We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Ingrid Johnson of Paws Whiskers and Claws, The Feline Hospital in Marietta. See all the AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: About 6 months ago I brought home a 6-year-old stray female cat to give her badly needed medical attention. She is a very fearful cat and lives in the upstairs portion of my house in order to give her sanctuary from my other three indoor only cats. She is adjusting very slowly to my family and tolerates two of my cats in her sanctuary space occasionally as long as they stay a couple feet away from her.

My third cat, a neutered 4-year-old male, Gizzy, has never intentionally been allowed in her area because he is so aggressive with her. He bolts when the door is opened to her sanctuary and three times has gotten in and tried to attack her. Once he scratched her nose, but the other two times they had no physical contact before I intercepted him. He runs at her and starts slapping at her, while she backs up and tries to defend herself. (Gizzy is sometimes overly playful/aggressive with my other two cats, even though my other boy is twice Gizzy’s size.)

I have tried Bach’s Rescue Remedy and it does help calm Gizzy, but it wears off quickly, even though I put it in his water bowl. Gizzy has no medical problems that we are aware of. Do you have any suggetions on how to calm Gizzy or how to resolve his issues with the stray?

A: Anytime a new cat is introduced to an existing colony (your three established cats) there is bound to be some upset, and it could be months before harmony is reached. It would be worthwhile for Gizzy to have an “aggression exam,” just to rule out any possible medical causes.

This would be looking for something that is making him uncomfortable in any way, such as a urinary tract problem, painful teeth or itchy skin. If the new cat is sick, Gizzy also may realize this and he may be choosing to pick on her because of her medical condition.When a group of cats live together they form a “colony scent.”

It is helpful to flip flop bedding from the sanctuary room to the rest of the house and vice versa to help cross scent the cats. Brush all of the cats with the same brush, wipe them down with the same cloth, and make the four of them a group without them having to actually interact.Next switch out the living spaces. Allow Gizzy and the other two cats to explore the new cats room. Eat her food; use her litterbox without her in the space. Allow the new cat some access to the rest of the house while the other cats are in the sanctuary room.

This will allow her to explore and get comfortable with her new surroundings without having any confrontation. It will also give your existing cats the chance to hiss and spit and get out their frustrations without being able to attack the newcomer.Positive reinforcement can be very helpful here. To encourage the cats to approach the sanctuary room door and associate your new kitty with positive things, place their favorite canned food, piles of catnip, or two toys tied together with a string run under the door. They can play back and forth, eat together and associate each other with things that they like. After this has been successful, change from a solid door to a screen door or double-stacked baby gates.

This will allow them to now see each other as well as get hissing and slapping out of the way without being able to hurt each other.What you want to avoid is repeated negative interactions. That will make the whole process harder for her, and he probably thinks that attacking her (especially if she makes some loud noises) is the best game ever. Never leave them unsupervised. If he starts exhibiting aggressive behavior immediately interrupt him and redirect him onto something appropriate like a feather toy, laser pointer, or treats thrown away from the area of conflict.

The newcomers’ socialization as a kitten, Gizzy’s socialization as a kitten and how they interpret each others body language can all be contributing factors. Size and sex makes little difference in the feline world, and oftentimes a female is the dominant one. When you do finally have them all free roaming in the house remember to have more than enough of their basic needs available in multiple areas. Do not force them to interact around food, water or litterboxes as that will create a multitude of other problems. Behavior medications should not be considered until all other environmental factors have been exhausted.

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Dr. Drew Weigner of the The Cat Doctor. See all the AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: My 4 year old calico has been biting her front leg obsessively for many years now. She has been on and off three types of medication (they work for a while and then she starts up again). We have had to put a cone on her, but she is so down and out with it on, and it still doesn’t keep her from chewing on the bottom part of her legs. I’m assuming that its an OCD issue, but wanted to see if you had any thoughts.
A: Chewing, itching, and hair loss are fairly common symptoms in cats. The causes tend to fall into three categories: fungal infections, diseases that cause itching, and those that do not. Fungal infections (also called “ringworm” but has nothing to do with worms) are easy to diagnose by performing a fungal culture, a simple test that can be done in your veterinarian’s office. The treatment is straightforward and usually results in a cure.
Itchy skin diseases, like hypersensitivities and autoimmune diseases are more complicated to diagnose but respond temporarily to long-acting anti-inflammatory injections. If she improves from the injection (and the fungal culture is negative) something is causing her to itch and further tests can be done to identify exactly what is causing the problem. If she doesn’t improve, the likely cause is psychologic. These conditions respond poorly to drug therapy and can be frustrating to treat. They sometimes respond to pheromones or behavioral therapy.
Two other uncommon causes are skin parasites (such as mites) and endocrine diseases, such as Cushing’s Disease. The test to diagnose mites is simple but frequently negative, even when mites are present. Diagnosing endocrine diseases requires a complete medical work up but often appears with other symptoms, such as increased thirst and urination.
Finally, if nothing else works, ask your veterinarian to refer your cat to a board certified veterinary dermatologist. These specialists are trained in the most advanced diagnostic methods and treatments and can often help in frustrating cases.

Q: My 3 year old Abyssinian has a “nasal fungus” that he’s had since he was a kitten. Two doctors and thousands later, there is no change - he still sounds like Darth Vader! I give him prednisolone every couple of days but I think this is more for my state of mind than anything else. Have you any thoughts on this?
A: Sinus infections are one of the most frustrating diseases veterinarians see in cats. There are many possible causes including viruses, nasal tumors, and allergies, but many cases go undiagnosed despite complete medical workups and intensive therapy. While fungal infections are not the most common cause, they are one of the few that can often be cured with proper diagnosis and therapy. A complete medical workup includes x-rays, cultures, and biopsies but once a fungal infection is diagnosed, a long course of antifungal medication is usually curative if the proper medication is used long enough.
It’s also possible for a fungal infection to occur secondary to another underlying disease, such as a nasal tumor or an unrelated disease affecting his immune system, such as Feline Leukemia, diabetes, etc. In this case it can be difficult, if not impossible, to cure the infection. The bottom line is if he really has a nasal fungus and it isn’t getting better, why not?

We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Tim Link, president of Wagging Tales and a practicing animal communicator and Reiki energy healer for pets. Do you wonder why your pet does that? Have Tim ask them why. He can speak to your pets, both living and dead. Read about all the AJCpets experts, then submit questions in the form of a comment today.

Q: Hi, I rescued a kitty 3 years ago, Lilly, from my office park. She was in bad shape and is now doing well. But she has some emotional problems. What is going on and what can I do to make her happy and calm?
A: Lilly is still going through some emotional trauma from being alone. She also is unsure about whether you want her to stay. Lilly will need constant reassurance that she is doing well and you are happy with her. Some calming herbs and flower essences added to her diet may help as well. Look for ways to offer Lilly confidence, stress relief and love.

Q: Our dog seems to be very well but she has changed her eating habits. Sometimes she doesn’t eat anything in the morning, other times it’s the evening. This has only happened about a couple of times over the last month and when she doesn’t eat the night before she is chowing down the next morning. We are just concerned that she can actually go a day without food. Is this normal behavior?
A: Though it is not recommended, dogs can go a day or two without eating. As long as they are staying hydrated, they should be fine. If the eating habits change drastically, if there is a change in appearance or behavior, or the dog stops eating for multiple days, contact your veterinarian immediately

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We’ve rounded up some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from cat behavior expert Ingrid Johnson. Click here to see all the AJCpets experts.

Q: We have a 14-year-old spayed female Persian in our house that is strictly an indoor cat. We brought in a stray male kitten last summer and he is also an indoor cat. The younger cat always tries to play with the older cat and picks at her a little bit, but generally a well-placed paw to the head gets him to back off a little bit.

Last Thursday, in the middle of the night we heard a terrible noise. It was the two cats squared off, hissing at one another. This time the male was not playing, he was being very aggressive and his tail was puffed up like he was ready to fight. Thinking he was possibly reacting to a cat in heat in the neighborhood and since it needed to be done anyway, we took him to be neutered on Friday.

He did very well and came back to the house on Saturday and continues this aggressive behavior towards the female anytime he sees her. He begins to almost groan and hiss at her. We don’t understand why he has started this after being with us for over 6 months and not showing any of this type of behavior. We are now having to keep them apart all the time or they begin fighting. Any ideas on what could have brought this on? We are very concerned.

A: What you are experiencing is actually very normal in this all too common scenario, and one of the many reasons it is not recommended to bring only one youngster into the home when he is going to be paired with a geriatric! It is surprising that the problem did not escalate sooner — you have one very patient 14-year-old!

First things first, it was great that you got him neutered, but it can take up to 2 months (give or take) for the testosterone levels to decrease in his body. So this is not an instant fix, and that is why you have not seen the changes in their interactions that you were hoping for.

Second, when cats live alone they become poorly socialized. More than likely, your Persian does not understand how to interpret his play behaviors and advances. Misinterpreting his body language coupled with the fact that she is significantly older and does not have near the stamina or energy level does not make for an ideal match.

This problem could have been avoided by adopting a pair of kittens and it can be most likely solved now by adopting an appropriate playmate. It is always difficult to convince someone to adopt another cat when they are already having problems with the ones they have, but 9 times out of 10 this fixes the problem. This will give him a friend of similar age and energy level and allow your Persian to interact when she chooses to but not be forced to be any one kittens’ new best friend.

The behavior has gotten worse because his pent up energy and frustration due to need for a playmate has increased. Her tolerance for him has also probably started to lessen. It is also important to explore some things to keep him busy, especially if getting a second kitten is out of the question.

Before you adopt, speak to a qualified adoption counselor to be sure you match up an appropriate personality type and energy level. You want a kitten that is very well socialized and a bit gregarious and bold — do not adopt just because he/she is cute. You are adopting a cat for your cat at this point, more than a cat for you. Introducing the new arrival is imperative to success, so don’t rush things.

Q: I’m wondering what the best way is to introduce two male 7-year-old cats. One has been indoor/outdoor (has claws). The other is indoor only and has no claws. They have both been in single pet households. Thanks a ton!
A: The rule of thumb when introducing cats to each other remains the same regardless of sex, declaw status, or age. The key is to introduce them very slowly and use a lot of positive reinforcement. If they have a bad interaction and things get escalated, cats will typically bite.

It is a common misconception that you have to declaw new cats if the existing ones are declawed. I know of many households with clawed and declawed cats living in perfect harmony.

The biggest challenges here are introducing two cats that have never lived with other cats before (potentially poorly socialized “only children” that will not know what to do with each other), and making an indoor/outdoor cat 100 percent indoors (if that is indeed the plan). The newcomer should start off in his own room and they should not even see each other for a week or more.

They can play footsies under the door, eat canned food on either side of the solid door, have a catnip party together and so on. They need to associate each other with positive things they both enjoy, and these motivators will be different for every cat. Another good trick, if they are playful, is to tie a favorite toy to either end of a thick piece of cotton string and run it under the door so they can play tug of war back and forth, but not pull it under the threshold. This should be supervised, of course, as you do not want one to eat the string!

When a group of cats live together they form a colony scent, so we need to get them smelling the same. After a few days, swap scents. Brush them both with the same brush, flip-flop their bedding, and favorite scratching posts, etc. After about one- two weeks of this, put up a visual barrier like double stacked baby gates or a screen door and start the process all over again.

This allows them to get a lot of their frustrations out, hissing, spitting and swatting (which are all very normal) without actually touching so it cannot become too escalated. After a few days or weeks of this it is time to move on to supervised visits and eventually full freedom. Patience on behalf of the human caretakers is often where I see this go wrong most often. Remember to take it slow — it will make for better long-term success.

When you bring a new cat into the home it can take weeks or even months until complete harmony is achieved. Do not get discouraged or decide to give back a new adoptee because it was not working out in a week or two. Time is often the most valuable tool when it comes to new cats getting used to each other. Contact your local feline behaviorist for more ideas and tips if you continue to have problems.

Q: My cat uses his litterbox but he also uses the bathtub. We’ve left water in the bottom of the tub to stop him — that works. But when we drain the water he starts using it again. We clean the litterbox regularly. Please help. Thanks.
A: There may be many reasons why your cat may not be using the litter box consistently, but your first step sould be taking him to your vet for a urinalysis and physical exam to be sure there is no medical problem. Cats use urine to communicate and he may be trying to tell you that he is in pain.

If every time he goes to use the box he experiences discomfort, your cat does not realize that the discomfort is coming from inside him. He thinks the litter box equals pain. So often they will try to find a place in the house that does not hurt, which is how many cat owners end up with urine in many locations.

Bathtubs, sinks, tile and air-conditioning vents on the floor are very popular targets when cats experience a burning sensation when they urinate. They are seeking a cool place because it feels better!

If the problem is not medical then you need to evaluate your litter box protocol as well as how all of your cats get along in the home (if there is more than one). There should always be one litter box per cat plus one, and they should be located in as many different areas as possible. If they are all in one room or all on one floor of the home you are not setting him up for success. This also helps if there are multiple cats in the home.

If he feels unsafe using the box, he may choose the bathtub because he does not get picked on in there by any of the other cats. Also take a look at the type of litter you are using. Is it scented? Cats hate scented litter — it is designed and marketed for humans, not cats. Also, take a look at the texture because your cat may find it uncomfortable.

Many declawed cats have texture issues because of their amputated toes, so if he is declawed he may be seeking out something more comfortable. Most cats prefer to urinate in one place and defecate in another location, and there can even be preferences for different textures for different bowel movements. This may be why he defecates in the box and urinates elsewhere. Most importantly take a look at the box itself.

Is it hooded? Is it an automatic scooper? How big is it? How often do you scoop it? There are many factors that could be contributing here and you may want to work with your vet and a behaviorist at the same time to resolve the issue.

I would not recommend filling the tub with water to deter him, until you get some of the other possibilities evaluated. He has chosen quite possibly the easiest area to clean up. If you deter him he may simply find a much more challenging place to go that is not as easy to clean like your bed or carpet.

Remember, every bowel movement is simply communication — we have to listen to what he is trying to tell us!

Photo by iStockphoto.com.

We’ve rounded up some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Dr. Drew Weigner. Click here to see all the AJCpets experts. We cover everything from cat behavior to exotic animals.

Q: How do I keep my crazy cat from knocking over glasses of water? He is the thirstiest animal I have ever seen and constantly begs to drink out of the sink, the tub and then wants to drink your water out of your glass and will knock it over to get at it.

Also he will not use the litter box because he was attacked when he came to our family by one or more of the other cats in the household. Now he will only use the shower or tub or even the sink. How do we curb this behavior?

We have four other cats and have already tried offering him his own litter box as well as different types of litter boxes. He acts scared to death to go in them. How do we stop aggressive behavior when the cats get hungry? We have one cat who goes nuts attacking other animals and yowling when it’s close to feeding time. It’s like he’s trained us to feed him to get him to shut up and stop fighting. Our cats are nuts.

A: Some cats are truly crazy and do these things for strictly behavioral reasons. But more commonly, there is something medically wrong with these cats. A cat with a craving for water may actually be “polydipsic,” the medical term for excessive thirst. There are many causes of this including diabetes, kidney disease, and thyroid disease.

This last one can also cause an increase in appetite and sometimes aggressive behavior. Many times these cats will also not use the litterbox. It sounds like your cat needs a thorough physical exam and a complete set of laboratory tests to find out what is wrong with him. In the meantime, let him have as much water and food as he wants. If all the tests are normal, he indeed has a behavioral condition. Your veterinarian can then recommend a certified behaviorist to help him.

Q: I have a quite petite cat (under 7 pounds) who is less than a year old. She is a stray and unfortunately got pregnant before I could get her spayed. She now has a litter of five kittens, which after three are very tiny and two of the five have yet to open their eyes. She is trying to be a good mother, but with the kittens as small as they are, is there anything I can do to assist other than bottle feeding?

A: Congratulations on your new kittens! This is an exciting time for all seven of you. While most mothers know instinctively how to care for their kittens, sometimes they need assistance especially if it’s their first time. There are three things you can do to help. One is to prevent hypothermia (low body temperature) by keeping them as warm as possible without overheating them. When kittens are this tiny, they take on the temperature of their surroundings (like reptiles) and require an outside source of heat.

This usually comes from snuggling with their mother so if she is keeping them close, they’ll stay warm enough. If not, keep a hot water bottle in the bed with them. Don’t use a heating pad — it gets too hot.The second and third measures are to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and dehydration. Both of these are prevented by frequent feeding, either by nursing the mother or by frequent bottle feeding. If the mom is producing a normal amount of milk, they’ll get enough from her. If she’s not, your vet may be able to give her an injection of oxytocin to increase her milk production.

In the meantime, frequent feedings of kitten milk replacer (not cow’s milk) will provide the kittens with enough nutrition and fluid to avoid both hypoglycemia and hypothermia. Incidentally, while the mother is nursing, her need for food will increase dramatically.

Make sure to feed her a good quality kitten food, as much as she wants, and give her plenty of water. Once she weans the kittens at 6-8 weeks of age, she will go right back into heat so unless you want more kittens, have your vet spay her as soon as she’s done nursing.

Q: My cat Lili is 18 and has a hyper thyroid. When she was a year or two, she started pooping in inappropriate places. It started just after I had company for the weekend who slept in my second bedroom. It was the first time anyone used that room after I got her. She still peed in the box, though, so I could deal with the poop problem (doesn’t smell forever). But now Lili is peeing on anything left on the floor — the dog’s bed, clothes I’ve just taken off for a shower, rugs.

I’ve gone through gallons of Nature’s Miracle and put additional coats of sealer on the pine floors to hide the smell. None of that helped so I’ve taken up all the rugs. Last week she peed on the sofa. The vet gave her antibiotics just in case there is an infection. She’s too frail to test. But I don’t think that’s it. Any other suggestions or help you can offer?

A: Urinating outside the litterbox is a very common problem. Called “inappropriate urination” by veterinarians, common sense says there are only two possible causes: behavioral issues and medical problems.

Particularly in older cats, medical causes are the usual culprit. Fortunately, distinguishing between the two is quite easy: have your veterinarian perform a urinalysis, an easy, low stress, low cost test that can be run in the office while you wait. If the urinalysis is normal, it’s a behavioral issue.

If the urinalysis is not normal, it’s likely a medical problem.Possible medical causes include urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney stones, and kidney disease. It’s often thought that if a short course of antibiotics doesn’t clear it up, it must not be an infection. But recurrent infections may become resistant to common antibiotics and some infections require longer-term antibiotics.

However, if a urinary tract infection is present it will be very obvious on a urinalysis.If prior treatment was ineffective, culturing the urine will determine which bacteria is present and, more importantly, which antibiotic will resolve the infection. On the other hand, if the urinalysis is normal a medical cause is unlikely and behavioral issues must be considered. Besides the usual suspects (territorial, stress, or aversion problems), there are other considerations in older cats.

Some older cats with decreased mobility have trouble getting into typical litterboxes. It may help to use a litterbox with very short sides. They may also have trouble finding the litterbox, due to decrease in sight or smell, and sometimes due to senility (called “cognitive dysfunction”). These causes warrant a thorough examination by your veterinarian, but it often helps to keep a litterbox in their room. Finally, in Lili’s particular case, ask your veterinarian to test her thyroid and kidneys, both of which can cause inappropriate urination if abnormal.

Thyroid disease will progress over time but is easy to control by adjusting her medication. Many cats with thyroid disease also have kidney disease. Although Lili is a geriatric cat, proper care will ensure a long and comfortable life and save you lots of gallons of floor sealer and odor remover!

For more about Dr. Drew Weigner, click here. Cat photo by iStockphoto.com. If you have a question, submit it as a comment. Or, share your advice for these AJCpets members.

About our AJCpets Expert: Ingrid Johnson

Ingrid Johnson has been a feline veterinary technician for almost a decade and has been counseling people on feline behavior for almost as long.

Johnson believes in the importance of environmental enrichment for cats, and when she couldn’t find products, she created her own line of feline foraging toys. She has attended numerous conferences related to behavior and has lectured extensively on feline behavior. She has been interviewed for articles on feline behavior for Cat Fancy, I Love Cats and other publications.

She does feline consulting by phone or in home, which includes owners’ filling out an extensive questionnaire. Johnson was born into a cat-loving home, has never lived with fewer than two cats and currently has numerous cats as well as three dogs in her home. She is available at Paws Whiskers and Claws, The Feline Hospital in Marietta, www.pawswhiskersandclaws.com, 770-579-6001.

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