DOMESTIC CATS DON’T NECESSARILY NEED CLAWS. SURGERY TO REMOVE THEM?
There is a reason why nature gave cats claws. They are very important to felines so that they can defend themselves, climb trees, scratch…
Most of owners complain the habit cats have to ruin things, such as couches, using them as a scratch post.
Usually we want our animals to be like us and we treat them as toys. We don’t consider thay might have a different view of the domestic environment.
We don’t want them to ruin curtains or sofas, climb anywhere, dig or play with plants.
What can we do to deal with the claws matter?
Cut them off? That would be maybe the best solution for our expencive couch but not for our friend.
Unfortunately some people adopt this solution.
Luckily, this prctice is forbidden in Italy because is cruel. It involves an invasive operation and a painful, long postoperativ recovery.
So, we have to be concious befor adopting a cat about the consequences. Are we aware that it’s a living being? Do we now its typical attidude?
If not, we would better buy a toy.
CAN CATS SHARE THEIR LITTER?
Every cat owner knows very well how they love to be cleaned.
To everyone with more than one cat experts recommend to use more than one litter dislocated in different rooms.
It is a little more difficult if we live in a small place, like a studio apartment.
Using more than one litter is usually useful to avoid some behavioural problems such as micturition or the need to mark the territory.
IS LEAVING WITH A CAT A RISK FOR TOXOPLASMOSIS TO PREGNANT WOMEN?
Toxoplasmosis is a parastic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii.
Occasionally there may be mild flu- like symptoms. But up to half of the world’s population is infected by toxoplasmosis but have no symptoms. So generally people are not aware of having it.
Once people get infected and healed becomes immune to it.
The parasite is only known to reproduce sexually in the cat family. However, it can infect most types of warm-blooded animals, including humans and could be dangerous to pregnant women.
First of all it is important to test the immunity to toxoplasmosis by a Toxo test.
Than to make some considerations. Such as that we can get infected only by swallowiong the parasite.
Most of the time man contract toxoplasmosis by eating fruit and vegetables contaminated by feces.
Or through the ingestion of a row or partly cooked meat, especially pork or lamb.
It is important to follow some advices such as:
– washing carefully row vegetables and fruit (they cause no problem if cooked)
– avoid handling or eating row meat and salami, nor drinking row milk.
– washing carefully the hands after gardening, cooking meat or stroking the cat’s fur
– avoid exposure to cat’ s feces.
Numerous studies have shown living in a household with a cat is not a significant risk factor for T. gondii infection.
Living with several kittens has some significance.
Any way the important thing is cleaning the litter every day to avoid feces to become infective, (in fact oocysts need two or tree days to open up). Better still if another member of the family do it.
