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Our Green Clinic

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We have always tried to run Cambridge Cat Clinic with the least impact on our environment as possible, and are continuously on the lookout for ways to reduce our footprint (or paw print!).

Here are just a few of both the old and new eco-friendly innovations that we incorporate into our much-loved clinic.

 

Reduce waste production and improve waste management

  • Multiple waste stations allow us to separate all of the waste produced at the clinic, including non-recyclable, recyclable, offensive and clinical.
  • Consumables are reused where possible and feasible in a clinical environment. For example, Bair Hugger blankets (heated hot air blankets used to maintain the body temperature of cats who have been sedated or anaesthetised), which are normally single-use, are successfully cleaned in the washing machine.
  • Printer ink cartridges and non-rechargeable batteries are taken to the correct disposal facilities.
  • We try to be ‘paper-free’ wherever possible and encourage our clients to receive invoices or reminders via email or text message.
  • Our ever-increasing social media presence allows us to minimise paper marketing (flyers etc…)
  • We aim to choose suppliers who have an ethical ethos and use Fair Trade consumables as our first choice.
  • The cat litter that we use is accredited by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), meaning that it is produced from sustainably sourced forests (and also contributes a donation to the Cats Protection charity).
  • Swapping from Sellotape to masking tape helps us take one more small step closer to becoming plastic-free.
  • Coming soon…We are soon to be changing to paper carrier bags!

 

Increase energy efficiency

  • Energy-efficient lightbulbs and motion sensor security lights avoid unnecessary electricity wastage
  • The design of our clinic, especially the high ceilings, help to avoid the need of air conditioning in the summer whilst also retaining heat in the winter.
  • Our computers, lights and appliances are switched off at night to reduce unnecessary energy wastage.
  • We choose white appliances with a low energy star rating (EPA).

 

Reduce chemical product use and minimise toxins

  • We use state of the art, waste-free, digital radiography processing for both our normal and dental radiographs. This means that there are no harmful processing chemicals or x-ray films used, that then need to be disposed of.
  • Our anaesthetic protocols allow us to use very low doses of drugs and volatile gas, producing very low pharmaceutical and greenhouse gas waste.
  • We use as many eco-friendly cleaning products and consumables as feasible in a clinical environment, and these would always be our first choice.

 

Environmental resource conservation

  • Our beautiful flower beds outside the clinic are bursting with wildlife-friendly plants, and we are proud members of the British Bee Veterinary Association.
  • The clinic was designed with an eco-friendly ethos in mind, including the building materials, such as sustainable cedar timber.

 

We believe that every little helps, and if everyone makes one small change, we can better the environment that we all live in.

THE MAX FACTOR! The Importance of Microchipping Your Cat…

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Meet Max, AKA Felix. This handsome cat went missing in December 2013 from his home in Sawston, Cambridgeshire. After months of searching, putting up posters and social media campaigning, his owner Lyn Whittock gave up hope of him returning, fearing the worst. Then one Thursday in March this year, over 5 years since his initial disappearance, clients of ours brought in a stray they’d been caring for. On scanning for a microchip, he turned out to be Max!

Max relaxing at Lyn’s home

Max relaxing at Lyn’s home

Lyn and Max

Lyn & Max

Our clients, Peter and Marion, had been caring for the cat they’d named Felix after he turned up near their home along with another cat, Smudge, in late 2015. These two feline friends had been eating food put out for the birds and foxes, and sheltering under some decking. Over a few months, they gradually got braver and commandeered the shed! Smudge was very friendly, but Felix was much more nervous. Peter and Marion put up posters but received no responses, then sadly in October 2017 Smudge was run over. He had no microchip and was not castrated so may never have belonged to a family, despite being the bolder, friendlier cat. After a few weeks of being on his own Felix decided that Peter and Marion weren’t so scary after all, and moved in, settling down and becoming far more friendly and placid.
It was with some trepidation that they later took him to the Cat Clinic in Fulbourn to check for a microchip, and a bittersweet surprise to find his original owner was found to live only 5 minutes away!
Lyn, of course, was even more shocked, having given up all hope of seeing Max ever again. Lyn had kept the vaccination certificates from when Max was a kitten and thought of him often, but never expected to be reunited. The actual day of the call was especially poignant as it came less than 24 hours after Lyn had to have her German Shepherd dog, Max’s old friend Lily, euthanased due to old age.
“It was such a surprise to hear that Max was still about” says Lyn. “Both him and Dot (his sister) had decided they no longer wanted to live in the house – for no apparent reason to me – and went to live in the garage instead. Dot remained nearby, but Max disappeared and I thought that, unfortunately, he’d been knocked down or taken. For Max to be returned the day after Lily’s passing is unbelievable, and eased my grief a little at that sad time”
Where Max had been between the time he went missing and him showing up at Peter and Marion’s will forever remain a mystery!

Felix/Max at Peter and Marion’s

Felix/Max at Peter and Marion’s

Smudge

and Smudge – separated at birth..?

Since returning, Max has been kept indoors to re-familiarise himself with his old home, but will soon be let out to decide for himself where he wishes to live. Although thrilled to have Max back home, Lyn remains pragmatic about the situation and, putting Max’s feelings first, wants him to choose the place he feels happiest. Lyn, Peter and Marion are keeping in touch, and have an agreement that if Max turns up at Peter and Marion’s again then they will care for him… for however long he chooses to stay.

This story touched all our hearts here at the Cat Clinic and is a perfect illustration of the importance of microchipping your cat.

Part 2: My Cat needs dentistry surgery – But what does that actually involve?

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12:15pm

Now that all of the teeth have been descaled, the vet is able to fully assess how healthy each one is. At the same time, they can examine the gums and mouth, looking for signs that indicate dental and/or oral disease. The tartar often covers the tooth so it can’t be examined until this stage. The vet will use a periodontal probe to examine each tooth, checking probing depth (the depth of the area between tooth and gum – a gap, or pocket of more than 1mm indicates that the tooth may need to be removed). They are also looking for resorption lesions, areas of infection, tooth mobility, furcation exposure (when the area between the roots of multi-rooted teeth is exposed due to bone loss), fractured or missing teeth and periodontal disease (gingivitis and periodontitis).

The Vet then records all of their findings on a dental chart. This is a crucial component of your cat’s medical history, and will be kept with their personal file for life.

12:20pm

The next step is dental radiographs (x-rays). Cambridge Cat Clinic uses state-of-the-art digital dental radiography which provides us with clear, detailed pictures of our patient’s teeth, both above and below the gum line. Approximately 60% of a cat’s tooth is located below the gum line, so it is essential that dental radiography is used. Without x-rays we would miss a large number of diseased teeth, and would not be able to plan or carry out treatment properly. We wouldn’t try to fix a broken leg without taking an x-ray first, would we?

We often have cats visit us at the clinic who appear to have missing teeth on first examination, but when an x-ray is taken, the tooth roots are still in the cats mouth, causing pain and discomfort (these obviously then need to be removed!). Without the X-ray, these would be very hard to detect.

12:30pm

Luckily for McClane, this is his first ever dentistry surgery, so we get to take a fresh look at his mouth!

From the examination of the tooth and the x-rays that we have performed, the vet can see that tooth 409 (the right, mandibular molar) has established periodontal disease, causing loss of soft tissue and bone support, especially affecting the bottom of the root. She can also see that tooth 407 (another right, lower molar) has a “type 2 tooth resorption lesion” which has progressed to “stage 3” severity (deep dental enamel loss that extends into the “pulp cavity”, or nerve). Neither of these dental diseases are reversible and the damage will be causing pain, so both of these teeth need to be extracted!

12:35pm

Having teeth removed is painful. As well as a lovely concoction of a pre-med including pre-emptive analgesia, the vet also now administers a local anaesthetic block to the mandibular nerve, which completely numbs the area around the teeth that are to be extracted. The local anaesthetic will last for 6-8 hours, so will carry on providing pain relief for several hours after surgery.

12:45pm

Once the local anaesthetic has had 10-15 minutes to reach full effect, the vet can begin the delicate, skilled procedure of extracting the teeth. Serious trauma and injury can be caused to the patient if this is not performed by a qualified, competent and experienced Veterinary Surgeon, and it should be noted that tooth extractions are never to be carried out by anyone other than a vet. Our vets usually wear loupes (like a jeweller’s magnifying glasses) as cats have very small teeth, with slender, brittle roots, and the specific instruments and suture material used for dentistry are very fine.

The vet uses a surgical flap technique to open the gum, exposing the bone around the tooth, to reveal root surfaces and allow a good repair after extracting the necessary teeth. A small amount of bone is removed from around the tooth roots to allow the vet to see the roots to be extracted. Teeth with more than one root are divided using a high speed, water-cooled drill. Tiny sharp instruments, precise technique and patience are need to stretch the periodontal ligaments and finally remove the tooth root. After extraction any rough bone is smoothed and the tooth socket is cleaned of any debris.

Once the teeth are successfully removed, post extraction radiographs are performed to ensure that all fragments of the tooth have been removed. The extraction sites are then flushed with saline and sutured (stitched up) with a dissolvable suture, to promote fast healing, and prevent any food or debris from becoming trapped in the hole where the tooth was, which can cause pain and infection.

1:05pm

The vet now polishes the remaining teeth, which helps to smooth the tooth surface, making it harder for plaque to accumulate. The mouth is then carefully rinsed out, and an oral mouth wash rinse applied, before the throat pack is removed.

1:10pm

McClane is then allowed to wake up quietly and slowly from his anaesthetic, whilst remaining cuddled up in the warm Bair Hugger blanket and we give him a nice groom (we imagine grooming yourself with a sore mouth is not very nice!). When ready, he is “extubated” (his endotracheal breathing tube is removed) and allowed to breathe oxygen and room air through a face mask.

1:20pm

Once McClane is fully awake, and all monitoring and anaesthetic equipment has been removed, he is taken back to a hospital pod, temporarily separated from his brother, to recover. We monitor him closely whilst he is in recovery – this is one of the most crucial periods for post-anaesthetic complications.

1:30pm

McClane is now ready for his belated breakfast, which he eats very enthusiastically (and with surprising ease, despite his mouth being a little numb after the local anaesthetic block).

1:40pm

McClane continues to recover under close supervision, whilst Mojo is prepped ready for his own dentistry procedure. Despite having significant gingivitis (inflamed gums) present throughout his mouth, Mojo’s teeth only showed early or mild periodontal disease. With no problems identified in his radiographs, treatment with scaling and polishing above and below the gumline was performed and no extractions were needed.

Both boys had several teeth with probing depths of 1mm, so it will be very important for them to receive home dental care (tooth brushing) to prevent these teeth from requiring extraction in the future.

2:45pm

The brothers McClane and Mojo have been reunited, and are tucking into their second breakfasts of the day. Now that they have both recovered well from their surgeries, their owner is phoned to update them that all had gone very well, and to arrange a discharge appointment for later that day.

6pm

Their owners are here to collect them. The vet meets with the boys’ owners to discuss the day’s surgeries, explaining the findings from the radiographs, and providing verbal and written aftercare instructions. As McClane had multiple extractions, he has been given a bottle of pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication, to take at home for the next few days.

Once their intravenous catheters have been removed, temporary pressure bandages applied, and identification collars removed, the brothers are transported into their carriers, and into Reception, ready to go home.

The vet has asked them to come back in 10-14 days for a recheck appointment, but sooner if they have any concerns.

10-14 days later

The brothers are back for their recheck appointment with the vet. They have recovered very well, and the surgical extraction sites in McClane’s mouth are healing nicely. The vet now takes this opportunity to speak to the owners regarding home dental care, and the options available which may suit the personalities and temperaments of the Tonkinese brothers. Prevention of periodontal disease is aimed at controlling plaque. As you can imagine, some cats will tolerate tooth brushing, whereas others certainly will not, so a plaque-repelling granule or oral mouthwash may be more suitable. McClane and Mojo’s owners will be sent a reminder in 6 months to invite them back for a recheck appointment, to see how their mouths are looking.

As you can see, good quality, thorough feline dentistry is quite involved and this really is just the basics of what we get up to behind the scenes. Where multiple extractions are needed, dentistry can be time consuming and incur significant costs.

Cats are the masters of hiding their problems. Even those cats with severe or painful oral health problems may not show any obvious signs, and rarely stop eating.

This is why it is important to have regular health checks with the vet, who can take an experienced peek inside their mouth, and indicate if there is a problem. Carrying out recommended dental work, in a timely manner is very important to preserve your cat’s teeth and limit the progression of dental disease.

If in doubt, contact us today on 01223 880707 (or contact us here)to make an appointment for your cat to have a dental check!

My cat needs dentistry surgery – but what does that actually involve?

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People often worry when their cats are coming in to see us for “a dental”. However, tooth disease is very common as cats get older, and treatment (including surgery) is absolutely necessary to maintain a good quality of life. So, in this blog, we’re going to follow two of our recent patients when they came in for dental care with us!

9am – These are Mojo and McClane, who are staying with us for the day to have their dentistry surgeries. They are a very bonded pair, so have come in to the clinic on the same day, to keep each other company. Minimising stress in the clinic is in many cases the key to a successful outcome, so we work very hard to keep our patients as happy and relaxed as possible.

The pair have their admission appointment with vet Mini, who discusses the day’s plan with their owner. She then gives the boys a general health check, and performs any necessary pre-surgery procedures, such as blood pressure measurement and blood sample analysis. Mini then places a paper identification collar on the cats’ necks.
At the end of the admission appointment, Mini asks their owners to read through, and sign, their procedure consent forms. We also ask the owners to record emergency contact details for the day, any belongings left with the cats, and any particular food preferences for their dinner once they have recovered from their anaesthesia. We have a cupboard full of tasty and ‘naughty’ delicacies, too!

9:40am – The boys are settled into their hospital accommodation. They have their owner’s old jumper with them, along with lots of lovely soft vet-bedding, to help them feel at ease in unfamiliar surroundings. Cats rely heavily on familiar scents to help them feel comfortable and safe, so a well-used blanket, bed or even piece of old clothing should be brought along on the day.

Our hospital accommodation pods contain removable shelves for cats to climb up onto, or hide behind. We also add in litter trays, water bowls, toys, beds, cardboard boxes and blankets or towels for our patients to hide underneath. The hospital has Feliway (a synthetic copy of the pheromone that cats produce, to help create the feelings of safety and familiarity in their own environments) diffused into the room, as well as sprayed onto bedding. We also spray Pet Remedy onto a small towel or blanket, which many cats find very comforting.

As Mojo and McClane are brothers and very bonded, they are housed in the same accommodation pod for the time before their procedures. After their procedures, they will recover separately, but as soon as they wake up, the boys will be reunited once again.

10am – The Tonkinese twosome are now settled into their accommodation, and are relaxing after the initial stress of travelling to the clinic. Cats do not cope well with stress, and it is very important to allow them ample time to settle and calm before their procedures. This pre-procedure time also allows us to monitor the cats’ vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate and effort, and blood pressure) whilst they are relaxed (stress can massively affect their vitals) and wait for the test results of any blood or urine analysis taken that morning.
As you can see, they both chose to cuddle up underneath the shelf, with Mojo using McClane to hide behind!

11:30am – All equipment has been set up, and the anaesthetic protocol for each patient individually planned. We are ready to go!
McClane is the first to have his surgery this morning. McClane is cuddled into a carrier to allow him to be safely moved into our prep room, where he will have his pre-medication (pre-med) injection. We tend not to administer injections to patients whilst they are in their hospital accommodation, as we prefer them to see this room as their safe place, where they can rest and recover, without feeling scared.

Whilst McClane is cuddled up with a blanket in the carrier, the pre-med is gently administered via injection into a muscle, avoiding any unnecessary handling or struggling. A pre-med usually consists of as many as three drugs mixed together which each provide different analgesic (pain relief) and/or sedative effects. Administering a pre-med allows the patients to relax and become a little sleepy before their anaesthetic. This promotes a smoother induction and recovery from the anaesthetic, provide pre-emptive pain relief (thus reducing the pain a patient feels) and allows pre-anaesthesia procedures to be carried out, such as placement of intravenous catheters and administration of oxygen therapy.

11:45am – After 15-20 minutes, McClane has become a little sleepy, and is happy to be carried to our dentistry table. Whilst he is cuddled up on a warm blanket, an intravenous catheter is placed into a vein in McClane’s front leg. This allows for the administration of anaesthetic drugs, the administration of intravenous fluids, and provides emergency intravenous access.

When ready, we then administer an intravenous anaesthetic liquid that puts McClane into a state of unconsciousness. We can then pass the endotracheal tube down his trachea (windpipe) which allows us to administer oxygen and anaesthetic gas.

He is then hooked up to various monitoring equipment that provides us with information on his:
– Heart rate, rhythm and electrical output (ECG)
– Pulse rate and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2)
– Respiratory rate and rhythm
– Carbon dioxide output (capnograph)
– Temperature
– Blood pressure

As well as all of the fancy equipment, McClane is also monitored continuously, and most importantly, by one of our highly trained Registered veterinary Nurses.

11:50am – To keep him warm throughout his surgery, McClane is laying on top of a Bair Hugger blanket (warm air is circulated through this), and is covered with plastic wrapping (to trap the warm air) and a thick fleece blanket to keep him nice and cosy. Cats can lose body heat very quickly during anaesthesia, so it is essential to try to keep the process as quick as possible, whilst also providing extra heating support.

We also use several extra pieces of equipment, such as fluid warming devices, and heat and moisture exchange units, which sit on the end of the anaesthetic circuits, to warm and moisten the oxygen that McClane breathes in during his surgery.

McClane is then connected to a syringe driver, which provides carefully calculated measures of intravenous fluid therapy to help maintain his blood pressure throughout the procedure and protect his kidneys. The fluid rate is adjusted throughout the procedure, where necessary.

12pm – Once McClane is settled under his anaesthesia, Mini places an absorbent throat pack (cotton wool pad) into the back of his throat, to help absorb any excess fluid, thus further protecting his delicate airways. She then begins to descale his teeth using an ultrasonic descaler. Descaling removes plaque and calculus from above and most importantly below the gum line. A small hand scaler is used to get right under the gum (subgingival). Plaque is the off-white, sticky accumulation on the surface of teeth made up of food particles, bacteria and bacterial products (the furry layer we feel on our teeth in the morning before brushing). Plaque is the main cause of periodontal disease, and turns into Calculus (or tartar/scale) in less than 48 hours after brushing. Calculus can only be removed via descaling, and for several r

easons, cats have to be anaesthetised for this procedure! The mouth is rinsed with water, and then an antiseptic mouthwash after scaling to reduce bacteria before any surgery.

 

Descaling is more than a cosmetic procedure: it is very important to remove irritants and debris from the teeth and gums in order to treat reversible or early periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Stay tuned for next month’s blog, Part 2: My Cat needs dentistry surgery – but what does that actually involve?
If you think your cat may have dental disease (for example, bad breath, visibly dirty teeth, or slowness eating), make an appointment to see one of our vets to discuss it or visit our dentistry page here.

World Spay Day!

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You may not know this… but all over the world yesterday, animal welfare organisations were promoting the neutering of cats as part of World Spay Day. As a practice, we strongly recommend routine neutering, so in this blog we’re going to look at why we think it’s important; when the best time to neuter is, and then talk briefly about the procedure.

Why neuter?

The most important reason is for population control. Some studies suggest that 68% of all litters are unplanned (many of which are also unwanted), which results in literally millions of unhomed cats each year. A queen can have up to three litters a year. In ideal conditions, a pair of entire cats can produce as many as 40,000 kittens over a seven year period; and these kittens all need homes, if they aren’t to become feral. In addition, of course, hunting cats are one of the biggest causes of wildlife loss in the UK, with lactating mothers being particularly voracious hunters.

There are other reasons, however, that are almost equally pressing.

Entire, unneutered cats are at increased risk of a number of different disease conditions. In particular, we are concerned about pyometra (infection of the uterus), Feline Leukaemia (a virus attacking the immune system and known to trigger cancer), and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (“Feline Aids”). Of course, it is also important to realise that entire cats are at significantly higher risk of injuries and abscesses from fighting as well. These risks are minimised in neutered cats.

Finally, entire cats display a number of behaviours that many owners find undesirable. They are more likely to roam or wander off; tomcats are prone to spraying; and queens usually spend 3-5 days, every 2-3 weeks, calling for a mate. A calling queen is often misinterpreted as being in pain, leading to distress for the owner and the neighbours. These problems are eliminated or at least minimised by neutering.

When should cats be neutered?

The very best time to neuter your cats is before they have the chance to breed – in other words, we strongly recommend neutering before puberty. The reason is that it can be hard for a human to determine whether or not a cat has reached maturity, and therefore to take action to prevent an unwanted litter. It also means that “bad habits” like roaming, fighting, and spraying never develop, which is much more effective than trying to stop them later in adolescence or adulthood.

Most cats start puberty at about 5-7 months old, although it does depend on the time of year they’re born. As a result, we recommend neutering at about 4 months old. All the evidence we have suggests that there is no additional risk to neutering at this age, with modern anaesthetics and monitoring. In addition, we now know that, in cats, there are no adverse effects on their development to neutering before maturity.

What happens when my cat comes to be neutered?

You’ll meet with one of our nurses, who will need to discuss your your cat’s health, and then quickly run through the paperwork. They will then be admitted into our ward, and one of our vets will listen to their heart and lungs to rule underlying conditions that could affect the anaesthetic. Assuming there are no concerns, we will then give the patient a premed – a mild sedative and painkiller to help them settle down. When we’re ready, they’ll come down to the prep room, and be given an anaesthetic injection into a vein in the front leg. The nurse will then prepare the surgical area, and the vet will operate.

For the queens, the procedure is termed a spay. We’ll clip up a small patch on their flank, and a very small incision (perhaps 1-2cm long) is made into the abdomen. The vet will remove her uterus and ovaries through the hole, and then suture up the muscle layers, and then the skin – usually with buried dissolvable stitches and tissue glue on top. This is essentially a keyhole procedure, and cats recover very rapidly.

For toms, the operation is castration and it’s much easier. The fur is plucked from the scrotal skin and then each side is incised, the testicle pulled out and tied off, and then the spermatic cords are cut. It’s incredibly fast – 10-15 minutes from induction of anaesthesia to waking them up – and complications are exceptionally rare.

Afterwards, we will take your cat back into the ward to recover; they will usually be ready to go home that night. It’s important that they get pain relief for a few days after surgery (we’ll usually send them home with a liquid medicine containing a cat-safe anti-inflammatory medicine to go on their food), and that they don’t lick at their wounds (for this reason, we strongly recommend that they wear a collar when alone). After about 10 days, they’re free to do what they want again, as the wounds will have fully healed.

If you have any queries or questions about neutering, please contact us and talk to one of our vets!

My Cat’s New Year’s Resolutions

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Don’t worry if you are a bit slow off the mark with this year’s resolutions – everyone knows that they don’t really start until February…!

Play with my owner more
Cats need lots of physical and mental stimulation to keep them happy and stress-free.

Cut down on the Dreamies
Lots of cats are overweight – this can lead to disease and a shortened lifespan.

Get my jabs, and protect my feline friends.
Vaccines protect not only your own cat, but also create “herd immunity”, caring for entire feline population.

Stay parasite free
Regular prescription worm and flea control is essential to keep your cat, and your extended family safe (humans and other species included!).

Take care of my fangs
Dental disease is the most common disease of cats. Most cats over five years old will suffer from some form of dental disease, ranging from mild gingivitis, painful tooth abscesses or feline resorptive lesions.

Give my owners peace of mind
A life-long insurance policy is highly advised for all cats, to assist with any unexpected accidents and emergencies, as well as long term diseases.

To help your cat with their New Year resolutions, enquire about our Preventative Healthcare Packages. These simple and affordable packages make it easier for you to provide your cat with exceptional preventative healthcare, as well as helping you to budget.

Life changing tips for cats with arthritis

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Arthritis in cats is severely under-diagnosed, and part of the reason for this is that cats are masters at hiding the signs of pain. In one published study, 60% of cats over the age of 12 years old had some form of degenerative joint disease. It is now common knowledge that Arthritis is very common in cats, and affects their hips, elbows, knees and ankles.

Signs of Arthritis in cats may include reduced mobility (e.g. doesn’t want to jump up on surfaces, reluctant to climb the stairs, difficulty using litter tray or cat flap) reduced activity (e.g. sleeping or relaxing more than usual, not interested in playtime, reduced hunting), altered grooming (e.g. matted fur around the back half of your cat and joints, reduced grooming activity, scurfy or dull coat, over grooming of painful areas, overgrown claws) and a change in temperament (e.g. grumpy when picked up or stroked, avoiding interaction, spending time alone). Again remember that these signs can be very difficult to see, and many owners do not notice the difference until there is an improvement after treatment.

Treatment varies from cat to cat and includes pain relief, anti-inflammatories, acupuncture and modifying the cat’s environment.

If your cat has already been diagnosed with arthritis and is receiving treatment, you may already be seeing the benefits or improvement after treatment has commenced. As with humans, the cold winter months can exacerbate the pain and symptoms associated with arthritis, so it is important to provide our arthritic cats with a little extra care and attention. Below are some important management steps to include when caring for your cat this winter:

  • Multiple litter trays indoor: Due to the cold weather, or difficulty getting through the cat flap or an open window, your cat may need to go to the toilet inside, so should have multiple litter trays provided. Litter trays should have shallow sides, so that they are easy to climb into, and should be filled with a soft litter material (sometimes hard litters can be uncomfortable to stand on)
  • Soft warm beds: Place soft and warm beds in easy to reach, accessible locations, so that your cat can curl up to keep warm. Ensure that they are not placed in drafty areas.
  • Extra warmth: Sometimes a gently heated water bottle, or heat pad, can make your cat feel extra cozy – ensure these are safe for your cat, and are covered to avoid heat burns/scalds.
  • TLC: Spend some extra time giving your cat a groom, and caring for their claws, as they may find this more difficult in the winter, if they are feeling a little extra stiff. Ensure to monitor them carefully for signs of extra pain or discomfort – Arthritis is an ongoing chronic condition that needs regular assessment from your Vet.

We offer a nurse-led arthritis clinic to help you provide the optimum care for your cat.

call us on 01223880707 to arrange an appointment

 

Raw Feeding: Feline Hungry!

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The pet food aisle at your local supermarket or pet shop can be bewildering and slightly intimidating, to say the least. With the pet food market ever expanding, many cat owners are veering towards raw, or BARF diets (bones and raw food). Whatever you choose to feed your cat, we recommend a well-planned and species appropriate diet. Home prepared diets (cooked or raw) are often unbalanced and lead to serious health problems. Cats are strictly carnivores, and therefore can never become vegetarians (or vegans!).

It is difficult to find unbiased advice or information on raw feeding versus processed diets, and at Cambridge Cat Clinic we do not solely recommend one or the other, but wanted to give you the facts.

Lovers of raw feeding are of the opinion that processed diets cause ill health and are unnatural, whereas die-hard commercially processed diet fans believe that BARF is unbalanced and spreads Salmonella, Campylobacter and other harmful organisms. There are extreme opinions on both sides of the fence, which probably means that the “correct” diet of choice for our pet cats is somewhere in the middle!

Things to consider when choosing BARF:

Composition: Most owners would not be willing to feed their cat whole rabbits, so many commercial raw food is prepared in convenient mixtures that have already been minced. The food is then defrosted before being fed. Some would argue that by changing the composition of the raw food, we are beginning to process it, but by commercially producing the raw food, the food manufacturers are ensuring that the food is balanced and complete. The frozen nuggets or blocks contain all parts of the food animal, including organs and ground bone, ensuring that all nutrients are provided.

Storage: Commercially prepared raw options are supplied as complete diets in frozen or freeze-dried forms, allowing for safe storage. It is essential to follow the defrosting instructions carefully, as you would with your own food. Whilst processed kibble biscuits can be safely left out for a day or so, you may need to feed your cat more little and often, to suit their normal feeding pattern. It is recommended that any uneaten food is disposed of after 20 minutes. Feeding a raw diet may be more difficult in summer months, when the weather is warmer.

Behaviour and feeding puzzles: One of the benefits of BARF that cannot be denied is the environmental enrichment factor for cats. Although we may not always like it, cats are natural hunters, and receive enjoyment and mental stimulation from catching and eating their prey. Tearing apart and chomping on a raw chicken wing is great physical and mental exercise. When we then mince the chicken wing, and mould it into bite-size nuggets, before freezing it, we are taking away this aspect. It is also very difficult to safely incorporate raw food into feeding puzzles and other no-bowl feeding systems – not to mention the cleaning! BARF diets are not suitable for timed feeders. If a commercially prepared raw diet is used, it would be ideal to feed your cat a suitable raw bone, or raw duck/chicken wing once a week, to increase the enrichment benefit of feeding raw.

Dental health: Fans of raw food believe that BARF diets help to maintain the health and condition of cat’s teeth. By chewing on bones and tearing raw meat, cats have less dental disease. It is difficult to provide evidence for this, but we do see healthier teeth in some prolific hunters who consume the prey they catch.

Safety risks: One of the big concerns of BARF is the health risks to cats and humans. Cooking food helps to kills harmful organisms, such as Listeria, Salmonella, E.coli and Campylobacter, that may be otherwise present in raw food. These organisms can be passed on to humans living in the same environment as your cat, and can cause serious illness if not managed correctly. For this reason, Cambridge Cat Clinic does not recommend that owners consider a raw food diet for their cats in homes with young children, the elderly or other immunocompromised individuals. It is also not recommended to feed BARF to cats that are immunocompromised e.g. cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or those receiving chemotherapy. Deep freezing is known to kill some harmful organisms, and of course correct handling and storage of food is essential.

There is also a potentially increased risk of intestinal parasites, which means that all cats should receive monthly prescription parasite control.

Quality and nutrient value: With all pet food, it is important to ensure the high quality and nutritional value of the ingredients. Where the food comes from is as important as what is inside it. For example, a raw diet containing wild rabbit is likely to be more nutrient dense than a farmed rabbit, but the wild rabbit’s fat and protein content may vary between seasons. Also, wild kangaroo from the Australian outback, may be more preferable to you, than an intensively farmed chicken from Thailand.

Animal welfare: When selecting either processed or raw food diets, where possible choose brands that care for the animals used to feed your cats. Look out for the red tractor farm assured and RSPCA assured badges, with ingredients that are traceable. We also recommend only choosing raw or processed diets that are recommended by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association.

High protein, low carbohydrate: As we have mentioned, cats are carnivores and need to eat animal-derived protein. Despite this, many (most) commercially processed diets contain carbohydrates. Many diets are quoting “grain-free”, which is following on from the human market, but may still contain carbohydrates in large quantities, such as potato and rice. Even when we look on the back of the tin and it says 45% protein, we still aren’t sure where this protein comes from, and the quality. Raw food diets tend to be a bit more transparent in their ingredient list, and have very high levels of animal-protein sources (85-95%), which is far preferable for our small tigers.

Feeding bones: Feeding raw bones can provide great mental and physical stimulation for your cat. Again all raw food safety precautions apply, and it is important not to feed cooked bones (these become brittle and can splinter, causing harm). Please speak to your vet regarding bone selection, as this is dependent on your cat’s age, lifestyle and bone eating experience. Many raw diets will contain minced raw bones, but again this removes the enrichment benefits.

 

To conclude, the take home message is: research your cats feeding choice thoroughly, avoid homemade diets, maintain strict food hygiene safety and do not feed raw food to cats that are immunocompromised, or live with immunocompromised individuals. For more information and advice, please contact a member of our cat clinic team on 01223 880707.

Feline Better!

Stress free travel to the clinic

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As you will know from coming to the clinic, we do everything we can to make sure that we create a stress –free environment for our patients (and their owners). Unfortunately, the most stressful aspect of the whole visit has already happened before they arrive. In most cases, being put in a carrier and then taken on a car journey can be really quite terrifying for our feline friends. At best they stay quiet and cower in the back of the carrier, at worst they spend the whole journey letting out mournful cries and then evacuate their bladder (or worse).

There are various ways to decrease the stress of the experience for them so here are our top tips for a happier car journey.

  • Choose a carrier which is safe and comfortable. Our favourites are the plastic ones that can be taken apart, with a good sized door.
  • Rather than keeping the carrier in the shed or garage, keep it in the house where your cat can see it and it will become a familiar object which no longer induces a fear reaction as soon as it is spotted.
  • If you make it an inviting space by putting a warm cosy bed inside and spraying it with Feliway, your cat may even start to use it as sleeping or resting place. Cats love to investigate boxes and enclosed spaces so give it a try.
  • The best way to get a cat into a carrier is to reverse it in. If your cat usually spreads its legs out and turns into an ‘octo-puss’, try wrapping them in a small towel.
  • Ensure that the carrier has something absorbent on the bottom, just in case of an accident.
  • Try using Feliway spray or Pet remedy on the bedding as this can often help them feel more secure.
  • We recommend that the carrier is put on the back seat as it can be very distracting if they are next to you while driving. The seat belt can be fed through the handle to make it more secure and prevent it sliding or tipping.
  • Some cats prefer to travel in the foot well or even in the boot as long as they are well secured. It is worth trying different locations in the car to see if it makes a difference.
  • Try covering the carrier with a towel, just leaving the door uncovered. This can help your cat feel less exposed and vulnerable.

For further tips and advice, give us a call on 01223880707 or contact us.