Helpful Advice on Caring for Senior Cats By Darrin Swain

Sooner or later, your beloved cat will start to get old and experience physical changes. This typically occurs between the ages of seven and ten. However, some are fortunate enough to stave off major changes until approximately 12 years old. Whenever the time finally comes though, you will need to make a few changes in how you care for your pet. Keep reading for useful advice on caring for senior cats.

Most owners take their cats to the vet for an annual exam. Older cats need to be seen by the vet more often than their younger counterparts since the risk of problems has increased. It's best to schedule a wellness exam every six months.

You will also need to change what you feed your senior cat somewhat. Seniors who become less active but are still fed the same amount of calories will more than likely become overweight. Obesity is particularly a problem for seniors, so a veterinarian-approved diet would definitely be in order.

When caring for senior cats, always ensure that they always have access to fresh drinking water. Dehydration more easily sets in as cats advance in age. Their organs won't respond very well to chronic dehydration either. The kidneys usually give seniors the most problem, and frequent dehydration certainly won't do these vital organs any good.

Just like with humans, arthritis becomes a problem for older cats. Once arthritis sets in, your cat won't be as physically active as he used to be. Don't be surprised if he stops climbing the stairs or hopping up onto the windowsill. Arthritic cats may even have problems getting into their litter boxes. If you notice yours has an issue with this, you can accommodate him by getting a shorter box or even putting a set of stairs beside it.

Dental care is important for cats of all ages. For older cats, it becomes increasingly important. The risk of developing dental disease only increases with age. This disease can cause enough pain to keep your cat from eating.

Your cat may also lose the energy to keep himself groomed properly. You don't want him to develop a dry or excessively dirty coat. Matting can also become a problem if you have a long-haired breed. You can help your senior cat out by brushing him yourself on a daily basis, or at least a few times each week.

The changes that occur in your senior cat aren't just physical. He may also display mental issues much like elderly humans. He may wander around occasionally or even appear disoriented. Some cats become much more vocal and meow too much for their owner's liking. When caring for senior cats, also keep in mind they may not respond well to changes. Try to keep everything in the household the same as they do best with familiar routines.

There are quite a few diseases that are common in older cats. Hypertension, kidney issues, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes mellitus are among some of the most common. Different types of cancer are also more prevalent for aged cats.

With the increase in risk of these diseases, it's important to monitor your cat closely for changes. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, you may want to let a vet give his opinion of it. Examinations conducted twice a year will hopefully catch any diseases early on, which would hopefully make it easier to deal with.

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Information About Chlamydia in Cats By Darrin Swain

Both bacteria and viruses can cause conjunctivitis in cats. This condition is known as pink eye, the same thing that can affect dogs, humans, and other animals. Feline chlamydia results from a bacterial infection. Cats are usually infected with other viruses along with this disease like herpes virus and calicivirus.

Chlamydia in cats usually affects those at the younger or older end of the spectrum. Those with damaged immune systems or other illness of some sort have an increased risk too. However, the bacterial infection can cause symptoms in any cat.

There is an assortment of ways that feline chlamydia can be transmitted. The bacteria can be passed via eye discharge, nose secretions, or saliva from infected cats. Mothers are also capable of transmitting the disease to their kittens while giving birth.

You should also know that it's possible chlamydia in cats to be transmitted in indirect ways. The bacteria can live in bedding, food dishes, and other places and can infect your cat if he comes into contact with them. Owners can also harbor the bacteria on their hands and pass it along to their felines.

Seeing the white of your cat's eyes turn red is one of the primary signs of feline chlamydia. The eye may also swell, with the third eyelid closing partially. Discharge that's very watery may also appear from the eyes. All of this will irritate your cat's eye, causing him to paw at it frequently. This illness may only cause symptoms in one eye at first. Eventually though, both eyes will likely experience problems. As mentioned, chlamydia in cats usually occurs at the same time as other respiratory conditions. Cats may have a fever, discharge from the nose, coughing, and sneezing if this occurs.

Feline chlamydia doesn't usually prove difficult to treat as long as it's mild. Antibiotics can get rid of the bacteria. They may be given orally or placed directly in the affected eyes. The condition can get more problematic though if there are other problems at the same time. Your cat may have an upper respiratory illness that requires hospitalization.

Whenever giving your cat antibiotics to treat any condition, it's vital to go through the entire regimen. If you don't, then the bacteria you're trying to get rid of may mutate and grow stronger. If this happens, they may become resistant to the antibiotics.

If you have multiple cats in your household, then you'll especially need to be careful with feline chlamydia. It can easily be transmitted to other cats. Keep infected cats in seclusion. Disinfect bedding, food dishes, and other places that can harbor the bacteria. Also, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly after you touch the infected cat so that you don't spread it to your other felines.

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The Truth About Cat Endocrine Alopecia By Darrin Swain

There are many reasons why cats can experience problems with hair loss. A relatively rare reason for this to occur is because of feline endocrine alopecia. Vets don't exactly know why this rare skin condition occurs.

Whenever it does develop though, your cat's hair will start thinning. Various areas of the body will be affected by hair loss. You may notice that these areas appear to be the same on both sides of the body. Two areas that are most often affected include the rear legs and abdominal region.

Certain other medical conditions can mimic the signs caused by feline endocrine alopecia. To see if your cat is really suffering from this condition, the vet will have to rule out other possible causes of the hair loss first. Parasites and conditions like ringworm can cause similar signs.

In order to make a diagnosis of endocrine alopecia in cats, vets typically look at a sample of hairs under a microscope. Doing so can help determine at what stage of their growth the hair were broken. Skin scrapings around the affected area can also help determine what's causing hair loss in your cat. Fungal infections like ringworm can easily cause signs.

A blood sample may also be in order if your vet suspects feline endocrine alopecia to be the problem. The sample won't be tested in the office though. A laboratory will need to inspect it to see how the endocrine system is functioning as far as hormones go.

As mentioned earlier, vets don't know why cat endocrine alopecia develops. Hormones like testosterone, estrogen, or thyroid hormone are some of the leading suspects though. Cats with the condition may need to start a regimen of hormone therapy to deal with it.

Cats that are eating foods that they're allergic to may experience spontaneous hair loss. Therefore, you may need to start your cat on a food trial to see if it helps relieve the signs. You may need to start feeding your cat a different type of food.

Sometimes, feline endocrine alopecia is treated with medications that are designed to grow the hair back. This isn't always the preferred method of treatment in cats though. These medications can lead to serious side effects in some felines. They can be toxic to the liver over time and also cause cardiac problems.

Cats may even develop other conditions like diabetes mellitus after taking these medications. Some even experience changes in their behavior.

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Pet Health - Information Regarding Cat Enteritis By Darrin Swain

Enteritis in cats is a very serious disease. It's often referred to as distemper, which is a disease that dogs commonly get. However, feline enteritis isn't the same. A common other name for the condition is panleukopenia.

This disease normally strikes kittens younger than six months old. However, older cats also have a relatively increased risk of developing it. Older cats may be strong enough to fight off the affliction, but kittens can easily succumb to it.

Feline enteritis is caused by a virus. Wild animals such as cats and raccoons can harbor the highly contagious virus. Infected animals can pass it to your cat by coming into direct contact with him. If your cat comes into contact with nasal or oral secretions, he can get infected too.

Owners should also know that the virus that causes enteritis in cats can also contaminate items such as bedding, litter boxes, and food dishes. Owners can also pass the virus along to their cats because it's capable of contaminating human hands.

After being infected with feline enteritis, your cat may not show any symptoms for up to ten days. Common signs include high fever and loss of appetite. Cats may also vomit frequently, producing yellow-tinted bile in the process. If you touch your cat in the abdominal region, he may cry out in pain. It is also common for cats to have diarrhea and produce stool that also has a yellow color, although it may appear to have blood in it instead.

As mentioned, enteritis in cats is quite serious. That's why it is important that you get your cat checked out and diagnosed with the condition as soon as possible. The chances of your cat surviving a bout with this virus rise considerably the earlier that treatment is started.

There is no way to battle the virus that causes cat enteritis directly. The vet will simply need to provide supportive measures to help your cat make it through the disease. Antibiotics will likely be given to stave off any bacterial infections. IV fluids and nutrition therapy may also be necessary.

It is very easy to prevent enteritis in cats. Simply have your feline vaccinated. The virus can live virtually anywhere in your home, so your kitten would be at risk if left unvaccinated. Using a standard disinfectant won't be enough to kill the virus either.

If your cat survives an episode of feline enteritis, then you should be aware that he will continue to shed the virus for a few weeks. Other cats in the household can easily be infected. The good news is that cats that survive an infection from the virus will be relatively safe from reinfection since their immune system will be boosted.

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