13264 Pond Springs Road

Austin, Texas 78729

(512) 258-2024 - Voice

The Cat’s Meow

Cat Hospital Of Austin's

October 2002 Newsletter    

Halloween Safety Tips

·        Don’t leave your cat outside unattended on Halloween (or on the days before or after this holiday.)  Halloween pranks committed against pets can be vicious and black cats are particularly at risk.

·        Halloween treats are for people, not pets.  Candy wrappers and lollipop sticks can be hazardous if swallowed and chocolate can be poisonous.

·        Keep pumpkins out of reach of curious noses and paws.  Cats can knock over a lit pumpkin and cause a fire.

·        Consider keeping your cat in a separate room, away from the door, when trick or treaters arrive.  Strange people in scary clothes can frighten pets, or an especially curious kitty can dart out the door unexpectedly.

·        Remember, cats with identification tags are much more likely to be returned to their homes  

Fat Cat Alert by Diane Dianora, D.V.M.

Is your cat obese?  Studies estimate over 65% of cats to be suffering from “excess baggage.” 

The bad news: While the “Garfield Syndrome” may appear relatively harmless, the effects of your cat’s excess Weight can be devastating.  Potential health difficulties include, but are not limited to:

·        Diabetes

·        Liver disease (fatty liver)

·        Respiratory and circulatory system anomalies

·        Arthritis

·        Skin diseases

·        Inability to properly self-groom

 Any of these conditions can significantly decrease your pet’s quality of life.

Now for the good news…

It’s never too late to place your cat on a weight-reduction diet.  Simply bring your feline friend in for a weight check, and we can design a diet plan custom-made for your cat’s individual needs. 

Remember, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (or several pounds).  Let us help your kitty shed those extra pounds.

Is my Cat Obese?

As Dr. Dianora pointed out, a large number of cats are too fat.  If you are wondering if your cat is “gravity challenged,” there is an easy way to tell.  Rub your hands down your cat’s chest.  Can you feel your cat’s ribs, or do you really have to push to feel them?  When a cat is at a perfect weight, the ribs can be felt with a gentle touch, but not seen.  If you have to push in order to feel them, your cat is too heavy for his or her body type.  If you can see your cat’s ribs, kitty is too thin.  Feel free to contact us if you are uncertain about your cat’s weight.

Feline Diabetes

Since obesity is a running topic in this newsletter, I would like to take a few moments to discuss a very prevalent disease that is related to obesity.  Feline diabetes (mellitus) is similar to a disease known as Type 2 diabetes in people.  It is an inability to regulate blood sugar that develops later in life and is much more common in the overweight individual.  Diet is a very important cornerstone in controlling this form of diabetes in both people and cats.  One very different aspect for cats is that they (unlike humans) are obligate carnivores.  Cats require a large amount of protein in their diet in order to have energy for daily activities.  Their next source of energy is fat and then finally carbohydrates.  In other words, a cat could live very happily on the “Atkins diet” of high protein, moderate fat, and very little carbohydrates.  Controlling diabetes is much more difficult if a cat is eating a diet that is high in carbohydrates.  All dry foods are higher in carbohydrates than canned food.  In order to make a dry food, flour (carbohydrate) is added to a canned food formula and baked in the oven.  In short, diabetic cats are easier to treat if they are eating a nutritional canned food diet that is high in protein and very low in carbohydrates.  Often diabetic cats will also need some medication to help control their blood sugar, but diet is essential to get their disease under control. 

Some cats are prone to develop diabetes due to their family history.  It can be very hard for us to predict which cat will develop diabetes based on family history alone because often we do not know the family history of our pets.   Obesity is a very common factor in diabetic cats, and it is very rare for a thin or lean animal to become diabetic.  Typically, diabetes can be prevented by keeping your cat fit and trim.  Nearly 1 in every 200 – 300 cats have diabetes, and it is diagnosed in about 240,000 cats each year.  Don’t let your cat become part of this statistic!  We can help get a good weight control program in place for any of our obese feline friends. 

Halloween Humor

·        Who won the skeleton beauty contest?
No body

·         What do skeletons say before they begin dining?
 Bone appetit !

·        What do ghosts serve for dessert?
 Ice Scream

·        What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost?
Bamboo

·        What kind of mistakes do spooks make?
 Boo boos

·        What do you get when you cross a black cat with a lemon?
 Sour-puss

List of Services

The Cat Hospital of Austin is a full-service veterinary facility.  We perform vaccinations, a variety of in-hospital blood testing, Xrays, surgery, and preventative health care maintenance.  We also carry a wide selection of cat toys that have been feline-tested and approved.  Flea control products and a high quality cat food selection are also available.  

Number of Times this Page has been Viewed