Cat Fact Files

Feline cystitis is a bladder inflammation that affects mainly female cats, and is sometimes associated with infection rather than a general condition related to other influences. The primary sign of this disease is an increase in the number of times urination is attempted, with an obvious reduction in the amount of urine passed. A secondary sign of infection can be blood in the urine. Although not life-threatening it is extremely uncomfortable for the cat. A veterinary surgeon will advises on a course of treatment.

A kitten that is house-bound in the early stages will need an indoor litter tray. However, a healthy adult cat that is an active outdoor type will not normally require an ‘indoor toilet’ as most (if not all) its toileting will be performed outside.

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With emergencies and other un-planned veterinary costs, the price can really add up. The expenses can be staggering and dumbfounding. In some cases it can become a life and death situation, and sometimes the owner cannot afford it. It isn’t always a medical shortcoming but a financial one instead. Economic euthanasia is on the rise. Pets are being put to sleep, simply because the owner cannot afford the medical bill, even if the pet has a totally treatable condition. This is a dire state of affairs. Luckily Groupon are offering great deals on veterinary care. Make sure your pet gets access to the best care at the best price with these great discounts. Pet health savings in 2012 could be yours today with these great vouchers. Pet savings discounts are helping millions of people across the UK slash their veterinary bills in half. Any way to lower these costs without lowering the quality of veterinary care must be a good thing. Now you could join the many who have already found these great deals with Groupon. Help yourself to help your pet and take advantage of the discounts and get great pet healthcare savings this year now.

A flea infestation is unpleasant for both you and your cat and therefore it is important that it is treated, and most importantly prevented completely.

Fleas bite their host (your pet) to feed from their blood, which causes an inflammatory reaction and an itchy irritation. Fleas can cause fur loss and in severe cases anaemia and they can even transmit diseases. Some animals may also react to the flea’s saliva which can cause sores after just a few bites. This is known as miliary dermatitis in cats.

Most fleas are picked up from flea infested environments and can even be picked up by you and passed on to your pet, which means that even house cats are at risk.

The good news is that fleas can be easily treated with an effective flea treatment such as Frontline for cats, which will prevent flea infestation and effectively kill any fleas on your pet. Frontline spot on is easy and painless to administer to the back of the neck. To prevent future flea infestations it is important that it is applied every five weeks for cats. Frontline also protects your cat from ticks for one month after each application.

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It is a good idea to place a kitten that is just walking up directly into the tray. Instinct will often take over as its moves its paws around the litter material. Once a kitten has used a tray once, it will instinctively try to ‘over-mark’ its own toilet scents. If a kitten has soiled on newspaper, small amounts of this can be transferred to the tray to create the first ‘marking’ process on its behalf.

Taking in a cat and introducing it to your home and family can be a lot of work and effort, particularly if the cat or kitten is a rescue pet and may need some time to settle and get acquainted with the rest of the family. Problems can arise if there is already a cat or dog in the home, resulting in signs of aggression, tension and apprehension.

If you’re very lucky, bringing a new cat or kitten into the home will be no trouble at all, with the feline readily accepting every family member, guest and other pets with affection. However, more often than not, a new cat may require transition period to acclimatise from a previous environment.

There are numerous signs to look out for to identify a cat or kitten with behavioural issues such as hissing, scratching and wailing. On the end of the scale, they may appear to be frightened, attempting to escape the household or a refusal to eat or urinate. When these signs come to the surface, many owners feel the best thing is to let time run its course and hope that their cat will settle down, become more affectionate or come out of its shell. However, the longer the condition is left, the longer the cat will feel alienated.

There are a number of safe and effective treatments available for introducing a cat into the home. The Feliway and Furminator range includes numerous non-prescription choices for both cats and kittens, helping to reduce any tension and aggression. Both ranges of medication can work out to be inexpensive in comparison to vet prescriptions. By visiting VioVet an informed choice can be made when choosing products to help your troubled cat or kitten feel more at home and relaxed.

Like humans, cats can suffer from a wide range of health conditions, particularly as they get older. One of the most common of these in cats is kidney disease.

Humans who suffer from health conditions such as kidney disease are often given certain dietary recommendations by their doctors. In the same way, there are particular recommendations for cats that will help improve their quality of life as they live with a potentially life-threatening and long-term illness.

Statistics show that almost one in five cats in the UK may be affected by kidney disease in their lifetime. One of the most common symptoms of the condition, which has a variety of causes, is increased frequency of urination. Your cat may also begin to drink noticeably more and more often than it has done previously. Other signs include weight loss, loss of appetite and disorientation.

If you suspect that your cat may be suffering from kidney disease, then you should take it to the vet without delay so that they can carry out tests, such as urine and blood samples. If kidney disease is confirmed, the vet may administer specialist medications and antibiotics. But many vets put a lot of emphasis on adjusting the cat’s diet to help lessen the condition and keep the cat relatively healthy. A low-protein diet is recommended because it puts less pressure on the ailing kidneys.

Finding foods for cats suffering from kidney disease

A number of manufacturers actually produce specially formulated food that is specifically designed specifically for cats with kidney disease. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet range offers a Renal Support cat food which contains the optimum level of dietary protein and phosphorous, as well as containing a variety of vitamins and minerals that cats suffering from kidney disease need to help combat the symptoms of the disease. The Royal Canin cat food range also has a range of dry and wet foods that are suitable for older cats with special requirements.

The Applaws cat food range also contains a number of dry foods that are intended to help promote good health, are completely free of cereal proteins and are enriched with vitamins and minerals, as well as cranberry extracts to ‘maintain urinal tract health’.

It is wise to change litter material that has been exposed to an adult cat on a daily basis. Young kittens will not usually produce copious amounts of urine and faeces, and it can be useful not to over-clean the tray in the early days to encourage its use.

Cats are very clean animals. To maintain an adult cat in good health it is important to ensure that its little tray is always kept clean.

An active kitten will burn up more calories than an indoor kitten. It will need extra protein to help with body and muscle growth spurts encouraged by the high levels of exercise. Gradually increase the food quantities suggested for an indoor kitten, until it is obvious from the excess food remaining that the kitten is receiving sufficient.

It is natural for a cat to scratch an upright object such as a tree in nature, in order to scent mark its territory. Because of this, if you do not have an appropriate target for this behavior you’ll be asking for the cat to be destructive towards walls, doors, door frames, furniture and furnishings.