Thinking outside the (litter) box

Grigg EK, Pick L and Nibblett B. Litter box preference in domestic cats: covered versus uncovered. J Feline Med Surg. 2013; 15: 280-4.

The most common behavior problem in cats leading to their relinquishment to animal shelters is inappropriate elimination or housesoiling. In this situation, cats eliminate urine, feces, or both around the house, but outside the litter box. Litter box management is one area of focus for prevention of elimination disorders of either medical or behavioral origin. Some of the common recommendations associated with improving litter box management are: 

1) cleanliness – boxes should be cleaned at least once per day and litter completely replaced weekly,
2) type of litter – the fine-grained clumping clay litter is the most commonly recommended,
3) number of litter boxes – the general yet untested rule of the number of cats plus one,
4) litter box size – larger box size especially for larger cats and,
5) style of box – recommending against self-cleaning boxes or covered boxes. 

Little research has been done to look at box style, such as a preference for uncovered versus covered litter boxes. The authors wanted to determine if cats did prefer uncovered litter boxes when all other factors are equal. Twenty-eight cats were enrolled in the study. Nineteen of the cats showed no preference between a covered or uncovered box. Some individual cats did have preferences for one box type or the other – four cats for uncovered boxes, four cats for covered boxes. With a minority of cats exhibiting a litter box style preference, offering a ‘cafeteria’ choice of litter boxes, including a covered box, might be beneficial. Additional studies related to litter box management are recommended, such as evaluating scented versus unscented litters. [VT]

See also: Sung W and Crowell-Davis SL. Elimination behavior patterns of domestic cats (Felis catus) with and without elimination behavior problems. Am J Vet Res. 2006; 67: 1500-4.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Grigg EK, Pick L and Nibblett B. Litter box preference in domestic cats: covered versus uncovered. J Feline Med Surg. 2013; 15: 280-4.

The most common behavior problem in cats leading to their relinquishment to animal shelters is inappropriate elimination or housesoiling. In this situation, cats eliminate urine, feces, or both around the house, but outside the litter box. Litter box management is one area of focus for prevention of elimination disorders of either medical or behavioral origin. Some of the common recommendations associated with improving litter box management are: 

1) cleanliness – boxes should be cleaned at least once per day and litter completely replaced weekly,
2) type of litter – the fine-grained clumping clay litter is the most commonly recommended,
3) number of litter boxes – the general yet untested rule of the number of cats plus one,
4) litter box size – larger box size especially for larger cats and,
5) style of box – recommending against self-cleaning boxes or covered boxes. 

Little research has been done to look at box style, such as a preference for uncovered versus covered litter boxes. The authors wanted to determine if cats did prefer uncovered litter boxes when all other factors are equal. Twenty-eight cats were enrolled in the study. Nineteen of the cats showed no preference between a covered or uncovered box. Some individual cats did have preferences for one box type or the other – four cats for uncovered boxes, four cats for covered boxes. With a minority of cats exhibiting a litter box style preference, offering a ‘cafeteria’ choice of litter boxes, including a covered box, might be beneficial. Additional studies related to litter box management are recommended, such as evaluating scented versus unscented litters. [VT]

See also: Sung W and Crowell-Davis SL. Elimination behavior patterns of domestic cats (Felis catus) with and without elimination behavior problems. Am J Vet Res. 2006; 67: 1500-4.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Google+

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Veteran journalist offers advice on covering mental health issues: Be careful, creative, and balanced, not discriminatory

The term 'mental health' has been tossed around a lot lately in stories about Kentucky's mental health funding and mental health coverage through Medicaid expansion. It's important to use precise language when writing about the topic, because a fourth of Americans are affected by mental-health issues each year, and many  don't seek treatment due to its stigma.

"Fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of mental health in the news media are so important," says Melissa McCoy of the California Newspaper Publishers Association. She notes that studies show coverage of mental health is mostly reactive, responding to a school shooting or n act of violence, which could skew public perceptions about mental illness. She says journalists should "provide accurate coverage of mental health without adding to its stigma" or to the discrimination faced by those with mental illness.

Journalists can seek balance by asking themselves about the relevance of mental health to the story and making sure to use the right type of language, says McCoy; be creative about mental health coverage by integrating it into stories about general health, veterans returning from war, substance abuse recovery, unemployment or even stress among students. 

The term 'mental health' has been tossed around a lot lately in stories about Kentucky's mental health funding and mental health coverage through Medicaid expansion. It's important to use precise language when writing about the topic, because a fourth of Americans are affected by mental-health issues each year, and many  don't seek treatment due to its stigma.

"Fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of mental health in the news media are so important," says Melissa McCoy of the California Newspaper Publishers Association. She notes that studies show coverage of mental health is mostly reactive, responding to a school shooting or n act of violence, which could skew public perceptions about mental illness. She says journalists should "provide accurate coverage of mental health without adding to its stigma" or to the discrimination faced by those with mental illness.

Journalists can seek balance by asking themselves about the relevance of mental health to the story and making sure to use the right type of language, says McCoy; be creative about mental health coverage by integrating it into stories about general health, veterans returning from war, substance abuse recovery, unemployment or even stress among students. 

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Pike County settles its part of Oxycontin lawsuit against Purdue Pharma for $4 million; state remains a plaintiff

Officials of Pike County, Kentucky, announced this week that Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, will pay $4 million to settle the county's part of a lawsuit the county and state filed in 2007 seeking damages for the addiction OxyContin caused "after the company aggressively marketed it to doctors as a safe option for pain relief," Russ Cassady reports for the Appalachian News-Express in Pikeville.

The state remains a plaintiff in the suit, which  is largely based on admissions of guilt made by the company and several top-ranking company officials in a May 2007 Virginia federal court settlement. Purdue Pharma, its president, chief legal counsel and former medical director pleaded guilty to misleading doctors, regulators and patients about OxyContin during that case.

The nation's prescription-drug epidemic apparently began in Central Appalachia, largely because of the introduction and high rate of prescription of OxyContin. The lawsuit sought reimbursement for drug-abuse programs, law-enforcement actions and prescription payments through Medicaid and the Kentucky Pharmaceutical Alliance Program. The local officials indicated the settlement could increase the size of a planned rehabilitation facility for people convicted of drug charges.

Officials of Pike County, Kentucky, announced this week that Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, will pay $4 million to settle the county's part of a lawsuit the county and state filed in 2007 seeking damages for the addiction OxyContin caused "after the company aggressively marketed it to doctors as a safe option for pain relief," Russ Cassady reports for the Appalachian News-Express in Pikeville.

The state remains a plaintiff in the suit, which  is largely based on admissions of guilt made by the company and several top-ranking company officials in a May 2007 Virginia federal court settlement. Purdue Pharma, its president, chief legal counsel and former medical director pleaded guilty to misleading doctors, regulators and patients about OxyContin during that case.

The nation's prescription-drug epidemic apparently began in Central Appalachia, largely because of the introduction and high rate of prescription of OxyContin. The lawsuit sought reimbursement for drug-abuse programs, law-enforcement actions and prescription payments through Medicaid and the Kentucky Pharmaceutical Alliance Program. The local officials indicated the settlement could increase the size of a planned rehabilitation facility for people convicted of drug charges.

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Stroke Risk Greatly Increases With Drinking Soda

   Drinking Soda Increases Stroke Chance

It doesn't matter whether it's sugary or diet: High consumption of carbonated soft drinks significantly increases your risk of stroke, research shows.

Researchers found that those with higher consumptions of both sugar-sweetened and low-calorie soda were significantly more likely to suffer from strokes.


"Greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas was associated with a significantly higher risk of stroke," the researchers wrote. "This risk may be reduced by substituting alternative beverages for soda."

Read The Whole Soda Causes Stroke Story Here

   Drinking Soda Increases Stroke Chance

It doesn't matter whether it's sugary or diet: High consumption of carbonated soft drinks significantly increases your risk of stroke, research shows.

Researchers found that those with higher consumptions of both sugar-sweetened and low-calorie soda were significantly more likely to suffer from strokes.


"Greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas was associated with a significantly higher risk of stroke," the researchers wrote. "This risk may be reduced by substituting alternative beverages for soda."

Read The Whole Soda Causes Stroke Story Here

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Antibiotics Cause Long Term Damage To Good Gut Bacteria

Gut Biota Never Recover from Antibiotics: Damages Future Generations

The misuse of antibiotics is not only causing new, never-before known diseases like E. coli and MRSA, the flesh-eating bacteria, it's also destroying the gut biome with devastating effects on our ability to deal with infections and destroying our ability to absorb nutrients from food.

Emerging research shows that the harmful effects of antibiotics go much further than the development of drug resistant diseases. The beneficial bacteria lost...Read More HERE

Gut Biota Never Recover from Antibiotics: Damages Future Generations

The misuse of antibiotics is not only causing new, never-before known diseases like E. coli and MRSA, the flesh-eating bacteria, it's also destroying the gut biome with devastating effects on our ability to deal with infections and destroying our ability to absorb nutrients from food.

Emerging research shows that the harmful effects of antibiotics go much further than the development of drug resistant diseases. The beneficial bacteria lost...Read More HERE

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Rural cancer survivors are less healthy than urban counterparts; 25 percent of rural cancer survivors smoke

A quarter of rural cancer survivors smoke.

Cancer survivors from rural areas live less healthier lives than survivors from urban areas. That's the diagnosis of a study by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., which asked a random sample of rural and urban survivors their body weight, and if they smoked, drank alcohol, and exercised.

The study found that 25 percent of rural cancer survivors smoked, compared to 16 percent from urban areas. It didn't have state-by-state figures, but Kentucky has high rates of both cancer and smoking.

Fifty-one percent of rural survivors didn't participate in any physical activities at all, compared to 39 percent for urban survivors, and 66 percent of rural survivors were obese, while 63 percent of urban ones were. Fewer rural survivors drank alcohol, a difference of 46 percent to 59 percent, and 18 percent of them were more likely to be unemployed because of health reasons, compared to 11 percent for urban survivors.

"Rural cancer survivors may not be receiving messages from their health-care providers about how important quitting smoking and being physical active are after cancer," said Kathryn E. Weaver, assistant professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest Baptist. "It is concerning that we found higher rates of health-compromising behaviors among rural survivors, when we know cancer survivors who smoke, are overweight, or are inactive are at higher risk for poor outcomes, including cancer recurrence and second cancers." (Read more)

A quarter of rural cancer survivors smoke.

Cancer survivors from rural areas live less healthier lives than survivors from urban areas. That's the diagnosis of a study by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., which asked a random sample of rural and urban survivors their body weight, and if they smoked, drank alcohol, and exercised.

The study found that 25 percent of rural cancer survivors smoked, compared to 16 percent from urban areas. It didn't have state-by-state figures, but Kentucky has high rates of both cancer and smoking.

Fifty-one percent of rural survivors didn't participate in any physical activities at all, compared to 39 percent for urban survivors, and 66 percent of rural survivors were obese, while 63 percent of urban ones were. Fewer rural survivors drank alcohol, a difference of 46 percent to 59 percent, and 18 percent of them were more likely to be unemployed because of health reasons, compared to 11 percent for urban survivors.

"Rural cancer survivors may not be receiving messages from their health-care providers about how important quitting smoking and being physical active are after cancer," said Kathryn E. Weaver, assistant professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest Baptist. "It is concerning that we found higher rates of health-compromising behaviors among rural survivors, when we know cancer survivors who smoke, are overweight, or are inactive are at higher risk for poor outcomes, including cancer recurrence and second cancers." (Read more)

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Fewer families report having trouble paying medical bills; near-poor struggle more than poor families

Fewer American families are having problems paying medical bills, but 20 percent of them, particularly those without insurance and those that are "near poor" but not :poor," still struggle with health costs, says a study released Tuesday by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The report says 54.2 million people, or 20.3 percent of families headed by someone under the age of 65, had difficulty covering medical expenses in the first half of 2012. During the first half of 2011, 21.7 percent of families, or 57.8 million people, found it difficult to pay medical bills.

Hispanics (25.2 percent) and blacks (27.9 percent) were more likely than whites (20.1 percent) or Asians (10.3 percent) to report trouble paying their medical bills, says the report. It says families with incomes from 100 to 199 percent of the poverty line were most likely to have difficulty paying medical bills, probably because those below the poverty line qualify for Medicaid. State income limits vary; in Kentucky, income-based Medicaid is available to those with incomes less than 70 percent of the poverty line.

'Poor' are below the poverty line. 'Near poor' had incomes of 100 to 199 percent of the poverty line. 

Among families with insurance, 14 percent of those with private insurance and 25.6 percent  with Medicaid or other public insurance had similar problems paying bills in the first half of 2012, which represents a 1.7 percent and 2.5 percent decrease from 2011, respectively. For a report on the study, click here.

Fewer American families are having problems paying medical bills, but 20 percent of them, particularly those without insurance and those that are "near poor" but not :poor," still struggle with health costs, says a study released Tuesday by the National Center for Health Statistics.

The report says 54.2 million people, or 20.3 percent of families headed by someone under the age of 65, had difficulty covering medical expenses in the first half of 2012. During the first half of 2011, 21.7 percent of families, or 57.8 million people, found it difficult to pay medical bills.

Hispanics (25.2 percent) and blacks (27.9 percent) were more likely than whites (20.1 percent) or Asians (10.3 percent) to report trouble paying their medical bills, says the report. It says families with incomes from 100 to 199 percent of the poverty line were most likely to have difficulty paying medical bills, probably because those below the poverty line qualify for Medicaid. State income limits vary; in Kentucky, income-based Medicaid is available to those with incomes less than 70 percent of the poverty line.

'Poor' are below the poverty line. 'Near poor' had incomes of 100 to 199 percent of the poverty line. 

Among families with insurance, 14 percent of those with private insurance and 25.6 percent  with Medicaid or other public insurance had similar problems paying bills in the first half of 2012, which represents a 1.7 percent and 2.5 percent decrease from 2011, respectively. For a report on the study, click here.

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