Cat Care Articles

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Hookworms are small, thin nematodes that are approximately 1 to 2 mm long and live in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, where they use six hook-like teeth to attach to the intestinal wall. The hookworm feeds on mucosa and blood and an adult hookworm can consume up to 0.1 ml of blood every day, changing their point of contact every 4-6 hours. Hookworms secrete anticoagulants through their mouth and into the host’s bloodstream at the site of attachment. This prevents the blood from clotting at the feeding site, allowing the hookworm to continuously feed on the host’s blood. A heavy infestation can lead to anemia (low red blood cell count) due to blood loss.

Hookworms are a common intestinal parasitic worm of dogs, cats tend to harbour fewer numbers than dogs.

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Why foster?

Fostering a cat is a great way to help cats in need and reduce the burden on animal shelters and rescue organisations. It involves taking in a cat, kitten or family of cats in need and caring for them until a permanent home can be found.

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Our previous article went into details about why cats should not eat dog food. To recap, dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat meat along with plants. So, while a meat-based diet is nutritionally better for dogs, they can survive without it. Cats, however, are obligate carnivores and require meat in their diet to survive (it should be noted cats do get a small number of vegetables and grains in the wild from the stomach contents of their prey). Most dog foods contain cereal, which is lacking in the essential nutrients cats require. These include taurine and arginine.

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We see several questions that are quite common among cat owners, especially new ones. This article contains some of the most commonly asked questions about cats.

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Every cat owner has seen this; your cat is hungry, he weaves in and out of your legs, you return home from work, he rubs his cheek against your shin, headbutts you, rubs against a sofa, or a corner. Why is he doing this?

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From time to time it will be necessary to clean your cat’s ears. It is a good idea to get into the habit of performing a weekly check-up of your cat’s ears so that you can quickly spot any problems. The ears are susceptible to several disorders, including:

• Ear mites – Spider-like mites which live in the ears causing discomfort and inflammation. Signs of ear mites include a coffee grounds appearance, itching, and head shaking.
• Ear infection – Bacterial or fungal infection of the ear characterised by itching, bad odour and discharge.
• Ear hematoma – A pocket of blood on the pinnae (outer part of the ear).
• Sunburn (solar dermatitis)
• Squamous cell carcinoma – Cancer of the ear, as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun. This occurs most often in white cats.

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