The heros

handbook:
A survival guide to
modern feline living

greetings,young
feline compatriot and
human companion.

Welcome to a world where kittens no longer have to fear

the indignities of parasitic invasion. Welcome to a universe
where cats are free to come and go without suffering the
invasions of fleas, ear mites, hookworms, roundworm and
heartworm. In short, welcome to the REVOLUTION(selamectin).
In this book, you will find all sorts of tips that can help you
as you learn to make your way together in this brave new
world of ours. However, there is one thing that you can
be sure of. While you may encounter many things on your
journey through life together, now that you have chosen to
join the Revolution, parasites will not be one of them.
Make it official - log on to www.catsoftherevolution.com
and declare your allegiance. Youll find special discounts,
tips and hints that can make any cat owners life easier.
Revolution is generally well-tolerated. In studies, <1% of cats
and dogs experienced digestive upset. Approximately 1% of
cats experienced temporary hair loss at the application site.
Do not use in sick, weak or underweight animals.

www.catsoftherevolution.com

Average feline
LIFE stages timeline
begin to eat
solid food,
begin to walk

birth

3-4 weeks

weaned from
mothers
milk

kitten
reaches
adulthood
14 years

6 months

7-8 weeks

10-14 days

eyes open

Kitten
can be
spayed or
neutered

5-6 months

reaches
sexual
maturity

14 months

average cat
lifespan

(but with modern veterinary care,

cats that reach 20 are not
uncommon)

Basic Training
Proper care and maintenance of your young kitten is vital.
The habits you start now will last a lifetime.

Socialization
Studies have shown that a kitten must be handled by a
minimum of four different people to be comfortable being
touched by strangers later in life. Its recommended that
you pet your new kitten at least 40 minutes a day. In addition,
if you want your kitten to be comfortable with other animals
in the household, you should be sure to expose it to other
animals as early and as frequently as possible. Be sure
both your kitten and other pets are healthy and up-to-date
on vaccinations.

Figure 1: Get your kitten accustomed to strangers

Figure 2: Groom your kitten frequently

Grooming
Its important to get your cat accustomed to good hygiene when
it is a kitten. This will make it much easier to take care of it as it
grows. Brush it often. Look into its ears, eyes, nose and mouth
regularly. Look at its paws to prepare it for nail trimming when it
needs it. Paws should be handled frequently so that nail trimming
wont be scary. Once nail trimming is needed, check your kittens
nails often to make sure they havent grown too long.

Litter box training

Watch your kitten closely. When you see it begin to nose around
corners or start to squat, place it in the litter box so it begins to
recognize where it should leave its waste. If your kitten has an
accident, wipe up initially with a paper towel and then place the

paper towel in the litter box, so it associates the litter with waste.
Do not punish your kitten unless you catch it in the act. Rubbing a
kittens nose in its mistakes and then placing it in the litter will just
cause it to associate the litter box (and you) with cruel behavior.

Spaying or neutering
It is highly recommended that you spay or neuter your kitten at
around six months of age, or as directed by your veterinarian. If
your kitten is female, somewhere between ve and twelve months,
shell go into heat and begin to arch her back and call loudly
and continuously for a mate. If your kitten is a male, at about
six to twelve months you will notice him becoming increasingly
territorial. He will also probably begin to spray a pungent-smelling
urine to mark his territorial boundaries. If you wait until this stage
to neuter him, he may continue to do this even after surgery.
Spaying or neutering your kitten early is also important because it
has positive health benets.

Figure 3: Spay or neuter your kitten before it reaches sexual maturity

Behavior modification

Figure 4: Be sure not to spray your kitten in the face

Keep a spray bottle or small, brightly colored water gun near

at hand to correct bad behaviors. Be careful not to spray your
kitten in the face. You should only use the spray bottle if you
actually catch your kitten in the act. Despite what most people
think, kittens do not remember past events the same way we do.
Punishing them after-the-fact only confuses them.

Troubleshooting
Spraying and/or urinating outside the litter box
(dealing with friendly fire)

Kittens will urinate outside of the litter box for a variety of

reasons. If they are still learning, if they are sick, or if their
litter box is particularly dirty. If you suspect your kitten may
be ill, take it to the vet immediately. Male kittens spray to mark
their territory, particularly if they arent neutered before their
hormones develop fully. Spraying is characterized by a
particularly pungent-smelling urine odor.
Use non-herbal vinegar, vodka or an enzymatic cleaner to clean
up accidents. Do not use an ammonia-based household cleaner
as ammonia imitates urine, inviting further misuse of the area.

Scratching furniture and/or carpet

(handling environmental sabotage)

Try buying the kitten a scratching post. Make sure this post
is coated with some other material than carpet. (Otherwise,
you could be training your kitten to regard carpeting as an
appropriate scratching material.) Location is very important.
If your kitten is not using the scratching post, try placing it in
a more central location.
Put a row of double-sided sticky tape on drapes or furniture.
(Test a small strip beforehand to ensure that the tape will come
off cleanly.) Kittens hate the feel of the sticky tape on their paws
and should learn to avoid the area.

Figure 5: Be sure to allow easy access to a scratching post

Jumping on tables

(illegal border-crossing or enemy-territory incursions)

Put double-sided sticky tape on tables or any other place you
want your kitten to avoid. Cats hate the feel of the tape on their
paws and should learn to avoid the area.

Hairballs

(repelling hair-borne invaders)

Regularly brushing your kitten will remove dead hair and help
reduce the chances of hairballs. Although some kittens may still
require the use of a commercially available hairball remedy or a
high-in-fiber preventative diet. (See your veterinarian about the
appropriate treatment.)

Bath time

(avoiding international incidents)

Cats do not need to be bathed very often. In order to make the
occasional bath easier to handle, consider trimming your kittens
nails first. Or place an old window screen in the tub or sink; the
kitten will dig its claws into the screen, not you. Also, gently
wet your kitten using a cup instead of using a running faucet or
sprayer. And be sure to use shampoo made specifically for cats.

Chewing on Electrical Cords

(dealing with industrial sabotage)

Coat the cord with nail-biting nail polish. If that doesnt work,
add in some cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce. Chewing on
electrical cords can be deadly for your kitten, so be sure to take
this behavior seriously.

plants

(coping with biological warfare)

digging

Put clove oil on the dirt around your plants. This will teach your
kitten not to dig there.

chewing

Mist plant leaves with water and then sprinkle with a small
amount of cayenne pepper. Or spray with a product like Bitter
Apple (available from your local store).

Toxic

Some common household plants may be toxic to pets. A few of

the most common plants that are dangerous for cats are: Aloe
Vera, Azalea, Dieffenbachia, Poinsettia and most species of Ivy.
For a comprehensive list of plants that are toxic to cats, visit
www.catsofthrevolution.com.

VISIT YOUR VETERINARIAN

As always, for any persistent problems or questions, be sure
to visit your veterinarian. Your veterinarian plays a key role
in the prevention of disease and maintenance of good health
throughout the life of your cat. Be sure to ask about the benefits

of year-round protection with REVOLUTION (selamectin).

A few words
about parasites.

As proud users of REVOLUTION(selamectin), youre already protected

against a wide range of parasites. However, it is important to
be aware of common parasites and never let your guard down.
Parasites can strike at any time without regular use of Revolution.
For additional information on parasites and their consequences,
talk to your veterinarian.

Knowing the enemy:

Heartworm

A potentially lethal parasite that is transmitted by mosquitoes

and can affect even indoor cats. There is no approved treatment
for feline heartworm disease. Prevention is the only option.

Roundworm

(Toxocara cati)

A common intestinal parasite that lives in the small intestine

and can cause gastrointestinal problems in kittens and adult
cats. This parasite is zoonotic, which means that it can be
transmitted to humans. Small children may be more susceptible
than the general population.

Hookworm

(Ancylostoma tubaeforme)

Another common zoonotic parasite that can be transmitted to

humans with fairly serious consequences. In cats, hookworms
attach to the wall of the intestine and live off blood, potentially
causing diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps and anemia.

Fleas

This parasite almost needs no introduction the fleas

reputation as a nuisance pest and hard-to-eradicate home
invader is well known. However, fleas can be more than an
uncomfortable irritant. Fleas often play host to tapeworms and
other parasites leading to compound infestations.

Ear mites

This irritating invader lives on the surface of your kittens ears,

feeding off the ear lining. If left untreated, ear mites can cause
damage to the ear and put your kitten at risk for secondary
bacterial infections. Highly contagious, infected cats and kittens
should be kept from contact with other animals.

Prevention is better medicine

The best way to protect your kitten is not to give parasites the
chance to invade. The Revolution year-round protection pack
gives you a full 12 months of parasite protection in one easy
package. Complete with 12 reminder stickers, it can help to
keep your cat healthy, all year long.
www.catsoftherevolution.com

Revolution is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc. 2005 Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved. REV0205020