Cat Ailments A to Z - X...Yersinia pestis

 

Yup, the friggen Plague!

I love Giant Microbes

Plague is a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia Pestis which is transmitted by the rodent flea. 

Cats can become infected through the bite of infected fleas or eating a rodent, rabbit, or other animal carrying infected fleas. 

Yet another reason to keep your cat indoors!

These domestic animals could carry infected fleas into the home.

nope, you are not going outside!

Zoonotic - remember that word??

It means the disease, parasite, virus...bad stuff.. can be transferred from animal to human.

 Humans can contract Y. pestis directly through contact with blood, pus or aerosols from infected animals. 

 In Pneumonic Plague Yersinia pestis can be transmitted person-to-person or cat-to-person through air droplets from coughing

There are three forms of plague. 

• Bubonic Plague- is the form in which the lymph nodes near the flea bite become enlarged and painful with draining tracts.
• Septicemic Plague - the bacteria enter the bloodstream and infect multiple organs in the body.
• Pneumonic Plague - in this form it effects the lungs.

Half of the cats infected with Yersinia pestis will die soon after developing the disease. 

Symptoms Include

• Fever 
• Discharge from the eyes
•  Vomiting
• Diarrhea,
•  Dehydration,
• Poor hair coat
• Swollen tongue
• Mouth ulcers
•  Enlarged tonsils
• Enlarged abdomen.
• Swollen lymph nodes

According to the CDC

Cats are highly susceptible to plague and are a common source of Yersinia pestis infection in humans

Not to freak you out or anything.

 For more information please click the links below.

Merck Veterinary Manual 

Pet Education

VetMD

WHO

Cat Ailmentes A to Z - What about...

 

Though one would not consider Whiskers as an ailment... 

It's my blog I can do what I want to.

Whiskers

Vibrissae - Tactile Hair

• Each thick whisker is filled with tiny, super sensitive nerves that help your cat judge distance and space.

It helps them make decisions in their every day activities - such as realizing that they can not fit under the door.. but they can fit in that box. 

•  They also aid in judging how far a cat needs to jump to reach another spot - generally where they are not suppose to be. 

Whiskers do not actually have any say in what the cat does. 

Have you ever seen a blind cat?

Wonder how they manage to get around so well?

Whiskers. 

• A Cats Whiskers are the width of their body.

This allows them to gracefully slither around our legs.

Unfortunately these Whiskers can not inform them how dumb that can be when we are carrying something. 

• The tips of each Whisker has a sensory organ.

This allows them to pick up vibrations in the environment. 

They also can pick up the vibrations of other creatures.

Us human creatures try our best to sneak up on Fluffy..That does not tend to work.. so instead we make quick movements close to where they are checking something out...

Causing them to leap in the air. 

Cuz we are jerks. 

• The follicles of their Whiskers are very deep, and they have many nerve endings that send messages to their brain. 

•  Cats have Whiskers beside their nose ( those are the main ones ) 
• Above their eyes ( kitty eyebrows?)
• On their chin ( tiny goatee?)
• And on the back of their front legs near their paws ( hairy ankles?)

Okay so why the chin and the ankles?

• Cats actually have poor close up vision - yet their prey is small (mouse) ..sometimes very tiny ( fly)   

They also have a blind spot located right under their noses. 

Their chin and ankle whiskers aid in positioning their lunch for the fatal bite. 

They also help with understanding their surroundings just like the ones on the face. 

Think of them as security fence all around their body. If something moves - kitty knows. 

If they are in the dark - no biggie - they have Whisker vision. 

Whiskers can also talk. 

Okay technically they can't actually speak.

They can however, provide humans with the body language we need to understand when a cat is content or may be scared or angry. 

When they have their Whiskers back, close to their face - something is not right in kitty town. 

It could be a simple - 'wtf was that?' 

Or 

'you best be getting outta my face!'

Clearly it is smart to know the basics in all of the cats body language. 

 If you guessed that this cat is mad... good.. now get out of its face.

The ears tend to be accompanied by the whiskers. 

And the vocals.

 The tail may come silently ...

but their annoyance will not be ignored. 

The ears & vocals may come next.

 The body posturing tends to be seen more when the cat is face to face with another cat.

Or you just chased Fluffy into a corner. 

Respect kitties space or get scratched in the face.

I have a favorite ... I call it Halloween Kitty

It is a mix of WTF and DON'T MESS WITH ME

oh and also

I'M BIG AND SCARY 

but basically what the cat is really saying is 

AAAA OH CRAP!

One last thing.

NEVER EVER CUT YOUR CATS WHISKERS

They may fall out from time to time but that's okay. 

Cat Ailments A to Z - Vitamin B1 Deficiency

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Deficiency

Thiamine plays a role in:

• Helping the body metabolise carbohydrates into energy

 Thiamine (vitamin B1) is absorbed from the diet via the small intestine and is a key component of effective carbohydrate metabolism

• Maintaining a healthy heart 
• Maintaining a healthy  nervous system
• Maintaining healthy brain function

Thiamine is found in:

• Bread
• Brewers yeast
• Legumes
• Liver
• Meat
• Milk
• Some Fruits and Vegetables
• Whole-grains

A lack of Thiamine may cause:

• Abnormal or spastic gait
• Anorexia
• Aggression
• Ataxia
• Bradycardia
• Cervical Ventroflexion (necks flexed/rigid, which causes an inability to raise the head, the chin rests near the chest)
• Circling
• Dilated Pupils
• Falling
• Head tilt
• Incoordination
• Loss of Righting Reflexes
• Opisthotonos (backward arching of the head, neck, and spine)
• Salivation
• Stupor
• Seizures
• Twitching 
•  The absence of thiamine can also lead to a buildup of lactate in the body and result in acidosis.

 Causes of Thiamine Deficiency:

If a cat is fed a diet containing large amounts of raw fish

• Raw fish contains the enzyme Thiaminase
• Thiaminase destroys Thiamine
• Cooking destroys Thiaminase ( which protects the Thiamine)

Sulphur Dioxide (pdf regarding sulphur dioxide as a preservative)

• Also known as Preservative 220
• Pet food manufactures were limited to using Sulphur Dioxide as a preservative for many years
• Natural preservatives have been gaining popularity with the use of  Citrus products
• Sulphur Dioxide inactivated Thiamine
• Pet food manufactures that use this as a preservative must monitor their products to ensure they contain adequate levels of Thiamine ( or hey.. why not just skip adding it in the first place?)

Thiamine is Soluble in Water

• It can be lose if cooked in water
• If you cook your cats food in water- use as little as possible 

High Heat can destroy Thiamine 

• Manufactures must monitor their products to ensure they contain adequate levels of thiamine to compensate for the loss during the cooking process

Cheap Brands 

• Cheap or generic brands of cat food may not monitor the levels of Thiamine as carefully as some other brands would. 
• Cheaper brands tend to use cheaper products - a natural preservative would not be cheaper. 
• Do the math - poorly monitored levels of Thiamine in a food that probably contains sulphur dioxide.
• My personal belief is that cheaper brands contain cheaper products - these products may come to the manufacturer as what I would call 'bottom of the barrel' In order to ensure the food does not contain a plethora of bad - they cook the hell out of it. High heat can destroy Thiamine.
• Chances are - people buying the cheap brands are not reading the labels as much as the consumer who buys a higher cost cat food ( not always true, but the cheap companies are counting on the fact that people don't read the ingredients.)
•  Speaking of ingredients. The food items that contain Thiamine are in low..very low quantities.
• There is not enough Thiamine in Corn  ( guess your screwed Purina)

Physical Reasons

• Prolonged lack of appetite
• Diseases that cause malassimilation or malabsorption of nutrients
• Extensive surgical resection of jejunum and ileum
• Diuresis (excessive urination)

 Cats require three times the amount of thiamine that dogs do, making them especially sensitive to thiamine loss. 

If you suspect your cat is experiencing a Thiamin(Vitamin B1) Deficiency- Get them in to see a Vet

• Keep tabs on any recalls 

• Be an informed consumer 

• Don't cheap out! It may cost you much more in the end
• If you are cooking your own pet food - make sure it meets your cats needs
• If you are feeding Raw - make sure you speak with someone who understands pet nutrition
• Don't assume you know what your pet needs - just because an animal in the wild would not need supplements- consider the fact that we have created this need over many many years of domestication ( and feeding poorly made foods )
• It is never to late to change foods!
•  Try not to buy into the hype of a product
• Do not base your pet food choices on Marketing/ Commercials/ Fancy packaging ( consider the fact that these companies are spending huge amounts of money on marketing - instead of trying to improve their product )

 For

Further Reading

HealthyPets

PetMD

 CatWorld

DVM360

NCBI

Cat Ailments A to Z - Umbilical Hernia

Yes!

All mammals have them. 

The belly button, also called the umbilicus, is where the umbilical cord attaches when the kitten is a fetus in its mother’s uterus. 

The umbilical cord goes between the fetus’s belly button and the mother’s placenta. 

In the fetus, the belly button is an open hole that allows the blood vessels inside of the umbilical cord to enter the fetus’s body. 

This is how the mother supplies the fetus with nutrients.

This hole - The umbilical ring- naturally closes after birth.

At least it's suppose to.

After a few days, the umbilical cord naturally falls off.

 A normal kitten belly without a hernia will show little to no sign of a belly button.

Just a cute belly. 

 

  A Hernia is a condition in which part of an organ is displaced and protrudes through the wall of the cavity containing it.
An Umbilical Hernia is a protrusion of the abdominal lining, abdominal fat or a portion of abdominal organ(s) through the area around the umbilicus (navel or belly button)


These types of hernias can be considered complicated or uncomplicated. 

An Umbilical Hernia that is considered complicated - contents of the abdominal cavity have passed through the opening and have become entrapped. For example the intestine.  This is the more concerning of the two. 

An uncomplicated Umbilical Hernia - appears as a soft swelling or bulge beneath the skin around the area of the kittens belly button. It may come and go and often does not appear to be causing much distress.

Umbilical Hernias are generally fixed when the animal goes in to get spayed or neutered.
It is important to allow your vet to check over the kitten to make sure it is an uncomplicated hernia vs a complicated hernia which could be more problematic.

Since there are other types of Hernias - it is best to not assume you know what you are feeling on your pets belly - get it checked out.




PetPlace
VCA Animal Hospitals
PetMD

Night&Rio

Human/Night

*******

Hi, my name is Night.

This is my sister Rio.

We are looking for a family, a good one!

I would be fine on my own, but my sister is very shy and I don't wanna leave her alone and scared. 

Maybe you can adopt us both?

Or just Rio, if you already have a meow at home that will protect her.

I can wait if it means finding her a good home.

That's what brothers are supposed to do.

So far my sisters Trinity and Juliette have found homes with great families.

Juliette even sent us a picture!

I guess you are wondering why we...I mean they.. Are so shy? 

Well, we were born outside, there was none of that cold white stuff out there. 
What the hell is that??

Snow.. evil snow...

When we were big enough to be on out own, mom would leave us for a bit. 

But she always came back!

Except one time she didn't. 

( according to locals she was hit by a car)

There were 6 of us.

Then there were 5.

( we were informed that one of the kittens took ill and instead of taking the kitten into a vet a local shot and killed the sick kitten)

Then there were 4

I will let the Human tell you the story.

NAfA was informed by someone who took in a kitten with a botfly in their neck- this person informed us of the situation after they found out about its siblings, and what happened to the sick kitten and mother.

The man had been caring for the kitten in his garage. 
It was a few weeks between the time he took in the kitten and the time he called us. 

Purrcy was brought into the program.

He is a very social and sweet cat.

The difference between him and his siblings were like night and day.

Maybe you should have called him Day!

Well, 'Day' was adopted about 2 months ago.

Some humans tricked us into a livetrap. 

We were taken to a home. 

The Human that is helping me with the story..that's where we went. 

Hey Human, what were we like?

They were very cute chickens. 

You spelled Kitten wrong.

No I didn't.

They seemed semi feral. 

At the same time did not show any signs of aggression. 

Well gee human, since when were chickens aggressive!

Highly sarcastic, but not a mean bone in their bodies.

They were scared, but  they were safe and healthy.

Next step was to teach them to trust humans.

Which ones? 

The shooty or the runny over?

The livetrappy.

I'm working on it.

I agree, you are absolutely slowly attempting to de-chickonize.

Stop making up words.

Stop hiding in my jacket when I carry you around.

Lets just agree to work on our issues?

Agreed.

I'm doing better than Rio, I purr.

Rio is doing a bit better at being carried around.

It's a work in progress.

Treats help.

That they do!

So that's our story.

So far.

True, we are waiting to create some new chapters.

Maybe with you?

Not me.

I meant them! You ruined a perfectly good ending!

Sorry, try again.

Please find it in your heart.. To save us from this silly human!

Gee thanks.

You're welcome!

I was being sarcastic.

As was I.

Say goodnight.

Great Night!

 

Awesome Night!

Super Cool Fantastic Night!

Night!

Bye :)

Cat Ailments A to Z - Tapeworm

If only every icky thing could be made into a cute stuffed toy

What is a Tapeworm
A Tapeworm is a Intestinal Parasite

Parasites are the hitchhikers of the world.
They can not survive on their own.
They need a host.
They thrive inside the body of an animal or human, but once outside of the body they die.


Dipylidium Caninum is by far the most common species observed in cats.

Fleas are the intermediate host for Dipylidium Caninum. 

In other words, the tapeworm is unable to complete its life cycle without the presence of fleas in the environment.
Meaning - regardless of what you have seen, the cat must have ingested a flea in order to have tapeworms.
 Needless to say...the chances of a cat having tapeworm grows with the amount of fleas

The tapeworm uses its hook-like mouthparts for anchoring to the wall of the small intestine.

• Eventually, adult tapeworms may reach several inches in length. 

As the adult matures, individual segments called proglottids break off from the main body of the tapeworm and pass into the cat's feces.

• The segments may often be seen near the anus of the cat.
• Each tapeworm segment has its own reproductive organs. ( well that's kinda creepy)
• The segments that are found around the cats anus may move if recently passed
• When they dry, they look like grains of uncooked rice or cucumber seeds.( which is extra icky if you were planning to have rice for dinner)

This is usually how the owner recognizes the Tapeworm infection

• Sometimes, if the cat vomits up Tapeworms you will see it in one long strand. (also not pleasant)

Just to warn you... sometimes it does not make it all the way out.. so the cat takes it back in.. That is the nicest way I can explain that...

• Another sign of Tapeworm would be seeing your cat dragging its butt across the carpet... (Oh joy, poor meows, its gotta feel weird)

Due to Fleas being a host - if you see fleas it may be a good idea to keep on eye on the cats butt... fun times.. and it is always a good idea to examine the litter box ( the things we do for our meows)

.
Tapeworms are the Houdinis of the worm world.
They dry up and generally are not seen in a fecal exam.
Tapeworms look like rice and are generally known to hang out on your pets butt. 
If you are not sure what you are seeing.. this may sound kinda weird..Take a picture
Then your vet can see for themselves.
Worm selfie ?

Cat Ailments A to Z - Sporotrichosis

Sporotrichosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Sporothrix schenckii.
The fungus lives throughout the world and can be found in:

• Soil

• Plants

• Decaying Vegetation.

         

 Cutaneous (skin) infection is the most common form of infection and usually occurs after handling contaminated plant material, when the fungus enters the skin through a small cut or scrape.
That is according to the CDC which is speaking in regards to human contact with the fungus.

If you see your cat holding a plant...you may want to get a few pictures. 

Your Cat will not be handling plant material, or soil or decaying vegetation. It will be walking through it.. stepping on it and then grooming its self which will cause it to be spread from paw to ear or face or even...to us!
This is another one of those Zoonotic diseases that Cats can pass to humans.




The large number of organisms shed from the wound and in the feces of infected cats is believed to be responsible for the increased zoonotic potential of feline sporotrichosi

Self cleaning kitty litters... and hazmat suits? 

In cats, intact male cats that roam outdoors and fight are predisposed to puncture wounds.
The evil fungus is very fond of infecting through a wound.
The cat does not have to be intact to become infected or to infect other animals.
But..
An intact male tends to roam more, and tends to fight more.
Get your Cats fixed and keep them inside...just saying...

Symptoms
There are 3 types - or forms of Sporotrichosis 
Lymphocutaneous

• Small, firm bumps or nodules form
• As infection ascends along the lymphatic vessels, cording and new nodules develop. 
• Lesions ulcerate and discharge a serohemorrhagic exudate. ( they start to ooze a mix of blood and serum)
• Lesions are most often seen on the head, especially on the bridge of the nose and outer ear
• Fighting would result in wounds located on the limbs and torso, tail and neck ( so sounds like you will at least be less likely to see it on their bellies)
• Although systemic illness is not seen initially, chronic illness may result in fever, listlessness, and depression.

Cutaneous

• Remains localized to the site of inoculation ( where it got in the body - cut or wound )
• Lesions may be multicentric( have multiple centers of origin )

Disseminated

•  Rare but potentially fatal and may develop with neglect of cutaneous and lymphocutaneous forms. 

• Infection develops via hematogenous(carried by blood) or tissue spread from the initial site of inoculation to the bone, lungs, liver, spleen, testes, GI tract, or CNS

The Lymphocutaneous form is the most common. 

Merck Veterinary Manual 
CDC  
PetMD 
VetBook

Those sites above can give you more information on how this would be diagnosed and treated. 

I wont be posting any images of what this looks like on a cat. 
- It does not look nice. 

The good news is this does not seem to be common around here (Canada)
The bad news is..Cats live outside of Canada...

The absolute best way to prevent this from occurring is to KEEP YOUR CAT INSIDE 

Outside is just mean at times.  
I know it seems as if we are confining them in some sort of jail.. at least that is how my current foster kitty seems to look at  me thinking...But he's an intact street kitty..well he was a street kitty.. and as of Tuesday he will be neutered. 

I am not sure if any of the sites give any indication on how to stop the fungus from starting in the first place...this may be helpful - If I find some info in regards to that I will add it later.