Saturday February 4, 2012

SimplyCats November Mewsletter:

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Hello and welcome to our November 2009 Mewsletter!.

By producing this Mewsletter we can reach and help so many more people to understand and care for their cats. This will go out to our clients at SimplyCats and also to our clients who have signed up on our Cat Behavior Web Site. We apologise for the American spelling but 80% of the clients on this site are from overseas.

We hope to mail all SimplyCats subscribers monthly. Remember this mailing is totally free and you can un-subscribe at any time, using the link on the top of the page or at the end of this Mewsletter..

Please feel free to browse our website where you will be able to view our special offers. www.simplycats.net

The idea is to select a number of articles each month that we think our subscribers will be interested in and have a direct link to how your cat thinks and his / her wellbeing. We sincerely believe the most important aspect of living in harmony with your cat is understanding how he or she thinks. You have to get inside your cats mind. This was the real passion behind creating our Cat Behaviour Guide and SimplyCats.

"Cats do care. For example, they know instinctively what time we have to be at work in the morning; and they wake us up twenty minutes before the alarm goes off."

- Michael Nelson

Being cat vets, feline behavior and cat medicine is an area of continuous interest to both of us and has a massive influence on the well being of cats and the humans owned by cats ;-). This is even more important when your beloved cat is ill or sick.

Knowing about cat behavior has been the centre point of the design of our cat only veterinary practice for example CAT ONLY, NO DOGS, all kept quiet and calm with places to hide in most of the hospitalisation cages. Also very careful use and selection of disinfectants etc. so as not to disturb the cats incredible sense of smell. Remember all these facts when you are trying to make your home cat friendly, though, do remember cats can get on fine with dogs once carefully introduced.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a term used to describe disease that is caused by a tumour – a collection of abnormal cells within the body that continue to grow and divide without control. This usually results in the development of masses (growths or lumps), which are mainly composed of the abnormal dividing cells.

Some tumours do not spread to other parts of the body and tend not to invade other surrounding tissues - these are termed 'benign' tumours. In contrast to this, the term cancer is used to describe 'malignant' tumours, which often do invade surrounding normal healthy tissue, and may spread to other sites in the body (or 'metastasise'), typically spreading via the blood stream or lymphatic system. Because of their more invasive nature, malignant tumours (cancers) are generally more serious than benign tumours, often causing more serious and extensive disease.

There are many different types of cancer, and they are often classified according to the origin of the type of abnormal cell they contain. Thus cancers known as 'carcinomas' and 'sarcomas' are solid tumours that arise from various different tissues, whereas ‘leukaemias' are cancers that affect the bone marrow where blood cells are produced and often cause large numbers of abnormal cells to appear in the blood stream. ‘Lymphoma' is a solid cancer caused by the growth of abnormal lymphocytes – a type of white blood cell that can also be found in tissues and is part of the immune system.

What causes cancer?

As is often the case in human medicine, the cause of cancer in any individual cat is often unknown, and indeed many cancers are likely to arise for a number of different reasons. Inherited (genetic) susceptibility to the development of certain tumours almost certainly occurs in cats, although little is known about this at present. During a cat's life they may potentially be exposed to a number of different things that can trigger abnormalities within cells that may ultimately lead to development of cancer – this may include exposure to sunlight or to a wide variety of different chemicals (carcinogens) – but still in most individuals, the underlying causes and trigger for the cancer remains unknown.

We do know that some viral infections in cats can cause cancer, and feline leukaemia virus is probably the best

example of this. Fortunately this is now quite rare, but this virus can infect the blood-producing cells of the bone marrow, and can lead to the development of leukaemia or lymphoma. Infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (related to human immunodeficiency virus) also on occasions can lead to the development of cancer. Fortunately it is easy for your vet to test for the presence of both of these viruses.

When cancer is diagnosed, a natural and common reaction is ‘What have I done wrong?' or ‘What could I have done to have prevented this from happening?' While these are entirely natural responses when we first learn that

our pet has cancer, it is important to remember that in the vast majority of cases we don't know what will have led to the development of the cancer, and therefore it would have been impossible to prevent.

What are the clinical signs of cancer?

Because cancers can affect any tissues in the body, the clinical signs that cats develop are extremely diverse and there are no signs that automatically suggest cancer is the cause of disease. In general, cancers affect older cats more commonly than younger cats.

In many cases, cancers will grow over quite a long period of time, and initially there may just be vague signs of disease such as poor appetite, lack of energy and weight loss. In other cases there may be more obvious signs such as persistent lumps in or under the skin, changes in the eyes, unexplained bleeding or wounds that do not heal. As the disease progresses additional complications will usually develop that often relate to the tissues or organs mainly affected. Although cancer may often be one of the potential causes of a variety of different signs (especially in older cats), it is important to remember that many other diseases commonly cause the same signs

as cancer and that, even where cancer is diagnosed, there may well be treatment options that will enable control or management of the disease, at least for a period of time. However, as it is important to diagnose cancer early, it is vital to seek veterinary advice as soon as any abnormalities are noticed.

How is cancer diagnosed?

Although you or your vet may suspect cancer to be an underlying cause of the clinical signs your cat is showing, the clinical signs and examination by your vet are not sufficient, alone, to be able to diagnose the condition, additional investigations in the form of radiographs (X-rays) or ultrasound examination are often needed to identify the location and/or the extent of any tumour, but the diagnosis of cancer can only be made by the microscopic examination of tissues by an experienced pathologist. This will usually necessitate a biopsy (surgical removal of a small piece of affected tissue) by your vet, although in some cases it may be possible to make a diagnosis from either a 'fine needle aspirate' (a small needle is inserted into a mass to remove or ‘suck out' a few cells that can be smeared on a slide for examination) or a ‘needle biopsy' (where a larger needle is inserted into a lump to remove a very small 'core' of tissue). Occasionally other techniques are also used to obtain samples of the suspected abnormal cells so that a diagnosis can be made. Blood samples are a routine part of the investigation of any suspected cancer patient – partly to detect any adverse effects of the cancer, and partly to detect the presence of any other disease.

With some cancers, occasionally more sophisticated techniques may be required to either make (or confirm) the diagnosis, or to plan the most appropriate treatment. Computed axial tomography (so-called 'CAT' or 'CT' scans) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scans) are becoming more widely available for pets and can be very valuable, especially, for example, in the diagnosis of brain tumours, and in assessing the extent of tumour invasion.

Can cancer be treated?

Although a diagnosis of cancer is never good news, it is not necessarily a ‘death sentence' for a cat. Many treatment options are available for cancers (these are covered in more detail in December's Mewsletter). Not all cancers respond well to therapy and the choice of whether or not to treat, and what to treat with, will depend on many factors. Some forms of therapy are only available at specialist centres, and your vet may suggest that he or she refers you to one of these places.

In many cases, appropriate treatment of cancer can result in a significant prolongation of very good quality of life for cats. Treatments can carry side effects, but your vet will be aware of these, and the aim is always to improve the quality of life of affected cats, and not to cause any increased suffering through the treatment. Generally, with careful monitoring and assessment, significant side effects can be avoided.
It is not always right to treat a cat with cancer, and the cat's quality of life must always be the overriding concern – it is worthwhile discussing the options available in depth with your vet before arriving at any decision.

What are the common cancers that affect cats?

Because of the enormous variety of cancers that can affect cats (as with any other animal), it is impossible to list all the different types and their common manifestations. However, some of the most commonly encountered cancers include the following:

Lymphoma

Lymphoma (malignant lymphoma, lymphosarcoma) is probably the single most common cancer that affects cats.

This is a solid tumour of a type of white blood cell (lymphocyte) that is involved in immune responses. In addition to being present in the blood, there are accumulations of lymphocytes that occur elsewhere in the body – either in discrete sites (lymph nodes or lymph 'glands') or within other tissues. Because of the wide distribution of lymphocytes in the body, lymphoma (malignant tumour of the cells) can occur at virtually any site, and also commonly occurs at multiple sites. Common sites to be affected include the lymph nodes (distributed throughout the body), the chest cavity, the intestinal tract, the nose, the kidneys and the nervous system. Clinical signs vary according to the tissues that are affected. Both infection with leukaemia virus and immunodeficiency virus can be underlying or predisposing causes of lymphoma development.
Various treatment options are available for lymphoma including surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy. The treatment choice will depend on the site and form of the tumour, and the availability of the treatment options. In many cats the response to therapy can be very good and long lasting, although few cases are genuinely 'cured'.

Squamous cell carcinoma

This is a cancer of the skin. Exposure to sunlight is one trigger-factor for this cancer and it is seen more commonly in white cats, and cats kept in hot sunny countries. The tumour commonly affects the nose or the ears and can initially look like a small scratch or wound that won't heal. Spread (metastasis) of these tumours is uncommon but local lymph nodes are sometimes affected.
Early treatment of these tumours can be very successful and most commonly involves surgical removal or radiation therapy. For some tumours affecting the superficial layers of the skin local radiation therapy (applied via a probe touched onto the skin) can be very effective. The response to drug therapy (chemotherapy) is generally not very good. For some affected cats, an alternative to conventional surgery may be 'cryosurgery' where the affected tissue is frozen using liquid nitrogen applied via a special probe, although conventional surgery and/or radiation therapy are usually preferred options.

Mammary carcinoma

This is a cancer affecting the mammary glands that is most commonly seen in entire female cats (although it can also be seen in male cats and spayed female cats). The tumour commonly affects more than one of the mammary glands, which often develop multiple firm swellings or nodules, and the tumours commonly cause ulceration of the skin. This tumour commonly spreads to the local lymph nodes and can also spread to the lungs.
Early treatment of small tumours is likely to be much more successful than if multiple or larger tumours are present. Treatment is usually by surgical resection of the tumour and associated tissues, and there may also be a role for chemotherapy in some cases.

Mast cell tumour

Mast cells are a type of cell widely distributed in the body. Mast cell tumours commonly affect the skin, the spleen and/or the intestines. In the intestines, these are often aggressive tumours that cause blockage of the intestine.
They can be removed surgically, but it is usually very difficult to remove the entire tumour and spread to lymph nodes, liver, spleen, or the lungs is common. When mast cell tumour affecting the spleen is diagnosed, there is often also spread to other organs (liver, lymph nodes, bones marrow). However, surgical removal of the spleen alone can produce good disease-free survival times (often around 12 months) in many affected cats.
Mast cell tumours affecting the skin can be solitary masses or multiple nodules, and these may ulcerate. Surgical removal is usually curative and some may spontaneously regress. Radiation therapy may also be used for some of these tumours.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma

This is a cancer arising from the cells lining the mouth or throat – it often involves the tongue, and the tumour sometimes invades the local bone and can spread to local lymph nodes. The tumour usually causes progressive difficulty in eating, and there may also be intermittent or continual drooling and possibly halitosis (a bad smell from the mouth). These tumours can be difficult to treat but may potentially respond to surgery or radiation therapy where appropriate.

Fibrosarcoma/soft tissue sarcoma

These cancers form from the fibroblasts and other supporting tissues, most commonly arising beneath the skin.
They commonly present as gradually enlarging firm masses under the skin. The degree of malignancy of these tumours varies – some are highly malignant with extensive local invasion of tissues, and early metastases occurring to lymph nodes and the lungs. Others are less aggressive and will not be so invasive or metastasise so readily.
Optimum treatment usually involves a combination of surgery with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, although the prognosis is variable.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is a cancer affecting bones. Bones in the limbs or the spine and skull can be affected, and where the limbs are involved the cancer often leads to weakening of the bone which may result in it becoming fractured (broken), with severe pain and lameness. Even without a fracture developing, most cases of osteosarcoma will produce progressive pain and lameness.
Osteosarcomas can spread (metastasise) to local lymph nodes and to the lungs, but this does not necessarily occur, and because of this, surgery (where possible) may be curative in these cases. Radiation and drug therapy may also be of value in some cases.

Respiratory (lung or nose) carcinoma

A number of cancers can affect the respiratory tract, but the most common are lymphoma in the nose, or adenocarcinoma affecting the nose or the lungs. Tumours in the nose often cause progressive obstruction to the flow of air, and often result in snorting/snoring noises during breathing. There may be sneezing and discharge from the nose, and as the disease progresses there will be difficulty in breathing. Adenocarcinoma affecting the lung can cause difficulty in breathing, coughing, or a mixture of the two – the cancer can sometimes spread to the bones in the toes and cause lameness.

For lung tumours, surgical removal may be possible and this may be combined with chemotherapy, although by the time these tumours become apparent there has often been extensive spread within the chest. For nasal tumours, generally radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is likely to be the best treatment.

Intestinal adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinomas can affect either the small intestine or the large intestine. They are usually quite rapidly growing tumours that often cause disease due to partial blockage of the intestine (loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea are the most common signs). Metastasis to local lymph nodes is common, and the tumours often invade the intestine quite extensively.

Surgical removal is the treatment of choice. Additional chemotherapy is used in some cases although the efficacy of this is uncertain. Long survival times can be achieved in some cases (with surgery alone) even where the tumour has already spread to local lymph nodes.

Pancreatic and liver (bile duct) adenocarcinoma

Cancers affecting the liver and/or pancreas are fortunately not very common in cats. These tumours can cause jaundice (due to obstruction to the flow of bile), depression, weight loss, vomiting and distension of the abdomen (either due to the tumour or due to accumulation of fluid in the abdomen). The prognosis for these tumours is very poor with little response being seen to current treatments.

An excerpt from our Cat First Aid book

Problems with kittening

Most cats are able to kitten without any assistance, sometimes an owner will not know her cat was pregnant until they wake up one morning to 3 or 4 additional mouths to feed, no mess, no fuss! However sometimes complications do arise

. Veterinary advice/attention should be sought if:
* No labour is apparent after 66 days of pregnancy (however some normal cats can have a normal gestational period up to 74 days)
* Failure to go into labour within 24hrs after rectal temperature drops to 37.8 C/ 100 F
* Failure to produce a kitten within 1hr of the first water bag being seen
* Failure to deliver a kitten after 45 minutes of strong contractions
* More than 2hrs have elapsed since the last kitten was born.
* There has been bleeding during pregnancy
* Foul smelling discharge is passed during labour
* The mother seems weak or collapsed

If a kitten is stuck in the birth canal, gently grasp it with a clean, warm towel, apply steady traction in an arc towards the mother’s hind feet until it is delivered. If there is resistance or the kitten is not presented head first with two front legs at either side of the head, SEEK IMMEDIATE VETERINARY ATTENTION. If a mother is not showing interest in a new born kitten, use a clean towel to remove the membranes from the kitten’s nose and head. Wipe around the kitten’s face, removing fluid from the nostrils. Rub the kitten’s body with a towel to stimulate breathing. If breathing is not forthcoming hold the kitten firmly between your cupped hands and swing rapidly from shoulder height down in an arc to expel fluid from the air passages. Between swings rub the kitten vigorously with a towel. Stop when the kitten moves or cries. If the mother does not chew off the afterbirth, tie a thread around each umbilical cord 2.5cm from the kitten’s abdomen and cut the side of the tie away from the kitten with scissors. Ensure umbilical cords are not long enough to wrap around the kitten’s legs as this can act as a tourniquet. After the birth, the mother should lick the kittens and encourage them to suckle. SEE A VET IMMEDIATELY if the mother is staggering or trembling, straining to urinate, not wanting to eat, producing a foul smelling vaginal discharge or has hard, painful mammary glands. If the kittens are crying excessively, regurgitate food, have a nasal or ocular discharge or diarrhoea, SEEK IMMEDIATE VETERINARY ATTENTION.

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Weightwatchers - Dubby's Diet - continued....

Caroline, one of the receptionists at SimplyCats has three cats. Two are an ideal weight but one called Sandy weighed in on the 6th May 2009 an (un)impressive 8.85kg (19.4 pounds).

In last months mewsletter, dubby had been well and truly caught in the act stealing the hedgehog food in the garden under the cover of darkness. Getting a steady weight loss seems to be a problem for him as he loses maybe 300 grammes in one go and on the next weigh-in gains the same, plus a little more. Caroline is trying her best to stick to a tin-only diet as this has worked for Dubby in the past. It is always difficult in multi-cat households (as is Caroline's) as you can never be sure how much each cat is eating unless you stand over them the entire meal time. If anyone else in a similar situation has had positive experiences with weight loss Caroline would be more than pleased to try some of your methods. You can contact her by e-mail: caroline.pallister@simplycats.net to share your stories.

He will be weighed now on a monthly basis so, hopefully in the next edition of this Mewsletter there will hopefully be positive news to tell - watch this space!

A new addition to the SimplyCats team - Grub the Kitten

On Wednesday 7th October a kitten only a few hours old was brought to the clinic after being rejected by his mother. Covered in fly eggs and larvae he was quickly named 'Grub' by Claire, our veterinary nurse. He is being hand reared by her, and, after two weeks of feeding every two hours day and night has now moved onto three-hourly feeds.

You can see him in action bottle feeding by checking out our 'Facebook' fan page - click here or search for "SimplyCats Veterinary Clinic". He's so cute!

We will monitor his progress in future editions of the mewsletter.

Playing with your cat

When was the last time that you played with your cat? Just like us, cats build relationships through play — and they thoroughly enjoy it too! Play can teach your cat a new skill, such as retrieving, or can simply give a healthy outlet for all that hunting instinct (which can sometimes be redirected inappropriately if not permitted to be expressed).

Most enjoyable games are based on the simulation of chasing and capturing prey. However, it is essential you are not regarded as a prey animal by your cat! Using toys allows us to keep the cat focused on the object, rather then on moving hands or feet. There is now a vast range of cat toys on the market. These range from small catnip mice to room-height activity centres (ideal for indoor cats).

TYPES OF TOY

Interactive toys

These are either in the form of puzzle-feeders, which intermittently reward the cat with food when playing with the toy, or are designed to stimulate the cat's interest in moving objects. Some of the best of these have a small ball trapped inside a circular track, which moves alluringly as the cat tries to catch it.

Wands and rods

Wand toys are ideal for play, and are especially good for children to use. These are usually constructed of a length of rod with a long piece of string attached to the end. Feathers or other toys can be tied to the end of the string and these can then be wafted around, while the kitten chases the `quarry' at the end. Such toys are excellent for teaching cats to chase and pounce on toys, while keeping hands and feet well out of the equation.

Clockwork and battery-operated toys

Clockwork mice, spiders and even frogs are now available for your cat's entertainment. These can offer real fun and activity, as long as they are well supervised. Kittens may be tempted to pounce on such toys and chew them, so it is essential to check that any plastic or fabric attachments to the toy are securely held in place. New versions of these old favourites, such as a battery-driven ball which rolls and twists randomly when switched on are also lots of fun for large confident cats, especially when placed inside a paper bag, however, beware of frightening a more nervous cat on the first few occasions.

Homemade toys

Some of the most effective and best-loved toys for cats are cheap and cheerful! Many cats love paper bags, and a bag blown up with a puff of air can keep a cat amused for hours! Place a small light-weight ball in the bag to ring the changes, or put the bag into a safe cardboard box so that the cat has to climb in and out to play with it. Lengths of string and large rolled up balls of foil also attract most kittens and even the most shy cat will come out of its shell to pounce on one of these. However, safety should always be a priority, so never allow your cat to play unsupervised with such objects, and make sure they are large enough to prevent swallowing.

Teaching your cat to retrieve

How easy it is to teach your cat to retrieve will depend on his or her motivation to play and to learn, his confidence and, to some extent, even his or her breed. Orientals and Burmese cats often seem to retrieve naturally, while others may take a little longer. However, carrying prey is a natural behaviour, and many cats can become adept at chasing, picking up and carrying toys, and then bringing them back to their owner to be thrown again. This provides an ideal opportunity for stimulation and exercise, particularly for indoor cats, as hunting games need to be simulated frequently if they are to remain content and happy.

Food scattering

If you are feeding a dried complete food, there is no reason why your cat should not do a little `hunting' for it. Rather than feeding the food in a dish, why not throw the food into the garden, or even around the lounge, and allow your kitten to search for the scattered pieces. This uses the cat's natural abilities to hunt and his sense of smell to full advantage, as well as making mealtimes more interesting.

For further information on any behavioural problems please see our e-book 'Purrfect Cat Behavior'.

Paul and Sarah MRCVS

www.simplycats.net

www.purrfectcatbehavior.com

The end...

It is very difficult to know how much to put into a newsletter but for the next edition we will continue to explore the treatments of cancer, show you more from our new book on Cat First Aid and discuss more aspects of feline behaviour.

Be creative, live long, be happy and follow your own path.

...And the emperor said "Let the party begin!"

Paul and Sarah M's RCVS

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