Cat Health and Cat Care
Your cat’s health and well-being are the most important factors in your relationship with your pet. Regular observation, grooming and healthy nutrition will help keep your cat as healthy as possible.
Cat Health
It is very important to carefully observe your kitten or cat every day and be alert for changes in his normal behavior or appearance that can indicate health problems. A cat journal is a valuable tool for monitoring your cat’s weight, eating habits, food likes and dislikes, litter box output, vaccination history and close-up photos that show distinctive features. Weight is best taken weekly using a baby scale. The photos are insurance to be posted or provided to animal shelters in case your cat is lost or stolen. Health problems are usually first identified by:
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- changes in your cat’s appetite and eating patterns;
- changes in your cat’s appearance, posture or gait (limp etc.);
- frequent sneezing, coughing, difficult breathing and high temperature;
- discharge from ears or eyes, inflamed gums or bad breath;
- persistent scratching, excessive grooming or signs of parasites in the coat;
- changes in your cat’s level of sociability (hiding or disappearing etc.).
Never be embarrassed to consult your veterinarian if you are concerned about these changes.
One other critical observation you should always make is for changes in your cat’s litter box output. When you are carrying out your daily scooping task, watch for little or no urine output and/or stool output which can signal a serious problem requiring immediate veterinary attention. Other signs of illness are: blood in feces, worm segments in feces (look like grains of rice or strands of thin spaghetti), diarrhea that lasts more than a day and unusual odors.
Cat Care
Your cat’s coat is a good indicator of his health and well-being. If your cat is eating poorly, ill or depressed then his coat will look poorly. There are a number of practices and examinations that should be carried out on a regular basis.
1. Teeth cleaning should be started as a kitten, so your cat will accept having his teeth and gums touched. Get your veterinarian to show you the best way to clean your cat’s teeth.
2. Nail clipping should also be started as a kitten, so you can get your cat used to extending his claws when you push on his pad. You only need to trim the front claws with a cat nail clipper as your cat will trim the rear claws with his teeth. Clipping your cat’s nails is very easy to carry out and if done confidently won’t stress your cat.
3. Check your cat’s ears, weekly, for discharge, wax buildup and inflammation. If your cat’s ears smell fresh and sweet then he is probably fine. If there is an odor and wax buildup, then use a cotton ball and ear-cleansing solution to clean out the visible part of the ear. Don’t try and clean out the inner part of the ear as you could inadvertently cause some damage.
4. Groom, pet and massage your cat on a daily basis, whether he needs it or not. Daily grooming will reduce the amount of cat hair in the house and the amount of cat hair your cat swallows when he grooms himself. Longhaired cats need daily grooming to prevent matting. A medium-firm bristle brush and wide-tooth comb work best on longhaired cats. Shorthaired cats can also benefit from regular grooming with a soft brush and fine-tooth comb.
5. Bathing your cat is usually not necessary unless your cat has got oil, grease or another noxious substance on his coat or you plan to show your cat. Start bathing your show cats when they are young and use special cat shampoo and don’t let your cat get chilled.
6. Vaccinations should be obtained regularly and kept up to date as per your veterinarians recommendations for your geographical area.
7. Inspect your cat regularly for parasites – ear mites, fleas, ticks and worms.
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- Ear mites will cause your cat to shake his head and paw at his ear. Your vet will prescribe drops or medicated ointment to treat the condition.
- Fleas can be a problem for indoor cats as well as outdoor cats. You must treat both the cat and the house as flea eggs can remain dormant for some period of time and then re-infect the cat. Your vet can provide you with recommendations and advice on using the new safe and effective flea-control products.
- Ticks only infect outdoor cats and they usually remove most ticks during their own grooming. Check for ticks in places your cat can’t reach like the top of his head or back of the neck. Always use tweezers to remove the dead ticks after smothering them with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol.
- Roundworms and Tapeworms can often be detected in your cat’s feces and may look like strands of thin spaghetti or grains of rice. Try and take a stool sample to your vet so he can determine the best course of treatment.
