Pet loss books for kids

I just wanted to share with you some of my favorite books to help you in your conversations with your kids about pet loss and grief. Most of these books will be available through your local library and all are available on Amazon.com. I have included links to Amazon if you would like to take a further look or read additional reviews.

The first is "Dog Heaven" by Cynthia Rylant. There is also a companion "Cat Heaven" book with a similar theme/premise. This is a good book for younger children, preschool and early elementary. It allows families to talk about what happens to our pets when they leave us. While it does introduce the concept of a heaven it is not overtly one religion or another, allowing parents to discuss their own personal views of heaven. It is a sweet book with a comforting image of where your beloved pet may now be enjoying treats, soft beds and lots of fun.

http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Heaven-Cynthia-Rylant/dp/0590417010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309538695&sr=8-1

"Goodbye Mousie" by Robie Harris tells the story of a little boy who wakes up one morning to discover that his mouse has died. It does a great job of discussing the difference between sleeping and dead, since the little boy is initially convinced that his mouse is "just very, very sleepy this morning." This book also portrays a wonderful little memorial ritual that the little boy puts together for his mouse with special things to go with Mousie in his coffin including a picture so he won't be lonely. This book also addresses the anger that we all feel as a normal part of grief. It is good to give children the understanding that it is ok to feel angry and sad when our pets leave us.

http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Mousie-Robie-H-Harris/dp/0689871341/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_4

A book for slightly older children is "The Tenth Good Thing About Barney" by Judith Viorst. This book addresses the uncertainty of what happens after death. Is there a heaven? Do dogs and cats go to heaven? While it does leave that question open it has a wonderful story line about the cycle of life as Barney changes after being buried and helps the plants and flowers to grow. There is also a nice funeral/memorial idea that may help kids to come up with their own rituals for memorializing their pet. Funerals and memorials can be very helpful for children as an outlet for their grief and a good opportunity to discuss what they are feeling and to address any fears they may be experiencing.

http://www.amazon.com/Tenth-Good-Thing-About-Barney/dp/0689712030/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2

We can always count on Mr. Rogers to provide us with clear explanations of things that happen in our lives. While the pictures are out of date the clear simple explanations in Mr. Rogers' "When a Pet Dies" can help to address the realities of death: "there comes a time when it [your pet] might be too sick or too badly hurt...for you or even the vet, to be able to keep it alive.'' It also discusses the feelings that children will experience: sadness, anger, loneliness and encourages them to talk about these feelings with their loved ones. I also like how it makes it ok to sometimes need some time alone to think about what happened. This alone time can be especially important for slightly older elementary children as they struggle to process death and how they should react to it.

http://www.amazon.com/When-Pet-Dies-Fred-Rogers/dp/0698116666/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

And one final book to recommend. This last one would be most appropriate for older elementary age children or even teens and adults if they are willing to read a picture book. This book is about grief in general. It could easily be applied to loss of a family member, a pet, a divorce or even the grief we experience when we need to move away from everything we know. "Tear Soup; A recipe for healing after loss" by Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen is a sweet story about a grandmother who has suffered an unspecified loss. She begins to make tear soup. It addresses that everyone grieves in their own time and their own way. It is ok to grieve even when others may want you to move along. As each ingredient goes into the soup, the soup becomes richer and opens doors to sharing the grief with others who are also grieving. There is a wonderful thread of hope and strength despite the grandmother's sometimes intense grief throughout this book. Grandy says that making tear soup has taught her that "there is something down deep within all of us ready to help us survive the things we think we can't survive."

http://www.amazon.com/Tear-Soup-Pat-Schweibert/dp/0961519762/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309538940&sr=1-1

If you would like some more recommendations for books to read with your children about pet loss you can find more resources at http://csuvth.colostate.edu/_docs/diagnostic_and_support/argus/argus_201101_books_children.pdf

Purring-a "purr"fect sound

There is something so calming about listening to a cat purr especially when they are cuddled up on your lap sharing some bonding time. Purring is the ultimate sign of content from a cat. But they may also purr when injured or even dying. Purring may be a way to indicate that they are not a threat and asking for friendship or interaction.

We still don't understand the full mechanics of how a cat purrs. We do know that they do not have two sets of vocal cords. The current theory is that the cat uses its vestibular folds, located in the voicebox, passing air across them to produce the purr. Cats purr on both the inhale and exhale creating the continuous sound.

Did you know that big cats like lions and tigers can't purr? They can roar, which our little house cats can't do, but no purring out of these guys. I think I prefer my cats soothing, comforting purr any day.

Kitty heaven at home

In an ideal world all of our cats would be indoor cats. It keeps them healthier, lowers the risk of injury and saves the bird population. Obviously, we don't live in an ideal world and no matter how hard we try, some cats just can't tolerate living in the house all the time. But if you would like to make your cat an indoor only cat ,here are some tips on creating kitty heaven in your house.

First, cats are natural climbers and they love to have quiet, out of the way, hidden spots to sleep safely. Cat trees are one way to provide this need to climb. Good cat trees will provide multiple perching spots as well as at least one semi-enclosed space where the cat can curl up to sleep. Placing these cat trees near windows can encourage their use. Especially if the view out the window is particularly interesting with bird baths or feeders and plants that attract butterflies.

If you don't want to purchase a cat tree there are many sites that will walk you through building one of your one. Or you can use your own furniture to provide these spots. Bookshelves, cabinets, sofa backs can all become good kitty perching sites.

Providing appropriate spots for food, water and litter boxes is also very important to the happiness of your indoor cat. Food should be provided some place quiet and out of the way

where the cat will not be continually interrupted while eating.

Water can take some experimentation. All cats prefer very fresh water but the style of vessel or access can be very different. Some cats like moving water such as dripping faucets or automatic water fountains that can be found at pet stores. Other cats don't mind the water being still but still prefer that it be in a large open container. You may need to provide water in multiple locations. Cats are not naturally good at drinking and if they have to travel too far to get to their water they may just choose not to.

As for litter boxes, there should be at least one for every cat in the house plus one extra. If there are multiple stories that the cat has access to there should be at least one litter box on each floor. The boxes should be cleaned every day and changed completely every 1-2 weeks. Litter preference varies from cat to cat but in general it is good to stay away from heavily scented litter as that can be a big turn off to sensitive kitty noses. Litter boxes should also be kept away from a lot of activity or noise, especially unpredictable noise. Laundry rooms are often where people want to put their litter box but that may be the worst place since the sudden changes of washing machine cycles or banging in the dryer may frighten your cat.

Activity and stimulation is also very important to keeping your indoor cat happy. Toys can be very helpful. The ability to watch birds and insects outside can keep cats stimulated. And games or toys the simulate a hunt are great choices. If you would like see some more suggestions see my earlier post here.

And finally scratching. Cats naturally claw or scratch things to keep their toes and nails healthy. Providing appropriate scratching surfaces and some basic training on their use will hopefully eliminate the need to declaw your cat in nearly all cases. Cats prefer to scratch vertical surfaces most of the time, which is why the legs of your sofa may bear the brunt of the scratching. Choose a sturdy post with a thick rough surface such as sisal rope. If you choose a post with carpet make sure it is not similar to the carpet in your own home. Kitty is not going to understand why it is ok to scratch that texture on the post but not everywhere else. If your cat has already started to scratch your furniture place the post near the furniture of choice. Then cover the furniture with something that your cat is not going to like, for example foil, double sided sticky tape, plastic sheets, or plastic carpet runners with the nobby side out. You can use a squirt bottle to discourage the behavior. But don't let your cat see you squirting him or her. She will just learn to scratch when you aren't around. We want your cat to believe that the discouragement is coming from the furniture itself. You may have to experience with several different surfaces to get the one your cat prefers.

Want some inspiration in creating kitty heaven in your house? Check out this family that has gone all out to make their house cat friendly. http://www.thecatshouse.com/index.htm

Hyper cats

Ok, one more big disease in older cats to discuss and that is the hyper cat. Ok, I know everyone has a hyper cat at some time during the day. Mine loves dusk when she goes chasing around the house, bouncing off the furniture and egging the dog into chasing after her. It is hilarious to watch and certainly burns some good calories. But that is not the type of hyper we are concerned about here. I am talking about hyperthyroidism in cats.

The thyroid is a small gland in our neck that produces a hormone that helps to regulate metabolism. When too little hormone is produced we feel sluggish and tired and often gain weight easily. But when the thyroid is too active, producing too much hormone, the metabolism speeds up. Cats loose weight despite a good appetite and will often seem increasingly active and frisky. But too much hormone for too long can be damaging to the heart, leading to heart murmurs and eventually heart failure. The liver can also be affected and while many cats can afford to loose a little weight few can afford to loose half their body weight.

Thyroid disease is diagnosed with a blood test, often included in the standard wellness testing given to senior cats. Your veterinarian may also suggest testing for it if they identify a new heart murmur on exam or are concerned about sudden and dramatic weight loss in a kitty that has no other changes. You may have also noticed that your cat was vomiting more often, a common symptom of early hyperthyroidism.

The good news if your kitty is diagnosed: uncomplicated hyperthyroid diagnoses have multiple options to pursue for treatment and the treatment is very successful.

The preferred method of treatment is radioactive iodine. This is administered by a veterinarian specially trained and set up to handle the radioactive material. Your kitty will probably need to stay at the clinic for a few days to a week depending on the specific rules in your location. But once the treatment is complete there is no risk to you, your family or your kitty from the radioactivity as it goes away very quickly and only effects the thyroid gland. The great thing about this treatment? It is usually a single treatment with a 90-95% cure rate. Yes, I said cure which is often a rare thing when treating geriatric animals for anything. But other than an occasional repeat test your kitty will need no further medication, treatment or monitoring.

If radioactive iodine is not available in your location or is too expensive, surgery is another option. The thyroid gland can be surgically removed by most competent surgeons. There are some risks to this surgery beyond the obvious risks of any anesthetic and surgical procedure. If too much of the surrounding tissue is removed (and this can be difficult to tell) your cat may experience problems with calcium regulation. And since calcium is intimately involved in the contraction of every muscle in the body, including the heart muscle, this can be big problem. It can be managed and does not happen in every surgical case. But it is a risk that should be discussed with your vet before surgical treatment for hyperthyroidism.

And finally, medication. Sometimes this is the only option if there is no surgical or radioactive iodine available or affordable. Or your kitty may have a concurrent disease, like kidney failure, that would make the other two options not recommended. There is a medication that will control the production of thyroid hormone. It must be given every day and regular monitoring with blood tests must be done to be sure that your kitty is fully controlled. If your cat is impossible to give a pill to, the medication can be compounded into a liquid form that can be given orally. Or in some cases it can be compounded into a formulation that is painted on the inside of your kitty's ear to be absorbed through the skin.

Of all the big three older age diseases we diagnose in cats, this is probably the simplest to manage and treat. But don't ignore the possible symptoms: lazy old kitty that suddenly becomes a kitten, sudden unexplained weight loss with no attempts at causing weight loss. While these may appear on the surface to be great things they can be early signs of a serious disease. Keep up with your regular exams with your veterinarian. Make sure they get a thorough physical exam at least once if not twice a year. Be ready to talk about how much your cat eats, how much your cat drinks and uses the litter box, how often they vomit and what their general activity and energy level has been like. Be sure to make a note of changes and mention them to your vet. Cats can be difficult to identify symptoms in and good communication and observation is invaluable to your vet when making recommendations or diagnosing problems.

Fun with cats

Thought we would take a break from the serious stuff for a day. Hopefully, some of you have brought home some new cats or maybe already have cats at home. It often seems like cats really don't need much entertainment. They just sleep all day, right?

Well, it is true that cats sleep a lot, up to 16 hours a day. But those hours kitty is awake? They can be difficult for kitty and owner alike. Just like dogs, bored kitty's can be destructive, chewing on cords or other objects, scratching furniture and getting into places they shouldn't be. It is a good idea to try to provide a stimulating environment for you cat. This will keep him or her mentally healthy. And hopefully will also encourage exercise to help minimize the risk of obesity that is so prevalent in our cat population.

Cats are climbers. They are also very visual and like to be able to see outside to identify what is causing the various sounds and smells they are experiencing. Cat perches, trees or strategically placed furniture will help your cat to experience a variety of heights and viewpoints. There are many plans available online for do-it-yourself cat trees and perches. Sometimes you may just want to think about furniture placement. For example, in our house low bookcases are placed under a couple of windows with the top shelf left empty or with a soft blanket on top. This gives our cat, Shadow, a great place to watch the birds and bugs outside as well as a cozy, safe place to sleep up off the floor. We have also included some bird feeders in our landscaping and butterfly attracting plants. Not only do we enjoy the wildlife that visit our yard, Shadow loves to watch. This is a great time to hear the wide vocal range that cats have as they chirp and chitter at the birds and bugs.

Is your cat a bird hunter, mouse hunter or bug hunter? Does she seem to have a preference for one style of play over another? You may not have noticed but most cats do have a prey preference and this can be determined by trying out different styles of toys to determine which is their favorite. Suggestions for how to determine your cats prey preference can be found at http://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/basicneeds/preypref/index.cfm. Once you determine which prey your cat prefers you can then chose, or create toys that appeal to that preference. For example, if your cat prefers to "hunt" birds then you can chose toys that chirp or sing like a bird. Toys attached to strings or sticks are also fun for these cats as they leap and bat at the toy above their heads.

Toys do not need to be expensive. Milk carton caps, crumpled balls of paper, toilet paper rolls and laser pointers are all objects from around your house that can easily become a favorite cat toy. Most cats are like kids. They do best with a collection of toys were they are regularly rotated. For example, make up a toy box for your cat. Each week pick out two or three toys for your cat to play with. One week later, put those toys away and bring out two or three new toys. And remember, while cats may not be as obviously social as our dogs they still enjoy interacting with their family. So try and spend a little time actively playing with your cat, with a cat dancer toy, flashlight or ball. You and they will reap the benefits of this simple play time.

How do you feed your cat? Most of us probably just put food in a bowl and walk away. But there may be a way to make feeding your cat more like a game for the cat. Not all cats will be happy with this, especially those that really need a safe quiet place to feel comfortable eating. But for those more adventurous cats stimulating the "hunt" instinct is another great way to provide some stimulation and exercise. There are a couple of ways to use dinner as a way to create a game. The first is to provide multiple small amounts of food in multiple locations around the house. Obviously, this is difficult if there are dogs in the house but keeping the food elevated off the floor may solve the problem of the dog eating the cats food. Change up the locations periodically to keep your kitty on his or her toes!

Another stimulating way to feed your cats is to use a "foraging device". These are puzzle type toys that require interaction by the cat to release the food. It may take a few days for your cat to figure out how to work the device and if it has variable levels of difficulty start with the simplest setting to provide some quick positive reinforcement when the cat plays with the toy. Some examples of these toys are the "SlimCat Ball" by Multivet, OurPets' "Play and Treat Ball" and the "Fun Kitty Twist and Treat" by Premier pets. Watch a short video of a cat interacting with the "Twist and Treat".

http://youtu.be/xoFYz054rsY

One thing to keep in mind. All of these toys will suggest that they should be filled with treats. I would not encourage that. Cats need a very small number of calories per day. If you fill these toys with treats in addition to their usual ration in the bowl you will have a very large kitty in a very short amount of time! Rather use these toys in place of the bowl and fill them with their regular dry kibble. And always measure the amount of food you provide each day. We know from studies that we are terrible judges of portion size for ourselves. I believe that holds true for our ability to judge how much food we are giving our pets. So please measure the amount of food you give each day and consult with your veterinarian about how much is an appropriate amount for your pet.

I hope that you will take some of these tips to create some fun play time for you and your cat. Living with cats is very different from living with dogs. But we can still do more than just live in the same house as our cats. Even the quietest cat will enjoy a short game of chase the light or cat dancer. Have fun with your cats like you do your dogs!

Kidney disease

Time for some more information about disease in older cats. Kidney disease or renal failure is another of the big 3 diseases that we worry about in older cats. The kidneys are one of the organs, along with the liver, that helps us to "clean" our blood of toxins. They are also important in maintaining fluid levels, blood pressure, red blood cell production and a variety of other tasks. The kidneys are extremely important in maintaining our overall health and wellbeing. And the output of the kidneys? Urine of course!

Kidneys are made up of millions of little structures called nephrons. These nephrons are not replaceable so once they are damaged they cannot be replicated. However, the nephrons that are left have an amazing ability to increase their workload to make up for loss. While that is great news if there is damage to the kidney it can make it difficult to diagnose problems with the kidneys. By the time we can diagnose kidney disease we are down to less than 1/3 of our normal kidney function (ie 2/3's of the kidney's are no longer working). This makes it very important that we identify kidney disease as early as we can. There are some great new treatments that can improve both quality and quantity of life. But they work best with early intervention.

Diagnosis involves collecting a blood sample and a urine sample. Both samples are necessary to identify kidney problems. We look at levels of several compounds in the blood in combination with the concentration of the urine to determine if there is kidney disease present. If you are working with your vet on diagnosing or treating kidney disease you will talk about BUN (blood urea nitrogen), creatinine, phosphorus and calcium levels as well as the urine specific gravity which is a measure of concentration. At a minimum, yearly blood work in geriatric cats should be done to increase our chance of catching this disease as early as possible.

You may also notice some signs at home that would suggest that your cat should be checked. These signs can look a lot like other older age diseases and should never be ignored. These signs include increased vomiting (more than 1x per week), increased thirst, increased urination frequency and/or volume, weight loss, exercise intolerance and lethargy. Increased thirst occurs because the cat is urinating more frequently. Increased urination occurs because as nephrons are lost the kidney becomes less able to conserve water and so there is more water lost into the urine (it becomes less concentrated).

Treatment for cats with kidney disease has come a long way recently. We do recommend some nutritional changes to account for the abnormal retention and loss of various nutrients that occurs with a poorly functioning kidney. This will likely involve the recommendation to switch your cat to one of a variety of prescription diets available commercially. It is also very important to provide easy access to fresh water. Cats often prefer moving water so this would be a good time to check out one of those automatic waterers or cat water fountains.

Your veterinarian may also recommend a medication called calcitriol. Calcitriol is the active form of Vitamin D. It plays many roles in the body. Its primary use in renal disease is to lower levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH is toxic at elevated levels leading to increased loss of kidney function, inappetance, depression, anemia and increased risk of infection. Calcitriol is made naturally in the body in the kidney cells. As kidney cells are lost there is less calcitriol made resulting in higher levels of PTH. Higher levels of PTH lead to more loss of kidney cells, lower calcitriol production and the cycle continues. Calcitriol given early in kidney disease has been proven to slow the progression of kidney disease. It also tends to make animals that are experiencing subtle symptoms to feel better. Owners will often comment after starting calcitriol that they were surprised at how "kitten-like" their cat becomes as they begin to feel better. Even if kidney disease is diagnosed later in its course, calcitriol can still be very helpful to reduce symptoms and support the remaining kidney function.

Other treatments may include subcutaneous fluids, phosphorus binders, antacids and potassium supplements. The use of these medications will be dependent on the specific circumstances of the cat, other diseases that may be present and the ability of the cat and owner to cooperate in terms of giving multiple medications.

Kidney disease is a chronic disease that we cannot reverse or cure. But it is no longer the immediately terminal diagnosis that it used to be. With early diagnosis and intervention you can make your cat feel good and happy with life for several years despite living with kidney disease.

Diabetes

As cats age there are three metabolic disease that we begin to keep an eye out for. They are hyperthyroidism, kidney disease and diabetes. Obviously in any older animal we also watch for arthritis, dental disease and cancer. But the first three are the "biggies". I am going to take the next few blog posts to give you a little more information about each of these diseases.

Diabetes is a disease of insulin deficiency, either because the pancreas is no longer able to make sufficient insulin or because the cells of the body are no longer sensitive enough to the insulin that is made. Insulin is used to help move glucose (sugar) into the cells where it is used as an energy source. As diabetes develops glucose levels in the blood begin to rise. At a certain level the kidneys are no longer able to recycle that glucose back into the blood and we begin to see it show up in urine samples as well. Glucose in the urine makes cats need to urinate more frequently and so they also drink more water to compensate for the increased water loss.

Symptoms of diabetes in cats include increased thirst, increase frequency and volume of urine, weight loss despite a good appetite, weakness or wobbliness of the rear legs and lethargy. If the diabetes goes untreated cats can become ketoacidotic. This is when levels of ketones, a breakdown product that increases in diabetes get too high. This can cause more severe symptoms including vomiting, total loss of appetite, rapid breathing and an acetone smell on the breath.

Diagnosis of diabetes is done by a combination of bloodwork and urinalysis. Both are important because together they can help distinguish the high glucose level we often see in stressed cats from true diabetics. Diabetic cats are also more prone to urinary tract (bladder) infections that can complicate treatment.

Treatment for most cats is insulin injections twice daily. Surprisingly, many cats do not mind the insulin injections. Most owners, once they get over their concern about poking their cat, find that injections are much easier to give than oral medications in a cat. The needle is very small and the injection can be moved to different parts of the body to minimize discomfort. Your vet may also recommend diet changes to help improved the effectiveness of the insulin treatment and to decrease the amount of insulin needed in each injections.

Cats diagnosed with diabetes will need to be treated for the rest of their lives. There are a small number of cats that are found early in their disease who may go into remission with quick, aggressive treatment. However, even these cats will likely need to go back onto insulin at some point. Regular glucose curves, multiple blood glucose checks throughout the day, are important in ensuring good control of insulin and glucose levels. We do not check glucose levels daily as diabetic humans need to. This is because we are not trying to control the glucose in as narrow a range as we do in humans. But glucose curves are still vital to appropriate and effective treatment.

Everyone always wants to know about risk factors for diabetes. There is probably a little bit of a genetic component since Burmese cats seem to be at increased risk. We also believe, as in humans, that obesity is a risk factor. And we know that most diabetic cats are senior cats(10+ years of age). Male cats also appear to be at increased risk. According to the recently released Banfield State of Pet Health 2010 there has been a 16% increase in diabetes diagnosis since 2006. And for all you dog owners who have stuck with me this far, your dog is not immune to developing diabetes. In fact, the same Banfield report found a 32% increase in diabetes diagnoses in the same time period, though cats still are more likely to develop diabetes. http://www.banfield.com/Pet-Owners/Pet-Health/Downloads/State-of-Pet-Health-2011-Report-vol--1

Bottom line? Keep your pets on the lean side which is better for their cardiovascular and joint health too. Have your pet checked at least yearly with a physical exam.; even if they aren't due for vaccines that year. And beginning by at least 10 years of age consider having baseline wellness bloodwork run to check for indications of diabetes or other metabolic diseases.

June is Adopt-A-Cat Month

Sunshine, yard work, trips to the dog park and plans for vacations. That is what June means to a lot of us. But for the AVMA, CATalyst council, American Humane Association and PetFinder.com it is National Adopt-a-Cat month. Kitten season is upon us and thousands of cute kittens are joining the many older cats already looking for their new "forever" home. The best place to find the perfect feline friend? Shelters and rescue organizations. These groups can be excellent resources for picking out the right fit for you.

If you are thinking about adopting a cat, CATalyst council would like to encourage you to consider adopting two! Cats may seem to be very quiet, almost lazy creatures. But the truth is they are full of curiousity, energy and fun. Two cats can play together, entertain each and keep each other active and healthy. Obesity is one of the top health problems in cats. Two cats increases the likelihood that they will engage in regular physical activity. Combined with proper feeding this can help to reduce obesity. Two cats can also keep each other from getting bored. Boredom can often be a source of unwanted behaviours such as destructive chewing, scratching or marking.

Do you want a social, outgoing, cuddly cat? Look for one with a rounder head and longer coat. Orange tabbies are often very friendly and social.

Cats with narrower heads and shorter coats are often high energy but more aloof in their interactions. They may agree to be in the same room with you but perhaps not on your lap. Siamese cats are a great example of this personality. And of course, every cat comes with his or her own individual personality. Working with the shelter, spending time visiting with the cat and talking to any foster families can help you to find just the right personality match.

And, once you bring your new friend home plan on a visit to the vet within a few days. They should be examined and given a clean bill of health. Even indoor cats should be kept current on Rabies and FVRCP vaccinations at the direction of your veterinarian. And all cats should receive regular physical exams. Cats are champion hiders. They hide when the repairman comes, they hid when it is time to do to the vet, and they hid symptoms of disease until that disease is quite severe. Regular check ups allow your vet to discuss risk factors of disease, help you to monitor weight and examine for things such as heart disease, arthritis and kidney disease. Routine wellness exams allow us to catch disease in its early stages when it can be managed to provide optimal quality of life for as long as possible and, hopefully, much less expense.

Want some more tips for bringing home a new kitty or two? Check out the American Humane Association at http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/programs/special-initiatives/adopt-a-cat-month/