by Nomi Berger
 
What precisely is acupuncture and how does it work?
 
According to the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, illness is caused by an imbalance of vital energies in the body. Acupuncture, an important aspect of this philosophy, focuses on restoring the body’s energy balance, thereby promoting healing.
 
Just as with people, acupuncture involves inserting very fine, filament-like needles into your affected cat’s body at points where the nerves and blood vessels converge. Called meridian sites, they’re believed to be energy channels responsible for transmitting energy throughout your cat’s body. Once these needles are properly placed, they enhance blood circulation, stimulate the nervous system and increase the release of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving substances in order to reduce your cat’s discomfort.
 
Research has shown that acupuncture works through modulating the nerve pathways by interacting with nerve fibers in both the skin and its underlying tissues. This leads to the release of beneficial chemicals, including opioid-like neurochemicals, from the brain and spinal cord. Close to the needles themselves, substances that encourage blood flow to the area are released, interrupting pain signals and releasing the trigger points that cause painful spasms.
 
By increasing the tissues’ oxygenation, acupuncture reduces the amount of waste products produced and enables the body to remove them more efficiently. By relaxing the muscles, it relieves pain locally and generally. By stimulating the release of naturally occurring pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory substances, it may also decrease the dosage of any pain medication or anti-inflammatory drug your cat currently takes. And since it has no systemic side effects, it’s especially beneficial for a cat in poor health.
 
Among the assorted ailments aided by acupuncture are allergies and other forms of non-infectious inflammation, arthritis and vertebral disc pathology, gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, pain, paralysis, respiratory problems such as feline asthma, skin problems such as lick granuloma and various reproductive problems. (Acupuncture should not, however, be used as an alternative to drugs or surgery to treat severe or acute pain. Nor is it always appropriate for cats with cancer. As always, discuss this with the person you trust most: your vet.)
 
Before your first appointment with a veterinary acupuncturist, your vet will have already sent ahead your cat’s medical records outlining a history of her condition, all lab results, x-rays if applicable, and her present medical treatment(s). The acupuncturist will perform their own physical examination of your cat, discuss various treatment options, and explain precisely what happens during an acupuncture session.
 
Although some cats can’t or won’t tolerate acupuncture, most of them do. Despite a slight initial prick, it subsides when the needle is left in her skin. Experienced acupuncturists are especially sympathetic to a cat’s needs. Using as few needles as possible, inserting only a few at a time, and allowing your cat to rest and stretch out between needles will ensure that her treatment is both gentle and pleasant.
 
A session typically lasts between 20 and 30 minutes depending on the condition(s) being addressed, after which the acupuncturist will outline a treatment plan for your cat involving one to three sessions weekly for several weeks. While there are few side effects with acupuncture, your cat may be stiff, sore or seem tired after a session, but these symptoms usually resolve themselves within 24 to 48 hours.
 
As your cat improves, the number of sessions will be reduced accordingly. And although acupuncture’s beneficial effects are cumulative, the aim is to achieve and maintain the highest level of improvement with the fewest possible sessions. But if your cat can’t tolerate needles, consider trying low-level lasers and infrared light instead.

by Nomi Berger
 
Started in 1974 by the American Humane Association, June has, since then, been known as National Adopt a Cat Month. And its significance is doubly meaningful because June is also the month of the year when the most kittens are born.
 
Animal rescue groups and shelters everywhere are filled with kittens and cats seeking forever homes: felines of every breed and combination of breeds, featuring as many diverse personalities as they have coats and colors, born on the streets or in a shelter, surrendered or abandoned by their owners.
 
And never was it more vital than NOW to consider adopting one of the millions of available kitties, thereby making YOUR homes their forever homes. Not only are kitties good for your health, they’re amusing and affectionate, sociable and silly, playful and precocious, chatty, snuggly and cuddly, and as eager to lap up your loving as they are to return it. But before you make such a life-altering decision – for them and for you – carefully consider the following three factors: dedication, finances and lifestyle.
 
Dedication: This is the initial and therefore the most important factor. Unequivocal and unquestioned commitment to a kitten or cat as the newest member of your family will assist you in successfully managing whatever future, unforeseen problems, obstacles or inevitable challenges lie ahead. And because cats can now live for 20 years or more, you and your chosen kitty are destined to experience a lifetime of changes, positive and negative, sweet and bittersweet, together.
 
Finances: Although anyone at any income level can be a good pet parent, remember that the kitten or cat you adopt will be entirely dependent on you for life. If you want your home to be as feline friendly as possible, this means, among other things, paying for food, water and food bowls, litter boxes and litter, cat trees, scratching posts and cat tunnels, games and toys – all of which can cost thousands of dollars over your cat's lifetime. But most importantly, there are the costs of caring for your cat’s health: the vet vists, both routine and urgent, the unexpected accidents, unanticipated illnesses, diagnostics and medications, and the money all of that entails. And since kittens are typically more costly than adult cats, they’ll require extra vaccinations, vet visits, food and supplies over the span of their lives
 
Lifestyle: More independent, lower maintenance and more self-sufficient than dogs, ideal for people who either work long hours or lead busy personal lives, anyone adopting a kitten or cat MUST care for them daily -- from training and feeding them to cleaning and playing with them. Think emptying soiled litter boxes and disposing of litter, vacuuming carpets and removing cat hair from furniture. Think interacting with them to build and strengthen your bond through playtime – from beaming laser lights around walls and floors to having them chase wand toys with feathers attached to them.
 
For a potential adopter living on your own, the decision is yours and yours alone. If, however, you have a roommate, spouse or an entire family, one potential obstacle is allergies. Is anyone either a highly allergic person or allergic specifically to cats? Do you have a baby, toddler or very young children who wouldn’t know how to treat a kitten or a cat? Does everyone in your household even want to adopt a kitty?
 
Once you’ve chosen to invite a feline friend into your life, visit our website or Facebook page to view the kitties available, and hopefully one or more will “speak” to you. The next step is to email us your application, and when you’re contacted, to visit us. More often than not, the purr-fect kitty or kitties will choose you!
 
While in our care, the kittens and cats are provided with the best food and medical treatment as well as with constant attention and ongoing socialization. We know their personalities, what they like to eat and how they like to play. This vital information enables us to match the right kitten or cat with the right adopter, and ensure, to the best of our ability, that, together, they live happily and lovingly forever. 
 
And while Adopt a Cat Month may be celebrated in June, the need to adopt a kitten or cat continues month after month, all year round.