It’s hard to imagine a cat with an eating disorder, but they are more common than we realise. Changes in eating habit can often be an early sign that the cat is not well and should see a veterinarian.
Cats evolved from desert-dwelling animals but can still be at risk of overheating as the warmer months hit. Unlike people who sweat to cool down, cats only have sweat pads on their feet and nose. If the cat is unable to cool down sufficiently, he or she is at risk of heatstroke (hyperthermia) which can be deadly.
It’s hard to give an exact temperature as the answer will vary from cat to cat. What we can do is be prepared and take steps to ensure our cats remain cool as the mercury rises so that we can avoid cats overheating and developing heatstroke.
Visiting the veterinarian is a stressful event for both cat and carer but it doesn’t have to be. One study conducted by Bayer and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) found that 52% of cat owners in the United States had not taken their cat to the veterinarian in the past year, 38% of cat owners get stressed at the thought of a veterinary visit and 58% of owners believe their cat hates visiting the veterinarian.
Cats who do not receive regular (annual or bi-annual) wellness checks are at increased risk of common age-related diseases such as cancer, chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism progressing unnoticed until the cat is in an advanced stage of the disease. Cats are hardwired to hide symptoms of pain or discomfort, which makes it difficult for pet owners to pick up changes in the early stages and it can also be hard to notice changes because we are with our cats every day. One veterinary oncologist said that she hadn’t noticed her cat had lost weight, until her mother in law commented on it.
Most cat lovers have experienced the scenario where the cat carrier comes out and all of a sudden, the cats are nowhere to be found. Cats quickly learn by experience, and for most cat households, the cat carrier is only used to transport a cat to the veterinarian, boarding cattery or groomer. Unfortunately, our cats don’t understand that these places are there to help care for them. Let’s face it, most of us don’t relish a visit to the doctor or dentist, cats especially.
Read moreCat Carrier Stress: Train A Cat To Like The Carrier
Famciclovir (fam-sye-clow-veer) is a prescription antiviral medication used in the treatment of feline herpesvirus, a common viral infection which produces upper respiratory infections (URI’s). The drug is not approved for use in cats by the Food and Drug Administration but is routinely prescribed extra-label.
The cat loaf is a common position in which the cat sits with its paws tucked underneath the body and the tail wrapped around the side. The name comes from shape which resembles a loaf of bread. When asked on the Cat-World Facebook group, other terms members used to describe the cat loaf include bread loafing, loafing, legless, kitty loaf, the log, hovercat and roast chicken.
Most people expect a cat’s nose to be cool and wet, and this is true in most cases, but a dry nose on its own is not a sign of sickness. The cool, moist hairless portion of the nose is known as the planum, nose pad or nose leather, and is covered in bumps and ridges that are unique to each cat.
A reputable cat breeder will be:
Every day there is a new story in the news about the purchase of cat or dog going wrong, due to sickness or the death of an animal or being ripped off. Purebred cats and dogs can cost several thousand dollars, which can be an attractive prospect to the ill-informed or the unethical, but when a breeder does tick all of the boxes and breed ethically, it is far from a money-making scheme, but it is rewarding, which is why they do it.
From time to time it will be necessary to administer medications to your cat’s eyes which have multiple purposes including. Eye medications are typically drops or ointments.
There are several reasons a cat may appear at your doorstep. It is lost, it is a stray, or it is a local cat who is exploring the neighbourhood. There are clues to evaluate if the cat has a home or is living on the streets. This can help to determine what to do next.