Keep Your Cat Happy With These Tips

Since Clear the Air has dedicated May to “Cat Month”, we would like to share some easy helpful tips to make sure your indoor cat has all she needs.

It doesn’t take much to make your furry feline a happy camper but it is important to make sure you are providing her with all she needs to make her, and you, happy!

Remember our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator is now available at PETCO.  Also, send in your Cutest Cat Photo to win 2 FREE CANISTERS of our Odor Eliminator.  You can email them to YourCommunityPathway@gmail.com or you can post them on Facebook.  In order to make your cat’s home an enjoyable and comfortable one, make sure you have the following:

Personal Space – Like all cat lovers know, cats are very independent animals. They enjoy hiding under, on top, and/or inside of many locations in the home. They are very curious creatures. A great way to give your cat the space it needs is by getting him or her a perch. A perch will allow them to elevate themselves from the ground level and observe from above. They will feel safe and secure while enjoying their surroundings. Perches are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and you can even attach them to a windowsill so your cat can get a better view of the outside.

A Bed – Cats are most vulnerable when they are sleeping, so it’s important to provide them with a quiet and secure resting place. For those who prefer that their cat stay off beds and other furniture, providing your cat with a comfortable resting place in a quiet part of the house is the best alternative. This area, however, must be in a place where necessities like food, water, and litter box, are still accessible. Cat beds can be purchased, or a snug blanket or towel will work just fine. Remember, just like you, cats don’t like being disturbed while they sleep.

Scratching/Climbing Post – Cats scratch as a way to stretch their muscles, shed old cuticle, sharpen their claws, and leave scent marks. Providing your cat with something to scratch will not only keep them happy, but it will save your furniture. When figuring out where to place a scratching post it’s important to keep in mind where your cat typically likes to scratch. You can place the post near this area in order to keep your cat from scratching that particular object. Keep the scratching post in close proximity to daily necessities and try not to move the post. If you do move it, try to move it as gradually as possible. Lastly, trim the sharp tips of your cat’s nails or purchase nail caps to reduce damage from scratching.

Litter Box – Cats use elimination as a way to mark their territory. So, in order to keep them from eliminating all over your house, it’s important to provide them an attractive litter box. First, cats appreciate a clean litter box. So, if you do not regularly clean out their litter box, they will most likely find a cleaner spot which may end up being somewhere in your house. Second, cats prefer a large uncovered litter box. This gives them a large space to move around and stand up straight. Third, most cats prefer fine-grained, unscented litter. Most cats are turned off by a scented litter. Lastly, the litter box should be placed in a quiet, secure and accessible place. This ensures the cat privacy, and eliminates other animals or people sneaking up on it. The “golden rule” is one litter box per cat, plus one. So for those with multiple cats, and/or multiple levels in your house, it is important to have multiple boxes on each level. Remember to also always add Clear the Air Cat Odor Eliminator to the litter box to reduce odors.

Toys – Although indoor cats don’t have to hunt for their food, they still have the urge to pounce. Toys are extremely important to the health and happiness of your cat. Something as simple as a ball to roll around or a stick with a string and a toy attached can amuse an indoor cat for hours. Taking a more realistic approach, you can give your cat a fake mouse that moves or makes noise.

It isn’t difficult to keep you indoor cat healthy and happy. All it takes is providing your cat with privacy, a comfortable place to sleep, something to scratch, an appropriate litter box, and most importantly, toys! Keeping your cat happy and healthy will not only increase their happiness, but yours as well.

Arthritis And Your Cat

Dealing with arthritis with your cat.

Since it is CAT MONTH at Clear the Air, we would like to share some tips on what to know about feline arthritis, what you can do to ease the pain and more.

What Is Arthritis? Arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease, causes pain and inflammation in a cat’s joints. Although fairly uncommon in felines, arthritis tends to affect the elbow joint when it does strike—but many joints can be afflicted.

What Are the Symptoms of Arthritis in Cats? Felines suffering from arthritis may show overall stiffness, swelling of the joints, lethargy, lameness, decreased flexibility and discomfort when you pet or handle them in certain positions. You may also notice subtle behavioral changes, including:

• Decreased activity
• Lapsed litterbox habits (due to pain caused by getting in and out of the box)
• Hesitancy to run, jump or climb stairs

What Causes Arthritis in Cats? Joints naturally degenerate as part of the aging process. Cartilage forms a cushion between the bones at a joint. As cats get older, the cartilage deteriorates and becomes less flexible.

Arthritis can develop due to injury, dislocation or infection in the joint. Extra weight can also put extra strain on a cat’s joints.

How Is Arthritis Diagnosed? A veterinarian may conduct a physical exam, take radiographs and perform other diagnostic tests to help determine the cause of the pain and inflammation in your cat’s joints.

Which Cats Are Prone to Arthritis?  Arthritis most often affects older cats, as their joints degenerate naturally as part of the aging process—but can occur as result of trauma or infection in cats of all ages.

How Can Arthritis Be Treated? Once symptoms of arthritis set in, there is no cure—but you can work with your veterinarian to minimize your cat’s pain while keeping her healthy. Some general treatment options include:

• Anti-inflammatory/pain medications
• Possible use of nutritional supplements to help replenish cartilage
• Weight loss if necessary, which has been shown to benefit overweight cats with arthritis.

Are Cats with Arthritis Able to Exercise? Talk to your vet about an exercise program for your pet. Short, gentle play can be helpful in some cases, but you’ll need to introduce these sessions slowly and gradually. Vigorous play involving leaping, jumping and turning is to be avoided.

How Can I Make My Arthritic Cat More Comfortable? If your cat has arthritis, here are a few things you can do to make her feel better:

• Give her a cozy blanket or cat bed.
• When she’s relaxed and at ease, give her a gentle massage.
• Groom the areas of her body that may be hard for her to reach.
• Make sure she has easy, direct access to her litterbox and food and water bowls.

This article is from the ASPCA.

Cat Grooming – Helpful Tips To Prevent Vet Bills

While cats are very self-sufficient, making them an easy keeper as a pet, they do sometimes need a little assistance in the grooming department.

To ensure optimum health and prevent costly vet bills, check out some of Clear the Air’s grooming tips for your cat.

Trim Your Cat’s Claws: Trimming claws needn’t strike terror in the heart of you or your cat. Even an adult cat that is unaccustomed to nail clipping can grow to accept the procedure, although it’s best to start when the cat is young and everything is novel. Kittens’ tiny needle-like claws should be trimmed once a week; by the time a cat is about eight months old, you can reduce the trimming to once every two to four weeks for the rest of the cat’s life.

Place your cat on a table or hold him on your lap, or kneel down and clamp him between your legs. Grip a paw firmly and gently press on the pad to expose the claw. Don’t forget to also trim the dewclaws that are further up along the paw. If you have a polydactyl cat, one with extra toes similar to thumbs, the claws in the folds between the paws and the “thumbs” also need trimming.

Using special clippers, trim off the clear, curved part of the claw in one rapid motion, cutting straight across and making sure to stay at least one-tenth of an inch away from the thicker part containing the vein, or “quick.” When in doubt, cut off less claw and do the job more often. If you do accidentally cut the vein, stay calm. The claw will bleed, but your demeanor will affect your cat’s reaction. Ideally, have clotting powder, a styptic pencil, cornstarch, or soft bar-soap on hand before you begin and apply it to the end of the claw. Or, you can press a gauze pad, clean cloth, or tissue over the damaged nail for several minutes until the bleeding stops.

Some cats (even first-time adults) will allow you to cut all their claws right away. For less cooperative cats, start by simply handling their paws more and more, pressing lightly on the paw pads to extend the claws. Once this is accepted, try clipping one or two claws, stopping and letting your cat go whenever he starts to resist; eventually, you will cut them all. A team effort may be necessary to contain a writhing cat, with one person firmly grasping the loose skin at the scruff of the neck or holding the cat wrapped in a towel with just one paw at a time free, leaving the second person to handle the task of clipping.

Get The Eyes and Ears Clean: Check inside the ears every week and if you see a waxy residue, wipe it off with a cotton ball moistened with a small amount of feline ear cleaner or baby oil. (Never use a swab on a stick; if your cat moves suddenly, you may injure his ear canal or eardrum.) Hold the earflap gently and dab carefully with the cotton ball. If your cat fidgets during cleaning, restrain him as you would when cutting his claws.

Brushing Your Cat: Although cats are tidy creatures by nature and groom themselves, they still need regular brushing. In addition to removing loose hair that would otherwise be swallowed or left on furniture, brushing promotes good circulation, stimulates the skin, and keeps the coat shiny. It’s also a way to bond with your cat, as well as to check for any body changes that may signal a visit to the vet.

The procedure is much the same for short-hair and longhair cats, but the tools will differ, depending on the length and texture of your cat’s fur.

Be sure to check a longhair cat for mats before you start brushing and very gently untangle any you find using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb. Soak more tenacious knots with detangling liquid or spray.

If a mat won’t come apart, you can, if you’re very careful, snip it out with blunt-tipped scissors. Your cat’s skin is very sensitive, as well as being loose, and it’s fairly easy to make an accidental nick. Protect your cat by placing a fine-toothed comb between the mat and his skin. The alternative is to have mats removed by a professional groomer; if your cat is badly matted, this is the only option.

Begin grooming by passing the brush along the cat’s head and back. By following the same line you would if you were petting him, chances are the cat will relax, lulled by the pleasant sensation. Then, brush down the length of each side. As you go, stop often to clean the brush of collected hair.

Next, brush down from below the chin along the throat and chest. To brush the inside of your cat’s leg, hold him against your chest and reach over the outside of the leg. Your cat may object when you get to such areas as the rear thighs, the region where the legs join the body, and the belly.

Be gentle and reassuring, but persevere without overdoing it. If the cat is getting anxious, stop and continue later; otherwise, you risk turning grooming into a hateful experience.

Do the tail last, one small section at a time, carefully combing in the direction that the hair grows. Then, repeat the sequence with a fine-toothed comb, taking particular care on sensitive areas, to pick up any remaining loose hairs.

Bathing Your Cat: An older or injured cat may not be able to keep itself adequately clean and may need to be bathed. Some cats become very agitated during the process, however, so it’s up to you to make bathing as stress-free as possible for all participants. You’ll probably want a helper so one of you can hold the cat while the other does the shampooing. Both of you will probably get quite wet, so have lots of towels at the ready. It’s also possible that you may get scratched, so take a few moments to trim the claws first.

Placing something in the sink or tub that your cat can grip with his claws — a window screen, rubber mat, or several thick towels — may help him feel slightly more in control and less inclined to struggle.

Never dump your cat into a sink full of water; total immersion is not the idea here. Instead, fill the sink with just enough warm water to rinse him easily.

Hold your cat firmly, with one hand grasping his front legs, and place him in the water. Pour water over him with a small container and use a washcloth to wet more delicate areas such as the face and ears.

Standard shampoos formulated for cats should be rubbed in thoroughly, and fully rinsed. Any traces of shampoo left on the cat’s coat can cause irritation; so don’t rush through this stage. If you are washing the cat with a flea shampoo, follow the directions for the product to the letter. After properly rinsing your cat, wrap him in a thick towel and hold him close to absorb the excess water. Continue drying by carefully squeezing the towel against his body and pulling it away again.

You can gently rub short-hair cats with a towel, but this may cause matting in cats with longer coats. A small hair dryer can be useful (unless your cat is frightened by the noise of the motor). Keep the hair dryer on its lowest setting and never point it in your cat’s face. Once he is dry, brush him thoroughly and compliment him effusively on how wonderful he looks!

Dental Hygiene: As part of a regular checkup, your vet will look for signs of plaque and tartar buildup on your cat’s teeth. Left unchecked, periodontal disease can actually contribute to heart, liver, or kidney disease. If a significant problem has begun to develop, a thorough cleaning, requiring the cat to be anesthetized, will have to be scheduled.

To avoid the bother and expense of such cleaning, which is typically required every few years, brush your cat’s teeth at least every other day. This is not as difficult, or crazy, as it might sound, as long as you introduce the procedure very slowly. For the first few days, sit quietly with your cat and gently stroke the outside of his cheeks. Then, let him lick a small quantity of cat dentifrice — never human toothpaste; off your finger.

Next, place a small quantity of the paste on a cat-sized toothbrush or gauze square. Gently push back the cat’s top lip with your thumb and brush one or two teeth and the neighboring gums in a circular motion, pressing very lightly. Over several days, gradually brush a larger number of teeth. After each short session, reward your cat with a treat, preferably one for tartar control.

Animal Fosters Needed at the San Diego Humane Society

The San Diego Humane Society is looking for volunteers!

Calling all Warm Hearts and Homes! The San Diego Humane Society cares for thousands of animals annually and many of them get a head start in foster care.

Animals that are candidates for their Foster Program include animals less than eight weeks of age; mothers with litters; animals with minor medical needs; animals recovering from surgery or illness; and animals that need further behavior evaluation or socialization. The San Diego Humane Society is looking for applicants with big hearts and a special commitment to provide a warm and loving environment for the animals in need. The San Diego Humane Society provides any supplies, special medication or food needed. All the animal needs, is you!

Foster is the temporary removal of an animal from, in this case, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, to care for it until the animal is ready to be placed up for adoption.

Temporary shelter in a volunteer’s home can make all the difference to an animal that needs a little extra care to be ready for adoption.  Cats and dogs with litters, animals under 8 weeks of age, and animals with minor, treatable illnesses are given a second chance at life through the work of our Foster Care Volunteers.  The foster volunteers also grant The San Diego Humane Society the opportunity to free up more kennels for more animals that are in need of immediate care.

The San Diego Humane Society provides all the necessary training, supplies, and support the foster family will need to care for their foster animals, including food, bowls, bedding, toys, litter, medication, and any veterinary services.

Even if you aren’t in the San Diego area, you can also volunteer or foster at your local humane society.  Volunteering is a great way to spend time with animals if you can’t have them in your home.

Cat Care Tips

Cat Anatomy Facts

Cool Cat Anatomy Facts brought to you by Clear the Air!

Remember PETCO now carries our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator at all their stores.  Stop in to pick some up!

• Cats can’t taste sweets.
• The cat’s front paw has 5 toes, but the back paws have 4. Some cats are born with as many as 7 front toes and extra back toes (polydactl).
• A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
• Neutering a cat extends it’s life span by two or three years

• A cat’s tongue consists of small “hooks,” which come in handy when tearing up food
• Cats must have fat in their diet because they can’t produce it on their own.
• Cat’s urine glows under a black light.
• Cats have a third eyelid called a haw and you will probably only see it when kitty isn’t feeling well.
• A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.
• Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day
• Cats are the only animal that walk on their claws, not the pads of their feet.
• Newborn kittens have closed ear canals that don’t begin to open for nine days.
• A kittens eyes are always blue at first
• A cat cannot see directly under its nose.
• It is a common belief that cats are color blind. However, recent studies have shown that cats can see blue, green and red
• Cats with white fur and skin on their ears are very prone to sunburn.
• Siamese kittens are born white.
• A cat’s jaws cannot move sideways.
• Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
• A cat can jump even seven times as high as it is tall.
• A cat is pregnant for about 58-65 days.
• A cat may have three to seven kittens every four months
• Cats step with both left legs, then both right legs when they walk or run. The only other animals to do this are the giraffe and the camel
• If a male cat is both orange and black it is most likely sterile
• The color of the points in Siamese cats is heat related. Cool areas are darker
• Cats lack a true collarbone. Because of this, a cat can generally squeeze their bodies through any space they can get their heads through.
• There are tiny, parasitic worms that can live in a cat’s stomach. These worms cause frequent vomiting.
• A cat’s brain is more similar to a man’s brain than that of a dog.
• A cat has more bones than a human; humans have 206, the cat has 230.
• Cats have 30 vertebrae–5 more than humans have.
• Cat have 500 skeletal muscles (humans have 650).
• A cat can rotate its ears independently 180 degrees, and can turn in the direction of sound 10 times faster than those of the best watchdog
• Cats’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
• Cats’ hearing stops at 65 khz (kilohertz); humans’ hearing stops at 20 khz.
• In relation to their body size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
• A cat’s field of vision is about 185 degrees.
• Blue-eyed, white cats are often deaf.

Do you have any other cool cat facts?  Share them with us on our blog!

Friday Cat Facts

Happy Friday!  We’d like to share some Fun Friday Cat Facts with everyone:

• It has been scientifically proven that stroking a cat can lower one’s blood pressure.
• In 1987, cats overtook dogs as the number one pet in America (about 50 million cats resided in 24 million homes in 1986). About 37% of American homes today have at least one cat.
• If your cat snores or rolls over on his back to expose his belly, it means he trusts you.
• Cats respond better to women than to men, probably due to the fact that women’s voices have a higher pitch.
• In an average year, cat owners in the United States spend over $2 billion on cat food.
• According to a Gallup poll, most American pet owners obtain their cats by adopting strays.
• When your cats rubs up against you, she is actually marking you as “hers” with her scent. If your cat pushes his face against your head, it is a sign of acceptance and affection.

• Contrary to popular belief, people are not allergic to cat fur, dander, saliva, or urine – they are allergic to “sebum,” a fatty substance secreted by the cat’s sebaceous glands. More interesting, someone who is allergic to one cat may not be allergic to another cat. Though there isn’t (yet) a way of predicting which cat is more likely to cause allergic reactions, it has been proven that male cats shed much greater amounts of allergen than females. A neutered male, however, sheds much less than a non-neutered male.
• Cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites.
• In just 7 years, one un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring can result in 420,000 kittens.
• Some notable people who disliked cats:  Napoleon Bonaparte, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Hitler.

• Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.
• A cat’s brain is more similar to a man’s brain than that of a dog.
• A cat has more bones than a human; humans have 206, but the cat has 230 (some cites list 245 bones, and state that bones may fuse together as the cat ages).
• Cats have 30 vertebrae (humans have 33 vertebrae during early development; 26 after the sacral and coccygeal regions fuse.
• The cat’s clavicle, or collarbone, does not connect with other bones but is buried in the muscles of the shoulder region. This lack of a functioning collarbone allows them to fit through any opening the size of their head.