Proper Cat Health Tips
Proper cat health relies heavily on preventative measures; this includes routine veterinary care as well as grooming on a regular basis. To make sure you cat stays both happy and healthy it is a good idea to watch for any changes in their condition. An excellent time to monitor for cat health is during grooming sessions.
Cat Health According To Life Stages
The best way to keep on top of your cats health is by knowing the life stages and what proper cat health is for each stage. This way you can easily recognize when something is going wrong with your cats health and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The first life stage is from birth of sixteen weeks. During this stage you cat is just starting to learn about the world around them. Cats in this stage are often playful but still shy around humans. Cat health is also extremely important in this stage so that they can grow up to be healthy throughout the rest of their life.
The next stage is from sixteen weeks to one year. During this period, cats are often still very playful. To maintain cat health you should make sure you cat is spayed or neutered at about six months old unless you are planning on using them as a breeding cat.
Next comes the one to eight year period, which are the prime years for cat health. During this stage of your cat's life, it is very important to have yearly visits to the veterinarian. From there is the eight to twelve year stage of a cats life. This is when pre-geriatric cat health comes into play. Your cat will often slow down but their behavior will remain the same.
Geriatric cat health will start when they turn twelve. At this age, you will start to notice health problems in your cat and they will often become worse as they age. Cats will often move very slowly since their joints will start to become stiff. Elderly cats may also be very irritated.
Common Cat Health Issues
There are varieties of health conditions that can affect your cat. A big part of keeping your cat healthy is proper prevention. Contact your veterinarian right away, if you notice any health problems. The following are some of the more common conditions your cat may get.
Flea allergy is a common problem for cats. A cat's sensitivity to fleabites will increase as they age. Food allergies can also have similar symptoms to fleabite allergies including dermatitis and severe itching, vomiting or diarrhea.
Hairballs are a persistent cause of vomiting in cats. You can reduce this issue by maintaining a regular schedule of coat brushing. Even with shorthair cats, they can get hairballs if you don't keep them down with routine brushing. You should take your cat into a veterinarian if they have persistent vomiting since this can also be a sign of thyroid or kidney problems.
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Fred Long
Article photo source
thanks Fred :)
Tips for a Healthy Pet Cat
Understanding Kidney Disease In Cats
Kidney disease in older cats is especially worrisome. It is also known as chronic renal failure and is a common problem in older cats. It is seen in cats of all ages, but mostly older cats.
Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Cats
* Your cat is drinking much more water than usual
* Your cat is urinating much more than usual
These will be the most noticeable symptoms for you and your cat. When the kidney is not functioning properly, it can't concentrate your cat's urine. However, your veterinarian will probably conduct some blood tests just to rule out any other illness, as this can be a sign of another illness.
Unfortunately, the symptoms don't usually become apparent until about three quarters of the kidney is already in failure. Just as unfortunate is the fact that kidney disease (chronic renal failure) in cats has no cure or way of reversing the damage. The disease will continue, but there are ways you can make your cat more comfortable in the years she has left.
Treatment can include the following
1. Diet: You might hear or read things that suggest certain special diets for your cat. However, the most important thing is that your cat is eating. If your cat doesn't like the diet and refuses to eat the food, it doesn't do much good. Feed your cat the foods she likes to eat, staying with nutritional, healthy foods. Don't feed your cat just dry food. They will need the moisture from other foods to help keep them hydrated.
2. Nutrition: Your veterinarian might suggest a special food called Renafood, which can help better your cat's kidney function. You might need to crush it into your cat's regular food, but most cats actually like it.
3. Supplemental Fluids: Your veterinarian can give your cat supplemental fluids at their office or teach you how to do it at home. This is one of the best ways to keep your cat hydrated.
There are many ways to help you help your cat live out a happier and healthier life and the most important part of that is keeping them hydrated. Your cat's kidneys can no longer keep the water because of the damage that is already there and it can't be reversed. Ask your veterinarian what else you can do to keep her hydrated, because this will in turn keep her more comfortable. Your vet might suggest some homeopathy, herbs, flower essences and/or acupuncture to help make your cat feel better.
Your vet may also suggest some medicines to help. There are some that can help, just make sure you have all of the information on them (including side effects) in case you find your cat may have some unwanted effects from them.
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Jean Morgan
Natures Healthy Pet
photo source