Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hi Leone--
    
    Congratulations on E.T.!  Cats are *wonderful* friends, and some,
    like E.T., have the most endearing traits.
    
    On your questions about the Leuk shots and scratching post:
    
    YES!  Please see your vet about starting the shots for E.T.--from
    what I understand (other noters, please correct me if I'm wrong)
    you can touch a cat with leukemia, and actually pass the virus on
    to your own cat.  Since she'll need rabies and distemper shots anyway,
    get these scheduled, too.  They're important.
    
    On scratching posts, no self-respecting cat I ever knew admitted
    to using them--BUT THEY DO.  Get one with natural sisal covering
    if you can, or carpeting is nice.  Please be sure it is sturdy,
    well-made (with no staples or tacks anywhere that she can hurt herself
    on), and made so that it can't tip over.  Many people actually anchor
    theirs.  I had a beautiful one made (by the husband of one of our
    noters) that is huge, stable, and triple-carpeted.  Billie not only
    "picks" on it constantly (she *never* touches the carpets or furniture
    now), but she sits on it to look out the window, and sleeps on it,
    too.  Besides me, it's her best buddy.  When you bring it home,
    you may want to sprinkle catnip on it to  encourage her to use it,
    and give her time to get used to it.
    
    Again, congratulations on your new "baby", and keep noting!
    
    Jane

    I've had my two vaccinated for Leukemia, even though they are indoor
    cats.  The reason is that my first cat (indoors for 8 years) got
    it from a neighbor cat just by "visiting" thru the screen door.
    
    As to reactions:  My vet keeps the cats at the office for 20 minutes
    after the shot (and booster shots too) to be sure they are not
    among the rare animals who are sensitive to the vaccine (if they
    were, he says that emergency measures would save them).  My
    recollection is that he said he has had two kittens (littermates)
    react out of several hundred cats vaccinated;  both survived.         
    My impression is that this extreme sensitivity is like the reaction
    some people have to bee stings.
    
    Both my guys have a side effect from the vaccine -- they are really
    wiped out for about 24 hours and sleep a lot.  The vet says if the
    lethargy persists longer than that to bring the cat back in to get
    a fluid shot because dehydration is serious;  that happened once
    with Holly.
    
    I know the reactions and side effects seem to be of concern, but
    leukemia is far worse.
    
    Somewhere in this file there must be a note about scratching posts;
     a few short tips:  heavy and stable enough so that it doesn't frighten
    the cat by tipping or moving when she uses it, long enough so she
    can stretch out.  try rubbing catnip on the top so she will reach
    for it and get the feel of the post under her paws.  scratching
    as an example helps too.  sometimes you need more than one post
    in a big house.
    

    My cats have never had bad reactions from the leukemia shots; they were
    very sleepy the rest of that day, but fine the next.
    
    As for using scratching posts, well, that depends on the cat.  Serena
    (who's 15) has always ignored them in favor of logs.  Sherlock adores
    his scratching post; he uses it for a pillow when he naps, wrestles
    with it, jumps at it, pushes it across the floor.  It does tip over but
    he loves that.  He'll wrap his front legs around it and wrestle it to
    the floor as if he were bulldogging it and usually fall asleep with his
    legs wrapped around it!
    
    But, scratch it.  NEVER!  I'll scratch the furniture, thank you Mom, I
    don't want to ruin the carpeting on my scratching post.
    
    Oh, well...
    
    Ande

    Post are good if they use them - all my 15 DO actually use them.
    I still find it hard to believe my luck.   Keep in mind, that it
    helps a lot to trim their nails once or twice a month!  When I
    see any of my kids using their posts, it triggers me to check
    their nails, and sure enough some of them need a trim!  It's
    their way of telling me to get on the ball and do nails for 15.
    Funny, I always seem to start trimming just after I have vacuumed
    the entire house!  sigh
    
    As to the leukemia shots, from what I understand, they are
    not even 80% effective - lots of folk I know only test their
    cats for leukemia, and do NOT get the shots.  Lots of cats
    do have reactions.  Breeders have had genetic difficulties
    when the shots are given to their cats (breeders can supply
    more details on this than I).  I do not believe that the
    vaccine has been tested thoroughly enough.  I don't believe
    that it provides the protection advertised.
    
                           

    Both of ours use the scratching post.  The key with them was the
    usual...PRAISE, PRAISE and more PRAISE.  When they are feeling left
    out they will go to the scratching post, take a token scratch or
    two and look pleadingly at us, knowing that we'll make a fuss over
    them.  When training them not to use the furniture, we just said
    "NO" in a firm voice (stomped the floor for our deaf Tristan) and
    took them to the scratching post where they got lots of praise.
    It's worked quite well for us.
    
    Karen, Tristan and Tenzing.

    Congratulations on your new baby!
    
    By all means get her tested for FeLV; I have my 8 kids done yearly
    and probably the strangest reaction I've ever seen is my lethargic
    old tom, Mange, will do a complete turn-around and practically become
    a kitten for a day or so. He'll just wear himself out and then sleep
    it off. My others either show no reaction at all, or just act as
    if they've caught a mild bug - sleeping alot and just laying low.
    Though I do agree it's probably not all it's cracked up to be, I'd
    rather be safe than sorry. (Though I've never had a Persian and
    they're reactions may vary).
    
    Regarding scratch posts: YES*YES*YES*YES*YES*YES
    
    I have several and I think they are great. I have them strategically
    placed around the house (I find it useful to keep them near doors
    and windows where the kids tend to frequent). The absolute best
    is the Sisal rope. I have a floor to ceiling one and probably the
    only drawback is that one of these days I'm probably going to laugh
    myself to death over their antics with this thing. I also have one
    of those Sisal tripod-shaped "kitty gym" scratch posts that they
    just love. They use it every time they walk by. It is also good
    to use as a footrest for their human companions. While it's true
    that these "luxuries" can be pretty expensive, I've found that (the
    posts at least) are cheaper through "PEDIGREES" "cat"alogue 
    (for a copy send mail to RAINBW::PERRY)...
    I was quoted $230.00 for my floor-to-ceiling tree at a discount
    pet supply store, and got mine through PEDIGREES for about $100
    (including shipping and handling). They just love it!
    They still scratch the furniture though, but only if I'm late at
    mealtime - it's just their way to tell to to get my *** in gear!!
    
    Have Fun.
    
                            Denise.
    

    Oops - regarding my last reply about the scratch posts, I forgot
    to mention that it might be helpful to note that catnip does help
    encourage scratching. Also, strangely (or not so strangely, as most
    cat owners know) enough, as soon as they know that it is meant for
    them, they may still prefer the couch. So what I usually do is to
    pretend that it IS the couch. I will leave an old t-shirt or towel
    or something that gives it the appearance of being MINE, not theirs,
    on or around it. I will also spend much time around it. Once they
    think they are getting away with murder by violating "my space"
    they adopt it as their own. This approach almost always works (even
    with carpeted posts, which they really don't care too much for).
    
    
    Good luck again!!