Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

I live in the bush in South Africa and we take in a lot of abandoned cats. This year, I have had a few cats suddenly going lame in a paw overnight or even becoming totally paralyzed, then dying within 24 hours with renal failure-like symtoms if we dont get them to a vet in time. When we get the cats to the vet, they just get put down. What is causing this? We can’t take the heartbreak anymore and my husband is saying no more animals after all have passed on.

~ Carina

Siouxsie: Well, Carina, if we had to hazard a guess based on your description, we’d say you may be dealing with bites from venomous critters. And here’s why.

Thomas: We’ve done a little bit of research and we’ve found that there are a number of venomous spiders in South Africa, not to mention scorpions, poisonous snakes and lizards, and other potentially toxic critters like bees and ants.

Dahlia: While most of these insects present minimal risks to healthy adult humans, a few of these can be a lot more toxic to the young and the elderly.

Siouxsie: Keep in mind that your cat weighs about as much as a newborn human infant, and that cats are much more sensitive to certain types of chemicals than humans or other creatures.

Thomas: There are two major types of poisons produced by venomous spiders: neurotoxic and cytotoxic.

Dahlia: Neurotoxic poisons cause damage to the nervous system and brain. They can produce symptoms like paralysis, drooling, seizures, and staggering gait.

Siouxsie: Cytotoxic poisons damage the cells of the body, causing swelling of the bitten area, necrotic sores, systemic infection, and sometimes in severe cases of poisoning, organ failure (such as acute renal failure).

Thomas: Various species of venomous snakes also produce neurotoxic and cytotoxic poisons, as well as a type of poison that produces massive internal bleeding.

Dahlia: The only way you’ll ever really know what’s been killing your cats is to have a necropsy done. This could reveal what type of venom was at work — or if there is some other cause for your cats’ deaths such as bacterial infections.

Siouxsie: So what can you do to prevent further heartbreak? Since you can’t keep poisonous critters away from your land, the next best thing to do is keep your cats indoors — or at the very least, in outdoor enclosures in an area where you can control their potential exposure to venomous visitors.

Thomas: If your cats are indoor-only kitties and they’re having these symptoms, you might want to consult with a pest control expert to see if poisonous insects are finding a way to get into your home and what you can do about it.

Dahlia: We’d also recommend that you talk with your vet and ask him or her what they think happened to your cats. Also, ask about poisonous creatures in your area and see if your vet has a list of symptoms of bites. Maybe if you see the symptoms early enough, you’ll be able to get a cat to the vet in time to save its life.

Siouxsie: Also ask your vet about first aid. If they have information about what you should do if you suspect your cat has been bitten, you’ll be able to take action — and again, maybe slow the progress of the poison enough that a trip to the vet will have a better outcome than euthanasia.

Thomas: We don’t think this means you should never have cats again. But we do think it would be wise to make sure your cats stay indoors only and be vigilant for potentially venomous creatures in your home.

Dahlia: Wherever in the world you live, you’re quite likely to have poisonous snakes, insects, spiders, or reptiles and amphibians in your area. We recommend that all of our readers know what venomous critters live in their area, what the symptoms of poisoning look like in a cat, and what they should do for first aid.

Siouxsie: So, Carina, we hope this helps a little bit. And we’re very sorry about your cats, too.

Thomas: It’s never easy to lose a beloved animal companion, especially when you don’t really know what happened.

Dahlia: You, your husband, and your other kitties are in our thoughts and purrs.

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

My beloved 8-year-old cat, Spinx, had closed pyometra in April of of this year. We didn’t know that; we had taken her in for a lump we found near her nipple. The vet said the lump might be breast cancer, but the pyometra was more serious. He said do the surgery for that first and then deal with the lump and that’s what we did. The surgery went well and she came home and within 2 days was back to normal.

A couple of weeks later her breathing changed and she stopped eating drinking and going to the bathroom. When we took her to the vet, he said we had to put her down because she was dying and he said she had cancer all over. Wouldn’t the vet have known that when he did the surgery for the pyometra? I’m heartbroken for the loss of my best friend. Can you give my any information about this?

~Claudia

Siouxsie: We’re terribly sorry for your loss, Claudia, and we’re sorry that your last two weeks with your beloved Spinx were so traumatic. We do have some answers that might set your heart at ease — at least as far as how your vet responded to your cat’s illnesses.

Thomas: First of all, your vet’s priorities were right. Pyometra is a life-threatening medical emergency.

Dahlia: The closed form of pyometra is particularly deadly, because there’s no way for the infectious material to escape from your cat’s uterus. But the fluids keep building up, which can cause the uterus to rupture, spilling all this purulent matter into your cat’s abdomen. Cats that suffer from uterine rupture usually die within 48 hours.

Siouxsie: Another reason why closed pyometra is so dangerous is that an infected cat’s body tries to eliminate the excess fluid and toxins through the kidneys. The kidneys quickly become overwhelmed and the cat goes into uremic poisoning, which can lead to kidney failure.

Thomas: The only effective treatment for pyometra is an emergency spay. Because the spay incision is quite small, and because your vet was so focused on getting the infected uterus out of your cat’s body without rupturing it, we wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t looking for tumors.

Dahlia: Because your cat was so sick, it would have been dangerous for her to be under anesthesia any longer than absolutely necessary. So again, we’re not surprised that your vet didn’t go poking around in your cat’s belly looking for other cancerous growths.

Siouxsie: Now let’s talk a little bit about your cat’s cancer. Mammary cancer is the third most common cancer in female cats. Unfortunately, about 90% of tumors of the mammary glands in cats are cancerous.

Thomas: Mammary cancers are also generally quite aggressive. Tumors spread from the mammary glands to local lymph nodes and then on to the chest, brain, bone, and even spleen.

Dahlia: Treatment for mammary cancer begins with surgery to remove the entire chain of mammary glands on the affected side. The surgery may be followed by chemotherapy if it is indicated.

Siouxsie: If the veterinarian finds that the mammary cancer is already pretty advanced, he or she might do a less radical form of the surgery as a palliative measure, to make the cat as comfortable as possible and prevent tumors from ulcerating through the skin.

Thomas: One of the most common complications of mammary cancer is the spread of the tumor to the chest, which interferes with the cat’s ability to breathe. This is apparently what happened to your sweet Spinx. Because these types of cancers tend to spread to the chest first, it’s possible that there weren’t any tumors in Spinx’s abdomen.

Dahlia: And finally, let’s talk a bit about how to prevent these terrible diseases.

Siouxsie: Early spaying drastically reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Cats spayed before 6 months of age have 91% less risk of developing this disease, and cats spayed before 1 year of age have an 86% risk reduction. Spaying also completely eliminates the risk of pyometra.

Thomas: We’re not saying this to guilt-trip you, Claudia. A lot of people don’t know that spaying has such a dramatic effect on their cat’s long-term health. That’s why we’re mentioning it here.

Dahlia: We hope anyone who wonders why kitties like us (and the people who love us) make such a big deal about the importance of early spaying will take Claudia and Spinx’s story as an object lesson. Although it’s clearly just about a worst-case scenario, would you want to put your cat — and yourself — through even a fraction of this pain if you didn’t have to?

Siouxsie: Finally, although we know that some of you probably have very strong feelings about Claudia’s letter, we’d ask that you not criticize her. We believe she wants to understand what happened so she can prevent this tragic outcome if she adopts another cat in the future. Thank you in advance for your kindness and compassion.

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

I recently had to evacuate my apartment temporarily, with my two cats, as a result of a fire in the building next door. It occurred to me later that even though I got the cats out OK and I have an idea of how you’re supposed to prepare for evacuating with cats, I don’t know everything. I think it would be a great service to your readers (and to me, if I have to evacuate with my cats again) to write about what cat caretakers need to do in order to be prepared for disasters.

~Adrianna

Siouxsie: You make a very good point, Adrianna. This is really important information, and very few cat caretakers prepare for evacuating with their cats, even if they do think about it.

Thomas: You’ll need to do some crucial planning and preparation long before a disaster occurs, because once that disaster is happening you’re not going to have the time or the ability to get this stuff together.

Dahlia: First, make sure your cats have collars with tags that include your current contact information. Mama put our names on the front of our tags and her cell phone number on the back. Better yet, make sure your cats are microchipped; cats can easily lose their collars because cat collars are designed to break apart if they get hung up in branches or other dangers.

Siouxsie: Modern microchip scanners can detect most types of chips, and most animal shelters in the US have microchip scanners. If you do have your cats microchipped, you must be sure to register your cats with the company’s registry (a lot of people don’t) and that you keep your registry entry updated with your most current contact information.

Thomas: Plan ahead for a safe haven for your cat. Many Red Cross shelters don’t accept pets. Talk to family members and friends outside your immediate area to see if you can bring your cats with you in the event that you need to escape from a disaster. Check for hotels and motels outside your immediate area that allow pets or ask your vet for references to preferred pet boarding facilities.

Dahlia: Get a free pet rescue sticker from the ASPCA to put on your front and back doors. Local pet stores may also sell these stickers.  If you’re evacuating and it’s safe to do so, please write EVACUATED on your pet rescue sticker with a permanent marker.

Siouxsie: Make sure you have one carrier for each cat. This carrier should have enough room for your cat to stand or lie down at full length, and some rescue groups say your carrier should be big enough to keep a litter pan inside. We think it’s more important that the carriers are easy to manage, especially if you have more than one cat. Each carrier should have your cat’s name and your contact information written on it in permanent marker.

Thomas: Put together a “GOD (Get Out of Dodge) bag” for your cats as well as for yourself. Your GOD bag should be easily accessible, as close to the exit as possible, easy to carry, and water-resistant or waterproof. This evacuation kit should include:

• A list of emergency contact phone numbers and addresses of pet-friendly hotels and motels
• Photocopies of your cats’ veterinary records — or, at the very least, proof of vaccinations (if you need to board your cat, proof of vaccination will be required)
• Description of your cats’ feeding and medication requirements
• Recent photos and descriptions (including any special markings or identifying details) of your cats, preferably with you or your family, in case you become separated
• Disposable litter pans, either with litter or without (if you get the kind without litter, be sure to include a small bag of your preferred brand of litter in your evacuation kit)
• Collapsible food and water dishes for each cat
• A seven-day supply of food for each cat (canned food should be in pull-top cans)*
• A seven-day supply of bottled water for you and for each cat*
• A two-week supply, in a waterproof container, of any medications your cat needs to take*
• A pet first aid kit (these are available at pet stores or through the ASPCA) and first aid manual
• Extra bedding
• Paper towels
• Hand sanitizer
• Liquid dish soap
• A blanket and a couple of toys for each cat
• Garbage bags (for clean-up)

* Food, water, and medications should be replaced every two months.

Dahlia: We know this seems like a lot of preparation to make, but trust us — if you ever need it, you’ll be glad you did!

Siouxsie: The New York State Emergency Management Office offers a printable PDF flyer with an excellent guide to pet safety in a variety of emergency situations. It’s free, and we highly recommend that all cat lovers download and print this document as a reference.

Thomas: We hope you never need to use your evacuation plan, but especially if you live in a disaster-prone area, it’s critical that you be prepared to get your pets safe as well as yourself and your human family.  If a situation is not safe for you, it’s not safe for your cats, so please don’t leave them behind!

Dahlia: Thank you for bringing this up, Adrianna. You’re awesome!

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

My 5-year-old female cat, Myrtle, is ill. She has been vomiting up her food on the odd occasion for the past six weeks. She is now bringing up clear liquid, but sometimes foam and sometimes yellow liquid as well. She has become lethargic and depressed. She is not eating properly. She has long, fine hair so I do worry about hairballs, but she drinks lots of water and I give her the hairball syrup once a week.

Myrtle is now hiding under the bed and won’t come out. If I touch her, she growls at me and yelps if I touch her belly. Do you think she has hairballs? I’ve heard hairballs can twist cat’s stomachs. I am very worried.

~Rachael

Siouxsie: This does sound serious, Rachael, and we’d recommend a trip to the vet as soon as possible.

Thomas: Whether the cause of your cat’s stomach trouble is a hairball or something else, she’s clearly sick and in a great deal of discomfort.

Dahlia: That’s right. When your cat hides and acts lethargic, that’s a good sign something is wrong. But when you add to that the fact that she’s yelping if you touch her belly, that’s good sign that something is wrong.

Siouxsie: We cats do swallow quite a bit of fur when we groom ourselves, and generally we do OK with getting the fur back out with a good upchuck once in a while, but sometimes the hairball gets so big that it blocks our stomach and we can’t get it out on our own. When that happens, we need the vet to help get it out.

Thomas: Long-haired cats are particularly prone to hairballs, as you know. Feeding your cat hairball syrup on a regular basis can help keep the problem under control, but the best way to keep your cat from getting hairballs is by grooming her regularly.

Dahlia: Most cat care professionals recommend brushing long-haired cats at least twice a week. But for fine-haired and flat-faced cats like Persians or Persian crosses, daily brushing is imperative — not only to prevent hairballs, but to prevent mats.

Siouxsie: You can also prevent hairballs by giving your cat a dietary supplement. These come in two forms: the syrup or paste such as the one you’re using, and high-fiber additives. The syrup lubricates the hairball and helps it pass through the intestines more easily. The fiber supplements make the stools more solid, which can also help push the hairballs along.

Thomas: A variant on the high-fiber method is to plant a tray of cat grass. Cats naturally tend to eat grass when they go outdoors. Cat grass has the effect of either irritating the stomach enough to induce vomiting — which brings the hairball out through the front — or adding fiber to the diet so that the hairballs come out the back.

Dahlia: Thomas ate a piece of clear packing tape yesterday while Mama wasn’t looking, and he horked up a great big hairball!

Siouxsie: Let us be totally clear that we don’t recommend packing tape as a hairball remedy! Thomas was just being naughty.

Thomas: Hey, it worked!

Dahlia: Anyway, there are also lots of varieties of hairball-control cat foods on the market. You can find them in dry kibble form, and they’re made with extra fiber to get things moving along, if you know what I mean.

Siouxsie: Cats can eat other foreign objects that cause stomach blockages. Fabric and yarn are pretty common culprits, so if you knit or crochet or sew, keep your goods away from your cats. Tinsel is another blockage-inducing material, so we recommend that you not use it as a Christmas tree decoration if you live with cats.

Thomas: And believe me, the “tinsel-butt” phenomenon is not pleasant for cats or humans!

Dahlia: On a related note: if you ever see yarn, thread or tinsel sticking out of your cat’s rectum or mouth, do not pull on it! You could cause serious and potentially fatal internal damage! Take your cat to the vet and have him or her remove it.

Siouxsie: So what it comes down to for you, Rachael, is a trip to the vet right away. In the future, you can help to prevent hairball problems with daily grooming, high-fiber food, cat grass, and giving Myrtle hairball syrup on a schedule recommended by your vet.

Thomas: Even if you do everything we recommend, it may not prevent Myrtle from having hairball problems in the future. But at the very least, it will vastly decrease the chance of a serious incident like this from happening again.

Dahlia: Good luck, Rachael. We sure hope everything comes out OK.