Frequently Asked Questions My cat is urinating blood! What should I do? Blood in the urine is called hematuria and there are several causes.   Chronic irritation from crystals that form when the pH is out of normal range and the urine becomes relatively concentrated.  This is called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder  (FLUTD) or Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS). Cats are obligatory carnivores in nature – which means that they are exclusively meat eaters. Specifically, feral cats subsist on rodents, rabbits, birds and the occasional lizard. This is pretty much a “white meat” diet. We feed our cats commercially prepared diets that are manufactured with corn as the primary protein source and with other grains and fish protein added. In a small population of cats we see an alkalinizing effect in the urine. (pH greater than 7) When the Magnesium phosphates (“ash” from cereal protein) exceeds its solubility in the urine, crystals (called struvite) form. These crystals are angular and lacerate the bladder, causing bleeding. Blood provides a great nutritional source for bacteria and often bacterial infections are secondary. Accumulations of crystals, blood clots, mucous and cellular debris can eventually cause urethral obstruction which is a life threatening situation. We must relieve the obstruction with a urethral catheter immediately and perform some blood chemistries and blood gases to evaluate the function of the cat’s kidneys and systemic pH. Urethral blockage usually occurs in male cats since their urethra is about 1 – 1.5mm in diameter and up to 2 inches long. Oxalate crystals can form in an acidic urine (less than 6) and happens most commonly when cats eat grocery store urinary diets that over acidify their urine. Most FUS can be treated successfully with carefully selected prescription diets that optimize the urine pH. Uroliths or bladder stones can form as the result of FUS or chronic infection. These are irritating and cause bleeding. Easily identified with the ultrasound, the best treatment is removal with laser surgery (laser cystotomy), and corrective diet. Bacterial infections can occur as the result of trauma, poor hygiene or spontaneously and is treated with antibiotics. Idiopathic cystitis can occur which has no known cause and is usually self-limiting. This is a diagnosis that we "back in to" by eliminating the other causes of hematuria. Why should I spay or neuter my cat? Feline overpopulation is a real social problem in today’s world. Every year, millions of healthy cats are put to sleep in shelters across the USA because there are not enough homes to be found.   Statistics show that one breeding pair, in 5 years will result in the production of up to 16,000 kittens if all their kittens had 2 litters per year once they reached the breeding age of 5 - 7 months old. Once cats reach sexual maturity they become “breeding machines” and will escape at every opportunity to suitors outdoors. Moreover, female cats are induced ovulators, which means that once they start coming into estrus (heat) they will stay under hormonal stimulation and stay in heat until they mate. This can lead to uterine disease and cancer in mid to later life. Male cat urine acquires a characteristic strong smell, which can destroy flooring, and carpeting in a home if the cat begins marking. Finally, feline AIDS, the feline equivalent of human AIDS is spread by fighting (blood transfer) and breeding (body fluid transfer). 25% of all stray unneutered male cats have the disease. Neutered and spayed cats make loving affectionate pets. Is early age spay/neuter safe? Absolutely! We spay and neuter kittens at 8 weeks of age and older. A university study was done that showed that the lowest incidence of postoperative complications was in the early age group. The American Veterinary Medical Association has approved the technique. Does my indoor cat need leukemia vaccination? Generally, no. We recommend leukemia vaccination for all outdoor cats because these cats are at risk of encountering infected cats outside. Leukemia virus is transmitted between cats in aerosolized drops of body fluids and by sharing common water, food and litter areas. If you have an outdoor enclosure for your cat or if your cat has access to other outside cats through sliding doors or windows then your cat may be at risk and should be vaccinated. I don’t understand the new vaccination protocol! The American Association of Feline Practitioners in response to an increase in vaccination site fibrosarcomas has recommended a new vaccine schedule. In the mid-1980’s we began seeing cats with connective tissue tumors called fibrosarcoma at the location where vaccines are commonly given. These tumors are difficult to remove surgically and often require chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The incidence is extremely low, however the AAFP and most feline practitioners feel that we should take steps to ensure that you cat won’t acquire this tumor. It is thought that adjuvant in the vaccine is the culprit. Adjuvant is a chemical irritant that is added to the vaccine to enhance the body’s immune response to the vaccine. Even vaccines that humans take have adjuvant added. In response to the fibrosarcoma issue a few companies have developed non-adjuvanted vaccine. The Cat Hospital now uses only non-adjuvanted vaccine with one exception and that is Rabies. You now have a choice. The three-year Rabies vaccine is adjuvanted. If you want a non-adjuvanted vaccine, you must choose a one-year Rabies vaccine. All of our distemper and leukemia vaccine is non-adjuvanted. The “distemper” vaccine that your cat receives is actually three vaccines in one! It contains the vaccine for the respiratory viruses Herpes and Calici as well as Panleukopenia virus. We know now that your cat needs the Panleukopenia virus vaccine only every three years. So, on the alternate years we are now using an intranasal (so we don’t have to give the injection) vaccine that is bivalent, that is, contains only Herpes and Calici virus vaccines (the kitty flu!). These changes are for your cats’ health. How often does my cat need a physical examination? We recommend annual physical examinations up to age 10 years then semi-annually. One year of human life is approximately 4 years of kitty life. A lot of changes can happen in that time. We can detect early heart murmurs and arrhythmias before that become a clinical problem. After age 10 we recommend diagnostic blood testing once yearly.  Is it humane to declaw my indoor cat? Advances in laser surgery have resulted in technology that allows us to perform virtually painless onychectomy (declaw) procedures. Cats can go home on the same day as the procedure and return to normal activity the next day. Why is it safer to keep my cat indoors? New England has seen a tremendous increase in the population of coyotes since their natural predator (the puma) has been hunted to extinction in the Northeast. Coyotes are in most suburban and some urban areas. The are nocturnal hunters and hunt in packs. Cats seem to be a delicacy for them. The few fortunate cats who get away sustain severe trauma that requires reconstructive surgery in most cases. In addition to the threat of coyote attacks, there are automobile accidents, diseases like Feline AIDS and leukemia endemic in the stray cat population.  Fighting for their territory results in abscesses that require medical attention. Then there are parasites including intestinal, skin (fleas and ticks, ringworm), and Heartworm disease. In general, the life expectancy of an indoor cat is 4 – 6 years longer than for the outdoor cat. How many is too many cats? (or,  should every life have 9 cats?) Overcrowding leads to an increase in disease and neurotic and dominance behavior in cats. There is, of course, the consideration of cost of providing adequate medical care as the clowder of cats matures into their geriatric years. On the other hand, cats are by nature gregarious and most cats enjoy the company of other cats and form intense bonds with their housemates. One must consider the size of the home, how many litter boxes that can easily be provided (one box for every two cats) and can adequate “safe” or “escape” areas be provided. In general 2 – 4 cats per household is a harmonious group. What diseases can I catch from my cat? Rabies is the most serious of all the zoonotic (transmissible from animal to man) diseases.   Fortunately, our vaccines provide virtually 100% effective protection for our cats. Skin parasites such as mites (Sarcoptes, Cheylitiella, and Demodex) and fungi (Microsporum – ringworm) are usually transmitted where there is poor hygiene. Larval migrans in humans is the larval form of an intestinal nematode. This is again seen where there is poor hygiene, dirty litter boxes or sandy areas that children play in, and cats with parasites use for elimination.    For a detailed discussion of these and other zoonotic diseases check out this link: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/resources/brochure/zoonoticdisease.html