office (910) 938-4515
fax (910) 938-4513

Coastal Cat Clinic
13-E Doris Ave East Jacksonville, NC 28540

News

Link to AVMA H1N1 F.A.Q

 http://www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/new_virus/new_flu_virus_faq.asp

Officials: Swine flu confirmed in Iowa cat

Link to the news article follows.

http://www.wral.com/news/science/story/6346808/

 

Rabies cases among cats is on the rise.

Rabies facts from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published 9/15/09:

  1. The number of reported cases of rabies in the US dropped in 2008 overall, but the number of cases of rabies in cats actually increased.

  2. There were 6,841 reported cases of animal rabies in the US and Puerto Rico in 2008, which is a 3.1% decrease from the 7,060 cases in 2007.

  3. There were 294 reported cases of rabies in cats in 2008, up about 12% from 262 reported cases of feline rabies in 2007.

  4. Proposed reasons for the increase in cat rabies include more interaction with wildlife, and failure to keep cats current on rabies vaccinations. An AVMA study supports this theory with a study that indicates that 36.3% of US cat-owning households did not visit a veterinarian in 2006, compared to 17.3% of dog-owning households for the same period of time.

  5. There were 2 cases of rabies in humans in 2008, up from one case in 2007.

  6. Rabies remains a threat worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization.

Disaster Preparedness for your cat(s)  

Hurricane season is upon us once again. We would like to remind everyone of the importance of preparing for inclement weather and disasters.  We have been fortunate to have seen relatively calm storm seasons and winters the last few years, but it is not a wise idea to wait until something is upon us to prepare.  We have put together a quick list of a few items every pet owner should always have ready and on hand in case of an emergency.

  • Picture of you WITH your pet

  • Your pets vaccine history with your vets number.

  • Any special medication your pet may require.

  • A safe, secure carrier.

  • Food, water and dishes.

  • A small litter box and some litter.

  • Bedding and a toy(s).

Most of these items can be stored in the carrier so they are ready and available when you need them.  You should have enough supplies to last at least 3 days.

If you need to leave your home with your pet, Onslow county has a shelter at Jacksonville Commons Middle School.  This shelter is activated with the Red Cross shelter, but is staffed by County Animal Response Team (CART)

 

SPAYING AND NEUTERING:

Please spay or neuter!

 

It is springtime, and with the change of seasons all the unspayed females go into high gear with their reproductive cycles.  Cat heat cycles are different from dog heat cycles.  Female cats tend to go in and out of heat continuously until they are finally bred, especially this time of year.  This can go on for months at a time, so if your kitty isn't intended for breeding you may want to call to schedule her spay so you can BOTH get some sleep.   Tomcats tend to fight more this time of year trying to win the attention and affection of their potential mates.

Spaying is not only good for your sleep patterns since your kitty won't be yowling all night long anymore, but it is also good for your kitty since she can not develop uterine infections, uterine and ovarian cancers, is MUCH less likely to develop breast cancer, and she only needs to be spayed once!  Also, one unspayed female can "accidentally" turn into a dozen or more kittens in a year just due to their very efficient and rapid rate of reproduction.

Neutered males are less likely to fight,  wander, get hit by cars, and spray urine in the house!  They are also less likely to need vet visits with fight wounds, abscesses and the like since they are less interested in the birds and bees.

Our requirements for spays and neuters:

1)   Must weigh at least 4 pounds in weight (usually about 4 months of age since most kittens gain an average of a pound a month at this age).  You do NOT need to wait until cats are 6 months or older to have them spayed or neutered.  Many females are pregnant by that time in their lives!

2)   Must be in good health.  We will do a pre-surgical exam to be sure that your kitty appears to be free of any major medical issues and should handle the surgery well.