Cat care module

Cat Care Learning Module. Please sign in below.

Osceola County Animal Services cares for cats and kittens that come into the shelter for a variety of reasons. As an open access animal shelter with managed intake, the felines in our care have arrived as owner surrenders, community cats, confiscations, and bite animals. Upon arrival at the shelter each animal is assessed for health, behavior, and potential adoptability.

All cat care team members should complete this learning module prior to caring for these animals regardless of one's experience.

This module will address the following:

• Basic operating procedures for Cat Rooms A and B adoptable cat and kittens

• Sanitation and spot cleaning protocols

• Handling of the following: friendly, stressed, and hiding cats

• Enrichment

• Introduction to positive reinforcement and fear free housing

Reading Cat Body Language

Cats communicate through body language. Different positions of their tails, ears, and body communicate information on how they are feeling to other cats as well as people. As animal care team members, we need to be aware of their body language and know how to observe this behavior accurately. Once we can observe the behavior accurately, we can then respond in ways to minimize fear, anxiety, or stress and to keep interactions calm and positive.

Shelter Illness

There is no one single factor that alone causes an animal illness in a shelter. It is a combination of factors that together create an environment where illness can thrive if not caught quickly.

It is well documented that animals in a shelter environment, especially the first few days, are under tremendous stress, weakening their immune systems.

Other factors at the shelter that can cause health issues are:

• close proximity of the cats to each other;

• transmission through environment;

• person - to - cat contact;

• cat - to - cat contact;

• improper cleaning practices;

• the cat's mental health.

Stress

Stress in shelter cats can be caused by many factors. Stress can reduce the effectiveness of the cat's immune system, leading to illness. The following are distressing to shelter cats:

• loud noises

• chaos

• strong odors (perfume, cleaners)

• new environment

Warning Signs of Potential Illness

• watery eyes

• runny nose

• sneezing

• lethargy

• refusal to eat or drink

As an open access shelter, animals enter our facility with a variety of backgrounds and situations.

Animals who have been living without benefit of vaccination are very susceptible to a myriad of illnesses that exist in the environment. When they enter our facility, they bring their illnesses with them.

When a cat sneezes, the bacteria and germs go on everything in their path, including walls, floors, cages, other animals and people. A sneeze can travel a number of yards.

We can assist the cats in our care by being diligent in our observations, by providing accurate records, and through the proper handling and care of the cats and their environments.

Handling and Care of Cats

It is important to remember that as an animal care team we must strive to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in our animals whenever possible. We have the responsibility to uphold the five freedoms of animal welfare which include:

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigor.

2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Handling and Care of Cats

In order to provide an environment that reduces fear, anxiety, and stress which in turns helps to keep our cats healthy, please remember the following guidelines:

• Give the cat a sense of control by allowing choices.

• Stay calm and speak in a soft voice.

• Move slowly to obtain quicker results.

• Do not stare at the cat, but rather look from the side or “wink”.

• Scent is important in the cat’s world - use synthetic feline pheromones (Feliway) and eliminate scents that are offensive to the cat.

• Cats want places to hide (boxes, bags, towels or blankets, tall-sided cat beds)

• When cats feel more secure, they also like places to perch to oversee their environment (Shelves, tops of boxes, etc)

• Reward desired behavior – punishment will exacerbate the problem

• Stand to the side instead of looming over the cat especially when getting out of a carrier or kennel.

• If a cat is inside a bed or basket and you need to move them from their kennel, remove the bedding with them so they can remain in the bedding for comfort. Be careful to support the cat underneath.

If a cat has a stress score of 1, 2, or 3 from the cat body language guide, they are communicating they are comfortable. If you and the cat are approved, you may proceed with handling, training, or showing the cat to a potential adopter.

Please utilize the following strategies and techniques while interacting with cats who are at a stress level of 1, 2, or 3:

• Place your hand out calmly and slowly. This will let the cat choose whether they want to come to you.

• Many cats prefer to be gently petted around the face – under the chin, in the cheek area, and between the ears.

• To lift a cat, utilize one hand to support under their chest and one hand to support under their hind end and hold close to your body, with their head facing away from you and your face.

A note about scruffing:

Scruffing increases a cat's stress and does not allow the cat a sense of control. Scruffing should only be used in a situation when you need to restrain a cat quickly because of adverse circumstances as a last resort.

Scruffing should not be used as a standard way to move the cat, a training tool, or a reprimand.

If a cat has a stress score of 4, 5, or 6 from the cat body language guide, they are communicating they are not comfortable. Do not proceed.

The cat is experiencing levels of anxiety, fear, and stress that may need to be evaluated by the team member assigned to the area or a member of the rounds team.

Record your observations on the cat's behavioral record (more on record keeping later in this module).

Introduce yourself to a cat!

Kennel Cards

Kennel cards are created for every animal that enters into our shelter system. Each animal is assigned a six digit ID number that begins with an "A". You see it pictured in the photo below in the upper left hand corner of the kennel card.

Kennel cards also contain the following important information:

• Animal Name

• Color

• Breed

• Gender

• Age

• Intake Date

• Type of Intake

• Vaccine Information

• Microchip Information if applicable

RTG

These 3 letters mean "Ready to go". 

When you see RTG on a kennel card, the animal has everything they need to go home with an adopter that very day.

We would like animals that are available for adoption to be visible as soon as we can. At times, we are in the process of completing their scheduled vaccines, microchips, and medical care needs. This allows the animal to be available for adoption but not RTG.

Available for adoption means they are listed on our website as available and visible to the public at the shelter. If a guest is interested in adopting an animal that is not RTG, the adoption specialist will explain the process and arrange a scheduled pick up date and time for their newly adopted pet.

Record Keeping

When working with animals and providing care, accurate observations along with detailed record keeping is extremely important.

Kennel Cards

Kennel cards should not be utilized to record daily notes or observations. The only hand written notes are medical vaccination record notes and transfer dates written on the top right corner of the card by the vaccination and rounds team members. There also will be circled identifiers such as "OK for adoption" or "RTG" that the vaccination and rounds team members will circle in their evaluation process. All animals must have their kennel cards on their cage with them. If adoption, transfer, or return to owner is occurring, the bottom half of their kennel card must remain on the cage with them.

*On occasion, the team member assigned to the area or the Rounds team may turn a kennel card packet backwards to indicate a veterinary or behavioral need. Please contact the team member assigned to the area with questions or concerns regarding an animal with a backwards kennel card.

Behavior Notes / Observation Sheets

Behavior note records is the note keeping system for general observations on health, behavior, and enrichment.

All cat care team members should be recording notes and observations each time they interact or socialize with the cat. This includes training sessions, enrichment sessions, adoption showings, but does not include cleaning and sanitation times.

Medical or Behavior Concern Clipboard

If a non-emergency medical or behavioral concern arises, please record on the animal's behavior record notes but also include the concern on the clipboard located at the front desk. A member of the Rounds team will address the concern as soon as they are able, but within 24 hours.

If it is an emergency, notify the team member assigned to the area or the front desk team immediately. Emergencies include labored breathing, lack of responsiveness, seizures, or other life threatening issues. If you are unsure, always seek assistance.

Veterinarian Check List

The daily animal care lead, along with the Rounds Team team members, are also able to utilize a communication tool-the Vet Check List. Our veterinarian team responds to the vet check list and will provide recommendations.

Chameleon Notes

Approved team members with access to the shelter database named Chameleon will also be able to record notes and observations within the animal's record.

Supplies and Stocking

Before focusing on sanitation and cleaning, it is important to become familiar with all supplies needed, the location where the supplies are kept, and how to keep the supply areas stocked appropriately.

• Supply Cart

• Garbage can on wheels

• Rescue - the disinfectant utilized for cleaning and sanitizing animal areas

• Hand towels

• Disposable gloves

• Litter boxes with litter

• Food bowls

• Water bowls

• Paper bags or boxes

• Fleece blankets

• Cat food and kitten food

• Watering can with fresh water

• Newspapers

• Cat toys

• Feliway pheromone spray

• Cat treats

Stocking the adoptable cat areas (includes cat rooms, cart, and laundry rooms) must be completed a minimum of once every day after morning cleaning and before 12:00. It is important to provide enough supplies that will last the rest of the day and then also for the next AM cleaning session the following day.

Food Prep Room

Sally Port (Garage Area)

 

Rescue disinfectant

The disinfectant that we use is called Rescue. It is considered one of the top professional cleaning agents for animal shelters.

It is created from a concentrate in a 4 to1 ratio (4 parts water to 1 part chemical), then sprayed on the surface and left wet for five minutes. The sprayers are available throughout the shelter and should be prepared by qualified team members. The specific instructions will be in the Advanced Cat Care learning module.

A surface to be disinfected is sprayed then left wet for five to seven minutes. Proper contact time equals proper disinfecting. More time does not mean more clean. In most cases, scrubbing is neither necessary nor recommended.

Finally, the surface is wiped off with a clean rag.

Stocking of the Litter Boxes

Cats prefer to be able to cover everything in their litter box when they are done. Litter boxes that are filled correctly with litter (not too much or too little of litter) will promote a neater kennel.

Litter boxes are delivered unfolded to the shelter. The unfolded boxes are located in the Sally Port and then we fold the boxes and add the litter to them. The filled litter boxes are then stored in the litter room where the dryer is located and dispersed throughout storage areas in the various areas of the shelter and on the cart for adoptable cat rooms.

Litter Boxes

When filling up the boxes make sure that you are doing a full scoop of litter and the litter is to be placed on one side of the litter box. Litter can be found in the green can in the Litter Room with large bags stored in the Sally Port when the green can is running low. There is a set of shelves in the Litter Room and a black cart located outside of the room that is there to store extra litter boxes. The litter boxes should be stacked in a teeter-totter effect. If the boxes are not stacked correctly it may lead to them tipping over or crushing themselves overtime.

As you can see in this photo, the top shelf of boxes is stacked correctly and the bottom shelf is not.

Sanitation

Animals must be returned to the cage/kennel from which they came.

Cages are not to be set up in anticipation of the arrival of an animal.  Set them up with the necessary, food, water, litter pans, etc. when new animals arrive.

• All cages must be sanitized when vacated. There are absolutely no exceptions to this.

• A fresh towel must be used for each cage or other surface cleaned.

• When sanitizing a new cage we first need to degrease it with a dawn wipe then apply the rescue and allow the contact time and wipe off.

• In addition to sanitizing cages, other items in the room must also be sanitized including floors, walls, doors, glass, door handles, etc.

• Drape a towel over the kennel door of a suspected sick cat and notify a staff member so it can be placed on vet check .

• If your clothes come into contact with a sick animal, please change before handling other animals.

• Report suspected sick animals immediately to a supervisor in your area, preferably, the area manager or the Program Supervisor.

• All cats must always have a fleece blanket, den, bag or box in its cage, as well as food, water and a litter box, as well as enrichment (toys, treats etc).

Stress plays a huge factor in animal sickness and studies have shown that a low stress environment vs. high stress can be the difference in animals getting sick or not. Cats are especially sensitive to changes in environment, noise, chaos, movement from one cage to another, etc.

Spot cleaning

• Some cats will spill their water and food.

• Some will explore and shred the newspaper

• Some cats will have accidents outside the litter box.

If a cat is in a single enclosure, work around them as best you can.

• Chemicals are not used for general spot cleaning.  Chemicals are used if the cage has feces or is so dirty dirty that it would require a typical full clean.

► Wipe out spilled food, water, or litter.

► Replace newspaper, litter box, food and water as needed.

► Always wash or sanitize hands between handling or caring for each individual cat.

► If a cat has vomit, blood, or parasites in their kennel, do not clean. Contact the team member assigned to the area or the front desk before proceeding. Samples may need to be taken or viewed by the veterinarian.

Standard Kennel Set Up

Cat enrichment

• Enrichment decreases stress in the animals which decreases the rate of illness and increases the animals’ adoptability.

• Stress is the #1 reason for upper respiratory infections in shelter cats.

Examples of enrichment which may be available:

• Aromatherapy

• Paper tube rings with yarn

• Pipe Cleaners

• Beds – blankets or Kuranda

• Paper bag

• Treats

• Training

• Plastic shower curtain rings to clip on front of the kennel

• Calming music

• Cat toys and balls

• *Note: Catnip and other enrichment ideas must be first approved for use at the shelter.

Promotion

We promote our adoptable animals through the following online platforms:Animal Services website

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Petfinder website

• Adopt-a-pet website

Assistance is always needed with the following:

• Videos of adoptable cats

• Photos of adoptable cats

• Written profiles that describe the personality of the cat

Answer all of the following questions. Always choose the best answer.