News Briefs for the Week of December 9, 2002
By Marcella Durand for Cat Facts
- New Study on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Cats
He chews all the books, papers and cardboard he can find and he does it all the time. Or she chases her tail around and around but she doesn't quite seem to be having much fun. Or you've noticed that the hair on his legs is getting a little thin and that he seems to be doing an awful lot of grooming.
Sound familiar? Your cat may have an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition that can be mysterious to treat in cats. However, a new study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania may shed some light on the problem. In the study, 103 dogs and 23 cats with OCD were treated with a combination of behavior modification and medication, which resulted in a significant decrease in the intensity and frequency of OCD in most of the animals. However, owners shouldn't expect miracles. The study says while "the frequency and intensity of clinical signs in most dogs and cats may decrease by more than 50 percent" with "consistent behavior modification" and treatment with medication (clomipramine), "success appears to depend on client understanding and compliance and the reasonable expectation that OCD cannot be cured, but can be well controlled."
Interestingly, OCD in dogs did "not appear to be associated with lack of training, lack of household stimulation, or social confinement," says the study, but "in cats, OCD may be associated with environmental and social stress." Stress, for cats, can be due to a change in physical environment, such as a recent move, or to the pure unmitigated dullness of staying inside all day. So it's important to keep kitty mentally and physically stimulated (a cat tree by the window and regular interactive playtime is a good start).
- What You Can Catch From Your Cat-and Probably Won't
You're pregnant, and someone just told you that you should get rid of your indoor cat because you might get toxoplasmosis, which can damage your baby. Is there any truth to what she's saying?
To find out, you can visit the Centers for Disease Control's newly launched Web site, "Healthy Pets Healthy People," at www.cdc.gov/healthypets/index.htm.
The new Web site gives you lots of information about what you can-and what you probably won't-catch from your cat, dog or bird, and provides tips on how to minimize infections. For instance, according to the site, you're a lot more likely to catch toxoplasmosis from gardening or eating undercooked meat than from a cat. In addition, the site says, "Cats can only spread Toxoplasma in their feces for a few weeks after they are first infected with the parasite," which means your indoor-only kitty won't be infectious after just a few weeks with you. However, if you keep your husband away from this site, you might be able to fool him into changing the kitty litter for nine months.
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