Cats
Household Poisons to your Cat
If you seek to provide the best living environment possible for your furry feline friend, it is important to know about the different household items that could poison your cat. Remember, your cat cannot resist tasty-smelling or unusual substances, nor can he or she tell you what was ingested to make him or her feel badly. Therefore, know which items you own could hurt your pet and keep these items securely in cabinets and other places your cat cannot access. If possible, keep these items out of your home altogether.
First, many homes have bleach products. You’ll find bleach and Clorox mainly in the laundry room or in other cleaning supplies; however, you can also find bleach products in swimming pool supplies. In generally, household bleaches are fairly mild. Although they will make your cat feel ill, most animals are smart enough to not drink enough to kill. Signs that your cat may have drunk a bleach product include excess drooling, vomiting, and abdominal pain. If your cat seems to be in pain, smell his or her fur if possible to detect the scent of the bleach. In general, call you vet and have your cat drink large quantities of milk or water if you possibly can. Monitor your cat for bloody vomit and difficulty breathing, and wash the paws and mouth area thoroughly.
Mothballs and other products containing naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene can also make your cat sick. Ingesting this substance can cause live damage and seizures. Symptoms include vomiting, seizures, blue or brown colored gums, increased heart rate, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. If you cat has eaten mothballs or items like toilet bowl cleaner or bathroom deodorizer, call your vet immediately.
Citrus oils, which are found in shampoo, insect repellent, fragrances, and insecticide are very harmful to cats as well. Although these items can harm all pets, cats are more sensitive than dogs and if you treat a cat with dog products, the result could kill your pet. Signs that your cat has ingested citrus oils include that common citrus smell, drolling, falling, trembling, and weakness. Eventually, liver damage occurs, and many cats experience liver failure, resulting in death. If your cat is treated, the prognosis is good, but left untreated, this poison could be deadly.
Therefore, it is simply important to call your vet if you see anything wrong with your cat at all. Cats are creatures of habit, so if your feline seems to be acting strangely, it is best to schedule an appointment. Do what’s best for your pet and try to keep harmful products in places where they can’t be reached.
Horrible Hairballs
Your cat’s health is important. Your veterinarian can teach you all about the many health conditions your cat could experience, but it is also important to learn about such things on your own. If you want to be sure that you cat is getting the best care possible, you need to watch for signs that something may be wrong with your pet. One common medical condition that affects many cats is hairballs. While hairballs are normal for a cat to some extent, you should contact you veterinarian immediately if you think the problem is out of control.
Cats get hairballs mainly because they spend so much time cleaning themselves. Although cats do not like water, they do like being very clean at all times, and they do so, of course, my licking their fur. You cat probably grooms many times every day. Because cats also shed, they swallow a lot of their own hair. Most of this passes naturally through the cat’s system, but occasionally the hair becomes matted and entwined in the stomach, causing a hairball that is too large to pass through the system. When this happens, the cat vomits the hairball.
If your cat seems to have an abnormally high amount of hairballs, you should talk to you veterinarian. About a quarter of all digestive blockages in cats come from hairballs that cannot pass or be vomited and this can make you cat very sick. Huge hairballs that size of baseballs have been known to form in a cat’s stomach. A hairball of that size can easily kill your cat.
There are a number of signs you will see in a cat having a problem with hairballs. If your cat is retching often, has a change in digestion, or has a swollen abdomen, he or she may have a problem with hairballs. Your veterinarian can give you cat flavored medication that your pet will love. Contained inside are non-digestible oil lubricants that will help your cat pass hairballs easier. Taking this medication regularly will prevent your cat from ever forming such hairballs. Another great way to prevent hairballs from forming is a high-fiber diet, possibly including a fiber supplement. Home remedies, on the other hand, are not a good idea, because they could cause other problems with your cat’s digestive system.
When in doubt, call your cat’s veterinarian. Animal doctors are specially trained to help you help your pets. When you report health abnormalities to your veterinarian, you are able to best keep your cat healthy and safe, no matter how many hairballs may form.
Taking Kitty to the Dentist
It is important for you to go to the dentist at least annually for checkups. This is, however, also important to your cat! Many people never think about it, but good dental health can keep your cat happy and disease-free. Whenever your cat goes to the vet, make sure that dental health is checked and discussed, and if your cat is acting strangely at all, especially with eating habits, make sure that dental health problems are not a concern.
Kittens, like baby humans, have fewer teeth than adult cats. Each kitten has 26 temporary teeth, which begin to appear at about three weeks of age. An adult cat will have 30 permanent teeth—16 on the top and 14 on the bottom. A cat usually begins getting his or her permanent teeth when he or she is three of four months old. Some of these teeth have two roots while others have three.
The most common dental diseases found in cats are resporption lesions and gum disease (gingivitis). Resorption lesions are also known as cervical line lesions or neck lesions and often result in tooth loss. These lesions are difficult to detect, as they often grow below the gum line. Gum disease is found in over 70% of cats by the age of three. You can tell if your cat has gum disease by looking for yellow and brown tarter build up along the gum line and over the tooth, red inflamed gums, and chronic bad breath.
Oral disease is often an indication of other more serious health problems. For example, it is common for a cat with feline leukemia virus (FeLV) to have oral health problems. Dental conditions are also commonly found with feline immunodeficiency virus and feline calicivirus. Therefore, if your pet is have dental problems, you need to see a vet right away about these conditions to make sure they are symptoms of a much more serious disease.
Cats can also accidentally break teeth. This can be a result of a fall, a fight with another cat or other animal, or biting into something too hard to chew. Usually, the upper canine tooth will be the tooth fractured. This is the tooth in your cat’s mouth that looks like a large fang. If this is fractured, your cat may or may not be in pain. The first symptom of this kind of a fracture is continuous sneezing.
Overall, oral health is important in all mammals. Cats are susceptible to a number of dental disease and problems, just like humans. By taking your cat to the vet often and asking about oral health, you can make sure that you are providing the best health care foods and tools for your feline friend.
Cold and your Cat’s Health
Although your cat may have a furry coat, cold weather can still be extremely dangerous. Imagine how you feel after being out on a cold day for more than a few minutes—even with your winter coat, you are probably still very cold. Cats are the same way, and if you leave your pet exposed to the cold for too long, he or she may show signs of hypothermia. In a worst-case scenario, hypothermia leads to death.
There are many different reasons why your cat could become too cold. If you typically let your cat outdoors, remember that he or she will need to come back inside more quickly during the winter. This is especially true for smaller cats, cats with short hair, or cats recovering from an illness. Also, never let your cat outside if he or she is wet, for whatever reason. In fact, if you bathe your cat or your cat otherwise gets wet, dry him or her immediately if the weather is cold, even if you are indoors. Make sure your cat cannot get outside in any way—your pet may not be able to figure out how to get back inside, and by the time you realize that he or she is missing, hypothermia could have taken hold.
Hypothermia is a medical condition when the body temperature drops too low for the organs to function properly. Frostbite often occurs in the extremities, because the body will begin to shut down unnecessary body parts in order to keep the vital organs as warm as possible. If you cat has hypothermia, you’ll see your pet shivering, moving slowly, and breathing shallowly. Eventually, your cat will become unresponsive and die. Therefore, it is important to warm up your pet.
However, if you warm a pet too quickly, the damage could be even worse. Resist the urge to dunk your pet in warm water! Instead, warm slowly. Bring your animal into a warm room and wrap in warm blankets. You can even throw a towel in the dryer for a few seconds. Or use warm water bottles wrapped in a washcloth. Hairdryers work well, as long as you don’t get too close to your cat and keep them on the low settings. Once your cat starts to warm up, a warm bath could be very helpful, although this is not a good idea if you plan to take him or her outside again to go to the vet.
Remember, calling your vet is always your best option. Animals simply sometimes get outside accidentally, no matter how caring you may be to your pet. If your cat shows symptoms of being too cold, you can use these warming techniques to save your pet’s life, and your vet will be able to get you on the right track to helping your pet recover.
Retirement: Health for your Aging Cat
Age is just a number, right? A Human who is 60 years old may act like a young adult, while another human the same age may at like he or she is on a deathbed. Cats are the same way! Your pet may act like a kitten for many years or may be gray and achy quite young. Specific breed, environment, and genetics play a role, but in general, a well-cared for house cat usually lives to be at least 15 years old. Some cats live to be well over 30.
There are things you can do, however, to provide your cat with the chance for the longest life possible. For example, have your cat spayed or neutered. Statistics show that fixed cats live longer, because this causes the cat to stay closer to home and be exposed to few dangerous situations and disease. Good nutrition is also important. Make sure that you are buying cat food that is appropriate for your cat’s age.
As you cat ages, certain medical conditions may cause you to make special considerations for your cat. Examples include reduced tolerance to extreme temperatures, decreased sensory perception, susceptibility to infection, arthritis and joint stiffness, digestion problems, liver and kidney problems, weaker bones, cancer, muscle weakness, slow reaction, memory loss, high blood pressure, and irritability. As you can see, aging cats have many of the same problems as aging humans!
Along with a good diet, promote healthy amounts to exercise in your cat. You can do this by allowing your cat to go outside and by playing with your cat every day. Toys and environmental pieces, like scratching posts, are great for encouraging your cat to exercise. Remember, cats may spend a lot of the day sleeping, which is fine. If you are overly concerned, talk to your vet about your cat’s sleeping habits.
Preventative health care is, of course, important. Make sure that your cat has regular checkups with the vet to make sure everything is in check. You should also brush your cat’s teeth daily and have your cat groomed regularly to prevent skin diseases. As cats age, most grow to love grooming. Monitor your cat for diet chances, changing sleep habits, and unsafe water consumption. The key to graceful aging in a cat is and owner who is well involved in his or her life. Make sure that you provide advanced care for your cat as he or she grows, and your pet should be a part of your life for a very long time.
<embed>
<img src=" " width="800" height="45" align="middle"> | |
| |
<img src=" " width="800" height="45"> |
" alt="Pertinent Info, most relevant to your research."></a>
" style="border: 0px solid ; width: 72px; height: 14px;"></a>
" title="Submit advanced request" align="center" height="21" type="image" width="77"></form></embed>
<keywords content="best, cat, cat cannot, cats, dental, disease, gum disease, hairballs, hypothermia, pet, she, teeth, vet, veterinarian, water" />
