MASTITIS is an inflammation of mammal gland, occurs in nursing females. We call owners' attention to the following. First: congestion of milk (if kittens are early weaned from mother, or abundant lactation, or when kittens don't have enough time to suck all milk) may cause mastitis, as well as injuries, fissures in nipples, or nonobservance of some zoo-sanitary rules. Second: you are able to help the animal yourself on the early stages solely before the appearance of mutter.
It is not that easy to determine first symptoms of mastitis in such an independent and small animal like cat. A careful owner will certainly notice if a cat shows considerable interest to one of its' mammae and often leaks it. During inspection one may reveal that the mamma has become swelled up and red, hot and painful by touch. One should bandage the mamma to make it relax. One may wash the mamma or apply a compress with a decoction of oak rind, or extract of sage leaves (temperature - under 40 Celsius high and watch kittens don't drink the medicine). If kittens have begun to get secondary feeding and can be weaned, the owner should isolate the queen and restrict to a minimum supply of water or don't give her water at all during 12-24 hours. During this time you should choose a veterinary surgeon, to whom you will show your cat, if there will be no evident improvement - sometimes it is possible to achieve it in case if to catch a disease at its' beginning. In latter case one should continue treatment, carefully drawing the milk off 1-2 times a day. Give water in small amounts.
Self-dependent actions are inadmissible if there is a touch of pus in milk, or formation of abscesses, or rise of body temperature, or depression. The question of surgical treatment and antibiotic therapy is in the area of a specialist after he will inspect the cat. Kittens, if possible, are to be switched onto artificial feeding.
If a cat doesn't have kittens but the mamma gets bigger and more compact or there are some egesta, one should turn to a specialist to define the diagnosis and to prescribe treatment. All the more if the cat uses contraception.
CONVULTIONS in nursing or pregnant cat happen because of considerable loss of calcium: at first it is used in a forming fetus, then is sucked away with milk. To cover these expenses the cat should get enough calcium with food. If the income of calcium is less then expense, then convulsions occur. Cats bear this attack worse than dogs and in case of prolonged convulsions may perish. There's an opinion in literature that death comes after 6 hours after first convulsion if there is no aid. But it is useless to try to help cat pushing calcium inside its' mouth. You must call a vet who will inject 10 per cent solution of calcium gluconate (about 3 ml, though the vet determines the dose on the base of animal size). But don't think that it's easy to hit a vein of little cat shaken with convulsions. It would be better not to drive the things to such a horror. Since the preventive measures are conducted by means of a bowl.
The first source of calcium is well balanced feeding, the second - is mineral secondary food. We won't talk about proprietary food - manufactures themselves give appropriate recommendations. Bone flour and egg shells, grinded into powder, are to be quite good suppliers of calcium. 1 teaspoon a day in cat meal is enough. Or you may use calcium gluconate pill, grinding 1/2 - 1 of it and adding to food. Attention! Day doses are indicated for each secondary food separately: give a cat only one or another, not both.
What to feed a pregnant cat with? Little predators like meat and insides of animals. They are right - pluck has much useful elements. But often it contains parasites; therefore boil it before give to cat. Liver, lungs, soaking kidneys, heart (without fat) mix with green salad, grated carrot. Though spleen is not recommended to cats. Many people don't recommend giving fish to a pregnant cat. Coached oats and wheat may become an additional source of vitamins. Some cats literally "graze" on pots with cereals and guzzle sprouts.
Combination of full feeding with mineral secondary food may prevent the deficiency of calcium in nursing cat.
Translated by Tatiana Karpova (Moscow)
(MSU, Biology faculture, Dep. zoology and ecology).