Before we answer this week's letter, we'd like to put out a request for help. Any of you readers who live in the Hamilton/Burlington, Ontario, area, and who are looking for a cat to adopt, there's a lovely 7-year-old tabby named Alisha living at the Hamilton SPCA who really needs a home. She was abandoned for no good reason sometime last year, and then finally someone adopted her. Unfortunately, they too have returned her to the shelter. Alisha really needs a loving home, and if you or anyone you know can help her find one, we'd be very grateful if you'd spread the word. There's more information about Alisha at the LiveJournal Cat Adoration Community and at the Hamilton SPCA website.

Thomas has a very similar life story, so we have a soft spot in our hearts for cats who go through these kind of tough times. Thomas and his sisters were brought to the shelter after their human went to a nursing home. They all got sick, but the sisters recovered first. Thomas used up a few of his nine lives with a severe upper respiratory infection. After he got better, he and his sisters were adopted by a family. Unfortunately, his sisters and he didn't get along any more, so the family took him back to the shelter after three weeks. It wasn't because Thomas is a bad cat! He just needed some special help and love. So we're sure that Alisha's unfortunate experience doesn't have anything to do with her behavior! If you can't adopt Alisha yourself, please help us spread the word and find her a lovely, wonderful forever-home!

Dear Sinéad, Siouxsie and Thomas,
I have had my cat about 6 years now. I found her when she was tiny and I fed her formula until she was able to eat food. She has always been a very needy cat. She has to be on my lap at any point that I'm sitting down, and not only that, she's not happy unless she's in your face! She gets upset when you move her too! When she meows at me, it's like a nasty meow!

Another problem is with cat food. All of a sudden, she and my other cat aren't eating any brand of cat food anymore. I went through every brand that's in the stores. I even went to the Iams and healthy stuff. I feel like I'm starving them. I leave a bowl of dry food out all day because they don't eat the wet food at all. When I sit down to eat, she wants my food and acts like she's starving! She will even try to swipe it before I get it in my mouth. So what do you think?

Thank you,
Tracy from NY

Sinéad: Well, Tracy, that is a difficult problem. The first thing we recommend when we hear about cats who stop eating is that they should go to the vet to make sure there isn't any underlying medical condition.

Siouxsie: That's right. Cats who stop eating can suffer from dental problems (which would make it painful for them to eat) or stomach or digestive system problems. So if you haven't taken them to the vet, please do so.

Thomas: If your cats are losing weight because they're not eating, then a trip to the vet is especially important. Cats who lose weight too fast can suffer from a condition called hepatic lipidosis, where fat builds up in the liver and the liver stops functioning properly.

Sinéad: From what you're saying, though, we think there's definitely a behavior problem involved. First of all, your little cat has always been very needy because of her rough start in life. This is something that can be treated, though. An animal behaviorist (which you might find through a referral from your vet) could help you and your little girl to have a better relationship.

Siouxsie: Regarding the food issue, we do have some tips that could help. You didn't give us a lot of specifics, but we have some general advice that will keep your cats happy at supper time.

Thomas: First of all, each cat needs her own dish to eat out of. Cats don't generally like to eat together out of one bowl. It's best if their dishes are placed at least 2 feet apart. Three feet would be better, but it may not be feasible if you live in a small apartment.

Sinéad: Secondly, the dishes should be made of glass, ceramic or stainless steel. Many cats don't like to eat out of plastic dishes, and some cats even develop allergies to the plastic. These kind of allergies can be seen as bald spots or pimples around a cat's chin and lips. Also, plastic dishes can get scratches which serve as hideouts for bacteria and other yucky things.

Siouxsie: Please don't use "double bowls" with water in one side and food in the other. When the water splashes over into the food, it's gross and we don't like it!

Thomas: The cats' dishes should be washed every day, especially if you're feeding canned food. How would you feel if you ate your meals off plates that were crusty with yesterday's dinner?

Sinéad: Make sure the cats' eating area is far away from the litterbox. Cats don't like to eat anywhere near where they go to the bathroom. This is part of our survival instinct, passed down through the generations.

Siouxsie: Here's something else to ask yourself: Was there a change in your life circumstances around the time when your cats started refusing to eat? We cats prefer a life that's steady and low-key, and any changes can throw us for a loop. This would be even more true for your extra-needy cat.

Thomas: And remember, the change could be really minor (in your opinion). For example, did you change brands or "flavors" of dish detergent? If so, maybe the residual smell of that detergent is offensive to your cats. Change back to the old brand and see if they start eating again.

Sinéad: It's really important for you to be strong and not feed your cats scraps from the table. Cats' nutritional needs are different from those of people, and if they're only eating people-food, they may not be getting vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy.

Siouxsie: You will have to deal with guilt trips and "starving kitty" expressions, and probably wails of dismay too, if you keep the cats out of your food. But it is vital that you do this, for the sake of your cats' health and your sanity!

Thomas: And Siouxsie should know! She's the queen of the Starving Kitty Guilt Trip!

Sinéad: Hee hee hee!

Siouxsie: Grrrrrrrr!

Thomas: There are some things you can do to make canned food more palatable for your cats. First of all, we really don't like to eat food that's cold, so if you're storing food in the refrigerator, please heat it a little bit before you feed it to us!

Sinéad: Don't heat the food a lot, though--just enough to make it about body temperature (100 degrees F) or so. Five to 8 seconds in the microwave does the trick quite nicely, according to our human grammie. This is also a good trick for getting geriatric cats to eat; heating the food increases its aroma and stimulates the senses of older cats (who may have lost some of their keen sense of smell and taste).

Siouxsie: Tracy, you don't mention if your cats have had any bowel problems (diarrhea or constipation), but if they have, this may indicate that they have a food allergy. A veterinarian can help you find a hypoallergenic cat food that will help them enjoy their food and have proper bowel movements.

Thomas: And don't worry too much if your cats won't eat canned food, as long as they're eating dry food. Dry food contains the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and they certainly won't die from not eating canned food.

Sinéad: The most important thing for you to do, Tracy, is to make sure that your cats' food issues are not caused by health problems. Once a trip to the vet rules those out, ask for a referral to a behaviorist to help you sort out the food issues and help you with your little cat's ongoing troubles. A veterinary homeopath or other holistic practitioner might be able to help you with this; to find holistic practitioners in your area, we recommend you check the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association directory.

Siouxsie: There are some books you can buy that will help you deal with behavior issues in your cats. We recommend Think Like A Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat, Not a Sour Puss by Pam Johnson-Bennett as a good place to start.

Thomas: We hope this helps, Tracy. Please let us know how things turn out.

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.