Cl4—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, September 12,1981- Kids, this is your last chance to send in those captions for our whispering calf contest. If you've missed previous issues, let us fill you in on the contest Above you see Bradley Hoppes, son of Roy and Geraldine Hoppes of Mohrsville, getting an earful from a cute little calf. What is the calf saying? If you know, send your caption to Kid’s Korner, Lancaster Farming, Box 366, Lititz, 17543, by September 21. First and second places will receive a prize and will get their names published here! Test Your Metric Knowledge For each of the following 10 questions, choose the answer you think is correct and put a check m the space provided. A gram weighs about the same as (a) an apple (b) a dime (c) a pineapple A meter is about the height of: (a) . (b) _ (C). Water freezes and boils at: (a) 32°C and 212°C (b) 100°C and 200°C (c) O°C and 100°C a door a kitchen counter • the seat of a chair GQSBQKB33 fm izpßmfoopi PHILADELPHIA Cats are as susceptible as their owners to viruses that cause respiratory distress. Unfortunately, cats rarely escape with the feline equivalent of the “common cold”. They more often develop the fever, sneezing, and runny nose that signal a major problem for the pet owner; Cats are infected when tiny virus particles floating through the air enter the mouth or nose and grow on the cells lining the nasal Kids, here’s another metric puzzler to boggle your mind. See if this one is easier than last week’s. Good luck! A coffee cup holds about; (a) 2 milliliters (mL) (b) ___ 20mL (c) 250 mL A new-born baby weighs about: (a) 3 kilograms (kg) 3O kg . 300 kg (b) (c) _ The height of a tall man is about: (a) SO centimeters (cm) SOO cm S0£)0 cm (b) . ... (c) milliliters YOi FCOP m ' Cats catch colds passages. These viruses become firmly entrenched in the cat’s respiratory system, causing symptoms that last a few days or weeks or turn into a chronic condition. There are also cases where an apparently healthy pet carried a hidden virus infection but resisted it until the pet was subjected to crowded living conditions, poor diet or a similar stressful situation. Feline respiratory disease is especially Severe in humane shelters where the infection can move swiftly from animal to animal. It’s not unusual .for professional breeders to see nearly half their animals affected at one Normal body temperature is: (a) 25°C ( degrees Celsius') (b) . 37°C (c) . 45°C A liter of milk is: (a) _ larger than a quart rb) smaller than a quart the same size as a quart (c; A liter of water weighs (a)— 1000 grams (g) (h) __ log (c). 100 g 10. The thickness of a dime is about 0.1 millimeters (mm) 1 mm 5 mm (a) - (b) (c) too time. Cats keep in private households are not affected quite so often because the opportunity for exposure is less. In cats, respiratory disease is a “complex” a condition that can be caused by at least three dif ferent viruses and one parasitic , organism. Sometimes these agents work in combination and so ’ weaken the cat that it becomes susceptible to additional bacterial diseases. ' > ■ * The organism that causes most feline respiratory disease is, a herpesvirus.. Cats do not seem to develop any long term immunity to this virus, and can carry this agent long after their symptoms have disappeared. Althoughmortality is low in mature catsj most of which recover completely, the virus is devastating to young kittens. Many die, and survivors can be stunted for life. .Vaccines that will protect your cat or kitten from respiratory disease have been perfected in the last five years, and are now widely available ' from veterinarians across the country. Some products are given as nose drops, others are injected. One vaccination a year is suf- ficient for most cats, although an occasional animal may require two doses six months apart for complete protection. It .is especially important to protect kittens, as the temporary protection they receive from nursing a vaccinated mother disappears within six to twelve weeks after birth. Breeders often begin inoculating " kittens at five weeks of age and repeat the vaccination until they are certain the kittens -have established their own immunity, usually about twelve weeks of age. If you fail to'vaccinate your cat, be aware that cats with .respiratory infections have special problems. Often they become dehydrated and can develop painful month ulcers. When this happens, the cat refuses to eat, becomes depressed and highly susceptible to pneumonia. Your pet may also lose considerable weight. Treatment consists of an tibiotics, medicated ointments and fluids from your veterinarian, plus tempting bits of food and comfort from you. During and after - treatment, the convalescing pet should be protected from all types of physical stress. As the “cold season’’ progresses, keep in mind that vaccination against feline respiratory problems is much' easier than treatment and do much better for the health of your pet. b 9 Q I q 9 ■b' g 0 f, 3 2 ?! :sj9iM£nry