by Nomi Berger
 
Does the sound of hissing and the sight of swatting occur all too frequently in YOUR home? If so, you’re not alone. More multi-cat households than you can shake a paw at experience this phenomenon as well. The term for such unwelcome behavior is resource guarding, and, not surprisingly, much of it is grounded in kitty cat insecurity.
 
Cats who once spent an extended period of time either on the streets or in shelters before being rescued -- particularly those deprived of food in the past -- are most likely to resource guard in their adoptive homes. Why? Because, in spite of all of the food available to them, they still perceive that there’s little or none.
 
Sometimes a resident cat will resource guard when a new cat enters her established household. Or vice-versa. A new cat may exhibit the same tendency if she’s either been abandoned or deprived of adequate food and water in the past. Others may resource guard when they feel stressed by such changes in their homes as new people entering the picture (roommates or spouses) or by familiar people exiting the picture (children leaving for college or divorces).
 
What then, is included in the list of “items” stressed kitties guard so fiercely? Food and water bowls, toys, games and cat tunnels, litter boxes, cat scratchers and scratching posts, cat trees and napping spots, and purr-ticularly people. And the ways they display their displeasure include hissing to warn the other cat(s) to stay away, swatting at the other cat(s) and sometimes their guardians to stay away, literally blocking the other cat or cats’ access to anything they consider theirs, scratching various items as a way of “claiming” them, and spraying or urinating on some items and even people.
 
Should you notice your kitty guarding her resources from a new feline addition to “her” family, stop it early to both prevent her behavior from escalating and to ensure there’s harmony between all parties in your household. Consider, then, these suggestions. Put down a food bowl for each cat before mealtimes. Remove the lids from all of the litter boxes to prevent one cat from trapping the other inside them. Set up several litter box areas to give the bullied cat other options if your cat is guarding one area. Spend equal quality one-on-one time with each cat and engage them in stimulating playtime activities together. Supply them with enough toys, games and scratching posts, cat trees, cubbyholes and cat beds so that each cat can lay claim to her own. Experiment with several natural flower essences known to reduce stress and encourage calm. Shower your cats with effusive praise and reward them with high value treats whenever they’re together without either bullying or guarding. And, as a last resort, discuss the matter with your vet to see if your cats’ anxieties can be reduced by medication.

by Nomi Berger
 
As creatures of habit who crave their creature comforts, cats don’t always make the best road trip companions. But by mapping out kitty’s trip together with your own, you can curtail her bad “backseat driver” behavior, and turn a potentially negative experience into a purr-fectly paws-itive one.
 
Consider the following suggestions to smooth the way for everyone – human and feline:
 
Remain calm. Because cats sense our stress, don’t raise your voice or display any overt signs of your own pre-trip tension.
 
Should your trip be longer than a day, make reservations ahead of time solely at pet-friendly motels or hotels.
 
Carry your most up-to-date vet paperwork, showing, at the very least, that your cat is current on her rabies shots.
 
Never medicate an overly anxious cat without first consulting your vet. Many OTC calming agents are dangerous for cats, and if you do use a medication prescribed by your vet, always try it out at home first to test for any reactions and/or side effects.
 
If your cat tends to get car sick, avoid feeding her between two and three hours prior to your departure.
 
Train your cat to wear a harness so that she can remain safely harnessed inside the car. Her harness should bear a nametag with all pertinent ID (microchipping is, of course, the best ID), and a leash should be clipped to it whenever you remove kitty from her carrier or from the car itself.
 
Have your cat travel comfortably by keeping her in a large carrier or dog crate, allowing her room enough to stretch and move around during the drive. Set the crate or carrier in a well-ventilated part of the car, out of excessive drafts and away from direct sunlight.
 
Drape a sheet over the crate or carrier, leaving one side open, to help her feel more snug, safe and secure.
 
Place a familiar blanket, several cushions, or a worn T-shirt with your scent on it inside the crate or carrier. Rotate various cat toys along the way (this works particularly well with a young kitten) to keep her stimulated and occupied.
 
Line the bottom with pee pads as a precaution and put a small, disposable litter pan (aluminum baking pans work well) inside the carrier or crate, and ensure you have a generous supply of both to last the entire trip. Stock up on sanitized wipes and strong plastic bags to handle any and all “litter box” accidents.
 
If your cat has an appetite, feed her the same food that she eats at home and keep her water bowl only partly filled to avoid spilling.
 
Never let your cat out of the car at “rest stops” unless she’s well trained to walk on a harness and leash. And above all, never leave kitty unattended -- on either hot or cold days.
 
As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Hopefully then, armed with these few tips, you and your cat can share a road trip to remember – fondly.
 

by Nomi Berger
 
Feline vertigo or feline vestibular disease refers to a sudden, non-progressive disturbance of balance. Capable of affecting cats of all ages, those afflicted with it will become disoriented and nauseous, develop a head tilt (they often lean or fall in the direction of their head tilt), have irregular, jerking eye movements called nystagmus, and even vomit.
 
What, then, is the vestibular system? It’s the system responsible for maintaining a cat’s normal balance with central components located in the brain and peripheral components located in the inner and middle ear.
 
The possible causes of feline vertigo include middle or inner ear infections, trauma or injury, drugs toxic to the ear, hypothyroidism and tumors, particularly in older cats. When no specific cause for a cat’s condition can be determined, it’s referred to as feline idiopathic vestibular disease. Why? Because the sudden onset of the above-mentioned signs show a subsequent and rapid improvement with little, if any, medical intervention.
 
There are no specific tests for feline vestibular disease itself. Most cases are diagnosed based on your particular cat’s medical history, clinical signs and a thorough physical examination by your vet as well as on the results of some or all of the following: blood tests, urine tests (these check for urinary tract infections and kidney function), ear cultures and cytology (examination of any discharge or fluids found in the ear canal), spinal fluid analysis, testing for kidney, liver and pancreatic function, thyroid testing to determine hormone production, and electrolyte tests to check for dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance.
 
In some cases, testing may also include blood pressure measurements and head x-rays to assess the appearance of the middle and inner ears while, occasionally, a CT scan or MRI will be performed to look for tumors or other abnormalities.
 
Any subsequent course of action will ultimately depend on your cat’s symptoms and on whether a cause for her condition has been established. If a cause has indeed been determined, then the underlying condition will be treated rather than the vestibular disease itself.
 
In the case of middle or inner ear infections, however, your vet may prescribe antibiotics or anti-fungal medications as well as a medication to reduce her motion sickness, nausea and vomiting. Since idiopathic vestibular disease is a short-term, self-resolving condition, its symptoms are typically worse in the first 24 to 48 hours and improve steadily over the next two to three weeks
 
But, as a conscientious pet parent, you can help your kitty feel better while her symptoms are at their worst by following these suggestions:
Manage your own stress because cats are extremely sensitive to our emotions.
Keep her confined in a quiet, safe space far from any stairs.
Support her by surrounding her with a thick, rolled up blanket.
Ensure that her food and water bowls and litter box are at ground level and nearby.
Make certain that she remains hydrated and fed if she can’t do so herself.
If she’s unable to stand at all, assist her in changing positions periodically to prevent any sores from developing on her body.
Avoid the temptation to carry her since she has to walk in order to re-train her “navigational” system.
 
Whereas the majority of cats make a complete recovery, some severely affected ones may be left with a head tilt. The good news is that in most cases of feline idiopathic vestibular disease, the condition will never reappear.

by Nomi Berger
 
While not the norm for most healthy cats, in special circumstances, your vet may recommend the use of an elevated cat bowl for YOUR kitty.
 
Which felines, you may wonder, fit into this purr-ticular category?
 
Cats with megaesophagus: A medical condition in which the esophagus doesn’t function properly, inappropriate muscle contractions in your cat’s esophagus affects her ability to move food smoothly and efficiently from her mouth to her stomach. This will cause her to regurgitate whatever undigested food remains shortly after she’s eaten. An elevated cat bowl will allow gravity to move the food she’s eating downward from her mouth and directly into her stomach. Now her esophagus no longer has to move that same food upward towards her stomach as it must when she’s hunched over her food bowl on the floor.
 
Cats with other eating and/or swallowing problems: If your kitty, for example, is suffering from a neurological disorder, severe dental disease or an acute upper respiratory infection that makes swallowing difficult, the use of an elevated food bowl will, again, overcome gravity, making it easier for her to take food into her mouth and then swallow it properly.
 
Cats with mobility issues: If your cat – particularly a senior cat -- suffers from severe neck, back or joint pain in her front and/or hind legs, for example, bending down to eat from a bowl on the floor may be as cumbersome as it is challenging. Experiment, through a process of trial and error, with bowls of different heights to determine which one is most comfortable and most likely to ease at least some of her extreme discomfort.
 
Whatever your kitty’s issue, take into consideration both the height of the bowl and the diameter of the bowl (choose either a rounded or a slanted interior). Pay special attention to the material of the bowl. Generally, stainless steel, ceramic or glass bowls are best because they’re easier to sanitize – which is essential. Avoid plastic bowls since they’re prone to developing tiny surface scratches with use and over time, making them next to impossible to thoroughly disinfect.
 
Elevated bowls are available as individual bowls or as a combined stand that holds both a food bowl and a water bowl. Once again, experimentation is key. While some cats do well using a stand with paired food and water bowls, others, mainly messy eaters, don’t -- and shouldn’t use them. Why? A pair of bowls, side by side, may lead to the water in their water bowl being contaminated with food particles from their food bowl far more often.
 
For safety’s sake, clean your cat’s food and water bowls once a day -- or after each meal if you’re feeding her wet canned food – to reduce the risk of bacteria contaminating them and thereby potentially posing a health risk to you both. While they can simply be hand-washed in hot, soapy water, most bowls are dishwasher-safe and can, instead, be washed even more thoroughly and safely, in your dishwasher.
 

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you ever wondered why cats’ coats in general and yours in purr-ticular change color?
 
If so, consider some of the paws-ible reasons for this feline phenomenon.
 
1) Changes in temperature: Some cats, like Oriental Himalayans and Siamese, known as pointed breeds, are genetically predisposed to changes in their fur color depending on the temperature of their skin. Their skin is naturally cooler at their bodies’ extremities – faces, paws and tails – which partly accounts for their white or light cream bodies and darker-hued faces, paws and tails. The temperature of the environment in which any cat lives can also play a role in her coloring. Owners may notice that their cats are darker during the cold months of winter and lighter during the warm months of spring and summer.
 
2) The sun’s rays: If your cat -- as most do -- LOVES the sun, her fur will change color and fade because of her prolonged exposure to its rays. Most noticeable in black cats whose coats lighten and turn “rusty,” it results from the sun’s UV rays destroying the dark pigment, melanin, in their bodies that protects their delicate skin from being burned. Thankfully, however, cats are constantly replacing melanin, meaning their fur will eventually return to its normal shade, but they’ll have to go through an entire shedding cycle before this happens. Nor does this type of fading apply only to outdoor cats. The coats of indoor cats who spend too much time stretched out on sunny window perchs will also fade. 
 
3) Lack of important nutrients: Dark-haired cats may appear lighter or redder than usual due to an insufficient amount of the amino acid tyrosine in their diet. Considered a non-essential amino acid since it’s created within their own bodies, cats require twice as much tyrosine as their bodies can produce (the average cat needs over 5g of tyrosine daily). Tyrosine is needed to make melanin, and if cats don’t have enough of it in their diet, their fur can begin turning a reddish hue. Similarly, a diet high in such elements as copper or zinc may also cause their coats to change color.
 
4) The natural aging process: If your cat is 10 years or older, her body will automatically begin producing less melanin. But unless her coat is pure black as opposed to either a paler coat or one with stripes, you may not notice the change until her coat starts turning from its normal color to a browner and then, finally, to a grayer tone. Gray hairs customarily appear first around a cat’s muzzle and fan out from there. 
 
5) Stress and physical pain: While still controversial, some experts believe that stress or pain may be responsible for turning a cat’s fur gray. Such premature graying is linked to heightened levels of noradrenaline, a hormone constantly released by a cat’s body in small doses. Noradrenaline is connected to the nervous system, and during times of intense stress or pain, it will, literally and figuratively, flood her body.
 
If, on the other hand, your cat’s fur has changed color seemingly overnight, there could be a medical reason for it, and you should arrange to have her seen by your vet.

by Nomi Berger
 
Whatever their purr-ferred position, cats typically sleep with their paws over their faces.
 
While obviously comfortable and undeniably cute, why DO our feline friends cover their faces when they sleep? Here are some of the most plausible explanations for this behavior.
 
One reason is warmth. When they’re asleep, they lose more of their customary body heat due to the fact that they’re lying still. And since most of that heat comes from their paws, ears and the tips of their noses, covering their faces with their paws or curling themselves into a ball helps keep that essential heat inside while they sleep. They also instinctively curl themselves up more tightly in winter because the cold can be dangerous for them. Should their body temperature drop below a certain level, they can get hypothermia, which, in worst case scenarios, can lead to coma and even death.
 
A second reason is it blocks out the light. Since cats are crepuscular -- most active during the twilight hours – by nature, they spend most of their days sleeping. This means they must sleep when it’s light outside, often in direct sunlight thanks to its soothing warmth, and they use their paws to cover their eyes the way we humans use sleep masks.
 
A third reason is it blocks out noise. For most cats, even the slightest noise can wake them from their slumber. An instinct born as a survival mechanism for cats living in the wild, they would snap awake at the slightest noise, and if that noise meant danger, they could swiftly flee. How likely your own cat is to be wakened by a loud noise depends on how deeply she sleeps and how well her ears are covered.
 
A fourth reason is a sense of security. While cats, primarily outdoors and feral cats, are predators, hunting birds, mice and other small rodents, cats in the wild are the prey of many larger animals. Most vulnerable when asleep, their faces are vulnerable too, and should their faces be attacked, these cats’ chances of survival would be slim. And although your inside cat isn’t in danger of being attacked by a predator when she’s asleep, this behavior is, once again, instinctual.
 
A fifth reason is exhaustion. Cats don’t only use their paws to cover their faces when they sleep, they also use their paws to self-groom. Obsessively devoting nearly one third of the day to grooming themselves – a tiring feat in and of itself – if they fall asleep in the middle of washing their faces, their paws will land directly over their eyes. The very act of moving their paws down in order to sleep may, quite simply, be too much of an effort for them.
 
Last, but not least, your cat may be covering her face while she’s sleeping as a hint to the rest of her loving household that she needs her space and purr-fers to be left alone. Think of it as an unwritten “Do Not Disturb” sign and respect your favorite feline’s wishes. Rest assured: she’ll amply reward your thoughtfulness when she wakes up.

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you ever been in the position of finding a litter of kittens and wondering what to do next? To keep or not to keep, that is the question.
 
Here, then, are some answers -- together with more questions.
 
1. If you find a litter of kittens on or near your property, quickly assess their health. If they appear healthy, watch them, but don’t move them. Their mother is likely nearby. Stay far enough away – several car lengths – that you’re not considered a threat by their mother if she’s feral. If, however, the kittens seem distressed or are very vocal, and if their mother hasn’t returned by the end of the day, she may NOT be returning.
 
2. Unless they're in danger, however, it's best to give their missing mother another chance to return and tend to them. Place them in a carrier or cardboard carton to keep them warm, safe and secure.
 
3. Try to determine the age of the kittens. Are they newborns with their eyes closed and weighing less than 8 ounces? Or are they 8 weeks old, weighing 2 pounds, and resembling miniature cats? Not to mention every age and weight in between. Each age brings with it a different set of criteria as to their proper maintenance and care. If they’re newborns, contact local rescue groups or no-kill shelters ONLY that may be willing to take them in immediately.
 
4. Are they feral (part of a colony of cats born to live and survive outdoors) or domestic kittens born to a family’s lost companion cat? Once again, this will determine the steps you take next.
 
5. If it’s either too hot or too cold outside, raining or snowing, bring the kittens indoors and confine them to a clean, quiet and small room -- whether a spare bedroom, bathroom or laundry room. Leave them in their carton or carrier with the door open, and provide them with a high-quality kibble, fresh water and cat litter.  If the kittens are too young to feed themselves, you’ll need to bottle feed them every couple of hours. Should you choose this course, either contact a local vet or rescue group for advice and guidance.
 
6. Within a few days, decide whether you want to temporarily foster them, bearing in mind that socializing them as quickly as possible will improve their chances of ultimately being adopted.
 
7. Although adorable and impossible to resist, kittens do have little claws and sharp teeth. To protect yourself from unnecessary “battle scars”, wear gloves until the kittens grow comfortable with being handled.
 
8. If you have other pets, keep them separated from the kittens to minimize the risk of their transmitting either parasites or infections to them.
 
9. To make fostering the kittens easier, speak with the volunteers at the rescue group you’ve already contacted and ask for their advice – on all matters from A to Z.
 
10. When it’s time for the kittens to “leave the nest”, either contact your vet, one who operates a re-homing center that will welcome yours if there’s room, or the rescue group. Relinquish the kittens into their care where they’ll be spay/neutered, then set on the right path towards finding their fur-ever homes.
 
By your actions, compassionate and caring, you’ll have not only saved several small lives, but you’ll have shared in an extraordinary experience, one you’re unlikely to ever forget.

by Nomi Berger
 
To ease the discomfort of teething, kittens are notorious for nibbling and chewing, chomping and biting on anything within reach of their tiny paws – including your fingers and toes.
 
Kittens invariably begin to lose their baby teeth at around the age of nine weeks, while their adult teeth won’t have grown in fully until they’re between five and six months old. What more purr-fect time then, for every pet parent to teach their kitten some early “table” manners, i.e., what is and what isn’t appropriate when it comes to chewing and biting.
 
Consider the five following suggestions to make your new life together ever so much easier.
 
1. Once solely a doggy’s domain, chew toys are now fabulously feline friendly. Manufacturers, near and far, produce toys specifically designed to provide appropriate “targets” for those budding kitten teeth. Choose from a vast array of these treasures ranging from cloth toys that can be chilled to ease your kitten’s tender gums and firmer chews that will exercise her jaw muscles to nylon-based toys made expressly for teething.
 
2. Discover the wonders of interactive playtime and integrate it into your own daily routine. Why, you may ask? Every teething – and growing -- kitten requires vigorous, interactive play because it not only helps her work off excess energy, it also helps develop her balance and build up her strength. Using one or more of a variety of specially designed teaser toys at least twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes each time will both give your kitten a suitable object for her chewing and reinforce the growing pet-parent bond between you.
 
3. Of utmost importance: whenever you’re petting your kitten, make certain to keep your hands away from her mouth. Follow this same rule when playing with her. Never use your fingers as objects she can all too easily and confusedly consider fair game for her teeth. No mixed signals, paw-lease!
 
4. Be prepared to use the word “Ow!” if your teething kitten happens to bite you. Why? Because whenever the play between two cats becomes too rowdy or rough, the victim will emit a high-pitched cry, causing the aggressor to back away, and, ultimately flee. Say “Ow!” in a high-pitched but not overly loud voice, then promptly put your biting kitten on the floor. Referred to as the “Ow” and Down” technique, using it consistently will teach your wayward kitten that biting on her part means no playing or petting on your part.
 
5. Always ensure that, wherever you are, you have several chew toys close by. This way, if you’re sitting with your teething kitten and notice her expression suddenly signal, “I’m in the mood to bite something,” you can swiftly hand her a teething-appropriate toy, thereby taking your fingers safely off the proverbial menu.
 
In short, by lovingly, patiently and consistently reinforcing the message that only certain items are reserved for your teething kitten’s nibbles and chews, chomps and bites, you’re paving the way for the most purr-fect of futures together.

by Nomi Berger
 
With the arrival of spring comes the birth of millions of newborn kittens, the majority of them born to feral cats living outdoors. Fortunately, however, most of these kittens will make excellent family pets if they’re rescued and properly socialized at an early age.
 
Enter the compassionate, attentive and nurturing foster home. And yet, tragically, despite the most ideal conditions, a disproportionate number of these well-tended kittens will succumb to fading kitten syndrome. According to the most recent estimates, 15 to 27 percent of them will die before they’re nine weeks old, while mortality among litters of foster kittens can be as devastatingly high as 100 percent.
 
What, then, is fading kitten syndrome? And, more importantly, can it be treated?
 
Fading kitten syndrome describes and encompasses a number of problems and conditions that can cause young kittens to die. Most of those who die from this syndrome seem to sicken and die suddenly. With a few exceptions, such as trauma and hypothermia, however, the problem usually builds gradually and is extremely difficult to detect until a crisis develops. The key, therefore, to reducing such a high mortality rate in these kittens is the early detection of any subtle problems before a crisis develops.
 
Potential causes of fading kitten syndrome include:
Inadequate mothering by the kittens’ mother. Most foster kittens are particularly at risk if they were orphaned or abandoned by their mothers. Even kittens with mothers can be at risk if those mothers are young and inexperienced, stressed, malnourished, unable to produce enough milk, unwilling to allow their kittens to nurse or are, paradoxically, obese.
 
Bacterial infectious that result in sepsis. Viral infections like calcivirus, feline herpesvirus, feline AIDS (FIV), feline leukemia (FeLV) and panleukopenia. Parasitic infestations with coccidia, roundworms or other organisms. Many of these infections are linked to a complete collapse of the immune system, usually associated with a condition called thymus atrophy.
 
Hereditary defects ranging from heart irregularities to undeveloped immune systems. Hemolytic anemia, which occurs when a kitten’s blood type differs from her mother’s. When that kitten nurses during the first days of her life, she ingests antibodies that will attack her blood cells.
 
While the early signs of fading kitten syndrome are subtle, they’re usually detectable, and foster parents should be aware of them. Sick kittens may not be capable of righting themselves when turned on their backs. They may have a poor suckling reflex. Their eyes may not open at the usual age of five days to two weeks. They will often be smaller than their littermates and may not gain weight normally. Healthy kittens should gain from 7 to 10 grams a day. (Many experts recommend weighing kittens on a gram scale twice a day). Kittens not gaining weight at an appropriate rate must, therefore, receive extra attention with a special focus on feeding.
 
Fosters should be on the alert for constant noises such as whining or crying even after feeding, gradually worsening lethargy, weakness, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea and nasal or eye discharge. These symptoms constitute a crisis and require an immediate visit to the vet. Recovery is possible if the underlying cause can be quickly identified and treatment started in time. Supportive care usually includes fluids, dextrose to support blood sugar levels, antimicrobials, nutritional support, oxygen support and body temperature support.
 
If a kitten does survive this crucial period and grows stronger, long-term management in her foster home must focus on proper nutrition, scrupulously clean living conditions, preventative health care, and especially close monitoring of her food intake to ensure she gains weight. Sadly, though, the prognosis for most kittens in crisis is poor, with many of them dying even with treatment. And one kitten lost doesn’t augur well for that kitten’s remaining littermates.

by Nomi Berger
 
Are unsightly and uncomfortable scabs making YOUR kitty itchy and irritable? If so, what’s causing them?
 
One of the main culprits is miliary dermatitis, where itchy scabs appear on a cat’s neck, back and tail. Most often the result of a fleabite allergy, whereby a cat is allergic to a substance in flea saliva, a single bite can trigger severe itching in her. Although you’re unlikely to find fleas on your affected cat due to her fastidious grooming habits, you will be able to see flea droppings -- composed of digested blood.
 
Some cats have food allergy dermatitis and may exhibit hypersensitive reactions to one or more components in their diet. Other possible causes of allergies include atopy, a type of allergic reaction in response to inhaled allergens, and contact dermatitis or contact allergies. Some cats may react adversely to materials in their owners’ bedding, carpets or rugs. Seasonal allergens – from pollen in the air to grasses, weeds and bushes -- can also cause intense itching in especially sensitive cats, not to mention chemicals commonly used in households and on gardens and lawns.
 
Next on the list of possibilities are skin parasites such as ticks, lice and mites, nutritional deficiencies due to an unbalanced or inappropriate diet, and immune-mediated skin diseases. While they themselves don’t cause a cat’s scabs, her frenzied scratching, chewing and licking in an attempt to find relief from the itching will – by eventually breaking the surface of the skin. The longer she claws at the scabs, the greater the chance of secondary bacterial or fungal infections, making treating her all the more complicated. It’s therefore essential to bring YOUR unhappy kitty to the vet as promptly as possible.
 
The diagnosis of miliary dermatitis is based primarily on your cat’s medical history and her symptoms. Your vet will, in all likelihood, check for signs of fleas and flea dirt, collect some skin scrapings, run allergy tests and take biopsies if necessary. You may even be referred to a veterinary dermatologist.
 
Ultimately, treating her scabs and itchy skin will depend on identifying the trigger and then, relieving her symptoms. If a flea allergy is to blame, your vet will prescribe a flea medication for at least two to three months. If it’s a mite or lice infestation, medicated baths or sprays should help. If it’s a food allergy, a hypoallergenic food trial (without the offending allergens) may make all the difference. She may also be put on a brief course of corticosteroids or other anti-inflammatory drugs to help ease her itching while any other prescribed medication works to eliminate the root cause of her condition.
 
Should a secondary infection be involved, your vet will prescribe a round of antibiotics or antifungals for a given period of time. But remember: even if her skin problem begins to resolve itself within a few days of starting any medication, you MUST finish the entire prescription to prevent it from recurring, which can be more serious and more difficult to address. Additional protocols may also include giving her antihistamines and/or cyclosporine and supplementing her diet with essential fatty acids.
 
Fortunately, most cats diagnosed with miliary dermatitis have an excellent prognosis. But to err on the side of caution and keep it, wherever possible, from becoming an issue in the first place, your cat’s preventive health program should include a monthly flea preventative to ensure she’s adequately protected throughout the year. If your cat spends any time outside, keep her inside instead, thereby reducing both her exposure to various outdoor allergens and keeping her away from any cats potentially infested with fleas, mites and other parasites.