Learn The
Secrets To Keeping Your
Cat Healthy And Happy!
by Lorie Huston
Keeping a cat as a pet is a very
rewarding experience. Cats can provide comfort, companionship,
even entertainment. However, when something goes wrong and your
feline friend is not feeling well, the results can be devastating.
Fortunately, there are several simple things you can do to help
keep your cat healthy and happy.
Keeping your cat up-to-date on
the necessary vaccinations will go a long way toward keeping your
cat healthy and happy. Vaccinations ("shots") can help
keep your cat from getting many of the serious diseases which can
make your cat sick, or even perhaps threaten your cat's life.
Your cat's individual lifestyle
and situation will determine which vaccinations your cat needs to
have and how often these vaccines need to be given. Your cat's
veterinarian can help you determine what is right for your cat. Do
not make the mistake of assuming that your cat does not need
vaccinations if your cat lives indoors and never goes outside.
This is simply not true, and there are diseases which your cat may
be at risk for even if he/she never ventures outside.
Nothing is more frustrating than
watching your cat suffer through an illness that could easily have
been prevented. If you do not know which vaccinations your cat
needs, or whether your cat is up-to-date on these vaccines, please
contact your veterinarian right now to find out.
Your cat also needs to be tested
for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (also called
feline AIDS). These viruses are common and are passed from one cat
to another. The viruses can be passed to kittens from their mother
as well. A positive test for either of these viruses indicates
that your cat has been exposed to that particular virus.
If your cat is positive, his/her
immune system may be compromised and your cat needs to observed
even more closely. Veterinary care should be sought at the first
sign of even mild disease symptoms. A positive test also indicates
that your cat could potentially spread the disease to other cats,
so your cat should be isolated from other cats if he/she is
positive for either feline leukemia or feline AIDS.
Fleas and ticks can not only make
your cat very itchy and uncomfortable, they can also carry disease
which can cause serious illness for your cat. In addition to
causing problems for your cat, fleas and ticks can also attack
people, and can spread disease to us as well. You should make a
habit of checking your cat's coat regularly for fleas and ticks
and act immediately if you find evidence of these creatures on
your cat.
Fortunately, with the products we
have available today, controlling or, better yet, preventing fleas
and ticks is very simple. There are many products available that
are safe, effective, and simple to use. Often, monthly application
is all that is needed. Even cats which live indoors can get fleas.
Fleas are small enough to sneak inside very easily. Preventing
fleas and ticks will help keep your cat comfortable and healthy.
Preventing intestinal parasites,
commonly called "worms", is also important in keeping
your cat healthy. Finding out whether your cat has worms is as
easy as collecting a sample from your cat's litter box and taking
it to your cat's veterinarian for testing. You should do this
regularly. If you see worms in your cat's feces, you should
collect the worm, along with the feces, and take it to your cat's
veterinarian. However, you should not assume that your cat does
not have worms because you are not seeing them yourself. Your
veterinarian will use special laboratory techniques to check for
worm eggs which you cannot see.
Spaying or neutering your cat is
another simple way to help keep your cat healthy. Spaying your
female cat not only keeps your cat from coming into
"heat" and becoming pregnant, but spaying also provides
many health benefits for your cat. Spayed cats do not develop the
serious, life-threatening uterine infections which are fairly
common in cats which are not spayed. And spaying your cat at a
young age will also dramatically lower the chances of breast
cancer occurring later in life.
For male cats, neutering helps
prevent unwanted litters of kittens. However, it also makes living
with your male cat more pleasant. The odor of your cat's urine
will be more tolerable if neutered, and he is not as likely to
"spray" (urinate) inside of your house. He is also more
likely to stay at home and less likely to get into cat fights if
neutered. Neutering (or spaying) your cat will only improve your
cats personality.
Regular physical examinations by
your cat's veterinarian are also mandatory to help keep your cat
healthy. Often, a thorough physical examination will find evidence
of a health problem while the problem is still in the early
stages. Many illnesses are more easily treated when detected
early, and treatment is often more successful as well. Finding and
treating health problems early can save your cat a great deal of
suffering and even extend your cat's life by many years.
Lorie Huston has been a
veterinarian for over 20 years, working with both dogs and cats.
She emphasizes the use of routine preventive pet health care to
keep your pets healthy and safe. Lorie is the owner, editor, and
webmaster of The Pet Med Site: www.thepetmedsite.com/cat-health/ Copyright
The Pet Med Site.
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The content on this site is
presented only for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice from a practicing veterinarian.
The
contents on this site are not presented from a licensed
veterinarian, and any and all health care for your pet
should be
made under the guidance of your own veterinarian.
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