What are guidelines for taking care of an adult cat?

How do I introduce a "new" cat into a home with a minimum of fuss?

What do I do if I lose my cat?

What are some important facts to know about cats?

What an indoor cat misses

What are guidelines for taking care of an adult cat?

1. Don’t change his diet! This can cause serious digestive upsets, resulting in diarrhea, dehydration, and a trip to the vet. If you wish to change his food, do so gradually over several weeks by mixing his food with the brand you wish to use. Initially, use more of his brand and gradually add more and more of the desired brand.

2. We recommend taking your new adult cat to your own vet within 72 hours. Although vet-checked prior to adoption, animals can harbor diseases or problems that aren’t apparent at the time of his vet visit. Additionally, it gives the vet an opportunity to meet your cat and establish a relationship. He can do a basic wellness check, as well as body-weight check, as a future reference point. However, if you notice weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lack of grooming, no energy, or failure to grow, please contact SpayMart or your vet immediately. These are all signs of sickness and should not be ignored.

3. Decide where the litter box will be and restrict the cat to that area until he is acclimated and uses it appropriately. Don’t change the brand of litter, and remember that some cats prefer litter boxes without covers, incidentally; all cats prefer clean boxes scooped daily.

4. Cats are creatures of habit! New surroundings, new people, and other household pets require a period of adjustment. It is not abnormal for your new adult cat to initially hide under the bed or other furniture for one to two days, provided he is eating and drinking. Hiding longer than several days is not normal and should be reported to SpayMart immediately. (Cats are different from dogs in that they develop often irreversible liver problems when they stop eating entirely for more than several days.)

5. Acclimate your new cat gradually to existing household pets. Don’t expect miracles. Initially, there will be some hissing and spitting. It is recommended that you confine the new cat in one room (preferably with the litter box he will be using).
   
   We also recommend one litter box per cat. Let the new cat sniff other household pets under the door for three or four days. Remember, in the world of felines, everything revolves around odor, or scent, and your new cat has a different scent that existing pets are not accustomed to.
   
   After several days, put the new feline in a pet carrier and allow your visiting pets to inspect the newcomer. Don’t be upset with some hissing and other negative behavior. This may be necessary for several days for 45 minutes to an hour. Then, return the new pet to his room. When the reaction gets less dramatic and the other cats seem to ignore the carrier, let him out supervised. Some aggressive males never accept newcomers. If this is the case, the new cat should be returned to SpayMart.

6. We do not recommend bathing your adult cat. Cats are immaculate animals that constantly groom themselves (unless they are sick). Additionally, all cats adopted from SpayMart have been treated for fleas with “Advantage.” Because you adopted an indoor cat that doesn’t go outside to get reinfested with fleas, there is no reason to bathe him. Bathing is extremely frenetic for adult cats, who aren’t used to water, and will complicate the entire adjustment process, as well as pose threats to you from scratching as well as biting due to fear.

7. This organization does not promote declawing (removing the first joint from each toe). If, however, you choose this option, the procedure should occur by 6 months of age, due to body weight and healing issues. We recommend keeping the nails clipped short (just below where the nail turns slightly purple, to avoid bleeding), providing an adequate scratching post (at least 5 feet tall). You can make your own with PVC pipe, natural jute (rope) and a hot glue gun, and if you’re patient and home quite a bit, behavior modification. Purchase a water gun from Wal-Mart and give him a good squirt when he misbehaves. Cats are very intelligent and learn rapidly.
   

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How do I introduce a "new" cat into a home with a minimum of fuss?

Chances are excellent that your "old" cat will not be happy to see your "new" cat move in. Cats are very territorial and do not generally welcome intruders.

To introduce your "new" cat with a minimum of fuss, we recommend:

1. If your "old" cat is an adult, generally it is easier to introduce a kitten than another older cat.

2. Scent is everything to a cat. Once they are used to each other's scent, peace will reign in your home. Until then, expect growling, hissing, spitting, hiding, and urinating (to mark territory), etc. This is normal.

3. Do NOT just let your new cat loose in your house. Confine it to a carrier or a cage in the middle of the room so your old cat can approach it. When it is not in the carrier or cage, confine it to another, preferably small, room. A bath or bedroom works well. This way they can smell each other under the door.

4. Exchange their linens. Put the new one's towel or bed where the old one can smell it. It is especially effective if you put it under your old one's food bowls. This way it will associate the new cat's smell with something good - food!

5. Introduce them GRADUALLY AND SLOWLY. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to a month for the cats to get to know and tolerate one another. Do NOT leave a kitten alone with an older cat until you are certain they like one another and the older cat will not kill it.

6. Remember, a great deal depends upon your older cat's temperament. If your cat is laid-back and friendly, things will go better and more quickly. If your cat is protective of his territory, ill-tempered, or jealous, it will eventually work out, but it will take several more weeks before they can tolerate one another without arguing.

7. Remember to show lots of extra attention to your old cat. Your new cat doesn't expect the attention, and the old one will be watching carefully to see who you might love more. They are just like little children.

IF THE ABOVE DOESN'T WORK, TALK TO YOUR VET OR CALL SPAYMART AT 838-9167.

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What do I do if I lose my cat?

If your cat escapes from the house, remember that the first 24 hours are the most important for getting him back. Cats normally remain under the house or surrounding houses for the first 48 hours. Then they leave in search of food and shelter. The following steps are recommended:

1. Immediately call the SpayMart hot line at 838-9167 to alert the organization.

2. Put out dry food and water and change it daily. Place the food in an area where the cat doesn't feel threatened (i.e., end of a porch or under the house). Sometimes it takes 5 or 6 weeks before you'll see him. Being afraid, cats come at night to eat and hide during the day. Make sure you keep ample food in the bowl.

3. Post flyers describing the cat, the area where lost, and phone numbers to call. (Print shows up best on bright paper, such as neon pink or yellow. Print information large enough to be read by a passing car.) Tack them on telephone poles within a 3-block radius of your house in every direction. Plastic jackets turned upside down will make them rainproof. (Office Depot and OfficeMax sell the jackets.) You could offer a reward.

4. Deliver flyers door-to-door 3 blocks in every direction of where the cat is lost. Hang on front door knobs if no one is home.

5. Run a free ad in The Times-Picayune (call 821-1455). Put brief information, such as "Black-and-white medium-hair," and the locale, such as "3100 block of Magazine Street." Save out one identifying feature (see "Note" below).

6. Go to www.petfinder.com on the Web. They provide a service that allows you to list your lost pet on the Web.

7. Be sure to visit your local animal shelter ASAP and at least every 2 to 3 days to see if your pet was turned in. You might check shelters other than the one nearest your home, as people will sometimes turn them in to a shelter other than the one nearest your home. Don't delay, because they will only hold an animal for 5 working days before euthanizing him if unclaimed.

8. If and when your pet returns, consider an identifying collar and/or microchipping.

Note:
Sometimes people try to take advantage of your situation. They'll call and say they have your cat and will demand a specific amount of money for it. (Note the number of the caller if you have Caller ID.) The first words to say are, "Please describe the cat." Think of one identifying feature not on the flyer that would let you know if it's your cat - like two white feet and two black feet or a white spot on the nose or tip of the tail. If it's something obvious and they don't see it by looking directly at the cat, they probably do not have your pet. This would be even more likely if they ask for more money than you offered as a reward.

It's possible someone in the area liked your cat and decided to take him in! (By the way, the average life of an indoor/outdoor cat is only 2 years.)

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IMPORTANT FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CATS

* Do you know that only clay litter should be used with kittens up to 4 months of age? You should never use scoopable, as kittens oftentimes will eat litter, and scoopable can clump in the intestines, causing a blockage that could result in death.

* Do you know that diarrhea unchecked in kittens can result in dehydration and death within 24 hours? Seek veterinary care immediately.

* Do you know that cats cannot go without eating for more than 2 to 3 days without often developing a serious liver condition known as lipidosis (fatty liver disease)? If not force-fed under veterinary care, this can result in death. (Note: The condition occurs more rapidly in obese cats.)

* Do you know never to change a cat’s diet unless it is done very gradually over a 2-to-3-week period by blending the old food with the new food? (More old than new food initially, and slowly add more of the new food.) Changing the diet rapidly will result in diarrhea and serious gastric upsets. In younger cats, this can result in dehydration and death.

* Do you know that scoopable litter has been linked to urinary infection in cats (particularly male cats)? If your cat is spending too much time in the litter box trying to urinate or if you notice accidents about the house (particularly the bathtub), seek veterinary care immediately. Urinary blockages can cause death within 24 hours. These cats require special urinary-tract diets, low in magnesium and ash. And you should switch to clay litter.

* Do you know that watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing are signs of a respiratory problem? It is serious and requires immediate veterinary care (particularly in kittens).

* Do you know that cats (particularly males) urinating about the house instead of in the litter box is often a sign of urinary-tract infection? This condition is treatable with antibiotics (for 4-6 weeks) and often eliminates the problem.*

SpayMart strongly recommends seeing a veterinarian within 24 to 48 hours after adoption. This is to ensure the health of your new pet and establish a relationship with a veterinarian.

* When animals are housed in close quarters, disease control is difficult.

After 4 months of age - if you prefer to use scoopable litter: There are quality brands that can make dealing with the litter box a better option than clay litter for some people. (The cheaper brands don't work as well.) If using scoopable, you should need to clean the box itself much less often. You could purchase an oversize box (they come with a hood), available at KMart, Wal-Mart and other stores. Keep the litter level about half full (start with about 20 pounds) and add to it as needed. With only one or two cats, you should find even pricey litters to be affordable. Scoopable dries out both feces and urine, and all you'd need to do is scoop daily.

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What an Indoor Cat Misses (link to MS Word Doc)

• BEING HIT BY A CAR

• BEING STOLEN

• GETTING LOST

• ATTACKS BY CATS, DOGS OR COYOTES

• FLEAS, WORMS OR TICKS

• EXPOSURE TO DISEASES FROM OTHER CATS

• POSSIBLE NEIGHBOR COMPLAINTS

• EATING BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE

• CRUEL PEOPLE MISTREATING AND ABUSING THEM

• RAIN, WIND AND EXTREME TEMPERATURES

• ANIMAL TRAPS

• ACCIDENTAL POISONING

• FEAR AND LONELINESS

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