“Meow!” As cat owners, we hear it every day — usually many times a day. But what does it mean? According to Dr. Nicholas Nicastro, you probably understand its meaning more clearly than you might think. Dr. Nicastro wrote his PhD thesis in psychology at Cornell University on humans’ ability to understand the meows of cats.

Nicastro recorded hundreds of meows made in real-life situations between cats and their owners. He then had unfamiliar listeners — some who had cats and others who didn’t — listen to the recordings. “In one experiment,” says Dr. Nicastro,” “I asked them to classify the context to when the meow was produced. For instance, is this a food call or is this a ‘get away from me’ call? In the second experiment I asked them more general questions. Does this call sound pleasant? Does this call sound urgent or demanding?”

Cat Lovers Often Get It

It turns out that cat owners were pretty good at understanding what the cats were trying to communicate with their meows. “People who had no experience with cats did poorly. People who had some experience with cats, owned cats or had lived with them did significantly better,” says Dr. Nicastro. The cat owners were able to correctly interpret 40 percent of the meows, twice as many as those who did not have cats. Humans’ ability, however, to interpret communication from another human speaking the same language is between 95 percent and 98 percent, so we have a long way to go before people are fluent in cat-speak.

What Do the Sounds Say?

Dr. Nicastro found there are different types of meows people can identify, and they have different general meanings. “What I found was there are certain acoustical qualities that correlate with something sounding pleasant or sounding urgent, and I speculate that the cats can use these acoustical changes to manage our impressions of how their meows sound to get what they want out of their human caretakers,” says Dr. Nicastro.

Urgent calls sound unpleasant, demanding attention. Calls that sound pleasant don’t seem as urgent. “Angry or antagonistic meows tend to be longer in duration and friendly calls tend to be a little shorter, and that correlates with the idea of pleasantness,” says Dr. Nicastro. In addition, angry or defensive calls have a lower pitch, while friendly calls have a higher pitch. The theory is that lower pitch calls make cats sound bigger and more threatening, while higher pitch calls make them sound small and helpless, which is attractive to humans.

Listen and Learn

Meowing is an attempt by our cats to communicate with us, and only us. They don’t meow to other cats. It seems that we have the ability to understand what they want … if we’re listening.

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The health food craze has caught up with kitty.

Over the years, people have become more concerned about making sure the food they put on the table for their families is “natural” or minimally processed. Now that concern is being extended to what they put in their cat’s dish, according to Katy J. Nelson, D.V.M., an emergency veterinarian in Alexandria, Va., who also works on pet nutrition.

But just what is a “natural” cat food?

Regulation of Cat Food

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates labeling of cat food in the United States so that companies can’t make claims about pet food products that are untrue. The FDA also regulates pet food, although the administration doesn’t directly state what constitutes a “natural” product.

The AAFCO defines the term “natural” as being “… derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources … not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices.”

Most commercial pet foods do contain some synthetic sources of essential vitamins and minerals in order to comply with AAFCO’s requirements that the food be “complete and balanced” to meet a pet’s nutritional needs, says Amy Dicke, D.V.M., a Dayton, Ohio-based veterinarian who has worked with teams of nutritionists and researchers.

While experts like Dr. Nelson and Dr. Dicke caution that there is no scientific agreement yet that natural foods provide more safety or nutritional value than certified “complete and balanced” cat foods, they add that natural ingredients certainly don’t hurt. “I don’t want people to expect health miracles from feeding a natural food,” says Dr. Dicke. “There is no evidence that supports that a natural product is better or safer than, let’s say, a traditional product. But I’m not saying that it’s worse. It’s a personal choice … another feeding option.”

Natural Ingredients to Look For

• Protein Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that, due to their genetic makeup, cats need to eat the tissue of other animals to survive. Meat must be the primary source of their nutrition, so one of the first ingredients should identify the protein source: poultry, fish or some other meat.
• Byproducts This term has gotten a bad rap. Meat- or plant-based byproducts fit the definition of “natural” under the AAFCO regulations. “Good, high-quality pet food byproducts don’t need to be a four letter word,” Dr. Nelson says. Think about a cat’s diet in the wild. Feral felines eat mice, and not only the white meat, but also the organs and tissue. These byproducts often give cats essential amino acids, such as taurine.
• Grains Natural sources of carbohydrates, such as corn meal, brewer’s rice and whole grain barley, can provide energy for your cat’s activities during the day, Dr. Dicke says.
• Fruits and vegetables Spinach, tomatoes and peas are rich in vitamin E and antioxidants that will help your cat build its immunity. Beet pulp and apples are a great source of fiber to keep your cat regular. Some added vitamins and minerals are needed in commercial pet foods to meet the AAFCO standards, but if the food contains high-quality ingredients, there shouldn’t be much supplementation.
• No added artificial colors, flavors or preservatives “Natural” cat foods should not have synthetic fillers, artificial colors or flavors or man-made preservatives. Natural flavors and colors are okay. Some preservatives are naturally occurring, such as vitamin E and tocopherols (TCP), which are fine to help preserve food.

In deciding on a food, talk to your veterinarian about your cat’s individual needs. Some pet food companies also list toll-free phone numbers on their packaging so that you can call and ask questions about the nutritional contents of their foods.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

Medical researchers have discovered a miracle cure that can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve mental well-being — no pills required. The cure is your cat, according to a recent conference held by the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction.

“Research in this field is providing new evidence on the positive impact pets have in our lives,” explains Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing who helped organize the event.

Direct Health Benefits of Cat Ownership

It’s a visual given that comforting attention benefits your cat. Studies show that with human companionship, pets produce reduced amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. The good feelings appear to be mutual.

Dr. Karen Allen, a research scientist at the University of Buffalo, studied the blood pressure of 24 male and 24 female stockbrokers in New York City. All were non-smokers easing their hypertension with medication. During the study, some were instructed to adopt a dog or cat.

Those who acquired pets had more stable blood pressure and heart rates than those without pets. In fact, the pets seemed to do more good than the prescribed medicine. “When we told the group that didn’t have pets about the findings, many went out and got them,” says Allen. “This study shows that if you have high blood pressure, a pet is very good for you when you’re under stress.”

Cats Improve Psychological Health

Allen conducted yet another study on stress and pet ownership. This time, 240 married couples participated. The couples performed stress-inducing tasks in the presence of friends, spouses and pets. A machine monitoring stress levels showed that when individuals had their dog or cat around them, they experienced less stress.

“The findings demonstrate that pets can buffer reactivity to acute stress as well as diminish perceptions of stress,” says Allen. “Social support can indeed cross species.”

A Forever Friend

People of all ages can benefit from cat ownership, but two groups appear to show the most dramatic improvements: students and seniors. Perhaps during these life stages, many undergo changes that make feel more vulnerable and alone.

“We might not think of college students as being lonely, but a lot of freshmen and sophomores are in an early transition from living at home to living in dorms,” says Dr. Sara Staats, professor emeritus of psychology from Ohio State’s Newark Campus, who conducted a study on students and pets. “A lot of young adults choose to have an animal companion to help get them through these difficult and stressful situations, and many more say that without their pet, they would feel lonely.”

A University of Warwick study on British senior citizens came to similar conclusions. Seniors who must part with their pets upon entering residential care were found to often suffer from loneliness, depression and other forms of psychological distress. Those with pets fared much better.

Cats Help When No One Else Can

Dr. June McNicholas, who co-authored the U.K. study, proposes that cats and other pets may enhance our social interactions with other people while providing their own emotional support and companionship. While it’s frequently argued that animal lovers should not regard pets as a replacement for people, McNicholas and her colleagues astutely point out that “the fact that pets are not human confers certain advantages: The relationships are less subject to provider burnout or to fluctuations, and they do not impose a strain or cause concern about continuing stability.”

Another intriguing theory, formulated by Dr. Howard Frumkin, an internist and the director of the National Center for Environmental Health, is that we may be hardwired with a preference for animals and natural settings. Frumkin found evidence that viewing landscapes and having contact with animals, plants and the wilderness improves our mental well-being. In the future, psychologists may be justified in advising, “Pet two cats and call me in the morning.”

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

Bubba the cat is old and surprisingly big. At the age of 20, years of health issues and related inactivity had turned him into one fat cat. While most felines his age are receiver thin, Bubba looked more like a linebacker. At 24, he developed a problem that troubled both him and his owner — Bubba would get stuck in the entrance hole to his hooded litter box.

The solution, at first, seemed obvious. Remove the hood to allow easier access. But Bubba, as it turns out, had other problems. Arthritis made it difficult for him to step in and out of the box. Finding the whole ordeal too much trouble, he simply went on the nearby floor, or anywhere.

Fortunately for Bubba, he was a client of Colleen Paige, an author and Washington state-based animal behaviorist. Paige, who also has a background in interior design, resolved the problem by cutting a wide opening into a wicker basket, which served as a makeshift hood while still reminding Bubba of his old toilet setup. She chose a shallower pan and also had the owner put another litter box in the house, “since elderly cats become especially sensitive to litter soils and smells, and they also need quick and easy bathroom access.”

For challenges posed by older cats (11 years and above), you don’t have to locate someone in your town with credentials similar to Paige’s. Here are her suggestions for a “remodeling” project that you can do yourself.

Family Room

According to Paige, one of the biggest family room challenges faced by older cats has to do with getting on and off furniture, like sofas, tables and chairs. “Cats may be able to jump on, but jumping off can aggravate arthritis or, if an older feline misses its mark and slips, it may even dislocate or crack a bone,” she said. Paige advises placing large, “but not too fluffy,” and therefore unstable, pillows next to favorite feline furniture to cushion jumps.

Bedroom

If your cat enjoys lounging on your bed, or resting at the foot of your bed at night, it may experience similar difficulties jumping on and off your covers. Pillows, even stacked, likely will not help much, due to the height of most beds. Instead, Paige suggests purchasing carpeted stairs meant for dogs and cats. However, she quickly adds that some cats fear or avoid such stairs. “If that happens, you must teach your pet to use them and to not be afraid,” she said. “Place treats on each step, or perhaps lure your cat with catnip.”

Kitchen

Kitchen countertops seem to forever fascinate felines. Or perhaps you feed one or more cats on a kitchen counter. Paige said that is common in houses shared by both cats and dogs. “Cats may attack dogs, or vice versa, and cats might even squabble with other felines in your family,” she said, explaining the elevated dining arrangement.

But as a cat ages, jumping on and off counters can be extremely dangerous, given the hard surfaces usually found on both the counter and floor. Still, Paige understands the need to give cats a separate, quiet space to eat. She said, “To cats, a bowl of food represents survival, so their health and entire mindset can be affected when feeding problems arise.” If you are a counter cat feeder, she suggests letting your older cat(s) eat in the bathroom with the door closed. Then set a kitchen timer for a short, yet reasonable, amount of eating time “so you don’t forget they’re in the bathroom.”

For stubborn cats that either will not give up their countertop privileges, or continue to investigate your counters, Paige said taping balloons near popular jumping spots usually does the trick. Keep the balloons in place for a week or so, if possible, to de-condition your cat. Persistent felines without serious health problems may require that you pop one of the balloons just as your cat is about to jump. “Believe me,” Paige said. “It will probably be a long time before that cat considers jumping on the counters again.”

Furthermore. . .

Although your cat may need a literal leg up as it ages, Paige believes that maintaining a feline’s sense of self-control is paramount. “Remember that cats aren’t like dogs or needy people,” she said. “A dog may whimper, as if to say, ‘Please help me,’ but cats are more independent and like to at least think they can solve their own problems.”

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.