Feline Chatter - news about cats for cat owners

Winn Feline Foundation Symposium Transcripts

2011-10-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

The Winn Feline Foundation has made transcripts of their June 2011 symposiumon FIP available.

AVMA challenges Wal-Mart’s push to make veterinarians script out

2011-10-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

“Once again, giant box store Wal-Mart is in the business of going after small businesses. This time it’s veterinary clinics.”

Full story ...

Cat Related Workshop in Florida

2011-09-28T12:29:00.001-07:00

Dr. Nick Dodman has an upcoming lecture in Florida regarding cat behavior. For more information, visit his website www.thepetdocs.com

The Well Adjusted Cat - One Day Workshop Secrets to Understanding Feline Behavior

Friday, Nov 4th, 2011

Host: Florida Atlantic University
Davie, FL 33314

One-Stop Shop for Pet Preparedness - New York City

2011-09-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

A message from the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals -

Monday, September 26, 2011

3:30-7:00 p.m.
Union Square Park (south side, near the dog run)

Are you and your pets prepared for a hurricane, flood, or other disaster, either natural or man-made? Last month's brush with Hurricane Irene sent a wake-up call to many New Yorkers, forcing them to confront the realities of emergency planning to ensure their safety - and the safety of their pets - when an emergency strikes.

Find out how you can get prepared at the One-Stop Shop for Pet Preparedness event!

Veterans Class - Why not at your club's next cat show?

2011-09-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of judging a class of veterans at a cat show in the Pacific Northwest. The cats presented held lots of titles - CH, GC, GP, NW, RW and DM. Some of the cats shown are without any title, and have gone on to grand in Championship or in Premiership - for example, a 10-year old Exotic and an 8-year old Exotic Longhair. All are wonderfully mature examples of their breed. What pride these exhibitors displayed in their cherished elderly cats! For a small show, these entries added a much needed income boost, even at a reduced entry fee.

It leads me to wonder why more clubs don't have a veterans class at their shows and take advantage of this additional "easy" income. I hear the argument that they don't contribute to the official show "count", but with
few shows filling these days that argument lacks merit. I also hear that the cost of rosettes is a roadblock, yet Linda Osborne has volunteered to supply any club with recycled rosettes, completely reworked and ready to be awarded to the entered veterans.

A great many of us have cats over 7 years of age at home that have had successful show careers and enjoyed being shown. They are, in many cases, now our treasured pets and many remain in top condition. Why not bring them out and let folks see a mature example of your breed?

The CFA National Show would have been the perfect place for this class - yet it's the only class not offered (at least, it's not included in the list of entry fees, so it doesn't look like it was offered). The "would hurt the
count" argument doesn't hold water because there is a household pet class that isn't in the count either.

Having this veterans class at the National Show would have been a unique opportunity to introduce the (10,000+ promised) spectators to an individual breed and be able to show them what a kitten looks like, what a young adult looks like, and what they can expect a purchased kitten/pet to look like as a mature cat several years down the road. Photos just aren't the greatest alternative to seeing an actual cat in person especially when it comes to, for example, a Maine Coon kitten and a 7 year old mature Maine Coon. A great
deal of publicity could have been built around this "life cycle" exhibition of the various breeds. An opportunity lost, unfortunately.

However, consider convincing your club members to include a veterans class at their next show and bring in more income, plus show the judges, the exhibitors, and the spectators these beautifully mature examples of our
breeds. Talk it up at shows you attend and see how much interest you can generate in it among other breeders. Gather your friends together ahead of time and make plans to enter and compete with your veterans. Use the
veterans class in your show publicity. Many of the cats have very interesting histories that can be used in publicity. There's certainly a lot to be gained for all involved!

If you want more info on the veterans class, contact Linda Osborne (lindao5060@bigplanet.com) and she'll be glad to guide your club with info on how to include this class in your next show. She, and others in the Northwest Region, are full of enthusiastic support for the Veterans Class and want to see it as part of CFA shows around the world.

Join the Veterans Class Yahoo group for more discussion-
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/CFA_Veteran_cats/?yguid=49294578

Goodie, an 8 year old American Curl longhair, is a former National Winner who would love an opportunity to compete in a local veterans class.

Mayo Clinic teams with glowing cats against AIDS

2011-09-12T09:39:00.001-07:00

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a genome-based immunization strategy to fight feline AIDS and illuminate ways to combat human HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

http://www.sciencecodex.com/mayo_clinic_teams_with_glowing_cats_against_aids_other_diseases

Abyssinian Historical Slideshow

2011-08-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Abyssinian Historical slideshow presentation has been updated to include the 2010-2011 show season winners. http://www.simplyaboutcats.com/Abyssinian/

Cat Show Video

2011-08-30T13:40:00.001-07:00

Here's just over 14 minutes of video from the August 2011 Santa Monica cat show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w55it_iOEhg

Feline Health Resources - revised list

2011-08-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Visit our revised and updated list of feline health resource links at
http://www.simplyaboutcats.com/feline-health.html

Lots of valuable feline health information available!

Feline Historical Museum Now Open to Visitors

2011-08-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

The CFA Foundation has announced that their Feline Historical Museum, the first in North America, is now open to visitors. The museum is located at 260 east Main Street, Alliance, Ohio. Hours are Tuesday & Wednesday from 10-6; Friday from 1-7; and on Saturday from 10-2.

I will be there on the following days, and would love to talk to anyone who chooses to visit:
Friday, Sept 2nd and Saturday September 3rd.

You can find a sample of the collection exhibits on our Facebook page. Visit - and LIKE - us at http://www.facebook.com/CFAFoundation

Homeopathy for Dogs and Cats

2011-08-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

A good primer for those interested in homepathy.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/homeopathy-for-dogs-and-cats.html

Which are America's favorite? Dogs or Cats?

2011-08-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

PARADE magazine has taken on the Cats versus Dogs debate. More at http://www.parade.com/news/2011/07/31-battle-of-cats-vs-dogs.html

The Hyatt Regency Tamaya and Enchantment Pet Resort & Spa

2011-08-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

The pet friendly Hyat Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, located on the Pueblo of Santa Ana between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, knows the importance of convienience while travelling with pets. Welcoming companion animals through its doors, the resort caters to everyone, including our four-legged friends with premier accommodations, activities, and programs designed specifically for guests who travel with pets.

The Hyatt Regency Tamaya and nearby Enchantment Pet Resort & Spa have announced a full-service travel program for companion animals so travelers can enjoy their stay without the hassles of leaving their four-legged friends behind. Reservations: Hyatt Regency Tamaya.

Enchantment Pet Resort & Spa:
The Enchantment Pet Resort & Spa provides lodging for dogs and cats, training programs for dogs, grooming and spa services, and a doggy day camp program. Details at www.enchantmentpetresort.com

SOCK IT TO FIP!

2011-08-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

If you have a kitty with FIP, or relatives of kitties with FIP, or a breed line that has been totally FIP Free, UC Davis needs DNA samples from these cats for an important FIP genetics study. Dr. Niels Pedersen, who is well known as the "Father of Feline Infectious Disease Research" is conducting an extensive study in FIP genetics.

He is especially interested in Burmese, Birman, Ragdolls, Bengals and exotics, but by all means not exclusive to those breeds. He is very close to a breakthrough with his extensive FIP research. PLEASE, if you have a FIP kitty, or a relative of a FIP kitty, or a line of kitties that is known to have NO FIP at all, please take the time to do a quick and simple q-tip swab rub of the inside of their mouth cheek. All breeds are needed and appreciated.

To collect a DNA Swab:

Use double ended cotton swabs. Place swab head against the inside of the cheek and gums, swirl vigorously 8 – 10 times. Use both ends of the cotton swabs. Wave cotton swab in the air and set aside in dry protected place until thoroughly dried. Place inside a paper envelope (no plastic or baggies- they promote humidity and bacteria which ruins the DNA). Document on the outside of the envelope information about your kitty, cat's name, gender, breed, cat's registration if registered, birth/age, date of swab, - everything you know about the cat's origin or lineage. There is a submission form also, to fill out on the SOCKFIP.org web site that needs to be completed and sent in with your DNA samples - for each cat you send DNA. You can find the PDF form here.

Please send your DNA Samples and Submission Forms together in a large envelope to:

Dr. Niels Pedersen:

UC Davis - Center for Companion Animal Health School of Veterinary Medicine
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA.
95616-8782

2011 EXCELLENCE IN FELINE RESEARCH AWARD

2011-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Jody L. Gookin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, is the winner of the 2011 Excellence in Feline Research Award from Winn and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Dr. Gookin is nationally recognized for her contributions to the field of gastroenterology, particularly infectious causes of feline diarrhea. She and her colleagues are credited with the identification of Tritrichomonas foetus as a cause of diarrhea in domestic cats, and have worked for more than 12 years to establish its pathogenesis, develop diagnostic tools, discover the worldwide significance, and find an effective treatment for this common infection. The award consists of $2500 and a crystal cat, the "Winnie." Winn President, Vicki Thayer, DVM, DABVP, made the announcement and presented the award at the annual convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association held in July in St. Louis.

Dr. Gookin received her DVM degree from the University of California at Davis, and her PhD in gastrointestinal physiology at North Carolina State University. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. Gookin is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at North Carolina State University. She received a Winn Feline Foundation research grant in 2007 to study the prevalence and risk factors for venereal Tritrichomonas foetus infection, and another in 2009 to study the prevalence, identity, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterococcus spp. infection in kittens. In 2011, Dr. Gookin was awarded two Winn grants to study important intestinal infection of kittens caused by E. coli and Enterococcus. Dr. Gookin was a featured speaker at the Winn Feline Foundation Symposium held in June, 2008.

Winn Feline Foundation and the AVMF join together annually to present two awards designed to promote and encourage feline health studies by both established veterinary research scientists and by those entering the field. In addition to the "Winnie", a matching scholarship winner is selected from a large group of student applicants. This year's scholarship winner is Dr. Jessica Balter.

Winn Feline Foundation and the AVMF are pleased to be associated in this effort to focus attention on care for "Every cat, every day."

Cats have stake in new rat-poison rules (USA)

2011-08-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Cat owners should take note of this --
http://www.examiner.com/cat-health-in-washington-dc/cats-have-stake-new-rat-poison-rules

Background article:

Decades on, EPA on verge of curbing use of rat poisons at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40722528/ns/us_news-environment/

2011 VETERINARY SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED

2011-08-01T09:41:00.001-07:00

(Hillsborough, NJ, Aug. 1, 2011) Winn Feline Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) join together annually to present two awards designed to promote and encourage feline health studies by both established veterinary research scientists and by those entering this field of study. The "Winnie" and $2500 cash are awarded to a distinguished researcher in feline medicine selected by the AVMF, and a matching cash award from the AVMF is selected by Winn from a large group of student applicants.

The scholarship award this year goes to a newly minted DVM from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Jessica Balter. Dr. Balter was president of the student chapter of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and coordinated numerous events to educate veterinary students and the community on important aspects of feline medicine. She has been active in trap-neuter-return programs and feral colony care, demonstrating a devotion to the needs of felines in the shelter setting and rescue operations. Her interest in cats dates back to her high school days, when she fostered kittens and worked for her local shelter. Dr. Balter says, "I hope to build a strong foundation of medical knowledge which I can use to guide me through the unique aspects of shelter medicine while simultaneously advancing the treatment of shelter animals…." Having lived with many rescued felines, Dr. Balter has gained a deep appreciation of the behavioral needs of cats and a keen appreciation of the need for specialists dedicated to feline medicine.Dr. Balter will be completing a year-long, small animal rotating internship at Brightheart Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, a specialty hospital on Long Island, NY.

Winn Feline Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are pleased to be associated together in this effort to focus attention on care for "Every Cat, Every Day."

Toronto, Ontario, to consider eliminating pet licensing fees?

2011-07-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

This could be good news for Toronto pet owners -

"The report by the consulting firm KPMG covers the city’s licensing activities. It says none of them are mandatory or essential, giving council wide latitude to make cuts or reductions.
The report, released Monday, says the city should consider eliminating its long-criticized pet licensing program, ........"

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1026485--consider-cutting-even-money-making-licensing-consultant-says?bn=1

Siamese CH Siam's Tobermory of Storisende from 1933 CFA show catalog

2011-07-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

This photo is of an advertisement in a 1933 CFA Cat Show catalog. This catalog is for three shows held on November 23-24, 1933. Shows were sponsored by the Empire Cat Club, the Solid Color Cat Society, and the Siamese Cat Society of America.

Are Cats Bad for the Environment?

2011-07-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

How feral felines (and their human friends) pounce on the planet - http://bit.ly/oT7Zir

I strongly disagree with this article!

Cat Owners Hiss at Licensing Proposal

2011-07-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

From NBC San Diego: http://bit.ly/pyECg2

Geometric analysis of macronutrient selection in the adult domestic cat.

2011-07-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

Interesting research article on feline nutrition.

http://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/6/1039.full

Cats at Philadelphia City Hall

2011-07-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

Samual Perkins, who was the Commissioner for the Erection of Public Buildings in Philadelphia, loved cats. He loved them so much that each of his 8 cats is individually immortalized on the walls of the Philadelphia City Hall when it was built in the late 1800's.

MADDIE'S FUND RELEASES FIRST COMPARATIVE DATABASE OF SHELTER STATISTICS

2011-07-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Intake, adoption, and euthanasia numbers from 474 animal shelters and 56 communities reveal status, trends and progress of US animal sheltering

   (Alameda, CA-July, 2011). For the first time in animal sheltering history, reliable data from a large sampling of shelters and communities across the United States has been compiled into a single, searchable database. The Maddie’s Fund Database provides two years of intake, adoption and euthanasia statistics from 474 shelters and 56 communities using Asilomar Accords reporting methods and formulas. The database allows lifesaving to be measured within a community and to be compared to others. Search categories include geographic region, median income, size of human population, total intake, total adoptions, total euthanasia, live release rate, and deaths per 1000.
      Data of this kind has never before been available, leaving elected officials, shelter managers, universities, statisticians, investigative reporters, contributors and animal loving citizens in the dark about how well their community is doing in its lifesaving work and how it stacks up against other communities of comparable populations (human and animal).
   “I can’t overstate the importance of this information,” says Maddie’s Fund President, Rich Avanzino. “Without hard numbers, it’s impossible to know where we’ve been, where we are at and where we are going. " Read more ...

The American Kennel Club and The International Cat Association Celebrate State Dogs and Cats

2011-07-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

Interesting historical data from AKC and TICA about both dogs and cats.

Smoke Persians - they've come a long way since 1938!

2011-07-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a really neat media photo of three smoke Persian kittens from the 1930's. Shown is Emilie Romaine with Balbriggan, Brian and Mister. Kittens were entered in the San Francisco Cat Club's January 8-9, 1938 show.
If anyone can add further info about either Ms Romaine, her cattery name, or association affiliation, I'd appreciate an email for my records.

Nebraska Humane Society Cat Expo

2011-07-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here's your chance to try out feline agility at the July 9th Nebraska Humane Society Cat Expo in Omaha. Watch this YouTube video!

Cat Writers' Association Annual Conference

2011-07-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Information on the November 17-19, 2011 conference held by the Cat Writers' Association, is available on their web site. Seminars, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, award banquet - the whole shebang! Register early for this great event! Early bird registration rates available and PayPal accepted.

Learn more about the Cat Writers' Associaton at catwriters.org. If you're a writer, author, columnist, illustrater, photographer, etc - find membership info here.

What Can You Do With A Crafty Cat? Keep It In Stitches!

2011-07-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

What happens when writer/designer Peggy Gaffney, who has built her reputation capturing dogs in portrait knitting designs, is confronted by a group of cat loving knitters demanding equal time? Capitulation in the form of The Crafty Cat Knits – Portraits of Cats in Knitting is the result. This latest book published by Kanine Knits Books (110 pp., tpb, $35.00) is a departure from her seven previous knitting books in that not only has she gone from canine to feline, but rather than focus on a single breed for an entire book as in each of The Crafty Dog Knits series books. Ms. Gaffney writes about the history and personality of a dozen cat breeds and then creates charted designs of these fabulous felines to be knit into the pattern collection of sweaters, hats, scarves, afghans, Christmas stockings, and so much more that she provides. The breeds chosen are: Persian, Siamese, Maine Coon Cat, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ragdoll, Tonkinese, Devon Rex, Birman, Russian Blue, Chartreux, Scottish Fold and of course the Companion (or pet) Cat which, because of its varied ancestry, comprises the largest cat group of all. More than 70 photos are arranged throughout the book to inspire the knitter.

Peggy Gaffney, who took a lifetime of knitting and combined it with her forty plus years in the world of purebred dogs as a breeder and exhibitor of Samoyeds, has developed an international reputation for her unique knitting books where she takes a single dog breed, writes about everything that make them unique, and then creates charted knitted designs of the dogs in action. These, along with a wonderful collection of patterns sized for children and adults, allow the dog lover a chance to knit a garment that is truly unique. The first seven books in this series include: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Samoyeds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Newfoundlands, Welsh Corgis and Poodles. She has also designed a collection of more than 100 single dog breed portrait knitting patterns.

Place orders for the book at Kanine Knits Books.