If you’re seeking a cat with a specific look or personality, consider one with a family tree

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Kittens come in all sizes, personalities, colors, patterns and coat lengths. Thousands are available from animal shelters nationwide, and they are as cute as can be. But if you’re looking for a particular type of cat, you may go to the shelter or check rescue groups online daily and still not find what you’re looking for.

That’s when you may turn to a responsible breeder who raises the type of cat who meets your needs: For instance, one who’s bred to be outgoing or active; who has a particular coat type, length or pattern; or whose personality and activity level are suited to your lifestyle or home environment. Cats may not vary quite as much in size and appearance as dogs, but individual cat breeds have distinct traits that make them the perfect choice for some people. Pedigreed cats have been selected for specific personality or behavior traits over many generations.

People choose a pedigreed kitten when they want to know what a cat’s personality and size will be when he matures. They might take into account how they want to spend time with a cat (go for walks or snuggle on the sofa) or whether the breed is known for being playful or trainable or friendly toward dogs.

Random-bred domestic shorthairs or longhairs can also come in a variety of temperaments and activity levels, but they are the surprise packages of the cat world; it’s not easy to predict their personality or behavior if you don’t know anything about their parents, grandparents or more distant ancestors.

Health is another factor. A kitten with a family tree comes with a known family medical history. That doesn’t mean they won’t develop certain diseases, but if purchased from a reputable breeder, they’ll come with a written health guarantee against heritable conditions. The sales contract should provide for a replacement kitten without forcing you to give up the original cat you love. It should also state that the breeder will take the cat back at any time if you must give him up.

If you have your heart set on a cat with an unusual pattern or color, a pedigreed kitten may be the way to go. It’s not impossible to find a spotted tabby kitten in a shelter, but it’s not common, either. That look is most often seen in Bengals, Maine coons, Savannahs and Egyptian maus.

Are pedigreed kittens perfect? Not necessarily. And the imperfect one may be exactly who you want to take home -- that is, if you don’t plan to show him. Some kittens have cosmetic flaws that make them unsuited to the show ring but perfect for family life. They have the same predictable traits as their show siblings but lack the perfect markings a cat needs to succeed in the show circuit. They also have the good nutrition, health care and early socialization provided by a responsible breeder.

Read up on breeds you’re interested in beforehand. The websites of the Cat Fanciers Association (cfa.org/breeds) and The International Cat Association (tica.org/breeds/browse-all-breeds) are good resources.

When you visit a breeder, the cattery should be clean and not crowded, says Marybeth Rymer, DVM, who has two Abyssinians. Cats should be calm and easy to handle.

Question breeders about health history, genetic issues and what the cats are like to live with. Dr. Rymer says health questions should include whether the cattery has had any cats with feline infectious peritonitis in the past five years; has had issues with diarrhea and the organism Tritrichomonas; steps the breeder takes to prevent these diseases; and whether the breeder performs appropriate genetic tests for that breed and tests for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus.

Breeders should be open with their answers. Move on if they’re unwilling to share health information.

“Do not feel you must buy that day,” Dr. Rymer says. “Consider revisiting the cattery to confirm your first impressions.”

Q&A

How to prepare

holiday pet feast

Q: What’s a fun but healthy way to include my pet in upcoming holiday feasts?

A: That’s a great question! Our pets know just from their noses that we’re eating yummy food, and of course they want to join in -- but not everything we’re eating is good for them. Common foods in our holiday feasts that can be toxic to dogs include onions, raisins, grapes, some nuts, chocolate, rich or fatty foods, and anything containing alcohol.

To let them participate, we love this idea from Best Friends Animal Society: making a “barkcuterie” or “chatcuterie” board with pet-friendly, healthy treats. Here’s how.

You’ll need the following:

-- a serving or cutting board that your pet can eat from;

-- cookie cutters in your favorite shapes and sizes -- paws, bones, hearts and stars would be fun;

-- cutting board, knife and spoon for food prep;

-- 1/2 cup of your pet’s favorite wet food (if they don’t eat canned food, double the amount of dry food);

-- 1/4 cup of your pet’s favorite dry food;

-- a hearty handful of your pet’s favorite treats;

-- a small, colorful assortment of your pet’s favorite dog- or cat-friendly fruits and vegetables, chopped or sliced: apples, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon or cantaloupe (cats love it), broccoli, carrots and bell pepper, for instance;

-- coconut whipped cream (optional);

-- peanut butter (optional) -- make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol.

Design the barkcuterie board with your pet in mind, and choose his favorite foods and treats. Use the cookie cutters to make cute shapes with the canned food and place them on the cutting board. Surround with cut fruits and veggies. Separate colors so each item stands out. Decorate with small amounts of coconut whipped cream or peanut butter, if desired. Fill in empty spaces with dry food and treats. Your pet will have fun chowing down. -- Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Displays help

pets find homes

-- If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, make the most of the holiday season by visiting Macy’s Union Square through Jan. 3. You won’t want to miss the holiday live cams (sfspca.org/holiday) showing outrageously cute animal videos in store windows and on the main floor from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Snap a photo at one of the store’s shelter animal Instagrammable outposts, and be on the lookout for San Francisco SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy animals in the store, not to mention other adorable animal holiday surprises. Over the 35 years of the Holiday Windows program, the SF/SPCA has placed nearly 10,000 dogs and cats in new homes.

-- Cats use their keen hearing and the ability to create a mental map of their surroundings to keep tabs on the location of their people, according to a team of researchers in Japan. In their paper, published in PLOS One earlier this month, they report that cats appear to be able to track owners’ movements even when they can’t see them. In a series of experiments with 50 pet cats, divided into three groups, they placed the cats in enclosures fitted with speakers. They then piped in sounds: the owners’ voices calling them by name; strangers’ voices calling their name; and random noise. Next they played the sounds in pairs. The first went to the speaker inside the enclosure; the second through the speaker outside the enclosure. Cats seemed most surprised when owners suddenly seemed to be in a new place, suggesting that they were keeping track of where the human was supposed to be.

-- Four hamster facts: Hamsters use their whiskers to explore their environment. Hamster teeth grow continuously. Hamsters are nocturnal, with eyes that function well in low light. Hamsters usually live for up to two years. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.

Pet health insurance claims info provides details about cancer in dogs

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When my dog Harper, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, was diagnosed last year with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils, I was stunned. I had never even heard of tonsillar cancer, but it’s one of the many types of cancers that can affect dogs of any breed or mix.

According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 6 million new cancer diagnoses are made in dogs annually. Some breeds have genetic predispositions to certain cancers. Approximately half of all dogs over the age of 10 will be diagnosed with cancer, and it’s estimated that 25% of dogs (1 in 4) will develop cancer at some time in their lives. That’s roughly the same rate as humans. Perhaps it’s because we so closely share the same environment and lifestyle.

Whatever the reason, the more we know about cancer in dogs, the better we can learn to treat or manage it, as well as identify dogs at greatest risk. Inspired by National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place during November, Nationwide analyzed pet health insurance policy and claims data from the past six years for approximately 1.5 million dogs: purebreds, mixes and crossbreeds. The results may help to lay a foundation for helping veterinary professionals and pet owners know what to look for in certain breeds.

Among the findings:

-- In an analysis of the top 10 most popular breeds, boxers (the seventh most popular breed) were 2.6 times more likely to have a claim reporting cancer, while Chihuahuas (the eighth most popular breed) were half as likely to have a claim with a cancer diagnosis.

-- Some similar or related types of dogs showed wide differences. For instance, of the top 100 purebred dogs covered by Nationwide, English cocker spaniels -- the third most numerous spaniel breed covered by the pet health insurance company -- had a cancer prevalence at 3.5 times the rate of other dogs. American cockers and English springers, the No. 1 and No. 2 spaniels covered by Nationwide, have prevalence rates that are less than half that of the English cocker.

-- Mixed breeds (dogs with complex or unknown ancestry) and crossbreeds (two different purebreds intentionally bred to create “designer dogs” such as doodles) were half as likely to have a claim submitted for cancer than the average purebred.

-- Small- to medium-size dogs are at markedly lower risk across all significant cancers.

-- Areas of the body where cancers typically occur on all types of pets -- dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and reptiles -- were skin (for example, melanoma); lymph (lymphoma); spleen (hemangiosarcoma, for instance); bone (such as osteosarcoma); and liver (for example, hepatocellular sarcoma, the most common type of primary liver cancer in dogs).

While data analysts haven’t yet fully dug into age at diagnosis for different breeds, knowing that beagles, for instance, are at higher risk for urinary cancer gives veterinarians the tools to counsel owners of that breed to keep an eye out for urinary tract infection symptoms -- and not to wait to bring in those dogs. In that breed, what looks like a simple UTI could be the start of something more serious, says Dr. Jules Benson, Nationwide’s chief veterinary officer. “It’s not necessarily personalized medicine, but it’s health coaching and health counseling in a way that we haven’t necessarily seen before,” he says.

Are cats left out in the cold? Nationwide plans to run their numbers in the future.

“We have a ton of feline data,” Dr. Benson says. “We know that certain types of cancer occur in cats more commonly, and finding out some of those warning signs -- especially for cats, who are so good at hiding everything -- that advice might be even more useful than it is for dogs.”

Q&A

Hospice care

for animals

Q: My dog is old, and I worry about what her life will be like toward the end. Is there such a thing as hospice care for pets?

A: There is, and you are a wonderful pet parent for thinking of it. End-of-life care is a way to ensure that you have more time with your beloved dog while also preventing suffering.

Pet hospice -- or “pawspice,” as veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos calls it -- allows you time to make decisions about treatment or euthanasia for animals with a terminal illness and to prepare yourself emotionally for their death.

The American Veterinary Medical Association offers guidelines to practices that wish to offer such services to their clients and patients. Hospice is different for every pet and family. Some animals may still be able to live at home and be cared for by family members, while others may benefit from staying in a facility that offers care, comfort and quality of life. Even in a facility, you can still be involved in your animal’s care.

To enter a pet hospice facility, patients must have a terminal illness with a short life expectancy, according to the AVMA. The end-of-life care team is made of a veterinarian and staff who are trained in palliative care and pain management, including medication, for animals with terminal illnesses. They will also act as advocates for the animals in their care. Staff may also include counselors who can guide you in evaluating your pet’s quality of life and help you when it’s time to make the decision to give your dog a painless exit from life through euthanasia.

Your veterinarian may be able to refer you to a pet hospice facility certified by the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. -- Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Keep tropical

birds “mist-ified”

-- Does your bird need a humidifier? Modern climate-controlled homes can become too dry for birds, especially those who would typically live in a tropical rainforest. To help your bird stay comfortable, spritz him daily with a spray bottle set to a light, gentle mist or use a humidifier to increase the moisture content of the air in your home. This is especially important in winter after you’ve turned on the heater, dropping the relative humidity of your bird’s environment.

-- Your pet’s tags could be more than just a means of identification; for some, they’re a collector’s item. The International Society of Animal License Collectors, formed in 1976, is an organization of people who collect dog and cat license tags and certificates. Governments have licensed dogs for centuries -- that’s one reason that some breeds originally had docked tails, indicating that they were working dogs, not to be taxed -- but dog tags, which date to the late 19th century in Cincinnati, are certainly less taxing to dogs than losing their tails. They caught on and are now seen on most companion dogs. Older tags, with unusual shapes, are of most interest to collectors. Look for ISALC’s membership information at facebook.com/groups/dogtax.

-- The Siamese isn’t the only cat breed that originated in Thailand. Another is the khao manee, nicknamed the “white gem” for their glistening white coat and vibrant eyes of blue, green, gold or odd (when each eye is a different color). Devoted to their people, these inquisitive feline housemates enjoy chasing and retrieving toys, followed by curling up on their favorite person for a nap. As beautiful as they are, it’s no wonder that they are thought to bring good luck to those fortunate enough to live 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.

When pets won’t eat: How to decide if they need to see the vet

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When pets won’t eat, they’re described as anorexic -- not in the same way as humans, where the word describes an eating disorder that has a psychological component, but rather, as a refusal to eat. Pets with what’s called true anorexia have no interest in eating, while those with pseudo-anorexia are hungry but may not want to eat because of pain associated with picking up, chewing or swallowing food, or because they don’t feel well for some other reason. And some pets are just picky about what they choose to eat, having specific preferences about proteins, flavors, textures and even food bowl sizes and shapes.

Last year I wrote about my dog Harper’s unusual lack of appetite. (Read it here: uexpress.com/pets/pet-connection/2020/05/18.) At the time, Harper was in good health, so I decided not to let it bother me if she missed a meal every once in a while. But five months later, she was diagnosed with cancer, and it became much more important for her to eat regularly and take in an adequate amount of food.

That was easier said than done, though. During her most recent bout of refusing to eat, I offered her roast chicken and poached eggs. I hand-fed her. I warmed her food. I provided a buffet of three different diets so she could choose from them or go back and forth among them. I started her on an appetite stimulant.

Harper is back to eating reasonably well, although not with the gusto of youth. It raised the question, though: When should a pet who’s not eating be seen by their veterinarian?

Dogs and cats are individuals, so in most cases, the answer is, “It depends,” says Lindsey Bullen, DVM, a veterinary nutrition specialist who practices at Blue Pearl in North Carolina.

Anorexia and pickiness aren’t normal, but they can have a number of causes. In a new puppy, pickiness could be a sign of disease, or it could be related to the stress of being in a new home and away from mom and littermates. In older dogs like Harper, it may mean that they don’t feel well. Knowing your animal’s normal eating habits is key.

Dr. Bullen’s first dog, Gus, was a chowhound. “He would peel out every day to come eat his food and knock over anyone in his path,” she says. For the eight years she’d had him, Gus had never missed a meal. The day he refused dinner, Bullen took him straight to the emergency room. As it turned out, his spleen had ruptured and, understandably, Gus didn’t feel good.

Bullen’s current dog, Heidi, was picky when they adopted her four years ago. She also has a diet-responsive disease. “When she doesn’t feel well, that impacts her pickiness,” Bullen says. “So for her, when she has a picky phase, I’m a little less concerned about it because it is not uncommon for her.”

Like Gus, Bullen’s cats normally have a great appetite. For the same reason she took Gus in, if one of them misses a meal, she takes them to their veterinarian immediately.

Factors to consider are how long you’ve had your pet, the relationship you have with them, and what is normal for them. As we’ve learned with Harper, age and health status play a role, too. Senior pets may have appetite loss related to a reduced sense of smell. Pets with acute or chronic illness may have no other way to indicate that they’re not feeling well.

“My rule of thumb for any pet parent out there is if there is any change to the eating behavior or pattern or if that pickiness or anorexia is getting worse over time -- especially if it lasts more than 24 hours -- it is not wrong to call your veterinarian,” Bullen says. “The longer they go without eating, the more negative they get in terms of their nutrient imbalances and deficiencies, and the harder it can be sometimes to bounce back if there’s a problem.”

Q&A

How to manage

bladder stones

Q: My male cat has bladder stones, and the vet is recommending a special diet. It’s expensive! Is there some natural way to treat or prevent the stones?

A: Some conditions and diseases in pets are best managed through diet, and one of them is bladder stones. Peer-reviewed studies have shown the benefit of veterinary therapeutic diets for dissolving these stones.

Urinary stones are seen in 10% to 20% of cats with lower urinary tract disease. In male cats, stones can block the urethra -- the tube that carries urine out of the body. That’s a serious medical emergency! Cats unable to urinate can die within 72 hours if the blockage isn’t relieved.

Changing a cat’s diet helps in several ways. Switching to canned food, which is approximately 70% water, helps the cat take in more fluid. And some diets are formulated to produce acidic urine, which is more likely to dissolve struvite stones. Therapeutic diets also tend to be higher in sodium, encouraging the cat to drink more water. That, in turn, dilutes the urine, making it less likely that crystals will form into stones.

Using diet to dissolve stones is less invasive than surgery -- the other option for stone removal -- but the drawback is that it can take several months to work. Be patient, and don’t undermine it by giving your cat other types of food or treats.

To help the food do its work, scoop the litter box at least a couple of times a day so your cat will want to use it, and make sure he always has plenty of fresh water. Consider getting a pet fountain to increase his interest in drinking more often; lots of cats prefer running water.

Catching this problem early and treating it effectively with an appropriate diet is the best way to prevent it from becoming worse. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Meal deliveries

include pets

-- As Thanksgiving approaches, some residents in Amarillo, Texas, can look forward to monthly pet food deliveries from volunteers, thanks to a partnership between Meals on Wheels of Amarillo and the newly established Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. The program, Animeals, which is also available in other parts of the country, will not only help people feed their dogs and cats, but may in the future deliver veterinary services, too, as the veterinary students progress in their studies.

-- Four dogs are in the running for Nationwide’s 13th annual Hambone Award, which recognizes the most unusual pet health insurance claim. German shepherd Bruin from Stevenson Ranch, California, fell off a cliff; mixed-breed Griffin from Chicago swallowed a full-length bamboo skewer; yellow Lab-golden retriever mix Sherlotte from Andover, Massachusetts, survived being submerged in a sinkhole; and miniature schnauzer Sophie from Kissimmee, Florida, was catapulted out of a golf cart. All of the nominated pets have made full recoveries. The winner receives the Hambone Award trophy and other gifts, and the veterinary practice that treated the winner receives a $10,000 award funded by Nationwide through the Veterinary Care Foundation, a charity that helps veterinary practices provide medical care for pets whose owners can’t afford treatment. See photos and detailed stories of the nominees and winner at HamboneAward.com.

-- Cat got hairballs? They’re not necessarily normal. Usually the barfed-up balls of fur are harmless -- although no fun to step on in bare feet -- but sometimes a hairball, or what looks like one, can signal a serious problem, especially if they occur frequently, contain blood or large amounts of digested or undigested food, or are slimed with large amounts of mucus. To help prevent them, groom your cat frequently. Learn more about trichobezoars -- the scientific name for hairballs -- at fearfreehappyhomes.com/hairballs. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.