6 Important Cat Facts

Some items a cat owner needs are obvious, like the litter box or cat food. But others are not so apparent; you realize they are necessities only after error and trial. If you are a new cat owner, you should really try to learn from others’ experiences. In this article we will present the most common and important cat items, and others that are meant to make owning a cat much easier for a new owner. It is highly recommended to have these items before bringing a cat home, to make it comfortable and welcomed from the moment it enters your door.

1. Food-Related Items
First item you should consider is a place for the food. The best containers water and food are the ceramic or metal ones. Plastic dishes could cause rash to some cats. If you are a busy person, a good option that you can consider would be automatic water and food servers. As for the food, buy just a little before you bring the cat home. You should remember your cat has special nutritional needs. For instance, extra nutrients are recommended at kittens, helping them grow healthy; on the other hand, an overweight cat should have a restricted diet. Your cat may have preferences, so until you figure out what she likes most, give it several flavors and brands of food. Remember: it should be in both dry and canned varieties.

2. Litter Box
As a cat owner or a future one, you already know that the litter box is indispensable. But there are different types of litter. Nowadays the most popular one is clumping clay; it clumps around the cat’s waste. But it can be dangerous if ingested, so it’s not recommended at kitten. Another option can be the plant-based litter.

3. Grooming Tools
A cat is happier and healthier when it is groomed properly. But also it is a way to bound with your cat. Further more, it helps you keep your house clean, preventing hairballs. For this you must buy a fine-tooth comb and a rubber-backed brush. Also you can find in stores specially designed cat nail clippers; you should really purchase one.

4. Cat Toys
It is a well known fact: cats love playing with different toys. But before buying a toy make sure all the parts are well connected, so it can’t be a danger for your cat.

5. Cat Carrier
Many cat owners neglect to buy a cat carrier. But it is necessary. Even if your cat lives indoors, you still have to take it outside for vet appointments, or when you go on a trip and you want to take it with you. It is advisable to buy a sturdy plastic one with a latching door.

6. Scratching Post
This is another neglected item by the new cat owners. It’s in a cat’s nature to scratch. So purchasing this item helps you save drapes, furniture and other things in your house. Besides that, it keeps your kitty happy. When you buy a scratching post you should also consider your cat’s personality.

Now that you found out about some important items for a cat owner, you can make your home welcoming and comfortable for your kitty.

Do You Know What Disease Symptoms To Look For?

When we have pain in our bodies, we can easily tell someone that there is something wrong and that person will be able to take you to the hospital. Pets cannot do that merely observing them can tell you a lot of things. which is why owners should exercise cat care and be aware of the symptoms.

Here are a few diseases you should watch out for and their symptoms.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is the most feared disease and in fact is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by a coronavirus infection and the worse part is that the symptoms are very common with other ailments, so it is really hard to tell if your cat has this.

There is also Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) that is similar to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Just like the version in humans, it is a life long infection that advances slowly and kills the cat.

Cats may as well be infected by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). This is a is a retrovirus that causes fatal cancerous and non cancerous diseases. Fortunately, it can be easily treated by using some household bleach and detergents, also your pet must be kept warm. This disease is carried through the saliva, tears, urine and feces of other cats that are infected. unlike the other two diseases, it cannot live that long in the environment. Hence, it is only transmissible when the infected cat stays with another cat for any period of time.

Worms are also another threat to cats and this is caused by a fungal infection that is spread through spores. Since it is a self-limiting disease, you do not need to do anything to make it go away. It will in time clear up but it may just take a few months.


If you have a overweight cat, then the chances are it will already have feline diabetes. The symptoms of this disease are pretty easy to see and are excessive urination and thirst as well as weight loss or gain. Veterinaries are of yet unsure what is the cause of this, but recent research studies that have been done, have showed that there is a link between pancreatic disease, hormonal imbalance and certain medications.

The symptoms of most of the diseases mentioned are very similar. These include diarrhea, vomiting, lameness lasting for more than five days in one leg, a decrease in vision, excessive panting, a seizure, blood in the stool or urine, hair loss, persistent coughing or gagging and breathing heavily or rapidly at rest. In order to find the answer, your cat will have to undergo some tests.

Your vet will take some blood, urine and feces samples and ask for input from you, about any observation you have made. When the tests results come back, only then will the proper treatment be administered to your cat as each case is different, so what worked for another cat may not have the same positive effect with yours.

Your cat could still be healthy if you gave it constant attention. This can be done by giving it leading quality food, giving it fresh water, allowing it to exercise, proper grooming, making certain it stays indoors and taking it regularly to the veterinary surgeon.

If you miss any of these simple steps, then something wrong is certain to happen to your cat and you will soon notice a change in the behaviour of your cat and if you do nothing about it, it is just going to make matters far worse. So you need to keep proper cat care and look out for any symptoms.

For further Free information on Long Term Cat Care try visiting Caring For Your Cat Help.

Cat Diabetes-And How You Should Treat It

If your cat has diabetes then cat care is important to your pets health. You will need to take the appropriate steps to make sure your pet can lead a normal life. It is unfortunate that pet cats have there own form of diabetes. It is important as a pet owner you learn how this will affect your pet and how you can help your cat lead a normal healthy life.

There are two types of cat diabetes, that could affect you pet. The first type is caused by the lack of production of insulin, while the second type is the inability of the cats body to process insulin as it should do. just like in humans, diabetes can affect a cat at any age. But it normally appears in a pet in its later years.

Your cat will start to display symptoms that will tell you there is something wrong. These symptoms are very similar to the one in humans, You would start to notice your cat would require more fluid and would also urinate more. Because of your pets inability to process any glucose, then you will start to notice some weight loss. Other symptoms you may see your cat are vomiting, loss of appetite and general weakness. Diabetic cats also start to have poor skin and coat condition, as well as breathing problems

If your pet cat starts to display the above symptoms, it would be very wise of you to take your pet to your local vet. This way you can have your cat tested for sugar levels in there blood as well as in their urine. it is better to have both tests done, because any cat that feels under any form of stress, will show a spike in there blood sugar levels. By having both tests done, you will be able to confirm if your pet cat really has diabetes. There is no cure for your cats diabetes as of yet. There diabetes can be controlled through a various means, and for cats it is done by diet and weight control. Giving your pet a diet high in fiber and carbohydrates would be ideal for diabetic cats, especially if they are over weight.

By using this type of diet, you will control your cats weight and blood sugar levels. There are also some oral medications available that your trusted vet may recommend. These should help to maintain a suitable blood sugar level. Owners of diabetic cats, also will need to monitor their pets glucose and insulin levels. This is for those pet owners who will have to give there cats insulin injections for their diabetes. But be warned, you need to be carful to avoid giving an overdose of insulin as this will be fatal to your pet.

Cat care and diabetes should always go together, this will ensure that your pet can lead a normal healthy life. If you provide the right care for diabetic cats, then you will still have many happy years to come with your pet.

Cat Health Awareness and Cat Health Care

You may be the proud owner of a lovely pet cat. In such case you would consider caring for the cat and looking after its health to be your responsibility. It is important for you to provide little time and extend a bit of effort on your part to ensure that your pet cat stays healthy, fit and fine. You may, if you wish, get hold of some good pet cat care books that are available in local bookstores for reference. You can get some useful cat care tips from there.

Awareness about cat health needs to be made beforehand if you are planning to get a pet cat. This does not require much learning though. A bit of learning about the normal habits, behavior and temperament of a cat is what is required of you. This will enable you to detect when there is any sudden change in habits of the cat so as to take care of it. Behavioral changes, changes in eating and sleeping habits etc. need to be taken note of to decide whether some health problem has arisen. Usually it is the vet who takes the final decision about health concerns of the pet cat though you can provide preliminary attendance.

Problems with cat’s health are quite common and cat owners can appropriately control such problems by gaining knowledge about cat health. This can go a long way to ensure that your pet cat stays healthy and playful. Isn’t it a rewarding experience to cuddle and have fun with a healthy pet cat?

Taking the pet cat to the veterinary specialist on a regular basis is of crucial importance. The vet needs to conduct checkups on a yearly or half yearly basis even if apparently no problems are there. Only then can you remain sure that the health condition of your loved feline pet is sound. At other times during the year if it comes to notice that there has been the development of behavior or mood changes in your cat then the vet needs to be approached at the earliest possible.

Common problems that cats usually develop are lumps, ticks, black specs in the ears, eye gunk or rashes. These can generally be detected pretty easily and upon detection of these problems the vet is to be immediately consulted. Medical attention can thus be provided quickly, remedial action measures adopted and relief from the problem obtained soon.

Grooming of the pet cat frequently is an important health endowing measure. A lot of dead hair gets removed in the process. Getting hold of the special combs available that can help extract ticks and fleas from the fur of the cat provides further help. A trim of the claws of the pet cat may be needed to from time to time to promote cat health. It must be noted, however, that the nails of the cat are not cut too short.

Cat Dental Care Explained

In most cases, pet owners can easily realize if their pet has health problems. But the dental issues are not spotted right away. Most animals, like humans, can develop dental disease. As they grow old, many cats have problems with their teeth. Only a vet can know for sure what is wrong, but the pet owners can look after a few signs that could indicate this kind of health problem.

The experts agree that dental issues can de caused by other health problems, so it is very important to see a vet for periodical check-ups, otherwise this problems could degenerate. However, there are a few steps to follow so you can keep your cat’s teeth and gums healthy.

The first step is to get a vet see your cat once a year for a periodical exam, even if it seems healthy. You can’t know for sure, only the vet can tell if it has problems; he would check its teeth and gums, see if it has bad breath, and look for teeth decay. All these could indicate other serious health issues.

Secondly, you should brush your cat’s teeth. You can find toothbrushes and paste at the pet stores. This action should be done daily, but it is enough if you do it twice a week. At first, your cat could not like it, so you can start by brushing only a small part of its mouth, adding more each time. It would be easier if you had a kitten, because starting this at an early age would get it used to this process. Anyway, most cats enjoy the toothpastes’ taste, so this wouldn’t be a problem.

For older cats and those that already have dental problems, you can find specially made rinses that come in flavored sprays and antiseptic gels. It is not indicated to replace the brushing with this product, but it’s very helpful if your cat has tooth decay.

Chewing is also helpful regarding your cat’s dental health. You can find many kinds of products for kitties to chew. Most of them are flavored, so cats really enjoy them. These dental chews have an abrasive texture that helps remove food or plaque that could affect the cat’s teeth. It is recommended to be careful if you want to use bones for this purpose. Some of them can be very sharp, and could harm your kitty’s throat. Also, most vets advise you never give your cat turkey or chicken bones.

It is important to take care of your cat’s teeth. In most cases dental issues indicate other health problems. These can either cause these dental issues, or even be caused by them. Some examples can be Feline Odontoclastic Oral Resorption Lesions (FORL), periodontal disease, malocclusion and feline stomatitis. Most of them can be treated using proper medical care.

Plaque and tartar can build up on cat’s teeth, forcing food remains and bateria around the jawbone and under the gums, causing periodontal disease. This can lead to inflamed, bleeding, swelling gums. This dental disease is most common in cats, and can be cured with antibiotics and cleaning. Also, in some extreme cases, extraction can be necessary.

Another common dental disease found in cats is FORL. This is similar to cavity in humans. Teeth lesions appear first in a tooth enamel. Plaque accumulates and the entire tissue that is around the tooth in question starts to be inflamed. The present irritation can even move towards the pulp with the cavity killing the tooth. In most cases the vet will recomend extraction if your pet is diagnosed with FORL.

A very serios dental disease form in cats is Feline Stomatitis. This usually indicates other severe illness and it is said to be an autoimmune disease. The plaque on the teeth is being rejected by the body, causing allergic reactions. In some cases it can move down into the throat, leading to painful red wounds. Stomatitis can determin a cat to stop eating, this illness making it unconfortable. If your cat suffers from this dental disease, you should see a vet immediately.

At last, we will discuss about another dental condition that can appear at a cat: malocclusion. This means that the teeth alignment is not normal. At humans, malocclusion is treated using braces. When a cat suffers from this disease, it faces difficulties in eating, causing severe weight loss. This illness was hard to treat, but nowadays, as the technology advances, we can fiind specialized vets that are engaged in orthodontics in pets.

The Manx Cat Breed

The Manx cat breed (sometimes misspelled Minx Cat) is one breed that is immediately noticed due to a naturally occurring mutation of its spine. Because of it we are faced with a cat that has a shorter tail and there are various tail lengths from tailless to normal tail length. A lot of Manx cats will show a small stub of a tail although most Manx cats are known to have no tail and this is a special characteristic of this breed.

Manx Cat Breed Appearance

The Manx cat has hind legs that are longer than the front one, thus creating an arch from the rump to the shoulder. This is the reason why this cat breed has a rounded appearance. The cat's coating comes in a variation of two coat lengths. We thus have a short haired Manx cat that has a thick and short under-layer coat and another outer layer coating with guard hairs. The long haired Manx cat (also known as Cymric) also has a double coat with a silky texture, of medium length. All Manx cats have a thick double layered coat and in contests the Cymric is usually judged as a short hair cat.

Manx Cat Tail Length Factor

The tail length of the Manx cat is highly important due to some factors. For instance, Manx kittens are classified by judging from this factor. We thus have Dimple rumpy (or rumpy - no tail), Riser (or rumpy riser - several vertebrae under the fur or a stub of cartilage), Stumpy (a partial tail) and Long tailed (complete or almost complete tail).

Manx Cat Breed Health

Nowadays the Manx Cat breed is a lot healthier than it was some years ago. This happened because breeders started a careful process of selecting the breeding stock. We thus have Manx breed that are as healthy as other cat breeds and their life expectancy is of 8 to 10 years. The only real problem can be found in the Manx Syndrome. This is a condition that appears when the spine is shortened too much due to the mutant tailless gene. The problem is that the spinal cord can be damaged and nerves end up causing spina bifida and various problems linked with digestion, bladder and bowels. Cats suffering from Manx Sydrome usually live a maximum of 3 years while the record is of 5 years at the moment.

Keeping your Cat Healthy and Cool in Summer

Heat and sun are not two elements that cats love. A lot of people know that heatstrokes can happen with dogs but so many know that cats can also suffer from such a condition. Dehydration and sun burn can also affect your cat during summer so we need to know how to keep your cat healthy and cool in summer!

First off, when the weather is warm try to keep your cat indoor. Cats are prone to developing skin cancer so you must always pay attention to sun exposure. Now turn your attention towards your home. The cat surely has a special place where he likes sitting. You should try and make it as cool as possible. Fans and air conditioners are just two of the many ideas you can deploy. Replace the blanket in the cat's bed with a sheet and an icepack beneath the blanket will keep her cool while the sun is doing damage on the outside.

Always keep enough water bowls available for your cat. Analyze them and make sure they are always full, especially if you have more than one cat. Put ice cubes in the water bowl. This move will keep the water colder than usual and immediately the cat's temperature lower.

Now problems might appear when the cat loves the outdoor environment. In such a case you should not restrict it from what she likes but instead make sure that there is always fresh water outside your door or window. If you have a garden make sure that you put in some shady plants in order to help the cat in retreating from the heat.

One of the worse problems that can happen is a heat stroke. This is why we must be aware of the symptoms of heat strokes in cats. Cats are usually secretive about illness and they rarely pant. The early symptoms of cat heat stroke will include: anxiety, increased heart rate, panting, hyperventilation, dark red gums, increased temperature, lethargy and respiratory distress. A healthy cat shows a temperature of between 100° and 102° F. If you see that the temperature goes over 104° you should take it as a warning sign. In such a case you need to take the cat in a cool room and give him a rub with a towel that is dampened in water. A cold compress needs to be placed under the cat's neck and if the cat resists you helping her you will have to wrap ice or frozen peas in a towel and place it in the cat's favorite nap spot. This will cool the cat and allow her to heal.

Keep in mind that dehydration can always happen. This means that you will need to have plenty of fresh water around. In some cases cats that will suffer from dehydration will refuse to drink. If this is your case use an eye dropper or your finger in order to get water in your cat's mouth through rubbing it on her lips.

Giving your Cat Eye Drops

Some of us are lucky and if we need to give our cats eye drops they will simply stay in our laps patiently and all is over. On the other hand, most cats do not like it when anything is put in their eyes. To make it even worse, there are situations in which you might even have to restrain your cat if she wants to scratch, bite or simply fights you when giving eye drops. All eye medication for cats will come in liquid drops or ointment form and in most cases liquid versions have to be given more often. Now let us get to the topic at hand and see how you can give your cat eye drops with the least effort for yourself and discomfort for the pet!

Whenever you give your cat eye drops you have to hold the pet on your lap. If the cat tries to get away you can wrap him in a towel right before you actually place him on your lap. By doing this you will prevent scratches and you will notice that it is easier to hold as he can not raise those paws to attack you for wanting his best. Use one hand to hold the head of the cat and the thumb of it to easily pull down the lower eye lid. By doing this you will have a pouch right under the cat's eye to hold the eye drops. Now we need to put the tip of the applicator right next to that pouch but pay extreme attention to not touch the cat's eye. The hand must be steady and all done easily so that you do not poke your pet in the eye. Needless to say that would hurt the cat a lot. Squeeze the bottle of the applicator gently and number the drops you need to give the cat (by prescription orders) and let them fall into that pouch.

After you give your cat the eye drops you will need to keep him on your lap as they quickly disperse on the eye and you should never rub them in! If you let go of the cat immediately after the application of the cat eye drops he might rub it out and it will not help him at all!

Giving Cats Pills

Giving pills to cats can be necessary at times but it is quite difficult to do if the cat is unresponsive and simply does not enjoy taking pills. In this case you will need to think about how you can make it easier for the cat to take the pills and in most cases you will need to trick her into doing so. The best way is to hide the medicine in cat treats, something they love and will not suspect.

You need to look for special cat treats that are moist and that do not break apart when you put in the pills. Place them in the treats and on a plate. Decoy treats can also be utilized but only if you are sure that your cat will eat more than one. You might end up with the cat eating the wrong one. Stay near the cat when you give her the treat on a plate and watch if she eats it completely. If not, you just have to find another treat and try to trick the cat again.