honorary cat. That comes with complimentary hair cleanings from my favorite cat. That’s good enough for me.

I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior. —Hippolyte Taine

Cats tend to be quiet. Yet, when they are quiet, they are the wisest creatures around. They know how to live with nature without upsetting a balance. They know when to relax and when to hunt. They know when to be serious and when to be playful. We have a lot to learn from watching them. If we watch closely, we might learn their wisdom.

March 1, 2019 0

My Mother

What is there to say about my mother Ramadom? She cared for my three brothers and me when we were kittens. Then without any warning, she left us on our own. I don’t understand. I thought she loved us. But she wouldn’t stay with us. It was abandonment. After I’ve lived as long as I have, I still don’t understand.

She didn’t even say goodbye. She just left and never came back to look after us. How could she to that to us? Then we discovered her living across the street. We lived near the end of a cul-de-sac. Whenever Spitter and I saw her, we hissed at her to let her know how much we were upset by her abandonment of us.

She should have said something. Anything would have been better than her just leaving without any warning. Oh, just thinking about her makes me so mad. Why couldn’t she have given us warning that she would be leaving us on our own? That’s the part I don’t get. She just left us behind in the woodpile.

I’ve been picking up the pieces since she left. I suppose it’s time to let go of this pain, but it’s hard. I guess I want to make sense out of everything. Yet, I can’t. Is this how life truly is? Things go well for just a short time and then tragedy strikes without any warning.

Perhaps it’s just me. But I wish my mother had never left us as she did. I would have been much happier with her if she had told us it was time for us to be on our own. Then we could have visited her from time to time. Instead, she just left and never cared what became of us after she was done taking care of us.

I suppose it’s normal for us cats to let kittens grow up and go on their own when they no longer need someone else to look after them. But it doesn’t always happen that way. We do grow up and become more independent, but we can also maintain relationships with our mothers when we’re older. Isn’t that what humans do?

I did talk to my girl about a lot of different things that bothered me. But we never talked about my mother Ramadom. I don’t know why. I guess we were more focused on living together and getting along. My girl knew I didn’t like my mother. My girl may not have known or understood why. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s starting to understand now. She is quite clever and sees the world in an unusual way than others I have known in my life. I admit that I don’t always understand some things she tells me because she says them in a unique way. I do hope she has gained wisdom as I’m sure I have.

I just don’t know if I will ever be able to understand. I do like my independence, but does that mean I have to give up having a relationship with my own mother too? That’s not a good choice to have to make. Well, technically she made it for me. I had no choice in the matter.

I still wish things with my mother could have been different. I loved her as a kitten. I still love her now, even though she refused to have anything to do with me after I grew up. It would have been great if Spitter and I could have visited her from time to time and just had some good chats. She would have been a friend who lived in the same neighborhood.

Am I asking for too much from her?

She was sweet. She was loving. She was beautiful. She was there from before we were born. She took good care of us. She taught us how to be good upstanding cats. Then she was gone without any warning. Why? Why? Why?

She could have kissed us goodbye and let us know it was time for us to be on our own. She could have told us she was going to her home across the street. So, why didn’t she tell us?

Why did she just leave and not ever come back? She didn’t even care whenever Spitter and I hissed at her. She just ignored us. She acted as if we were complete strangers not worth her notice. She never paid any attention to us after she had abandoned us.

That was that, I suppose. At least my girl took me in and never got rid of me. I would have preferred to stay in the same home for the rest of my life, but at least my girl never abandoned me. She took me in and that was that. She always took care of me better than my mother had. Some humans even called my girl my mother.

Well, she is my girl. Not my mother. My girl was better than my mother. I’m glad my girl came and met me when she did. That whirlwind changed my life forever and taught me love can last forever. Sometimes it doesn’t always last from your family for many reasons. But then you can find friends later on who will stand by you no matter what.

So, I was proud to have her as my girl. I never minded her calling me her cat. At least she understood she didn’t own me. Nor did she ever treat me as a piece of property. I am a person to her. I always was and always will be.

March 1, 2019 0

Cats Need Claws

In the middle of the night, Nuri lost her balance on the pillow she was resting on and fell. She landed on my girl. My girl was lying in bed resting and was of course startled by Nuri. My girl ended up with a few claw marks going down the length of her shoulder.

My girl did absolutely nothing to punish Nuri. And why would she punish any cat for an accident? My girl understands it was an accident. She has tended to her wounds and they’re healing up fine.

That accident reminded me of why we cats need our claws. All of them. And what we used them for. When we fall, whether we jump down or lose our *gasp* lose our balance, we extend our claws to use as anchors to break our fall. We do it to stop faster and reduce the chances that we will get hurt.

When we jump up on to things, we extend our claws to stop ourselves once we’ve reach our goal. If we are missing our claws, doesn’t matter why, we will slide and wonder why our claws aren’t helping us. If we slide too far, we can get injured. Cats can fall out of windows without screens. I’d hope we don’t break any bones or have anything worse happen.

We do use our claws for fighting and defense. We may play with them. However, when we play with humans, we usually learn to keep our claws retracted because we don’t want to hurt you. Of course if humans threaten us, we will bare our claws in self defense. Please treat us well and we will keep our claws sheathed.

Without our claws, we can have trouble burying our waste. We cats like to bury our waste and we do need our claws to dig in the dirt. I know some of us can get over zealous when burying in the litter box. Sorry about the mess, but we have to be thorough. We can’t leave a trace that we’ve been somewhere to our enemies. Can’t let them find us.

So, for those of you humans who think we shouldn’t have claws so we can’t tear up your furniture, why didn’t you think about us? You know you can give us our own scratching posts to tear up. Yes, we do need to sharpen our claws to keep them in good shape. We have more trouble being cats without our claws.

As my girl is fond of saying, “Cats come with sharp teeth and sharp claws, duh!” She understands we are people and not objects to be owned. And she is a crazy cat lady who thinks having at least one cat, if not more, is more preferable than having immaculate furniture and other things of material wealth.

And my girl also believes, based on knowledge and her own observations, that cats who have been declawed are mutilated. That’s just one of the reasons I love her so much. She just accepts us as we are and we can accept her as she is.

March 1, 2019 0

Financial Report for February 2019

Another month is over and not much has changed. If nothing changes between now and October, then the last Financial Report I will do will be for September. Until then, this is how we’re doing.

Summary for February 2019:
no money in or out
over 1071 hits on the blog
about 224 people get the posts emailed to them
26 people follow via WordPress
62 copies sold; US$435.04 raised for Dingo Venezia from Cat Tales of the Frisky9 Scarf Army

February 28, 2019 0

Financial Report for January 2019

For our first official issue, I think we’ve done well. I am a little disappointed we don’t have a featured monthly charity yet. But we still have some good articles written by humans, elves, and cats. Sir Socks is even claiming that his book of memoirs is nearly ready. That cat might wear me out with his book. But then again, once his book is done and ready for release, then perhaps I will have more time to work on my books again. Being a translator for a cat is not an easy job. In this case, I was able to do it because of how well I know him. People can’t believe I put up with him. They think he is too whiny. He’s just particular about how he wants to be looked after. He is the one who taught me how to take excellent care of cats. I’m forever grateful for him for his teachings. Without him, I’d be far too lonely to function well in this crazy well.

Summary for January 2019:
no money in or out
over 944 hits on the blog
about 224 people get the posts emailed to them
26 people follow via WordPress
62 copies sold; US$435.04 raised for Dingo Venezia from Cat Tales of the Frisky9 Scarf Army

February 1, 2019 0

Cats and UTIs (Monthly Cat Care Article)

20181130_091222 — photo by Clarabelle Fields

Last month, we talked about FLUTD/FIC, which are diseases that afflict cats’ urinary tracts. This month, we are continuing to look at urinary tract issues, this time focusing on a well-known, common problem: urinary tract infections (UTIs).

UTIs can affect both male and female cats, unlike FLUTD/FIC, which is much more common in male cats. UTIs more commonly affect older cats, cats with diabetes, and cats with FLUTD/FIC, with UTIs being most common in older female cats. The cause of most UTIs is relatively straightforward. Just like in humans, feline UTIs are caused by a bacterial infection of the urethra. If left untreated, the infection can spread into the bladder and kidneys, which can be very dangerous. Fortunately, UTIs can usually be treated with antibiotics, and with prompt, early treatment, most cats make full recoveries.

UTI warning signs include:

– Struggling to urinate. The cat passes small amounts of urine or none at all.

– Frequent trips to the litter box.

– Urinating outside the litter box.

– Discomfort while urinating. The cat might hiss or yowl in the litter box.

– Licking at the genitals.

– Restlessness, listlessness, maybe a fever.

– Blood in the urine.

If you observe any or some of these signs in your cat, take them to the vet right away and have them checked out. The earlier you catch any infections, the better, and the sooner you can get them started on antibiotic treatment. During and after treatment, however, it is important that you monitor them for additional signs of distress — sometimes the inflammation caused by the UTI can lead to the development of a urinary blockage, especially in male cats, so it’s important to stay vigilant and make sure your cat is not developing additional complications.

With quick treatment and the eye of a watchful, loving pet-parent, most cats can recover from their UTIs and go back to being their playful, happy selves in a short time. When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to ask a vet to make sure your fur-baby is okay.

February 1, 2019 0

The Gremlins in My Litter Box

juliusinbag

Recently, I have had the misfortune of being persecuted, my dear followers, by what I can only assume are gremlins in my litter box. I have no idea why these invisible creatures have chosen to come after me, especially now. At troubled points in my past, I dealt with their curmudgeonly attacks, and I dealt with these attacks largely in silence. These attacks, although irritating, would eventually pass, and I would forget about them until they would inevitably return one day without warning. Sometimes weeks would pass where I would be left undisturbed, and I would relish those weeks, relish the freedom of being able to use the litter box in peace. Other times, I would have to grit my teeth, knowing that the gremlins would emerge and make my litter box an unpleasant place whenever I attempted to do anything. I was brave for a long time, enduring the gremlins, but eventually it became too much for me. I had to seek out alternative options just to try to escape them. I tried to use other places–the bed, the couch, the rug, hidden corners around the house. The gremlins still managed to find me. Now I wasn’t safe anywhere in the house, and I started hissing at them. They were lurking invisibly around me, everywhere. I just wanted to win back the trust and peace I had formerly enjoyed in my litter box.

I had tried to tell various humans about this at points when it got especially bad. My humans didn’t seem to understand my distress. They thought I was just being a bad-tempered emperor, upset by the rearrangement of furniture in my palace. Some vets didn’t understand me either, saying it was just because I was fussy about my litter. It’s the gremlins, I kept saying, it’s the gremlins, but my cries fell on deaf ears for a long time. It was really the hissing and the madness that got my humans’ attention–finally, at last, someone was aware of my struggle with these gremlins.

I almost regretted bringing their awareness to it at first. I can’t count the number of times I got stuffed in the dreaded cat carrier and hauled to a vet. The number of times I saw the cold insides of that vet’s office! The number of times I got poked and prodded! The number of times I was forced to eat horrible, bitter liquids! But whatever they did to me, as awful as it was, chased the gremlins away, at least for now. It’s hard to believe that they’re actually gone and won’t torment me anymore.

February 1, 2019 3

Cat Quotes 1:02

No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens. — Abraham Lincoln

I can certainly say from observations of cats, this is true. I used to watch Sir Socks and Spot fight. They’d get into it. I did see Socks jump on Spot without any warning. Then blam! They were wrestling. They were so entertaining to watch. I don’t need television when I have cats around me.

After they were done fighting, it would be so quiet. That’s when I’d find them sleeping and cuddling together. So, Abe must have known what he was talking about.

Of all God’s creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat. — Mark Twain

Cats are so independent that it is impossible to make them submissive. If you try, they will hit, bite, and claw you. And if you combine humans and cats, you will get nekos. I don’t know if they are a disgrace for cats, but if they are tiny nekos, they can be awfully cute as White Lion Unicorn and the other tiny nekos in my universe have proven to me.

February 1, 2019 0