Declawing your pet 101

My vets have always recommended that the cat should be declawed at the same time they are altered, so that the animal has to suffer anethesia only once. However, veteranary medicine has advanced as much as human medicine and this is not as big a risk as it once was.
When considering declawing, you should have your vet give your kitty a thorough physical exam to insure you pet is healthy and will heal quickly afterwards.

Controlling Hairballs

Hairballs are more of a problem in longhaired cats than short, but no one like to listen to a gagging cat. Hairballs are caused by too much hair in the cat´s stomach from their own grooming. Although there are many different remedies, I prefer preventative health care measures and training:

Daily brushing is my number one tip to prevent cat hairballs, especially during the warm months of the year. If you start brushing your cat during this time of the year, it is easier to train them to enjoy it. They are naturally trying to get rid of that excess undercoat, and your daily brushing will do that for them.

But if your cat´s pattern of coughing up the occasional hairball changes, take your cat to the vet to find out why.

Another suggestion to stop cat hairballs (or at least reduce them) is to feed your cat or kitten Iams or Science Diet´s Hairball Control. It has worked wonders for my longhaired cat.

Wounds

For a quick clean up of small wounds, dilute some hydrogen peroxide in a cup of water. Call your vet to get a professional assessment of how serious the wound could be and if the vet feels the wound needs more attention.

Excessive licking and grooming

Your kitty´s excessive licking and grooming can have several causes: stress, food allergies, and more. Your first step is a visit with your vet to determine whether it´s a health or behavior problem.
Many cats are allergic to corn, a main ingedient in most dried cat foods. If your vet suspects an allergy, change the cat´s food and watch for improvements in your cat´s coat and behavior. Your vet can suggest brands of food that will help the most.

If the licking is due to stress, try to remove the source, or simply manage the stress. This is particularly important in multiple cat-households. We have four, & the low man on the pecking order stopped chewing his fur when I started feeding him without the others present. I also give him ´special time´, i.e. an hour per day, when he is with me alone and gets undivided attention.

The Signs and Symptoms of UI

Urinary infection is a common cat health problem for cats, especailly males due to their physiology. Although it is easily treated, it can lead to kidney failure and even death if left untreated. If you suspect UI, take your cat to a reputable vet immediately.

Some of the symptoms and signs to look for include:
Straining to urinate, discomfort while urinating, howling or crying while urinating, tinkling anywhere and everywhere (very small puddles), and discolored urine (indicating blood in the urine).

Low Cost Medical Advice

Your kitty is sick or injured and needs veterinarian cat care, but your budget this month can´t afford the bill.

Call your local animal shelter/dog pound, humane society, ASPCA, or rescue organization. They have lists of low cost vets in your area, and can even help pay for vet bills in some cases.

Preventative measures

Although there are many options for controling hairballs, I prefer preventative measures.
Science Diet Hairball formula dry food, along with daily brushings (several times a day in the warm months)have controlled the problem with my cats.

Lumps and Bumps

When petting or grooming Ol´ Kitty, try to take notice of any lumps or bumps under the skin.
These could be indicators of tumors and should be watched for any changes.
Of course a trip to the vet will put your mind at ease.

First Aid for a Cat or Kitten

To wash minor wounds, use witch hazel. Or add 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary or blackberry leaves to a cup of boiling water, and boil it for several hours.
If your cat has serious wounds, take it to the vet immediately for emergency cat care.

GURU´S NOTE: This tip was submitted by a user, and I cannot validate it one way or the other: For any wounds my cats get, I take them to the vet to determine the severity and to get antibiotics. Puncture wounds from teeth will appear to be very small on the outside, but can wreak havoc below the skin.

Toxoplasmosis-prevention

The toxoplasmosis parasite is commonly present in cattle, poultry, and many domestic animals without any harmful effects; however, it continues to live in raw meat after slaughter until the meat is cooked, dried, or frozen for a prolonged period. The two major causes of human toxoplasmosis infection in the U.S. are the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, and contact with the feces of the domestic cat.
Infopedia
To prevent infection, be certain to fully cook your fresh meat, and wash your hands thoroughly after changing the litter box.

Ol´ Kitty just can´t get warm

You´ve tried everything to create a warm place for Ol´ Kitty to nap, but she still seems cold.
Try clamping a mechanic´s drop light with a 60 watt light bulb over Ol´ Kitty´s favorite napping spot. These are available at most hardware stores and even Wal Mart. Be sure to use a light with a flared hood/shade, so that the heat is directed towards your cat´s bed. This mimics the sun´s rays, and ever notice how a cat will move with the sun to stay in its warmth.

Excessive Bad Breath

Well, normally cat´s breath is not as ´pleasant´ as a breath mint (especially after eating), but if it is really bad then you should have that looked at by a vet. Excessively bad breath can be a sign of gum disease, rotting teeth or stomach disorders. Any one, of which, can cause serious discomfort in your kitty, and even death if left untreated.

If you are feeding your kitty wet food exclusively, then that can encourage the build up of plaque and tartar and lead to bad breath. I recommend dry food to help with keeping teeth clean. Also, there are treats designed to keep kitty´s teeth clean.

Warmth is Important

Cat´s are picky about a warm place to nap, but this is critical when they get older.
As with humans, older cats´ immune systems aren´t as strong, and getting chilled could lead to respiratory problems, or aggravate any arthritis.
Be sure to keep a quiet warm place for Ol´ Kitty to nap in year round. His nap place should be isolated from cold drafts in the winter and away from air conditioning vents in the summer.

Senior Diet

Check with your vet before switching Ol´ Kitty to a food just because it says ´senior´ on the package.
Your vet will have recommendations on the amounts of vitamins and minerals, as well as roughage, needed to keep an elderly cat healthy. Not all pet foods are created equal. It´s been my experience that the better quality of food you give your cats, the better their health will be.

Upper Respiratory Ailments

Cats and kittens suffer from upper respiratory ailments just as humans; allergies, colds, infections are just some of them. However, cats do not recover from them as easily as humans; they need veterinarian cat care to recover completely.

If they don´t see a vet, and get the proper medications, they will be sickly for a long time, possibly for the rest of their life.

You should take your cat to the vet for feline medicines to treat upper respiratory ailments. Some human medicines are poisonous to cats, and all of them are toxic in the high dosages for humans.

If you budget is strained, contact your local animal shelter/pound, ASPCA, humane society or rescue organization. They will have a list of low cost vets in your area, and in some cases, the non-profit organizations can help you pay for the vet bills.

Tap Water and UI

Your vet has determined that your cat has a urinary problem; he has given you medicine and recommended a special food for Kitty.
As one last question for the vet, ask him about the water quality in your area and if that could be contributing to Kitty´s problem. If need be, you may want to switch kitty over to bottled water that has most of the minerals removed. (Water that has been treated with Reverse Osmosis or even distilled water).

Protect the Couch!

If your cat or kitten is constantly clawing your couch or chair, this is what worked magnificently for me:

Put a carpet covered scratching post directly in front of the area of the furniture the cat loves to destroy. Rub the post down with catnip and the cats will be drawn to the scratching post instead of the couch.

Now, my cats scratch the post instead of the couch and love the occassional sprinkling of catnip.

Get Kitty to eat flea medicine!

Protecting your cat from fleas is important, but some cats won´t easily take the liquid flea medicine. Try mixing the medicine in a can of wet food and give it to your cat. Most of the time he won´t even know it was in there; he will just think he got a special treat.
GURU´S NOTE:This was submitted by a reader. Please, check with your vet before adminstering any medication in this manner to avoid chemical reactions that could harm your pet.

Vaccinations

Remember to have your cat´s vaccinations updated routinely; at least once a year. This will help keep you pet healthy, and will give your vet the opportunity for early detection of any health problems.