Cat Behaviour Com
Cat Behaviour Com
Illness in Cats
Article from: My Family UK
Cats need regular health check-ups, so register your cat with a vet before you get it, or as soon as you bring it home. An annual health check should be enough for most cats but seek further advice and treatment if it shows signs of injury or illness.
Pay special attention to changes in behaviour such as loss of appetite which can indicate illness. Vaccinations are available for serious infectious diseases such as feline influenza (cat flu) but there are other common health problems of which you should be aware.
1) Parasites
Fleas and worms will affect pretty much all cats at one time or another. Fleas may cause skin irritation and hair loss, but worms often cause no symptoms at all. Watch out for discomfort and behavioural change. Treatment is available from your vet.
2) Diarrhoea and vomiting
Digestive problems can be caused by a change in diet or minor infections picked up from scavenging. Vomiting is usually nothing to worry about, as cats regularly make themselves sick to dislodge a fur ball. Consult your vet if your cat has persistent problems or if diarrhoea and vomiting occur with other symptoms.
3) Teeth
Watch out for bad breath and problems breathing, which can be signs of teeth problems. Tartar builds up on cat’s teeth over time and leads to gingivitis (gum disease), a very common complaint in cats. Your vet can scrape your cat’s teeth to get rid of excess tartar, and feeding them dried toast and cat biscuits will help wear tartar down. The best method for avoiding dental problems is to brush your pet’s teeth with cat toothpaste and toothbrushes or cleaning mitts. Ideally, this should start when the cat is still young, as older cats that are unaccustomed to a dental care regime will react violently to the experience.
4) Eyes
Reddening and discharge may be a sign of conjunctivitis. Clear discharge away with a piece of tissue or cotton wool soaked in warm (previously boiled) water. Consult a vet if symptoms persist.
5) Ears
Infections or mites can cause discharge and redness. Take the cat to the vet rather than trying to clean the ear as putting an object in the ear may damage the eardrum.
6) General injury
Cats commonly receive injuries from fighting each other. These are not usually serious, but bacteria from cat bites can lead to abscesses, which may need treatment with antibiotics. Wash a wound with warm, salt water to reduce the risk of infection. If your cat has a more serious injury or has been run over by a car, take them straight to a vet for emergency treatment.
Pedigree cat health
Because of over breeding and limited genetic variation, pedigree cats can be more prone to certain conditions. Problems vary from breed to breed, so check out what problems particular breeds are vulnerable to on the PDSA website.
Further Information
For further information, and for more great ways to have fun with your family, log on to www.myfamilyuk.com. With a huge collection of articles covering everything from child safety to rainy day activities, you'll find all the help, guidance and entertainment you need to be a great parent.
About the Author
My Family UK is a brand new website that is turning the online focus back onto families. We're dedicated to supporting you and your family live the life you choose to the full, with games, tips, offers and articles on all aspects of parenting. If your family means the world to you, check out www.myfamilyuk.com.
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Cat Behaviour Com
Caring for your Senior Cat
Aging in cats can be a very individual process, just as it is in humans, but generally speaking, most cats are considered to be entering the senior years at 8 years of age, and are categorized as being geriatric once they are 10 years old.
Many aspects of caring for your cat change once they enter their geriatric years, including the expense of their veterinary care: this is something to be aware of in advance so that you can be sure to be able to provide the necessary medical care that they may require. Just like in humans, diseases of all kinds become more prevalent with age. Dental disease is a particularly commonly seen issue in older cats, and maintaining your older cat's dental health is both essential, and rather costly.
To begin with, your veterinarian will likely start recommending that annual, or even semi-annual, health screening tests be performed at your cat's regular physical exam times. These diagnostic tests will include blood pressure measurement, blood tests, urine tests, and sometimes survey x-rays as well.
The purpose of these tests is to assess overall organ function and health, and check for many common problems that are seen as cats age. For example, these blood tests generally include thyroid hormone levels, electrolyte levels, a total blood protein value, blood sugar, kidney values, liver enzyme levels, red blood cell and white blood cell counts, platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, etc. The urinalysis is used to help interpret the kidney blood values, and also to detect bladder or kidney infections, liver dysfunction, and diabetes. Blood pressure measurement is very important in older cats, because elevated blood pressure is seen quite frequently with diseases that are commonly seen in aging cats, and like humans, high blood pressure is considered to be a ‘silent killer' (despite the fact that it occurs in cats for different reasons than in humans).
Survey x-rays are also invaluable, particularly in obese cats; as cats get older and older, their physical exams become of greater and greater importance, particularly for the detection of masses and diseased organs. However, because obesity in cats greatly limits what can be detected on physical exam, survey x-rays can help provide a better overview of organ shape and size than can be obtained on physical exam.
If your geriatric cat becomes ill with kidney insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, or other diseases, your veterinarian will treat your cat accordingly, and will advise you on what treatments can be done both in the clinic and at home to manage your cat's disease. More frequent examinations and tests may be recommended if your cat has been diagnosed with a health problem.
Even if your elderly cat has received a clean bill of health from the veterinarian, there are still methods with which you can provide your geriatric cat with greater daily comfort and improved quality of life. Some important techniques you can implement at home are discussed below.
Diet
► Your geriatric cat should be fed an appropriate diet, and your veterinarian can give you samples for your cat to try, or make recommendations about suitable commercial diets available
- Mature cat diets generally have more restricted protein levels in comparison with adult cat diets, and you will want to be cautious not to over-restrict your cat's protein intake since some geriatric diets will do so
- Many geriatric cat diets are restricted in phosphorus and sodium levels in case of the presence of kidney insufficiency, hypertension, and/or heart disease
- Geriatric diets often have increased fiber levels to help with slowing intestinal motility and encourage healthy daily bowel movements
- Geriatric cats should be fed highly palatable canned food to optimize hydration status, particularly because renal insufficiency, which can result in dehydration and constipation, is so common in cats as they age
Access to the essentials
► Geriatric cats often become less easily mobile due to decreased muscle tone and the onset of arthritis
- It is important that geriatric cats have easy access to food and water dishes, as well as to their litter boxes
- Weight loss and dehydration are common in older cats, so having food and water dishes on all floors of the home is important to encourage optimal intake at all times
- Having comfortable access to litter boxes is necessary, which also means having access on all floors – geriatric cats that are forced to contend with staircases and longer distances to reach their litter boxes, may or may not end up doing their business in their boxes
Arthritis
► Many geriatric do gradually ‘slow down' as the years go by, and frequently we are too fast to assume that this is a regular part of the aging process
► Well, it is a ‘normal' part of the aging process in the sense that older cats are quite prone to developing arthritis, similarly to humans
- However, arthritis is an ailment that all too frequently goes untreated in our feline family members, and it is well worth inquiring about pain management and nutrient supplementation for your cat with your cat's veterinarian - while we are unfortunately rather limited in the types of medications available and safe for long term usage in cats, there are some options that may be tried, and it can be amazing the transformation that can take place in your older kitty once it experiences relief from the chronic pain that arthritis imposes on them
- Providing your arthritic cat with steps or boxes with which they can more easily access the bed and the couch, rather than needing to struggle to jump up or down onto them, can greatly decrease daily stress levels and also help avoid self-injury from an unsuccessful jump
- Litter boxes themselves not only need to be placed in easily accessible locations, but they also need to be amenable to easy entry and exit for the geriatric cat – jumping in and out of litter boxes becomes more challenging as age progresses, and having roomy litter boxes with shallow entrances becomes more and more important
Monitoring behaviour
► While your veterinarian will review your cat's behaviour with you at its geriatric wellness exam, it is important for you to monitor your cat at home for any behavioural changes and bring your cat in for an appointment if you note any changes
- The reason that behaviour in older cats is so important, is because it is very commonly associated with underlying medical problems, despite the fact that the changes may seem ‘personality'-related
- Changes to watch for include differences in activity levels, alterations in sleeping habits, increased or decreased vocalization, increased or decreased appetite, increased thirst, increased socialization with people within the household, or conversely, withdrawal from the people in the house, increased irritability, aggression, and decreases in grooming behaviour
Dental Care
► Dental disease can easily lead to kidney and heart disease, systemic infections, and significant pain for your geriatric cat, and maintaining your cat's oral health will be one of the most important aspects of prolonging your cat's quantity and quality of life
- Older cats with dental disease will not stop eating, contrary to popular belief, because to stop eating means to starve to death
- Many owners expect that their cats will let them know, or will show symptoms, if they have dental discomfort, but this is simply not the case – animal instinct dictates survival above all else, and so cats that experience even severe daily dental pain will continue to eat, because doing so means that they will continue to live
- While dental care for your cat is quite expensive, as it is for humans as well, it is one of the most important aspects of taking good care of your older cat, and ensuring that it is not suffering – it is an expense to consider before ever adopting a cat, and one that is well worth the investment once you are caring for your elderly cat
While this summary provides some good pointers on caring for your elderly cat, it is not a comprehensive list of all aspects of geriatric health care, and should you have any questions or concerns about the health of your geriatric kitty, it is best to contact your veterinarian to inquire about your concerns.
To read Dr. Ko's article at www.catdoctorko.com, please click here.
The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian. © 2011 K & J Ventures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
Dr. Koharik Arman "Dr. Ko" - Licensed Veterinarian
Dr. Ko is a cat lover! Although she is trained in all areas of veterinary medicine, she has sought out a professional career that allows her to work exclusively with felines.
While in school, Dr. Ko was a Deans Honor List Student throughout the four years of her undergraduate BSc (Bachelor of Science in Biology) degree at the University of New Brunswick, and the four years during which she completed her DVM (Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine) degree at the Atlantic Veterinary College in beautiful Prince Edward Island. Dr. Ko earned many scholarships in the course of her post-graduate education, including the Bayer Companion Animal Veterinary Medicine Award. She also published an article she wrote while still a student in a medical journal, the CVJ (Canadian Veterinary Journal), in 2007.
A licensed veterinarian who works exclusively with cats, Dr. Ko is a member of the AAFP (American Association of Feline Practicioners), the CVMA (Canadian Veterinary Medical Assocation), VIN (the Veterinary Information Network), and is also a certified NEW (Nuclear Energy Worker).
Dr. Ko continues to split her time between working in private practice at two different feline veterinary clinics, as well as writing and publishing articles on animal wellness and welfare, and, of course, dedicating herself to the continued development and expansion of the www.catdoctorko.com website and its community of Cat Lovers.
Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website. She continues to be an advocate for the humane treatment of all animals, and of course, the health and wellness of cats everywhere!
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