The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [67]
Take monthly progress photos of Leo. Within six months or so, your friends will be calling him Leo the Lean.
FUTURE FAT FIGHTER?
Veterinary nutritionists are studying the possible benefits that L-carnitine may hold for increasing fat metabolism when added to cat food. They are also looking into different types of fiber. L-carnitine (short for levocarnitine) is an amino acid nutrient that may help decrease the levels of cholesterol and lipids (fats) in the blood. This supplement is available in pet supply catalogs and stores. As with any supplement, talk to your veterinarian before adding it to your cat’s diet.
Bath? No, Thanks
Q My dog, Max, is a gentle Bull Mastiff who loves to swim and take baths. My cat, Star, definitely resists getting wet. I have to bathe her occasionally, though, because Max tends to slobber on her and she smells like a dog. Why do cats hate baths so much?
A Cats are extremely conscious of hygiene. If they were people, they would probably be labeled obsessive-compulsive because they would be washing their hands numerous times a day. They would never be caught in public wearing a dirty T-shirt or clothes that clashed. They like sporting clean, well-groomed coats. That must be why cats with black-and-white coats are fondly referred to as tuxedo cats — not Oreo cookie cats.
While an encounter with a skunk or some sticky or oily substance does necessitate human intervention, most cats never need to be bathed at all. A good brushing (daily for fluffy felines and less frequently for shorter-coated cats) helps keep skin and fur healthy. Unless Star is regularly drenched with dog drool, let her take care of the problem herself with self-grooming. If she is still stinky, try using a dry or mousse shampoo or unscented, alcohol-free wipes rather than subjecting her to a full-fledged bath.
If you do feel that she needs to be bathed, start with room-temperature water in a sink or tub, only on the feet at first. Use a cup to pour water over the back (the faucet can be frightening), give a gentle massage, towel dry, and let the cat go. Accustom your cat to short sessions with no shampoo at first, then gradually add a quick foamy shampoo massage and a thorough rinse.
As for the notion that all cats take to water like oil to vinegar, that statement does not in fact hold water. Some wild felines, like tigers and ocelots, may cool down from the jungle heat by swimming, or enter water to hunt fish and other aquatic creatures. Corky, my childhood cat, loved to swim with our dogs in our backyard lake and would follow anyone holding a fishing pole in hopes of landing a bluegill dinner. Many domestic cats are fascinated with water even if they don’t like to swim, and some come to enjoy regular baths. (See questions in part III.) I’ve seen several cats looking quite happy aboard fishing boats in southern California harbors, though admittedly, they are not actually in the water!
Uh-oh, It’s Pill Time!
Q The vet determined during our last visit that my cat, Cosmo, must take pills twice a day for an ongoing medical condition. I know that the medicine will make him feel better, but it is becoming more difficult to administer the pills. He seems to have a sixth sense about when I plan to give him medicine, and then he runs and hides. How can he know it is pill time?
A For one thing, cats are creatures of habit, so if you have been giving Cosmo his pill at a regular time, he has come to expect that you will “attack” him, as he sees it, at the same time every day. He is also probably associating the rattle of the pill bottle with the