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For this year's Pet Wellness Month we are focusing on senior cats ages 10 and older - see our lead story and special offer good towards our new Proactive Senior Wellness Package.
Also,don't miss our online retail coupons with specials for seniors and other cats too - including one with a discount on canned cat foods.To view coupons >>
 Available in Our Store
Looking for a new food for your cat? Cats Exclusive is proud to now include the EVO line from Innova foods in our selection of maintenance foods. Created by Natura to bridge the gap between the dietary needs of cats in the wild and domestic cats, EVO is a high protein, low carbohydrate, and no-grain cat food. EVO canned foods contain 95% meat in each can. For those cats that turn up their noses at wet food, EVO is also available in a protein-rich dry formula that has the highest meat content of any dry food on the market. With minimally processed, high quality ingredients that are slow-cooked for nutritional consistency, the ancestral diet meets modern nutrition in EVO. Dry samples available. ($1.35 - $19.99) www.evopet.com
At Cats Exclusive, we are highly selective about the foods that we carry. So we are excited to introduce not one, but TWO new lines of cat food at this time. It's challenging to find an organic food for cats that is nutritionally complete and doesn't contain several unnecessary ingredients that are actually not good for cats. The search for quality organic food that meets our standards has happily led to By Nature. By Nature offers both a "natural" and an organic food line. By Nature foods are wheat and corn free and are nutritionally complete diets for cats. Both By Nature and By Nature Organics are on our shelves, available in several canned flavors. ($1.15 - $1.65 for 6 oz)
www.bynaturepetfoods.com
What do cats hunt for when they crave a snack in the wild? Mice, of course! The highest-quality and most palatable cat foods on the market are often referred to as "mouse in a can" since mice contain nutrients that are the best for cats. Remember, cats are carnivores! Which is why we were so thrilled to discover treats made entirely from mice. Packed with natural protein, Pogos 100% Pure Mouse Treats are a unique treat for cats. You can easily break off these freeze-dried treats into smaller pieces, or moisten treats to "plump" them up. Each treat is the nutritional equivalent of two mice. For cats that prefer to chase rabbits than hunt mice, Pogos 100% Pure Rabbit Treats are an additional, tasty alternative to traditional cat treats. (Both $8.95 for 3/4 oz)
Don't let the name fool you - the soft beds from United K9's line of cat products is sure to scratch your cat's itch for something new this fall! As the weather turns frostier, cats look for warm places to burrow and cuddle. The innovative cat beds by United K9's such as the Kitty Rancher striped pink house are comfortable and cozy, also adding a splash of decorative flair to your cat's sleeping area. We also have covered beds in fruit shapes that include pineapples, strawberries, and watermelons! ($31.99)
 Need a prescription refill? More and more of our clients are enjoying the convenience of ordering prescription refills via our website.
To do this, just go to our home page at www.catsexclusive.com and use the link "prescription refills" on the right side.
"Time spent with a cat is never wasted."
Colette
Dennis Wackerbarth, D.V.M.
Katherine Schubert, D.V.M.
Robert Echentile, D.V.M.
Faythe Vaughan, D.V.M
Christine Wilford, D.V.M.
Jennifer Fligiel, D.V.M.
Richard Lester, D.V.M.
Lora Schuldt, D.V.M.
Cats Exclusive's
Written by Cats Exclusive Veterinarians and Staff
Fall 2008
Volume 2 Issue 3
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Proactive Senior Wellness
by Dennis Wackerbarth, D.V.M.
Providing compassionate, comprehensive healthcare for senior cats and making their lives better has been a long-time passion at Cats Exclusive. With the sophisticated diagnostic tools available today, we are able to help you achieve even longer life spans for your feline friends.
Those of us who have been blessed with the good fortune of having a cat reach their golden years may have noticed some subtle or even not-so-subtle changes in their appearance or behavior:
These are all changes that may indicate medical issues. Addressing them early increases the quality and quantity of your cat's life. Most of us when aware of a problem in our old friends will seek medical assistance immediately. Many of the changes in a senior cat are subtle, or thought to be unalterable or normal for the aging cat. These assumptions are often incorrect, leading to unnecessary distress and shorter life spans.
The goal of our Proactive Wellness Program is to obtain an overview of your cat that enables us to identify if and why changes are occuring in your cat and then working with you, determine the most appropriate plan to achieve the best possible life for your aging friend. The results will be very important in helping us design a customized approach to your cat's needs.
For more details about our new Proactive Senior Wellness Package go to: www.catsexclusive.com/seniorcare.php. If interested, be sure to take advantage of the special above which offers additional savings off an already substantially discounted package of services.
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Canned Cat Food - Why?
by Lora Schuldt, D.V.M.
What would prompt a top feline specialist to remark that "we now know that we're killing our cats with dry food"? The gradual realization among veterinarians that those brittle brown nuggets might actually not be the healthy food we all previously thought. Strong associations between cats consuming an all-dry food diet and developing diabetes, urinary tract disorders, and obesity have become evident, often by seeing correction of these disorders once cats are placed on canned food only. |
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Certain diseases in cats have been strongly associated with consuming dry food only.
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The reason why canned food is preferred is that it mimics the carnivorous (meat-only) diet that cats are designed to eat. Canned foods are high in protein, low in carbohydrate, and high in moisture. In contrast, dry foods are high in carbohydrate and very low in moisture. Cats have almost no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate or fiber, and they would prefer to get most of their fluid from their diet. There are no dry foods that provide this nutrient profile, because a large amount of carbohydrate is used in the manufacture of pellet food.
"What about my cat's teeth?" we're often asked after suggesting a patient eat canned food. Even dentists agree that dry food does not prevent the common dental problems resulting in tooth loss in cats, although it might help prevent some tartar. Another concern for cat owners is that some cats seem to dislike canned food. This can be helped by eliminating access to dry food (it is so palatable that some cats will always choose it over canned food), top-dressing canned food with a little bit of kibble, or experimenting with different brands, flavors, and textures.
Eager to make the switch now? In general, an 8 to 11 pound cat (at his/her ideal weight) should eat 2.5 to 3 ounces of canned food twice a day. Let us know if we can help you and your cat along the way to optimal nutrition!
Feral Cats: Fact or Fiction
by Christine Wilford, D.V.M.
After eleven years of offering free spay/neuter for free-roaming cats, I've learned that reality can be surprising. Ponder a few things I've learned:
Myth: Feral cats are disease-ridden.
Fact: False. In a study of 2000 free-roaming cats, the rates of the common infectious feline diseases were essentially the same as pet cats. Feral cats are, in fact, quite healthy. This makes perfect sense. The healthier cats are successful and reproduce, passing genetic strength to offspring.
Myth: Feral cats are suffering.
Fact: False. In a study of 203,000 free-roaming cats in the U.S., only one cat out of a thousand was euthanized for health reasons. The low euthanasia rate demonstrates great overall health. They are spectacular cats, and often, the picture of health. Feral cat spay/neuter clinics ensure cats are healthy before returning cats to their colonies.
Myth: Once feral, always feral.
Fact: False. "Feral" describes a behavior that is dynamic. Cats are very adaptable. A kitten born to a feral mother without human contact is taught to fear people but that can change. People who feed colonies often see cats learn to accept human presence. Over months or years, some cats adapt to allow petting and become house pets.
Dr. Wilford is the founder of Seattle's Feral Cat Spay/ Neuter Project and a veterinarian at Cats Exclusive. For more information on the project, visit: www.feralcatproject.org
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For information regarding National Feral Cat Day on October 16, visit: www.alleycat.org |
MEO-YOWL!
by Jennifer Fligiel, D.V.M.
Has your cat become a yodeler? There are many reasons from medical to behavioral why cats will howl, yowl, or yodel. Many times, yowling does indicate a serious medical condition that needs immediate attention.
When any cat, especially one 10 years old or older, is howling more often than usual, one of the first things we check is the cat’s blood pressure. Hypertension is often called “the silent killer” because too often there are no symptoms. It is not unusual for us to find high blood pressure in a cat whose owner’s main concern was excessive vocalizing.
Many other serious diseases such as hyperthyroidism or kidney disease can result in excessive vocalization. We will always recommend a thorough physical examination that includes a blood pressure check and blood tests to help you eliminate any medical causes for howling.
Behavioral reasons can cause cats to yowl. There may be a new cat wandering the neighborhood. Even if you can’t see this cat and your own cat stays indoors, these outdoor wanderers can be very disruptive to your cat. Your cat may howl and even inappropriately urinate.
Many people think that their older cats have just “become senile” or are getting disoriented. After all the medical causes for an older cat vocalizing have been ruled out, we will help you address behavioral reasons. Vocalizing can be a learned behavior, i.e., you inadvertently reward your cat with attention or food every time s/he yells at you. It may also be a result of anxiety, attention seeking, and finally cognitive dysfunction.
Vocalizing is normal for cats. It is their way of communicating with other cats and with you. Excessive vocalizing or yowling may be the only way that your cat can express itself and if you pay attention, you just might save his or her life.
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