RAGDOLL RESCUE
Purebred & Wannabe-s. USA/Canada. Wherever the need. Help with Rehoming
Information
If you are looking for a Ragdoll, or wannabe, to rescue
please join our Ragdoll Rescue email list!
Click to subscribe to ragdollrescue
http://www.petfinder.com/ Petfinder!
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http://www.cozycatfurniture.com/cat_newsletters/cat_newsletter_4_issue.html Plants that can poison cats
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for helpful suggestions!
http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/aggression_to_people/index.html
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Considering Declawing your kitty? Go here, for more information...
Declawing
Tons of info!
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/
Declawing
Written by a Vet
http://www.de-clawing.com/
Educate! Don't Amputate
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/
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How to deal with being allergic to cats
http://www.cat-world.com.au/Hypoallergenic.htm
Useful info on diabetes
http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/jmpeerson/
Caring for Cats
http://cfainc.org/caring.html
Merck Veterinary Manual
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
Cat Scratch Fever
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/csd.html
Cryptococcus sinus infections in cats
http://www.doctorfungus.org/mycoses/veteri/cryptococcosis_cats.htm
Diarrhea
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=2617
FIA: Hemobartonella
http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/CLERK/Cowgill/Index.htm
FIA: Hemobartonellosis in Cats
http://www.dcavm.org/03nov.html
Viruses: An overview
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=578
FIV
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/FIV.html
FeLV
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/FeLV.html
FeLV website
http://www.felineleukemia.org
Herpes Virus
http://www.thensome.com/felineherpes.htm
Parasite control
http://www.capcvet.org/
Parasites in cats
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/resources/brochure/parasite.html
Parasitic Gastrointestinal Infections
http://web.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/parasite.html
Portosystemic Shunts
http://maxshouse.com/PORTOSYSTEMIC%20SHUNTS%20(Update).htm
Peteducation site
http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=0&Cat=1303
Adverse Drug Experience Reports
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/index/ade/ade_cum.htm
Nasopharyngeal Polyps
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2002/winter/np.shtml
Neurology - Neurologic and neuropathic disorders in cats and dogs
http://www.ivis.org/special_books/braund/toc.asp
Nutrition info!
http://www.serve.com/BatonRouge/nutr.htm
Poison Control Center from ASPCA
http://www.napcc.aspca.org
Poison Guide from the AVMA
http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/poisgde.html
Toxicity of Common Products
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov
Kidney Disease
http://www.lbah.com/Feline/kidney.htm
Vaccine guidelines
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/vaccination-guidelines.html
Abbreviations Used in Veterinary Medicine
http://door.library.uiuc.edu/vex//vetdocs/abbreviation.htm
Merck Veterinary Manual
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
Cat Anatomy (complete)
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/anatomy/#Cat%20Anatomy
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Early Spay/Neuter…summary
Info gathered by Marilyn Wagner -- Marisa Ragdolls, Vancouver Island BC CANADA marisaragdolls@shaw.ca
Early spay/neuter (referred to as "speuter" …a shorter version of referencing both sexes) is typically done on kittens between 6-14 weeks. Really though, any de-sexing that is done before the age of puberty (this is somewhere between 4 and 30 months!) is early speutering. The real problem is that this sexual maturity is so variable. The other is that, if a cat reaches sexual maturity, without being speutered, behavioral problems may arise. You may find this kitty will suffer from dominance issues, spraying ("peeing" indiscriminately)…problems that make it very hard to love a kitty. Speutering before pubescence will "solve" these problems…because they will never arise!
· The age of 5-8 months for speutering seems to have been picked out of a hat! There are no studies to support the "fact" that this is a good age to speuter.
· There is data to support the fact that speutering younger than 6 months is easier on the kitten, physically. Their surgery is often much shorter in duration and they recover easier.
· There is no data to indicate that early speuter will affect them adversely, emotionally. In fact, all data seems to indicate the opposite! …that early speuter is actually beneficial to their emotional well-being.
· There is no data to support the idea that early speuter will "stunt their growth". In many cases, it could be argued that speutering pre-pubescently will actually allow them to grow larger
· Many argue, then, that they will get obese. Obesity will happen whether the kitten/cat is early speutered or not! Look at the human population…there are "big" people and there are trim people. There are many factors that contribute to obesity.
· Okay, what about bone growth? Again, studies show that there is no difference in bone growth, if the kitten is fixed at 7 weeks or 7 months of age.
· Urinary problems? Again, there are often urinary problems in whole cats…that have never been speutered. Many times diet or a bacterial infection is the cause. These will be factors whether or not the kitty is early speutered.
· There are arguments that the kitten could be immuno-compromised by speutering so young. Possibly…but if a breeder waits until the kitten has had all vaccinations (approximately 12-15 weeks of age) this is not a problem. The kitten would have all vaccinations done, be protected, and then be speutered and wormed before going to it's new home. Everything would be taken care of!
Morally and ethically, it is a GOOD thing to ensure that your kitten is speutered before it reaches sexual maturity. If the breeder that you are "working with" speuters before the kitten leaves their home/cattery, that means they are taking the extra effort to ensure your kitten will make the best pet possible…one that will never have to deal with hormonal issues. That also means that they are responsible enough to ensure that they (thru the kitten they are placing) will never contribute to the pet overpopulation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMzW3LIkNLA
Website Links for further information:
http://catvet.homestead.com/EarlyAlter.html
http://www.cfainc.org/articles/spay-neuter.html
http://www.winnfelinehealth.org/reports/early-neuter.html
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/ceps/IVB/spay-neu.htm
http://www.netcat.org/symposium/early-neuter-spay.html
References:
Chalifoux, M.S., Niemi, G., Fanjoy, P., et al., "Early spay-neutering of dogs and cats" (letter), Canadian Veterinary Journal, 1981:22:381.
Thuener, J.S., "A Literature review toward effecting a policy change with regards to prepuberal gonectomies in the canine and feline species", BS Thesis, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., 1980.
Sokolowski, J.H., The Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, Mich., literature review, 1980.
Lieberman, L.L., and Lane, T.J., "A Strong Case for Early Neutering", Veterinary Forum, Sept. 1988
"Effect of prepuberal gonadectomy of body weight, radius, length, and gonadal hormone levels of the dog", P.Kislak, DVM Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, 1984.
Lieberman, L.L., DVM, "A case for neutering pups and kittens at two months of age", JAVMA vol. 191 no. 5, Sept. 1987.
Pedersen, Niels C., DVM, PhD (ed), _Feline Husbandry -- Diseases and Management in the Multiple-Cat Environment_, 1991, American Veterinary Publications, Goleta, CA. ISBN 0-939674-29-7
Theran, P., "Early-age neutering of dogs and cats", JAVMA, vol. 202 no. 6, pp. 914-917, March 1993
Salmeri KR, Bloomberg MS, Scruggs SL. Gonadectomy in the immature dog: Effects on skeletal, physical, and behavioral development. J Am Vet Med 1991;198:1193.
Salmeri Kit, Olson PN, Bloomberg MS. Elective gonadectomy in dogs: A review. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1991;198:1183.
Aronsohn MG, Faggella AM. Surgical techniques for neutering 6 to 14 week-old kittens. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1993;202:53.
Faggellia AM, Aronsohn MG. Anesthetic techniques for neutering 6 to 14 week-old kittens. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1993;202:56.
Hosgood G. Surgical and anesthetic management of puppies and kittens. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 1992;14:345.
Liebernmn LL. A case for neutering pups and kittens at two months of age. l Am Vet Med Assoc. 1987;191:518.
Grandy IL, Dunlop CI. Anesthesia of pups and kittens. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1991;198:1244.
Stubbs WP, Salmeri KR, Bloomberg MS. Early Neutering of the dog and cat. In, Bonagura (ed.), Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII, W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1995:1037.
Hoskins ID. Anesthesia for the puppy and kitten. Waltham International Focus, Volume 3, Number 4.
The effect of prepubertal castration on the penile urethra of the cat. Herron MA. Journal of the American Vet Medical Assoc, 1972; 160:208-211.
Study of the effects of early spaying and neutering. Kellington E, Hannawalt EH.
Medford OR Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Report, May 1985.
Early neutering begun by some shelters. Moulton C. American Humane Shoptalk, 1988;6:1.
Early spay/neuter: risks and benefits for shelters. Moulton C. American
Humane Shoptalk 1990;7:1-6.
Advantages of early spaying and neutering. Lieberman LL. Journal of the
American Vet Medical Assoc, Vol 181, 1982, p 420-422
A case for neutering pups and kittens at two months of age. Lieberman
LL. Journal of the American Vet Medical Assoc, Vol 191, No. 5, Sept. 1,
1987, p 518-521
Publication and Video produced by the American Humane Association; "The Case for Early Neutering" Phone 1-800-227-4645; FAX 1-303-792-5333.
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