Has this ever happened to you? You’re noticing that your cat is urinating in places other than his litter box. People automatically assume that inappropriate urination in cats is because of a behavior issue, or it’s because their cat is getting older.
However there could be a medical problem causing incontinence in cats to be a problem for your feline friend.If a cat suddenly starts showing signs of feline incontinence, a trip to the vet is in order.
Feline Incontinence Versus Inappropriate Urination
A complete loss of bladder control is the hallmark of an incontinent cat. He may urinate when he’s lying down, or sleeping, or even dribble as he walks around.A weak sphincter muscle often causes this. This is not a very common condition in cats, although it’s sometimes seen in spayed females who are somewhat overweight.
Incontinence in cats may also be a symptom of feline diabetes. Diabetes causes your cat to be extremely thirsty. If he’s drinking lots more water, he may not always make it to the litter box in time.
If your cat is incontinent when he’s resting, you should have him checked for feline leukemia. Both male and female cats who are positive for this virus are sometimes incontinent.
While inappropriate urination is sometimes a behavior problem, it can be a result of feline lower urinary tract disease.
Feline Cystitis Is The Most Common Reason For Urination Outside The Litter Box
A cat with a feline bladder infection has an inflammation of his bladder.He needs to empty his bladder frequently because of this.If you use clumping cat litter, you should see only a couple of big clumps of urine when you scoop it. If you find many small clumps, this is a sign of cat urinary problems.
He may also cry out in pain as he tries to use the litter box.Be on the watch for him crouching over, straining to pass urine. Many cat owners mistake this for constipation, which can be a fatal mistake if he has a urinary blockage. A blocked cat is a veterinary emergency. Your cat will die within a day or two if he’s completely blocked.
What Your Vet Needs To Know
Your vet will ask the following questions:
- Has your cat been under a lot of stress lately? Have you moved, or added a new person or pet to the household? Have you changed his diet?
- Where is your cat urinating? In a corner? On your bed? Where he sleeps?
- Is he drinking more water than he usually does?
- Is he dribbling urine or is he just urinating more often than usual?
- Does he have blood in his urine?
- Has your cat ever been injured?
Your vet will check your cat for a urinary blockage that could be caused by cat bladder stones.
Treatment For Feline Cystitis
Antibiotics are usually prescribed to clear up any infection. What you need to do at home is to increase the amount of water your cat is taking in. The easiest way to do this is to switch him over to canned food, which has a much higher moisture level than dry.The key to preventing feline bladder infections is increasing the amount of liquid going through your cat.
You may also want to consider a natural remedy for feline urinary support. Look for one that contains both herbal and homeopathic remedies that support bladder health in animals. Uva ursi and barberry, along with Cantharis and Staphysagria have stood the test of time in humans, and they can be very effective for cats, too.
Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and determine what’s causing feline incontinence in your furball.
Learn more about solving the problem of incontinence in cats, and find feline urinary support information at Natural Pet Urinary Health.
Filed under Articles by on Dec 16th, 2009. Comment. 
The population of cats is the United States alone is unbelievable.Almost all the experts will tell you that you should not breed your cat and instead get it spayed. No matter what experts have to say, a lot of people want to have a litter of kittens from their cat.There are some things that you should consider, before you make up your mind to breed your cat.
The very first thing you should keep in mind that breeding cats is a time taking process. For the next two months after the litter is born, you’ll need to clean the area on a daily basis. You’ll also need to watch over the kittens as well, and keep a close eye on how they are developing. If you plan to breed a litter of cats, you won’t have time for much of anything else.
Breeding cats will also require a good degree of space as well.You should not try breeding a cat, if your apartment is small. You should also make sure that your family agrees with the idea, as it isn’t good for the kittens if you keep them locked up. Keep in mind that kittens like to see things; they’ll end up going all over your home as well.
Breeding cats also requires a degree of responsibility as well. You should always have a plan of approach, including homes for the kittens to go that you aren’t planning to keep. Keep in mind that things can change, someone who wanted a cat may change his mind once the litter is born. In this event, you must decide whether or not you can keep a kitten that doesn’t have a home.
Breeding also requires some education as well. You should be prepared for any problems along the way, as well as what takes place during birth. From cutting umbilical cords to delivering early, you’ll need to be well prepared. You should also have the proper supplies, and know how to handle things in the event of a c-section. You’ll also need to know what to feed pregnant cats, as their diets are very important if you are breeding.
Breeding will also cost money as well, with kittens costing a lot more money than you may think. The food isn’t the only thing that’s expensive, as the vet bills can also get expensive. Even though you may go through the entire pregnancy without going to the vet, you’ll still need de-worming and vaccination medicines as well.
In short, there is a lot to think about where breeding is concerned. If you have your mind set on it and you want to breed, you should be sure that you have the proper knowledge and everything you need before hand. You should always be ready to handle anything associated with breeding – and prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario.
Filed under Articles by on Dec 11th, 2009. Comment.
Cat owners know for a fact that bad cat breath can be downright awful. It isn’t that much different from bad human breath, as both are caused by bacteria found in the mouth that breaks protein down and releases the sulfur compounds out into the air. Sulfur smells really bad on its own, which is why breath containing it smells bad as well. The bacterium that causes bad breath with cats is normally associated with a buildup of tartar around the teeth.Coating of food, minerals and bacteria often known as tartar, and is yellow in color.
To cure your cat from bad breath, you’ll need to remove the buildup of tartar.There are many foods of cat available which are designed to decrease the buildup of tartar, some of them contain enzymes which will dissolve it. You can also give your cat treats as well, as many of them will help eliminate and prevent tartar. If the buildup of tartar is bad, you may need to have your cat’s teeth professionally cleaned. Once the tartar has been removed, the bad breath will go away.
You may be able to clean the tartar off your cat’s teeth at home. There are several toothpastes available for pets, available in several different flavors. You’ll need to get a mechanical toothbrush, as the motion is very important for removing tartar buildup.Enzymes containing toothpastes will dissolve tartar, and help the animal get rid of bad breath.You can really prevent development any type of bad breath, if you start brushing the teeth of your cat regularly.
Some bacteria that lead to tartar can be found in your cat’s diet. When you feed him, you should always make sure that the food he consumes doesn’t contain a lot of bacteria. If you shop healthy and feed him only healthy foods, it can help his bad breath a great deal. When you give your pet a treat, make sure that the treat is designed to help with tartar.Once your kitten has finished eating, you can rinse his mouth or brush his teeth. This way, you’ll get the bacteria out of his mouth before it has time to build up on his teeth.
Sometimes, cats may have a bad odor in their mouth that doesn’t come from tartar or bad breath in general. In these rare cases, it can be either liver or kidney disease. If you notice bad breath and it isn’t tartar, you should take your cat to the vet. Even though it may be something to do with tartar, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Your veterinarian can pinpoint the problem, let you know what the cause is – and how you should go about fixing it.
Filed under Articles by on Dec 10th, 2009. Comment.
A lot of people think that cats work on their own agenda, not paying much attention to their owner – provided they have clean litter, food, and water. Cats can behave in odd manners at times, which can easily confuse their owners and make it really hard to determine what the cat wants. As much as cat behavior can be confusing, there are some ways that you can solve common cat behavior mysteries.
A common behavior that almost all cats do is push their heads into any type of object that will allow them to do it. You’ve probably seen your cat do this before, probably against table legs, TV stands, or another object. This can be noticed more when you have other people who own animals or those with allergies over at your house.As a cat notices this, he will usually rub his head against the person. In doing so, he will put a touch of saliva on the individual. In a cat’s mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on.
By putting his saliva on something, that object or person will have a familiar scent. Although this can be very annoying, you have to understand that other people in your home are seen as odd or weird to your cat. When a cat does this, he is simply trying to make the visitor belong. When he brushes up against them and puts his saliva on them, he is trying to put his scent on them – which in his mind will mean that they belong in his territory.
Even though marking someone or something with saliva is beneficial to the cat, saliva is one of the most common forms of pet allergies. When someone wipes the saliva off of them, the scent will be gone and the cat will go back and attempt to do it again. Even though it may appear that cats target those with allergies, cats are actually just trying to make the visitor belong at the house. If the guest simply cannot take the saliva, allow the cat to rub himself on their pants leg a few times.Generally, this is all that takes a cat to leave the person solitary.
Those of you who an indoor cat should expect the cat to spend quite a bit of time lying near windows. During this time, you may hear your cat make very strange noises or weird movements. You shouldn’t fear though, as he is simply acting out his hunting instincts.Either it’s an object or another cat moving outside will trigger your cat to simply run into his native hunting instinct.
As most of us know, cats are fond of playing. They love to played with, especially with toys. They will pounce on things on occasion, which should always be expected. If you try to prevent this type of behavior, your cat will take a very negative approach and you’ll end up with a lot of broken things in your home.You can play always with your cat using a string, because he would love to chase the string all around the room.
The longer you own your cat, the more odd behavior you’ll see him exhibit. Cats behave in strange ways, although they always have a reason for behaving the way they do. If you can understand why your cat behaves like he does, you’ll have no problems keeping him healthy and happy. If you simply pay attention to your cat and the way he behaves at times – you’ll be able to understand him better than ever before.
Filed under Articles by on Dec 10th, 2009. Comment.
Owing a pet cat is a lot like having a child. They need you to care for them and yet they try to assert their independence. It can be frustrating. When taking care of your feline friend, be aware there are some foods that can be dangerous for them.
Pet owners around the country spend billions of dollars each year to feed our pets. But what do cats and dogs love to do? They sit nearby begging for what you’re eating; some will be even more aggressive by getting up into your face to share. There are some human foods, however, which are harmful to your cat and should never be given to them.
1. Fruits such as apricots, apples, cherries, plums, and peaches should not be given as the seeds, stems, and leaves contain cyanide. Humans aren’t affected by the small doses they ingest, but a cat would be. Cyanide poisoning would cause dilated pupils, nervousness, difficulty breathing, and shock.
2. Chocolate may be a wonderful treat for humans, but the high fat, caffeine, and theobromine could be dangerous for your cat. Not only can the high-fat content produce vomiting and diarrhea, but if eaten in large enough amounts the caffeine could increase blood pressure, increase urination, and result in hyperactivity. Your pet may also develop seizures.
3. Many people give their cats milk to drink as a treat. While cats love milk, it may not be the best treat for them. The high fat content in milk, and other foods, can cause an increased risk of developing pancreatitis. Cow milk also isn’t easily digested by cats and can cause diarrhea and gas.
4. Onions and garlic are dangerous for your pets because they don’t possess the enzyme needed to enable proper digestion. Cats that eat onions or garlic may experience gas, vomiting, diarrhea, or gastrointestinal pain.
5. Alcoholic beverages can be toxic to cats if ingested in large amounts. Since cats are so much smaller than humans, their bodies simply cannot handle the effects of alcohol. You may notice alcohol on your cat’s breath, and witness staggering, reduced breathing, or changes in behavior. In large enough amounts, alcohol can cause cardiac arrest and death.
6. Bones of any type can be dangerous. The bones can splinter when chewed which could result in cuts on the inside of your cat’s mouth or their throat, or it could get caught on its way down causing choking. Look for pale or blue gums, drooling, labored breathing, pawing at their face, and loss of consciousness. Try to remove the bone or take your cat to the veterinarian immediately.
7. Raw fish contains a substance called thiaminase which destroys thiamin. This vitamin is essential for cats; if there is a lack of thiamin in their system it could cause neurological problems and possibly convulsions or a coma if left untreated.
8. Canned or cooked tuna in large amounts can result in mercury poisoning. It’s fine to give your cat small amounts of tuna (use tuna in spring water if you do), but too much could be deadly.
9. Dog Food- Feeding dog foods to cats is a common feeding error. Problems can arise when dog food and cat food are put down together. You then have the dog eating the cat food, which is higher in protein than the dog needs, an the cat eating the dog food, which does not have the necessary amino acids such as Taurine, that is essential to the cat. Inadequate amounts or taurine can result in blindness and and heart problems.
Cats have specific nutrient requirements and these are met when feeding high quality commercial cat foods. Feeding your cat treats and people food will throw this balance off and may do more harm than good to your cat. Hills now makes a variety of great cat treats and I recommend feeding these treats rather than cooking your own treats.
Let’s face it; if you’re a pet owner, it’s hard to feed your cat only cat food. There are times you’ll give in and share what you’re eating. Knowing the foods that can be dangerous for your cat will make you aware which ones to avoid in order to keep your cat healthy and happy for years to come.
Filed under Articles by on Dec 4th, 2009. Comment.
