Cats Flashcards
What are the 5 roles of cats in our society?
- Pet
- Rodent control
- Money making commodity - breeding
- ‘Fancy’ - show pedigree
- ‘On the Fringe’ of society - feral or free-living urban strays
What is the estimated number of cats in the UK and how many households own these?
UK cat population: 9-12 million
6 million cat-owning households
What are moggies and how many of the UK cat population consists of them?
Moggie are non-purebred cats
90%
How much money is spent on cat food in the UK?
over £1 billion
Are cats social animals?
Not particularly as they have inherited the desire to maintain independent territory
Do cats have facial expressions to communicate?
No they had not developed this
What sense do cats use to interact and to communicate with each other?
Smell
Is stress evident in cats?
No they hide stress and avoid conflict if they can
What name is given to the cats communication system?
olfactorial
What methods do cats employ to communicate and keep territory through smell?
Rubbing, spraying urine and scratching
When is the socialisation/sensitive period for cats?
2-7/8 weeks of age
What are the 12 key categories of socialisation?
Gentle handling, people of dif. ages + genders, other pets, surfaces, sounds, scents, litter, food, scratching posts, toys, activities, outdoor environment
Are cats predators or prey?
Cats are both predators and prey so can have two different reactions in stressful situation
Run away, hide, get up high
Fight (last resort response)
Are cats carnivores or omnivores?
Obligate carnivores
When do cats reach social maturity?
Between 1.5-4 years
Why do cats become stressed at the vets?
Unknown territory and they cannot control the environment
What are 5 indicators that cats consider themselves in the same social groups?
- Allogrooming (mutual)
- Allorubbing (mutual)
- Touching whilst sleeping
- Spending time in close proximity
- Greeting each other with tail up and noses touching
What are the interactions called that animals have when they get along?
Appeasement interactions
Why do cats in the same house tolerate each other?
For valued recourses like food and warm places to sleep
Why should you slow blink at a cat?
Cats slow blink when they trust someone
What is a zoonotic disease?
A disease that can be transferred from animals to humans
What are 7 examples of common zoonotic diseases that cats pass to humans?
Pasturella multocida
Capnocytophaga canimorsus
Bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease)
Rabies
Ringworm
Toxoplasmosis
Roundworms
How is bartonella henselae transmitted?
Fleas and flea dirt
When examining a cat should you just get the invasive examinations out of the way first?
No, do the exam in a way that makes the cat feel as though its not being examined and leave the invasive checks till the end
What are the normals for cats:
- temperature
- heart rate
- respiratory rate
- mucous membrane colour
- capillary refill time
38-39.5 degrees
110-180 beats per minute
20-30 breaths per minute
salmon pink
<2s
(always take stress into account when measuring this)
How do you tell the difference between female and male cats?
Anogenital distance
Testicles are hard to find especially in young male cats as they are small and mobile
When do male cats reach sexual maturity
Around 4 months of age, this can be identified by their testicles descending
What are the 5 usual routes of medicine administration?
- Topical - skin (spot on), eyes, ears
- Oral
- Subcutaneous
- Intramuscular
- Intravenous
Where are subcutaneous injections administered?
Usually between shoulders but anywhere that the skin is loose enough
Where are the intramuscular injections administered?
Quadriceps and lumbar
Where are intravenous injections administered?
Cephalic vein, jugular vein (preferred), saphenous vein
What type of pill popper should always be used for a cat?
Soft tipped to avoid damage to the throat
Where would you find lots of cats in close proximity?
- shelter/ rescue facilities
- breeding
- boarding catteries
- vet practices
- farms with low level neutering
- hoarding households
What are the different management approaches that rescue facilities take?
Remit (stray, feral, owned, confiscated)
Control over entry (open vs selective)
Operations (paid staff vs voluntary)
What is the veterinary input before rehoming?
clinical exam, treatment of illness, blood tests for FeLV & FIV, vaccination, treatment for fleas and worms, neuter, microchip
What are veterinary related protocols that might be undertaken in a rescue centre?
Neutering (if appropriate), FeL/FIV testing, dentals, euthanasia, infectious disease management (ringworm, flu)
What are the 5 principles of care for shelter medicine?
- Good housing
- Good husbandry
- Rehabilitation (physical and behavioural)
- Veterinary care
- Disease prevention policies
What is the sign that a at is getting closer to pouncing when its crouching?
Their back starts to arch more
What is the difference between a relaxed cats tail and an anxious tail?
A relaxed cat has its tail up, the end flicking to show affection then the closer the tail gets to the body and the more concave it becomes the more anxious the cat is.
What shape are the cats ears when its feeling…
… concentrated, predation
… fearful, frightened
… confident but threatened
Erect, facing forwards
Flattened
Erect, flattened backwards
