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Feline Diabetes Symptoms

Posted on March 26, 2009 by admin

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

Tags: symptoms of feline diabetes, feline diabetes, feline diabetes symptoms

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Categories : Cat Health

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Should You Declaw Your Cat?

Posted on March 19, 2009 by admin

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.

Tags: declawing, declaw

Categories : Cat Health

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Senior Cat Nutrition

Posted on March 12, 2009 by admin

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.

Tags: senior cat nutrition, senior cat

Categories : Cat Health

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Cat Safety in Warm Weather

Posted on March 4, 2009 by admin

Do you live in a place that has hot, humid days for at least part of the year? If so, you need to keep your cat from becoming overheated. A pet is like a human baby in that he or she cannot tell you when conditions are too hot. The following cat safety tips will help you learn the signs of too much heat for your pet and how to prevent exposing your pet to an unhealthy situation.

If you take your cat with you in a vehicle when it’s hot outside, never leave your cat alone inside. Even when you park in the shade, cars can quickly become like an oven. Your pet could die in as little as ten to fifteen minutes. If your pet must accompany you, make sure that you will be able to take your feline inside with you.

If your cat goes outside in the heat, be sure to let him or her back in quickly. A kitty that is not let outdoors frequently will not know where to hide from the hot weather. Heated asphalt can even burn paw pads. The basic rule of thumb is that if heat advisories have been issued stating that the at risk groups of people should stay inside, then your feline should, too.

Grooming is also important. By brushing your cat often, you will remove extra hair that can hold the heat against the cat’s body. If your feline is long-haired or overweight, confine him or her to an air-conditioned room if possible.

Always make sure that your cat has clean, fresh water available. You can use tap water, but be sure to change it several times daily when it’s hot outside.

Follow these cat safety tips sure to prevent overheating and monitor your cat for any signs of heat-related issues in order to keep your cat healthy and prevent a tragedy.

Tags: cat safety

Categories : Cat Health

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What Effects Does Catnip Have on Cats?

Posted on March 2, 2009 by admin

Catnip is actually a plant. Many cat toys contain catnip or you can even grow it yourself. Catnip can have different effects depending on the cat.

Young kittens will not respond to catnip. In fact, it’s best not to try catnip until a cat is an adult. Kittens tend to be playful enough without adding more stimulation.

As kittens mature, about sixty percent of them will develop a reaction to catnip. This reaction is actually a genetic trait, and those cats that do not have the right genetics will never react to the substance.

In some cats, the reaction to catnip causes euphoria which may include increased playfulness, purring, and occasionally erratic behavior. A cat given a toy that has catnip in it will often sniff the toy repeatedly, rub up against it, and possibly play with the toy a little more enthusiastically than it would other toys. This is the reaction that owners enjoy since the cat is having fun and is often very entertaining to watch.

Unfortunately, the reaction in a minority of felines is one of aggression or behavior that endangers the cat or humans. For kitties who react this way, catnip should be avoided. Since it is present in so many products, owners will have to exercise caution when purchasing toys and other cat supplies.

Besides the aggressive reaction, catnip is not harmful. If a cat ingests too much, vomiting may result, so limit the amount of pure catnip given at one time.

What effects does catnip have on cats? The answer depends on the individual animal. Try one catnip toy or a little dried catnip and watch your cat’s response to find out if catnip is an enjoyable treat for you and your feline.

Tags: catnip

Categories : Cat Breeds, Cat Health

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