Hello,

Please let me introduce myself.

My name is Iain Halder and I am from Glasgow, Scotland but presently
live in London, England.

I have had three female cats, two of whom have passed on at 12 (Odie)
and 17 (Whiff) years respectively and both to cancer. My third cat
Tigger, who is 12, is the remaining survivor and I am concerned that
she remains alive and well.

I'd like to feed her as healthy a diet as possible and have moved her
gradually to healthier food. However, there are various health-food
supplements which are known to be generally life-extending through
immune system-enhancement and cancer-prevention. See www.lef.org I
take them myself and want to give appropropriate dosages to Tigger.

My question is it safe to do such a thing? Is anybody out there aware
what health foods should NEVER ever or generally NOT be given to a
cat? I'm thinking GINGKO BILOBA a herb which is known to be
antioxidant and circulation enhancing. I have never had an 11am or 3pm
mental lull ever since starting it and I think it may also enhance
Tigger's mental and thereby physical activity.

Thank you for reading this and I hope someone can be of help.

Iain Halder

Keep in mind that Ginko Biloba acts as a blood thinner and therefore
clotting is slowed. Some other conditions may contraindicate the use of this
substance.

I'd consult your vet before giving this to your cat. It might be just fine
for your cat but the vet would be able to advise you about the appropriate
dosage.

Hi Iain,
I would highly recommend the book Herbs for Pets by Mary Wulff-Tilford and
Gregory Tilford.  It's a great book and beautifully illustrated.  The have
quite a lengthy discussion of ginko in the book and so it's too long for me to
post here.  Basically it's safe for animals.  It says that there have been over
400 scientific studies to validate ginko's effectiveness in both animals and
humans.  One thing it does do is act to improve circulation by inhibiting the
platelet aggregation factor (PAF), the mechanism that causes slow-moving or
obstructed blood to become sticky and beging forming clots.  Therefore, if the
animal has just had surgery or has a blood clotting problem, it is not
recommended.  Other than that, it seems to have some benefits, and says it also
"works as a nervous system tonic.  It says studies indicate that ginkgo somehow
increases energy levels in the brain and stimulates the release of various
neurotransmitters, many of which regulate constriction of important smoooth
muscle tissues throughout the body."

I don't know if Amazon.com delivers to Scotland, but I know they have the Herbs
for Pets book.

I agree with Wendy though, I would definitely consult with your vet before
giving this to your cat.  Hopefully you can find a vet who is experienced with
herbs, as many of them are not.

Hope this helps,
Lauren
________
See my cats:  http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

Iain, ask Tigger's primary healthcare provider.

Hi,

Thanks for that info and I'll be ordering the book on Herbs as it
sounds just what I am looking for.

It is somewhat ironic I asked this question because Whiff died of a
stroke. Apparently the intestinal sarcoma cancer she was being treated
for was breaking up and the vet suggested this may have been what
killed her in the end.

I wonder if we had given her the Ginkgo if it may have helped. Of
course too late now but I do wish I had known about this newsgroup
when both my girls were ill.

Thanks Again!

Iain.H

My heart says 'Kant' but my head says 'Hobbes'