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by Dr. Jean Hofve & Jackson Galaxy
Library of Congress ISSN #1550-0764 Volume 3, No. 09 Holiday 2005 (November-December)
In this issue:
1. Announcement: HSUS Developing New Resources for Feral Cat Management
2. News Alert: Sugar Substitute Dangerous for Pets
3. News Alert: Humans Can Be Bad for a Cat's Health
4. Flower Essence Series: Scleranthus (Scleranthus annuus)
1. Announcement: HSUS Developing New Resources for Feral Cat Management
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is developing new
programs designed to help communities across the country manage feral
cat colonies.
The HSUS will collaborate with Neighborhood Cats, a New York City based
organization dedicated to the humane management of feral cats. By
working with Neighborhood Cats,
The HSUS is developing more resources to help feral cat caretakers
around the country. The HSUS's new resources will include:
• A new statement supporting Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) programs
• An online course through Humane Society University for feral cat caretakers
• An online course through Humane Society University for animal shelters and adoption groups
• A day-long workshop on feral cats at The HSUS's annual Animal Care Expo in Anaheim, Calif. in March 2006
• Increased support materials for handling obstacles to feral cat management
The HSUS launched its Safe Cat campaign in 2003 to provide people with
real solutions for keeping their pet cats safe and happy by providing a
stimulating indoor environment and supervised outdoor access with the
use of a harness or a special cat enclosure.
However, feral cats
who cannot be socialized may not thrive as indoor pets. They may be one
or more generations removed from a home environment – victims of
abandonment, lack of supervision, or accidental loss through no fault
of their own – and may live in a group, or colony, of similar cats.
The goal of any feral cat management program should be to stabilize and
eventually eliminate the existing colony through attrition. "Every
community has different resources and each must consider many factors
when deciding how to help feral cats," said Nancy Peterson, companion
animals issues specialist with The HSUS. "Animal shelters and
welfare organizations can play a role in programs to manage feral cats,
but it is ultimately the responsibility of the entire community to work
together to care for and reduce the numbers of feral cats."
The HSUS's renewed commitment through additional resources on TNR
should encourage all members of the community – local citizens,
veterinarians, animal shelters, policy makers, public health
departments, and businesses – to work together towards a goal of
non-lethal approaches to feral cat management. The group will soon be
launching a feral cat resource center through its website at
www.hsus.org/cats to help communities make TNR with ongoing management
a reality.
The
holidays are coming! At this time of year, there are many additional
stresses for all of us, including our pets! Our newest SpiritEssence,
"Holiday Stress Stopper," was designed to help both people and animals
cope with the pressures of this joyous but hectic season. Check it out
today!
2. News Alert: Sugar Substitute Dangerous for Pets
Xylitol, a sugar alcohol commonly used as a sugar substitute, can pose
a grave danger for pets. There have been reports of serious adverse
effects, including seizures. Xylitol is very sweet, and dogs in
particular may find it very tasty. Consumption causes a rapid drop in
blood sugar levels similar to an overdose of insulin. If untreated,
brain damage or even death may result from the lack of blood sugar,
which the brain relies on as fuel for its functions.
According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical
toxicology for the poison control center, "Signs can develop
quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the
product. Therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary
treatment immediately."
With
the holidays coming up, and many humans trying not to gain weight with
all the feasting and merriment, be sure you check labels on any
sugar-free or low-carb items in the home, and be especially careful to
keep items containing Xylitol away from pets!
If you're planning to travel with your pets during the holidays, get helpful tips in our newest Library article on Traveling with Cats!
3. Humans Can Be Bad for a Cat's Health
October 20, 2005, Press Association, London: For years, household pets
have been blamed for triggering allergies and asthma, but new research
accuses owners of causing the same troubles in their animals.
Vets say cigarette smoke, human dandruff and dusty houses can all
contribute to breathing problems in the family cat. About one in 200
felines suffers from asthma, compared with one in 12 adults.
As in the human form, it can be worsened by trigger particles such as
dust that inflame the airways and make breathing difficult. Symptoms
include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
A team of feline clinicians at Edinburgh University's Hospital for Small Animals are looking at the condition in cats.
"We find that bringing asthmatic cats into the hospital here and
removing them from the standard triggers like dust and smoke can
improve their condition," said Nicki Reed, of the Royal School of
Veterinary Studies.
Pedigree and oriental breeds, like Siamese cats, are more prone to the disease, the vets say.
Do
you have an asthmatic cat, dog or person in your household? Besides
physical conditions, stress is another known contributor to asthma. SpiritEssence's "Easy Breather" remedy helps reduce stress and thus eliminate one major component of asthma. EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) can also prevent and even abort asthma attacks in all species.
4. Flower Essence Series: Scleranthus (Scleranthus annuus)
This is an ongoing series of articles on the Bach flower essences. We
will be looking at each essence in turn, and its special indications in
cats. This month, the featured essence is Scleranthus.
Scleranthus, also called "knotgrass", is a small, unobtrusive plant that grows in sunny, sandy locations.
The keynote of Scleranthus is "balance." Dr. Edward Bach put
Scleranthus in the group of flowers for "for those who suffer
uncertainty". He said that Scleranthus individuals are "those who
suffer much from being unable to decide between two things, first one
seeming right then the other. They are usually quiet people and bear
their difficulty alone."
While it's hard to tell if a cat
is having trouble making up its mind, Scleranthus does have some very
important applications in animals.
Scleranthus is a
wonderful remedy for all types of balance problems, including arthritic
stiffness, dizziness, vestibular disease, and vertigo. It is also great
for animals who get carsick. It can also be used for animals with
epilepsy or other seizure disorders by helping them regain their
equilibrium after a seizure episode.
Scleranthus is
extremely useful in helping animals keep their emotional balance.
Therefore it's especially appropriate to use any time there is a major
change or event, such as moving or traveling.
Scleranthus is found in SpiritEssence formulas Adjustment, Ultimate
Adjustment, Creak-Away, Declaw Remedy, Easy Traveler, Metal Horse,
Water Horse, Graceful Aging, Obsession, Stress Stopper, and Well Horse.
Important Announcement: Due to rising costs, SpiritEssence
must raise prices as of January 1, 2006. This will be the first and
only increase in our more than 10 years in business. So be sure to
stock up at 2005 prices!
Please visit our web site www.littlebigcat.com regularly to find out what's new, read our monthly Newsletter and see the new material that is constantly added to our Free Article Library and our Bookstore! Past issues of the CatsWalk Newsletter can be found in the Newsletter Archive.
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