Last week we had one very pretty, very pregnant momma cat who decided to deliver her kittens right there in the trap upon her arrival at our clinic!

First bit of good news, all five of the kittens came out healthy and strong. We then determined that momma cat was a friendly stray, which was the second bit of good news. She was very tame as can be and easy to handle, so the first-time trapper who had brought momma cat in decided to foster the new happy family until the kittens are big enough to wean and adopt out.

As a caregiver, if you ever find yourself in this situation, here are seven important things you need to remember when caring for a momma cat and her nursing newborns.

1) GIVE A GIRL SOME PRIVACY.

Momma cat and her babies should be set up in a room or area that is quiet and private, away from the hustle and bustle of the household. A spare bedroom or a bathroom works well, if you have the space. Taming cages also work, as do closets (if they are open and well ventilated). To make a bed for them, you can use a big basket bed, a medium-height cardboard box, or even an extra-large dog carrier. You’ll want enough room that mom can stretch out to nurse and edges high enough so that the babies don’t fall out. If the mom is feral or really skittish, you’ll probably want to keep her in a taming cage. The key is to make sure the area is private and clean. Keep the other animals in the household away from them. Also keep the area warm, as kittens can get chilled easily. If you put mom and her babies open in a spare bedroom, she may move her kittens around the room repeatedly. In the wild, this is how they protect them. Don’t worry too much about it; she will gather them all up to nurse.

2) FEED THE BEST QUALITY WET FOOD YOU CAN, AND LOTS OF FRESH WATER.

Momma cat will be doing most of the work, so you need to take good care of mom. She in turn will take care of the babies. Feed momma the best quality wet food you can; if you also feed dry, then leave some dry available for her. Mom needs lots of good quality wet food so that the babies get the best nourishment possible from her while they are in their growth phase. Kittens will nurse every 1-3 hours for the first three weeks. Only when they hit four or five weeks old will they be ready to start weaning off mom and onto wet food.

3) CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.

You’ll want to use bedding material that is soft yet washable; towels and fleece blankets work great. Change linens daily, especially in the first few weeks. One trick is to layer several layers of towels on the bed, so that you can take the dirty layer off the top and have a fresh set underneath. Make sure to keep the bedding area dry and warm.

4) FLEA CONTROL IS NOT A LITTLE THING.

Kittens can quickly get flea anemia, so it’s really important to keep momma, kittens and the bedding area flea-free.Use a flea product such as Revolution, Advantage or Frontline on mom only. Do not use flea products on newborn kittens; it’s not safe as they are too young. Instead, if you see fleas on the kittens, you can bathe them using Dawn dishwashing liquid and use a small flea comb as needed to get the fleas off. Avoid antibacterial soaps. If you have to bathe kittens, make sure you dry them well and keep them warm as they can get chilled easily.

5) USE A NON-CLUMPING CLAY LITTER (LIKE JOHNNY CAT).

Initially, mom will be the only one using the litter box. Kittens won’t start using a litter box until about four weeks old. Until them, mom will just lick them to stimulate them to go to the bathroom and then she’ll lick them clean. It’s best to use a non-clumping litter such as Johnny Cat while the kittens are nursing. Clumping litter works by clumping as soon as it gets wet — this can be dangerous to kittens because if they ingest any, it can clump in their intestines. Johnny Cat is a safe, cheap option until the kittens are old enough to know not to eat the litter. Also, keep the litter box away from the food bowls as much as possible (although we know sometime’s it’s tight in a taming cage).

6) CLOSELY MONITOR EVERYONE’S PROGRESS.

If you don’t have a lot of experience with nursing moms and kittens, it’s a good idea to bring momma cat and babies in to see a vet at around 1-2 weeks to make sure everyone is doing well. It’s very important that kittens are gaining weight steadily, so you’ll need to monitor their progress week over week. You’ll also want to FeLV/FIV test momma cat, because that will give you an indication of whether the babies will have FeLV or FIV. Everyone should also be dewormed for hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms, and also vaccinated. Check with your vet about the deworming and vaccination schedules.

7) HANDLE THE KITTENS EARLY TO SOCIALIZE THEM.

You can safely handle the kittens at any age. Momma cat might get a little panicky, so be considerate of her, but she isn’t going to reject the babies just because you touched them. Handling the kittens will ensure they grow up very tame and social, which will make it easier for you to find great homes for them. Just make sure you wash your hands before and after handling the kittens.

Momma cats can be fixed once their babies are 5 weeks old. At that age, kittens are eating on their own and going to the bathroom on their own, so they can be away from mom for a day while she gets fixed. If mom is feral, when the kittens are 5 weeks old, that is the point when you can get mom spayed and release her right where you trapped her. Kittens can be safely fixed as soon a they hit 2-3 lbs., which is generally between 8-12 weeks.

For more information on caring for newborn kittens and what to expect during each week of their growth, see Kitten Rescue’s web post “Kitten Care Handbook: The Basics.”

What’s in a name, right? In this case not much. Ringworm has nothing to do with worms. Nor does it always show up as a ring!

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus, otherwise known as dermatophytes. These are microscopic parasitic fungi that live on the skin, specifically in hair follicles. Ringworm is a very hardy fungus that can be present in soil. Cats and cattle are the two species of animals that seem to get ringworm the most, although dogs and other animals can contract it. Humans can also get ringworm, either from a pet or from their environment. Athlete’s foot and jock itch are two types of ringworm that humans can get, sometimes from public places like locker rooms or public swimming pools.

Cats can contract ringworm when they are exposed to infected soil, when they come in direct contact with another infected animal or person, or indirectly through their living environment. Because the spores are microscopic and contagious, ringworm can be passed between cats via shared bedding, shared grooming tools, cat carriers, furniture, carpeting, etc. It’s also hard to get rid of; ringworm spores can be persistent in the environment for up to two years.

Those most susceptible to ringworm are kittens and cats less than one year old, who are still developing an immune system, or cats whose immune systems are suppressed, such as FIV+ cats. Longhaired cats are also more prone to ringworm than are shorthaired cats. Senior cats, stressed cats (maybe due to a recent move, a new cat in the household, or a recent adoption) and free-roaming cats that are outside and exposed to soil are all more susceptible to contracting ringworm.

Ringworm generally first shows itself as a small lesion with scaly skin in the center, which then grows to be a ring of patchy hair loss. Ringworm lesions and patches of hair loss are frequently localized to the cat’s face, ears, and limbs, but they can occur anywhere on the body. The patches don’t always occur in a circle, either; sometimes ringworm shows up just as patchy baldness, and it can be with or without redness and/or inflammation. There is usually mild itching associated with ringworm, and cats will often show an early sign of ringworm by scratching at their ears. Hair-loss patches can come and go during the infection cycle. Just because the patch is going away doesn’t mean the cat is cleared of the infection.

Ringworm is definitely contagious — both to other pets and to humans. That said, it’s important to know that ringworm on cats will generally self-resolve within two to four months — meaning, it typically goes away on its own if you do nothing at all. For feral cats, ringworm is generally not treated and it normally self-resolves. For tame cats, there are things you can do to speed up the healing process, as well as decrease the chances of reoccurrence.

Diagnosing Ringworm

Vets will normally first check for ringworm by using what’s called a “woods lamp.” Under the lamp in a dark room, the ringworm fungus fluoresces apple green. Normally the whole hair shaft will glow, especially the base. A woods lamp is not complete indicator, though, because only about 60% of ringworm fungi show up under a woods lamp. To make things more complicated, doxycycline, terramycin, carpet fibers and dust can also cause the hair shaft to glow.

The most accurate diagnosis is by a vet taking a sample skin scraping from your cat, usually with a toothbrush, and then growing the culture in a lab. The culture can take 10-21 days to grow. This is a routine culture that your vet can perform, and it’s really the most accurate diagnosis.

Treating Ringworm

Vets will generally prescribe some combination of the below treatments for ringworm, to speed up the healing process:

• Clipping the hair – This is important to reduce the spread and so that the treatment can reach the skin, especially for cats with longer hair. Clipping should only be done by your vet, because you need extreme care to avoid further traumatizing the skin or further spreading the infection. Clippers should be sterilized and hair disposed of carefully.
• Lime-sulphur dips or enilconazole (Clinafarm EC) – This is the most often prescribed treatment. The infected cat is bathed with the lime-sulphur solution twice a week for 2-4 weeks. The lime-sulphur dip smells bad and there may be some slight discoloration of the cat’s coat, turning it yellowish, but that will go away on its own. Don’t rinse it off, and don’t let your cat lick the coat while it’s still wet from the dip.
• Antifungal liquids containing itraconazole – Similar to lime-sulphur dips, this solution is sponged on or applied to the cat’s coat, every other week for six weeks (three treatments in total). It is safe to use in kittens from 10 days and up, but use extreme caution if treating pregnant queens.
• Topical anti-fungal creams (i.e. miconazole or thiabendazole) – Anti-fungal creams are applied topically once or twice a day for 2-4 weeks. Antifungal creams are typically recommended for use on both people and pets with ringworm and are very effective. They also help reduce any itching and redness.
• Oral anti-fungal medication – your vet may prescribe oral anti-fungal agents if the lesions are severe or if the nail beds are infected. Sometimes these oral medications have serious side effects, so you should discuss with your vet what the possible side effects are before beginning treatment.

As you are treating a cat for ringworm, you will want to take the cat back in to your vet every 2-4 weeks to take a new culture. The cat is not considered fully cleared of the infection until you get two clean (negative) cultures two weeks apart. Also, because the ringworm taxes the cat’s overall system, you will want to make sure your cat is on high quality diet, specifically feeding good quality wet food. Good quality wet food will strengthen their immune system, so the body is getting the nutrients it needs and is supported during the healing process.

Also, if you or someone in your household has HIV or is undergoing chemotherapy, these individuals are more at risk of contracting ringworm from a pet.

Preventing the Spread of Ringworm

Single-cat households

Even if there are no other cats in the household, you still may want to consider restricting your infected cat to just one room in your house to make cleaning easier. Do not allow the cat to go outdoors.

Multi-cat households

Whenever you take a new cat into a multi-cat household, it’s good practice to isolate new cats for 14-21 days before co-mingling them because any contagious diseases or infections generally show up within that timeframe. If you were able to successfully isolate the cat prior to the spread of the ringworm infection, you will want to use extreme caution between handling the infected cat and caring for your regular crew. Be very careful to wash your hands, use gloves and change your clothes after handling the infected cat.

If you have a multi-cat household and you have taken a ringworm-infected cat into your house, you should consider having all cats checked by your vet. Because the spores are microscopic, there is a strong likelihood that the other cats in your household will still contract ringworm. However, also know that it might not affect all of your cats. Remember, it affects kittens and cats under one year, seniors, longhairs and cats with compromised immune systems the most. A healthy, adult cat might not be affected. Generally, the more cats involved, the longer the treatment time and the longer/more difficult it is to decontaminate the environment.

If you were able to successful isolate the cat prior to the spread of the ringworm infection, only co-mingle cats again after the ringworm-infected cat tests negative on two consecutive cultures, each two weeks apart. If you weren’t able to isolate the cat prior to the spread, you may need or want to consider treating all of the cats in your household.

Cleaning the household

Vacuum daily and thoroughly. Ringworm spores are very light so vacuuming is actually very effective; a vacuum can suck up the spores easily. Vacuum all surfaces, furniture, drapes and carpets and follow with a damp mop where possible. Empty the vacuum bag or canister frequently, and if it’s a canister, bleach it out using a bleach-water solution (1:10 – one part bleach to 10 parts water). Use a bleach-water solution to disinfect all hard surfaces and try to leave the bleach on for about 10 minutes to kill all fungi. Also use bleach in the laundry for pet bedding, towels, etc. It’s a good idea to have your heating and cooling ducts professionally vacuumed out, too. Make sure you use a bleach-water solution to cleaning your grooming tools, cat carriers, litter pans, traps, taming cages, collars, toys, baskets, etc.

If you are a rescuer, be very cautious about using other people’s grooming tools at adoption events or sharing cat carriers unless they are thoroughly bleached. Also at adoption events, you always want to disinfect your hands in between handling different cats, and make sure that potential adopters disinfect their hands before petting or handling cats, too.

Sources:

“Ringworm (Tinea): Fungal Skin Infection.” Merckmanuals.com. 2009. April 10, 2011 <http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec18/ch212/ch212c.html>.

“Ringworm in Cats.” PetEducation.com. 1997-2011. April 10, 2011 <http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=21&aid=223>.

Newbury, Dr. Sandra, DVM. “Dermatophyte Treatment in a Nutshell.” Sheltermedicine.com. 2006. April 10, 2011 <http://www.sheltermedicine.com/education/lecture-library/ringworm>.

We apologize for any inconvenience and will share updated schedules and details for 2012 vaccine clinics as it becomes available.

Why should you come to FixNation’s vaccine clinics instead of the ones held elsewhere? Because all of the money raised goes directly to providing free spay/neuter for homeless stray and feral cats. So it’s win-win all around — it’s good for Fido and Fifi to stay up on their shots, it benefits the homeless cats in LA, it’s good for the community and last but not least, it’s good for your pocketbook.

Mange is caused by a parasite, or a very small bug. These parasites actually live and feed on the cat, who acts as a “host”. The mites either live topically on the cat or they burrow under the skin.

Mange generally strikes the old and the young the hardest, although cats of all ages can get it. Mange is contagious to other animals and opportunistically to humans. Animals in poor health and with poor diet are more susceptible to it and symptoms can be more exacerbated.

Most common types of mange:

The two most common types of mange found in cats, especially stray and homeless cats, are:

Otodectic mange – This is otherwise known as ear mites. These are tiny, crab-like bugs that live and feed on top of the cat’s skin, mainly in the ear canals. When cats have ear mites, you’ll notice red, inflamed ears, the inner ears will look very dirty and you may notice an abnormal odor. You’ll notice the cat shaking his head and rubbing at his ears a lot. Sometimes the ears will even get a crusty, black discharge or may be a bit weepy from secondary infections due to the mites.

Ear mites are highly contagious between cats and also to other kinds of pets. They can quickly spread between cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets.

Notoedric mange – This type of mite burrows into the cat’s skin to live and lay eggs there. When those eggs hatch, the cycle repeats itself and the new mites continue to tunnel under the cat’s skin. The cat loses hair and the skin becomes crusty and sore. Most often you will see flaky, scabby skin starting on the head and ears, and then spreading to the armpits, legs and body. If the mange gets bad enough, the cat’s forehead and eyes can become swollen so that the cat looks like “cro-magnon” kitty. The cat will have severe itching (technically called pruritis), patchy hair loss and possibly some inflamed bumps similar to chicken pox.

Notoedric mange is highly contagious between cats. In dogs, it will normally show up as sarcoptic mange instead. It can actually spread to humans, although it cannot live for long on a human as we are not their natural “host”. If it does get on you, it will cause redness and some bumps like a rash, with minor itching, and then it should go away on its own in a couple of days.

Other more rare types of mange in cats:

Sarcoptic mange – This type of mange is mostly found in dogs, and only rarely in cats.

Demodectic mange – This type of mange can cause small, inflamed red patches of skin.

Cheyletiella mange – This is also known as “walking dandruff” in cats because you can actually see the large red mites moving quickly on the surface of the cat’s skin. It’s very rare in cats.

Diagnosing mange:

To fully diagnose mange, a veterinarian will scrape the skin and then examine the skin sample under the microscope, to determine what type of mange the cat has.

Treating mange:

Notoedric and otodectic mange are generally treated with an Ivermectin based drug. At FixNation, we use Revolution, applied topically to the back of the cat’s neck. You may be familiar that Revolution treats fleas, but it will also treat mange, ear mites, it will treat hookworms and roundworms in the stomach, plus it’s a heartworm protection, for up to 30 days.

If the notoedric mange is severe enough, the cat may need follow up treatments of Ivermectin injections or Revolution at weekly or bi-weekly intervals for 4-6 weeks. In serious cases, a vet may choose to use cortisone to help the itching, or possibly prescribe antibiotics to treat any secondary infections.

In the case of ear mites, in addition to the Revolution, the ears will also be cleaned out with a solution and the cat may be prescribed an antibiotic to treat any secondary infections.

Preventing the spread of mange:

When you are trapping feral cats, make sure to wash traps between use and spray with a bleach/water solution. Also, launder the trap covers between use. Make sure to line traps with fresh newspaper, and keep fresh newspaper on the floor under the trap when you hold the cats overnight. Clean the bottom of any hard flat surfaces that you set the traps on, or if you’re using newspaper then change the newspaper, before placing another trap on that surface.

For indoor pets, mange is most concentrated in bedding and in areas where the cats often hang out, so make sure to launder their bedding daily while they are being treated. If one cat in your household has mange, all of them should be treated with a preventative like Revolution, as it can spread quickly between them.

Sources and additional info:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/72005.htm

http://www.mangeincats.com

http://www.earmitesincats.com

By Dr. Amanda Page

What is Feline Leukemia Virus?

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a serious viral disease that affects ONLY CATS. Fortunately, there are many ways we can protect our cats from exposure to this disease. It is estimated that 2.3% of cats in the western United States are infected with FeLV.

How does FeLV cause disease?

The Feline Leukemia Virus can cause bone marrow suppression. One of the functions of bone marrow is to produce the cells of the immune system that fight off infection. Therefore, this disease can result in a suppressed immune system. The immune system normally protects the cat from common infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, etc) that do not generally cause disease in healthy cats. However, if a cat’s immune system is weakened, as with FeLV, these same organisms can cause disease – known as secondary or opportunistic infection. Although the disease only affects cats, it is recommended that immunocompromised people (i.e., chemo patients and AIDS patients) not reside with FeLV + cats because these cats are more likely to harbor opportunistic infections that could be transmitted to immunocompromised humans. This viral disease is also associated with the development of certain types of cancer (i.e. lymphoma, leukemia) in affected cats.

What is the outcome of disease?

Cats infected with FeLV have 4 different possible outcomes:

1. Succumb to the infection and develop FeLV associated diseases. The development of FeLV associated diseases such as bone marrow suppression or cancer poorly affects the cat’s prognosis.
2. Overcome the virus but the viral “DNA” is incorporated into the cat’s own DNA; these cats may or may not develop illness at some point in their lifetime. Those cats that are infected and have no clinical signs may remain asymptomatic for months to years or for life. These cats should still be considered contagious to other cats.
3. Completely eliminate the virus from their system
4. Or the virus could be confined / localized to a small region of the body, such as a mammary gland (rare).

FeLV positive cats must be kept indoors away from unaffected cats so they don’t spread the disease to other cats.  They should be spayed/neutered, provided with good nutrition, avoid raw diets, and need regularly visits to their veterinarian. With proper care many FeLV cats can live months to years in apparent good health.

How does a cat get FeLV?

The most common way cats get the disease is through saliva and casual contact with an infected cat (i.e. mutual grooming, sharing bowls, touching noses). Since this disease is rather contagious between cats, it is important to completely isolate new cats of unknown viral status and to wash hands between handling cats. Kittens are more susceptible to FeLV. Cats who at greater risk of exposure are those who are allowed outdoors and encounter infected cats. The virus can also be transmitted from mother to kittens.

How do we test for FeLV?

A simple in-house blood test, often called a “snap” test, can be performed to test for FeLV. If the test is positive, it could mean that the cat has FeLV or that the test could be wrong. A positive test should be confirmed by an IFA test, which can be done at a full-service vet clinic. If the IFA test is negative, it could mean that the cat is 1) not infected with FeLV at all or that 2) the cat was recently infected (up to 30 days ago) but won’t test positive yet, in which case a repeat IFA test should be done again approximately four weeks later to confirm.

How can we protect our cats from FeLV?

• Keep cats exclusively INDOORS
• VACCINATIONS are highly recommended for kittens and also for adult cats determined to be at risk (i.e. cats that go outdoors or encounter new cats that have not been viral tested).  Vaccinations will NOT interfere with testing for the disease.
• ISOLATE & TEST NEW KITTENS AND CATS for FeLV before allowing them to interact with your existing pets.

By Dr. Amanda Page

What is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus?

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), also known as Feline AIDS, is a serious viral disease that affects ONLY CATS.  Fortunately, there are many ways we can protect our cats from exposure to this disease.  It is estimated that 3.5% of cats in the western United States are infected with FIV.

How does FIV cause disease?

FIV causes suppression of the immune system by attacking important cells of the cat’s immune system which protect the cat from common infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, etc).  Many of the infectious agents are found in the everyday environment but don’t cause disease in healthy cats.  However if a cat’s immune system is weakened, as with FIV, these same organisms can cause disease – known as secondary or opportunistic infection.  The disease is comparable to the human HIV but ONLY AFFECTS CATS.  However, it is recommended that immunocompromised people (i.e. chemo patients and human AIDS patients) not reside with FIV + cats because these cats are more likely to harbor opportunistic infections that could be transmitted to immunocompromised humans.

What is the outcome of disease?

The acute phase of disease is the period following initial infection.  The acute (beginning) phase of the disease may last days to weeks and the cat may have a fever, be depressed, have diarrhea or vomiting, inflamed mouth, or swollen lymph nodes.  However, many owners may not notice this phase of disease.  Following the acute phase, the cat usually enters an asymptomatic phase where the cat is free of signs of disease and lives a healthy life for 6-10 years.  Some cats will never develop the terminal / acquired immune deficiency (AIDS) phase but some will.  If the cat’s disease progresses into this AIDS phase, the immune system cannot fight off bacteria, virus, or fungi that won’t affect normal cats, and the cat can become very ill and not recover.  Infection is for life but it is important to remember many cats with FIV can live a happy, healthy life for many years.  FIV positive cats must be kept indoors only, have good nutrition, avoid raw diets, be provided with low stress environments and need regular visits to the veterinarian.

How does a cat get FIV?

The most common way cats get the disease is through bite wounds from an infected cat.  Cats who are most commonly infected with FIV are intact (not neutered) male cats that are allowed outdoors; this is because intact animals tend to roam and get into fights with other cats.  On rare occasions the virus can be transmitted from mother to kittens.  Sexual transmission is unusual although the semen of infected cats frequently contains the virus.  Cats living together are unlikely to contract the virus from casual contact provided the cats get along and do not fight.

How do we test for FIV?

A simple in-house blood test can be performed to test for FIV.  If the test is positive it could mean that the cat has FIV, the cat has been vaccinated for FIV, or the cat is a kitten and should be retested.  A positive test should be confirmed by a Western Blot.  If the test is negative it could mean that the cat is not infected with FIV or the cat was recently infected (up to 60 days ago) but won’t test positive yet.

How can we protect our cats from FIV?

• Keep cats exclusively INDOORS
• SPAY & NEUTER (reduces urge to roam and fight)
• ISOLATE & TEST NEW CATS for FIV before allowing them to interact with your existing pets
• A VACCINE is available BUT only protects against some subtypes of the virus and will cause the cat to test positive for FIV on the blood test. If a cat is vaccinated for FIV it should have a microchip that is linked to information stating the cat was vaccinated for FIV.

Read Part 1 of the Truth About FeLV/FIV Testing – Feline Leukemia Virus