You Brought Home Another One? (Part 2)

After reading Part 1, your home should be prepped to house multiple cats and your new cat should be isolated from your resident cats. If possible, get a clean bill of health from your vet before you bring your new cat into your home. If that isn't possible (you found a stray, the cat is already in your house, or whatever other reason) then make sure it happens before you start the actual introductions. The last thing you want to do is spread disease or parasites all around your home!

I know I've said this about a billion times now, but take this process slow. Yes, I know you're excited, and yes, I know it can be inconvenient to have a cat locked away in your bedroom or bathroom or laundry room or wherever, but every negative interaction between your cats is just going to make the introduction process take longer and make it more frustrating for you.

Negative interactions between your two (or three, or four...) cats isn't the only thing that can slow down the process, negative interactions from you can slow it down too. Do not punish your cat for being upset, angry, or aggressive and do not force your cats to do anything they don't want to do, these things will do nothing but hurt your cause and slow you down on your path to a happy home.

Boo Radley, in the mud room turned kitten sanctuary, upon his arrival at our house.

ONE SENSE AT A TIME
Undoubtedly, your cats know there's a newcomer in your home. There's probably been some high interest around the door that is hiding your new guy, and that's ok, because what we're going to do here is introduce your cats to each other one sense at a time.

One sense at a time is how zoos introduce big cats as well. Below is an excerpt from an article in the Chicago Tribune called "Young lion has big pawprints to fill at Lincoln Park Zoo".

"Sahar, who does not have a mane yet, is in quarantine and will be slowly and gradually introduced to Myra, a 15-year-old lion, Dewar said. The lions need to be able to smell each other, then see each other and eventually get close to each other, she said." (You can read the whole article here, if you're interested.)

The first sense we're going to focus on is hearing. This one is easy and requires almost no effort on your part but observation – your cats can hear each other through the door. All you have to do is listen to what they say to each other. If there is hissing, spitting, or similar, then keep that door closed and don't do anything more at this point. When the cats are consistently making friendly noises through the door (or just ignoring each other), proceed to the next sense.

Up next is smell. Their noses have already picked up that there's another cat in the house, and they've smelt each other's scent on you, now it's time to purposely spread their individual scents around the house. There are a few different ways to do this:

1. Still while keeping them separate, rub each cat with a clean towel (or tee shirt, or blanket, or similar), then trade the towels out. Allow each cat to sniff and otherwise check out each other's towels. If they don't show any interest, put it in a spot were they can check it out on their own time.
2. Give it a day or so, then do another trade out, this time with scratching posts. Allowing each cat to smell and use each other's posts will give them a plethora of information about their new roommate.
3. Next, do a poop switch. Just scoop some out of new cat's litter box and put it in old cat's litter box, then vice versa.
4. Finally, after you've gone through all these steps, do a full room switch out. Let your new cat wander around the house while your resident cat explores the room where new cat has been living.

Use your cat's reactions to determine the speed at which you go through these steps. Some cats hardly need any time at all, other cats can be frustratingly slow. Only move forward with the next step when both cats are consistently showing no signs of aggression. The harder you try to force it, the harder it's going to be!

Now it's time for sight. The goal here is to let the cats actually see each other for the first time without getting close enough to hurt each other. A screen or glass door works perfect for this, but if that doesn't work with the layout of your house, try and have a friend help you. Again, watch your cats reactions. If things are going positively, you may be able to let them interact, just be ready to swoop in if things start getting nasty. If there's hissing and ear flattening, or other signs of aggression, keep them separate and try another day.

When your cats are interacting for the first time, try to distract them with positivity. Get out some toys, pet and talk to them, bribe them with treats, whatever it takes for them to walk away from the experience thinking that it wasn't so bad.

Take it slow, and don't be afraid to take a step back if things don't seem to be going well. When it comes to the last two senses, touch and taste, allow your cats to decide on their own when they're ready to cuddle or help each other out with grooming.

Remember, to have a happy cat house you need to reduce competition. That means you have to have ample love and attention for each cat, separate food/water dishes, enough litter boxes (number of cats +1), and plenty of vertical space. If your cats feel like they have to compete for resources, it's going to take much longer for them to get along.

You Brought Home Another One? (Part 1)

As anyone who has tried knows, introducing cats can be a difficult thing. The secret is making the introduction as slowly as possible and keeping the interactions between your cats positive. There is no timeline that works for every cat, it depends on their individual personalities and on if your home is set up adequately to house multiple cats. If you've already introduced your cats and it didn't go very well, it's not too late to repair the damage. In this post I'm going to lay out an "ideal" way to introduce cats to each other, as well as give some backtracking tips if your cats are already having problems.

Then someday you'll get to spend your days taking pictures of
adorable cuddle puddles.

PREPARING YOUR HOME
(Best case scenario, you do all this before you get another cat, but these are improvements that can help any cat household no matter how long the cats have been living/fighting together.)

The first thing you need to do is assess your home. If your house isn't multi-cat friendly then you are setting yourself up for failure. To have a smooth introduction and a peaceful life, you first need to check out your litter box situation. The golden rule for litter boxes is: number of cats + 1 and litter boxes should be cleaned daily. Having too few or dirty litter boxes pretty much guarantees cat fights, litter box aversion, or both.

Litter boxes good? Next, your resident cat(s) need a place to mark their territory and your new cat needs some territory to claim as his – for this you need scratching posts and cat trees. (Read about why scratching is important here.) Give your new cat a fresh scratching item, even if it's just one of the lay-on-the-floor cardboard scratchers. Having something of their own to scratch that doesn't smell like the other cats in the home will help you out later on during the actual introduction.

The third thing you should evaluate before bring another cat into your home is vertical space. Like scratching, it's a territory thing. Not having enough vertical space will increase competition in your home and certainly not help your cats get along.

EVALUATE YOUR CURRENT CATS
Are your current cats happy and healthy? Before you bring a new cat home you need to make sure your resident cats are current on their vaccinations and spayed or neutered. Not only do you not want any accidents, but altered cats get along much, much better than they would otherwise. An unaltered male cat would happily kill a new tiny kitten if they were left unattended together in your home.

If you currently have ill or unaltered cats, right now might not be the best time for you to make an addition to your family.

It's hard to believe now that at one time Harry wanted to eat
Damien as a snack.



PREPARING "THE SANCTUARY"

As soon as you walk into your house with a new cat, your current cat(s) are going to know. Even still, your goal is to be as unobtrusive about the new member of your family as possible. Before you bring your new cat home, set up a room just for them.

In this room you need:

• fresh water
• food, as needed (dependant on how you're feeding – free or scheduled)
• a clean litter box
• something to scratch on
• something to play with
• something to sleep on
• somewhere to hide

When you bring your new cat home, bring them straight to this room. Transport them from wherever you're getting them to this room in a sturdy cat carrier. Try to avoid your other cats, this is a stealth mission. Once in this room, open the carrier door and let your new cat come out. If it's a little kitten, chances are it'll come bounding out and ready to play. A mature cat, however, may take a little time to venture out. Let the cat decide when it is ready to explore it's new home and don't try to force him out!

If you already have a new cat and you're having problems, repeat this step (or do it for the first time). It's the first step to making things better and it keeps your cats safe from each other. Not only are cat fights awful to listen to, but they can cause an array of damage – anything from small bites and scabs, to scratched eyes, to puncture wounds that form abscesses.

Lola, circa 2004, after getting beat up by another cat while
I was in the shower. She received a puncture wound which
turned into an abscess that had to be drained with a tube.
Nothing about this experience was enjoyable.



NOW WHAT?

You have a new cat! Yay! Keep your new guy in his own private room, and keep your resident cats firmly on the other side of the door. Do not be tempted to do anything more right now. You might think your current cats will be excited for the new addition, and maybe they will be, but rushing the introduction process will only make it take longer to obtain your goal – a peaceful home with cats that like each other.

In Part 2, I will go through the next steps to introducing cats to each other. Until then, just remember that you can't go too slow with this process. Be patient and make sure you show love to all your cats, not just your newbie!

Importance of Vertical Space

An architect and a landscaper will look at the same street corner and see completely different things, much in the same way that a retailer and their customer will look at a window display and get a different story. Even what constitutes as extra, open, or empty space changes with experience. My concept of space changed entirely after making the move from Nebraska to Chicago. If the very life you lead can cause you to view space in a different way, then it stands to reason that the space in your home looks differently through the eyes of your cat(s).

Cats need vertical space. It is especially important in a multi-cat household where hierarchy is a big deal. Generally speaking, your "top cat" is going to be in the highest spot of your home, where it is easy for them to survey their domain. It's far more involved than all that, and there are plenty of other ways cats display dominance, but elevation is a basic visual cue.



Mona on the staircase.

Some boys enjoying a multi-leveled view.



 

In a home without vertical space, it can be harder for cats to establish who is dominate. Because they are on the same physical level or close to it, the more dominate cat may feel that the less dominate is trying to usurp it's power, causing fights. The less dominate cat might not even want "the power", but without the ability to effectively communicate that, it's left with the standard two options, fight or flight. Fight, and you're left with battling cats who could seriously hurt each other, or flight, in which you have a rather aggressive top cat, and another cat who is scared, nervous, and hiding all the time. Neither situation is a great one to find yourself in.

Cats on every level!

Asses the vertical space in your home. When it comes to cats, that matters far more than the actual square footage. Cat trees are great, and they aid in healthy scratching, but they are not the only option. In my house the cats can frequently be found on the top of the fridge, the kitchen cupboards, on the bookcases and record shelves, or on the crate thing that holds our couch pillows and blankets, as well as spending time on their cat trees. Just make sure you have a few items in your home that are tall, stable, and that have room for a cat on the top of them.

Feeding Time!

Earlier I told you about the wonderful changes that grain free feeding has brought about in my household. Switching to grain free food was hugely important for the health and well being of my cats, but it's far from the only positive change I've made when it comes to the feeding of my cats.

Free VS Scheduled Feeding

Free feeding is when you leave food out for your cat to consume at his/her leisure. Scheduled feeding is when your cat eats regular meals controlled by you. About seven years ago I made the switch from free feeding to scheduled feedings. There are many benefits to scheduled feeding, especially in a multi-cat household (no more squabbles, or worse, over food dishes!). My favorite benefit is that you can see any appetite changes right away, and appetite changes are often a first sign that kitty is not feeling well. Other things that are awesome about scheduled feeding are: you control the portion sizes, cats requiring medication can have their pills crushed up in their food, you get to control where everyone eats (soon enough they'll learn where you want them to go and beat you there!) and you also can make sure that one cat isn't hogging all the food while another cat is going hungry. Finally, even though I don't think this really matters much at all, it's more "natural" for your cat to eat meals then it is for it to "graze" all day. 



Damien, enjoying his meal from his perch on the
counter, and Bob's food, complete with
crushed medicine.

 The downside to scheduled feedings is that you have to take the time to schedule it in twice a day. It's not overly time consuming however, more just a matter of working it into your routine. Every morning I wake up, put a third cup of dry cat food into each of seven bowls, put a half can of wet food into the eighth, put the bowls in the different places around the house that each cat eats, give the dogs their food, then start getting ready for work. By the time I'm ready everyone has finished eating, so I pick up all the bowls and then go on my merry way. Then, in the evening, I start the process again — this time with canned food. Three cans, eight bowls, spread out into every one's specific spots, feed the dogs, and about 15-20 minutes later everyone is done eating and I pick everything up again. Quick and easy, even more so for those of you who have less than eight cats.

Switching from free to scheduled feedings is easy, but your cat is going to try to convince you differently. All you have to do is pick up the dishes with cat food in them, and then start only offering your cat food twice daily, giving them about 20 minutes to eat before you pick up the dishes again. While getting used to this new way of eating, your cat is going to try to convince you he's starving, but soon enough they will adjust to the new routine and only harass you for food when it's about time to eat. Another benefit, your cat is guaranteed to pay attention to you at least twice a day!

Some Nutritional Requirements
I am in no way, shape, or form a cat nutritionist, but here are a few things I've learned about feline nutrition over the years.

• Your cat is an obligate carnivore. Cats are meant to eat meat, not fruits and veggies, not grains or corn, just meat. If you haven't already, check out the ingredients in your cat's food, then read my post about How Grain Free Food Changed Our Lives.  
• Taurine, in addition to being a popular ingredient of energy drinks, is an organic acid that your cat must have in their diet. Taurine is found naturally in meat and fish, and commercial pet food companies add taurine back into the cat foods they produce. Without taurine your cat's fur will start to look awful, their vision will be impaired, eventually to the point of blindness, and finally, they will die.  
• Feed fish sparingly. Although most cats love fish, it's not necessarily the best source of protein for them, nor is it something they commonly eat "in the wild" (although neither is chicken, or turkey, or beef, or any of what we normally feed our cats). In finicky sorts of cats, a fish "addiction" problem can develop, where your cat will start to turn up his nose at most anything else. Aim for a variety of protein sources.

Portion Sizes & Overfeeding
First, look for the "Feeding Guidelines" on your bag or can of cat food, read them, then completely disregard them. Even with brands of food my cats and I really like, the feeding guidelines are so very wrong. It's a lot like how the bottle of shampoo tells you to lather, rinse, repeat. There's no real reason to repeat, they just want you to run out of shampoo faster so you'll buy some more. If I followed the Wellness brand canned food guidelines, I'd need to feed my cat family 10 cans per day. Realistically, if I only fed wet food for both meals, I'd actually use only six cans per day. That's a four can or about $6 difference.

That's not the only way overfeeding hurts your pocketbook either. Just like in humans, obesity is really bad for your pet's health, and we seem to be having a sort of fat pet epidemic going on here. If your pet is overweight, they are going to have more health problems, you're going to be spending more time and money at the vet, and they are going to die sooner. If your cat is fat, you are feeding him either a.) too much b.) the wrong stuff or c.) a combination of both. Remember, your cat's stomach is not really all that big, smaller than a golf ball, so it doesn't take that much to fill it up.

If you switch your cat to scheduled feeding, it becomes evident how much you should actually be offering. Measure the food in some way, whether it's by cup of dry food or portion of canned, and then, after you've offered it to your cat for 15-20 mins, everything still left in the bowl is more than your cat needs. When I started scheduled feeding I kept a little book to document how much everyone ate. Originally I offered them each a 1/2 cup of dry food per bowl, and after observation, eventually went down to 1/3 cup per bowl. (Keep in mind that cats need to eat less grain free food than they do a regular grainy commercial cat food because it doesn't have all the fillers.) Use their body weight as your guide, it's the best indicator of if you're offering enough or too much food.

I've written this disclaimer before, but if your cat is already obese, you need help while getting them to lose weight. It is extremely dangerous for an overweight cat to lose weight too quickly, and the fatter they are, the more dangerous it gets.

Canned Food & Water
Stating the obvious, your cat needs to have fresh water available at all times. That being said, feline bodies are designed to absorb water while the cat is eating. A cat that hunts prey for food will not drink water all that often, because raw meat is full of water. A cat eating dry kibble needs to drink water, because they can't absorb enough water through their food. One of the reasons canned cat food is so excellent for your cat is because, although it's no dead mouse, it has a high water content, allowing your cat to absorb more water in a natural way. When I dish out the canned food at night, I mix in even more water. The more water your cat drinks, the better, especially if you had issues with urinary tract infections.

Finicky Eaters
I feel like cats are notorious for this, but of my eight I only have one who I would consider finicky. Sometimes it's simply a matter of figuring out what they like, Damien, for example, will not eat beef. He's just not interested, so I don't buy cat food that includes beef. Another part of D's finicky-ness is that he won't eat with the other cats. He would rather not eat at all than be asked to dine in proximity of everyone else, so I feed him on the kitchen counter, away from even the sight of his siblings chowing down.

If your cat acts like a finicky eater, or suddenly changes eating habits, check out their teeth. If their mouth is bothering them, it doesn't matter what or how much you're offering, they aren't going to eat with any sort of vigor while in pain. Red gums, large plaque deposits, cavities, and loose teeth are all things that can make your cat not eat, bestowing on him the name of "finicky eater" when the problem could be easily solved by a good dental from your vet.

Play around, figure out what your cat likes, and don't be afraid to mix it up. There's no need to stay brand loyal, giving different flavors and types of food will help prevent your cat from developing a strong preference to one flavor or brand. In addition, it gives your cat a more well rounded diet, as what one food company may be lacking in, another may excel. Put in the effort to feed your cat healthier even if he resists, it will be well worth it in the long run.

Changing Scratching Habits

Cats scratch - nothing you do will ever change that. It's natural, normal, and just part of having (or being) a cat. Understanding why your cat scratches and accepting that it's an unchangeable behavior enables you to have more control over where your cat chooses to scratch.

WHY CATS SCRATCH

Thankfully a house cat causes less
damage than this guy! Photo via
http://www.nationalgeographicstock.com/

Territory is really important to all felines, including your house cat. Scratching, no matter if it's a tree trunk, fence post, or your couch, leaves a visible sign of marked territory. Not only is a scratched item an instantly visible sign that something has been claimed, but the scent glands present in your cat's paws creates an aromatic message board as well. You may not be able to smell the "eau de cat" left behind, but to another cat it's a veritable gold mine of information. Scratching as a form of marking territory is a base behavior in cats and not one you can expect to change.

In addition to marking territory, scratching helps keep nails sharp and healthy by aiding in the removal of old nail sheaths. The old, dead sheaths are shed while your cat is scratching or they are removed by your cat chewing them off. After an old sheath is removed your kitty is left with a super sharp and fresh nail underneath.

Finally, can you imagine how good it must feel to dig your claws in and really stretch out your 30 flexible spinal vertebrae? Probably amazing.

ENCOURAGE APPROPRIATE SCRATCHING

Cats are going to scratch no matter what, but that doesn't mean that all your possessions are doomed to be shredded. Step one in protecting your stuff from claws is giving your cat plenty of other things that are perfectly acceptable to scratch. Step two is making sure these "things to scratch" are things your cat will actually view as desirable.

So what's your cat looking for? It needs to be sturdy, tall enough your cat can get a full stretch, and covered with a material that's pleasant to scratch on (sisal and carpet are popular in my house). You have many options here. If you live in a multi-cat household, consider a cat tree. I have one that was hand built for me about 10 years ago and one that was purchased in a pet store about 8 years ago. They are both still in decent shape, but the hand built one has proved to be the higher quality of the two. I also have a cat approved sisal-wrapped scratching post that hangs from a door knob, it's only downside being that it bangs on the door while in use (that's why it lives on the hall closet door, as opposed to say, the bedroom door.) Another type my cats tend to enjoy are the corrugated cardboard ones that lay flat on the ground, their major downside being that as they get torn up they get messy.







basic cat tree
 via http://www.catsplay.com/best_cliffside.php3
Shop around, you can find some deals, or
if you're crafty, build your own!



The corrugated cardboard "Super
Scratcher". You can find these
at nearly any pet store.

























Another thing to consider while creating places for appropriate scratching is that some cats prefer vertical scratching and some horizontal. If your cat is a fan of horizontal scratching, try to find an elevated spot to put a horizontal scratching post. If your only horizontal post option is on the floor, kitty may still find the top of the back of your couch or chair preferable.

The placement of your scratching posts is very important. If you buy a couple posts, then throw them in the dark, damp, lonely basement, your cat isn't going to look twice at them. Remember that scratching is marking territory—meaning that cat trees and scratching posts need to be placed in prominent positions. Place them strategically around your home in areas where you and your family spend ample time and where your cat has already shown it likes to scratch. If you get a cat tree, put it by some windows!

IF YOUR CAT ALREADY HAS BAD HABITS
Training a cat is a good mix of of creating positive associations with what you want the cat to do, while making what you don't want the cat to do as unappealing as possible. So, if your cat is already scratching the crap out of everything, the first step towards resolving the issue is placing scratching posts and cat trees in multiple cat-friendly locations around your home.

Step two is to make what your cat is currently scratching a less-desirable choice then the cat trees and/or scratching posts that are offered. I'm going to be honest here, the suggestions I'm offering are things I've read or heard about and not actually tried. As our house is an active place, I long ago accepted that our furniture would see some rough love. If a cat is caught scratching inappropriately they are stopped, but that's about as far as it goes. Plus, you never know how you're going to feel down the line, I was bummed when Belle clawed a hole in my Deftones shirt, but now when I wear it I look at that hole very fondly. All that aside, I do believe that it is possible to prevent the vast majority of damage caused by cat claws if you put in some effort.

So, to make a scratching spot less-desirable, here are some ideas for you to try:

• Cover said item in aluminum foil, cats are supposed to dislike the feeling of it on their paws.
• Cover said item with double sided tape, cats are also supposed to dislike the sticky feeling.
• Cover said item in some other way, a blanket, a tarp, anything that would make scratching less enjoyable. The "cover it" route isn't a solution, but a temporary diversion to encourage your cat to scratch on the proper items you have provided.
• If kitty's caught in the act, startle them with a loud, firm "no", a spray from a bottle of water, or just simply remove them from the area.

And here are some things to avoid:

• Don't physically punish your cat.
• Don't attempt to discipline your cat for scratching after the fact. Catching your cat in the act is the only opportunity you have to correct it's behavior.
• If your cat isn't showing interest in a scratching post don't try to "teach" them to use it. Forcing them to scratch it will just create a negative association. A much better way to draw your cat's interest would be to rub it over with some catnip.

CLAWS

Keeping claws trim will help to reduce damage to your furniture, as well as to anyone your cat may accidentally scratch. (Read about how to trim nails here.) Another option, untested by me, is cat nail covers. A former coworker of mine raved about these (SoftClaws in particular) and they also seem to get positive reviews on the internet, but again, I have never tried them. Update: One of our new bike polo players uses them. He says they are easy, cheap, and effective. Plus, you can make your cats nails be whatever color you'd like.

ON DECLAWING

Just don't do it, it's so disgusting. Onychectomy (or "declawing") is hardly practiced outside of North America and is prohibited and/or strongly looked down upon in Australia, Brazil, Austria, and the United Kingdom. In Israel, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland you can be charged with animal cruelty for declawing your cat. Love your cat enough to not put it through an incredible amount of pain and permanent disfigurement.



How to Clip Your Cats Nails

This can be really easy, or really hard, depending on your cat. It is something that is pretty easy to get even an older cat used to when done regularly and correctly. 

HELPFUL TIPS

• Play with your cats feet, push in the pads on their paws, get them to hold hands with you. Make having their paws touched an enjoyable activity. 
• Start clipping nails at a young age.
• If you have a cat that already objects to having it's nails clipped, wrap the cat in a towel and get another person to help you. Have one person hold the cat and the other person clip the nails or
• If your cat doesn't mind having it's paws touched, but doesn't like being restrained, clip their nails while they're lounging somewhere. Tuco objects to having his nails clipped if I try to hold him, but has no problem if I clip them while he's stretched out on the back of the couch.
• Use grain free treats as bribery to create a positive association for your cat.
• Give your cat a break during clipping if needed. 



My cat nail clippers.



Sly, our volunteer.



 NECESSARY SUPPLIES

 

cat

cat nail clippers

a towel (if necessary)

a helpful friend (if necessary)

You'll want to restrain your cat in some way, but how depends on the individual cat. Your goals are to keep your cat as still and comfortable as possible and to get through the experience without any bites or scratches. The less traumatic it is for your cat, the better, it'll make it easier for you both the next time. Pick a small room where you can close the door, making it easier to give the cat treat eating breaks if needed.

Sly's paw pads.

Holding their paw, lightly press on the paw pad to extend the nail.


Press the paw pad to extend the claw.

In each nail there is a group of blood vessels and nerve endings called the quick. In light colored nails it is the visible red or pink part of the nail. The quick is present in dark colored nails as well, even though you can't see it. Clipping the quick will cause bleeding and pain. If you do nick it, scratch the nail on a dry bar of soap, or dab on some styptic powder or cornstarch to stop the bleeding. Pay attention and make sure the bleeding stops completely.

Cut nail with clippers, avoiding the quick.

Using your clippers, trim the nails one by one. Most of the time I only clip the front claws, but I check the back claws for any exceptionally sharp daggers or broken nails.

How Grain Free Food Changed Our Lives

The best thing that ever happened to my cat family was when my lovely, little Lola started losing all her fur. I know that sounds bizarre, but bear with me, I'll explain.

We had just moved to Chicago, I hadn't found a vet I really liked (still haven't found one I adore for that matter, any recommendations?) and on top of that we were broke. Husband was still looking for a job and I was imagining a vet with dollar signs in their eyes, wanting to do expensive blood work and tests. Since it wasn't an emergency sort of situation, I curled up on my couch and started doing some internet research.

So many diseases can make your cat's hair fall out! So many nasty parasites! Nothing sounded right though, outside of losing her hair, Lola didn't have the symptoms of Eosinophilic Granuloma or Feline Endocrine Alopecia or any other obscure cat disease I read about. One thing was for sure though, she was itching like crazy and balding rapidly.

When I found the answer it wasn't by reading anything about cats. Instead I learned that in dogs, food allergies can cause hair loss. Well, guess what y'all, the same is true for cats.

We learn as little kids that cats are carnivores. Why is it then that pet foods are routinely made using grains as a primary ingredient? Corn, corn gluten meal, oats, barley, brewers rice, not to mention a dozen other unnecessary things, some of which are truly awful. Felines do not require grain in their diets. Grains are nothing but filler, just something to keep the price low for the pet food companies. They cause allergy problems and obesity, leading to even more health problems. 

The number one ingredient in Lola's daily fare? Corn. This is how I became obsessed with pet food.

Within the same week of my revelation, I met a girl named Anna at a neighbor's grill out. Anna works at Soggy Paws*, a local pet store that sells grain free pet foods amongst other things. She was more than happy to have a passionate discussion with me about what I had recently learned and was super excited to come over and meet my cat family. The next day I went to Soggy Paws, where they hooked me up with samples and talked my ear off. 

So there I was, armed with new knowledge and a bag full of cat food, excited to see if all these supposed benefits were going to pan out. Being the giant nerd that I am, I set up a spreadsheet. In it, I listed each cat, any current or reoccurring issues said cat had, their current weight, and what food they were being fed. (When switching a cats food, most people say to do so gradually, over the course of a few weeks. I've heard different opinions, and don't really think it matters a whole lot, but I followed the gradual rule when I switched them on this. Expect some softer poop, or even diarrhea, any way you do it.) Then I followed up weekly, then biweekly, for nine weeks, reweighing and observing.

HAIRBALLS

I opened up that spreadsheet for the first time in a long time to write this post. The first thing that jumped out at me from the "issues" category was our excessive hairball problems. Daily hairballs, sometimes multiple ones a day! Sly was by far the worst. He had a terrible hack, like a little kitty smoker's cough, that produced a hairball about every third time. The vet had given me a hairball paste and told me if there wasn't improvement we might have to x-ray for blockages. The hairball paste wasn't making an impact at all. By week two of switching to grain free, Sly wasn't hacking anymore and overall hairballs for the household were down to a once or twice a week thing. It was amazing. 

WEIGHT ISSUES 

A few of my cats were fatties. Sly comes to mind, he likes to fetch, but had gotten so heavy that he'd be breathing hard by the second toss. During the switch, most of my cats gained a bit of weight at first. This was due to the simple fact that I was feeding them too much. Once I got their portions under control (and an appropriate portion for a cat is much smaller than what most people think), the lack of pointless grain fillers in their food helped my chunky cats to lose weight (with the exception of Boo, my rotund little pumpkin cat, in which there was no change.) In my slender cats, weight change was minimal. WARNING! If your cat qualifies as obese, then you need to be extremely careful while helping your cat lose weight. Losing weight too quickly can further strain their internal organs causing horrible things to happen or even killing them. Please don't try to help your obese cat lose weight without help. In the future, I'm going to write more about this. You can email me if you want to talk about you fat cat sooner (jenyqueenofcats@gmail.com). I know I should recommend that you talk to your vet, so go talk to your vet, but they are probably going to suggest a low calorie cat food laden with grains, and obviously, I'm against that.




Here's one of those charts to help you assess your cat's weight.
Chart via http://www.drsfostersmith.com/

 
COATS/SHEDDING

An unexpected benefit was that every one's fur got sooooooo much softer. Within the first week I noticed it in Harry's fur. After two weeks half my cat population was noticeably softer. The softness came with a small price - shedding. I've never seen so much shedding! Then, as they continued to get softer and softer, the shedding slowed, and now they shed less than ever. After about two months eating grain free food, Lola's fur was looking particularly nice. It was growing back in, softer than ever, and she was no longer licking and chewing constantly.

Grain free foods my cats really like include (canned/wet) Wellness, Dave's, and BFF (although BFF is primarily fish based, so don't use it as your cats main protein source) and (dry) Taste of the Wild. Honestly, the only reason I feed dry food at all is because it's economical. Wet food is really the way to go. It adds to all the benefits of feeding grain free and even better, it's a great way for your cat to get enough water. Raw feeding is another option, but that's for another day. I feed my cats dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening.

Overall, after switching to grain free, the cats have had fewer hairballs, the overweight problem came more under control, they got softer and prettier, started shedding less, have smaller and less frequent poops, and we haven't had any UTI's (Lola and Harry have both had serious problems with that when on dry and grain filled diets). One of my very favorite things about switching to grain free is that when I bring Lola her evening meal she trills an adorable little song while gobbling it down. It's so precious.  

Look at the label on your bag of cat food. Unless you are already intentionally buying grain free food, chances are it's full of a bunch of crap that your cat doesn't need. Websites for grain free foods usually have some sort of "where to buy" button. Click on it, go get some, your cat will be so happy.

*Soggy Paws did not compensate me in any way for the name drop or praise. Let me tell you though, they are an A+ store, and after working in retail for ten years, I have some pretty high standards for retail establishments. If you live in Chicago (or in Omaha, NE, they just opened a store there!), check them out. (Maybe even tell them you read about them here!) http://www.soggypaws.com/

Protect the Hearts of Your Children! Keep the Litter Boxes Clean.



I’m going to start off here with something near and dear to my heart. That is… the litter box.



Me; holding Bootsie, and my little bro; holding Fluffy.


As a little, little girl (we’re talking about three here) I got a cat named Bootsie. When I was five, my parents decided that Bootsie would no longer be a member of our household. Even now, approximately 23 years later, thinking about my goodbye to her brings tears to my eyes.

Imagine me, a tiny girl with big ol’ dimples, hugging her cat while lying in her brother’s race car bed, sobbing and explaining to her that she had to go to the Humane Society because she was a bad cat and begging her to behave better at her new house, assuming she got one.

That day was my first step down the road to Crazy Cat Lady-dom. (Also, it was primer for later adolescent rage at my father, but that’s beside the point.)

 

Why did my parents decide to give Bootsie the boot, you ask? Well, mostly because she peed, daily, on my dad’s work clothes. My dad got sick of smelling like piss, and since she was a “bad cat” for not using the litter box, that was the end of it, on to the next one.  

Cat peeing all over your house? Would you like some help with that? Chances are, the first thing that needs to change is your own behavior.*

Litter Box Etiquette 
(try to think of it from your cat’s point of view)

Minimum, you should be cleaning your litter boxes once daily. If you think the box stinks, your cat most definitely does, seeing as how it can smell better than you. If there’s poop smeared down the sides and they have to dig through stinky, wet litter to do their business (wet litter which, mind you, they then have to lick out of their paws), well, that pile of clothes just gets more inviting.  

          Make it part of your routine. I clean mine right before I feed my crew their evening meal. Even with eight cats, done daily, it takes less than five minutes. When I had my crazy retail schedule, I cleaned them right before bed.

Another added benefit of daily cleanings is that you look at their waste everyday. I know that doesn't seem like a benefit, but it means you will notice any changes or abnormalities right away.

           
First, start with a clean, dry, empty litter box. Then get some clumping cat litter. Fill the box deep enough that pee and poo piles won’t touch the bottom. Next, scoop daily. If a clump is stuck to the side or bottom, pick up the box and tap it forcefully against the ground to dislodge it without breaking it with your scoop. Keep clumping litter on hand to top off the litter when it gets too low. Keep your scoop and the sides of the box clean. The chore of cleaning boxes gets way less nasty and time consuming like this. I promise. Keep in mind that filthy litter boxes are more likely to spread toxoplasmosis (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001661/) and nobody wants that!

Keep food and water away from the litter boxes, in another room preferably. Nobody likes eating food while their nostrils are filled with the scent of their own waste.

Make sure your cat feels safe while using the litter box. Something as simple as your washing machine being loud or another cat harassing them can send them running to their favorite not-deemed-appropriate-by-people potty spot. Situate your litter boxes so nothing (your other cat, your dog, your child, whatever it may be) makes kitty feel cornered. Always give them an out. 

Golden Rule for multi-cat households; have as many litter boxes as you do cats, plus one. (Example: 3 cats, 4 litter boxes) Spread your litter boxes out in your household, otherwise you may be putting every box you have in one cat’s territory.

The goal is to make the litter box a lovely and inviting place for your cat. You may like that covered litter box because it keeps the smell in, but that’s exactly why your cat hates it. Keep things simple, clean, and unscented. Finally, remember that if you give your cat an option that it views as better, it will go there, so buy a hamper with a lid and pick up the stuff on the floor!

*Health issues, such as UTI’s, can cause litter box aversion problems, make sure your cats have a clean bill of health.