THE SCRATCHING POST
~ Spring Showers & Flowers Edition ~
Spring, 2002, Issue 11 - by Barbara Stanley home2cats@aol.com
Home2Cats, P. O. Box 752671, Memphis, TN 38175-2671
ews You Can Use:
Hepatic Lipidosis --
Hepatic lipidosis is a relatively common disease that occurs in cats. It is characterized by an accumulation of fat in the individual liver cells and is commonly referred to as "fatty liver syndrome." This is a potentially fatal condition but, with aggressive therapy, can be completely reversed.
Hepatic lipidosis occurs when a cat suddenly stops eating or is not eating enough. The excessive fat accumulation in the liver impairs normal functioning, resulting in liver failure. Any cat is susceptible to this disease but an obese cat is even more susceptible because of increased number of fat cells.
Symptoms include weight loss, decreased muscle mass, a yellow color in the eyes, ears or mouth, vomiting, depression, and listlessness. Treatment involves intense nutritional support. The earlier therapy is started, the better chances for recovery.
There are many other illnesses or circumstances that can result in a cat losing interest in food. Often, stress will make an animal lose its appetite. Stress reactions can be brought on by a number of things including moving into a new home or having a new animal introduced into the household.
Nevertheless, any cat, especially an obese cat, that stops eating for more than 24 - 48 hours should be seen by a veterinarian. Don’t give hepatic lipidosis a chance to occur – see your vet to determine the cause of your cat’s loss of appetite.
at Tails:
Name: Lexus
Breed: Feisty Feral
Four years ago Lexus was living in a feral colony at a local fast-food restaurant. Her nights were spent scrounging for food scraps in the dumpsters and parking lot. Home2Cats adopted this colony and began feeding them nightly. However, stray dogs became a danger and, after injury to one of the colony members, it became necessary to capture and move all the cats. Lacking an appropriate foster home at that time, the colony was relocated to the Home2Cats sanctuary.
Lexus has been the perfect guest these four years. She has remained healthy, has never fought with other sanctuary cats and has epitomized the term "peaceful coexistence." However, she has remained feral and, in four years, has not allowed anyone to pet her or invade her "personal space" without a warning hiss and flattened ears.
Just a few months ago it began looking as if Lexus had decided we had successfully completed our "probationary period." She began giving out signals that she may permit us to pet her. As if she couldn’t quite make up her mind about the matter, she would hiss but then turn that little behind to us as if inviting a scratch. What to do?!! Big dilemma – do we obey the hiss or do we obey the backside?
In a big leap of faith, we went with the backside and risked giving Ms. Lexus a pet. She wheeled around, whacked us one time them flopped down on her side. We were able to give her ears a rub and some petting!
The following day she rolled over on her back and exposed her belly. It seemed she had lured us into a trap but in leap of faith number 2 we decided to rub the exposed belly. Oh, the ecstasy!
Lexus’ story has a happy ending and a new beginning. She has trained us well and we have responded with a daily ritual of ear and belly rubs – something we would never have dreamed of not long ago.
Lexus’ advice to humans is "patience is a virtue."
Her advice to all her fellow felines is "Make‘em think you’re feral – worked for me and now I’ve got them eating out of my paws."
Lexus’s Favoritest Things:
