With a record 90 million cats living in U.S. homes, it might not seem like feline overpopulation could be a problem. But according to Dr. Julie Levy, a Morris Animal Foundation-funded veterinary scientist, an estimated 70 million homeless cats live in the United States. And this number is probably low. The count includes strays that have been lost or abandoned by owners and also feral cats that were born wild and have never lived in a home.

These cats face tough daily conditions and lack veterinary care and vaccines, so they may contract and spread diseases like panleukopenia and respiratory infections. Also, feral cat populations are tough to control. An unspayed female can have multiple litters each year. That adds up quickly to a lot of unwanted cats.

Dr. Levy heads a program at the University of Florida called Operation Catnip, which provides a monthly free spay-and-neuter day for feral cats. This type of program is called trap-neuter-return (TNR), and the theory behind it is that since sterilized cats can’t reproduce, the feral populations will gradually decrease in a humane way. However, TNR programs require funding, community support and many volunteers, including veterinarians, because trapping and transporting cats is costly and labor-intensive. Treating cats in the field would be far more efficient.

With Foundation funding, Dr. Levy tested a sterilization vaccine that targets a hormone in the brain called GnRH. When GnRH is controlled, the cat doesn’t produce estrogen or testosterone and becomes temporarily infertile as a result. Even better, veterinary technicians can easily administer the vaccine by injection in the field.

Dr. Levy was thrilled with the results. Over the two-year study, the vaccine prevented pregnancy in 73 percent of female cats. No other nonsurgical methods have shown such a high success rate with only a single treatment.

This vaccine has the potential to help feline welfare agencies throughout the world control feral cat populations in an inexpensive and humane way. That would mean fewer cats struggling for survival on the streets.

Production Details:

After basic KIT construction, the unit undergoes six weeks of onside ROM programming and burn-in testing. Listed features are installed during this period. Since MOMCAT uses local suppliers, there may be variations between units. MOMCAT’s quality assurance may reject inferior units. Users may sometimes salvage rejected units.
Beware of Far East clones. These may violate import restrictions.

Transportation:

A suitable transportation case should be used for transportation to the operating site. Failure to properly ship a CAT unit may result in loss or damage to the unit and serious injury to the user.

Installation Procedures:

Upon receiving the CAT unit, the user should examine the unit to verify that all I/O channels are operational. Look for minor bugs in or on the system. Bugs are indicative of the MOMCAT production environment. The user may manually remove any bugs.

Bring the CAT to operation in an environment temperature at 20º C (± 3 º tolerance). Use a quiet room with the primary user(s) present. Open the transportation case and let the CAT unit auto exit. Initialize the self learning program catfind() by displaying the input bins. These should contain H2O (liquid state, room temperature, 99% purity) and dry energy pellets. Immediately afterwards, display the output bin.

If the user already has a CAT unit successfully installed, it may be possible to download BASIC routines to the new CAT. For the first day or two, the CAT will stay in self learning mode. When the learn buffer overflows, the CAT will auto switch to sleep() mode. This is normal. The MMU system will store the new information to permanent memory. After 72 hours, the CAT will be interacting with the operating environment.

The unit may be placed in direct sunlight. CAT units are operational in all axis: standing, sitting, or laying down. If all basic environment requirements are satisfied, the CAT system will produce a slight hum. This is normal.

A new CAT should not exit the primary site facility. Full portability comes after extensive burn in. Some users never let the CAT unit auto exit the site. The advantages are longer unit life and fewer bugs. Contact with pirate CAT units may lead to unplanned BATCH iteration. Contact with untested CATs may lead to virus infection. If allowed to exit, some CAT units may try to port across a street. Fatal errors may happen. If you decide to let your CAT out, it should have a READ_ME.TXT file with a system address and URL which identifies the host site.

Your CAT should have a system name. The name may need to be reinitialized repeatedly until the system can read it correctly. This lets you issue voice commands to bring the unit to an online state. Many owners give their CATs a secret password as well. You can also get the CAT’s attention by booting the system. While this is effective, it is discouraged. Too much booting will abuse the system. Such units will sit across the room with its back to you.

Applications:

At present, there are few productivity applications for CAT.

MOUSE is a killer app. This is pre-installed.

Many owners use their system for game playing. CATs play best when they are young. Older units suffer a system timing decay which leads to reduced response and flexibility. Some CAT games are:

Maintenance:

CATs will self-recharge. This takes 20 hours in a 24 hour cycle.

CATs are self cleaning and require little user maintenance. Do not clean the unit with alcohol or benzine-based solvents. This may lead to a violent explosion.

A CAT unit should be taken once a year to a VET (Very Expensive Technician) for a system checkup.

Do not attempt to open a CAT. There are no user serviceable parts inside. If a unit emits strange smells or sounds, it should be serviced immediately by a VET.

You may examine the rear of the CAT unit to determine if it has a male or female scuzzy port. CATs with a male port may emit a non-toxic aerosol. The VET can remove this component. CATs with female ports are plagued by periodic heating problems. The VET can fix this permanently by removing an internal part. Such systems run unix.

In senior CAT units, male scuzzy ports can become blocked, leading to extensive VET visits and serious performance limitations.

Warning Notices:

CAT systems are user-friendly. However, in certain documented situations, a CAT may pose a danger to the user. Repeated jamming or obstruction of I/O ports may lead to deployment of auto-defense systems. Never attempt a first strike on a CAT system. Its CPU clock rate made to milspecs and thus classified, but JANE’S FIGHTING FELINES notes that a unit was seen by ham radio operators to be apparently moving at 500 mHz. Twin D-shaped five-pin spike connectors have an average seek rate of 3 nanoseconds. The manufacturer is not responsible for injuries to the user. These spike connectors require monthly maintenance to avoid damage to site furniture.

Do not poke anything into the CAT’s I/O ports. CAT may BYTE.

In dry, cold weather, a surface electrostatic charge may build up. To avoid electric shock, stand on an insulated surface.
Do not operate the CAT above water. This may lead to end-user damage.

Carry a CAT firmly. Do not swing it by its “tail”.

The self-programming feature of the CAT unit may introduce functions that are not user-friendly. For example, the CAT will quickly associate display of the transportation case with a trip to the VET or the offsite storage facility. In such instances, the CAT will self-initiate the ESCAPE mode. This requires the user to employ SEEK and CAPTURE programs to reestablish control of the CAT in order to place it in the transportion case.

Service Life:

As CATs become older, the learn program will recognize every situation. The CAT may become too smart for its own good.

CATs like to have their own toys. They often have hobbies, such as bird watching or studying tropical fish.

If you properly care for your CAT, it will give you years of loyal service. Many users get a second unit. Most users don’t need the extra capacity, but they enjoy the ability to run complex simulation games.

If the user will be absent from the host site for an extended period, provision for CAT maintainence must be provided.

Options are:

Offsite storage - This may cause errors in user-associated CAT programs. Some reprogramming may be required.

Onsite maintainence by contractors - Contractors must have full access to the host site. They should provide full I/O service to the CAT and not boot the system.

User Groups:

CAT users can find other users and the FAQ on the Usenet newsgroup rec.pets.cats.

Lifetime Warranty:

The CAT unit is guaranteed against catastrophic failure. Nine coupons are included.
If the unit operates in networks that experience heavy traffic, some units may use all nine coupons in one confrontation. This can lead to system failure.

Documented Problems:

The Ctrl key on most CAT units is defective. This may lead to serious performance problems.

Do not install a BIRD unit at a site which has an operational CAT unit. These systems are not compatible. The BIRD unit may be erased permanently.

The self-cleaning feature that comes standard with CAT units has a capacity limitation. The unit’s recycle bin eventually fills and then empties without warning.

CAT units have an internal clock. These normally initialize automatic programs (CLEAN, etc.) These cannot be reset by the user. The internal alarm clock often goes off 30 minutes before the user’s alarm clock.

System Features:

Contacting CAT Technical Support

Our highly trained technicians are ready to help you. As soon as they wake up from their nap.

Submit your CAT bug report - Requests for enhancement (RFE), etc. Remember: it’s not a bug, it’s a flea. Don’t bother sending in your complaints: just like your CAT unit, our technicians won’t pay attention either.

Infection occurs when a mosquito carrying heartworm larvae bites a cat. The larvae enter through the bite and then develop in the tissues.

The immature worms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the arteries in the lung where they cause an inflammatory reaction.

Most worms die at this stage, causing additional inflammation. The worms that progress to the adult stage may live undetected for a couple of years. But, when the adult worms die, the inflammation can be severe enough to cause death.

The average age is fours years – but cases have been reported from nine months to 17 years.

Cats usually have fewer and smaller worms than dogs and the life of the worm is shorter: two to three years verse five to seven in dogs. In addition the percentage of worms that develop into adult stage is 0-25% compared to dogs 40-90%.

Signs of Heartworm
It is very difficult to diagnosis infection by clinical signs alone. Many signs can be non-specific and can look like other diseases. “Signs associated the first stage of heartworm disease, when the heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, are often misdiagnosed as asthma or allergic bronchitis, when in fact they are actually due to a syndrome newly defined as Heartworm Associated R espiratory Disease (HARD).” (From the Heartworm Society)

Acute Signs:

• collapse
• dyspnea
• Convulsions
• diarrhea/vomiting
• blindness
• tachycardia
• syncope
• sudden death

Chronic Signs:

• coughing
• vomiting
• dyspnea
• lethargy
• anorexia
• weight loss
• chylothorax

Research Contribution to Veterinary Science in Feline & Canine Diabetes & Obesity

Interesting research findings on obesity and diabetics in felines such as:

• Insulin sensitivity was halved in cats which gained 44% of their bodyweight over 10 months.
• (male cat) tendency to gain more fat than females when fed ad lib
• Prevalence of diabetes in Burmese cats (in Australia and New Zealand) is approximately 1 in 50, compared to the non-Burmese population and for Burmese cats over 8 years of age, 1 in 10 have diabetes.
• Unlike dogs and humans, cats do not exhibit a post-prandial increase in blood glucose in the first 2 hours after eating

The Hartz Mountain Corporation is voluntarily recalling a second specific lot of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats due to concerns that bottles within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella.

Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall. Hartz recalled a specific lot code of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats last November due to similar concerns. Both lot codes were manufactured for Hartz by UFAC (USA) Inc. in 2007, and were removed from distribution last November. However, bottles from the second lot had been shipped to customers prior to their having been removed from distribution.

In general, guidelines for vaccination of cats have been strongly influenced by the appearance of vaccine-associated sarcomas in cats, and in particular their epidemiologic association with feline leukemia virus vaccines and killed rabies virus vaccines. Thus, there is clear evidence for minimizing frequency of vaccination in cats. The recommendations below have been made in light of the AVMA/AAHA/AAFP/VCS task force recommendations on vaccine-associated sarcomas in cats. Risk factors for sarcomas should be discussed with cat owners at the time of examination. If a cat develops a palpable granuloma at the site of previous vaccination, the benefits vs risks of future vaccinations should be carefully considered. All vaccine-associated sarcomas should be reported to the vaccine manufacturer, the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics, and the AVMA.

Feline Core Vaccines

The definitions of core and non-core vaccines described in the canine vaccination guidelines above also apply to the feline vaccines. The core feline vaccines are those for feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV1), feline calicivirus (FCV), feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and rabies.

Feline Herpesvirus 1, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Panleukopenia Virus Vaccines

For initial kitten vaccination (< 16 weeks), one dose of parenteral vaccine containing modified live virus (MLV) FHV1, FCV, and FPV is recommended every 3-4 weeks from 6-8 weeks of age, with the final booster being given no sooner than 16 weeks of age. For cats older than 16 weeks of age, two doses of vaccine containing modified live virus (MLV) FHV1, FCV, and FPV given 3-4 weeks apart are recommended. After a booster at one year, revaccination is suggested every 3 years thereafter for cats at low risk of exposure. According to recommendations of the vaccine-associated sarcoma task force, these vaccines are administered over the right shoulder. Note that recommendations for killed and intranasal FHV1 and FCV vaccines are different from the above. Killed and intranasal varieties of these vaccines are not routinely used at the VMTH. The use of FPV MLV vaccines should be avoided in pregnant queens and kittens less than one month of age.

Feline Rabies Virus Vaccines

Cats are important in the epidemiology of rabies in the US. In general we recommend that kittens receive a single dose of killed or recombinant rabies vaccine at 12-16 weeks of age. Adult cats with unknown vaccination history should also receive a single dose of killed or recombinant rabies vaccine. For the recombinant vaccines, boosters are recommended at yearly intervals. We currently stock and suggest the use of the recombinant rabies vaccine, although there is no evidence as yet that it is associated with a decreased risk of sarcoma formation. For the killed rabies vaccines, a booster is required at one year, and thereafter, rabies vaccination should be performed every 3 years using a vaccine approved for 3-year administration. According to recommendations of the vaccine-associated sarcoma task force, rabies vaccines are administered subcutaneously as distally as possible in the right rear limb.

Feline Non-Core Vaccines

Optional or non-core vaccines for cats consist of the vaccines for feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus, virulent FCV, Chlamydophila felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Feline Leukemia Virus Vaccine

A number of FeLV vaccines are available on the market, and many have reasonable efficacy, although they do not produce sterilizing immunity. We suggest vaccination of FeLV-negative cats allowed to go outdoors or cats having direct contact with other cats of unknown FeLV status. Vaccination is most likely to be useful in kittens and young adult cats, because acquired resistance to infection develops beyond 16 weeks of age. As of 2006, the AAFP recommends primary vaccination of all kittens for FeLV, but the decision to administer booster vaccines is based on risk assessment. Vaccination is not recommended for FeLV-positive cats and indoor cats with no likelihood of exposure to FeLV. We currently stock and suggest the use of the recombinant transdermal FeLV vaccine, although there is no evidence as yet that it is associated with a decreased risk of sarcoma formation. Initially, two doses of vaccine are given at 2-4 week intervals, after which annual boosters are recommended depending on risk. According to recommendations of the vaccine-associated sarcoma task force, parenteral FeLV vaccines are administered subcutaneously as distally as possible in the left rear limb.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine

The FIV vaccine is an inactivated, adjuvented dual subtype vaccine that was released in July 2002. Unfortunately, vaccination of FIV-negative cats renders currently available serologic tests (ELISA and Western blot) positive for at least a year following vaccination, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests do not reliably identify cats with natural infection. These PCR tests have yet to be standardized, and quality control may be problematic. Previous vaccination does not prevent infection, and the significance of a positive test result in a vaccinated cat cannot be assessed. Questions remain regarding the vaccine’s ability to protect against all of the FIV subtypes and strains to which cats might be exposed. Therefore, the decision regarding whether to use this vaccine is not straightforward, and the risks and benefits of the use of this vaccine should be carefully discussed with owners prior to using the vaccine in cats at risk of exposure. The UC Davis VMTH pharmacy does not stock this vaccine, and its routine use in indoor cats is not recommended.

Feline Chlamydophila felis Vaccine

Chlamydophila felis causes conjunctivitis in cats that generally responds readily to antimicrobial treatment. Immunity induced by vaccination is probably of short duration and the vaccine provides only incomplete protection. The use of this vaccine could be considered for cats entering a population of cats where infection is known to be endemic. However, the vaccine has been associated with adverse reactions in 3% of vaccinated cats, and we do not recommend routine vaccination of low-risk cats with this vaccine. The Chlamydophila felis vaccine is therefore not stocked by the VMTH pharmacy.

Feline Bordetella bronchiseptica Vaccine

This is a modified live intranasal vaccine. Bordetella bronchiseptica is primarily a problem of very young kittens, where it can cause severe lower respiratory tract disease. It appears to be uncommon in adult cats and pet cats in general. For these reasons, the UC Davis VMTH does not recommend routine vaccination of pet cats for Bordetella bronchiseptica. The vaccine could be considered for young cats at high risk of exposure in large, multiple cat environments. The UC Davis VMTH pharmacy does not stock this vaccine.

Other Feline Vaccines

Feline Infectious Peritonitis Vaccine

The FIP vaccine is an intranasal modified live virus product. The efficacy of this vaccine is controversial, and duration of immunity may be short, although the vaccine appears to be safe. Although exposure to feline coronaviruses in cat populations is high, the incidence of FIP is very low, especially in single-cat households (where it is 1 in 5000). Most cats in cattery situations where FIP is a problem become infected with coronaviruses prior to 16 weeks of age, which is the age at which vaccination is first recommended. Vaccination could be considered for seronegative cats entering a cattery where FIP is common. We do not routinely recommend vaccinating household cats with the FIP vaccine, and the vaccine is not stocked by our pharmacy.

Feline Giardia Vaccine

A killed Giardia vaccine has been marketed for use in cats. This vaccine has the same limitations as those listed above for canine giardiasis, and has the additional potential to induce vaccine-associated sarcomas. We currently do not recommend routine use of this vaccine in pet cats. The UC Davis VMTH pharmacy does not stock this vaccine.

There are 43 million dog owning households compared with 37.5 million cat owning households, but 81.7 million cats compared to 72 million dogs.

Go Cats!