Posted by Sarah T. on August 30, 2005, at 19:30:18
In reply to My cat is dead, posted by Ilene on August 30, 2005, at 14:37:20
Hi Ilene,
I'm very sorry to hear about your cat. Even if he wasn't your favorite, you still took care of him and made him part of the family, and it is such a shock to find a dead animal next to you in bed!
I have a couple of suggestions. . . First, as I think you're planning to do, I think it's an excellent idea to try to find out how your cat died so that your other cat and any new animals you bring into the house don't contract a disease.
Secondly, if you do decide to go to the animal shelter to pick out a new kitten or cat, try, if possible, to take the new cat to the vet BEFORE you bring it home. That way, it can be examined and tested for diseases such as leukemia, feline AIDS, and the usual pests, such as worms, fleas, ear mites, etc. You don't want fleas in the house. The egg casings can last a long time, and it's such a nuisance to get rid of them. Better to have the cat dipped at the vet's office before you ever bring it into the house. I've adopted the last few cats from shelters, and even though the shelters assured me that the cats had been thoroughly tested (and treated, if necessary) for all sorts of illnesses, I found out the hard way that the shelter either had not really tested them or else the testing hadn't been done thoroughly. In one instance, I was assured the cat didn't have fleas. Within a few days, I had bites all over my legs and stomach. I went to my own doctor, who didn't know what the bites were from. I showed the bites to the vet, and she said they were flea bites! So, I had high veterinary bills and my own doctor bills!
A friend of mine adopted a cat from a shelter and was assured her cat had tested negative for leukemia and feline AIDS. My friend brought the cat home and went to the vet a few days later. It turned out that the cat tested positive for feline AIDS. It's so difficult to part with the animals once you've taken them home and grown attached to them. If an FIV (feline AIDS)-infected cat isn't too sick, you can keep it as long as you don't have any other cats in the house and as long as you never let the cat outside. If you had a cat that had leukemia, I'm pretty sure that you're supposed to wait a certain period of time before bringing another cat into the house. I can't remember what the length of the waiting period is. If you had a cat that had FIV, I think you just have to scrub everything (litter box and dishes, etc) with chlorox. I don't think you have to wait to adopt another one though.
One other thing I wanted to mention is the behavior issue. You said that you didn't like the cat that died very much because he was so domineering and aggressive. Well, it's possible that might happen again. As you probably know, cats are very territorial, and in multiple-cat households, usually there is one cat that ends up being the dominant one. Sometimes, one cat is so dominant that, in addition to being the aggressor, it will almost always sit on the highest spot it can find, well above the other cats. Sometimes the dominance shifts, so that the hierarchy that exists when you first bring another cat into the house may be turned upside down in a year or so. Right now, I have two cats. When I got the younger one, the older cat was very nasty and aggressive towards the younger one. The younger one was very sweet and wanted to play and be friends with the older one. The older one would have nothing to do with the younger one. Over the years, this has changed. They still dislike each other, but now the younger one is the aggressor and is always picking on the older one. I've heard that this kind of behavior can be worse when both cats are the same gender. Also, certain breeds, like calicos, tend to prefer being the only cat in the house.
Anyway, I see I've been a bit long-winded here. I love cats and I got carried away.
Again, I'm sorry to hear that your cat died. I hope you find an affectionate, healthy kitten at the shelter.
Sarah
poster:Sarah T.
thread:548754
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050828/msgs/548886.html