A few years ago, I was visiting some friends in rural Ireland
who had just acquired two cute, cute, cute kittens. When I
asked my friend what the kitties' names were, she looked at
me with a blank expression: "Names?" she asked.
It would seem that in the Auld Sod, as on most of the globe,
cats are procured strictly as mousers. They hunt for their
own food, they do not live in the house; they are treated--dare
I say it--like animals.
This got me thinking about my two kitties back home (being
cared for by a full-time cat-sitter, of course). Mavis and
Baby Lyle dine on only the finest, overpriced cat food (Fancy
Feast, but only the sliced variety). They are surrounded
by every cat toy ever manufactured and cared for by a veterinarian
who makes house calls--because you know how traumatic those
car rides can be. I've got the number for my cat-behavior
counselor on speed dial, in case "issues" come up. So who's
the jerk here, me or my friend?
When you think of pet freaks, your mind conjures women
at cat shows, whose purple hair bows match their Persian's
own lavender accessories. But nowadays, there's a new group
of pet fanatics--seemingly functioning, mainstream people
who don't just baby their animals but treat them like very
spoiled, yuppie children. Grandma taking Fifi to the poodle-groomer
once a week has metamorphosed into your friend dropping
her mutt off at doggie day-care for the workday. Entrepreneurs
are having a field day.
Gone are the days when providing food, shelter and a little
love rendered you a responsible pet owner. Today, animal
owners--excuse me, pet parents--need to consider
whether Buster may be suffering from seasonal affective
disorder and whether Fluffy might actually prefer to be
a vegetarian. Are you ready to put your pooch on Prozac?
Let's take a look at the the new essentials in pet care.
(Keep the pills handy--for yourself.)
DIET
Forget Friskies. Dogs and cats of the '90s are fed chi-chi
organic pet foods such as Hund-n-Flocken. Their diets
are supplemented with any manner of treats, from handmade
burger-and-fries-shaped doggie biscuits to Kitty Kaviar.
For dogs with active lifestyles, there's Rebound, a new
sports drink that replenishes electrolytes and boosts stamina.
The dogs I corralled for a Rebound taste test were a little
taken aback by its sweetness but willing to drink the stuff.
Their parents, who, like most dog owners, are more concerned
with reining in their canines' rambunctiousness than enhancing
it, were happy to report that the pups didn't seem more
hyper than usual. If Fido rejects Rebound, try Power Bark,
a carbohydrate-rich energy bar. Power Bark is wheat- and
dairy-free, accessible to hounds who suffer food sensitivities.
* Hund-n-Flocken: Wagner's Pet Supplies,
4710 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 284-1885.
* Kitty Kaviar: The Cat's Meow, 3538 SE Hawthorne
Blvd., 231-1341.
* Rebound: PetSmart, various locations.
* Power Bark: On order at Man's Best Friend, 3445
SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-0237.
HEALTH
New trends in health care for pets tend to mirror those
for people, emphasizing alternative medicine and stress
management. (Apparently, humans aren't the only ones feeling
the strain of an increasingly fast-paced, toxic world.)
Owners of dogs with hip dysplasia or ferrets laid flat by
back trouble don't have to rely on traditional medicine
any more. That's right, chiropractic treatment and acupuncture
have been extended to the animal kingdom. Homeopathic remedies
employing essential oils and Chinese herbs are being used
to counteract more subtle physical ailments and psychological
or behavioral (i.e., moodiness) problems. How does a pet
feel when you're having him stuck with pins for his own
good? According to Jamie Mackler at Whole Pet Veterinary
Clinic, dogs become relaxed and almost fall asleep during
acupuncture, but "with cats, it's a little harder."
Felines might prefer a less invasive touch. Cat Massage
by Maryjean Ballner (St. Martin's Press) is a book that
not only instructs on the basics of this art but gives hints
on determining when Mr. Kitty is "in the mood for massage."
* Chiropractic, acupuncture and homeopathic
treatments: Whole Pet Veterinary Clinic, 1431 SE 23rd Ave.,
233-2332.
* Cat Massage: on order at The Cat's Meow.
THERAPY
No matter how much love you bestow on your four-legged
children, issues--whether it's a bitter rivalry between
siblings or a pet acting out (i.e., peeing in your shoes
while you're at the office)--can always arise. I know about
this only too well, as my two exceptionally brilliant and
adorable cats happen to hate each other's guts. When the
fighting got unbearable, I researched treatment options
and found that there are many, from animal psychics to behavior
specialists to vets who prescribe anti-depressants.
While I was certainly tempted by the mystique of pet psychics,
I was a little skeptical when I learned they do their work
over the phone. Instead, I called on Cindy Miller, a cat-behavior
counselor who also works via the fiber-optic cables (this
makes a little more sense to me). After asking a million
questions about everything from the cats' markings to how
they spent their kittenhood, Cindy suggested some common-sense
measures involving squirt guns and extra litter boxes that
proved very helpful. Even if I don't religiously follow
her advice, it was certainly worth it to talk to someone
who seemed completely enthralled by the daily activities
of my kitties.
But with more serious behavior problems, Cindy and many
veterinarians are beginning to lean more toward pharmacological
solutions. My vet, Dr. Marla McGeorge, has been known to
prescribe anti-anxiety drugs for cats who engage in inappropriate
peeing. And dogs who develop separation anxiety--which manifests
in such desirable activities as chronic escaping from the
backyard or relentless destruction of your belongings--are
increasingly being treated with Clomicalm, a.k.a. Prozac
for pups. This is the first pharmacologic drug successfully
tested on canines.
* Cat behavior counselor Cindy Miller:
663-5684.
* Dr. Marla McGeorge: Cat Calls Mobile Cat Clinic, 638-1314.
* Prozac, Clomicalm and other anti-depressants are now
commonly prescribed for animals with behavioral problems.
Consult your vet for details.
Finally, when the inevitable happens, rest assured that
you can make arrangements with Petland Cemetery (800-738-5119)
to be buried adjacent to your beloved companion. After all,
if life on earth is any indication, doggie and kitty heaven
may be more cushy than the human hereafter.
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Willamette Week | originally
published October 20,
1999
|
