Health

Vaccination helps to shield against pathogens and has greatly reduced the occurrence of life threatening infectious diseases. Vaccines are usually developed for diseases that are debilitating or life threatening and can easily spread. Here are a few common diseases of cats and how they can be prevented. Cat flu, leukemia or panleukopenia are just a few of the words you may come across your…

Like parents in general, pet parents also have super power. From knowing what’s best for their babies to eat, to deciphering their mood for a treat or a car ride, pet parents have done it all. But there are some difficult times when you as a pet parent need help. If your cat is a picky eater and is too finicky in choosing what you give her to eat, then you certainly need to take notes. If you are…

Cats are very good at disguising their problems. So as they age, you need to be even more attuned to changes in their everyday activities and behaviours. Early detection of problems is the key to improving your cat’s longevity and quality of life. Even though we would like our kitties to live forever, we know it is not practically feasible.  But as responsible pet parents, we can improve the…

Cardiomyopathy is a disease condition in which the heart muscle is primarily affected and it may subsequently result in other malfunctions of the heart. Let’s find out the causes, symptoms and diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats.  Hypertrophy refers to thickening. Hence, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be defined as a disease in which there is thickening or enlargement of…

One thing that tends to get overlooked in cats during their heat period is ‘calling’. Female cats keep calling in varying pitched meows when they are on heat, but pet parents don’t understand the reason for it. Here’s more on what ‘calling’ in cats is and how is it related to a cat’s heat period. Estrus or estrus related calling in cats means that the cat is on heat. This indicates that the…

As a responsible pet parent, it is your duty to ensure that your cat is healthy and fine. Here’s how to ensure holistic cat care. Regular veterinary check: It is a myth that cats are self-sufficient and don’t need the regular care a dog needs. Cats do need a wellness check-up by the vet on regular basis, at least twice a year, to keep check on health issues with regard to nutrition and weight,…

Everyone who has ever pet parented a cat has experienced the horrible feeling of being awakened in the dead of night by the sound of the cat barfing. Here’s what you should know about cat vomiting. Kitty vomiting is never pleasant, but it’s not always an emergency either. Sometime it will be self-limiting and not life threatening, but sometimes dangerous and it is important to know which causes…

Unlike horses, you cannot tell the age of a cat by looking at his teeth although often the condition of the teeth will give you a better idea of how old a cat might be if you have not had him since he was a kitten. Let’s find out how. The teeth of adult cat Cats have thirty teeth – six sharp small incisors on the top and six below. On either side he has four large teeth and they are called…

Roundworm causes Toxocariosis in cats. Here is an alert to this dreaded disease. Toxocara cati, also known as feline roundworm, is a dreadful parasite that causes Toxocariosis among cats. Across various countries, eggs of these parasites are found in 2-90 percent soil samples and they are prone to spreading infection fast in high temperature and humid  tropical regions. Definitive hosts Cats are…

Your elderly cat can live a normal and happy life,  let’s see how. It is very fortunate that many diseases of the cat are now able to be controlled by modern vaccines and medications and therefore, more cats are living much longer than in the past. A great many cats are far more active than they were 10-15 years ago and they have lots of energy and are more active and it is not unusual for our…

Dehydration is a common problem in summers. Cats need to be hydrated at all times. Here’s how to keep yours fine in summers. A healthy cat should be sufficiently hydrated. Water replaces fluid lost through urine, feces and respiration and is essential to maintain appropriate health. It is interesting to know that 80 percent of a cat’s body weight is made up of water. Symptoms of dehydration…

What to feed your kitty and what not to feed her? Here are a few tips to follow while feeding your kitty. Never overfeed: The first and foremost strategy is not to overfeed your cat which can cause indigestion and hyperactivity. Feed small portions: Never feed your pet a large amount of food at a time. Frequent, small amount of lukewarm meal should be provided specially to the kittens who have…

If a cat or dog has some poison or object that doesn’t want in the body it endeavours to push the poison into the flesh surrounding the poison in an attempt to get rid of it. That’s how abscess formed. Let’s find out how to cure it in cats. Infections occur for a variety of reasons and we need to groom our cats on a regular basis and keep a close watch on the condition of the coat and skin so we…

Here are a few common health problems in cats, their causes and how pet parents can prevent them. 1. Constipation – This is the most common problems and very annoying for pet parents, because cat cries whole night trying to defecate. The reasons for constipation are lack of roughage in diet, worms and also excessive and tangled hairs in anal region. This problem can be solved at home easily by…

As cats are part of your family their well being is very important to keep them healthy, active and disease free. Some common food items to be avoided are listed below to prevent any complications in the metabolism. Onions: Giving onions to your cats can increase the chances of anaemia because it breaks down the RBCs inside cat’s body and it can also cause indigestion or stomach upset in most…

Environment and lifestyle have direct effect on the health of cat. Let’s minimise the negative effects on our kitties. Here’s how to give your kitty a right environment. Choosing right food for cat, which means food rich in omega fatty acids and antioxidants for cognitive brain development. Environmental enrichment of cat by incorporating a puzzle ball or maze during feeding so that cat can…

Fungal diseases in your kitty can not only be harmful to your cat, but to you as well. Here’s more on its treatment and prevention. What is a Sporotrichosis? It is a common fungal infection of cats caused by Sporothrix schenckii. It is an old fungal disease which was first detected in 1809 (Linck). The infection is highly zoonotic and is often transmitted to their pet parents. Sporothrix…

Administering medications in cats is a task – an art in itself. Here’s how to give medicines to your kitty. Medicines can be administered in cats in different ways – orally, tropically, sub-cutaneously, intra-muscularly, intra-venously,  sub-conjunctively, intramammary and per-rectaly. Orally in the form of liquid, pills, capsules & powders The best and easy way for giving medicine in cat is…

If your kitty has been urinating excessively or drinking a lot of water, it may be a warning sign, indicating diabetes. Follow us in our journey of what, how and why of feline diabetes. What is it? Starting with the basics, let’s understand what actually feline diabetes is. Diabetes is a disease that is caused either due to lack of insulin production or an inadequate response to the insulin…

Cats chew on plants as they are curious by nature and love to explore but even household plants can be toxic. Let’s kitty-proof our home. Many common indoor plants are quite toxic to pets. Assume all parts of the plant are poisonous,though some parts of the plant may have higher concentrations of the toxins than others. Symptoms to watch out: Most plants are irritants especially to the…