Cat lovers know that the right litter can be the key to living with a happy cat

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Remember when there was just one kind of cat litter? Before 1947, the rare cat who lived indoors might have a box filled with sand, ashes, sawdust or soil, which it then tracked through the house, no doubt to the dismay of fastidious housekeepers. In 1947, businessman Edward Lowe handed a bag of granulated clay to a woman who was complaining that her cat tracked ashes through the house. The clay worked, the woman came back for more and the cat litter industry was born.

Now cat lovers might feel as if they’re in a golden age of cat litter. Beyond granulated clay, which remains popular, there is sandlike clumping litter, silica gel crystals, and litter made from recycled newspaper, recycled pine scraps, corn, wheat, walnut shells and grass. For both humans and cats, there’s a litter type for every concern: low tracking, low dust, attractive scent, no scent, low odor, low price and environmental friendliness. Some litters even indicate that a cat may have a urinary tract infection or other condition.

The anonymous woman who sparked the development of granulated clay litter was concerned about tracking, and that remains an issue for many cat owners. While many litters are marketed as being low-tracking, sometimes a larger litter box can also help to solve the problem. Rosemary George of Falls Church, Virginia, says, “I have four cats, so I use cheap clay litter from the grocery store. There are two really large litter pans out on the enclosed sunporch. I scoop them once a day and change them entirely once a week. Once I got huge litter pans, there stopped being so much litter on the floor.”

Cats like what they like, though, and their preferences can win out over an owner’s desire to not have litter tracked through the house. Tery McConville of Mount Vernon, Washington, uses a clumping pine litter. “It gets everywhere,” she says, “but it’s what Princess likes, and it smells nice.”

Humans and cats with asthma benefit from dust-free or low-dust litter. Dust irritates the respiratory tract and can contribute to coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing when cats kick it up as they dig in the litter box. Litters made from wheat, recycled paper, wood and silica gel crystals, as well as some clumping litters, tend to be low in dust. Unscented litters are also good choices when a person or pet in the home has asthma. Anna Wright uses a wheat-based litter, saying, “It’s expensive, but my health and happiness are worth it. It doesn’t give me headaches or trigger coughs for me like so many other products do. I think the cats like it for the same reasons.”

Older cats may have special needs when it comes to litter. When her cat Shadow was in renal failure, Gail Parker of Philadelphia found that replacing litter with newspaper helped prevent him from urinating outside the litter box. She believes the paper was softer on his paws and found that her other cats preferred it, too. Parker puts sections of newspaper in the cats’ boxes and removes them as soon as they are used.

No litter can replace a veterinary visit, but some litters are made to indicate the need to visit the vet. Coated with a safe, nontoxic pH detector, porous silica gel granules change color when acid, alkaline or bilirubin levels change, suggesting possible infection or illness.

But whatever you look for in cat litter, what your cat prefers is what counts. Offer an assortment of litters to see which one he likes best, and go with that. Provide an extra-large box, and fill it with three to five inches of litter for your cat’s digging pleasure. Scoop it once or twice a day, clean the box and change the litter every week or two, and you’ll have a happy cat.

Q&A

Spot on eye

is cancerous

Q: I noticed a black dot near the pupil of my dog’s eye, which grew quickly. I took him to the veterinarian, and it was diagnosed as a malignant melanoma. He’s scheduled for laser surgery to destroy the tumor. What can you tell me about this condition?

A: Your dog is lucky to have such an observant owner! We usually think of melanoma as a skin cancer, but it’s a tumor that originates in pigment-producing cells, so the iris of the eye -- the colored circle surrounding the pupil -- is one of the areas at risk. Signs include darkening of the color of the iris, a change in shape of the pupil or a raised area on the iris.

These types of melanomas are usually benign and rarely metastasize, or spread, to other areas of the body. They can, however, continue to grow, leading to such problems as retinal detachment, formation of cataracts and glaucoma, so it’s important to treat them.

Your veterinarian may recognize an ocular melanoma at first glance, but the specialized equipment of a veterinary ophthalmologist is necessary to determine how far advanced it is.

When ocular melanomas are malignant but caught early, as in your dog’s case, they are typically highly treatable with non-invasive laser treatment. Your dog is unlikely to lose any vision. For larger such melanomas, laser treatment can shrink the tumor or slow its growth, but dogs may also need surgical removal of the tumor or even removal of the eye itself.

Cat owners, your pets are at risk, too -- and more so than dogs. Feline ocular melanomas are more likely to spread to other areas of the body. Any time you notice a change in color or appearance of your pet’s eyes, bring it to your veterinarian’s attention. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Protect pets from

wildfire smoke

-- Pets in areas with wildfires are at risk from smoke inhalation. Breathing unhealthy air can cause disorientation, fainting, lethargy and confusion, according to veterinarians at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Pets at heightened risk include breeds with flat faces such as bulldogs, pugs and Persians; senior pets; young animals; and pets with respiratory conditions such as asthma. Avoid letting pets exercise for long periods in smoky conditions, run air conditioning to filter indoor air, and ensure that pets have plenty of fresh water. Take your pet to the vet if you see signs of distress such as difficulty breathing, unusual coughing or sneezing, swollen eyes or mouth, and open-mouth breathing. If conditions are unusually bad in your area, consider taking pets to stay with a friend or relative or at a boarding kennel in an area with better air quality.

-- September is an important month for pets. Here’s what you can celebrate: Happy Healthy Cat Month and Responsible Dog Ownership Month; National Pet Memorial Day and National Hug Your Hound Day, both on Sept. 9; Puppy Mill Awareness Day on Sept. 15; National Dog Week and Deaf Pet Awareness Week, both starting on Sept. 23; and World Rabies Day on Sept. 28.

-- Love a curly coat? Plenty of pets can suit your fancy. On the dog side, consider the American water spaniel; bichon frise; Boykin spaniel; curly-coated retriever; Irish water spaniel; Kerry blue terrier; lagotto Romagnolo; toy, mini or standard poodle; Portuguese water dog; pumi; and Spanish water dog. Curly-coated cats exist, too: Cornish rex; Devon rex; Selkirk rex; and LaPerm. The good thing about curly-coated pets is that they don’t shed much; the bad news is that they often need daily home grooming and, for dogs, regular professional grooming to keep their coats beautiful and tangle-free. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Artificial limbs and other assistive devices can make a difference in pet mobility and quality of life

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

One of the patients who sticks in Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little’s memory is a golden retriever who was able to hike 6 miles a day after being fitted with a prosthetic device. His owner was an athletic trainer, skilled in wrapping and taping athletes. That came in handy during his dog’s adaptation to the new limb.

“He improved on the process, improved on the device in that dog,” says Dr. Marcellin-Little, a veterinary surgical specialist and professor at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Prosthetics are more than artificial limbs. They also include orthotics -- custom braces for knees, hips and ankles -- and wraps and other supportive devices. They can return mobility to pets who have suffered paralyzing injuries and improve gait for animals facing amputation or an orthopedic problem that inhibits movement, such as cranial cruciate injury.

Pet prostheses have been available for more than 15 years, but they are still challenging to create and fit. The latest advances include greater availability of 3-D printing and improvements in software for scanning and modeling. But just because you have a 3-D printer at home doesn’t mean you can simply print out a new limb for your pet who had a leg amputated after being hit by a car.

Not every animal is a good candidate for a prosthetic device, and not every veterinarian is knowledgeable about the mechanical, logistical and biological considerations involved in fitting pets for one. If your pet needs help getting around or is facing amputation because of an injury or cancer, and you are interested in a prosthetic device for him, here’s what you should know before moving ahead.

-- Plan ahead. Ideally, an animal will need two articulating joints remaining for a prosthetic therapy to be successful. There’s nothing for the device to attach to if a pet has had a full amputation.

“Talk to your orthopedic surgeon to determine if it is an option,” says Jim Nelson, co-founder of Tripawds, an online community for people with three-legged pets.

-- Medical factors. Considerations include whether the pet has pain, the kind of pain, the health of the tissue, whether there’s scar tissue, and whether skin is thin, loose or infected, to name just a few.

-- Coordination is key. A partial amputation with the goal of fitting a prosthetic device is a complicated procedure and involves a number of people: owner, general practitioner, surgeon, device manufacturer and rehab practitioner. The process typically involves an initial consultation, patient assessment, measurements, design and manufacture, the surgery itself and physical rehab for six weeks or more. Surgery must be coordinated with the maker of the device. Devices may need to be sent back and forth by mail until the fit is perfect. It helps to have a knowledgeable person keeping track of all the steps.

-- Go the distance. Because pet prosthetics are still in the early stages of development, little is taught about them in veterinary school. You may need to travel to find a veterinarian who is experienced in placing them.

-- Understand the full commitment. Fitting a pet with a prosthetic device takes time, money and a good rehab team.

“We’ve seen some dogs who are not getting the therapy they need, and they’re just kind of swinging a prosthetic around,” says Tripawds co-founder Rene Agredano. “Odds are, that device is going to end up sitting in a closet eventually, because the animal just doesn’t adapt.”

When everything goes right, a prosthesis can make a visible difference in a pet’s mobility and quality of life.

“Their joints are better, their backs are better, their muscles are better,” Agredano says.

Q&A

What shots do

outdoor cats need?

Q: I live on a ranch and have been acquired by a pair of outdoor cats. I know that they were vaccinated a year ago. I’ve never had cats before, and I want to know if they need a yearly booster. One cat is 14 years old and the other is 2 years old, and they don’t like being handled or in a carrier. I want them to feel safe here, so I’m reluctant to stress them by taking them for a long car ride to the veterinarian for shots if it isn’t necessary.

A: Vaccinations are important for good health, but in most instances, annual vaccinations are a thing of the past. When it comes to frequency of vaccination, factors to consider in consultation with your veterinarian are lifestyle and environment, the cats’ age and health, and the prevalence of infectious disease in your area.

Because your cats live outdoors and may come in contact with wild animals that carry the rabies virus, such as skunks or bats, rabies is a concern. A rabies vaccination is good for three years and protects your cats in the event of exposure to a rabid animal.

Other diseases include panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus-1. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends vaccinating for these diseases every three years. The AAFP recommends the feline leukemia vaccine for cats who go outdoors and are thus at risk of encountering infected cats.

You are correct that a car ride for cats who aren’t used to it can be overly stressful. If possible, try to find a Fear Free-certified veterinarian who makes house (or ranch) calls to come and examine your cats and give rabies or feline leukemia vaccines if their records don’t indicate protection from these diseases. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Airlift saves at-risk

kittens, Chihuahua

-- More than 100 kittens -- and one Chihuahua -- were airlifted to Portland, Oregon, to help make room in crowded Los Angeles-area and Palm Springs shelters. A combination of cats taken in from a hoarding situation and animals displaced by wildfires had the Southern California shelters filled to capacity, but Oregon Humane Society, Wings of Rescue and TV's “cat daddy” Jackson Galaxy teamed up to take the animals, helping to relieve the California crowding and give the animals a better chance at finding homes.

-- Veterinarians in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, are seeing large numbers of dogs with an unknown disease that resembles whooping cough. The cause hasn’t yet been determined, and area veterinarians are advising against taking dogs to parks, boarding facilities and other areas where dogs congregate to help prevent further spread of what appears to be a highly contagious disease. The cough lasts up to three weeks. Other symptoms include sneezing, low-grade fevers and lethargy. Dogs who show these signs should be seen by a veterinarian. Advise veterinarians of these signs before bringing a dog into the clinic so they can take steps to protect other animals.

-- If you’re looking for a smart, alert, bold, sturdy dog who’s not too big, not too small, the Norwegian buhund is one to consider. The furry spitz dogs are good at many different dog sports, including rally, obedience, herding and barnhunt, and will sound the alarm if intruders venture onto your property. The all-weather dogs have a double coat that stands up to rain and snow and can be light-colored, black or gray. The buhund is 17 to 18 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 26 to 40 pounds. Cheerful and active, they need plenty of exercise and do best with athletic owners who will enjoy doing things with them. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

The incidence of the spaghettilike parasites is up by more than 20 percent since 2013

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Climate change, failure to give preventive, and the beginnings of resistance to preventive products are among the reasons why veterinarians are seeing more cases of heartworm disease in dogs -- and cats. When the American Heartworm Society performed its triennial incidence survey last year, it found that while the highest incidence remains in the southern United States, no state is free of the harmful internal parasites, spread by the bite of an infected mosquito or, in the case of states such as Alaska, arriving by way of already-infected dogs brought from out of state.

Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms. Once an infected mosquito injects microfilaria -- microscopic baby heartworms -- into a dog’s bloodstream, the worms begin to mature and reproduce. As they get larger -- heartworms can achieve a length of 1 foot during their 5-to-7-year lifespan -- and increase in numbers, they clog the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels, causing heart failure, lung disease and other organ damage.

Cats are more resistant to the parasites, but they can acquire them. Clinical signs include weight loss, exercise intolerance, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, gagging, difficulty breathing and wheezing. Even indoor cats are at risk. Approximately 25 percent of indoor cats are heartworm positive, according to the American Heartworm Society.

Heartworm disease is easy to prevent with a monthly pill or topical treatment, and it's comparatively less expensive than treating a pet with heartworms. But people forget to give preventive, or they don’t give it year-round, giving infective mosquitoes a shot at spreading the parasites. Cool or dry weather slows transmission, but it doesn’t eliminate it.

“Most people think they don’t need to give it in the winter,” says Craig Prior, DVM, owner of Murphy Road Animal Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. For instance, he says, dogs should stay on preventive for two months after the last exposure to mosquitoes and go on it one month before mosquitoes become active again. With climate change, some species are staying active longer throughout the year and venturing into new areas.

For those reasons, parasitologists recommend treating pets with parasite preventives year-round.

An associated concern is the beginning of resistance to preventive products. Some populations of heartworms, primarily in the Mississippi Delta area so far, are becoming resistant. “By keeping pets on year-round preventive, we decrease the risk of developing more resistant populations and increase the effectiveness of the preventives,” says Leni K. Kaplan, DVM, community practice service lecturer at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

Adding a dog-safe mosquito repellent (avoid anything containing DEET) to your dog’s arsenal against mosquitoes can beef up his protection. Research published in 2016 found that the combination of heartworm preventive with the mosquito repellent in the study, Vectra 3D, was 100 percent effective in blocking transmission of immature heartworms from dogs to mosquitoes -- one of the stages of the heartworm lifecycle -- and more than 95 percent effective in repelling and killing mosquitoes for 28 days after treatment.

“The addition of a topical product that prevents mosquito feeding adds a second element of protection to the pet,” says Byron Blagburn, Ph.D., a parasitologist at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. “So not only do you prevent heartworm infection if the pet is on prevention, but you prevent the likelihood that the pet will see a mosquito.”

While Vectra 3D isn’t safe for cats, the good news is that if the repellent is used on a dog in the same household, the cat will share in protection because fewer mosquitoes will be present.

Q&A

How to introduce

pocket pet and dog

Q: My child wants a pet chinchilla. Do you have any advice on introducing him to the family golden retriever and making sure he stays safe?

A: You can’t take new pets to couples counseling to ensure happy cohabitation, but you can take steps to keep tensions to a minimum. They may or may not become best friends, but they can live together safely.

Start slow. Ritual, structure and scent are important to animals. With your chinchilla securely caged, let your dog get used to the smell of his new roomie (this works with other pets, too). Interact with the chinchilla (still caged) so your dog knows you are aware of the new animal’s presence. After a day or two, let your dog check out the cage up close so he can combine sight and smell of your home’s new occupant. Most small pets will feel secure in their cage, more calm than your dog in many cases. They may even sniff back at your dog -- odor is important to them, too.

Praise and reward your dog for behaving calmly in the chinchilla’s presence. Friendly sniffs are a good sign; staring or snapping signal that it’s best to keep them safely apart. Many goldens are laid-back, and yours may not show much interest in the new chinchilla once he’s had a few sniffs.

When you’re not home to supervise interactions, keep your chinchilla in his cage in a separate room with a closed door. Never leave his cage on the floor or some other area where your dog could investigate unsupervised. Make sure the cage is securely latched to prevent chinchilla escape attempts.

Can your dog and chinchilla snuggle and play? It happens, but I think there’s too much risk of a dog accidentally injuring the smaller animal, so I don’t recommend it. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Have pet care plan

in case of disaster

-- Got a disaster plan in the event of a wildfire, hurricane or other natural disaster? Work out a buddy system with friends, neighbors, relatives or your pet sitter. Set up a plan to collect and care for each other’s pets in the event that one of you is traveling or at work and can’t get home to rescue pets. Exchange house keys, and make sure you have contact information to facilitate a reunion. If you’re home and must evacuate, always bring pets with you. Never assume that you’ll be able to go back in and get them.

-- With the help of a $2.8 million grant from Maddie’s Fund, researchers from the University of Tennessee’s colleges of veterinary medicine, social work, business and the department of public health are working together to develop a health care system that will improve access to veterinary care for families with limited financial resources. Ensuring that all pets have good health care not only benefits the animals and their families, but also improves public health. Called “AlignCare,” the one-health model will promote interprofessional collaboration that takes into account the influence of pets on family health and well-being and help to keep pets in homes while providing needed care.

-- Does your cat love playing in water? Whether they dabble their paws beneath a running faucet, splash in their water dish, swim in your pool or join you in the shower, more cats than you might think are true water babies. Among the breeds known to play on the wet side are Turkish vans (nicknamed “swimming cats” in their homeland of Turkey), Turkish Angoras, Savannahs, American bobtails, Bengals, Japanese bobtails and Manx (both island cats), Abyssinian (which originated in Indian Ocean coastal areas), Norwegian forest cats (descended from viking cats) and Maine coons. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.