Want to make friends with a cat? Read on to learn the secret

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When we visited family in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a couple of years ago, we received two different receptions from their cats. Lucy struck up a friendship with us right away, but Lilu was more cautious. Maybe it was the lingering scent of dog clinging to our clothes. By the next morning, though, she sat next to me on the kitchen island while I prepared my tea.

Last month, I visited my mother, who had recently acquired a new cat. Tracy, a pretty but shy lynx-point Siamese, ran as soon as she saw me walk in the door. She continued to do so any time I made a move, but by the next evening, she was content to stay in my presence -- and even jumped up on a chair and let me pet her.

What’s the secret to getting a cat’s attention and trust? Play hard to get.

That’s right. Ignoring a cat is the quickest way to gain his interest and display your expert-level knowledge of feline etiquette. People who dislike cats often wonder why cats seek them out. It’s because cats appreciate people who don’t approach them and instead let cats make the first move.

Wailani Sung, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist at San Francisco SPCA, explains why. She says that while cats are predators of small creatures, they are also prey to larger predators. To protect themselves, they prefer to wait and watch when strangers enter their territory.

“They like to take a step back and assess the newcomer to determine if the person exhibits any threatening body language toward them,” she says.

When I visit a home with cats, I’m careful to avoid eye contact with them. Feline body language is subtle. While humans consider a direct glance an indication of polite interest, in “felinese” it’s an act of aggression. Reaching toward a cat is also impolite. Whenever possible, I take a path through the house that won’t take me near the cat.

To improve Tracy’s opinion of me, I volunteered to set down her food bowl when it was mealtime, still careful not to look at her. I refilled her water dish and scooped her litter box. I turned on her favorite plaything, an electronic spinning toy that she enjoyed batting. The next evening, when I was standing by Mom’s recliner, Tracy jumped onto it, seemingly unconcerned by my proximity.

“When the cat decides to come over, I usually stick my index finger out and allow the cat to sniff,” Dr. Sung says. “The cat can get my scent and decide if he is going to be friendly or not.”

Cats that decide to be friendly may rub your finger with their cheek. If a cat allows you to pet him, stroke the side of the face, beneath the chin or along the side. Those are the areas cats focus on when they interact physically, greeting each other with nose touches and rubbing with the sides of the face and body. Cats that are still unsure about you may pull back or, if they’re especially uncomfortable, hiss before moving away. Give them more time.

There are other ways to attract a reluctant cat. It’s never a bad idea to offer treats to gain a cat’s favor, but be polite about it.

“Instead of expecting the cat to take the treat from your finger, allow the cat to sniff the treat and then place it on the ground,” Dr. Sung says.

Some cats require multiple visits before they become accustomed to your face, not to mention your scent and the sound of your voice. Be patient, and there’s a good chance that sooner rather than later they’ll favor you with their attention. But only on their terms, not yours.

Q&A

Say no to turkey

bones for pets

Q: With Thanksgiving coming up, I was wondering if it’s OK to give my dog the leftover turkey bones from the feast?

A: I know it’s tempting, but that’s not a good idea -- no bones about it.

Dogs certainly love to eat bones, and during the holidays they are extra tempted to raid the trash for leftovers or steal meat with bones off the table, but cooked bones hold risks you don’t want to deal with. They can splinter, puncturing the intestinal tract and potentially causing serious or even fatal bacterial infections.

Bones can also cause an intestinal blockage. When that occurs, you may be taking your dog to the veterinarian for X-rays every day or two to make sure the bones are dissolving and passing safely through the system and out the back end. Worst-case scenario, your dog will need emergency surgery to remove the blockage.

There are other reasons not to give bones of any kind:

-- Large or oddly shaped bones (think T-bones or beef vertebrae) can become stuck in the esophagus, causing choking, or elsewhere in the intestinal tract.

-- Dogs who gulp bones instead of gnawing them thoroughly can choke on them.

-- Dogs can break a tooth on a bone, requiring an expensive repair or extraction.

-- Bones can become lodged on the lower jaw and must be removed by the veterinarian.

-- An assortment of bones or bone fragments in the intestinal tract can cause canine constipation.

-- Sharp bone fragments passing through can cause pain and bleeding from the rectum.

Bottom line: I always advise against giving dogs poultry or fish bones, and other bones are cause for concern as well. To prevent unauthorized bone intake, don’t leave them on the counter or in a trash can that is accessible to your dog. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Researchers seek healthy

dogs for aging trial

-- Want to contribute to science -- with your dog? Veterinarians studying aging at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences are seeking healthy, middle-aged dogs of any breed or mix weighing 40 to 80 pounds to participate in a clinical trial. The goal is to see if the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin can improve age-related decline in cardiac function and increase the healthy period of a dog’s life. In the first phase of the Dog Aging Project, researchers found evidence of mild improvements in heart function in healthy dogs, with no significant side effects or adverse events. For more information, email rapaphase2@dogagingproject.com.

-- Pet-loving visitors to or residents of Jefferson City, Missouri, can check out the first museum in the United States dedicated to veterinary medicine. Exhibits include more than 1,000 artifacts, including 18th-century veterinary encyclopedias from Germany, antique veterinary instruments, examples of potent patent medicines given to animals and humans, a 19th-century small-animal surgical suite and a display featuring military veterinary surgeons and farriers, from the Civil War through modern times. The Missouri Veterinary Medical Association Veterinary Museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed weekends and holidays.

-- We all know that cats were worshipped in ancient Egypt, but did you know that cats are also important players in the mythology of other cultures? The Norse goddess Freya’s chariot was pulled by two giant cats. Farmers who wanted a little crop insurance left pans of milk in their fields for Freya’s cats. In Celtic mythology, the Scottish Highlands are haunted by a fairy cat known as the Cat Sidhe, described as being as large as a dog with black fur and a white spot on the chest. And in Cherokee folklore, the wampus cat has shape-shifting powers. -- 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.

Vision problems a common concern in older pets

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Whoever said that getting old isn't for sissies knew what she was talking about. All of us, including our dogs and cats, find that as we age, our bodies just don't work as well as they used to. Eye diseases are among the most commonly seen problems in older dogs and cats.

One change you may notice is a condition called lenticular sclerosis, or nuclear sclerosis. That bluish haze you may see in a pet's eyes isn't cataracts, as is often suspected, but the result of a normal aging of the lens. The good news is that it doesn't affect vision and doesn't require any treatment.

Cataracts are cloudy spots on the normally transparent lens of the eye. They look like a milky gray film behind the pupil. Cataracts may start to appear when dogs are 6 years old to 8 years old and can eventually lead to blindness. Dogs rely more on scent than sight, however, and they can get around very well simply by using their noses -- as long as you don't move the furniture. If your dog's cataracts are so bad that he's running into things, ask your veterinarian about cataract surgery.

Older cats rarely develop cataracts. They are more likely to suffer vision loss from retinal diseases, uveitis (a painful inflammation of certain eye structures) or glaucoma. Like dogs, cats adapt well to vision loss. They compensate by relying more on their hearing or their whiskers.

Other age-related vision problems, such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, better known as dry eye, require aggressive treatment. Tears, which are produced by the lacrimal glands, lubricate, protect and cleanse the eye. Tear production tends to decrease with age. If that happens, the eye becomes dry and irritated. It starts to produce more mucus, causing a goopy discharge. Dry eyes are itchy, and dogs may scratch at them or rub them on the carpet in an attempt to relieve the itch. Dogs with dry eye are also more likely to develop corneal ulcers.

Dry eye is diagnosed with a Schirmer tear test. The veterinarian places a tiny paper strip at the inner corner of the eye, where the tears pool, and holds it there for one minute to see how much of the strip becomes wetted with tears. If the result indicates that tear production is below normal, the animal likely has dry eye. Dry eye is less common in cats than in dogs.

Depending on the condition of the eye, your veterinarian may prescribe artificial tears (not saline solution), antibiotic eye drops or an immunosuppressant drug that stimulates tear production. This helps to keep the dog comfortable and the cornea healthy. The medication may need to be compounded at a special pharmacy.

Glaucoma is an increase in pressure within the eye. It can develop quickly and is extremely painful. If your pet is squinting and the eye is tearing and feels harder than normal, consider it an emergency. A dog or cat with an acute case of glaucoma can lose his eyesight within 48 hours if the condition isn't treated immediately.

Take your dog to the veterinarian for an eye exam any time you notice the following signs:

-- Redness

-- Cloudiness

-- Discharge

-- Opaque or whitish film over the eye

-- Tearing, squinting, pawing at the eye or other signs of pain

-- Sensitivity to light

-- An unusually soft or hard eye

-- A swollen, crusty or itchy eyelid

-- A bulging or sunken eye

If you notice that your pet's vision is not as keen as it used to be, don't simply chalk it up to old age. Oftentimes, medication or other treatment can help, especially if the problem is diagnosed early.

Q&A

New climate calls for

changes in dog's lifestyle

Q: My dog and I just moved from Southern California to Wisconsin, and it's starting to get a lot colder than we're used to. What should I do to make sure my dog is prepared for winter? -- via Facebook

A: Having lived in Idaho all my life, I know just what kind of weather you're facing. Brrrr!

First things first: Provide protective gear as needed. Lots of people object to dogs wearing clothes, but shorthaired or thin-skinned dogs such as greyhounds or pugs don't have much fur or fat for insulation, and it's a real kindness to provide them with a warm coat or sweater to protect them from the elements. Not every dog needs a winter coat. Nordic breeds like Alaskan malamutes and Siberian huskies love the cold and snow and will happily dig themselves a snow cave to relax in.

Whether your dog needs booties depends on similar factors. If he walks on streets or sidewalks that have been treated with salts to melt ice, booties will protect his feet from chemicals. And longhaired dogs often get snow or ice balls between their foot pads. They may need booties as well, or you can try clipping the hair so there's less opportunity for ice balls to form.

When he plays outdoors, make sure your dog has a sheltered area where he'll be protected from wind and snow. How long should your dog stay outside? Once he's accustomed to the new climate, he can stay outdoors as long as he wants if he has a place where he can retreat from the elements.

Finally, never let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area. One hazard dogs face in winter is being hit by a car because the driver's vision is limited by snow piled on the sides of the road. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Look and sniff to keep

canine ears healthy

-- To keep your dog’s ears healthy, check them weekly. First, give a good sniff. They should never smell bad. Then lift up the ear flap -- known as the pinna -- and examine the skin beneath it and at the entrance of the ear canal. The skin should be smooth, not sensitive or red. If your dog frequently scratches at the ears or shakes his head, he may have an infection or ear mite infestation. Ears normally contain some wax, which is part of the natural cleaning system, but if you see debris or excess wax, clean ears with a product recommended by your veterinarian. Avoid alcohol-based cleansers, which may sting the inside of your dog’s ears and cause unnecessary dryness. Wipe around the opening of the ear, but go no deeper than that. Leave deeper cleaning to your veterinarian. Always check with your veterinarian before putting anything in your dog’s ears. Many drops and flushes should be not used if there is damage to the eardrum.

-- A dog's dietary needs are based mainly on activity levels. Unless your dog is out cross-country skiing with you or pulling a sled, he probably needs to eat less in winter because he's less active.

-- How intelligent are parrots? It depends on their social structure. A study published in the journal Animal Cognition looked at problem-solving abilities in four parrot species: spectacled parrotlets, green-winged macaws, sulphur-crested cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets. An article on Wired.com reports that researchers Anastasia Krasheninnikova, Stefan Brager and Ralf Wanker at the University of Hamburg in Germany gave the birds five different string-pulling tasks to test whether they understood a cause-and-effect relationship. Spectacled parrotlets outperformed the other species, an ability that was best explained by their complex social relationships. They live in large groups that offer opportunities for many different social interactions. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

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.

You might think canine parvovirus is a disease of the past, but it’s still around

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Shannon Gillespie knew something was wrong when her 23-month-old border collie, Soda, didn’t want to eat and wasn’t energetic.

“She’s nonstop at home,” Gillespie says. “I took her to the vet because her not eating and being less active was just not normal.”

Soda had a fever and lab work showed that her white blood cell count was high, so she was clearly fighting off something. The veterinarian administered IV fluids and prescribed antibiotics to help ward off any infection.

The next night Soda had diarrhea, and when Gillespie took her back to the vet, they knew exactly what the problem was based on the distinctive odor of the diarrhea: Soda had parvovirus. An in-office test for the disease quickly confirmed the diagnosis.

Parvo first appeared 40 years ago, in 1978. There is a vaccine against it, but the disease is still seen frequently, says Colin R. Parrish, Ph.D., John M. Olin professor of virology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

That can occur for several reasons. One is that no vaccine is 100 percent effective. In rare cases, some individuals fail to mount adequate antibody levels to routine vaccines. That may have been the case with Soda. Some puppies don’t receive vaccinations. And finally, maternal immunity -- maternal antibodies passed from mother to pups -- can interfere with a vaccine’s effectiveness.

“One of the things we’ve become aware of in the last few years is that the duration of maternal immunity is actually longer than people used to think it was,” Dr. Parrish says. “The old rule used to be that once the puppy was 12 weeks old, you could give the last vaccination and the puppy would be protected.”

Now, he says, in 20 to 30 percent of puppies, maternal immunity may persist until 16 to 20 weeks of age. The protection provided by maternal antibodies fades, but is still enough to prevent complete immunization by the vaccine.

To ensure adequate protection, puppies should receive a dose of canine parvovirus vaccine when they are 14 to 16 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Dogs in a high-risk environment -- such as a shelter or who have significant exposure to other dogs or contaminated environments -- may benefit from a final dose when they are 18 to 20 weeks old.

Parvo is deadly. It usually strikes puppies but can occur at any age. Signs include lethargy, appetite loss, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting and severe, sometimes bloody, diarrhea. The virus attacks the intestines, and it’s the sloughing of the intestinal lining that causes the characteristic smell of the diarrhea.

There’s no cure -- only supportive treatment such as IV fluids to help maintain hydration and antibiotics to ward off secondary bacterial infections. Soda was too weak to eat, and required a nasoesophageal feeding tube to receive nutrition. Her diarrhea was so frequent that she required 11 days of hospitalization so she could receive round-the-clock care. She developed skin rashes on her hips, so those areas had to be shaved and treated. She needed medication for nausea and pain.

That level of care is expensive. Depending on the length of time the dog is hospitalized, the cost can run into the thousands of dollars.

The virus can survive in an indoor environment for two months and outdoors for months or years. Gillespie treated her car, clothing, the inside of her home and her yard with disinfectant to kill the virus. She quarantined all four of her dogs at home to help prevent spreading the virus. It took three months for Soda to fully recover and be declared free of the disease.

Q&A

What to know about

Addison’s disease

Q: My dog has Addison’s disease. What can you tell me about it?

A: A lot! My own dog, the late, great Quora, developed Addison’s (aka hyperadrenocorticism) when she was 11 years old. She began slowing down, shivering even when it didn’t seem cold, and although she had a voracious appetite, she wasn’t that wild about her food. The symptoms finally clicked for me, and I had her hormone levels tested. Once we put her on medication, it was like she had been plugged into a charger and was back up to 100 percent.

Addison’s develops when the adrenal glands stop secreting enough cortisol and other steroids. We don’t know why it occurs.

The problem with Addison’s is that signs vary widely from dog to dog and are often similar to those of other diseases. That can make it really difficult to diagnose. Until it’s recognized and treated, the adrenal glands become less and less functional, eventually causing the dog to collapse suddenly -- what’s known as an Addisonian crisis. Once they are diagnosed and begin treatment, though, they can do well.

Treatment involves daily oral hormone replacement for several weeks to get the dog back on track. Then, depending on how your dog responds, your veterinarian can adjust the dose. It’s a disease that must be managed for the rest of the dog’s life with glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid supplementation, regular checkups and bloodwork to confirm that the dog is receiving an appropriate level of supplementation.

The important thing to know is that stress can cause flare-ups. Consult a Fear Free-certified veterinarian to help you develop techniques to reduce fear, anxiety and stress if your dog needs to be boarded, will be traveling with you or requires surgery or other veterinary care that might be stressful. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

German shepherds

win award for clinic

-- German shepherd dogs Ziva and Zeus of Medical Lake, Washington, snuck out a hole in the fence and during their adventure became trapped in an abandoned missile silo. Twenty-one days later, their owner, Jessica Donges, still searching for them, re-explored the silo area and heard barking. There were her dogs, stuck in a hole filled with water. Unable to remove them, Donges called for help, and minutes later the emaciated dogs were free. Now they are on their way to a full recovery, not to mention becoming recipients of Nationwide’s Hambone Award, which earned the Pet Emergency Clinic and Referral Center in Spokane $10,000 to be used to treat pets in their community whose owners could not otherwise afford treatment.

-- Putting your dog or cat in a carrier instead of letting him ride loose in your car will help keep him safe in the event of an accident, but knowing where to place it and how to keep it in place are important as well. Place soft-sided carriers for cats and small dogs in the footwell behind the passenger seat. Instead of restraining carriers by running the seatbelt through the top handle or around the carrier, use strength-rated anchor strapping to tie it down. Place pets in separate carriers to prevent injury if one is thrown against the other during an accident.

-- With his black coat and brilliant gold or copper eyes, the Bombay is the classic Halloween cat and a friendly family companion 24/7. Easygoing yet curious, he’s been known to enjoy walking on-leash and playing fetch, but he’s also fond of sitting in a lap. This is an attention-loving cat, so be sure you have time to devote to him daily and won’t mind a cat who, er, dogs your footsteps. Bombays have a short coat that needs weekly brushing. -- 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.