Cat health articles. Browse our health collection for common and uncommon cat health issues.
An entire male cat is known as a tomcat and unless the cat is a purebred who has been purchased specifically to breed with, he should be neutered (desexed) by the time he is six months old to prevent unwanted behaviours, unwanted litters and reduce the risk of disease and trauma.
Feline corneal sequestrum (FCS) is a common eye disease characterised by round or oval brown or black plaques (spots) on the cornea which are made up of necrotic (dead) corneal tissue. FCS is also known as feline corneal necrosis, corneal mummification, focal degeneration, corneal nigrum, keratitis nigra, primary necrotizing keratitis and chronic ulcerative keratitis.
Flopping at your feet is an effective way to elicit attention from you. We have two choices, step over the cat or respond to the cute ball of fluff at our feet. For most people, the flop is guaranteed to make a person react with attention and by responding to the cat, we are rewarding it with positive reinforcement.
The belly is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, and cats instinctively know this. Several critical organs (kidneys, liver, pancreas) are located in the belly, therefore cats will only show their belly to people they trust, or when they are being submissive towards another cat. The submissive and vulnerable cat will have his or her ears pulled back and the limbs raised in defence. This is very different from the flop at the feet of a human companion.
Also known as a perichondral hematoma, cauliflower ear is an irreversible deformity caused by the formation of scar tissue and contraction of the perichondrium which occurs after a separation of the ear cartilage from the underlying connective tissue.
The pinna is the outer part of the ear which acts as a funnel to direct sound further into the ear and is made up of three layers:
As the cat scratches the ear or shakes the head (head shaking is more common in floppy-eared dogs), the perichondrium separates from the cartilage which creates a space. The perichondrium blood vessels rupture and blood pools in the pocket-forming a hematoma. This build-up of blood between the perichondrium and cartilage can interrupt the blood and oxygen supply to the cartilage causing necrosis.
The distortion of the pinna, which becomes hard and cauliflower-shaped (hence the name) is thought to be due to a combination of factors which include myofibroblastic contraction of the maturing granulation tissue, excess cartilaginous tissue (preexisting and newly formed), and the separated perichondrium retracts and acts as a bow string, gradually folding back the cartilage.
Also known as stud jowls, stud cheeks or shields, tomcat jowls are fleshy areas which develop in the cheeks of intact male cats due to the effects of the hormone testosterone. Tomcat jowls send a signal to other intact males as well as fertile females of their physical status and protect vulnerable neck area during territorial fighting (hence the name shields).
You’re ready to adopt your first cat, our cat care tips help first-time cat owners navigate the wonderful world of cats so that you and your cat get off on the best foot (and paw).
Cat care begins before the cat arrives home, research and preparation are both vital to ensure you know what to expect and the home is ready for the cat to move into.
At a glance The coat of a longhaired cat occurred due to a mutation (alteration) of the FGF5 gene (fibroblast growth factor-5), which is thought to be an inhibitor of hair elongation. The longhair mutation is thought to have originated in Russia before migrating to other parts of the world. Longhaired cats have an advantage … Read more How Did The Longhaired Cat Occur?
Feline coronavirus (FCoV or FECV) is a common viral infection which causes self-limiting intestinal (enteric) disease in cats. Most coronaviruses target the intestinal epithelia, which leads to malabsorption, maldigestion and diarrhea.
Read moreCoronavirus and Feline Infectious Peritonitis in Cats
Litter tray maintenance is important to ensure it remains clean and appealing for the cat to use, but also because cat feces can carry a number of pathogens and parasites with the potential to infect humans.
As a rule, each home should have one litter tray per cat, plus one extra. So a home with two cats would have three litter trays. Too few, and the trays can become dirty too fast which can lead to litter tray refusal.
Cats have a reputation for being easy to care for, and while there is some truth to that, cats do still have needs. With an increasing number of the population working full time, people considering a cat have to be aware of just what is involved and if it is possible for full-time workers to care for a cat.