Solid

All over solid color; no striping whatsoever. You can have solid greys (also called blues), blacks, whites, even browns. Generally oranges (also called reds) and creams aren’t totally solid, as they will have faint tabby markings on them.

Bi-Color

Any solid color cat plus white, with the two colors being fairly evenly distributed. For example, black and white, grey and white, etc., with the white being about half the color composition.

– Tuxedo – A tuxedo cat is a type of bi-color cat who looks just exactly like what the name says…like the kitty is wearing a little tuxedo! The coat is all over black with a white bib (shirt) and white mitts (or tuxedo cuffs).

… and White

Any solid color or color pattern plus white markings. Generally when we say “and white”, there are distinct larger patches of white on the cat. If there aren’t larger patches of white and just small bits of white, here are some other terms you can use to more accurately describe your kitty:

- White “mitts” - White feet or paws

- White “bib” - White chest

- White “locket” - Small patch of white hair on the chest

Harlequin

A mostly white cat with a few larger spots of color. White is the most noticeable color.

Van or Van Bi-Color

All white with just small spots or splashes of color between the ears and on the tail.

Dilute

A paler or lighter version of the original color pattern. So you have pale orange, cream or buff instead of brighter orange, and grey or blue instead of black. Dilute is often used to describe calicos, torties and tabbies.

Smoke

Solid black or grey hair with white roots, so that the cat’s coat appears to be smokey (i.e., smokey black with white roots, or smokey grey with white roots).

Tabbies

We love tabbies! Tabbies are probably the most common type of homeless cats we see. Tabbies come in lots of colors. The most common is the brown or brown/grey tabby, which generally has brown, black and grey blended together. You can also have grey tabbies, orange tabbies, and cream or buff tabbies. Silver tabbies generally have black and grey markings on white roots, which gives the cat a more silver appearance (more silver than just grey). Tabbies come in a variety of patterns too, which also help accurately describe the cat:

- Tiger tabby or “mackerel” tabby – Long, narrow stripes across the cat’s body like a tiger.

- Classic tabby - Round bulls-eye swirls on the cat’s sides or flanks.

- Spotted tabby - Spots on the cat’s flanks and underbelly. Mainly you’ll see spotted tabby markings in cats like Ocicats or Egyptian Maus.

- Ticked or agouti – Ticked cats have different bands of color along the hair shaft, with the hair being the lightest or palest by the root and the ends “ticked” darker. This term is most often used to describe Abyssinians.

Tri-Color

This term is most commonly used to describe calicos and tortoiseshell cats, which are nearly always female because of the gene composition.

– Calico – Calicos have three distinct colors: orange, black and white. Dilute calicos are the same, except they are the paler version, so you have grey, peach and white. Many calicos have a patchwork design to their coat.

– Calico Tabby or “Tabico” for short – A calico mixed with a brown tabby, so you get brown and orange tabby markings plus larger patches of white.

– Tortoiseshell  or “Torties” for short - Torties aren’t true tri-colored cats, as they are mainly black and orange (also called red) swirled in a “brindle” pattern. But they are similar to calicos in that they are nearly always female. Sometimes you will see a tortie patterned cat with small splashes of white. In the UK, these are often called “torties with white”, while in the US we mainly call these calicos. Both terms are technically correct. Dilute torties are grey (or blue) and peach (or cream), instead of black and orange.

– Torbie - A tabby mixed with a tortie, so you have a tabby pattern with more noticeable orange marbling in it. Torbies look like autumn leaves.

Points

Solid pale cream or darker tan body color with a different color on the ears, muzzle, tail and feet, otherwise known as “points.” Points are often used in describing Siamese, Himalayans, Birmans, Exotics and other similar breeds.

- Flame point - Orange coloring on the face, ears, tail and feet, anywhere from bright orange to very pale.

- Seal point - Dark brown points like the color of seal skin, and the nose leather and paw pads will be dark brown.

- Chocolate point – Points are generally slightly lighter brown than seal points, and the nose leather and paw pads will be pinkish.

- Lilac or blue point - Grey or blue points, anywhere from darker grey to very pale.

- Lynx point - A Siamese-type mixed with a tabby, so you’ll see a cream or tan body with a tabby looking face, ears, tail and feet. You can have different colors of lynx points too, i.e., grey lynx point, brown lynx point, orange lynx point, etc.

- Tortie point - A Siamese-type mixed with a tortie, so you notice tortie brindle markings on the face, ears, tail and feet.

So, now that you’re an expert, what color is the cat in the top picture?

We gave you an easy one… it’s a dilute calico, or a grey dilute calico to be even more precise!

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

FixNation is a non-profit organization providing free spay/neuter services for homeless, stray and feral cats, as well as reduced rate spay/neuter services for tame cats. Our goal is to humanely reduce the number of homeless cats throughout Los Angeles by sterilizing as many as possible. We focus on providing these free spay/neuter services for “managed colonies”, which means food, water and shelter is provided to these cats on a daily basis.

Homeless, Stray & Feral Cats

FixNation offers free spay/neuter services for homeless, stray and feral cats. Under our free feral program, all homeless cats who will be eartipped for identification purposes will receive the following free services at the time they are here for surgery:

• Spay/neuter surgery
• Physical exam
• Rabies vaccine
• FVRCP vaccine (feline distemper combo vaccine)
• Revolution (for fleas, earmites, mange, hookworms, roundworms and a heartworm protection all for 30 days)
• Pain medication
• Fluids
• Antibiotic
• Droncit injection (for tapeworms), as needed
• Limited medical treatment
• Ear-tip
• Lots of TLC!

The eartip is the universal symbol that an outdoor or free-roaming cat has been fixed. It is done while the cat is under anesthesia, is relatively painless for the cat and does not significantly alter their beauty. We also apply a bit of pain medication paste to the eartip to make it even more comfortable for the cat.

Eartip example

Since we have only one opportunity with the feral cats, we choose to provide all that we can while they’re here for surgery.

We can do small eartips for any stray cats or kittens who you may be trying to adopt out.

Tame Companion Cats

FixNation offers, on a limited basis, reduced rate spay/neuter services for tame, companion cats who are not being eartipped. The cost of a female/spay is $55 and a male/neuter is $40 (rates effective as of 1/1/10). Vaccines are $8 each and Revolution is $15.

We do accept L.A. city coupons towards the cost of the spay or neuter.

Additional Services

We also offer the following services for an additional charge while cats are here for spay/neuter surgery:

• Microchipping – $25
• Feline Leukemia/FIV combo testing – $20 for ferals, $25 for tames
• Nail trims (tame cats only) – $5

Please be aware that our vaccine, testing and microchipping services are only provided at the time the cat is here for spay/neuter service. Since our main mission is to humanely reduce the number of homeless, stray and feral cats in Los Angeles, this is where we concentrate our time and attention.

You do not need to live in the city of Los Angeles in order to bring cats to our clinic. We service cats from any area, provided the cats can be safely transported to and from our clinic.

]]> http://fixnation.org/2010/03/fixnations-services/feed/ 0 http://fixnation.org/2010/02/an-exclusive-video-about-fixnation-courtesy-of-found-animals-foundation/ http://fixnation.org/2010/02/an-exclusive-video-about-fixnation-courtesy-of-found-animals-foundation/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:06:37 +0000 admin http://fixnation.org/?p=1197 Introducing a premiere video about FixNation clinic, courtesy of our friends at Found Animals Foundation. See our state-of-the-art clinic, meet our kitty clients and learn about our mission to spay and neuter the homeless cats all across Los Angeles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About Found Animals Foundation, Inc.:

Found Animals is a privately funded non-profit dedicated to minimizing shelter euthanasia. They create programs designed to reduce shelter intake, increase adoption rates and focuses on developing sustainable animal welfare business models. For more information, visit their website or add them as a fan on Facebook today.

All proceeds from these clinics go to benefit FixNation, helping to offset the costs of free spay/neuter for homeless stray and feral cats. It’s a great way for us to bring low-cost, accessible services to you and your animals, while simultaneously raising money to help our non-profit.

Our vaccine clinics are held the first Saturday of every month (with July and September being the 3rd Saturday, due to holidays). Hours are from 9 am – 12 noon.

Walk-in’s welcome, no appointment necessary. Cash only!

Dogs need to be on leashes at all times. Cats need to come in sturdy carriers. Feral cats can be brought in for vaccines only (no microchips or testing) and must come in humane traps fully covered.

The services we are offering are:

CATS:

• Distemper combo vaccine (FVRCP or 4-in-1) = $8
• Rabies vaccine = $12
• AVID Microchip = $25
• FeLV/FIV Snap tests = $30
• Leukemia vaccine = $20

DOGS:

• Distemper combo vaccine (DH2PPV) = $8
• Rabies vaccine = $12
• AVID Microchip = $25
• Bordatella vaccine = $12
• Heartworm test = $20

2010 Vaccine Clinic Calendar:

The vaccine/microchip clinic schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows:

• July 17 ** (3rd Saturday instead)
• August 7
• September 18 ** (3rd Saturday instead)
• October 2
• November 6
• December 4

We hope to see you and your pets at our clinic! Please feel free to spread the word too… Here’s our flyer to download and circulate.

Click to download flyer

]]> http://fixnation.org/2010/02/low-cost-vaccine-microchip-clinics-for-dogs-and-cats/feed/ 7 http://fixnation.org/2009/11/bringing-tame-cats/ http://fixnation.org/2009/11/bringing-tame-cats/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:14:45 +0000 admin http://fixnation.org/?p=1005 Tame cats are considered pet cats or even friendly stray cats who have been abandoned or “strayed” from home, but were likely once pet cats. Tame cats can be picked up, held and easily handled. For more clarification on the differences between tame, stray and feral cats, see our FAQ section (above link).

No initial application is needed to bring a tame cat to our clinic, but advance reservations are required.

You can call our front desk at 818.524.2287 x 4 to speak to our receptionist and get booked for a spay/neuter reservation. The best time to call is between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily.

Tame cats will need to come to our clinic in hard plastic carriers; no pet bags, cardboard boxes or cardboard carriers are allowed. We require only one cat per carrier.

It is not required to show proof of income level in order to be eligible to bring a cat to our clinic.

For tame cats not being eartipped, our services are $55 for a female/spay or $40 for a male/neuter. See our price list under “Forms and Resources” in the lower right hand box for additional services offered.

If you are low-income or for any homeless or stray cats you are trying to help, we will provide free spay/neuter services, vaccines and flea treatment provided that the cat is eartipped (see our section “What We Do” > “Our Services” for more information).

Please also read our article “Appointment Day” so you know what to expect on the day of your appointment.

Pick-up time is before 5:00 p.m. every weekday except Thursdays. We have extended hours on Thursdays until 7:00 p.m.

If you did not catch any cats for your appointment, please give our office a call that night or first thing in the morning to let us know you won’t make it. You can leave us a message at 818-524-2287 x 4.

Cats must not have eaten after midnight the night before surgery. The only exception to this is kittens who are four months or under, who should have food available to them up until 6:00 a.m., otherwise their blood sugar levels drop too low.

Keep the cats fully covered during transport and while you’re bringing them into the clinic. If your towel or cover isn’t big enough to fully cover the trap all the way to the ground, then please use two covers.

We cannot accept kittens less than two pounds in weight or cats who are visibly sick. Severely injured cats may also be turned away and referred to a full-service vet.

When you arrive at the clinic, leave your cats in the car and come inside to complete the medical check-in paperwork for the day.

Your signature on this check-in form is evidence that you have agreed to all FixNation terms listed, so please read the medical form thoroughly in the morning. You will be given a copy for your records.

Please make sure you are available by phone and check your messages frequently the day of your appointment, in case there is an emergency and we need to reach you.

Our staff will call you as soon as your cats are ready to go home.

FixNation does not board cats overnight, nor is there any staff on hand to monitor cats overnight. If you are running late, or have an unforeseen and genuine problem and can’t pick up your cats before we normally close, call the clinic immediately and speak to our receptionist.

When you arrive to pick up your cats, the discharge coordinator will inform you of each cat’s sex, estimated age, medical services performed and any special instructions or medications. We will also go over post-care procedures and release instructions with you when you pick your cats up.

Payment for tame cat services, additional services such as testing or microchipping, or medication will need to be made at pick-up. We accept cash or checks only (no credit cards).