Health

Abscesses developed due to puncture wounds inflicted during fights among male cats are very common. Here are some symptoms and protection measures of abscesses. At the Blue Cross animal shelter, we very often come across several tomcats with abscesses. Abscesses contain pus that usually occur as a result of puncture wounds inflicted during cat fights. Fight abscesses, especially among male cats,…

Here’s something to go with highly nutritional pet food…healthy advice from Drools. Pets thrive on affection, attention and the right kind of emotional and medical care. We at Drools are well aware of every pet parent’s need to keep their pet healthy and secure. Here are some quick tips to make the task simpler. Serve your pet a dose of good health A healthy, balanced and nutritious diet is…

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) in felines, first identified in 1986, is similar to the AIDS virus in humans. Let’s know more about this deadly disease. Like HIV, FIV is referred as ‘Feline AIDS’ and it may lay dormant for years before symptoms occur. The cat can live a normal and healthy life, even up to 10 years, without developing any symptoms of the disease. Transmission of FIV The virus…

Your kitty vomits, don’t get anxious, try to find out the cause…. Here are a few tips to know when to call a vet. Vomiting or regurgitation is common in the cat and happens for a variety of reasons – worms, hairball, obstruction, tumour, poisoning, constipation, illness, overfeeding, over-excitement or eating food that is too cold or too hot. In general, vomiting long after a meal is a more…

When the suffering is too much and there is no cure…letting go is the best we can do for them. October 18, 2010 was a black day for me as I had to put my beloved furry friend to sleep. Pattu, my pet cat, who was seven years old, was suffering from chronic renal failure which was killing him slowly. I had to make this painful decision, based on my veterinarian’s guidance. We, as pet parents, may be…

Our kitties can also have problems like constipation or some urinary problems. Here’s how to help him out. Constipation… A cat’s stools should be moist but firm; most have one movement a day but this varies from cat to cat. Constipation is caused by lack of exercise, hairballs, lack of liquids in the diet, disease or psychic trauma such as moving to a new home. Constipation can be a symptom of a…

Our kitties can also have problems like constipation or some urinary problems. Here’s how to help him out. Constipation… A cat’s stools should be moist but firm; most have one movement a day but this varies from cat to cat. Constipation is caused by lack of exercise, hairballs, lack of liquids in the diet, disease or psychic trauma such as moving to a new home. Constipation can be a symptom of a…

As pet parents, it can be really difficult for us to face the fact that the rambunctious, young kitten we got home few years back, has now grown into a somber senior cat. It’s now that your kitty needs more attention, love and care. Here’s how to keep her healthy and happy in these years. In cats, the biological age depends on various factors like the quality of living conditions, her diet,…

As our cats get older, it is very important to provide them with a good and healthy diet. Here are a few tips to choose the best diet for your ageing kitty. Good feeding plan. Setting a good feeding plan throughout their lives is the best way to maintain a happy and healthy cat who lives a happy and fit old age. Choose high quality food designed for senior cats. As cats get older they are far…

Felines are no different from human beings in terms of weight gain – if calorie intake is greater than calorie burned, they will put on weight. And if you have a housecat who has the choicest of foods and treats handfed to her, chances are, your kitty is…well…going to end up on the tubby side. Here’s how to handle the extra flab. Sometime back, authorities in New Jersey found a cat weighing 20 kg…

Older cats are more susceptible to kidney disease and hence should be regularly checked to avoid this dreadful disease. Kidney disease can affect a feline at any age but is common among older cats. Kidney disease can either be Acute Renal Failure (ARF), a sudden onset, or Chronic Renal Failure (CRF), a progressive onset. CRF is more common in cats. There is no actual treatment for kidney disease…

Cats love to clean and groom themselves...but in the process they can develop harmful hairballs. Here’s more on how to prevent hairballs. What are hairballs? Trichobezoar or hairball is a common phenomenon of cats. Sometimes, a cat may produce noises, which sound like coughing, they will heave and lower their head and vomit a soggy mess. These are hairballs. How do hairballs occur? Cats clean…

Declawing serves one purpose and one purpose only – it makes it convenient for someone who doesn’t understand cat behaviour or who doesn’t wish to learn how to live with a cat, to have a cat in their life. Why are claws important? Cats’ claws are important, as they are needed to help the kitty maintain his balance, mark his territory and defend himself. Yes, Kitty uses his claws to ‘scratch’…

With good medical care, routine check-ups, good nutrition and lots of love your cat will live a long and happy life. Here are a few preventative health measures designed to keep your cat fit and healthy: All sleep and no play makes Tom a dull boy It is important to keep your cat fit by seeing that he gets regular exercise. Simple toys such as ping-ping balls or a toy spider made of…

If you have a male cat and do not wish to breed him, get him neutered to keep him safe and healthy. Tomcats…vulnerable to fights Many intact Tomcats come to the Blue Cross Shelter with severe bite wounds that result from fights with other male cats. These wounds, frequently, develop into abscesses and become infested with maggots. These wounds can also become infested with viral diseases that…

Regular visits to the veterinarian are an essential part of keeping your cat healthy. An excellent way for you to keep tabs on him in between vet visits is to do your own, nose-to-tail checkups at home. Get in the habit of running your hands all over your cat’s body whenever he’s cuddling with you or you’re grooming him. This is the best way to discover problems before they become serious. Call…

Your kitty is prone to conjunctivitis. If you spot signs of conjunctivitis, rush to her vet immediately to avoid discomfort and save her eyesight. Here’s more on this red eye disease. What is conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is a common eye problem in cats. It is the inflammation of conjunctiva, a membrane lining the inner eyelids and the eyeball. It covers the third eyelid also. A…

Like humans, your kittens may like a different treat. Here are a few treats you can give to your feline friends: You may give upto a quarter cup of milk at a time, but more may cause diarrhoea. You can give yogurt for calcium and digestion. You may mix yoghurt with a small dash of taurine powder, a flavour the cats like and is good for them. Protein-based meat, poultry and fish are good for…

Here are some interesting facts about the ah-so-attractive feline eyes. A cat’s nocturnal vision is far keener than that of a human. She needs only one-sixth of the light that we humans need. A cat’s eye has more rods and fewer cones than ours. Cones are sensitive to high levels of light and rods are sensitive in low levels of light. This means that while we have better colour vision, a cat…

If you have a cat at home and somebody in the house is pregnant, beware of Toxoplasmosis…but a little care and awareness can go a long way in preventing it. Cats can transmit a protozoan disease of human importance, which is a serious disease during pregnancy. If you have a cat at home, I would suggest that all would be mothers should undergo a blood test to find out if they are carriers of this…