Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County
Cat Care Tips
Congratulations on your adoption! Thank you for making the compassionate choice to adopt your cat from the Humane Society of Lawton-Comanche County. This adoption is a turning point in your new cat's life! Whatever stories she could tell you about her past, the best one begins today as he/she goes home with you! While she was our guest, we did everything we could to keep her happy and healthy. Now it's up to you, but we want to send you off with some tips we have found to be helpful to families with new feline members.
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Cat Adoption Information
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Shopping List For New Cat or Kitten
Food
We recommend a high quality cat or kitten food for your new pet. High quality food can be purchased at any pet store, such as PetSmart, PetCo or Petsence. We also recommend giving canned food through the transitional period of 2-3 weeks, for adult cats, and 4-6 weeks for kittens.
Kittens should be fed a high-quality kitten formula dry food until they reach 1 year of age. Adult cats and juvenile kittens may have a difficult time transitioning into their new diet. To support proper feeding habits if the cat or kitten is not eating, we would suggest warm wet food, baby food or a splash of kitten milk replacement on top of wet food. Cats and kittens are drawn to smelly foods such as tuna and baby food. Do not feed cow’s milk to your cat or kitten! If you notice your new kitten or cat has stopped eating, it is recommended to seek veterinary care immediately.
Equipment
Food
We recommend a high quality cat or kitten food for your new pet. High quality food can be purchased at any pet store, such as PetSmart, PetCo or Petsence. We also recommend giving canned food through the transitional period of 2-3 weeks, for adult cats, and 4-6 weeks for kittens.
Kittens should be fed a high-quality kitten formula dry food until they reach 1 year of age. Adult cats and juvenile kittens may have a difficult time transitioning into their new diet. To support proper feeding habits if the cat or kitten is not eating, we would suggest warm wet food, baby food or a splash of kitten milk replacement on top of wet food. Cats and kittens are drawn to smelly foods such as tuna and baby food. Do not feed cow’s milk to your cat or kitten! If you notice your new kitten or cat has stopped eating, it is recommended to seek veterinary care immediately.
Equipment
- Collar and ID Tag: We recommend that your cat or kitten stay indoors at all times. ID tags and collars are essential in case your cat gets out of the house and becomes lost. We recommend purchasing a breakaway or safety collar for your cat. Because of the acrobatic nature of cats, they can get caught by their collars on branches, etc, and a safety collar will break away to prevent injury. It is always a good idea to have the cat’s name and your name and phone number on the ID tag so that if your cat gets lost they can be easily returned. The rabies, microchip, and license tags are also a good addition to consider.
- Food and Water Dishes: Each cat should have her own food dish, preferably of stainless steel or ceramic.
- Litter Box & Scoop: The rule of thumb for multiple cats is: 1 box per cat, +1 box. Boxes come in various sizes; some have hoods, some have rims; there are even some fancy self-cleaning jobs. Most important is that the box be large enough for your cat. We also recommend that you initially avoid using a covered litter box or pan liners (unless specifically recommended for your cat) as they can discourage proper litter box usage at first. You should also avoid placing litter boxes near washing machines or in other areas where there may be loud, random noises that could frighten your cat, possibly causing them to avoid that area.
- Litter: We primarily use non-clumping pine pellet litter. We recommend continuing to use this at home, unless otherwise recommended for your cat, or do a slow transition over to the new litter to ensure consistent litter box habits. "Clumping" type litter, with texture similar to sand, seems to be accepted by most cats. It does make box cleaning easier, though you may want to use a rug under the box to catch grains that cling to paws. Daily paw checks should be done when using clumping litter to ensure that clumps are not accumulating. Cats definitely prefer unscented litter! Scoop every day, or the clumps will break down and release odor.
- Scratching Post: Cats need to exercise their feet, legs, neck, and shoulders by scratching, so a large, sturdy post is best. Many have perches or beds built in. The best ones combine several textures, such as sisal rope, jute, or burlap, on the scratching surface. Cats may have different preferences of position (vertical vs horizontal) and texture, so you should play around with this to find the right scratching surface for your cat. We also recommend against carpet on the scratching post as it may encourage the cats to begin scratching your carpet.
- Grooming: Nail clippers, either made for cats or human toenail clippers, are recommended for the weekly pedicure to keep those nails short and healthy! A soft bristle brush, a "slicker" type, for pulling out dead undercoat, and a steel comb for medium or longhaired cats will keep your pet groomed. Depending on the length of fur, cats should be brushed weekly (longhair) or biweekly (short hair). This will vary depending on the individual cat’s needs as well. A larger cat who can’t reach to groom his back should get a daily brushing to prevent oil build up and matting.
- Bed: Most cats appreciate a snug nest (or 2 or 3...) in which to curl up and relax. This is a necessity if you don't plan to allow your cat onto the furniture! Windowsill nap ledges are especially appreciated by indoor cats! Cardboard boxes with a blanket are also a favorite! They tend to like deep set bedding that they can feel nestled and secure in.
- Interactive toys: Cat Dancer, "fishing poles" with various objects on a string, light toys (laser pointers or flashlights), and homemade variants, are toys you use to play with your cat. Good for giving a kitten a workout to encourage sleeping through the night, or getting an older cat to get enough exercise; they also help break the ice with new cats!
- Other toys: A variety of toys will allow you to rotate them to keep the cat intrigued when they are on their own. Balls, squeak toys, stuffed animals, kitty mazes, and many more will appeal to your cat's changing moods. An indoor cat can't have too many toys! Many of these supplies can be purchased at any pet retail store. Other options include bird feeders outside of windows and/or the nature channel playing on your T.V. These can help keep a cat entertained while you are at work meaning they are less likely to bombard your legs when you arrive home!
Introducing Your Cat or Kitten to Other Pets
Resident Cats
Resident Cats
- While you are setting up the room your new cat or kitten will occupy for the first week or two, let your other cats examine the bed, toys, litter box, etc. When you bring your new pet home, allow the others a very brief sniff of the carrier. Have ready a bit of their absolute favorite treat, and give it to them as they sniff; then whisk the carrier into the prepared room.
- Whenever you go into the new cat's room, give treats to your old cats, so that they associate the new arrival with good things for them. During the time the new pet is adjusting in his room, switch beds, or blankets, and toys, so the cats become accustomed to each other's scent. Let them have their own space entirely for the first couple of days, and then start introducing the new smells. Feed the cats on opposite sides of the door so that they associate the positive idea of their food with the other cat.
- When you are nearly ready to introduce the cats, give the new one a chance to explore the house while you take the old cats into the new one's room and play with them there. Be sure the new cat knows the lay of the land before letting her out to join the others. Use whatever your old cats like best to reinforce their tolerance of the newcomer: if it is a food treat, use it liberally; if it is a game, or ritual, or toy, make sure that they get more of it whenever the new cat is around.
- Whenever there are signs of aggression (stalking, hissing, swiping or ambushing), interrupt the sequence with something distracting that won't be taken as a reward (use a squirt bottle; make a loud noise; clang pots and pans together - you get the idea!). Loud noises will be heard by both cats, and therefore both will feel the consequences. This is OK if both cats are at fault in the altercation; but if not, it is probably best to use a different tool. The squirt bottle can be a very effective tool if one cat is bullying the other. When used, only the bully feels the spray, but the other cat isn’t affected.
- It usually takes cats from a few days to a few weeks to sort out new relationships. Be vigilant that no one is assuming the role of bully, and that every cat can eat uninterrupted, rest peacefully, and get to the litter box without interference. Distracting a cat that is showing evil intent, and rewarding their small gestures of tolerance generally works much better with cats than punishing them. At any point in the introduction process, you can go back to the beginning for a few days, and start over. If you are worried about serious discord, call us! You don't want bullying behavior to become habitual!
- If your dog is very excitable, or not used to cats, teach him something that will be incompatible with chasing or harassing the cat, such as "down-stay." Have him do it whenever you go into the cat's room, and reward him extravagantly. After the cat has had a day or two to adjust, take the dog into her room with you (on a leash, with the leash dragging) and have him "down-stay." Reward him lavishly for good behavior in the presence of the cat. When you first let the cat out into the rest of the house, it is also a good idea to keep the dog dragging his leash. Have him "down-stay" whenever the cat is close, and continue to reward him. Once the cat is confident and knows her way around the place, let the dog off the leash and continue to reward the dog for all non-aggressive behavior in the presence of the cat.
- If the dog is calm, gentle and tolerant of cats, reward him anyway, whenever the cat is present. Good things should happen to him when the cat is present. For at least the first few weeks, don't leave dogs and cats together unsupervised!
Ensuring Good Litter Habits For Your Cat
Reliable use of the litter box is absolutely essential behavior for a house cat. Fortunately, it is easy to achieve, since no training is required, and you merely manage your cat's environment to take advantage of the species’ natural elimination habits. By following these simple rules, you can make 99.9% sure your cat will be completely civilized in this respect!
Reliable use of the litter box is absolutely essential behavior for a house cat. Fortunately, it is easy to achieve, since no training is required, and you merely manage your cat's environment to take advantage of the species’ natural elimination habits. By following these simple rules, you can make 99.9% sure your cat will be completely civilized in this respect!
- Spay or neuter your cat before the onset of puberty. This will virtually eliminate the hormone-driven urge to ''mark" his territory by spraying urine against vertical surfaces. If you get your cat after the age of 6 months, have him/her altered immediately. If the cat has begun to spray, expect it to take 6 weeks for the hormone levels to drop.
- Don't declaw your cat! A reluctance to use the litter box correlates strongly with declawing, for reasons not yet fully understood. It seems likely that the pain in the paws after surgery is aggravated by the act of covering urine and feces in the box, and the box is abandoned in favor of a more comforting surface, such as carpet, laundry basket, or the bathtub. Although the failure to use the box may not be constant, it may persist throughout the cat's life whenever any discomfort or stress is experienced.
- Keep the litter box clean! The most common reason for failure to use the box is poor housekeeping by the human! At a minimum, the box should be scooped every day. If you use scoopable litter, it should be emptied and washed with soap and water every 2-3 months. If using clay, paper, or pine litter, washing once a week is essential.
- Select the litter and the box from the cat's point of view. Cats usually prefer the scoopable litter (looks and feels like fine sand) that is NOT scented. Ideal depth is 1" -2," though individual preferences may vary. If you have a kitten, or an elderly, arthritic cat, make sure the sides are not too high. Some cats do not like covered boxes. Old cats and very large cats may need an extra-large box.
- Have enough litterboxes! In a multi-cat household, the rule is one box per cat, plus one box. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the bathroom occupied when you really need it, and cats feel the same way. Bad habits can start from just such an emergency.
- Locate the box, or boxes, with accessibility and privacy in mind. If you put the box in the basement, you have to be sure the door is never left closed. This is one drawback of using a bathroom for the box! The ideal location, to a cat, is not too far from his favorite resting place, not too close to his food or water, and in a relatively quiet, low traffic part of the house. If your home has multiple levels, it may be a good idea to have a box on each one. It is best to keep all litter boxes away from washing machines or other areas that may have loud, random noises that can frighten your cat and cause them to avoid that location.
- Always check for medical problems FIRST! Whenever a normally well-civilized cat fails to use the litter box, the first step should always be an exam by the vet. Diarrhea is obviously a sign of being unwell, but urinary tract infections may have no other symptoms than frequent urination and sometimes failing to use the box.
- Always eliminate all traces of house soiling accidents. Even if your cat did it because she was sick, she could return to the site if you don't remove the odor completely. Use an enzyme cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle. If you aren't sure you've found all spots (a cat with a bladder infection may only produce a few drops), use a blacklight to find them.
Recommended Vaccination Schedule for Cats
The following is a suggested feline vaccination schedule. Please follow your veterinarian's advice as there can be many medical reasons for modifying the schedule.
Feline Distemper Combo (FVRCP)
Your cat or kitten will have received at least one series of vaccines while with the Humane Society against Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus (FVRCP). The dates are recorded on the medical history record.
Vaccine schedule for kittens 8 weeks and older:
Rabies Vaccine
State law requires that cats over 12 weeks of age, and owned 1 month be vaccinated against rabies. Rabies vaccines will need to be boostered at 1 year after the first vaccination, and then every 3 years thereafter. If your cat was old enough at the time of adoption, a rabies vaccine will have been administered at the time of adoption and will be listed in your animal’s medical records. If they were under 12 weeks of age at the time of adoption, you should have been given a voucher to have the rabies vaccine done with our Veterinary partners once the kitten is old enough to receive the vaccination.
Feline Leukemia (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are two viral infections that are transmissible from cat to cat. They are among the most common infectious diseases of cats. Both diseases are eventually fatal. Although your cat may appear to be healthy, some cats can live upwards of 7 years without showing any symptoms. It is possible for your cat, if infected, to spread the disease without showing symptoms. Talk to your veterinarian for more information about these diseases.
The following is a suggested feline vaccination schedule. Please follow your veterinarian's advice as there can be many medical reasons for modifying the schedule.
Feline Distemper Combo (FVRCP)
Your cat or kitten will have received at least one series of vaccines while with the Humane Society against Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus (FVRCP). The dates are recorded on the medical history record.
Vaccine schedule for kittens 8 weeks and older:
- Initial vaccination
- Booster every 3 - 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age
- Yearly booster or as recommended by your veterinarian
- Initial vaccination
- Yearly booster
Rabies Vaccine
State law requires that cats over 12 weeks of age, and owned 1 month be vaccinated against rabies. Rabies vaccines will need to be boostered at 1 year after the first vaccination, and then every 3 years thereafter. If your cat was old enough at the time of adoption, a rabies vaccine will have been administered at the time of adoption and will be listed in your animal’s medical records. If they were under 12 weeks of age at the time of adoption, you should have been given a voucher to have the rabies vaccine done with our Veterinary partners once the kitten is old enough to receive the vaccination.
Feline Leukemia (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are two viral infections that are transmissible from cat to cat. They are among the most common infectious diseases of cats. Both diseases are eventually fatal. Although your cat may appear to be healthy, some cats can live upwards of 7 years without showing any symptoms. It is possible for your cat, if infected, to spread the disease without showing symptoms. Talk to your veterinarian for more information about these diseases.
Upper Respiratory Infections in Cats and Kittens
Your new pet may have been exposed to a feline upper respiratory virus (URI), and may not begin to show symptoms for up to 2 weeks. The disease is similar to the human cold, in that the airborne virus mutates too rapidly to allow for effective vaccine prevention, and it is impossible to eliminate it from the shelter environment.
We treat cats and kittens that come down with URI while in our care with antibiotics and supportive care, and if we have observed sneezing in your pet, you will be sent home with medications. These don't CURE the virus, but work to prevent bacterial secondary infections, which can be serious, especially in young kittens.
The Humane Society does all it can to safeguard the health of animals in our care, but we cannot assume responsibility once a pet leaves our facility. We do not provide medical services for owned animals, as all our resources are devoted to the homeless ones in our care. If you have further questions about URI, please call your veterinarian.
Your new pet may have been exposed to a feline upper respiratory virus (URI), and may not begin to show symptoms for up to 2 weeks. The disease is similar to the human cold, in that the airborne virus mutates too rapidly to allow for effective vaccine prevention, and it is impossible to eliminate it from the shelter environment.
We treat cats and kittens that come down with URI while in our care with antibiotics and supportive care, and if we have observed sneezing in your pet, you will be sent home with medications. These don't CURE the virus, but work to prevent bacterial secondary infections, which can be serious, especially in young kittens.
- Monitor your new pet carefully for the first 2 weeks. Be sure your cat is eating and drinking readily, and is active and playful.
- If you notice any sneezing and/or discharge from nose or eyes, squinting or eye redness, loss of appetite, or is being unusually quiet, then your cat may have URI.
- Although the virus often runs its course without permanent damage in 10 - 14 days, there is a chance it could develop a serious secondary infection. Young kittens especially, with the stress of recent surgery and a move to a new environment, can get very sick, very fast! Do not ignore these symptoms. If you alert your vet and get your cat on medication and supportive care, it should be fine. But if you wait, you may jeopardize your pet's health.
- URI is contagious to other cats, and this is another good reason to isolate the new pet at first, especially if you have other cats.
The Humane Society does all it can to safeguard the health of animals in our care, but we cannot assume responsibility once a pet leaves our facility. We do not provide medical services for owned animals, as all our resources are devoted to the homeless ones in our care. If you have further questions about URI, please call your veterinarian.
