Furbabies
Cat Care Site

Glossary

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O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Furbabies Cat Care Site

S

Salivation
Secretion of saliva
Scottish Fold
Shorthaired cat breed with downward folded ears [breed profile]
Scratching Post
Carpet or rope covered pole for the cat to mark its claws on instead of the furniture
Scribe
Assistant at a cat show who writes up cat prize cards and certificates
Scruff
Loose skin on a cats neck
Sealpoint
A cat with dark brown points and a light brown to ivory body colour
Sebaceous Glands
Glands in the skin which produce an oily substance called sebum
Seizures
Convulsion or fits
Selamectin
The active ingredient in Revolution flea treatment
Self
A cat with the same colour all over, also called "solid"
Semi-moist Food
Kind of cat food made from pasteurized dough containing meat
Senior
A cat aged eight years or older
SH
Shorthair
Sheath
Translucent covering over the cats claw, removed when a cat scratches
Shedding
1) - Moulting (molting) of dead fur
2) - Cats infected with certain viruses may shed the virus in secretions for periods of time after recovering from the illness, providing a source of infection to other cats
Shorthair
A cat with short fur that lies against the body or stands out in a soft springy manner. The tail hair is the same length as the fur on the rest of the body.
Show Coat
Full, well manicured and groomed coat on a show cat
Show Schedule
Brochure advertising a cat show, with details of the venue, classes, judges and date of the show
Siamese
Shorthaired cat breed with slender body, short close lying fur, brilliant blue eyes and coloured points (face, paws, tail) [breed profile]
Silica Crystal Litter
Absorbable non-clumping cat litter made from silica crystals
Singapura
Cat breed with short sepia coloured ticked coat [breed profile]
Sire
The father of a cat
Sisal
A kind of rope, commonly used on scratching posts
S-Methoprene
One of the active ingredients in Frontline Plus flea treatment
Smoke
A cat with a solid black or grey coat, but the coat is white at the roots
Snub Nosed
Cat with a short nose, such as a Persian or Exotic
Socialization
Critical age where the kitten learns to interact with the environment and other animals, between two and seven weeks of age. The kitten should be exposed to as many sights, sounds, smells and textures in the environment as possible during this period
Socks
White paws on a coloured cat
Sodium Sulphate
Substance used to increase urine excretion
Solid
A cat with the same colour all over, also called "self"
Somali
Longhaired cat breed with medium length coat, bushy tail and a ruff around the neck, longhaired version of the Abyssinian [breed profile]
Spasticity
Muscle spasms causing stiff and awkward movements
Spay
A desexed (spayed) female cat or kitten, sometimes spelt "spey"
Spaying
Desexing a female cat by removal of the female reproductive organs (ovaries, oviducts, uterus), sometimes spelt "speying"
Spey
A desexed (speyed) female cat or kitten
Speying
Desexing a female cat by removal of the female reproductive organs (ovaries, oviducts, uterus)
Sphynx
Shorthaired cat breed with a very fine downy coat giving it a hairless appearance [breed profile]
Spina Bifida
Defective closure of the vertebral canal
Spray
Marking a surface with urine
Spraying
A natural instinct of urinating on surfaces to mark territory
Staggering
Weakness or wobbly when trying to walk
Standard
Guidelines set out for each breed by a cat association which lists the qualities that the breed will be judged on in the show ring
Standard Of Points
Guidelines set out for each breed by a cat association which lists the qualities that the breed will be judged on in the show ring
Steatitis
Inflammation of fatty tissue
Stenosis
Narrowing
Stenotic Nares
Narrowed nostrils
Steward
Judges assistant at a cat show
Stilted Gait
Walking with stiff legs
Stomatitis
Inflammation of the mouth, ulcers may be present
Stool
Faeces (feces)
Stop
A slight indentation at the bridge of the nose, between or just below the eyes. It is not as visible as a break.
Stray
A cat not belonging to anyone
Stricture
Abnormal narrowing
Stud
Entire male cat used for breeding
Stud Tail
Greasy patch at the base of the tail due to over-productive sebaceous glands. It should be cleaned regularly.
Stumpy
Manx cat with a remnant of tail
Subcutaneous
1) - Under the skin
2) - Injection given under the cat's skin
Supportive Care
Treatment aimed at reducing the clinical signs of disease, e.g. providing fluids to correct dehydration
Sweating
Production of sweat
Symptomatic Treatment
Treatment aimed at reducing the clinical signs of disease, e.g. providing fluids to correct dehydration


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T

Tabby
Striped cat
Tachypnea
Increased respiration (breathing) rate
Taenia taeniaeformis
A tapeworm that is common in hunting cats
Tangles
Knots and matts in a cats coat
Tapetum Lucidum
Mirror-like layer in the back of the cat's eye that gives the "glow-in-the-dark" effect to the eye
Tapeworm
An intestinal parasite that appears like grains of rice underneath the cats tail, caught by flea infestation, or by eating raw meat or prey
Tartar
Hard brownish deposit on the teeth. Also called Calculus.
Taurine
An essential amino acid, required by cats, and must be supplied in the diet. Commercial cat foods contain adequate taurine
Tear Staining
Dark brownish staining on the face of Persian, Exotic and Himalayan cats, staining will build up if the eyes are not wiped daily
Teaser
Pole toy with feathers on the end, often used by cat show judges to get a cats attention
Theobromine
Substance contained in chocolate that is toxic to animals and can cause diarrhoea (diarrhea) or sudden death
Territory
A cats home area
Third Eyelid
Thin membrane that moves across the eye when the upper and lower eyelids are closed, may be visible when a cat is sick
Thirst
Craving for a drink
Ticked
Dark and light colours on the hair shaft, in alternate bands
Toilet Training
Training a kitten to use a litter box
Tom
An unneutered (entire) male cat
Tomcat
An unneutered (entire) male cat
Tongue Tipping
When a cat shows just the tip of its tongue outside its mouth, most commonly occurs in Persian cats due to their face structure
Tonkinese
Shorthaired cat breed, the result of crossing a Siamese and a Burmese [breed profile]
Torbie
A patched tabby cat, a silver, brown or blue tabby with patches of red or cream
Torbie Point
A cat with patched tabby points
Tortie
Abbreviation of tortoiseshell, a red and black patched or mottled coat pattern
Tortie Point
A cat with tortoiseshell points (red and black points)
Tortoiseshell
A red and black patched or mottled coat pattern
Toxascaris leonina
A roundworm that may infect cats
Toxic
Poisonous
Toxocara cati
The common roundworm of cats and kittens
Toxoplasmosis
A contagious disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Cats become infected by eating diseased prey or raw meat.
Transmammary Infection
Infection of kittens with parasites (roundworms) by suckling milk from their mother
Trembling
Visible muscle tremors
Tremors
Repetitive twitching of muscles
Tufts
Small clusters of fur at the tips of the ears or between the toes of some cats, more common in longhaired cats
Turkish Van
Longhaired cat breed with an attraction to water [breed profile]
Tuxedo Cat
Informal name for a black and white cat with white paws, chest and belly
Twitching
A single contraction or series of muscle contractions


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U

Ultrasound
An imaging technique using the reflections (echoes) of ultrasonic waves directed into the tissues
Umbilicus
The scar marking the site of the umbilical cord in the foetus (fetus), Also called the navel or belly button
Undercoat
Soft downy coat in a longhaired cat
Unneutered
An entire male cat (has not been de-sexed)
Unspayed
An entire female cat (has not been de-sexed)
Urinate
To discharge urine from the body
Urination
Discharging urine from the body
Urine Spraying
A natural instinct of urinating on surfaces to mark territory


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V

Vaccination
An injection given to stimulate immunity to disease
Vaccination Certificate
Card or certificate signed by a veterinarian stating the vaccinations a cat or kitten has received
Vaccine
A suspension of attenuated (weakened) or killed microorganisms (viruses or bacteria) administered for prevention or treatment of infectious diseases
Van
An almost white cat with colour patches only on the head and tail
Vet Clinic
Facility for the examination and treatment of animals
Veterinarian
Doctor of veterinary medicine, practices medicine and surgery on animals
Vibrissae
Long coarse sensitive hairs around the muzzle, commonly called whiskers
Visual Deficits
Impaired vision, blurred vision
Vocalization
Crying, howling
Vomiting
Ejection of stomach contents through the mouth


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W

Weakness
Reluctance to stand up or move, droopy posture
Weaning
The process of introducing solid food to very young kittens, normally started around three weeks of age
Wedge
Triangular head shape of some breeds of cat
Whip
Long thin tapering tail in some breeds of cat such as the Siamese
Whiskers
Long coarse sensitive hairs around the muzzle
Wide-toothed Comb
Comb with teeth far apart
Worms
Parasites that can live in the cat's body, normally the digestive system. Roundworms are most common in kittens. Tapeworms occur in adult cats, most commonly in cats that hunt.


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X

X-Ray Film
A radiograph


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Y

Yellow Fat Disease
Inflammation of fatty tissue, subcutaneous fat may be hard, lumpy and painful, occurs with a diet too high in fish and low in vitamin E, also called steatitis


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Z

Zoonosis
Disease of animals transmissible to humans


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References

Blood DC & Studdert VP, Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, Great Britain: W.B. Saunders & Co, 1999

Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995

Plunkett SJ, Emergency Procedures For The Small Animal Veterinarian, Spain: W.B. Saunders & Co, 2002


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