Basic Health Problems of Cats

If you're new to owning a cat, you might be surprised to discover that health problems are a common thing. Regardless what breed of cat you own, health problems are to be anticipated. A few may be hereditary, while others may easily be prevented.

 

Regardless what breed of cat it might be, worms are a very basic and recurring issue. Tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms are among the basic that infect cats. Cats who have issues gaining weight, issues with fleas, or if you find white specks in his stool, you ought to have your vet test him for worms. While they may be treated with medicine, worms may prove to be fatal if they're left untreated.

 

Hairballs are the most common health problem for cats. All cats groom themselves on an everyday basis, normally swallowing the loose hair that comes from their coats. Occasionally, this loose hair will gather into a ball and become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract rather than passing through in your cat’s stool. When your cat begins to cough and hack, he's normally coughing out a hairball. Whilst it may be rather disgusting in the end, most cats may dislodge hairballs with no issues.

 

In rare cases, a hairball may pass through to a cat’s intestine, producing a blockage. Blockages are really serious issues, and may be grievous if they aren’t treated. If your cat gets constipated, isn’t eating decently, or has a very dull coat, he may have a blockage. If you notice any of these symptoms, you ought to take him to the veterinarian immediately. You can prevent hairballs and blockages by brushing your cat two – three times a week to remove loose hair. You can likewise feed him food that's designed to control hairballs too.

 

Urinary tract infection is likewise a common health problem with cats. Urinary tract infection is more common with male cats that haven’t been neutered, although females may suffer from this problem too. When a cat abruptly stops going to his litter box, this issue is normally the cause. A different symptom is when the cat’s urine begins to smell very strong. If you suspect that your cat has a urinary tract infection, you ought to take him to the vet. Your vet may treat the issue with medicine, and make recommendations to help avoid this issue in the future.

 

In the past, feline leukemia was the greatest cause of death in cats. These days however, there are vaccines available that may treat the disease. To treat the disease, your cat will have to be given the shot before he or she's exposed. Even though death doesn’t occur immediately, cats that are exposed to feline leukemia commonly don’t have a long life. If you know your cat has feline leukemia, you ought to never allow other cats around him, as the virus is extremely contagious.

 

To protect your cat, you ought to always make certain that you take him to the vet for his regular check ups. If you keep him up to date on his inoculations, he ought to lead a healthy and productive life. Although a few health problems can’t be avoided, many of them can. You can likewise keep your cat indoors as well, which will protect him from a bulk of health problems. If your cat is an outside cat, regular visits to the vet will keep him healthy. As long as you take your cat to the veterinarian and keep him healthy – he will be your companion for years to come.

 

Grooming Your Feline

No cat wants to be dirty, and it’s up to you to see to it that your cat remains clean. Grooming is really crucial, as it helps your cat remain clean and healthy. Grooming begins with brushing, as brushing helps to keep the cat’s hair from becoming hairballs. Brushing will get rid of loose hair, and help prevent the peril of hairballs. Many cats have trouble freeing hairballs. If the cat isn’t able to get a hairball out, it may result in a blockage of the bowels. Blockages are really grave, and may quickly become dangerous for your pet.

 

Cats that have long hair have to be brushed and combed on a regular basis, while cats with short hair have to be groomed less frequently. When you brush your cat, you ought to always watch for lumps in the coat and skin aggravations. You ought to begin brushing along the cat’s back, going from his head to his tail. Do this a couple of times on one side, and then shift to the other. Every area should be brushed a couple of times in the direction of the way your cat’s hair is growing.

 

When you brush your cat, you ought to always avoid brushing his face and paws. If a cat doesn’t like to be brushed, you are able to still groom him utilizing a different tool. The grooming glove is a great alternative to the brush, as most cats don’t mind it at all. Beginning young is the key to grooming, as it will get your cat used to brushing and grooming. A few cats that have started grooming when they were kitties grow to love it, many of which frequently look forward to their grooming time.

 

When brushing your cat, make certain that you check his ears, eyes, teeth, and claws. His eyes ought to be bright and clear with nothing residing in the corners. His ears ought to be clean, pink in color, and no sign of ear mites. Ear mites result from dirt accumulated in a cat’s ears, and may result in the ears shrinking and your cat losing his hearing. Ear mites are really annoying for the cat, and hard for you as an owner to do away with. The best way to eliminate them – is to ensure that your cat’s ears remain clean and healthy.

 

Every time you groom your cat, you ought to always aim to go a bit further with your examinations. When your cat stays still, you ought to always praise him and provide him a treat. If your cat doesn’t cooperate and begins to struggle, you shouldn’t fight with him, but rather let him go and attempt the following day. Once your cat gets used to grooming, he will look forward to it every day.

A View of Cat Breeds

Over the last thousands of years, cats have pretty much addressed their breeding themselves. To begin with, they were utilized for one purpose - hunting and defeating rodents. As the years marched on, we started to breed cats more to our liking. Today, there are several different breeds of cats - which you are able to tell if you look closely.

 

These days there are over seventy clear-cut cat breeds, which are accepted through cat registries. There are many registries that will recognize around forty breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds like tigers. There are likewise many variations too, including wild cats that have longer hair. 

 

There are a few cat breeds that have roots going back quite a bit in history. A few Japanese breeds, like the Japanese Bobtail, may be traced back more than a thousand years in history. These cats were very common and well known throughout gothic Japan. Now days though, they're all but a myth throughout Japan and the whole world.

 

The basic cat breeds that are found in North America include the alley cat, long haired cat, and Persian cat. Siamese are likewise common, although they're well known to be destructive and to have a bad temper. Persian cats are really popular, proving to be loving companions. Persian cats may be very expense, depending upon where you get it and what sort of Persian cat it is.

 

Alley cats are the most common in North America. There are really several different breeds, although most of us simply refer to them as alley cats. They make great pets, although there are literally 1000s of them in existence. 

 

The look of the cat is the simplest way to tell what breed he or she might be. Some individuals choose to go by color, although color isn’t as simple to identify. Different breeds of cats have different looks, like the Siamese and Persian cats. S

 

Over the years, there has been quite a few breeds come along. Cats were among the first pets, and easily among the most popular. Millions of individuals around the world own cats, with many individuals preferring a cat over any other pet - including dogs. Regardless breed of cat you get - you’re sure to get a pet that make for an excellent companion for years and years to come.