Newsletter for Cat Lovers July 2008 vol. 3 no. 5
Cat news from
Cat Lover Gifts World
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"I'd rather kiss than itch any day!!"
This Month's Top Stories...
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Not Only is the Economy Going into Deep Red... It's Taking Our Pets with it.
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Now for Something More Practical... the Flea Wars
Sustainable Rooftop Garden Designs...
When I was in college (in the early 70's... whew, has it been that long?), I remember having long discussions, both in classes and later at our favorite watering holes, about the state of our environment and how long it would be before we were confronted with the inevitable depletion of the natural elements we were consuming at such an alarming rate. Our talks ranged from how the impact of our presence would stir mother earth and what her reactions might be, to what our alternative resources will be and how we might lesson the impact of our presence on this planet. Of course, we were looked upon as goof-balls and except for a determined few, we mostly fell silent and pursued our own struggle to survive like everyone else in day to day life. Now, the specter of sprawl, environmental pollution, carbon-unit overpopulation, loss of farmlands and depletion of traditional energy resources is staring us in the face and, though reluctantly, people are beginning to realize conservation needs to become a way of life.
Now, we can't blame our pets, cats in particular, for being so short-sighted. But, people, being the unique species we are, eventually come around to the right way of thinking... even if we are dragged by our heals to the river of truth. What's more we can incorporate this new way of thinking into how we create our personal cat/home sharing environments. When I saw this I thought, "Wow, how topical is this!!". Out of the creative mish-mash of Los Angeles comes this idea.
Build a pet house that is grrreen and let your pets become a part of the Green Revolution. With a sloping roof that acts as a garden, walls of pet friendly materials, this design is a natural protection for a cat (or dog) and with regular watering of the roof-top garden, is a source for drinking water, too. Take a look... I think upon inspection, you'll find these designs will fit into your new lifestyle. If you want to buy a ready made product, you'll have to pay for it. But, if you're of the new industrious nature, you can take the ideas and build one yourself. Visit...
Not Only is the Economy Going into Deep Red... It's Taking Our Pets with it.
It seems this weakening economy is taking a lot of people to the dog house. Not only are people losing their homes, jobs and lifestyles, but they're finding it even difficult to care for their pets, too. This report focuses on dogs, but I'll bet there are a lot of cat abandonments, too. Trouble is, most people think cats are so self-sufficient that they don't bother to take a trip to the local animal shelter. The family cat finds herself dumped along some stretch of road that she wouldn't recognize from the Amazon jungles. If one remembers the territorial nature of cats, you're aware how frightened an abandoned cat must be. Cats define their territory as their own safe haven. Inside her boundaries she is comfortable and recognizes all that lies within. She is capable of defending her domain and watches over it through half-shut eyes that say all's right with her world. Outside her territorial limits she is frightened, unsure of herself, and because of this stress probably on the verge of starvation, too.
If you listen to your local PBS station, you'll recognize this American Public Media production from Marketplace. And, if you find yourself in the difficult financial position that many are finding themselves in these days, remember that you can always replace the 'things' you surround yourself with... but, best friends are hard to come by and should never be put out of your life.
Listen to:
"An Economy Gone to the Dog's"
Now for Something More Practical... the Flea Wars
It's summertime and that means flea season is in full swing. We're not talking about a tent show here, and a flea infestation is by no means a circus. There are ways to deal with this hot weather menace and natural methods will work very well if you're facing this problem.
First, let's talk a little about the life cycle of the flea. Understanding the cycle will help you make decisions when designing programs to prevent or end a flea invasion. The adult fleas hopping around on your cat or pet and in your house represent about 1% of the entire flea population in your home environment. This means, for every flea you see there are at least 99 more in one or another stage of development around the house and yard. It breaks down like this:
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8-10 percent of the population are in the pupae or cocoon stage.
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35-37% are in the larval stage.
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50-54% of the population are flea eggs.
An adult female flea can lay 10 to
50 eggs a day in ideal weather. Fleas prefer warm, humid weather, about
75-95 degrees with 60-85% humidity. Since an adult flea can live up to 100
days, it's possible a single flea will lay nearly 2000 eggs in her lifetime.
That's lots and lots of fleas from a single mom!
When eggs are laid on a “host” such as your cat, most will fall off her onto
the floor, in her bedding, and in the yard. Most of those eggs and the
resulting larvae and pupae remain within fifty feet of your cat's favorite
resting spot. You'll want to keep that in mind when you're ready to treat
your cat's living environment. Flea larvae emerge from the eggs within 1-10
days. But, if conditions are not ideal, it's possible the eggs can remain in
the environment much longer, waiting for the right conditions to hatch. The
larval stage lasts 5-11 days. This is the time in the flea’s life cycle when
they are most vulnerable. After the larval stage, they spin their cocoons
and “pupate,” which takes up to 9 days. This pre-adult state in the cocoon
can last from only a few days to more than 6 months. What this means is that
to rid you and your cat's environment of fleas is not a one time treatment.
All of these various stages, and lengths of development ensure the survival
of the flea as a species. The battle you wage can be a long drawn out one.
A good campaign to protect you and your cat from fleas will consist of a 3-pronged attack.
First, protect your cat on the inside and out:
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Fleas prefer hosts who are in less than optimum health and young kittens with undeveloped immune systems. This means you will need to analyze your cats diet. You will want to feed her healthy food which supports her immune system as well as her hair coat and skin. B vitamins and garlic tend to not be tasty to fleas so supplementing a diet with these essentials during flea season is a good idea.
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Using a flea comb each day can seem a bit tedious. It is a good way to determine if your kitty has picked up any unwanted hitchhikers, though. Run the comb through your cat's hair coat and then take a piece of tissue and wipe the comp with it. Rub the tissue together and if brown, rusty colored spots appear, it's an indication that she has picked up very possibly a family of fleas. Keep combing her and when you pick up any adult fleas, drown them in soapy water.
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Be careful when using repellents on cats. They are constantly cleaning themselves and whatever you put on them externally, they are going to ingest. Chemical repellents, no matter how benign they are professed to be, could have some kind of effect on your cat's immune system, now or later. Natural repellents such as cedar, tea tree, citronella seem to be a logical way to go, but beware of eucalyptus and pennyroyal, which are toxic to cats. Then of course, there's every cat's favorite grooming activity, a nice soothing flea bath. Another reason for teaching your kitty to accept a bath when she is a baby kitten.
Second, treat her environment:
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In your home, wash and vacuum... wash and vacuum... then wash and vacuum some more. Do it often in flea season. Especially in dark areas, under furniture and around baseboards, where fleas like to hide.
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Wash her bedding at least once a week. And, yours too, if she spends time on your bed.
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If you opt to supplement your cleaning with flea powder products, use some common sense. Follow package directions carefully. Many natural flea control powders are drying agents, and can therefore irritate your and your pets nasal passages and lungs if inhaled directly. Avoid overzealous shaking of the container while spreading powders. Don’t create clouds of dust.
Thirdly, don't forget the yard:
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Rake leaf accumulations and keep the grass cut. Watering helps drown fleas.
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There are flea parasites, or "beneficial nematodes" that prey on adult fleas and their larvae. These can be purchased at many garden centers & nurseries, and are usually applied with a garden hose sprayer. Remember, fleas are going to be most prevalent within 50 feet of your cat's favorite resting spot.
Finally, don't wait until the height of the flea season to begin a flea prevention program. Find out when the flea season in your area begins. Ask your veterinarian. Start preventative treatment a month before the season's onset, and you will be ahead of the game which will make life easier for you... and your cat.
And one more caveat... if at first
you don't succeed, keep on trying. Going natural will be new to many people.
So, don't become discouraged if your first effort is less than satisfying.
Keep trying new ways until you find what works for you and your cat. It's
the only way to success.
See you next time
Robert J Gallegos
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OK, folks... it's time to start getting green
Whadda-u-mean "it's me or the house"??
I don't cost that much!!
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