Cats: Hyperlipidemia

General background on hyperlipidemia -- note there are two different kinds, high glycerides and high cholesterols.  It can be caused by increased production (doubtful), increased mobilization (again doubtful in a kitten), and decreased clearance (which makes the most sense here).  To separate physiological from pathological, test after 12hr fast.  HypOthyrdoism keeps being mentioned as a potential cause.

Treatments for hyperglyceridemia:  a low fat diet, <25% fat (raw chicken), omega 3, chitosan...

Treatments for hypercholesterolemia:  soluble fiber,

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/hyperlipidemia-dogs-and-cats

Homemade Kitten Formula

Orphan kittens ideally should be placed with a nursing queen to get cat milk.  This is not often possible, so caregivers must find a substitute. 

The simplest is fresh, raw goat milk, or even a commercial version.

If this is not available, then either commercial kitten milk (such as KMR) or a homemade version needs to be used.

Under no circumstances should only cow's milk be fed - it lacks important nutrients for kitten growth and there are reports of severe diarrhea when fed exclusively.

The Recipe:

Ingredients for 1-¼ cups kitten formula:

1 cup of goat milk (if unavailable, whole milk can be used but is not preferred)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons of powdered protein
1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast
110 mg of powdered calcium
1-day dose of vitamins formulated for adult cats

You'll also need a mixing bowl, a hand mixer, a saucepan, and a small nursing bottle.

Beat the egg, and thoroughly stir in the remaining ingredients. Warm the formula in a small nursing bottle by placing it into a cup or bowl of hot water. Test the formula on the underside of your wrist to check the temperature. If the formula is too hot, wait until the formula cools down. If the formula is too cold, continue soaking the bottle in hot water. Always be sure to test the formula again before giving it to the kitten.

Never re-use formula that you have warmed. Discard it and use fresh formula for each feed.

Discussion:

There is concern among some kitten fosterers about the use of any cow's milk with kittens.  There concern centers on the lactose content of the cow's milk.  Here are the lactose levels in various milks:

cat milk  4% (constant from birth to weaning)
cow milk  4.5-4.9%  (various authors report different figures)

goat milk  4.1% (or 10% less than cow milk, so 4.1-4.4%)

Feline nutritional experts also agree -- young kittens can digest lactose (obvious from it being in mother's milk), but as they mature to adults, some cats lose this ability and become lactose intolerant.

Lastly, almost all commercial kitten formulas, except where clearly labelled as derived from goat milk, are all make using cow milk in various forms -- casein, powdered milk, whey, etc.

Thoughts on Syringe-Feeding a Cat

Since I seem to have better than average experience with this, a vet invited me to share some tips and tricks with her and others. I have been thinking about and actually spent part of day observing at a local vet clinic to really see what the differences were. I think there are 5 critical differences.

1. Time. I usually am force feeding only one cat at a time and don't have to rush off and do other things. I will take anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes to get the food into the cat. I only put a small amount in and I let the cat swallow and relax before the next mouthful.

2. Location. I force feed the cat in my lap or between my legs while sitting on the floor. I have the cat surrounded with my legs and arms, with my torso draped over the cat. I believe this makes the cat feel safer. Rarely do I have to 'towel' a cat to force feed it -- even with new arrivals.

3. Tools. I use a feeding syringe from FourPaws. It holds a nice amount and the tip can be cut off so that the food comes out quickly. I have tried regular syringes and I didn't like it. If the syringe is re-used, the plunger sticks. The tip is usually too small unless one uses the 50ml size and then it's too big to easily handle.

4. Food. I always feed the food at or slightly warmer than room temperature. (And apologies, Dr. Muns for this next part.) I know Science Diet A/D is considered a great force feeding food, but many cats do not like it. I may use it, but I mix it with other ingredients, such as goat milk, to make a mix that is more appealing to cats. The food also needs to be of the right consistency -- not runny, not thick, but something like cold gravy.

5. Position of head. I try to keep the head level and squirt small amounts of the food ( like .5ml) in the middle of the upper palate. This works better than what owners are told to do -- squirt it between cheek and teeth. I know vets and vet techs are afraid owners will choke the cat with the food, but if it's the proper consistency (not a liquid) and if it's small amounts, I've never had any problem.

10 Books Cat Breeders Should Own

Here's a list of 10 books that cat breeders should have in their libraries.  The books range from genetics to care of kitten.  I wish to thank several of my breeder friends for make suggestions and comments on these books.

1. The Cat Breeder's Handbook  -- This is a collection of articles by various experts on everything from selecting cats for a breeding program to showing cats at a cat show.  There is a good article on cattery design.
2. Feline Husbandry -- One of the classics for cat breeders, which is still useful.  It covers diseases in a multicat environment, caring for kittens and mothers, and nutrition among other topics.  The book is fairly expensive as it is out of print, but it is available for free online through the UC Davis website.
3. Practical Guide to Cat Breeding (Royal Canin) -- I have not personally seen this book but it was highly recommended.  From the description, it sounds good as it has sections on genetics, reproduction problems, pediatrics, and even legal matters.  The down side of this book is the price -- it is out of print and routinely sells for over $100.
4. Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians -- This is THE book on cat genetics and how breeders need to consider relatedness among cats.
5. Notes on Feline Internal Medicine -- This is a technical veterinary book, but one of the best books for clearly diagnosing internal problems, explaining bloodwork, and giving medication suggestions.
6. Veterinary Notes for Cat Owners, Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, or Cornell Book of Cats -- PICK 2 -- These are more user-friendly books that the above book.  They provide the reader with more background information on disease processes without the technical terminology and the medication suggestions.  Each book explains topics in slightly different ways, hence the suggestion for 2 books.
7. Infectious Disease Management in Animal Shelters -- This book is invaluable to understand and help prevent diseases from spreading in a closed environment, such as a cattery.  While it is for animal shelters, and thus includes dogs, it is very applicable to catteries.
8. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook -- This standard reference on veterinary drugs is invaluable for understanding the biochemisty of drugs as well as for dosages.  Sadly, the book is expensive and some newer drugs are omitted until the newest edition is published.
9. The Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat -- This is a more user-friendly drug book which covers the most commonly prescribed drugs, discusses the pros and cons of using human medications, and provides a simple first-aid guide.
10. Raising Cats Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended -- For breeders interested in feeding raw food, this is THE book to have.  Not only does it provide clear recipes, it provides the rational behind the ingredients with references to literature.

10 Cat Books the Average Owner Should Own

Here is a list I compiled awhile ago of 10 books that are both readable for the average cat owner and very useful.  (Links are to the book page on LibraryThing.com)

1. Veterinary Notes for Cat Owners or Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook -- These books are well written so the layperson can understand a variety of diseases and conditions in cats.  The photos are particularly helpful at times.
2. Raising Cats Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended -- This is the 'bible' for feeding raw.  Not only does it give 2 options for preparing the food (with and without a grinder), but it explains the rational behind the diet's ingredients with references.
3. The new natural cat : a complete guide for finicky owners -- Excellent book on general cat care, using a variety of alternative treatments.
4. Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats -- This was the book that started my interest in both alternative veterinary medicine for cats and in raw food.  While his recipes rely too much on grain in my opinion, his sections on vaccines and then the catalog of diseases and treatments are very good.
5. Cat Wrangling Made Easy: Maintaining Peace and Sanity in Your Multicat Home -- Excellent book by someone who has lived in a multicat home on how to manage things.  Some of the tips and suggestions are brilliant!
6. Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat -- Another book on cat behavior and interaction by a top behaviorist.  Her method of introducing new cats has become the standard method and actually does work!
7. Getting in TTouch with your Cat -- This book explains a wonderful massage-type treatment for cats.  It is simple to learn and helps many cats to relax.
8. Cats Naturally: Natural Rearing For Healthier Domestic Cats -- While this is an older book, it is well worth buying it as it is the best guide out there for using herbs with cats.
9. The Nature of Animal Healing : The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat -- A newer and very useful book on holistic medicine for dogs and cats.  Some of the suggestions, such as the Chinese medicine ones, are rarely seen in even other holistic vet books.
10. Starting from scratch : how to correct behavior problems in your adult cat -- Another behavior book, but this one is specifically on how to correct already established bad behaviors.  I like this one since using drugs is the absolute last resort.

Treating Feline Urinary Problems: Cranberries

Cranberries

If you go to any alternative medicine site and look for natural treatments for bladder infections, cranberry in its many forms is touted as a cure or prevention.  But does it work?  And more importantly for me, does it work for a cat?

Cranberry seems to work because a proanthocyanidins (an antioxidant) prevents the E. Coli from attaching to the cell walls in the bladder.  In vitro studies have confirmed that proanthocyanins do cause deformation of the E. coli cells and thus suggests prevents them from adhering to the bladder walls.  The adhesion in one study was reduced by 75%

There are no studies in cats.

There is a study in beagles showing that the metabolites of the cranberry do appear to make it to the bladder and do reduce the adhesion of the E. coli.  The researchers administered 1 Crananidin tablet per day and the dose peaked at 7 days after which it remained steady.

There are human studies that show no significant improvement with the use of cranberries.  Several of the studies do comment that perhaps the potency of the cranberry used in the study was not sufficient.

So what does this all mean?  It does seem that cranberry can prevent UTIs in cell cultures, but there is no evidence that it does in cats.

There are however many anecdotal accounts by cat owners that cranberry pills, cranberry powder, and even cranberry juice has helped cats.  I know from personal expereience, I have used cranberry powder with cats exhibiting UTI symptoms and the symptoms disappeared in 2-3 days.  Was it coincidence?  Maybe, maybe not.  I do know that 1/2 a cranberry extract pill is a much larger dose for a cat than 1 pill 2x a day is for a person.  So maybe, the proanthocyanins did reach a therapeutic level in my cats.

There are also a couple of concerns about using cranberries with cats.  One is cranberries contain salicylic acid (aspirin).  Now, before people panic, cranberry juice contains 7mg/L of juice.  Presumably poders and extracts would contain more.  But.... for cats, the toxic level for aspirin begins at about 50mg/kg of body weight.  So an 11 lb cat (5 kgs) would need 250mg to reach a minimum toxic level, of about 37 quarts (35L) of juice.

The other concern is the presence of oxalates.  Oxalates have been tied to the formation of oxalate kidney stones in humans, but cats rarely develop kidney stones -- they are more likely to have bladder stones, so I am unclear if this is even a concern.  In any case, cranberries contain 5-7 mg of oxalates per 3.5oz of food.  This is the same level for pumpkin, which is wildly used for cats and regarded as beneficial.

Bottomline, if I have another cat with UTI symptoms, I will use it again.  If and when the researchers ever do a sound study on felines and show it does not work, then I may rethink my position.

Summary of scientific studies from "Complementary and Integrative Therapies" by Donna Raditic, in Vet. Clinics of N. Am.: Small Animal Practice,  July 2015

A Simple Recipe for Bone Broth

I've seen a number of cat people encourage owners with sick cats to make bone broth.  This broth supposedly will be loved by cats and will provide them with lots of vital nutrients.

I do remember trying it years ago.  All I really remember of it was that the cats didn't particularly like it and I eventually through the frozen stuff away.  But maybe it was the cats, or the problems, or my preparation... I'm willing to give it another try.

Here's a recipe I found on a website called Pet360.com :

Place bones in pot and cover with water. For each gallon of water, add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, for the natural acids that break down bones to release their minerals. Slice in some carrots for flavor; before adding any other vegetables or seasonings. Make sure to consult your vet to be sure all ingredients are feline-safe. Cats should never eat anything containing onions, chives, scallions or garlic—these are all toxic for cats.

Simmer on low heat until any remaining meat residue falls off the bones. Remove  meat and vegetables. Let the bones simmer for another 20-24 hours. Your cat will hover, curious about the yummy scent.

When cooking time is up, skim off the separated fat, remove and discard all bones. Let broth cool completely and transfer to small containers and ice cube trays for easy freezing.

Get bone broth on your cat’s menu by serving it over dry cat food, letting the nuggets soak up the flavor and nutrients. You can also spoon it over canned food like gravy. Or offer a broth cube as a savory ‘popsicle’ that your cat will eagerly lick. That’s another of bone broth’s many health benefits—your cat will definitely enjoy the treat.

From http://www.pet360.com/cat/health/6-ways-bone-broth-serves-up-benefits-for-cats/S46iGtRWEE-Qr4Pg08dcuw

Vascular Access Ports in Cats

If you have a cat that is undergoing chemotherapy which must be delivered into a

vein or a cat that needs repeated  IVs or blood draws, one thing to consider is a vascular access port.  A VAP is a small metal or plastic device implanted under the skin with a catheter tude inserted in a major vein, such as the jugular vein or in a femor vein.  Drugs or blood are then injected or extracted from the port using special needles and only entail a prick of the skin as the needle passes through the skin and into the port.  The port itself causes no discomfort.  General anesthesia is required for placement and cats must not have clotting problems (as in too many clots).

Complication rate in dogs and cats is about 10.5%, which is about 10 times higher than in people.  The most common failure is blockage of the tubing or port so that material can neither be injected nor extracted.  This can be prevented by properly flushing the port with heparinized saline after each use.  Complications are higher for those in leg veins than in neck veins in cats.

Also, because of the need to use special needles and have special training to inject into these ports, at the present, these ports are only being used by researchers and a few select cancer treatment centers.  Since most cats do not need repeated blood draws or injections, the usefulness of these ports is unclear.

From "Vascular Access Ports in Cats", Alane Kosanovich Cahalane, pp585-591, Feline Internal Medicine, vol. 7, 2015