DF: A 4 a.m. catfight wake-up call is not good for anyone’s constitution.
My guess is that the young cat has not learned the art of gentle play, but I’m confident the two cats will work things out eventually. This can take several weeks. The screaming is a signal for the termination of roughhousing, especially when neither cat has significant bite wounds or deep scratches.The less you interfere, the better, although you can choose to put the attacking cat in a separate room for the night. The peacemaking pheromone Feliway might work well to subdue your cats. Feliway is available from your veterinarian, and it’s about 50 percent effective. In instances in which one cat just plays too rough for his or her feline companion, getting a third cat gives the group a new dynamic. With another companion, the picked-on cat has a buddy, or gets picked on less because the new cat and the bully become the best of friends.
Diet for an Ailing cat
Dear Dr. Fox:
My 12-year-old indoor cat recently had cutaneous lymphosarcoma diagnosed. One infected sarcoma was removed and biopsied, but she has many others, from tiny to large. One is next to her eye and looks dreadful; it’s raw and moist.Because she is maintaining her weight and doesn’t seem to be in pain, I took her home for palliative care. She vomits frequently, especially after eating, and then she’s hungry again. Our vet suggested feeding her soupy food, because the pyloric valve might be constricted, preventing food from entering the small intestine.I would like to keep her comfortable and, of course, don’t want her to starve.
C.D., Baltimore
DF: Give your cat anything she enjoys eating. Her body wisdom, coupled with a variety of options, might boost her immune system and kill the cancer.
To help with her immune system, think lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory supplements, such as CoQ10 and fish oil. Give her those with other vitamins, minerals (especially zinc, magnesium and selenium) and “detoxifying” herbs (parsley, sprouted wheatgrass, chopped alfalfa, milk thistle and brewer’s yeast), which many cats love. Begin with tiny portions so that she gets used to the new flavors.Offer your cat unsalted goat cheese, milk and probiotics (try one to two tablespoons of raw yogurt or kefir daily). You can also feed her a little wild salmon or canned sardines in water. Many cats with poor appetites and a need for dietary protein do well on the smooth and easy-to-swallow Gerber baby foods, especially chicken, turkey, lamb and beef varieties. Feeding her small quantities — a teaspoon or two every hour — might help prevent vomiting.
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