Cat Management

What are the 5 freedoms?

1. Freedom for a suitable environment

2. Freedom for a suitable diet

3. Freedom to exhibit normal behaviour patterns

4. Freedom to be housed with or away from other animals

5. Freedom to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

How is the Theft Act 1968 involved in feline law?

• Cats are regarded in law as property, so theft of a cat is treated as an offence under the Act, in the same way as theft of any other property

• A cat that is lost or has strayed is generally regarded as the property of the original owner: it is therefore necessary to try to return a lost cat to its owner

How is the Criminal Damage Act 1971 involved in feline law?

• If a person kills or injures a cat belonging to another person, they may have committed an offence under this act, because the law regards cats as property

What are the laws around boarding for cats?

• Cat boarding licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities is used to guide and enforce licensing of boarding cattery establishments

What are the laws around microchipping in cats:?

• Legislation came into effect in June 2024

• It is a legal requirement for cats in England to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age

How can you tell if a male cat is castrated or entire?

Castrated:

• No testicles/penile barbs present

• No visual or palpable testes

Entire:

• Penile barbs present

• Formation of jowls

• Skin thickening

Why might a castrated cat be acting as though entire?

• There may be a testicle in the abdomen (exploratory laparotomy if their testosterone levels are high)

How can you differentiate between male and female cats?

Females: smaller ano-genital distance

Males: greater ano-genital distance

What are the advantages of neutering male cats?

• Less likely to spray

• Less likely to stray over a large area (less at risk of RTA)

• Less likely to fight and become injured

• Reduces territorial aggression

What are the advantages of neutering female cats?

• Reduced mating and breeding behaviour (e.g calling)

• Less likely to suffer from pyometra/mammary tumours

• Unwanted kittens suffer malnourishment and infectious diseases

What are cats usually vaccinated against?

• Cat flu (FHV/FCV)

• Enteritis (FPV)

• FeLV

When should cats be vaccinated?

• 8-9 weeks of age

• 2 injections, 3-4 weeks apart

• Regular annual boosters

How might cats contract parasites?

• Milk from queens

• Fleas carrying tapeworm

• Going outside

• Contact wit other cats

How are cats microchipped?

• Inject sterile chip (1cm long by 2-3mm wide) under loose skin around the neck, near the area of the shoulder blades

• Can be done at any age

• Each microchip has a unique number: veterinary professionals can access databases which hold the owner’s and animal’s details by a microchip number

• All scanners should scan all microchips

List some common feline diseases/issues

• Cat flu

• Dental disease

• RTAs

• Cat bite abscesses

• Feline lower urinary tract disease

• Hyperthyroidism

• Chronic kidney disease

What are some common toxins to cats?

• Anti-freeze (ethylene glycol)

• Paracetamol

• Lilies

• Dettol cleaner

Describe cat flu. Include:

• What it is caused by

• Clinical signs

• Caused by: a variety of bacterial and viral pathogens

• Clinical signs: rhinitis and nasal discharge, conjunctivitis and ocular discharge, sneezing, fever

Describe dental disease. Include:

• Clinical signs

• Clinical signs: halitosis, hypersalivation, inability to eat (or pain whilst eating), tartar, gingivitis, fractured or missing teeth

Describe RTAs. Include:

• Who they are most common in

• The types of injuries you might see in practice

• More common amongst: young cats and unneutered toms

• Varying injuries: broken bones (jaw/pelvis), soft tissue injuries, haemorrhage, prolapsed eyeballs

Describe cat bite abscesses. Include:

• Where they are commonly found

• Who they are most common in

• Clinical signs

• Commonly found on face/head, legs, feet, tail

• More commonly seen in male cats

• Clinical signs: soft swelling, pain, pyrexia (high temperature), lethargic

Describe FLUTD. Include:

• What it is

• Clinical signs

• Who they are most common in

• Complete inability to urinate: can be indicative of a ‘blocked bladder’, and is life threatening

• Clinical signs: frequent urination of small volume (or none), blood in urine, pain upon urination, urinating in the wrong place, repeated licking of perineum

• Males are more predisposed to this condition

Describe hyperthyroidism. Include:

• What it is

• Who it is most common in

• Clinical signs

• Too much thyroid hormone produced

• Common in: older cats

• Clinical signs: polyphagia (eating lots), weight loss, altered behaviour, vomiting/diarrhoea, unkempt coat, palpable goitre on physical exam

Describe CKD. Include:

• What it is

• Who it is most common in

• Clinical signs

• Kidneys no longer able to excrete nitrogenous waste from the body

• Electrolyte and acid/base imbalance

• Common in older cats

• Clinical signs: weight loss, polyuric/polydipsic (increased urination/drinking), anorexia/inappetence, vomiting

What should you consider regarding litter trays when assessing husbandry requirements?

• Provide at least one per cat plus one extra

• Do not need training as they will instinctively bury faeces and urine

• May cats provide privacy (‘covered’ litter trays also work)

• Lower sided/shallower trays are better for older cats and young kittens

• Many types of substrate (grit, sawdust, paper, soil, clumping, odour-free, non-absorbent), some cays are very substrate sensitive, recommended to use a sand-like substrate as it is less harsh on paws and easy for them to hide/cover their faeces

• Keep away from food bowls, clean as soon as used (ideally), disinfect whole tray at least weekly using a fragrance-free disinfectant

• In vet practices, do not swap litter trays between cats

What should you consider regarding housing/furniture when assessing husbandry requirements?

• Applies to private homes and vet practices

• Vertical spaces are desirable (cats like a high vantage point)

• Places to hide, and choices of bed

What should you consider regarding scratching posts when assessing husbandry requirements?

• Innate behaviour: we shouldn’t stop them doing it, but they can be redirected

• Keeps their nails in good condition and communicates with other cats via scent marking

• Should be placed near entrances/exits and where they sleep

• Many different types/materials: cats may have a preference 

• Should be sturdy and tall enough so cats can fully stretch

What is catnip, and what does it do?

• Nepeta cataria

• Perennial herb of the mint family containing aromatic oils (nepetalactone responsible for temporary ‘hallucinogenic’ effects)

• Can elicit happiness, sexual behaviour, aggression, high state of arousal (different between cats)

  
  

What are the advantages of using collars on cats?

• Facilitates easy identification of an injured/lost cat

• Ability to attach airtags (allows owner to track location)

• If reflective, may increase safety in the dark

What are the disadvantages of using collars on cats?

• Risk of getting caught (use a quick release collar)

• Collar wounds are common and difficult to treat

• Some collars are used for ectoparasite control

What are the essential resources for cats?

• Food (in a safe, low-traffic area)
  Water (separate from food)

• Litter trays (one per cat + one more, in private areas)

• Scratching posts (must be very tall and rigid)

• Toys for exercise, play and predation

• Places to sleep, hide and get up high

What factors should owners consider before getting a cat?

• Pedigree vs non-pedigree

• Adult vs kitten

• Longhair vs shorthair

• How many

• Male vs female

• Where from

• How many people in the home

• Size of home

• Working vs non-working

• Other pets

• Location/environment

• Financial status

Describe some of the pedigree longhairs

• Persian: genetic disorders/predispositions, brachycephalic, broad stocky body, short-limbed, plume tail, short nose and squashed face

• Birman: longhaired cats with points on mask, ears, lower legs and tail, white feet, classic blye eyes, broad face and a short nose

• Maine coon: big cats, smooth but shaggy coat, tufted ears

• Ragdoll: similar to birmans (but no white feet), floppy

Describe some of the pedigree shorthairs

• Siamese: points on mask, ears, lower legs, feet and tail, long face, large ears, delicate physique, quite vocal and ‘himalayan mutation’ (coldest bits get darker colours)

• Burmese: round face, solid colour, muscular but light frame 

• British shorthair: big solid cat, round wide face and thick neck, thick coat, straight short nose, small ears and large eyes

• Devon/cornish rex: big ears, curly coat, quite vocal

• Abyssinian: ticked coats (2-3 bands on each hair), slender, colours look distinctive

• Bengal: wild cat hybrid

• Manx: no tail

• Sphinx: no hair

• Scottish fold: ear mutation

Describe tortoiseshell cats and their genetic profiles

Patches of orange fur (pheomelanin based) and black or brown (eumelanin based) fur, males (1:3000) occur via Klinefelter syndrome, mosaicism or chimerism

• Primary gene for coat colour is B (eumelanin production), linked to a co-dominant gene O (pheomelanin production) located on the X chromosome

• Presence of ‘O”= orange colour, presence of ‘o’= non-orange colour

• XY males: either ‘O’ (orange) or ‘o’ (black/brown)

• XX females: ‘OO’ (orange) or ‘Oo’ (some orange) or ‘oo’ (black/brown)

  • 2 X-chromosomes needed for X-inactivation to lead to 2 different colours

  • This is why most tortoiseshell cats and calico cats are female

How can you provide milk to support a cat’s diet?

• Cats should definitely have milk when suckling their mother

• They often become lactose intolerant as they enter adult life

• ‘Cat’ milk is commercially available: does not contain lactose, can be given as a treat

How can you provide water to support a cat’s diet?

• Cats are often not observed drinking (may prefer outdoor sources)

• Cats who are fed a wet diet may drink less due to the higher moisture content

• Many have maintained a preference for running fresh water- so water fountains and running taps are often more appealing

• Water should always be fresh and clean

• In vet practices, do not swap food bowls between cats

How much water should cats on wet food drink?

• 20ml/kg/day

How much water should cats on dry food drink?

• 60-100ml/kg/day

What are some common mistakes associated with feline nutrition?

• Vitamin A toxicity (high liver diet)

• Vegetarian diet

• Human products may be toxic

• Cow’s milk (many adult cats are lactose intolerant)

• Overfeeding

When is a cat classed as ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’?

• Overweight= up to 20% above ideal weight

• Obese= over 20% above ideal weight

Why might a cat be at higher risk of obesity?

• Indoor

• Male

• Middle-aged

• Owner also obese

What are the risk factors associated with feline obesity?

• Diabetes II

• Arthritis

• Hepatic lipidosis

• UTD

How can you manage feline obesity?

• Calculate caloric requirement

• Decrease volume

• Change diet

• Work for food

• Increased play

• Owner compliance

• Dry food vs wet food

What should you consider when choosing a food bowl?

• Material: must be easy to clean and plastic can affect the taste of food/water

• Positioning: must be shallow, wide and slightly elevated so whiskers don’t touch the sides (whisker fatigue)

• Different types of feeder: automatic, puzzle, etc

• In vet practices, do not swap food bowls between cats

How should you feed a cat in regards to:

• Timing and frequency

• Location of food bowls

• In multi-cat households

• Set meals/ad lib feeding- cats prefer to eat little and often (mimicking how they eat in the wild)

• Food bowls should be in quiet, easy to access areas and located away from water bowls

• In a multi-cat household: competition for resources (give different options and multiple feeding stations so they don’t have to share bowls/eat near each other)

What should you consider when choosing the best type of food for your cat?

• Texture

• Temperature

• Flavour

• Freshness

• Environment

• Dish

• Amount

• Food aversion

How is assisted feeing used in veterinary practices?

• Some cats may eat from the tip of someone’s finger, or from someone’s hand (typically if they have been exposed to this during socialisation)

• Certain situations may require a feeding tube to be placed, if they cannot eat independently (e.g broken jaw)

What are the key things to remember when considering a cat’s diet?

• Cats are obligatory carnivores: metabolically and physically adapted to low carbohydrate diet

• Need a balanced diet: essential components only found in food of animal origin (amino acids- taurine and arginine, vitamins- A/D, EFAs- linoleic and arachidonic acid)

• Highly protein dependent- high and constant rate of metabolism

• Readily go into a state of starvation and become anorexic- particularly important in a sick/hospitalised cat (48hrs before big metabolic changes occur)