Every Cat

Archive for October, 2009

Is cat urine odor a problem in your home?  If your kitty is urinating in different places all over your home, you have a problem that can’t be overlooked.  Often a stressed out cat is at the root of the problem.

Cat urine problems are sometimes caused by a health issue, including feline diabetes, or a feline urinary tract infection, so your first response should be to take the kitty to the vet for a check-up.Once you know she’s healthy, you can then focus on relieving feline stress.

Cat Litter Pan Problems Due To Stress Are More Common Than You Think

What could be better than being a cat?  All you have to do is just lay around and sleep all day, right?  Well, life for your kitty may not as rosy as you believe it is.The problem of a stressed out cat is more common that you would think.

Just the fact that your kitty doesn’t have much to do other and eat and sleep can cause stress.  Cats get bored, just like we do.  Set aside time to play with your kitty several times a day.  She needs the exercise, and enjoys interacting with you.

Consider providing a feline companion to keep an only cat company during the day.  Or buy a cat video that features birds and other creatures that she can watch on TV while you’re gone. 

Sometimes another pet, or even a child, is the problem.  If a dominant cat, a dog, or a small child is bothering Kitty while she’s in the litter box, she just may find another, more private place to do her business. 

Your feline may not like where her cat litter pan is located.  If you keep it in the basement, she may be scared of the furnace, or the washing machine, since they come to life when she least expects it, and make lots of noise.  Look at the situation from your cat’s point of view.Cats see the world in a different way than we do.

If her pan is in a busy, noisy place, she may be unhappy with it, too.When using the bathroom, your feline prefers a private place.

Tips For Solving Your Cat Urine Problems

If you have more than one cat, you should have one box for each feline, plus an extra one.Locate the litter pans in various rooms in your home.This prevents problems if your cats don’t like to share the litter pan.You’ll want to make sure there’s an escape route available at each litter pan to avoid one cat being able to corner the other one in there.

Try putting the cat litter pan in the location where the cat has been urinating.Encouraging her to use the pan is the idea.  When she does, you can start moving it an inch or so every couple of days until you have it where you want it.

Feeding the cat where she’s been urinating is suggested, because kitties prefer not to eat where they potty.If you cover the area with a plastic sheet, or aluminum foil, it will be less appealing to Kitty.  Be sure to use a pet deodorizer to neutralize cat urine odor, so she won’t be drawn back to use the same place again.

Cleaning up cat urine on carpet certainly isn’t at the top of anyone’s favorites list.  Learn how you can end your cat urine problems once and for all by clicking on any link in this article.

Feline diabetes is problem that is being seen more often in cats.  Unfortunately, there are several myths circulating about diabetes in cats.  If you have a diabetic cat, you need to know the facts about how you can help your diabetic pet. 

Myth #1. The Only Treatment For A Diabetic Feline Is To Put Him Down

This isn’t necessarily true.  Unless your kitty is quite old, or has other health problems like kidney failure, this disease can be managed quite successfully. 

However, it’s important for you to realize that it does take time, especially at first, to learn how to check your diabetic cat’s blood sugar and then give him an insulin injection, if he needs one. 

Myth #2. Feline Diabetes Cannot Be Prevented

Quite a few pet experts believe that this disease is a man-made condition that can be prevented by feeding your kitty a high-quality canned food, not dry cat food.

Why shouldn’t you feed your kitty dry food?This food is composed mostly of grains, which contain too many carbs for kitties.  Cats have evolved to eat meat, not grains.  Free-feeding dry cat food will more than likely lead to a fat cat, and overweight kitties are predisposed to many health problems, including diabetes in cats.   

Myth #3.  It’s Too Hard To Check Your Kitty’s Blood Glucose Levels At Home

It can be challenging at first, but anyone who lives with a feline diabetic should learn how to check their cat’s blood sugar levels.Never administer an insulin shot unless you know what your cat’s blood glucose levels are.  Plus, it’s much less expensive for you, and less stressful for your cat, if your vet teaches you how to do this simple test at home.

Myth #4. Your Kitty Will Need Insulin Injections For The Rest Of His Life

This is false.  In fact, changing your cat’s diet from dry food to canned food may be all it takes to reverse feline diabetes.  Losing weight can help, too.It’s advised to talk to the vet before putting your fat feline on a diet, as a too-rapid weight loss can cause serious health problems for him.

Mild exercise is a natural way to manage blood sugar.Be patient and start slowly.  Gradually work up to two or three ten-minute exercise sessions every day.

Myth #5. Don’t Waste Your Time With Natural Remedies For Cats

On the contrary, researchers have found that the mineral chromium, along with certain herbs, including goat’s rue, astragalus, and fenugreek, are all very effective in helping to control blood sugar levels in human diabetics.  These remedies are also effective for kitties, as well.  Many cat owners have found that a combination of dietary changes, daily exercise, and natural remedies for cats has made it possible to discontinue insulin injections for their pets.

Don’t believe any of these myths about feline diabetes.  Click on any link in this article to find out how natural remedies for cats can help keep your favorite kitty healthy.

Cat urine problems are probably one of the top feline behavior problems for cat owners.Frustration from finding nasty, smelly messes all over the home often leads to the pet being given up, or even put down.

Many people have the mistaken notion that a feline stops using the cat litter pan because they want to get back at their owners for some perceived slight.  We all love our kitties, but let’s be honest.  Cat just aren’t capable of that kind of reasoning.

Sometimes a veterinary problem, like a cat bladder infection, is causing the kitty to avoid the cat litter pan.  Maybe your kitty is older and has developed arthritis, which makes it hard to enter and leave her pan.  Taking her to the vet for a check-up is always recommended.

Don’t think this is the end of the line for your cat.Avoid having this habit become ingrained, by quickly solving the problem of a cat who won’t use the cat litter pan.  If you’re tired of finding cat urine on carpet, here are three tips that may help.

Three Reasons For Cat Urine Problems

• Your kitty doesn’t like her cat litter pan
• She doesn’t like the cat litter you’re using
• The pan is located someplace she doesn’t like

The Cat Litter Pan Is All Wrong

The cat won’t use the pan if she doesn’t like it.  A cat with a feline bladder infection may have learned to associate pain with the litter pan, so she goes elsewhere.A bigger pan may be just the ticket for a kitty who’s overweight.  An elderly cat, or a young kitten, may have trouble getting into and out of the box.

Covered cat litter pans are favored by humans, but kitties don’t like them, because they trap odors.  Keep the pan clean, because kitties don’t like a nasty bathroom any more than you do.

If she’s being bothered by another pet, or a small child, this could be the problem?As a result, the cat will probably find a more private area to do her business.

She Hates The Cat Litter You’re Using

Cats especially dislike scented litter.  Keep the pan clean to avoid odors, instead of covering them up with scent.

Don’t change the type of cat litter suddenly.  Cats don’t like change.Do everything you can to keep using the type of cat litter she’s already accustomed to.  If you really must change brands, do it gradually, over a period of time.

Location, Location, Location

Just like people, cats like a private bathroom area.  A bathroom closet is usually a good spot.Avoid having the door closed accidentally by putting a block in it.

Avoid putting the pan in the basement.  Most cats don’t care for dark places that come complete with loud, scary things like furnaces and clothes washers that come to life unexpectedly.

Stop spending your precious free time on cat urine cleaning.  If you’re dealing with cat urine problems, just click on any link in this article to find the solution.

Can natural remedies for cats help to prevent feline cystitis?  Many cat owners who have had a long and frustrating battle with feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, wonder if natural remedies, along with holistic cat care, would help.

What Is Holistic Cat Care?

Holistic cat care involves looking at your kitty as a whole, as an alternative to focusing on her kidneys and bladder when she has cat urinary problems.Instead of just treating the symptoms of FLUTD, a holistic practitioner will want to know about your cat’s diet, stress in her life, and any underlying problems.It’s acceptable to use natural remedies for cats, too.

Cat Urinary Problems And Your Kitty’s Diet

Many cat owners don’t realize that there’s a direct link between their cat’s diet and cat cystitis.  Ads on tv and in magazines tell us repeatedly how great dry food is for our cats.  It has all the nutrients your cats needs, yes.  But that’s not the whole truth.

Here’s the problem.In the wild, cats don’t drink much water, for the simple reason that they’re meant to get most of their fluid intake from their food.  All people and animals are over 90% water.  A cat who eats mice and other prey animals will almost completely satisfy her water requirements without having to drink any extra water.

It’s a different story for our kitties.  We want to do the best for them, so we feed them what we have been told is the best possible diet.  But dry cat food has a moisture content of less than 10%.  This is good for a long shelf life, but it’s not so good for your cat’s health.  A cat who eats only dry food is probably a chronically dehydrated cat, since it’s hard for her to drink enough water to make up the difference between what’s in her diet, and what her body needs.

Did you know that kidney failure is the leading cause of death in older cats?This is often because of a lifetime of chronic dehydration.

You should know that increasing the amount of water going through your cat is the best way to prevent FLUTD.  A more than adequate water intake flushes impurities out of your cat’s body and his urinary system.  Be sure your kitty always has access to plenty of clean fresh water.

Cat Stress Is Linked To Feline Cystitis

Most of us would think that our cats lead a charmed life.Just laying around and sleeping all day sounds like a rough life, doesn’t it?

Well, maybe not.  Cats face a lot more stress than most of us realize.  Just being an indoor cat is a stress on an animal that’s meant to be outside hunting, and slinking around in the dark.  Add a lack of exercise, too much of the wrong food, not enough water, annoyances from other cats and pets, and just being cooped up inside, and you can see that maybe life isn’t quite as easy as you thought for your furball.

Feline interstitial cystitis has been linked to cat stress.  If your vet can’t find any reason for your cat’s bladder problems, maybe you should be looking for hidden stress in your cat’s life.

Natural Remedies For Cats With Cat Urinary Problems

You may be interested in one of the many natural remedies for cats available now.  You should look for one that contains the herbs uva ursi and barberry, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris.These remedies keep your cat’s urinary system working well by preventing feline cystitis.

Learn more about natural remedies for cats with feline cystitis, and find the best place to buy them, by clicking on any link in this article.

Did you know that up to 1.5 percent of all cats in the US are plagued with feline urinary problems? That’s a lot of cats.

These problems can range from an uncomfortable cat bladder infection to a life-threatening cat urinary blockage. An an informed cat owner, you should always be on the lookout for cat urinary problems.

What’s The Difference Between FLUTD And FUS?

Many cat owners are confused, and rightfully so, over the terms used to describe cat urinary problems. FLUTD is an acronym that stands for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. FLUTD used to be known as FUS, or Feline Urologic Syndrome. Feline Urologic Syndrome has been renamed as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease to reflect that most of the urinary problems in cats happen in the lower urinary tract, which includes the bladder and urethra.

Overview Of Feline Urinary Disease

There are many different aspects to feline urinary problems. Here’s a quick overview of a few different conditions that can affect your cat’s urinary tract.

• An inflammation of your cat’s bladder is called cystitis.
• If your cat’s urethra is inflamed, he has urethritis.
• Idiopathic cystitis means that the cause of the bladder inflammation is not known.
• Bladder stones in cats often occur as a result of feline urinary crystals.
• A tumor in your cat’s bladder may be the source of his problems.

You can see that it’s important to pinpoint what’s causing your cat’s urinary tract problems in order to treat his condition successfully.

Symptoms of Cat Urinary Problems

No matter what’s causing the feline urinary tract problems, your cat will show these symptoms:

• Bloody urine
• Urinating in places other than his litter box
• Urinating often, but passing only small amounts of urine
• Straining to urinate, or not being able to pass urine at all
• Crying out in pain in the litter box

Any of these symptoms should be enough for you to take your cat to the vet for a check-up.

What Your Vet Will Do

Your vet will examine your cat and feel his bladder to see how full it is. The vet will also want to do a urinalysis to check for infection or feline urinary crystals, and may want to do a cat urine culture to see if bacteria are present. A distended bladder indicates that your kitty may have a cat urinary blockage, and your vet may want to take x-rays or do an ultrasound to look for stones in your cat’s bladder.

Steps You Can Take To Prevent Feline Urinary Disease?

There are many steps cat owners can take to prevent their cats from developing feline urinary tract problems. The most important thing you can do is to feed a high-quality canned food.

Because cats are supposed to get most of their water from their food, a kitty who eats only dry food is usually chronically dehydrated, which leads to his urine becoming concentrated. And concentrated urine can lead to cat bladder stones, and a whole host of problems that goes along with them.

Be sure your cat always has access to plenty of clean, fresh water, too.

Natural remedies for cats that support bladder health in felines are readily available. Herbal extracts of barberry and uva ursi, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagria, are safe and effective for feline bladder problems. These natural treatments have been used for many years to treat bladder infections in humans, and they work just as well in cats.

Click on any link in this article to learn how natural remedies for cats can help to prevent and treat feline urinary problems.

A diagnosis of feline diabetes comes as a complete shock for many cat owners.  You probably have many questions.  What exactly is cat diabetes?  What options do you have for feline diabetes treatment?  Can natural remedies for cats help in controlling diabetes in cats?

What Is Feline Diabetes?

A kitty with this disease has problems either producing or using insulin, which keeps the levels of glucose in the blood at normal levels.  High blood sugar levels cause liver and kidney problems, gastrointestinal troubles, and an increased risk of infections.  If left untreated, a diabetic cat can go into a coma and die.

Middle-aged male cats who are somewhat overweight have a much higher risk of developing diabetes.

Feline Diabetes Treatment

Treatment for feline diabetes often starts with the cat being hospitalized while his blood sugar levels are stabilized.You and your cat’s vet will need to work together to develop a long-term treatment plan for Kitty before he comes home from the hospital.You and your vet will need to be able to work together on treatment of your pet’s diabetes, so a good relationship is essential.

Be aware that caring for a diabetic cat does take a lot of time, especially at first, when you’re learning how to check your kitty’s blood sugar levels, and how to give him insulin injections.

Controlling diabetes in cats can be challenging at first, but many cat owners are quite successful at it.  After a while, blood sugar tests and insulin shots will become routine, both for you and your feline conmpanion.

Are Natural Remedies For Cats Helpful In Controlling Feline Diabetes?

Many human diabetics are using herbal remedies and dietary supplements to help control their blood sugar levels.Research has proven the safety and effectiveness of these remedies for cats, too.The herbs fenugreek, astragalus, and goat’s rue, along with chromium, should be present in this remedy. 

Always talk with your vet before you start using natural remedies for cats.Most vets are willing to work with owners who want to try using these remedies.  Since it may be possible to control diabetes in cats by making dietary changes and using natural remedies, you’ll need to check your kitty’s blood sugar levels often.Your cat’s insulin dosage may need to be changed by the vet.

Just click any link in this article to learn how diet, exercise and natural remedies for cats can help to control diabetes in cats.

Living through the credit crunch is difficult enough, but when you have pets which depend on you for food, a home and veterinary attention, anything that can be done, helps.
It’s a sad fact that many pets are given up or abandoned every day, as pet lovers struggle to cope with the current economic climate.
This is exceedingly thorny for animal charities who have look after pets when money is limited, living off on donations to keep their animals in good health.
Here are a few points which could help make owning a pet on a budget more manageable:
1. Consider every pet expenditure? Do you need that branded animal food or product? Easier said than done, bring pets up with variety, both dry and wet, as well as different brands and flavours. Keep an eye on special deals. You can stock up. Investigate vouchers, search on the net for some good deals. Buy based on price per pound / Kg, as sometimes, especially with promotions, the smaller pack can be more economical.
2. Wherever possible, pet owners can often club together to buy feed and bedding in bulk, reducing the total price and passing on savings to all.
3. Vets bills are unknown but still have to be considered. If cash is a little tight, you may find a lot of Vets will consider spreading the costs, and pay in instalments. If you can, afford it – have or keep pet insurance.
4. Can you modify the way you live? It’s not all about finding ways to keep your animal more economically, what about yourself!
5. What about earning some cash? Perhaps find a dog walking job Become a Dog Walker. Good companies will require you do it regularly. Another alternative is to become a pet sitter, though good businesses such as London Pet Sitter will also require you be a London dog walker.
6. What about your other pets, you may have put your cats in a cattery, what about considering a cat sitter? The animal may prefer it and the pet sitters often do other things.
7. Do use external stabling or boarding? Many horses can live quite happily outside for most of the year, just make sure there’s food, water and protection to harsh elements available. Could this be an option for your horse, it could diminish the outlay on stabling considerably.
8. Are you thinking of choosing a pet, please think about rescuing a pet from a charity, they are suffering during this crisis.
Enjoy your pet, they are worth the cost.

You may be surprised to learn that one of the symptoms of feline diabetes is weakness in your cat’s legs.  If you notice your kitty walking on her “elbows” on her back legs instead of her feet, or on her “wrists” on her front legs, you may have a diabetic cat.  Other symptoms include her feet going out from under her unexpectedly, or weakness and needing to lie down after a short walk.  This problem is called “feline neuropathy.”

Why Does Diabetes In Cats Cause Weak Legs?

The connection between feline diabetes and feline neuropathy often comes as a shock to most pet owners.  This condition is a result of nerve damage caused by high blood sugar levels.  It’s very important that a diabetic cat receives veterinary treatment to lower blood glucose levels as soon as possible to prevent any further damage to her nerves.

Why Is Nerve Damage Often a Problem With Feline Diabetes?

Diabetes is caused when the body is unable to regulate blood sugar levels.  Either your kitty’s body isn’t producing enough insulin (type 1 feline diabetes), or her body isn’t able to use the insulin being produced (type 2 feline diabetes).

High blood sugar levels are especially dangerous for nerve, kidney, and eye cells.  Why?  Because these cells are don’t need insulin to be able to absorb glucose from the bloodstream, which makes it possible for them to absorb so much glucose that it causes damage to these cells.This is why it’s important that owners of feline diabetics keep the cat’s blood glucose at normal levels.  

Can Feline Neuropathy Be Reversed?

Sometimes the nerve damage is reversed when the high blood sugar levels are brought under control, and the cat is able to walk normally again.

It’s also possible that the weakness in the cat’s legs is due to muscle wasting, which is a result of untreated feline diabetes.  Once the blood sugar levels are controlled, the cat owner may wish to gently exercise the feline to rebuild the muscle.  

Some owners have had some success in reversing feline neuropathy by treating their cats with methylcobalamin, also known as methyl B-12.  This product is available at natural food stores.

The Best Treatment Is Prevention

The best way to avoid complications of diabetes in cats is to prevent the disease in the first place.  Avoid letting your feline friend get too heavy.A kitty carrying too much weight is at risk for many health problems, in addition to feline diabetes.Cats get fat on high-carb dry food. Instead, feed her a high-quality canned food instead.

Regular exercise is a natural way to control blood sugar levels, besides keeping your pet slim and in good condition.

Natural Remedies For Cats – Can They Help A Feline Diabetic?

Research shows that it’s possible to control blood sugar levels naturally in people with diabetes by using herbs such as astragalus, goat’s rue, and fenugreek.  Would these herbs work in cats, too?  The answer is yes.   

Many cat owners have been successful in using a combination of diet, exercise, and herbal remedies to regulate their pets’ blood sugar levels naturally.  You can learn more about natural remedies for cats with diabetes by clicking on any link in this article.

Has this ever happened to you?  You find your cat in his litter box, straining to urinate, crying out in pain.  He can’t seem to pass any urine.  According to your vet, your cat’s urinary problem is a result of cat bladder stones.

Bladder Stones In Cats

A bladder stone, or urolith, is made up from minerals present in your cat’s urine.  These minerals sometimes form crystals that stick together to form a stone in your cat’s bladder.  Your cat’s bladder stones may be as small as a grain of sand, or as large as a piece of pea gravel.

Your feline friend may have only one stone, or he could have several dozen.

Why do the minerals form crystals?  There are several theories.  Your cat’s urine may be high in minerals due to his diet, or it may be because he has an infection in his bladder.

Cat bladder stones usually take several months to form, but they can grow in just a couple of weeks.

Symptoms Of Cat Urinary Problems

If your cat suddenly starts urinating in places other than his litter box, this can indicate that he’s having a urinary problem.He may lick his bottom a lot more often than is normal for him.

Blood in the urine is another symptom to watch for.  It can sometimes be hard to see this in cats as they usually go in the litter box.  But if he’s urinating outside his box, you may see it.

If your cat is straining to urinate, or can’t pass any urine, this indicates a blockage.  A urinary blockage is a veterinary emergency, and you need to get your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

Treatment For Cat Bladder Stones

Tests required to make a diagnosis of bladder stones include an ultrasound or x-rays.  Once they are diagnosed, you vet will probably outline two treatment options.

Removing the bladder stones by surgery may be a suggested treatment.  If the problem is severe, surgery is the fastest way to eliminate a blockage.

The second is to try to dissolve the stones with a special diet.  This treatment is a good one for many cats.  However, it may not work well for all felines.  The major reason is that it’s a slower treatment.  It can take several weeks or months for the stones to dissolve.  During this time your cat will still be passing bloody urine, and may still be straining to urinate.

Diet therapy doesn’t work with all stones.  It’s helpful if the cat passes a stone so that you vet can analyze it to see what it’s made of.  Some types of stones can’t be dissolved.

Some cats won’t eat the special diet food.  The frustrating part is that if your cat won’t eat it, this diet won’t be effective.

Are Herbal Pet Remedies The Answer To Cat Bladder Stones?

Many cat owners are turning to herbal pet remedies to help solve cat urinary problems.  These herbal and homeopathic remedies have been used by people across the world for centuries.Natural remedies help to heal the underlying problem instead of alleviating the symptoms.

It’s very important to buy these herbal pet remedies only from reputable companies that specialize in producing them.  Do your homework and be sure that the company stands behind its products.  You want to be sure that you find remedies especially formulated for pets.

These natural remedies are inexpensive and readily available.  When using these proven remedies, you don’t have to worry about side effects.

Now that you have this information, you can take action to prevent cat urinary problems.  Just click on any link in this article to learn more.

Do you know how natural feline urinary support can help your kitty avoid frequent cat urinary problems?  If your pet suffers from repeated cat bladder infection, here are three ways you can support his feline urinary health.

Diet And Feline Urinary Support

Your cat’s diet is extremely important in promoting cat urinary health.  Many cat owners are unaware that a one-year study showed that feeding a high-quality canned food reduced feline urinary problems significantly.  Why is this?

You should know that the best way to prevent feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, is to increase the amount of water that goes through your cat.  The easiest way to do this is to feed him canned cat food, which has a moisture level of around 75%.  This is much closer to a cat’s natural diet.

The problem is that dry cat food, which is what most kitties eat, has a very low moisture level, under ten percent.  A cat who eats only dry food must drink a lot of water to get enough fluid intake to prevent cat urinary problems.  Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to get your cat to drink more water, since he has evolved to get most of his water from his diet.

If your cat isnt’ drinking enough water, he’s probably chronically dehydrated.  His urine is very concentrated, which can lead to cat bladder stones.  These stones irritate the bladder wall, and cause feline cystitis, which is a bladder inflammation.  Just feeding your cat moist food can help to prevent this problem.

Another way to get your cat to drink more water is to divide his food into three equal amounts and feed him three times a day.  It’s been shown that feeding your cat two or three times a day as opposed to once a day is associated with an increase in his daily water intake.

Reduce Cat Stress To Reduce Cat Bladder Infection Problems

Cats appear to lead charmed lives, but this isn’t really true.  Our kitties are creatures of habit, and they don’t like changes at all.  Moving to a new home, remodeling, adding a new pet or person to your household, and even changing your feline’s food causes cat stress.  Cats don’t handle stress well.  In fact, stress in cats has been linked to feline idiopathic cystitis, which is a bladder inflammation that doesn’t appear to have any cause.

Be on the lookout for anything that’s stressing your cat.  Reducing or removing the cause of the stress may help to reduce cat urinary problems.

Natural Remedies For Cats Can Support Cat Urinary Health

Humans have been dealing with bladder infections since the beginning of time.Before we had access to modern antibiotics, people used herbs to treat cystitis, or bladder infections.  In many parts of the world, people still use these remedies.  Can these natural remedies work on cats too?

The answer is yes.  Uva ursi and barberry are two herbs that have stood the test of time for treating cystitis in people.  The homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagris also have a successful track record in treating human urinary tract infections.  These four remedies have been specially formulated into a remedy that’s not only safe, but effective, to prevent feline urinary problems.

Click on any link in this article to learn how natural remedies for cats can support cat urinary health.