I got a really great link to a non-profit website that is full of suggestions about how to find a lost cat. My book THE CAT BIBLE has many good suggestions on this topic (THE DOG BIBLE has them from the canine point of view) but sometimes it’s just more automatic to go to the computer. Jeanine, one of my CAT CHAT® listeners, recommended www.catsinthebag.org and it really may help bring your kitty-cat home.
–Tracie Hotchner
Dear Tracie,
I’m thrilled that the Weruva has resolved my cat Leo’s struvite crystal situation. However, for the last 3-4 months he has been biting the tip of his tail and chewing on his paws. The vet thinks he possibly has a food allergy to chicken, and offered steroid shots. To give Leo some immediate relief the vet gave him one shot. I do not plan to continue a course of steroids.
I also switched Leo to a limited ingredient diet on March 14th, feeding him Instinct’s rabbit, venison and lamb. There is no chicken or chicken liver. He did really well until last week when he started over-grooming and biting his tail and paws again.
I apply Advantage flea control every three to four weeks. I was hoping the change in diet would help, but he seems to have the same allergy symptoms. I would love your advice on what other things I can do to help him.
Laura
Here’s what I think is going on:
Leo needs omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil. Nordic Naturals is my favorite because of its purity and freshness — it comes in pet capsules and you can puncture the capsule and squeeze a few drops on his paws every day for him to enjoy & lick off. These omega-3 oils are anti-inflammatory in general plus they nourish the skin at a cellular level.
You are so right to avoid the steroid shots — it creates a horrible cycle of dependence on them and it solves nothing — only deals with the symptoms and creates problems of its own
Food allergies are extremely rare and sorry to say I hear of vets who blame chicken all the time and then give shots — without any proof of why the animal is suffering — it’s ridiculous! I think you may still have fleas — one flea bite can create a terrible itchy reaction and the biting and scratching can cause more irritation.
The product you are using is based on older technology and cannot compare to Vectra for cats — which is far superior because it is the newest technology and kills off all 3 life cycles of the flea — which can live in your environment for years unless the life cycle is ended. Plus, it works efficiently for a full 30 days so there is no longer any reason to buy a product that you have to reapply too soon because it isn’t working anymore! Please go on my website and see the page about Vectra so you can figure out how to ask your vet to carry it. Otherwise, you can go to your nearest Banfield Vet Clinic — which has Vectra made for them under the name First Shield. This product is available only through vets, never online, to protect the quality and safety of the product.
P.S. About the crystals — to avoid them forming again you want Leo to drink as much water as possible — which cats are not inclined to do, especially if getting such good nourishment. So you have to make the water really tasty! In addition to giving my favorite canned cat food, Weruva, I urge you to buy a canister of ICE PUPS (just ignore the name!) from the Honest Kitchen. It’s finely ground chicken & herbs which dissolves in water after you stir it around and makes it really delicious. So you can put half a teaspoon in a shallow bowl of half a cup of water and see if you can get him to slurp up some of that, too! You can buy Ice Pups (and the new Honest Kitchen treats called Wishes, which are freeze dried little fishes!) from www.K9Cuisine.com, which despite the name carries Weruva and a whole lot of great cat treats. With a minimum order there is even free shipping.
Let me know how everything goes!
Dear Tracie,
You are so kind! This is great information. I Googled Banfield Vet Clinic and there is one near my house, so I’ll definitely check out Vectra flea medicine. I’ve been wondering about Advantage since I noticed that it wasn’t particularly effective. The kitties keep scratching and biting even after I apply it…. so I concluded their issue must be food allergies (thinking the product was killing the fleas).
I’m going to switch back to Weruva since they absolutely love it…. they eat rabbit and lamb, but they are not really crazy about it and they are still biting themselves. So… sounds like nasty fleas.
I’ll pick up some Ice Pups…. I’m sure they’ll enjoy another treat.
And then I sent Laura a few more thoughts from me (since I cannot be stopped)!
I think you’re going to see a big improvement over time with the Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps the skin and should also reduce their itchiness over time.
Goody gumdrops on getting Leo back on the Weruva! The Vectra is a lifesaver AND MUST BE USED MONTHLY YEAR ROUND because fleas have a long life cycle (most of it invisible to us) and they are always looking for their next meal.
–TracieHotchner
Hi Tracie:
I have been a listener of your Cat Chat® show for many years, & I also have your book The Cat Bible. I received an email the other day from you & it mentioned your new food.
I drove about 12 miles to buy it & I bought many of the different flavors, but when I read the can at the very bottom, it says, “product of Thailand”.
I was very surprised because I thought it also says it is produced in a human facility. I thought it was made here in the USA.
Thank You,
Patty C.
So glad you got in touch so I can help clear up this frequent misunderstanding we Americans have about whether what is produced in other countries is good — or inferior to our own products. I think we all need to keep in mind that China is a country whose products have proven over and over to be either suspicious or dangerous — but that does not hold true for the rest of Asia by any means. Thailand, in fact, holds itself to the much HIGHER European standards. Plus it’s important to note that Weruva is made in a human food facility (which makes many of the foods eaten in restaurants across America). Once you know that, you can feel a whole lot better about letting your kitties enjoy Weruva. And rather than driving 12 miles, you can order Weruva from PetFoodDirect.com and get a special discount as a Cat Chat listener. Use discount code CATCHAT20.
I used my site’s Google search box to find a previous Blog I did about Weruva and the Thailand connection, so please take a moment to read this, too.
Best,
Tracie
P.S. if you’d like an autographed bookplate inscribed to your kitty to put into your THE CAT BIBLE please send your cat’s name & your mailing address and I’ll pop it right in the mail.
The Cat Bible
I have Daily Tips that pop up on Catster.com and every so often the comments get startling in their nastiness — both to me and others who comment. It was really discouraging since all we’re all trying to do is support happy living with kitties, right?! So I commented back to the commenters and got a lovely note from one who calls herself “Little Doll” when she posts.
Little Doll you are doing a great service to be taking care of so many kitties and I salute you. Here are some thoughts on how to make it easier and more affordable. Feed each cat on a small paper plate then no wash up, more sanitary actually. For the best food bargains you can go to PetFoodDirect.com and my website has the code — CATCHAT20 — to put in at the end for a 20% discount. You can get any brand on the planet, no dragging home heavy bags (UPS man does it all!) and often they have many choices on sale, which is how I do it for my dogs. If you have to use dry (for a variety of reasons) you’ve picked a quality brand so the higher the protein and a named protein source as the #1 ingredient, the less worrisome it is to feed dry food. But it must be without corn, wheat, soy,powdered cellulose (which is SAWDUST!!) etc. I like HALO because they use actual real meat, muscle meat, in their kibble which no other company does. Still, any kibble is bad for cats’ health because at the end of the day it is highly processed and carbohydrate heavy. As for listening to my shows, any chance you can download them from the online library onto an iPod or other device? I am a dope and don’t know how, but loads of people are doing it. I really appreciate your very kind words and hope you’ll have a chance to get THE CAT BIBLE at some point because I know it will give you even more insights and advice you can use. If you do get it, remember to send me your mailing address and a list of ALL your kitties names so I can send you an autographed bookplate to put in it — and a coupon for $20 worth of Cat Attract litter and a CD of my show about nutrition.
Thank you so much, Tracie. There’s a place here in Chico (CA) called Northern Star Mills that has some good prices on dry pet food and I will have to check out Halo. I did forward PetFoodDirect (I’m on their mailing list) to a good online friend of mine who has MS and it is very difficult for her to wrestle big bags of dry food home. My neighbor has a three-year-old daughter who has been fascinated by my cats for the last year and a half and it inspired my neighbor to adopt three kittens. She then realized how much commitment they can take and stopped there. I am, somewhat slowly, trying to educate her without preaching, which is difficult for me. The quality of pet food bought is one topic I’m working toward.
I do forward some tips on to a few of my friends who have cats and recommend Catster to cat people I chat with. The Cats room in Pogo Addiction Solitaire seems to be a special gathering place for cat people, more than any other room or game I’ve been in. Whenever I come across someone who is grieving over a lost feline friend, I recommend putting a memorial page on Catster. Also, there are many cat people at Care2.com and cat groups.
Thank you very much for your kind offer. I may surprise you someday by taking you up on it!
I am very sorry about the people who attacked you in comments on your Daily Tips. It was certainly out of the blue. I think these people feel threatened. Most people want to be patted on the back without doing the work. We often do things like putting in five inches of kitty litter in the box or filling the dry food bowl without even realizing why. Often, it is because the product itself recommended that amount. The more used, the better for them. Or maybe their parents did it that way, never stopping to consider that their parents might not have really known or understood about cats and then they have an emotional attachment to doing that way. The point is to get beyond that emotional reaction and reexamine the best way to do things for the animals we say we love, not for our own emotional fulfillment. Just because we did it that way it and it seemed to work doesn’t mean we can’t, in the light of new information, rethink our methods and try something different.
Actually, I think one drama queen had a knee jerk reaction which influenced a few other people, but I don’t think the majority of your readers feel this way at all.
I noticed that Comments are closed on the last couple of Tips. I hope this was your decision and wasn’t forced on you. Please don’t be discouraged, the presence of crazies actually means that you are being effective and getting somewhere. Certainly, you are being noticed.
Thanks for your kind words & encouragement — it means a lot. I did tell the folks at Catster about the out-of-control responses so they probably turned off the tap. Great to know you are out there!
Best wishes,
–Tracie Hotchner
The Cat Bible
Hi Tracie,
I’m thrilled that the Weruva has resolved Leo’s struvite crystal situation. However, for the last 3-4 months he has been biting the tip of his tail and chewing on his paws. The vet thinks he possibly has a food allergy to chicken, and offered steroid shots. To give Leo some immediate relief the vet gave him one shot. I do not plan to continue a course of steroids.
I also switched Leo to a limited ingredient diet on March 14th, feeding him Instinct’s rabbit, venison and lamb. There is no chicken or chicken liver. He did really well until last week when he started over-grooming and biting his tail and paws again.
I apply Advantage flea control every three to four weeks. I was hoping the change in diet would help, but he seems to have the same allergy symptoms. I would love your advise on what other things I can do to help him.
Thanks!
Laura K.
Laura -
Here’s what is going on:
Leo needs omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil — Nordic Naturals is my favorite because of its purity and freshness — it comes in pet capsules and you can puncture the capsule and squeeze a few drops on his paws every day for him to enjoy & lick off. These omega-3 oils are anti-inflammatory in general plus they nourish the skin at a cellular level.
You are so right to avoid the steroid shots — it creates a horrible cycle of dependence on them and it solves nothing — only deals with the symptoms and creates problems of its own
Food allergies are extremely rare and vets blame chicken all the time and then give shots — without any proof of why the animal is suffering – it’s ridiculous! I think you may still have fleas — one flea bite can create a terrible itchy reaction and the biting and scratching can cause more irritation.
The product you are using cannot compare to Vectra for cats — it is far superior because it is the newest technology and kills off all 3 life cycles of the flea — which can live in your environment for years unless the life cycle is ended. Plus, it works efficiently for a full 30 days so there is not reason to have a product that you have to reapply too soon because it isn’t working anymore! Please go on my website and see the page about Vectra so you can figure out how to ask your vet to carry it or you can go to your nearest Banfield Vet Clinic which has Vectra made for them under the name First Shield — this product is available only through vets — never online, to protect the quality and safety of the product.
About the crystals — to avoid them forming again you want him to drink as much water as possible — which cats are not inclined to do, especially if getting such good nourishment. So you have to make the water really tasty! In addition to giving my favorite canned cat food, Weruva, I urge you to buy a canister of Ice Pups (just ignore the name!) from the Honest Kitchen — available online if you don’t have a premium pet store near you. It’s finely ground chicken & herbs which dissolves in water after you stir it around and makes it really delicious. So you can put half a teaspoon in a shallow bowl of half a cup of water and see if you can get him to slurp up some of that, too!
Let me know how everything goes!
–Tracie Hotchner
My newest partner is the unique and fantastic TravelStix – one of those “how did I ever live without it?” products! A USB stick that looks like a credit card to hold all your pet’s important info.
Here’s a great review TravelStix just got at PeoplePets.com.
–Tracie Hotchner
I know how much we all worry about losing our pets and how deep the sorrow is when we do. It’s been a privilege to welcome Susan Cohen on both my shows to discuss her marvelous work at the Animal Medical Center in NYC as a Pet Loss Grief Counselor. (She is going to be coming back on both shows very soon to discuss the emotional effects of a pet dying suddenly.) So I was especially gratified to get this from her:
Hi Tracie,
I just spoke with an AMC client, who specifically asked for a counselor. I figured she’d had therapy in the past and asked how she knew to request one. She said she’d heard our interview on your show (Dog Talk & Cat Chat, I think) and remembered we had it because she knew some day she’d need it.
Thanks for providing such an important service.
Susan
That is terrific to hear — and good reason to keep coming back on periodically to help those in need now and for future help
Talk to you soon!
–Tracie Hotchner
Hello Tracie,
I wanted to send a follow up to you regarding the awesome donation of full pallet of Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Cat Attract Cat Litter. Pete called me at work excited with the news that the litter had arrived.
As you can imagine, we could not wait to put it to use. We had just brought one of our shelter cat’s home from having surgery for urinary crystals so we gave him a special litter box with Cat Attract litter and then placed another box of Cat Attract in the main area of the shelter where we have our incontinent cats roaming freely.
The next morning when we arrived to clean the shelter it was obvious that our incontinent cats had all used the new Cat Attract litter. The best part was the way it clumped. I don’t think I have ever had cat litter that clumped so well, making scooping a breeze and keeping the box clean and fresh. Our surgery cat, Blossom, thanks you for making the litter so easy to use and clean as well.
It is hard to find words special enough to express our appreciation of the blessings you, Cat Chat Radio, on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 / XM157, and so many of your sponsors have blessed our shelter with. FMAR and the animals who come to stay while waiting for a new start… even if their new life is a lifetime of love and care from Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue (FMAR) all thank you for your compassion and support.
Please pass on our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Cat Attract Cat Litter for their generous donation of a huge pallet of Cat Attract cat litter.
Marcy LaFramboise
Dear Marcy,
This is fantastic news! I know Gina, Jim, and Dr. Elsey at the company will be thrilled to know that their wonderful product made such a big difference — it may be that those kitties who were not previously using a litter box may now be able to get a forever home!
This is a great testimonial to share with others who may be experiencing the same problem of their cats not wanting to use the litter box for any number of reasons. Having a product such as Cat Attract can be of great help in addressing these types of issues.
Wishing everyone at FMAR well!
–Tracie Hotchner
Great news for people on the East Coast looking to change their dog’s diet to a completely raw dehydrated organic menu, or to augment their dog’s dinner bowl (as I do) with the pure natural food from The Honest Kitchen (THK) in San Diego. My pooches have been eating THK products as one-third of every one of their meals for many years. This company has been eco-conscious and green-oriented for years, well before the current trendiness of the “green movement.” Not only are packaging materials recycled and recyclable, but the chicken is organic and comes from humane and sustainable farming practices, as do many of the other ingredients. ICE PUPS from THK is an essential in every dog’s pantry (and so important for kitty cats with kidney or other urinary tract issues). A canister of ICE PUPS (ground chicken and herbs which dissolves in water) becomes a delicious and appealing source of fluids and hydration for pets who need it but aren’t good water consumers, like my Scooby Doo who nearly died of bladder stones years ago and never seems to drink at all. So I just wanted to pass on a list of the new Honest Kitchen resellers in New York (and New Jersey), which were recently set up now that they have a sales rep and a distributor. Lucy Postins, the dedicated owner of THK, says “I know you’re always keen to have stores that you can refer people to, after you so kindly tell them all about our products. So here’s that list!”
THE HONEST KITCHEN (THK) – EAST COAST RESELLERS
THK New Accounts for March 2010 (ordering at least 3 diets)
Metro Pet Supply, 19 Main Road, Montville, NJ
VCA Madison Feed Antech,Inc., Madison, NJ
Rusty’s Place, 1141 Greenwood Lake Tpke, Ringwood, NJ
Maxwell And Molly’s Closet Llc, 218 Spring St, Newton, NJ
Bubba Rose Biscuit Co., 421 Main St., Boonton, NJ
Corrados Pet Market 2 Inc, (Not Opened Yet), Wayne, NJ
Unleashed Pet Boutique & Spa, 160 Main Street, Port Washington, NY
Litter & Leashes Inc., 1521 York Ave., New York, NY
Pet Pro Inc., 1614 Route 82 Plaza, Lagrangeville, NY
The Pet Market 224 West 72Nd Street, New York, NY
The Pet Market 1St Ave.,Inc., 1570 1St Avenue, New York, NY
Paws Of Distinction, 56 Fifth Ave., Newburgh, NY
Village Pet Center, 1260 Springfield Avenue, New Providence, NJ
Animal Crackers Inc., 1059 Raritan Road, Clark, NJ
Vinney’s Pet Shop, 451 Bay Ridge Ave., Brooklyn, NY
It’s A Dog World, 593 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn, NY
The Paw Stop, 21 Murray Street, New York, NY
Puppy Love & Kitty Kat Pet, Inc., 200 Spring Street, New York, NY
Lucas Ave. Pet Supply, 350 Lucas Ave., Kingston, NY
Rock Ledge Garden Center Inc., 1621 Hamburg Tpke., Wayne, NJ
This beautiful note amplified the satisfaction and pleasure I had visiting Detroit. Oh! And the folks at Precious Cat — who are wonderful supporters of the educational work I do — will be donating a load of CAT ATTRACT litter to the shelter, especially for the two kitty cats who won’t use the litter box — they were declawed by their previous owners, who then abandoned them when one of the common miserable “side effects” of the cruel declawing practice was the out-of-litter-box behavior that often results. With any luck, CAT ATTRACT may be able to encourage them back into the litter pan.
We wanted to thank you for coming to Michigan to support Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue (FMAR) and to talk about pet nutrition at our local Petco store in Westland, Michigan yesterday. It was such a pleasure to be able to talk to you in person and give you a tour of our shelter. For the past 7 years, our volunteers have worked so very hard to keep our shelter the best it can, and their efforts show by how much we have been able to grow. It was a dream come true to be able to share their accomplishments with you.
It isn’t every shelter that can say they have the support of great people like Tracie Hotchner, the host of Cat Chat® on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 / XM157. We can’t express our appreciation for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit and talk about the importance of great nutrition for our pets. In fact, I have been talking about your canned cat food recommendations for years now and to have you validate it in person has already made an impact on the people who support the shelter as well as the families who have adopted pets from FMAR that came to hear you speak.
FMAR is looking forward to our future and hope that your visit from New York to Michigan was as pleasant for you as it was for all of us. We will let you know when the pictures are up on our website. www.fmar1.org
We wish you abundant blessings and heartfelt success always and forever.
Marcy and Pete LaFramboise, Founders And all the Volunteers & Supporters of FMAR