MANX TALES Winter 2002
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Chlorox Wipes

Clorox Wipes contain no bleach. Instead, they contain small amounts of the Quaternary Ammonium compounds Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride and Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride, along with 1-5% Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). This is essentially what the newer version of OdoBan contains, and these quat compounds are similar to A-33's quat compounds, and those in Microban QGC, Clorox's Fresh Scent Disinfecting Spray, Sunshine Maker's Simple Green, and other cleaning products.

Besides being harmful if it is swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin, both Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride and Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) are teratogens - they may cause congenital abnormalities and fetal anomalies related to maternal exposure. Decreased fetal weights would go hand-in-hand with malformations. Quaternary Ammonium compounds may become sensitizers (capable of producing the potential for allergic reactions).

Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Quaternary Ammonium compounds:
http://www.mst.dk/udgiv/publications/2000/87-7944-210-2/html/kap04_eng.htm

Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Isopropyl alcohol:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/chemical/pim290.htm

Since they are designed as wipes, unless a kitty licks a surface or gets wet product on fur or paws and then licks it off, wipes are probably pretty safe to use. Cats should never get a hold of the wipes themselves.

Sent in by Susan Murphy

New Carpet and Cats

By Neal Rolfe Chamberlain

Did you know that brand new carpet could sometimes smell like "cat urine"? This a real concern for people and for the carpet industry. No one wants a new carpet to smell like urine. Due to customer and carpet industry concerns a study was conducted by J. Martin and J. Joyce of Calgon Performance Chemical Group in Pittsburgh, PA. USA.

The researchers wanted to find out what was causing the "cat urine" smell. Microorganisms are good at breaking down materials used in making a carpet. This process is called biodeterioration. Many of these organisms can produce various byproducts that smell awful. Using standard methods to isolate bacteria the researchers found bacteria growing in the material used in the carpet backing. They found bacteria that grow in oxygen (aerobes) and in the absence of oxygen (anaerobes). The bacteria that caused the carpet to smell produce butyric acid when they grow. This acid is a very weak acid and it won't cause damage to the carpet but it will cause the carpet to stink.

Since J. Martin was at the meeting I decided to talk with her in more detail. She mentioned that normally bacteria aren't a problem because they use a disinfectant in the backing material that will kill most bacteria. Unfortunately, these particular microorganisms are resistant to the disinfectant and are causing major problems for carpet manufacturers.

J. Martin and her colleagues have discussed the problem with the manufacturers of the carpet backing and there are no easy solutions for this particular problem. The difficulty is in the fact that the bacteria are contaminating the latex material used to make the carpet backing. Once the carpet fibers are sown to the carpet backing it is nearly impossible to get at those stinky microbes. If you add a different disinfectant to the latex manufacturing process you may affect the quality of the latex produced. The bacteria that cause most of the smell appear to be the anaerobes. Many anaerobes are killed by oxygen and we discussed maybe blowing air into the latex or stirring it to kill off the anaerobes. There are no solutions yet. However, once you know the cause solutions are only one idea away. The moral of the story is, if your new carpet stinks like "cat urine" take it back or get your money back the smell is there to stay.

That solution is only half (or less) of the story. This is a serious problem for cats. The cat of a casual acquaintance of a list mate on another list was recently euthanized for urinating on their new carpet.

Editor's note: Makes you wonder about other new fabrics - like new upolstery for instance..

Now You Can Take Back 1/2 The Awful Things You've Said About Cats!

In the latest issue of "Alternatives for the Health-Conscious Individual" by Dr. David Williams, he talks about some interesting research in vibrations. He says that researchers have found that vibrations or energy currents in the range of 20 to 50 Hz stimulates bone growth. The production of the body's natural anti-inflammatory compounds is increased. Joint pain and swelling improves. Bone fractures heal faster, and weakened bones begin to strengthen and rebuild. In a section he calls "A Purrfect Tool for Healing" he writes: Some of the most amazing research that I've run across, however, deals with cats. A group called the Fauna Communications Research Institute in Hillsborough, North Carolina, recently started some very interesting research focusing on the possible connection between vibrational frequencies and healing.

Researchers there began to question the purpose of purring in cats. I honestly hadn't given it much thought; I always thought cats purred because they were content. Apparently there's more to the picture. Cats also purr when they give birth and when they are under stress, caged, or severely injured. Since purring expends energy, it makes sense that there would be a reason for it.

In an unpublished study, researchers recorded the purrs of all types of cats, both domestic and wild. Cheetahs, pumas, ocelots, and other wild cats were recorded at the Cincinnati Zoo. Various domestic cats were recorded elsewhere. Surprisingly, when the frequencies of the purrs were analyzed, it was discovered that the dominant frequency for three species of cats' purrs was exactly 25 Hz or 50 Hz. These just happen to be the most effective frequencies for promoting bone growth and repair. (Only the cheetah didn't have a dominant frequency at 50 Hz.)

Everyone has heard that "a cat always lands on its feet." The amazing righting ability behind this saying undoubtedly accounts for the fact that cats routinely survive and completely recover from falls that would kill most animals. In the late 1980s, vets studied the cases of 132 cats that had fallen an average of 5.5 stories from various high-rise apartments. Of those, 37% required emergency treatment, 30% required non-emergency treatment, and the remaining 30%, no treatment at all. Overall, 90% of the cats survived. (For what it's worth, the highest recorded fall survived by a cat was 45 stories.)

Cats' remarkable ability to survive may also be based on the fact that their dominant purr is at the exact frequency that heals bones, muscles, and ligaments. There's another old saying that's popular among veterinarians, "If you put a cat and a bunch of broken bones in the same room, the bones will heal."

A recent study evaluated the various health problems presented by 31,484 dogs and 15,226 cats to 52 private veterinary clinics around the country. Lameness and disc disease were among the top problems of dogs and 2.4% were severely arthritic. Kidney and bladder problems were most prominent among cats, and there was no mention of bone, arthritis, or joint problems at all. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 99;214(9):1336-41)

Hip dysplasia, arthritis, and ligament and muscle damage are all common to dogs, but almost non-existent in cats. Even myeloma, a cancerous tumor in bone marrow, is practically unheard of in cats, yet quite common in dogs. Any vet will tell you how much easier it is to fix a broken bone and how much quicker one heals in a cat compared to a dog.

Researchers at the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada made some interesting comparisons between dogs and cats regarding their complications from elective surgeries. They found that complications from castration were as much as 20 times higher in dogs than in cats, and the post-operative problems following spaying occurred twice as often in dogs as cats.

Breathing problems associated with heart disease are almost non-existant in cats, but common in dogs. Large skin-tissue grafts take quickly in cats, but often become necrotic in dogs. Historically, bone cancer is extremely rare in cats, but common in dogs. And the list goes on and on. Purring appears to be a cat's way of treating itself. Just like humans use shivering to warm the body, cats may purr at specific vibrational frequencies that promote healing in various parts of their bodies. While the researchers in the above-mentioned unpublished study found that a cat's dominant purring frequency might be at 25 Hz or 50 Hz, the range extended up to 140 Hz. By changing the frequency of their purring, cats may be fine-tuning their healing abilities.

In another section he writes: I've even seen reports where individuals claim they can stop their migrane headaches by lying down with a purring cat next to their head. Maybe we're finally on track to discover a logical explanation for these incidents.

From "Alternatives for the Health-Conscious Individual"

New Rabies Vaccine

I took one of my cats to the vet's today for his annual physical and vaccinations. They are using a new rabies vaccine called Purevax. To summarize from the literature I picked up on it:

"It is a highly purified rabies vaccine just for cats and kittens. The unique science behind Purevax has identified the natural components that produce rabies immunity, so there's no need for chemical additives called adjuvants. Purevax doesn't use chemical adjuvants or the whole rabies virus. It introduces only those proteins needed for rabies protection. Purevax virtually eliminates the chronic injection site inflammation that can be associated with rabies vaccination. It is the only rabies vaccine approved for use in kittens as young as 8 weeks old."

Editor's note: This vaccine is not approved for multiple year use as of yet, so the trade off is that you must renew it each year. I THINK I remember my vet saying the cat can run a low grade fever from it as well - so check with your vet if you plan to do anything stressful with your cat within a few days after the vaccine.

Sent in by Susan Murphy