Cat Health Guide

Cats are animals that like to chew on green foliage, and this for most cats means chewing on indoor plants that can have serious effects to their health. Poisonous plants for cats are common in many houses and can lead to even the death of your pet.

As cat owners, we must learn more about cat health and the plants toxic to cats and ensure that we have a safe environment for our cat or kitten.  If you currently have plants inside and don’t know if they are poisonous, better take them all out of the house until you talk with your veterinarian.

IMPORTANT: Before going on with the article, let me tell you that if you have any suspicion that your cat may be poisoned, you should take him to the veterinarian immediately.  It’s better if you can bring along a sample of the object causing the symptoms.

If you can’t get emergency help for any reason, don’t doubt to call ASPCA’s Poisoning Call Center at 1-888-4ANIHELP. They will charge you$55 to keep on running this non-profit organization. Be sure to check their complete list of plants poisonous for cats.

We must avoid poisonous plants for cats

Insecticides as Poison to Cats

Sometimes the problem is not the plant itself, but the insecticide sprayed on it.  Did you know that plants you buy at common places are often sprayed with insecticides? Be very careful if you have a cat.  These insecticides can cause the plants to be poisonous, causing serious health damage.  And it doesn’t require a big amount of chemicals to become this dangerous.

How to avoid it? Well, the key is information.  If you want to buy a safe plant, be sure to know where it’s coming from and ask the vendor about their use of insecticides and the effect on cats. If they can’t give you a clear answer, better buy the plant at another place.

Keeping Your Cat From Chewing on Plants

The best step to ensure that your cat is free of intoxication risks is learning how to stop your cat from chewing on plants.  Training them to avoid this behavior can significantly lower future risks. One way to do it is using lemon juice.

Dilute lemon juice and regularly spray it on the leaves.  This juice is not well tolerated by cats and kittens so they will quit chewing the leaves after feeling the taste. However don’t do it on poisonous plants, these plants must be taken out completely, only use this method on safe plants as a form to condition your cat without running any risk.

Catnip - preferred by cats

Another Solution: Their Own Plant to Chew

Your cat can also have available their own greenery to chew whenever they like.  Cats need the plants to help them keep a good digestion and to help them eliminate hairballs. Nowadays you can find in pet supply stores special cat grass. For this purposes plants such as catnip, sage, parsley and thyme are used to chew in moderate amounts.

Giving them to chew common lawn grass is not a good idea, since it’s spines can harm your cat’s mouth and digestive tract.

Growing a Plant for Your Cat

If you really want to pamper your cat – who doesn’t? – you can grow a special plant just for him to chew. We’ve already mentioned the plants chewable by your cat above, but when planting them you’ll have to use sterilized soil and untreated seeds.  Obviously, you should stay away from insecticides.

Instead of having the plant available, keep it out of reach and give your cat dry leaves every week to chew. A great option would be to grow catnip as cats naturally love this plant.

Pet health insurance, like in the case of humans, can be very helpful in some situations, but if we don’t take some factors into account we could be end up paying for a service that we don’t really use, and this can hurt our pockets in the medium and long term.

Before deciding to opt for a pet insurance company, you should take into account factors such as the past and current state of your cat’s health, the age of your cat, the amount of money you spend on your cat’s health per year, the cost of packages and the amount of money you currently have in case of an emergency without insurance.

When deciding on a cat health insurance company, experience is also very important. So if you can have other’s people opinions, they would be useful.

Does Pet Insurance Cover All Bills?

No. We still haven’t fund an insurance company covering all the bill of the veterinarian, but what they do is reduce it.  In cases of big sums of money the reduction can be pretty significant. But in other health cases, the insurance policies will not cover anything.

This is a service that you need to pay regularly – even if your cat stays healthy for a full year. So, if everything goes like you want (with a healthy cat) you would be paying for nothing, and that’s the business of these pet insurance companies.

An Alternative to Cat Health Insurance

If you think about it, a cat insurance company acts similar to a savings account, but if you don’t use the money, well… they keep it. Sure they offer some advantages that you might use and you need to evaluate it on you specific case, but for most people a savings account made for your cat’s health could be a great alternative.

For this, you just open a special savings account that you have in the case of an emergency and put the money you’d rather spend on the veterinary coverage policy.  This way, you’re sure to keep the money you invest.  Of course, this is something that not all people can do, and some in fact end up spending this account for other purposes, so be honest about how you are.

Advantages of Pet Insurance

Pet insurance becomes truly a gift for people who have to deal with expensive treatments for the cat, especially over a period of time.  And this is one major concern that draws people to pet insurance solutions. It provides emotional security so you won’t have to worry if in the future your cat needs medical attention and you don’t have enough money.

As you can see getting pet insurance is a personal matter.  There are good things and bad things.  Maybe you spend money on a service that you never use, but it gives you emotional security that helps you live with less stress in your life. Or maybe you prefer to use the money on an investment or a savings account.  The choice is up to you and there is no right or wrong.

A Word of Warning

If you decide to sign a contract for pet insurance, first be sure to ask all the necessary questions (even if they are thousands) and read the contract as many times as you wish. You should know what is covered, what is not and what is half-covered, your extras and have it all clear.  This will avoid any surprise further down the road.

A common – and regular – cat health problem we must have to deal with as cat owners is the appearance of cat hairballs, also called furballs and hair-balls. Many people at first don’t know about this regular problem and they end up disgusted but what appears to be a ball of wet poop. The sole act of expulsing the cat hairball can bring concern as you see your cat hacking and vomiting.

What is a Hairball and Why do Cats Cough Hairballs?

Cat hairballs are big balls made of fur that are formed in the stomach of your cat or kitty. This is caused because cats are always grooming themselves, and well, this means a lot of licking, and although their tongues are their effective tools to groom, a lot of fur ends up getting stuck on them. If you have a cat with long hair, the chances of a hairball forming multiply by the way.

This is a cat hairball

Normally, when a cat swallows hair, it can go through the digestive system without noticing it, you’ll only know your cat has a hairball when it is expelled. A cat hairball looks like a wet sausage-like form on the floor.

Preventing Cat Hairballs

You can help your kitty or cat reduce hairball problems by brushing your cat regularly – thus helping to remove the excess fur he might swallow. In the case of a kitten, it is preferably to brush daily, so you’ll build the habit of brushing your cat, making things easier in the long run. You have to know also when it is shedding season in your zone, because it is critical to brush your cats at this stage t avoid furballs.

A good diet will also help preventing cat hairball problems, as it will help keeping the coat in good shape, preventing excessive shedding.  Keep also in mind that shedding increases when your cat feels stressed.

How Cats Deal With Hairballs?

When a cat licks off their hair, it goes through their digestive system to then be eliminated. There are times, though when the amount of fur in the cat’s belly becomes to big to be eliminated in their stool, so the cat vomits the hairball.

Cats also have an instinct to know what helps them, so in this case, they sometimes eat grass outdoors to help passing the hairball.

Complications of a Cat Hairball

Hairballs in cats - Prevention is key

There are cases where a cat or kitten is unable to eliminate the hairball through the stool or vomiting, in these cases a blockage in the intestine can form, producing constipation.  You should seek a veterinary immediately because sometimes the only way to get rid of the hairball is through surgery.

When you own a cat, you have to be prepared for any health problems that may arise.  Among the common cat health problems, we can find from minor inconveniences to dangerous (even life-threatening) accidents and conditions. It is our responsibility as cat owners to always check if our cat is healthy, so if we notice a lack of appetite, constipation, or strange behavior, we need to take our cat to the veterinary.

How To Recognize a Sick Cat?

As a cat owner you can certainly differentiate a behavior different than normal in your cat.  Common sign of a sick cat are: lethargy, lack of appetite, excessive itching, a dull coat, not grooming after a meal, diarrhea, vomiting, hiding, trouble with the litter box, unusual locations for elimination, and increased need of water and noticing a third eyelid from the corner of the eye of your cat while h is awake.

Cat health problems can be prevented

Of course, this is not a thorough checklist, and in all particular case you may notice different strange behavior, because all cats are different, however it is a good starting point to discard cat health problems. If you are a new cat owner, it would be the best idea to get more educated in the World of basic cat health, not only will it help you act quick in case of illness, but will also improve the quality of your cat’s life.

If you feel that something is not right with your cat, a visit to the veterinary is a must. A doctor will help you not only properly diagnose what your cat is suffering from, but will also know how sever is a certain illness or condition.  Acting quickly is very important, as there are some illnesses that quickly evolve and become serious.

List of Common Cat Health Problems

Here you can find a short list of common cat health problems you might encounter along your life with your beloved pet.  Use it as a quick reference guide to talk with your veterinary.

Fleas

Fleas are very common in some places, and these parasites can produce further cat health problems such as tapeworm problems and anemia. Flea control is very important to minimize the chances of an infection.

Cat Hairballs

This problem is even more common than flea attacks.  All cats store hair in the stomach, but they usually get them out of their system through feces or vomiting. Know that you can prevent hairball problems and successfully treat them. You can find more about cat hairballs.

Plant Poisoning

Plants love to chew, especially plants! As an owner you must know which plants are poisonous to your pet, but also beware of plant insecticides that can have the same adverse effect. Most problems of this kind start out of ignorance by the owner.Learn more about poisonous plants for cats.

Cat Infections and Viruses

Serious diseases can be a product of infections and viruses, among the common problems affecting our cat’s health we have: rabies, cat flu, infectious enteritis, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

Worm Problems in Cats

Your cat may be suffering from a parasite attack.  There are different types of worms that can affect our kitty or cat’s health: tapeworms, ringworms, roundworms, hookworms and lungworms.  In each case, a cat must follow a proper treatment to eliminate completely the parasites off the body.

Various Cat Health Issues

Besides the problems listed above, our cat may also be the victim of other health issues, just like other animals and even us.  They can have indigestion problems, urinary infections, skin conditions, vitamin deficiencies, etc. Accidents are also common in many places, so we must ensure we have a proper cat health first aid kit in case of emergency.  Remember than in health, prevention is a key component so also have the veterinary’s number at hand.

DISCLAIMER

We hp the article has served you, but keep in mind that its purposes are only of information.  We are not health professionals and our aim is to give you a quick reference to possible problems with your cat’s health. In the case of health issues, visiting a veterinary is the best thing to do and you must not avoid it.

Anemia is a cat health problem that many cat owners have to deal with, most people notice at first a pale skin tone when the cat yawn, however there are other symptoms such as a pale tongue and gums.  If you notice both of these signs you are likely to have a case of anemia in cats.

Other way to quickly assess if your cat is suffering from anemia is to check the conjunctivae, the membranes surrounding the eye.  If they appear light or with a transparent tone instead of a light pink tone, you might be dealing with anemia.  If after checking these ways you think your cat is not healthy, you should go to the veterinary for a proper diagnosis.  Anemia affects the mood of cats making them feel weak and lethargic, sleeping more than usual. Other symptoms include shallow breathing, fever and discolored urine.

Diagnosing Anemia in Cats

Veterinarians can help determine anemia problems with a blood count sample, this will check the amount of red blood cells along with other data.  To better discard this problem, some veterinarians opt for more tests such as the Feline Leukemia Virus/Feline Immunodeficiency virus test,

If there are abnormal readings with the test, this will be an indicator of anemia.  Keep in mind that sometimes the cat looks healthy to you, but the fact is that it is suffering from anemia.

Anemia appears with different severity. The cases of extreme anemia in cats are life threatening and must be treated immediately. To avoid having worst anemia scenarios you should take care of your cat’s health by taking your cat to a routine check up by your veterinary.  Prevention and early detection are key factors to deal with anemia.

What Causes Anemia in Cats

Anemia is commonly caused by a reduction of red blood cell production by the bne marrow, or the loss of functioning cells. If the anemia is not showing a regenerative response, this means that the bone marrow is not acting well.

Treatment of Cat Anemia

In the cases where anemia is severe, the cat may need a blood transfusion.  Your cat’s blood should be properly determined to avoid a case of incompatible blood.

In light cases of anemia, medicine and care is needed.  Erythropoietin replacement is used by vets for cats with chronic kidney failure. Other types of anemia, such as the ones caused by cancers or terminal infections are not yet effectively treated.

Hi everybody! Welcome to my site about cat health and cat care. If you are here, I’d be 99% certain you have a cat, and realize how important is to keep our friends healthy. Unfortunately this is something that not all cat owners and especially wannabe-cat-owners take into consideration. There are even some people that think that owning a cat is like owning a toy.

A healthy cat is a happy hat!

This site has been created to provide cat wonders a web reference to keep their pets healthy. I will post here interesting news articles and videos that will help you start learning about this important topic. Also, I’ll leave all comments open here in “My Cat Health Guide”, so if you have anything to say, just drop us a line – unless you want to send out spammy messages of course.

We have divided the site in different categories so you can easily find what you are looking for without having to dig through a big amount of cat health related posts. So we have: Conditions and Diseases, Dental Care, Emergencies and First Aid, Food and Nutrition, Health Insurance and Vaccinations. Of course we are always open for suggestions about new topic and categories!

So please, I invite you to read on and learn more about cat health. We hope the articles are here to help you. And keep in mind that in some cases, the best thing to do is go visit a veterinary instead of surfing the Internet for an answer, this way you’ll get the top qualified advice you are looking for.