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How Can I Help My Cats Get Used to Their New Digs?
By Dr. Pete Keesling

Dear Dr. Pete:
We will be moving to a new neighborhood in a few weeks. What is best to help my cats with the transition? Someone said we should wait two weeks before letting them outside. Any suggestions?
—Moving With My Kitties

Dear Moving:
First of all, I never recommend that cats be allowed to go outside. Usually, there are too many risks facing outdoor kitties. But, having said that, I know many cats, including several of mine, who cannot stand to be kept inside. Their lives are miserable if they are locked up. We let some of our cats out—only in the daytime and only for a few hours (never let your cat stay out overnight!). If your kitties must go outside, here are some suggestions to make their transition to a new home a bit easier.

First, keep them mostly indoors for three to four weeks. This will allow them to get used to their new home, much the same as you will be doing when you first arrive. When you take them outside during this time, do so only in a carrier or on leash with a shoulder harness. This is the best way for you to introduce them to their new outdoor surroundings. Take them to all corners of your property. If your cats are in a carrier, take them out of the carrier—but hold on to them. Don't let them jump out of your arms and run away. Let them sniff and look around. Repeat this many times during those first few weeks. They will learn a lot from these little excursions.

Second, hang some wind chimes near your back porch or doorway. When the cats are allowed to go out, they will use all of their senses, including their ears, to get their bearings and know where they are. The familiar sound of those chimes might help them find their way home if they travel too far.

Finally, when the day comes to let them explore, be prepared to stay around the yard with them. Do some gardening or just read a book, but be there to watch and retrieve them after about an hour.

There are other favorite tips I have heard over the years, but my favorite comes from my mother. Whenever we moved, she would let our cat out after a few weeks of confinement—but only after she had put some molasses on all four of his feet. She said this allowed him to use his sense of smell to track his footsteps back to the house. Every cat we had hated this idea and would sit out on the lawn and lick his feet furiously to clean off that sticky stuff.

I don't know if Mom's theory worked or not, but we never had a problem with a cat getting lost in a new neighborhood. On the other hand, I think that any cat with molasses on his feet will stay close to the house his first time out. He'll be too busy cleaning to go exploring and get lost!

Faucet lover

Dear Dr. Pete:
No matter what I do, my cat always goes to the sink faucet for her water. I have tried putting out water in different bowls. And I have even given her bottled water as well as tap water. She refuses to drink any of this and just goes to the bathroom sink for a drink when she is thirsty. Why does she do this?
—Fascinated

Dear Fascinated:
Sounds like you have a cat who is a real character! I doubt there is any problem here. And it would be interesting to really know just what goes through her mind as she goes for a drink. If there is any rust or sediment on the tip of the faucet, she may actually like the taste as she licks it. And I suppose if you want to break her of this habit, you could refuse to turn on the tap when she is thirsty. Make sure there is no drip when it's turned off so she cannot sneak a sip. (You may need to talk to your plumber for help.)

I know of several cats who prefer water from the tap, and for one of them, at least, I'm sure it is an attention-getting behavior. The owner always tells her cat what a smart boy he is as he drinks, which only encourages him to do more of the same.

Many years ago, I heard of a cat owner who actually trained his cat to turn on the sink faucet to get a drink. This fellow thought it would make a great party stunt to show his friends how his cat could get a fresh drink without assistance. And it worked: His kitty learned the trick quickly. But it all backfired. As hard as he tried, he could never teach that cat to turn off the tap after he was done! When he came home from work at the end of the day, there would be water running in the sink—and a big water bill to go with it!

A ringworm shot

Dear Dr. Pete:
We have been taking care of seven cats who live in our neighbor's yard. Two of them recently developed a skin rash that the vet says is ringworm. I heard there is a shot to cure this skin disease. Is this true?
—Hating Rings

Dear Rings:
You are partially correct. There is no cure for ringworm, but a new injection is available that can help in the prevention and treatment of this condition.

Ringworm is a skin disease caused by a fungus. Cats with this disease have one or more small patches of reddened skin where they have lost their fur. They may or may not be itchy. Most kitties develop an immune response and recover without medical help in a few days or weeks.

But sometimes the infection is persistent, and medical treatment becomes necessary. Cats seem to be more susceptible than other species—including dogs—to the many different types of fungus that cause ringworm, and some felines can remain infected for many months.

Ringworm is very contagious, not only to other cats and dogs but also to people who come in contact with these infected kitties. So one cat can spread this disease to a whole family very easily, unless he is treated.

Veterinarians treat ringworm with several different drugs, including topical medications applied to skin. Sometimes oral drugs are also given. But a vaccine—an injection for cats—has been developed to help fight this disease. The vaccine stimulates the immune system to develop antibodies against Microsporum canis, the most common fungus that causes ringworm.

The vaccine is designed to be given “prophylactically”—that is, as a preventive—to young cats before they develop the disease. However, many veterinarians use it to treat cats who have an active ringworm infection. I have treated several kittens infected with ringworm using this vaccine, and I believe it has helped these cats recover more quickly. Ask your veterinarian about the ringworm vaccine.