Holiday survival guide: Prepare your feline patients, clients, and…

Presented by Anne-Marie Germain, BSc, DVM

Continuing education questionnaire

CE credit: 1

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Questions

1. True or False: Gabapentin is excreted by the kidneys. I should therefore reduce the dose in patients with renal disease even when given once before a vet visit. *

True

False

2. Which of the following statements is true? *

When a cat goes and eats beside another cat, dog or when visitors are present, it’s a good sign and we can safely conclude that the cat is not anxious or scared.

When a cat goes and eats beside another cat, dog or when visitors are present, we can conclude that his engaging emotions (the desire to seek food) predominate over his protective emotions, such as fear and anxiety.

3. Which is accurate? A cat avoiding eye contact with body and head turned slightly away without moving away, head slightly down, partially dilated pupils, whiskers mildly back, ears partially to the side, tail close to the body +/- slight flickering is: *

Neutral, relaxed and even possibly happy to see visitors or other cats

Showing mild signs of anxiety and stress

Showing severe signs of anxiety and stress

4. A cat likes to sleep upstairs on the second floor of the house and is afraid of strangers. The owner is hosting a large crowd for dinner on the main floor. His litter box and water bowl are on the main floor. Which statement is most accurate? *

Adding a litter box, scratching post and water bowl upstairs where the cat likes to be, away from the visitors, is a good way to help decrease anxiety in this cat rather than only having resources available on the main floor.

As long as the cat has a comfortable bed away from everyone he will be fine. The dinner party is only a few hours, cats sleep most of the time, and if needed, he has access to the main floor to drink or to use the litter box.

Having his resources on the main floor will force him to interact and he will gradually be less afraid of people visiting.

5. The following measure(s) can be considered to help decrease anxiety in cats during the holiday season: *

Pheromone sprays and diffusers

Nutraceuticals containing ingredients supported by studies such as alpha-casozepine, L-tryptophan and/or L-Theanine

Modifying the environment to ensure the 5 pillars of feline environmental needs are met and avoiding anything that goes against these needs

Choosing food with special ingredients to reduce stress as well as avoiding abrupt diet changes

All of the above

6. True or False: The best time to administer gabapentin to a cat to decrease anxiety for a car ride is 10 to 15 minutes before leaving. *

True

False

7. True or False: The best time to plug a Feliway pheromone diffuser to decrease anxiety for the holidays is 1 to 2 hours before hosting. It can be unplugged when guests leave and plugged back in the next day 1 to 2 hours before any guests arrive. *

True

False

8. Which of the following are aligned with the 5 pillars of feline environmental needs to help decrease stress in cats? *

Scented candles, since they make the house smell so good

Unscented litter

Spraying the cat with a water bottle when the cat climbs the Christmas tree, to avoid injuries

Purchasing or building a cat tree or climbing structure for the cat to climb and feel safe up high

b and d

b, c and d

9. True or False: A protective behaviour such as hissing or swatting is a response to an emotion. We should ask ourselves why the cat selected this behaviour instead of labelling a cat as “fractious”. *

True

False

10. Cats with feline idiopathic cystitis are at higher risk of having a flare-up during the holiday season. Which of the following measures may help decrease anxiety and/or the risk of recurrence of signs? *

Continue feeding a veterinary urinary diet with ingredients to help decrease anxiety, and avoid an abrupt food change

Implement strategies to encourage water intake

Ensure there is a safe place for them to retreat with all the necessary resources if they want to avoid guests and other pets

Use pheromone sprays or diffusers

All of the above

None of the above