Sadly, thousands of cat lives are lost yearly to communicable diseases. These could often be prevented with proper care. Other diseases are found in elderly cats, and due to longer lifespans, are becoming more common. The following diseases cause most of these feline deaths: feline distemper, FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), giardia, and bartonella henselae.

Some major factors in the spread of communicable diseases are poor diet, aging, heredity, and allowing cats to roam outside. Stress can weaken the immune system which can cause the animal to be more susceptible to disease.

Senior cats are those aged ten or older. Common diseases in this population include chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The best way to prolong and maintain your cat’s quality of life is regular veterinary checkups and treatment of any conditions found.

Vaccinations can prevent many fatal cat diseases. Typically, kittens should receive vaccines at six to eight weeks of age, at 12 weeks, and at 16 weeks. An adult cat needs yearly exams and either vaccines or titers only if the cat is shown to demonstate immunity, and vaccination is not required by law. A feline that never goes outside may not need as many vaccines as a cat who routinely has contact with strange cats.

Feline diabetes mellitus is much like the human form. The following warning signs will alert you to the possibility of this disease: excessive thirst or excessive urination, weight loss, vomiting, poor appetite, weakness, worsened skin and coat condition, breathing problems, and dehydration.

Hepatic lipidosis otherwise known as the fatty liver disease is seen in older cats that are overweight and then owners put them on a diet and they lose weight too rapidly. Cats can also get this disease if they develop anorexia. Warning signs for this disease are loss of appetite, listlessness, rapid weight loss, a yellowing of the eyes or skin, vomiting, and an abdomen that swells.

Kidney disease is commonly seen in senior cats. The warning signs include weight loss, excessive thirst and urination, vomiting and loss of appetite, which contributes to weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism is also another disease that is common to older cats. Warning signs are again weight loss, increased thirst and increased urination, hyperactivity, and an increase in appetite, followed by vomiting and diarrhea.

Feline hypertension is possible in all ages of cats and is often seen in conjunction with other diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease, and hyperthyroidism. If your cat already has other diseases, your vet is likely to be monitoring for signs of this condition. Warning signs include a rapid heart rate or a heart murmur, dilated pupils that do not respond to light, or sudden blindness.

By making sure your cat receives the appropriate vaccinations and regular veterinary care, you will have the best chance of avoiding preventable diseases in your pet and catching other conditions in their early stages when treatment has the best chance of being successful.

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Some people may think that cat breeding only involves getting a male and female cat together and producing a litter of kittens. For responsible cat breeders, this is only one step in the process. Find out how you can tell if someone is using cat breeding to further the breed or for other purposes.

• A cat breeder is concerned about preserving or enhancing the cat’s pedigree. Cats are not bred indiscriminately. Instead, great care is taken to select parent cats based on health, personality traits, and physical traits.
• Breeders are interested in learning more about cats. They need to keep up with the latest research in order to select cats to be bred.
• For the cat breeder, breeding is a planned process, and accidental litters should not happen.
• A responsible breeder will be interested in the welfare of the cat long after it is placed in a new home. They should be willing to take the animal back for any reason.
• A true cat breeder does not breed more animals than he or she can take care of.

Cat breeding the right way requires lots of dedication and hard work. But, the rewards are many including the joy of placing an animal in a wonderful home and being instrumental in furthering a cat breed.

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Feline Diabetes is a serious disease. If caught early, your cat has a good chance of having a happy life given that the disease is treated appropriately. Find out feline diabetes symptoms so that you can seek treatment for your feline immediately before complications set in.

The symptoms of feline diabetes vary for each affected animal. Any of the following symptoms should be cause for a veterinary examination. At first, some cats will have no symptoms. This is one reason why yearly or even more frequent veterinary exams are important.

Earlier symptoms of feline diabetes include:

• increased thirst
• increased urination
• loss of appetite
• weight loss
• huge appetite combined with weight loss
• reduced coat quality

Feline Diabetes symptoms during more advanced stages of the disease include:

• inactivity
• weak hind legs
• vomiting
• dehydration
• liver disease
• secondary infections
• ketoacidosis which can cause breathing problems
• coma

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Cats have claws when they are born just like humans have fingernails. They need claws for marking and scratching territory just as humans use fingernails to scratch. This scratching is a basic need for cats. Given that, should you declaw your cat?

What is Declawing

Declawing removes all of the claws of the cat. This is equivalent to amputating the fingertips of humans. Although the cat may physically recover in a few weeks, psychological effects can remain for the rest of the cat’s life.

Pain and Complications

Cats experience severe pain following the surgery. A sizeable number of felines also experience complications such as abscess, lameness, and regrowth of the claws. Joint stiffness is also a result since the tendons will retract after surgery causing the joints to eventually freeze so that the feline can no longer extend his or her toes.

Cat Arthritis

Since a declawed cat will begin shifting their body weight backward, causing joint stress in the leg and spine which can lead to arthritis.

Biting

Since declawing removes the cat’s favorite defense mechanism, many will resort to biting if they feel threatened. This behavior won’t be welcomed by owners and could potentially cause the cat to be given up to a shelter. Also, serious consequences could result if the feline goes outside. Fighting with another cat while not having claws puts your kitty at a grave disadvantage and could even lead to death.

Instead of being a routine procedure, declawing should be avoided because of the drawbacks to the cat’s health and behavior.

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Cats live over half of their lives in the senior years. Although veterinary care advances and better-educated owners have helped to improve the quality of these years, studies show that senior cats continue to battle weight issues resulting from reduced levels of activity and declines in the senses, absoption of nutrients and digestion of fats. Senior cat nutrition plays an important role in maintaining the quality of life for your pet.

As cats get older, a gradual decline takes place in the body’s ability to repair itself, maintain normal body functions and adapt to environmental stresses. Around the age of 11, weight loss becomes a greater concern than weight gain. Cats sense of smell and taste often diminish at this time, which can affect their interest in eating. The ability to absorb key nutrients and digest fat declines, making eating itself less efficient. The result is that more food passes through as waste leaving less to be used for energy, causing a reduction in lean muscle mass and body fat that can lead to potentially harmful weight loss.

Sustaining a stable weight is very important for senior cats. Owners can help their aging felines maintain an ideal body weight feeding a diet specially formulated for senior cats. Low fat or low protein diets should be avoided unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Meeting your cat’s nutritional needs with a homemade diet could prove to be difficult and should be directed by your vet. Supplementation with vitamins or minerals may be necessary as well. In addition to providing the proper diet, owners of senior cats should pay close attention to activity levels, eating, grooming and elimination habits and report anything new or different to their veterinarian.

By working with your veterinary and feeding foods formulated for senior cats, you will have the best chance of providing appropriate senior cat nutrition for your pet.

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