Cat Health

Heather asked:


One of our cats has been behaving oddly. He has “banished” himself to the outdoors, he refuses to come inside. He has lost a lot of weight. His appetite is a bit lower than it used to be. He has skin issues as well. (a few small patches of hair missing.) Any ideas? I’m hoping to hear from someone who has some experience in the veterinary field. (yes, we are planning to take him to the vet as soon as we can.)
More details:
He is fixed.

Not sure how old he is, he was a rescue.

Vet won’t see him unless we have all of the $$$ up front, which we don’t at the moment. I’m researching low cost vet clinics in the area. Yes, I already called the vet, described his symptoms. Asked if they would work with me on payments, they refuse.

To the person who called me irresponsible, read a little closer. HE banished himself. We try to bring him in, but he refuses. So we put food and fresh water outside for him and we go out to pet and cuddle him.

No abuse, he is well loved by everyone here. (we are all cat lovers, our pets are family)

Feline leukemia is a concern. But I hope not.
Another thing, he pretty much stays in the yard, and there are very few (if any) other cats in the area.
We have tried making him stay inside, but the result was him crying at the door, running out as soon as we open the door, and him using the bathroom right in front of the door. When he first decided he wanted to be outside, his weight was fine. But it has very recently started dropping. It was hard to tell at first, because he is extremely furry.
We have 2 other cats that like to go in and out, but they are perfectly fine.
Renee, thank you for your insight.
I tried changing his cat food. (we noticed he would devour the dog’s food while ignoring his own food.) I am suspecting a possible developed adversion/allergy to his usual food. He loves the new food. Also got my hands on a good flea treatment, hopefully that will help. He has lost a total of 2 lbs. (he now weighs 12 lbs) Hopefully the rapid loss will stop if he eats this new food. I am also adding a little olive oil to his food to help his skin.

Nolan

Ann Kristin asked:


Cats look cute and adorable. That is until they start biting poor unsuspecting human beings. Cats need to be taught good behavior. A lot of biting that is done by cat is a result of uncorrected bad behavior. Keep in mind that cats came from the wild. Even though now cats have been domesticated and live in close contact with humans, their instincts remain the same. They are born hunters and are equipped with the natural tools designed to hunt a prey.

Cats have predatory instincts

Biting is a part of a cat’s defense mechanism. They do this when they feel threatened. Since biting is a cat’s way to protect themselves, humans have to be careful that their cats don’t think they are threatening them in any way when they are playing with their cats.

Remember that cats are predatory by nature. They exhibit this trait by playfully pouncing and biting the hands and feet of their owners.

It’s important for owners not to tolerate this behavior. Otherwise, their cats will think it is acceptable.

Cat owners should not encourage their cats to think that their hands and feet are play things. A lot of cat owners who tolerate this behavior have scars to prove this unfortunate mistake.

Look for the cause

Sometimes cats exhibit bad behavior such as scratching and biting when they are ill or have an injury. They also do this when they feel anxiety or fear.

Cat owners need to pay close attention to the health of their cats. They also need to examine their cat’s environment to assess if there’s something about their surroundings that is causing their cat’s bad behavior.

Train your cat

When training a cat, owners should reward their pets for their good behavior and obedience! This encourages the cat to maintain a good attitude. You can do this by giving them treats, or showering them with affection.

Fun activities

Sometimes cats bite when they get listless. When a cat starts to scratch and bite, owners can put a stop to this by distracting the cat with a fun activity. Give the cat a toy to play with. This will get the cat’s attention, and keep the cat preoccupied.

Cats are wonderful pets to have. Not only are they clean creatures- they keep themselves clean by licking their fur. But they are also very useful. The Ancient Egyptians used to keep cats to catch rodents.

But first things first, cats need to be trained and taught the rules of the house. Luckily for cat owners, this means, no more biting!



Ruby

Aaron McCann asked:


There are several things you can do to help you cat stay healthy from day to day; give him good shelter, high quality food, and plenty of fresh water.  These are the basics.  Like other living things however, cats can get sick from time to time regardless of how good your care is. 

As a cat owner, you’ll want to ensure that you feed your cat only the best food you can afford.  Premium cat foods are ideal for cats, as the food is designed to give your cat all the nutrition it needs without chemicals or preservatives.  You should also be aware of your cats day to day behavior, so that you’ll know when something isn’t right.  This can get you a jump on any bug your kitty may catch.  Most of the more common ailments and sicknesses are minor (such as urinary tract infections and respiratory infections), although there are some cases where a vet can be the determining factor between life and death for your cat.

How your cat behaves will often be your best tip for assessing their day to day health. If you notice your cat acting sluggish, and not eating you should really get him (or her) to the vet ASAP.  The condition of you cats coat is also something you can watch to get a feel for your cats health.  If you notice his coat getting dull and patchy or notice him shedding more than, you should contact your vet as it may be a sign of a nutrient imbalance that left untreated could seriously affect your feline.

Diarrhea and vomiting are common in cats, even if the bug they catch is minor. Knowing your cats normal behavior will tell you if this is normal or not.  If it persists for more than a day though, you should really consider a trip to the vet.  Coughing is common as well, simply because coughing is how your cat will dislodge hairballs.  If your cat seems to be coughing excessively, you should have him checked out as it may be an upper respiratory infection..

To help safeguard you cat against many common diseases, you should always make sure that he stays up do date with his vaccinations. There are several diseases that require vaccinations, including rabies and feline distemper.  Feline distemper is one of most devastating diseases a cat can get, but is very easy to prevent with proper medical care.  The disease strikes cats very fast, and leaves you very little time to seek treatment.

Feline leukemia is another disease that is very deadly but can be prevented very simply with the proper vaccinations.  Although it isn’t possible for the disease to spread to humans, it spreads quickly among cats.  There is a vaccination that can prevent this disease, although you’ll still want to be careful and not expose other cats around a cat you know has feline leukemia.

Another problem, which is most common with cats that stay outdoors, is worms.  Cats with worms will often have a dull coat and very little appetite.   There are several types of worms that commonly infect cats, including ringworms and hookworms.  Most commonly, you cat will get Worms from eating an infected flea, but they can also come from lice, or even the organs of dead rodents that cats consume.  Normally, the cat will digest the eggs which will later mature and attach themselves to the walls of the intestines. You will commonly see evidence of the worms when cleaning out the litter box or stuck to your cats fur.  They look like small grains of rice.  They are easy to treat, you vet can simply give you a pill of liquid that can be administered to the cat for approximately 3 days.

If you take care of your cat, chances are you’ll keep him healthy for years to come.  You should always strive to make sure that you are feeding the highest quality food you can afford as this will cut down on more problems that anything else.  Two of the best holistic brands are Wellness and Merrick. Yearly checkups at the vet are very important too. If he gets the proper vaccinations when he is required to get them, he should be safe against numerous pests and diseases.  Taking the proper steps with your cat now will prevent anything from happening in the future.



Collin

DoooZ B. asked:


See i love my cat so much i treat him like he’s my very own baby and i don’t get disgusted of him what so ever. Sometimes when i eat cornflakes he enjoys sipping the milk in the bowl so i don’t get bothered and let him do it since he won’t drink off his own and plus i enjoy the fact that he wants to eat from MY bowl and sometimes he sips the milk of my spoon but i was wondering would that harm me in any way??

Baylee

Jenny Black asked:


Owning a pet is one of the most common features that can be seen in almost all our households. And for most pet owners pets are a part of their family. But at the same time it has become one of the most expensive affairs. It is because of the treatment or the care they may need during their lifetime. Apart from the day-to-day costs of feeding and keeping your pet in good condition, there are many unplanned costs that include vets’ fees during operations and accidents, which you might find difficult to cover. Because of this, it’s a good idea to buy a pet health insurance policy which will protect both you and your pet. Pet health care insurance is a policy where the insurer will pay you for the covered costs of the treatment of your pets and in the return you have to shell out a certain sum of premium to the insurer at regular intervals.

There are different insurance companies that offer various health insurance policies and you can opt for the best policy that will suit your needs and family status. There are different health insurance plans for cats, for dogs and for your other pets. Policies vary from one company to other company.

And also the rate of premiums varies from company to company. Usually the policies under veterinary pet health insurance are cheaper for dogs and cats but little higher for other pets such as horses, rabbits etc. So before handing over your premiums to an insurer who provides pet health insurance, it is important for you to do a detailed research of all these information. Hence we suggest you to shop around a little. Now with online facilities on pet health insurance in UK it is easier to search and shop.

It is imperative to keep in mind that most pet care health insurances available in the market do not pay for routine check ups like worming, flea control nor is it likely to cover the pre-existing medical conditions that your pet has been suffering.

Apart from that, for some diseases and treatments that may need a long time, say more than a year, it is necessary to renew the policy at the end of the year. If not, you will loose your claim and the policy may end all together. The best time to buy a pet health insurance for your pet is when it is little, say for instance, 8 weeks old, because it is difficult to get maximum cover at the middle age. Thus according to the pets you own its high time for you to buy a dogs health insurance or cat health insurance or any other pet insurance as soon as possible.



Brian

Mario Carini asked:


Cats, by their nature, are independent and require little attention beside cleaning out the litter box, feeding and the stroking they get on their owner’s lap. You can be sure that your cat will always come back to your home once he has had his fill of chasing mice and exploring the territory around your home.

But just because they are independent creatures does not mean that you can ignore their health needs. Like your own health, if you want Fuzzy around for a long time, you should be aware of certain health requirements your cat needs beyond insuring they get their distemper and rabies shots.

Stress is not just exclusive to humans. A move, the loss of human companionship or a change in family routine can lead Fuzzy to stop eating or claw up the furniture in frustration.

As a cat ages, free radical damage occurs and the best way to keep the cat healthy is by supplying them with herbs and anti-oxidants like quercitin and rutin to maintain their vitality.

We don’t always think in terms of our pet’s health assuming that all that’s necessary is to feed it. Cat food alone doesn’t provide the kind of nutrition that leads to a shiny coat of fur and good digestion. Just like you and me, your can also needs some herbal help as can be found in echinacea and reishi mushrooms. Prevention from sickness is just as important as it is for you.

One of the best ways to keep your cat healthy is by feeding it the kind of food that a cat really needs. A quality canned food meat diet is preferable over dry kibbles. The type of protein found in dry kibbles are often too high in plant-based protein. Cats are carnivores and require meat rather than grain in their diets. It’s what they normally eat in the wild. Water is an essential element of the diet and you don’t find much in a bag of Purina Cat Chow. Cats need to consume water with their food as the drive for thirst is not very strong in cats. Without water, the cat will experience kidney and bladder problems down the road.

And if you think your veterinarian knows what’s best for your cat, think again. Even the prescription diets sold by veterinarians are not formulated for your cat’s optimal health. They often contain corn, wheat and other ingredients that put a high carbohydrate load on your cat. Before you consider a vet for your cat, find out if they have a good knowledge of pet nutrition, especially for cats.

While millions of people suffer from the effects of diabetes, your cat can get it too! Because those dry kibbles are plant-based, they can affect the blood sugar levels in your cat. Dry kibbles is the junk food for a cat. The manufacturers coat the kibble with an enticing animal digest spray. This makes it difficult to wean a cat to meat-based canned food like chicken or beef just as it is to get your children to eat what’s best for them.

Joint health is an important factor, even in a young animal. You should allow your cat to roam around in the outdoors. That provides them the exercise they need to stay flexible. An indoor cat becomes bored and lazy as well as fat. As a pet owner myself, I’ve observed my cat getting fat during the coldest months of winter and slims down during the summer when it feels more willing to romp in the grass rather than the cold and wet snow of winter.

While your cat may seem quite frisky and agile, joint health starts at an early age which becomes evident as the animal ages. Any abnormal development shows up in limping and restricted movement the older the cat gets. Hip dysplasia occurs in both cats and dogs, even in animals as young as 5 months old. It only gets worse as the animal ages. Osteoarthritis isn’t limited to us humans..

If your pet limps and has limited mobility, consider giving it natural minerals such as glucosamine sulfate, methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), devil’s claw or boswellia serrata. Don’t assume that your cat’s limp is due to old age. Feed your cat the herbs and minerals it needs to stay agile longer. You can’t do much if your cat has hip dysplasia, but it will see more mobility with less pain.

So if you want to have a healthy cat, consider these points. Feed it “muscle” meat, such as chicken or turkey rather than organ meats. Leave out the dry kibbles. By all means give it the shots it needs, but don’t reply completely on your vet. Most vets have a poor education when it comes to nutrition.

By following the basic rules, your cats will live long and pain-free lives.

For more information on cats, go to www.cat-purrfect.com



Nelson

Christopher Byrnes asked:


A Few Simple Reasons To Improve Your Cat Care

The more fully you educate yourself about the ins and outs of cat care, the more able you will be to create an ideal care regimen for your pet. The better your cat care, the longer your cat will live, and the higher the quality of life it will have. In case that isn’t reason enough for you to invest a bit of time and energy in learning to offer your feline pet the best possible cat care, here is a quick breakdown of a few of the many benefits to outstanding cat care.

Great cat care means that when your cat needs medical treatment, you will recognize the signs early, possibly even long before invasive or costly procedures or drugs are necessary. Conscientious cat care will help you notice any health problems as soon as they manifest in even minor symptoms. This can help you catch issues early, when they are at their most easily treatable. By providing great cat care, you are helping to stop diseases and other health problems in their tracks by getting your cat the medical attention he or she needs as early as possible.

Regular, excellent cat care means that you will be able to be more efficient and save time in your cat care regimen. If you take a bit of time each day to complete a few simple cat care tasks, you will be sure that nothing builds up until it gets out of hand. In fact, you can spend less time overall by making efficient cat care a part of every day. Habitual and thorough cat care can actually be less work than taking care of a cat who you have ignored even a little bit. After all, grooming a slightly scruffy cat once every week is easier overall than grooming an utterly filthy cat once a month.

When you fully understand the different aspects of cat care, you can be sure that you aren’t neglecting any part of the cat care equation. Cat care is a multifaceted process that includes everything from stern training to playful snuggling, and an inexperienced or uneducated cat owner may not be aware of all of these different sides to having a cat. When a cat doesn’t have all of its needs fulfilled, it can develop behavior or health problems that could have been avoided through simple, responsible care on the part of the owner.

Last but not least, one great reason to improve your cat care is simply that there is no good reason not to. Learning how to care for your cat more fully and completely is easy, so you might as well give it a try. Even if you think that you already know everything under the sun about cat care, it never hurts to double check. Take some time to skim a book or a few websites on the subject, and you just may discover your own reasons to improve the way you care for your pet.



Ashleigh

John Savage asked:


Cats, despite their loveable and inimitable independent tendencies, really do thrive when attention is lavished upon them. Often nearly standoffish, absent a great deal of the time, cats seem to develop a closer relationship to their owners when pampered.

As a result, cat owners often look for new and interesting ways to give their cats extra attention. Cat pampering can take a variety of forms, ranging from simple extended petting sessions to homemade meals to elaborate toys.

Many cat owners have been accused of giving too much attention to their pets. People will argue that these well-intended owners are actually “spoiling” their cats by going out of their way to show them attention and concern. Is this a valid concern? Can one truly pamper their cat too much?

The wise among us tell us to practice moderation in all things. The same, it would seem, should apply to cat pampering. At some point, too much pampering surely occurs, spoiling a cat and creating a needy animal. However, compared with other pets (most notably dogs), there is a wide margin of error with cats. Most of those who pamper their cats will see far greater benefits from their efforts than they will detriments.

Cats do need to understand that there are rules and boundaries. There are parts of every home and certain activities that must be forbidden in order for the human and his or her pet to function in the same household comfortably. Cats, luckily, are notoriously quick students and usually pick up on these limits quickly and tend to abide by them.

Thus, it is very difficult to spoil a cat too much so long as those basic ground rules are observed and enforced. As long as a cat owner does not allow the animal to break these core rules, there is little risk in spoiling a cat.

Will a cat become more needy if attention is lavished upon him or her? Probably so. The cat who is frequently given pats and rubs will surely begin to expect them and will come back for more. Is this really a negative, though? Most cat owners would argue it is actually a benefit! After all, the cat enjoys the attention, the owner enjoys providing the attention and in the meantime the cat/owner bond and relationship is strengthened.

It is possible to allow a cat to develop unrealistic expectations or to become fairly demanding. Cats will begin to view pampering as “their due” and will insist upon it. In this sense, it could be argued that too much pampering is a bad thing.

However, the cat’s expectations will seldom reach the point where they are unreasonable. In some ways, this development of an expectation is actually advantageous, as it can compel an owner to consistently show attention and love to his or her feline companion.

When one considers all of this, it becomes fairly clear that even if spoiling a cat is possible, the negative repercussions of the spoiling will be relatively minor so long as the owner does not create a situation where he or she cannot keep up with the expectations of the pet.

A cat owner can feel relatively comfortable that his or her kind and pampering acts toward a cat will do very little damage while significantly improving the quality of life for both the cat and the owner.

Yes, there are extreme cases where a spoiled cat could be developed and there could certainly be some annoyance and frustration as a result. However, it is hard to reach this point. The natural independence of cats generally serves as insulation from any such problem.

Cat owners can pamper their cats without too much concern about creating a “needy monster.” Instead, the pamperer is far more likely to create a loving pet.

You can spoil your cat, but you really have to try in order to do so. Cat pampering is unlikely to create major problems for either the owner or the pet and should not be avoided due to fears of spoiling the cat.



Jasmine

aunt_marsh asked:


12 yrs. tabby was throwing up gave med from vet stopped.then diarrhea
got over counter med stopped that pretty much now throwing up again not as bad as before,yet. sneezing all the time. Any idea of cause and what does it take to fix.

John

Steve Cownley asked:


The Red Flags about Cat Heath Care

First, in order for your feline companion to be happy and contented, you need to provide them a home. Yes, it can be left to wander about your own house and treat it like their kingdom. But you have to make sure that the surrounding is safe. Do not hang about things that would cause injury and further mishaps to your cats.

Second, make sure that your cat gets the necessary nutrition that it needs. To do so, you have to give them only the best kind of cat food. The best will not necessarily mean expensive. You can ask your vet for recommendations given the amount that you can allot for this purpose.

And lastly, think about your cat health care. This is so vital because if you were caught unaware of a sudden incident, you may easily lose you beloved pet just because you didn\’t know what to do.

So know your cat. Observe it well. Know their usual interests, the way they eat, they way they interact with the other pets and also the people in your house. If you feel that something seems to be out of place, then call your vet immediately for advice.

So find a veterinarian nearest your place and get their contact information immediately. They are your lifeline whenever your cat\’s life seems to be in danger.

You will be the first judge if something seems to be wrong with your cats. Here are some indications.

Grooming Style

These creatures are known to be vain. They are always grooming themselves. If they are grooming too much on one side, they might be bugged by something like, yes, bug or fleas. The process may hurt them. So interrupt and act upon it.

Also beware if they are no longer cleaning up on their own. It may be a sign of depression. You also have to consult the vet about it if this happens.

Eating Style

If you know your cat very well, you will easily see if there are any changes to their eating habits. Don\’t let them go through the day without eating too much. This may be a symptom to something else. So this is also a good time to call on your vet.

The Behavior

If your cat is friendly and it all of a sudden becomes aloof, you need to raise the alarm level. This also goes with the way your cat walks. If it seems to be doing this thing just a bit too odd, it may be something to be concerned about.

As the owner, you need to be very cautious with everything that your cat does. You have to take note of their vowel elimination. Just like humans, they may sometimes suffer from diarrhea or the likes.

Although calling the vet is always the best choice for you to do, you can also search the web for quick solutions to minor problems. The Internet offers a vast resource for your every cat health care question. So take time to read some info and apply it on your own pets.

The Cat Care and Health Insurance Know How\’s

Many people love their pet so much they have them insured. Cat care and health insurance is not the same thing. The first is a must while the latter can be forgone.

In order to care for your cat, you must understand your pet as a pet. You have to be responsible once you have taken the steps to acquire a feline companion. There should be no going back. So think twice, thrice and a hundred of times before committing into becoming a parent to a pet.

Cats are special. They can see sharper than humans do. They can also smell a lot better. This is the reason why you need to arrange things in your home accordingly once you have decided that a cat will soon join in.

Do not let anything that may cause them harm lying around. This is the same concept that you must apply like when you have a child. You want to protect them. That is why you keep those harmful objects out, specifically the poisonous ones. You do not want to cause your own child and pet serious accidents.

You have to provide the right cat food for your pet. You cannot give them what you had for dinner. Your bodies and its requirements are not the same. So give them the food that is specifically made for them. This way, they will get all the necessary nutrition that they need.

So before you think about owning a cat, look over the prices of the food. It may take about $8 to $12 monthly to keep your cat purring happily. Can you afford it? You may have to make some adjustments with your lifestyle to be able to accommodate the need. Just think that it will all be worth it.

Recreation must also be given consideration when you own a cat. You cannot adopt one and think that it will be happy just by playing by itself. You have to find time to play with your pet and bond with it. In time, you will know what activities they enjoy. And so you will be able to make the necessary adjustments to make time for such activities.

Because of their strong sense of smell, budgeting must also be highlighted on the litter boxes of your cats. You have to give them clean and well-maintained ones. Your cat will not to their strut on an untidy litter box. Your regal baby cannot stand the stink. So be careful with how everything smells. What is okay with you may be abominable for your feline companion.

Finding the nearest veterinarian is also a must. You need them in cases when you think that something is not right with your cat. For this reason, you have to be very observant.

Yes, cats can groom themselves. But you have to help them in maintaining their teeth clean and strong. You don\’t want that factor to be the reason why your cat will be depressed on its old age. So develop a habit of cleaning their teeth through brushing, flossing and having a regular teeth check up with your vet.

Health Insurance

You can do without this. But if you really want to get one, see if your trusted vet is among the list of the recommended vets of your chosen insurance. You don\’t want to end up taking long trips just to be able to claim what the insurance promises to give.

It is better to hone your skills on cat care and health insurance can be put aside. But it all depends on you. There is nothing wrong with having one. Just make sure that you can afford it and it will not take toll on the monthly budget your family and feline friend require.

Steve Cownley

http://www.cat-care.site50.net



Austin