Pregnancy signs in cats – cat is pregnant
Expecting kittens – Dr. Bruce Fogle DVM
Early on, there are few outward signs of pregnancy.
The cat may adopt a more serene disposition.
Sensible nesting activity begins.
Pregnancy in cats lasts …
Cats can be notoriously picky eaters, and this finickiness can become even more pronounced when they are sick. For owners trying to feed this type of cat, getting enough food into their pet can be a frustrating battle, as no matter what is offered (wet food, kibble, treats) the cat will often turn its head away. Unfortunately though, a cat that is not eating is not something that can be ignored, or treated as a “wait and see” type of situation.
Turning Feral (Wild) Cats into Domestic Cats
If you are a cat lover, then it’s likely that you’ve noticed stray or feral (wild) cats and kittens in and around your neighborhood and you probably feel sorry for them. This is …
Once in a while, veterinarians disagree. Most of the time it’s because there is more than one way to fix a problem. The scientific world is continuously discovering new tests and solutions, and further questioning the validity of old ones. …
We are all familiar with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in people. HIV suppresses the immune system of affected individuals and results in a chronic illness that eventually progresses to AIDS, a fatal …
Bringing Home the New Kitten
There are few things more exciting than bringing a new addition into your family. When the new addition is a kitten, there are a few things to be considered before the big day. These things …
Heartworm Disease in Cats
Heartworm disease is caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a parasitic worm that gains entry into cats via mosquito bites. There is widespread distribution of this parasite in Canada at the lower latitudes, and your local veterinary team …
It is perhaps the greatest annoyance of every cat owner; you come home from work at the end of a long day not only to your furry feline, but also to the furry mouse carcass she so lovingly drops at your feet. You wake up on a Saturday morning and instead of toast and jam, your cat’s idea of breakfast in bed involves a mess of blood and bird feathers not the most appetizing site. So you yell and shake your finger and do all of those things we feel inclined to do when our cats misbehave, but it won’t make any difference. Our cats don’t know they’re misbehaving.
Veterinarians get frustrated sometimes. It seems like cats only come into the veterinary clinic for three reasons; weight loss, lethargy, and vomiting. No matter what is wrong with the cat, it seems like they almost always have one or all of these signs. Hyperthyroidism is one of the diseases that also have these symptoms. Cats suffering from this usually lose weight, even though they are eating more. They can be lethargic or extra-excitable. Sometimes the cat will drink more water (usually noticed because they urinate more) and can have vomiting and/or diarrhea. The owner subsequently brings the cat in to see a vet because it is sick.
Hyperthyroidism is always on the list of possibilities when these symptoms occur. Hyperthyroidism is a very common disease in older cats. It is so common that most vets will test the thyroid every time a sick cat comes in. It is a disease that can be easily treated, but it will slowly kill the cat if it is not treated. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone.
Many people believe it must be a boring life to live indoors all the time, as in the case of indoor cats. However, if you put yourself in your cat’s shoes, imagine what a luxurious life you have. You can …
Ten Tips for a Poison-Safe Household
by Jill A. Richardson, DVM
Veterinary Poison Information Specialist
ASPCA/National Animal Poison Control Center
Be aware of the plants you have in your house and in your yard, if your cat is permitted outside …
Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a progressive and irreversible deterioration of kidney function. It is one of the most common health problems affecting cats, and is a leading cause of death in elderly felines. There are a number of different …
The lily is a truly spectacular flower. Unsurpassed in beauty by most other flowers, it is often the central flower in floral arrangements that we keep in our houses. We often bring stunning Easter lilies into our homes in the …
Cats get nosebleeds (epistaxis) for different reasons. Sometimes the nosebleeds are the result of something very serious and other times the cause is as simple as bumping into something and bursting a blood vessel. The difficulty is that cats can’t tell us where, why or how that nosebleed came to be. Due the fact that there is such a variety of causes, nosebleeds should be considered serious by default and a call to your vet should be made when you notice them.
There is a lot of variety when it comes to how/why a nose bleeds. Is this a one time thing or is this happening frequently? Is the bleeding coming from one or both nostrils? This is a really important one to figure out as some problems will affect only one nostril while different problems will affect both. Some cats are prone to nosebleeds but most cats get nosebleeds only when there is a problem. The most common reason for nosebleeds is fighting with other cats and getting hit by a moving vehicle.
The first time you own a cat, you must decide on several things. You must decide what food will keep it healthy and what toys will keep it happy. Then you must decide what veterinary clinic will take care of …
Petting your cat – Something to Purr About
And you’re right. Heck, yes. A few granules short of a litter box. If your cat were a person, he’d be holding in-depth conversations with giant, walking tacos. But we have some …
You have probably always free-fed your cat(s). Free-feeding is one of the many reasons why cats are so easy to take care of. You can just leave the food out all day and the cat feeds itself. But what do …
Good plants
These are all common houseplants that are non-toxic to cats.…
African violet (Saintpaulia)
Aluminum plant
Any of the true ferns (Boston fern, maidenhair, etc.)
Cacti (but make sure they are real cacti, not just a succulent)
Catnip
Common
Should I get a cat and why choose a cat over another pet
Why do people choose cats over other pets?
Cats are the most prevalent domesticated animal, 63 million of them are kept as pets around the world! Cats …
There are many different skin disorders that can affect cats and the reasons for them are numerous. This article hopes to briefly outline the top 3 skin disorders that affect cats and these conditions are;
Feline Alopecia: “Alopecia” is simply the technical name for bald spots. A cat suffering form this is itchy, may bite at its hair, and often has behavioural changes too. The cause of alopecia can be anything from a hypersensitivity reaction (such as an ‘allergy’ to fleas, for example), parasites (such as lice or mites), ringworm (which is a fungus) or even psychogenic, where they have a behavioural/psychological disorder and are ripping out their own hair.
Depending on what the cause is, the affected cat will show different symptoms, and thus need different treatments. One great way of finding out what is going on is by doing a skin scraping. To do this, a vet will use a blunt blade that is gently scraped against the skin, while the cat is under sedation.
It’s just a routine. Every year you bring your cat in for vaccines and getting vaccines is a simple procedure. But if you really think about it, when your cat gets its vaccines, it is not simply ‘going in for …
White cats, like all white animals in general, are both valuable – and vulnerable. The white of their coat is not a real colour but rather the absence of colour, which also means absence of protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. It is the variety and distribution of natural “dyes” in an animal’s skin and fur that explain different coat colours and patterns. One of these dyes is melanin, the chief protector of skin against ultraviolet radiation. The skin of white cats has either no melanin at all or very little of it, which is why they are far more vulnerable to sunburn and cancer of the skin than coloured cats. The “classical” wild-type cat is a brown tabby, which combines optimal protection from the sun with a camouflage pattern that hides it from predators.
This exquisite metal (pewter) and virtually indestructible ID Tag features a picture of a Skull in the middle of it.
View This ProductPet podcast #14 focuses on an interview with Prin, (note: this link will only work if you are a registered (it’s free) Pets.ca bulletin board member) who is one of the most active members on the Pets.ca Bulletin board. Due …
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