Archive for the ‘Cat Health’ Category

With the large number of homeless and feral cats in the world, it is no wonder that people are beginning to realize the importance of neutering their cats. After all, since cats can reproduce several times a year and mature quickly, just two feral cats can quickly become twenty.

These feral cats are often actually unaltered pet cats that were released by owners who no longer could care for them. A colony of feral cats can spread diseases to pet cats and dogs in the area. Even when the cats are fairly healthy, they are often infested with fleas. When female cats are in heat, the colony can literally keep people up all night with their fighting and crying. Hungry cats will raid the trashcan and playful kittens will destroy shrubbery and soil lawn furniture.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Feline Infectious Peritonitis, also known as FIP, is an auto immune disease that affects Persian cats, as well as other cat breeds. It is known as a coronavirus, which means that it is caused by a mutation of the Feline Enteric Coronavirus. To date, there is no treatment for FIP, and there is no known diagnostic test either. FIP is diagnosed based on symptoms that the cat has.

FIP most often strikes young cats or kittens that have been in contact with other cats. Most homes that only have one cat are at less risk of FIV than homes with more than one cat. FIP is contagious, and while it isn’t known for sure, it is believed that the disease is transferred through feces. But since cats tend to groom each other, it may also be spread in this manner as well.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Just as you need to have regular checkups with your dentist, your Persian needs to have regular dental checkups with his veterinarian. This is often part of the annual or bi-annual general exam that your veterinarian will give your Persian, and it is very important. Most veterinarians will simply look at the cat’s teeth to ensure that there are no problems there, but you can request an oral cleaning as well, and this is definitely something that you should do.

From the time that they are born, tartar starts to accumulate on the Persians teeth. This tartar will lead to gingivitis if it is not taken care of properly. It is best to start your Persian on a tooth care regimen when he is a small kitten, so that it is something that he becomes accustomed to. This is cleaning that you must do between exams at your veterinarian’s office.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

One of the most important things you can do for your cat is to be sure its health is protected. Cat vaccinations can protect your cat from many common cat ailments.

You should begin vaccinating your kitten when he is six to eight weeks old. Before this time, his mother’s antibodies have been protecting him from many of the diseases that vaccinations protect against. However, now that he is weaned, he will need to develop his own antibodies.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Are you a new cat owner? If so, there will come a point in time when your cat becomes ‘just like one of the kids.’ However, until that time arrives, it is up to you to understand your cat and the small signals that he or she may be sharing with you.

As important as it is to hear that it will be your responsibility to understand your cat and decipher the signals that he or she may be sending you, you may be wondering why. Many pet owners often respond with something like ‘what the heck?’ If you are a new pet owner or a first-time pet owner, you may not understand just how much your cat relies and depends on you.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Ah yes, everyone’s favorite pet chore. One day you clean your cats’ box and discover little white chunks of what appear to be cooked spaghetti lodged in the feces, that is, until one starts to move. You know then that it’s time to deworm your cats.

If your veterinarian says that your cat doesn’t have anything particularly tough or nasty then he or she may recommend a regular schedule using commercial dewormers that can be found readily in any pet store. Your veterinarian even may have a good general purpose dewormer on hand for your use. Fortunately, there is a wide range of deworming medicines available on the market. Most are liquid or pill form.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Cats are what are known as obligate carnivores. An obligate carnivore is one that must east meat. You cannot just turn her out to graze in a pasture. The digestive tract of cats has been shortened and optimized proteins from meat. They simply don’t have the dental or digestive apparatus to process plant materials. It’s therefore surprising, given their physical inability to process plants, that you will still find cats nibbling on plants from time to time. There are many theories for why cats would nibble plants. They may be trying to balance an upset digestion or add missing vitamins and minerals. Perhaps they simply like the taste. Maybe it’s a combination of factors. The jury is still out on this matter.

Fortunately these days, we don’t have to go out and hunt for food to feed our cats. There are a large number of very good, nutritionally balanced foods available in pet stores to satisfy any cats’ tastes. Try to feed good quality food. It really does make a difference in the health and appearance of your pet. Pick one that your cat likes and stick with it. Cats don’t actually need a lot of variety. Changing their food constantly tends to
just make them picky eaters.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

Pet cat health care may be similar to caring for other pets. But such care may also have its own differences. One of them is that pet cats may suffer from a host of different diseases that other pets may not go through. Here is a list of some feline diseases that pet cats may suffer from at some point.

Feline Distemper

This disease usually affects pet cats at a young age. Known medically as feline panleukopenia, this type of viral infection lowers down the immune defenses of young kittens by severely affecting the production of white blood cells. This infection can make young kittens pass, liquid stool with blood due to the severe hemorrhaging that happens in their small intestine.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

When we experience pain in our bodies, we can easily tell someone that there is something wrong and that person will be able to bring you to the hospital. Pets cannot do that but watching them can tell you a lot of things which is why owners should practice cat care and be aware of the symptoms.

Here are a few diseases you should watch out for and their symptoms.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is the most feared disease and in fact is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by a coronavirus infection and the worse part is that the symptoms are very common with other ailments so it is really hard to tell.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment

It may be hard for a pet owner to notice a pet cat getting older. Outside, pet cats may show the same things- playing with toys around the home, taking naps sprawled on a favorite spot inside the home, snuggle up with you on the sofa. But inside, it might be a whole different thing. And health care for cats as they get old may change a little bit.

When caring your an aging cat, there are some things that a concerned pet owner should know about. When a cat approaches somewhere between the ages of eight or twelve years, this is the equivalent of a human being approaching middle age. This will be the time that your pet cat may be needing a bit of extra attention.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cat Lover

Post a Comment