Recently one of my beloved kitties got sick. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and after a trip to the vet and bloodwork it was inconclusive but showed it could be a virus. My vet gave her a shot to lower her temp and another (Convenia) for the virus. 
After I  relayed this information on our FB page someone commented that their vet was told to stop giving this shot but  she couldn't remember why so I did some research on google. 
This shot, as I understood it from my vets info years ago is mainly for deep tissue injuries and dental infections. Several of my cats have had this shot and we've had no problems or reactions from the ones who have received it. So needless to say I was not really that concerned about the shot until she told me this. 

The first cat we had that got this shot was for a deep tissue wound. The second had diarrhea. Others that received the shot were feral and sick and I could not medicate them so they gave them the convenia shot for various colds/URI infections. The vet told us that even though it was mainly for deep tissue wounds that we could give it a try and it might help which it did. So the scope in which we have used the shot for was for more than just deep tissue or dental  problems and it did seem to work.

One such instance was when  our Wendycat had horrible watery diarrhea and stopped eating. After the shot she didn't eat for 4 days straight and then suddenly started eating whether it was the shot or something else we don't know but she survived and I was thankful the shot helped at least I think it did. I have noticed that my vet seems more willing to give this shot for a more wide variety of ailments than at first and I believe its because it seems to have helped. There are many drugs that are used for more things than they are intended for at first and vets have found other uses for them. 

So back to my research online. I found this information that I did not know which is the down side of this shot. I think its good to know all you can about a medicine so you can make a decision as to what you would like your vet to prescribe for you cat as its usually the owners preference that determines this. 

This shot is an extended slow release antibiotic. As with any medicines it can have reactions and sometimes they can be severe depending on the animal. The problem with this shot is that it is not like other antibiotics that are usually out of the system quicker. Convenia exerts its antibacterial effects for approximately 1-2 weeks but stays in the body for over 2 months.So if your cat has a severe reaction to this there is no way to clear its body of it. Death has occurred in some cases. 


Convenia shots seem nice to those who don't want to go through the trouble of medicating once or twice a day as most antibiotics require but you must decide if it is worth the risk especially when there are safer means of medicating available. Many of my cats have had this shot and we have not had any bad reactions to this shot.  I believe, after much reading, that it is an alternative for say ferals (who you cannot give medicine to or handle)  or for what it was intended for but in the future we have decided we will use this only when we cannot use other options in light of what I have learned about the risks of this shot. We use several vets and all have told us they have not had any severe reactions to this shot.
Most people don't understand that the drug lasts in the system for up to 65 days. I know I didn't and so I thought I would pass this information along to all of you. 
 I do find it concerning some vets will just give the shot without informing you about it and so you have to tell them you do not want them to give it and keep it on file. 

Here is a very helpful link where I got most of my information. 
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=convenia
I  am including a few more links and if you google this you can find many more sites and blogs on the subject. So please be informed and use at your own risk just be informed and make the best decision you can for your pet. 


 http://www.livestrong.com/article/249522-side-effects-of-convenia/

http://consciouscat.net/2011/09/26/convenia-for-cats-sacrificing-safety-for-convenience/ 

If you would like to discuss this there is a Facebook page dedicated to this. This blog was meant to be informative and not a forum for people to belittle those who choose to use convenia. 

Ever wonder why your cat is laying in the sun, enjoying the heat when you are sweating and thinking clearly your cat has lost his mind?

First you must realize that cats do not feel heat the way we do.

A cats body temperature is 102 degrees which is much warmer that our 98.7 degrees.

Cats also have fewer heat receptors than we do. While we feel pain at a temp of 112 degrees a cat won't feel pain until it reaches 126 degrees which is why cats get burned more easily. They will lay too close to a fire or walk on a hot stove.

The breed of a cat makes a difference too. Different breeds are more tolerant of cold. Breeds like the Maine Coon with their thick fur coat helps to keep them warmer than other breeds.

Also the age of a cat can determine how warm they need to be. Newborns cannot produce enough heat on their own and therefore depend on the mother cat for warmth. Newborns have a keen sense of temperature using the receptors on their face. This allows them to find the mother cat while their eyes are still closed. This is why you must provide warmth to kittens who have lost their mother. Kittens that are too cold will not eat or thrive.

Illness will also change a cats heat seeking behavior. While some illnesses cause cats to seek out cooler spots than normal others will cause them to find warmer than normal places. It is very important to observe your cats behavior and if there are any changes you should contact your veterinarian.

It is also helpful to understand the origin of the cat to get a better idea of why they seek warmth.

Desert cats bodies are built to throw off heat with their long bodies and short hair while colder climate cats have longer hair and shorter stocky bodies.

Cats are mammals which means they use a certain amount of fuel to heat their bodies. Almost a third of their fuel is used to maintain their skin and fur.

Cats will conserve energy by using the solar energy of the sun to stay warm. You will see them follow the sunlight as it inches across the room.  This odd behavior offsets the body's drop is basal metabolism that occurs with sleeps shutdown of certain body processes.

It doesn't necessarily have to be the sun, but any warm place such as under a lamp or next to a fire, on a car hood or even under the car in the motor which you must be extremely careful of as many cats get killed in the fan when the car is started for this reason.

This heat seeking behavior allows a cats body to not work as hard to stay warm while napping.

So while your cat may baffle you at times with his odd behavior remember it is serving a much needed purpose.

To learn more about this and other cat related wonders you can try this wonderful blog I found :
http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/why-do-cats-lie-in-the-sun/3302

I also found this link helpful:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=297