Category Archives: Cat Care Tips

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Preventing and Treating Fleas in Cats – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Summer is a favorite season for picnics in the park, enjoying the seashore, and dining al fresco—but with warm summer temperatures also come the fleas! Fleas can wreak havoc on cats causing discomfort, severe skin conditions, allergic reactions, parasites (tape worms), anemia and even death in the worst cases, if left untreated. So it’s important to protect your cat from fleas, but it’s also important to know the dangers of some flea control products on the market today. In this article, you’ll become knowledgeable about the different flea treatment options, some of the health consequences associated with them, and you’ll learn ways to provide your cat with the safest possible flea treatments and precautions available. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly on preventing and treating fleas in cats.

Does Your Cat Have Fleas?

To check whether your cat has fleas, you can run a flea comb through your cat’s fur pressing along the skin to check for adult fleas or flea feces and eggs. These will look like little specks of salt and pepper or tiny black and white grains in the fur. The white grains are flea eggs, and the black grains are flea feces. If you have found and removed some grains on your flea comb, rub the grains onto a piece of white paper and if the grains turn a reddish-brown color, you know you have a flea problem.

Continue reading Preventing and Treating Fleas in Cats – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly →

Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Does Your Cat Have High Blood Pressure?

Feline high blood pressure or hypertension can be a dangerous problem for your cat’s health. If left untreated it can affect your cat’s organs including their eyes, kidneys, heart and even brain. A simple blood pressure test can be done during your cat’s annual veterinary exam to quickly determine if your cat’s blood pressure is in the normal range. Detecting it early is the key to success and will minimize damage to vital organs.

Cats that are particularly vulnerable to developing hypertension are often older cats as well as cats that have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart or hyperthyroid disease. If your cat has been diagnosed with any of these diseases, you want to watch carefully for the signs and symptoms of hypertension, and get annual or bi-annual veterinary exams to avoid the possible damage caused to organs by hypertension. Since it’s more common in older cats, you’ll want to include regular blood pressure checks in your annual exams starting with cats that are 8 years of age and older. For cats that are 14 years and older, include a blood pressure test in their bi-annual exam.

Continue reading Does Your Cat Have High Blood Pressure? →

Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Medicating and Pilling Cats – How to Make it Easier, Safer and Healthier for Your Cat 

1 Comment

If you have a cat at home chances are really good that sometime in your cat’s lifetime you will need to medicate them, especially as they transition into their senior years. Sometimes cats can be challenging to pill or medicate, but there are some techniques that will make medicating them easier, less stressful, more effective and healthier for them. Here are some important things to know and follow when medicating your cat.

Why Dry Pilling and Dry Swallowing is Bad For Cats

Have you ever taken a pill without water? Ouch, it’s not fun. Well the same goes for cats. Without chasing a pill down with water or liquid afterwards the pill can get lodged in the throat and irritate the lining of the esophagus. Dry swallowing can cause a pill to go down painfully and slowly, and can even damage the delicate tissues lining the esophagus. Dry pilling can cause choking, gagging, reflux, heartburn, esophagitis, esophageal injury and strictures, and even cause aspiration. There have been case studies where dry pilling certain medications (including Clindamycin and Doxycycline) have resulted in severe injury to cats and in some cases, even death when these cats were dry pilled. One study noted that “After five minutes 84 percent of capsules and 64 percent of tablets are still sitting in the esophagus,” when dry swallowed. (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Volume 8, Issue 6, Dec. 2006: 412-419) Another study that appeared in a veterinary journal found that following dry swallows, “No pills were in the stomach at 30 and 60 seconds, and only 6 percent of the pills were in the stomach at 90 seconds. At 5 minutes, only 36 percent of the pills were in the stomach. For wet swallows that were followed by 6 ccs of water, 90 percent of the pills were in the stomach.” (Journal of Western Internal Medicine, 2001, Sept-Oct: 15: 467-70)

Continue reading Medicating and Pilling Cats – How to Make it Easier, Safer and Healthier for Your Cat  →

Cat Care Tips, Food & Nutrition, Medical & Health Care

Probiotics for Cats Helps Build a Healthy Digestive System

Probiotics are the “friendly” desirable bacteria that boost digestion, build a healthy digestive/intestinal and immune system, and reduce the harmful bacteria and organisms that can invade the body and cause infections and disease. Probiotics work to enhance the right balance of GI bacteria.

I have learned through my two cats with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), that probiotics given daily in their food really helps to strengthen and build their intestinal tract and reduce the symptoms and suffering caused by IBD. In cats, IBD is caused by intestinal disorders that increase inflammation in the lining of the digestive tract. Food sensitivities and allergies can contribute to IBD, and chronic diarrhea and/or vomiting are typical symptoms that result in the inflammation and scar tissue in the lining of the intestines.

Who Needs Probiotics?

Not all cats need probiotics, but if your cat has loose or smelly stools, chronic diarrhea, lots of gas, is taking steroids for prolonged periods of time for a chronic medical issue, or is on antibiotics for an infection—probiotics can help get their intestinal and digestive system health back on track and ease any suffering they might feel.

Continue reading Probiotics for Cats Helps Build a Healthy Digestive System →

Cat Care Tips, Housing & Shelter

How to Find Pet-Friendly Rental Housing

Whether you have cats or dogs, or both, there are many pet-friendly landlords and apartments out there today. The good news is it is becoming much easier to find available apartments, privately owned condos and houses that will readily rent to people with pets. So have faith, take your time, don’t give up, and know that you will find a warm welcome mat for you and your pets.

I recently went through the proverbial search for a rental for myself and my three cats due to a divorce. Every single apartment and condominium I looked at in my town accepted multiple cats (up to three). Times have changed and I was pleasantly surprised to find how much the marketplace had been transformed since the mid 1990s when it was all but impossible to find a rental willing to take one cat let alone multiple cats. Every apartment I considered did require a small monthly pet deposit for each cat ($50 per cat). But the two personally owned condominiums I was serious about renting did not require a pet deposit, however did require a full damage deposit equal to my rent. Some landlords will require you to pay a special pet deposit per month ($25-$100 per pet) or will charge a single upfront fee ($50-$1000 per pet) when you sign the agreement, but others will not charge any fee. So have faith that you will find the purrrrrfect pet-friendly home for you and your fur family, because they are out there!

Continue reading How to Find Pet-Friendly Rental Housing →
Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Cat Stages of Life: What To Do At Every Stage of Your Cat’s Life For Optimal Health and Well Being

CAT STAGES OF LIFE: WHAT TO DO AT EVERY STAGE OF YOUR CAT’S LIFE FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH
Image by K L from Pixabay

From kittenhood—to adulthood—to becoming a senior and geriatric cat, it’s important to understand the healthcare and social needs of cats at all of their different and distinct life stages. Cat’s experience six distinct life stages, and each one has its own care, wellness and feeding requirements and needs. Learn how to provide your cat with the very best nutrition, care and well-being support at each life stage, why it’s important, and how it can make a difference for them.

Overall, cats should get a complete veterinary examination or routine wellness checkup at least once a year. Kittens should see a veterinarian every 3-4 weeks until they are five months old. Cats over the age of two years, should start getting an annual checkup every year. Senior cats should see a veterinarian twice a year, and geriatric cats every 4-6 months. Because the sooner you learn about your cat’s illness or chronic disease, the easier it will be to treat and manage, the better the outcome for them, and the less suffering your cat will experience as a result.

Continue reading Cat Stages of Life: What To Do At Every Stage of Your Cat’s Life For Optimal Health and Well Being →
Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home

Knowing how to check your cat’s vital signs at home is easy to do and can be a helpful way to keep track of your cat’s health. Checking their vitals can also  help you identify when your cat is sick or not feeling well,  and when it’s time for a visit to the vet. Learn what the normal vital signs are for your cat, and how to step-by-step check your cat’s vital signs at  home.

Capillary Refill Time (CRT) or Profusion Rate (Normal is 2 seconds)

A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home
Checking Cat’s Capillary Refill Rate (CRT)

Capillary Refill Time or CRT, is done by checking your cat’s gums. This measurement checks the rate of blood flow in the blood vessels called capillaries, of your cat’s gums. By pressing on the gums with your finger, you are forcing the blood out of the capillaries, and when you remove your finger, you’re allowing the blood to refill the capillaries.

Continue reading A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home →

Cat Care Tips

10 Important Considerations in Preparing to Adopt a Cat

4 Comments

Adopting a kitten or adult cat is a long-term responsibility and commitment. It’s a decision you want to give careful thought to and be prepared for, not one to take lightly or impulsively. Owning a cat is a large financial and emotional responsibility lasting anywhere from 14 to 22 years, typically. Your cat will depend on you for its health, happiness, safety and well-being, so here are 10 important considerations in preparing to adopt a cat.

Continue reading 10 Important Considerations in Preparing to Adopt a Cat →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Why Your Cat Needs Good Dental Care

1 Comment

February is dental month! Dental disease has become the number one health concern in adult cats. Your cat needs good dental care just like you do. Without it, cats are more prone to problems associated with poor dental hygiene and can get serious and painful dental diseases. Without good dental care cats can suffer from having a painful mouth and as a result, can even stop eating. Good dental hygiene is as important to cats as it is to humans and contributes to your cat’s overall well being, comfort and happiness. The good news is most periodontal disease in cats is completely preventable with good dental care and annual wellness checks.

Roughly 4 out of 5 cats develop periodontal disease. Why? Partly because dental care in cats is often overlooked and left untreated. Cats hide their pain very well though they may be silently suffering, and many cat owners don’t take their cat for regular annual wellness exams each year. Untreated gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) often progresses into gum infection, chronic disease and can even impact vital organs.

Continue reading Why Your Cat Needs Good Dental Care →

Cat Care Tips, Library & Resources

Top Dangers for Cats in the Home

When you think about it, our homes can present a minefield of possible hazards for cats. Here’s some help navigating the dangers, and making your home safer, happier and healthier for your cat. Checkout our full list below.

Top Toxins in Your Kitchen for Cats

Top Dangers For Cats in the Home
Garlic and Onions are Toxic to Cats

1.  Garlic – in all forms
2.  Onions & Onion Powder, Chives – in all forms
3.  Cheese & Milk – cats are lactose intolerant, they aren’t able to digest dairy products due to their digestive system
4.  Alcohol – this may seem obvious, just even a tiny amount is toxic and can cause coma and death
5.  Raisins and Grapes – these can cause kidney failure in cats
6.  Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Cola, Caffeine — these can be fatal in cats depending on the amount, and this is true for any caffeinated beverage
7.  Chocolate – any kind of chocolate can be lethal due to methylxanthines, but dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate are the most toxic
8.  Candy, Gum and Foods Sweetened with Xylitol – Xylitol sweetens “diet” foods and can lead to liver failure and death
9.  Fatty Foods & Bones – avoid giving cats meat or chicken scraps from your dinner plate or meat served to humans, the danger is in the bones that they could ingest but also in the cooked and uncooked fat that is harmful
10.  Raw Fish & Meat – can lead to food poisoning due to bacteria; and certain fish enzymes destroy thiamine in cats which can cause neurological damage, convulsions and coma
11.  Raw Yeast Dough – this is toxic due to yeast fermenting leading to alcohol poisoning and yeast expanding, which if ingested causes severe gastrointestinal pain and problems
12.  Moldy & Spoiled Foods
13.  Avocados – all parts of the avocado are toxic to cats due to Persin, sometimes it can even be fatal
14.  Kitchen Cupboards – be sure to keep your cupboard doors closed as many products can be harmful for your cat; store your food in cabinets above the kitchen counter not in the cabinets above the floor where your cats may be able to open the doors and go inside

Continue reading Top Dangers for Cats in the Home →