Cat Health

Judy Jantzen asked:


Each and every cat is amazing and those we choose or those who choose us, can become a wonderful and delightful part of our lives. Each cat has it’s very own individual personality, it’s own likes and dislikes, just as we humans do. Accepting this fact will help you to accept your cat’s behavior and how to alter and refine it’s possible naughty moments.

Adopted, rescued and hybrids bred for profit cats all come with their unique set of needs. Much like adopting a foster child, each one has a wagon to pull of having been loved or unloved, possibly abused and then abandoned. Many abandoned cats have faced terror, hunger, hardships and are then locked in a small cage at a shelter or store awaiting rescue. They are badly in need of your love and help.

It is necessary to understand that they have their memories of all that and their fears. With love and special care you can win the cat’s trust, heart and love. They will soon try hard to please you and do things your way. You must realize that they have to learn a whole new set of rules while they are trying to decide, if you and your home are safe for themselves and that doesn’t happen all at once. If you think of teaching a two year old frighten child what it needs to know and work that way with the cat, you will soon have a great relationship. Think of how you react to being in a new and uncomfortable situation.

Figure out which food they prefer, flavors - wet or dry. Lots of love and gentle play. Give the cat some space and letting it come to you for attention can add to the cat’s sense of calm and ease it’s fears. Let it know you are open to it’s affection. Gentle grooming is necessary for the cat and for you to keep down the loose hair. It is also great for bonding with the cat.

Gentle discipline is necessary from the very beginning, so that the cat will understand what is acceptable and what is not. Cats are very intelligence and will learn quickly. If you already have a cat, territorial disputes may arise. Putting the new cat in a quiet room with it’s food, water and a litter box will give it a chance to settle in quietly and get use to your smells and sounds while dealing with it’s fears of a new environment. Introduce the new rooms and it’s full territory, family and friends slowly. Let it decide when it is safe to get to know them. Forcing the issue will only cause the cat to be frighten and not trust you to do what is best for it’s comfort level. Give the cat a place of safety to run and hide when it is frighten. A door bell is a good example. 

The cat may come to you with fleas, ticks and other things that need to be dealt with at once.Schedule a visit to the vet, as soon as you can, to get a health checkup, shots, neutering and declawing, if you choose to do it. The cat will not enjoy it, but it is necessary for the cat’s well being and your sanity, if the cat is to stay inside, where it is safer. The sooner it is done the easier it will be for you to trust each other and form a loving bond.

Work with your cat to establish a trust and friendship, just as you would with a human friend and you will have a wonderful companion for a long time. The cat will always be dependent on you for it’s food, water, a clean litter box, it’s health and safety. It will reward you with it’s love and entertainments. Having a cat is a wonderful thing to do with your life.



Tessa

joe asked:


my female cat seems To have swallowed something. it seems that if she eats it comes back up, and every now and again she starts trying to hack something up but can’t, she did manage some yellow phlegm last night and has no appetite what so ever. now she was very little energy.

Marisa

YoopdieDoopdieDo! asked:


Could it make the cat more aggressive?

Carter

Jay Moncliff asked:


Cat Food Fact #1 Cats must get their Protein Protein is crucial for your cats health, and generally comes from fish, meat or poultry. Advertisers will often say their brand is beef, turkey or mackerel flavoured, but it may not actually contain those products, meaning it may not be rich in protein. Always ensure the food you buy but your cat has a sufficient amount of protein in it, irrespective of the flavour.

Cat Food Fact #2 Cat Food with Taurine Taurine is an important amino acid for your cat, and you should also check that the food you buy contains this supplement. Cats control their own levels and indicate these with their appetite. If you cat is eating a lot, the food you are buying may not have enough nutrients for a balanced diet. You can watch your cats weight by buying a nutrient rich food as your cat will eat less and you might even save money.

Cat Food Fact #3 Canned or Dry Cat Food? Cats require a varied diet, including a mixture of canned and dry food. Contrary to opinions that it does not matter, buying only one type of food because of convenience or price is a mistake, and can harm your cats health. When the cat is alone or unattended for a period, carbohydrate rich dry food should be left out for your cat with a supply of fresh water. Tinned food is higher in protein due to the meat content, and contains higher water levels. Both are essential for a balanced diet, and a combination of both dry and canned food will keep essential variety in the diet and prevent the cat from seeking food elsewhere.

Cat Food Fact #4 Avoid fillers in cat food Protein is essential for your cat as part of a balanced diet. Ensure the food you buy is rich in protein, and not overly full of carbohydrates, common fillers used by manufacturers to build out volume. Always read the label, and check for overly high levels of carbohydrate and other by-products in the cat food.



Jace

Madonna Jeffries asked:


I am an animal lover and have been since I was a child. Today I own a couple of dogs as well as four cats. As other pet owners would know you take on a huge responsibility when you decide that you want to own a domestic animal. Not only do you have to feed them good nutritious food you also need to provide them with regular exercise so that you can ensure that they remain healthy and free of ailments.

I am quite astonished that many pet owners ignore the opportunity to buy pet health insurance for cats. Statistics show that people who own dogs as well as cats are more inclined to insure their dog rather than their cat. I am not sure as to why they decide this, perhaps it is because they have the belief that because dogs are more active they are more likely to get injuries requiring veterinary treatment, rather than cats who are considered to be more homely and less likely to sustain injuries. In reality cats, even those that remain mostly indoors, are just as likely to require treatment for health problems as dogs.

In some cases it is cats who are more prone to having health related problems than dogs. Cats are inclined to suffer in silence, meaning that although they may have a serious health problem you may not necessarily realize because they don’t jump about complaining as is the case with most dogs.

Furthermore, cats are known to have an incredibly high threshold for pain and suffering. It is because of their ability to mask the fact that they have serious health problems that your cat may suffer right before your eyes and you may never even know it. A cat could well be suffering a life-threatening ailment for many years but if you don’t take it to the vet for regular checkups the problem may never be discovered.

In the case of pet owners who have more than one cat, if one gets sick it is highly likely to pass on the problem to your other cats resulting in you incurring quite sizable vet fees and ongoing treatment costs. So rather than insure your dog and ignore your cat you should go out and buy pet health insurance for cats as well. When you talk to the average pet owner you get a variety of different responses when you mention something as important as taking your cat for regular veterinary check ups. Often, people will say things like “Well, if there is nothing wrong with my cat then I usually don’t bother taking them to the vet’. This response shows that the cat owner is somewhat irresponsible.

Like humans our pets should be subjected to frequent check-up so as to maintain good health and identify any potential problems. Taking preventative measures for our animals is a much better option than having to source a cure. The cost of preventative animal health is also much cheaper than having to fix up a particular problem. With the peace of mind offered by pet health insurance for cats you will be able to control the cost of providing regular health checks for your much adored pet. Check out the prices for pet health insurance online for all your domestic animals - you will be pleasantly surprised at the small amount you need to pay for peace of mind.



Emmanuel

Gidgetmine22 asked:


I gave him a bath and noticed a couple of fleas on his neck.

Stella

ryman1214 asked:


My dad has been feeding my cats a lot of eggs recently and we don’t like the idea of it (my mom, sister and I). One of them is somewhat heavy/flabby and 2 1/2 years old. The other is still growing and is a few months old. The eggs have mostly been fried. Is this really healthy for them?
Also, I know this isn’t about the eggs, but what age does a kitten have to be to get vaccinated and neutered?

Toby

Christopher Byrnes asked:


Cat care consists of making sure that you do everything you can to keep your feline pet in great health. This means everything from feeding your cat a balanced diet to grooming your cat to keeping its environment fresh and clean. The rewards of taking a little bit of time and energy to offer your cat the very best care are wide and varied, but one of the most exciting incentives that will make you want to learn how to give the best cat care is financial. Great cat care can help you save money in a number of ways, and the effort that you put into cat care can really pay off when it comes to keeping your household budget low.

One of the primary costs associated with keeping a cat is the high price of veterinary medicine. Learning about and providing optimum cat care can help you save a pretty penny on your pet’s medical bills in two important ways. Many uneducated cat owners end up making pricy trips to the vet when nothing is wrong. By educating yourself about basic cat care, you will be able to reduce unnecessary trips to the vet by a dramatic margin. If a problem like a virus does arise, if you’ve provided great cat care your pet will be in strong shape to recover in a minimum time frame, which means less treatment and less expense. By giving your cat the best possible care at home, you will keep your pet strong and healthy so that it will be well equipped to battle illness and avoid injuries that can require costly procedures and medications.

By offering your pet conscientious cat care on a daily basis, you will grow familiar with what your cat’s normal habits are, and will be quick to notice any changes in behavior patterns. When you know a lot about cat care, you will be more likely to understand what these changes mean and whether there is cause for concern. To the uneducated owner, even a slight alteration in eating patterns or activity can cause a panicked trip to the vet, only to discover that there is nothing wrong. If you are well informed about cat care you will be sure that you only head for the doctor if there is a definite reason for alarm. This can help you save hundreds of dollars in veterinary bills. The more you know about cat care, the less you will have to rely on outside professionals to tend to the needs of your cat.

Giving your feline friend great cat care means that your cat will be as healthy as possible at all times. A balanced diet, consistent affection, and attention to your cat’s grooming and environment will help you keep your cat fit, trim, and strong. This boosts your pet’s immune system, making it less susceptible to diseases and health problems that can require extensive and costly treatment. Keeping your cat in the pink is a great way to keep medical bills low so that your cat doesn’t become a financial burden.



Amarioin

Goatboy69 asked:


She doesn’t move around a lot. Often I will leave for 8-10 hours, and when I return, she is right where she was when I left. She weighs 6 lbs, but eats about 3 lbs of dry food every 2 weeks. She also drinks lots of water.

She has adopted some new practices as of late…She has started using my fireplace as her litterbox. I ended up having to cover the fireplace up with plastic to stop that. She is doing it even with completely clean litter in her litterbox on occasion. This had never happened, ever, in the past. I did not change the type of litter, placement of her box, etc. I think she is doing it because it is the nearest place to where she is sleeping.

Well, now she has moved to the bathroom, and is doing it in my shower…

Several “cat people” have told me that these signs were signs of the end for their cats. They were becoming incontinent. They suggest having her put to sleep.

Also,if I do, should I get a new cat or kitten beforehand? So they can meet?

Colby

Alison Grimston asked:


(c) 2008 The Naturally Healthy Pet.com

Animal health care is so vast and complex, and the central nervous system in particular is still largely uncertain territory. Diseases of the nervous system are rare, but sadly often severe.

The commonest neurological problems in cats and dogs are due to road accidents and other forms of head injuries, chemical poisoning, and infections such as rabies. Any of these can induce fits (seizures).

Seizures (fits) tend to be seen as uncontrolled shaking, although other sorts of fits with the dog going vacant can also occur.

It is important to try to find the reason for the fit. There may be signs of injury from car accident or fight. Evidence of having ingested poison may or may not be obvious - antifreeze with ethylene glycol is particularly dangerous, causing seizures.

Always call or take your animal to a vet. Your vet is essential in helping you to work out what the cause of the symptoms are. Neurological problems are so complex that even they may not be able to find the cause. Be guided by your vet on management.

If your cat or dog has a seizure: Keep away from your cat or dog’s mouth, as he or she may bite you accidentally. Try to move your animal away from hazards. If electricity is involved, use a stick or some other non conducting material. It may help to put a soft cushion or blanket under its head. If the fit lasts more than 6 minutes, take the animal to the vet immediately. Animals can die during prolonged seizures.

After a fit an animal may be sleepy but also anxious and confused. Comfort it; Rescue Remedy, healing and massage may be helpful here. If this is your animal’s first fit, take it to the vet anyway to try to find the cause. Also see you vet if you have any concerns, or there are changes to the pattern of fitting.

It is important that anyone who spends time looking after your pet for you is aware that he or she may have fits, and how to manage a seizure if one occurs. Make sure that your friend has a list of actions to take, as above, as well as the emergency phone number of your vet, or a nearby vet if your pet is being cared for further from home.

As with most illness, being calm and prepared in a crisis makes it easier for all concerned.



Edgar