Cat Tree and Cat Care Information

Elderly Cat Care

November 24th, 2008 at 08:18am Under Cat Care+ Cat Health+ Cat Owner

By David Beart

Our cats become a part of the family over time. But unlike
humans, who are considered elderly at 60 or 65, cats are
considered “senior citizens” at the ripe old age of 10. It is
important to understand the proper care of cats at all stages of
life. A kitten cannot be fed, groomed, medicated, and treated
the same way as an elderly cat. Here is a guide to proper
Elderly Cat Care.

Feeding Time

Most pet supply stores sell specially formulated cat foods that
are designed to provide proper health and nutrition to elderly
cats. Some formulas assist with proper digestion, since this can
often be a problem with older cats. Senior cats cannot
assimilate their food in their digestive tracts in the same way
that they did when they were youngsters.

Older cats can also have problems with their teeth that cause
them to eat less. This is why it is important to maintain good
dental hygiene in cats at a young age by either brushing, taking
them to the veterinarian for a cleaning, or feeding them snacks
that clean their teeth. If your elderly cat eats less, it may be
due to a toothache, thus it is sometimes ideal to feed them
softer foods, mostly wet, canned foods, so that chewing their
dinner won’t be as much of an obstacle.

Many cat owners find that their cat’s coat becomes dull with
age. This is due to poor nutrition. Feed your older cat a diet
rich in essential fatty acids to fix this problem. When
organisms, including cats, get older, they have an increased
production of free radicals in the body. Free radicals
contribute to the degeneration of cells in the body. Help build
up the immune system of your beloved cat by increasing his or
her intake of vitamin C and E.

Finally, you want your cat to remain active in old age. The
more energetic activities your cat participates in the better
health it will remain in. If you allow your cat to become obese
it will lay around the house and have reduced quality of life,
as well as a decrease in general health. Watch your pet’s eating
habits and assure that it is not overeating, or eating as a
recreation as some cats do.

Grooming Elderly Cats

Another element of proper Elderly Cat Care is grooming. When
cats age, they sometimes stop grooming themselves with the same
frequency as they did when they were younger. This can create a
matted fur coat that is dirty and smells bad. Bad hygiene will
eventually lead to bad health. Because of this, it is important
that you groom your eldery cat yourself. Purchase a good cat
brush that doesn’t just brush the outer coat, but one with
bristles that reach down to the skin to pull up old hair.

It sometimes helps to give your cat a bath, even though most
cats hate them with a passion. The best way to wash a cat is to
place them in the tub and gradually introduce water. You
certainly don’t want to throw them into the tub with hot water
running inside! You may get a deep claw mark in the arm that
will never heal and remind you to never do that again. If you
apply water gradually to the cat’s coat until they are
completely wet and then work in some shampoo quickly, you should
be able to accomplish that goal.

Vet Visits and Medication

When your cat grows into old age, it may have health
complications that require regular medication. You should
schedule a regular vet appointment for your elderly cat to
assure that you are keeping up with all details of its health
regimen. In older age, cats may seem fine but still have
complications. Ask your veterinarian to give your cat a blood
and urine test to find out if there is anything to be concerned
about to head off any future problems. Going back to dental
care, most older cats develop gum disease which can lead to
health problems down the line. Gum disease can be treated by
your veterinarian.

Just as with a human who has to take daily medication, if your
cat has been prescribed to take medications on a daily basis it
is helpful to keep everything in one place as a reminder. You do
not want to miss a day of any crucial medication as the system
of your older cat is much more delicate than those of younger
cats.

Pet Insurance

Insurance companies are coming to recognize the love that
people have for their pets. Thus, there are many new pet
insurance products popping up on the market. It is best to
enroll your pet into an insurance program at a younger age to
assure a more reasonable premium, but you may still be able to
enroll your elderly cat into an insurance program where his or
medical bills will be partly covered in the case of a medical
emergency. Some pet insurance companies will charge anywhere
from $20-$50 per month per cat, depending on their particular
situation.

The costs of pet surgeries and treatments can be way out of the
budget of most households, so having a pet insurance plan to
back you up can be a great asset. It will also give you peace of
mind about your cat as it ages.

Activities of the Elderly Cat

The activity level of elderly cats vary. Some cats become
inactive and spend most of their day sleeping or sitting. But
other cats can be just as active in old age as they were in
their younger days. These cats may still like to play with you,
run, and chase the other cats around the house, but you just
need to be understanding that they may not be able to
participate in these games for as long as they used to. For
example, a game cats love to play is “chase their owner.”
Instead of letting them chase you up and down the stairs as you
did when they were young, maybe you could keep the activity to
one level of the house. That way you will not overexert your cat
and help prolong his time spent active.

Most cat experts agree tht a cat is generally healthy and happy
when they are “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.” Another indication
of a healthy cat is a lustrous, shiny coat, and a tail that
sticks straight up in the air when the cat is walking. Proper
elderly cat care is dire if you love your senior cat and want to
keep it in good physical health.

About the Author: David Beart is owner of the
www.professorshouse.com Professors House, a site
dedicated to family, relationships,
www.professorshouse.com/pets/cats/cats.aspx cat
information, and household issues.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=221435&ca=Pets

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Cat Cancer-A Brief Explanation

October 24th, 2008 at 08:13am Under Cat Care+ Cat Health+ Diseases

By Catharine Wells

For cat owners, there’s nothing more terrifying and distressing
than to find out that your beloved feline companion has
developed a malignant tumor or tumors. In order to give your cat
the best chance to survive a case of feline cancer, it’s
important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Also, having a
basic understanding of cat cancer and the steps involved in
fighting the disease can help make the process of diagnosis and
treatment less confusing and overwhelming.

What is Cancer?

Cancer involves the unregulated proliferation of cells
resulting in the formation malignant tumors. This type of
uncontrolled growth occurs when gene mutations are caused by
damaged DNA. Typically, any damaged cells would be destroyed by
the animal’s immune system; however, cancerous cells are able to
avoid destruction by the immune system and, therefore, continue
to grow in their unregulated manner. These cells then form a
mass known as a tumor, which can either be benign or malignant.
Malignant tumors are the cancerous ones, and they can be very
aggressive and dangerous.

Types of Cat Cancer

There are so many different types of cat cancer that it’s not
possible to discuss all of them here. Cancer can originate in
and affect almost all parts of the feline body; however, there
are certain types of cat cancer that are more common than
others. These include bladder cancer as well as various
abdominal cancers which can affect the kidneys, intestines,
spleen, and liver. Feline leukemia and malignant skin tumors
also affect cats quite frequently.

Causes

In most cases, it’s impossible to identify one or more
particular causes of cancer in a feline patient. The potential
causes and triggers of this disease are numerous and encompass
both genetic and environmental factors. For example, hereditary
defects and toxic chemicals can both play a role in the
development of cat cancer. Radiation and viruses such as the
Feline Leukemia Virus are also known to increase a cat’s risk of
developing cancer. With so many potential triggers and
contributing factors, the cause of feline cancer in a particular
cat will often remain unknown.

Common Symptoms

Since there are so many different forms of cat cancer, the type
of the disease that is affecting a particular cat will determine
the type of symptoms and warning signs exhibited. For example,
excessive drooling and trouble with eating could be signs of
mouth cancer while stiffness and difficulty with movement could
be symptoms of bone cancer. However, even though the warning
signs of cancer will differ with each type of the disease, there
are certain symptoms that are common to various forms of cancer.
These warning signs include weight loss and loss of appetite,
abnormal and firm swelling, a lack of interest in daily
activities, trouble with eating, an offensive odor, and unusual
stiffness or lameness.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of cat cancer will be reached through an evaluation
of symptoms and clinical signs as well as the results of various
diagnostic procedures. Since there are so many different types
of feline cancer, there are a number of diagnostic tools and
tests that may be necessary to confirm and identify a particular
case of this disease. Certain tools and tests that may be
employed include blood tests, biopsies, x-rays, and CT scans.
Once the presence of a particular form of cat cancer has been
confirmed, the veterinarian will also need to evaluate the stage
of the disease in order to implement an appropriate treatment
plan.

Treatment

When a cat has been diagnosed as having cancer, the necessary
treatment plan will depend on a number of different factors,
including the type of cancer present and the stage of the
disease. Examples of treatment methods frequently used for
various forms of cat cancer include surgery, chemotherapy,
radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is part of a
holistic health approach to treatment and is often used in
conjunction with other treatments. This particular form of
therapy involves using a variety of natural supplements to boost
the cat’s immune system in order to provide the animal with a
greater ability to fight the cancer as well as to withstand
other forms of treatment such as chemotherapy. In some cases,
treatment for cat cancer will successfully eradicate the disease
but, unfortunately, in other cases treatment will only serve to
slow the progress of the cancer.

Prevention

Since the potential contributing factors with respect to the
development of cat cancer are so numerous, it can be difficult
and even impossible to predict and prevent cancer in many cases.
Yet, there are certain steps that pet owners can take to help
lower the chances of their feline friends developing this
terrible disease. Often, a holistic health care approach is very
beneficial in this regard. By promoting and protecting your
cat’s overall health with a good diet, a healthy living
environment, and natural supplements, you will be boosting the
strength and function of your pet’s immune system. As a result,
your feline companion will have a stronger defense against
cancer and all other feline medical problems and will be more
likely to live a long and healthy life.

About the Author: Catharine Wells is a freelance writer who
writes about topics concerning pet care such as
www.petwellbeing.com/cat-supplies-c3.cfm Cat Cancer | Cat
Hyperthyroidism | Cat Kidney Disease

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=214419&ca=Pets

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