Beauticat

I have a male cat that is 2.9 years old. I had him since he was a tiny kitten that wander…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

What you describe sounds very much like a roundworm. This is a very common parasite of our pets that they most often get from hunting or from contact with infected stool from other animals. Your cat should receive a medication for these worms. I would contact your veterinarian. If your cat has been in recently, they may prescribe the medication without seeing him. Because he is outdoors, you may also want to get him on a regular schedule for worming medication since this could be an ongoing problem.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

I have a five cat household and, as you can imagine, hairballs are a big part of it. As…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

More and more, we are beginning to think that hairballs may not be a normal thing for cats and in fact, may be a sign of poor intestinal motility. If I see a cat with chronic hairballs, I now will often try to rule out any underlying disease before chalking it up to being normal. With this stated, there are many hairball remedies that are out there that are petroleum jelly based. The idea behind these, is that they make the hair easier to pass so it does not come up as a hairball. Many come in tubes, are flavored to be palatable for the cat and are available at pet stores, veterinarians. etc. Regular petroleum jelly works similarly and many cats will eat it straight. A small amount, about 1 teaspoon, is often a dose recommended – can be placed on the paw. There are not any known side effects to these products and many cat owners do think they help.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

We adopted a “special needs” kitten from a local shelter - breathing problems. She was…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Good for you for taking on this special little girl! I have not had any experience in cats with nasal stents and it is my understanding they have just recently been used more commonly by surgeons and written up. One of my first thoughts would be to talk to the surgeon about their experience. Could it be possible this is still post-op inflammation? I would also be concerned about a bacterial infection…has any discharge been cultured? I would also wonder about an ongoing herpes virus infection. It sounds like you’re in great hands and already I can tell you adore this little kitten. Keep us posted…I’d be interested to hear how your little one does.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

Do cats get laryngitis? My cat went from meowing real deep to nothing at all in a period…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Cat’s can get laryngitis. It can be caused by multiple causes. It can be caused by an immune-mediated inflammation, by trauma, and by infectious causes like the herpes virus. In an older cat, I would also be concerned about the possibility of something like a mass. A complete exam of your cat would be helpful, although your cat may need a light sedation to look fully in her throat. Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about but I’d have it checked out when you can.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

My 11year old cat has been having drooling spells and trouble breathing more frequently…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

My first concern would be to determine if the drooling spells and the trouble breathing are related. These are two conditions that I typically do not link together. For the drooling, a full oral exam looking at the teeth or abnormalities in the mouth should be done along with lab work to rule out any systemic disease. For his breathing, there are a couple things I would consider before doing allergy testing. Allergic lung disease is common and can manifest itself with trouble breathing but an x-ray can be helpful to rule out any changes in the heart of other causes of difficulty breathing. If the x-ray helps rule-in allergic type changes, then you could still consider allergy testing but in general we are looking at many things that are difficult to avoid like dust, dust mites, pollens, molds etc. For cats with breathing difficulties, you can avoid respiratory irritants like smoke, aerosols, heavy perfumes, dusty litters, incense, etc. Hope this helps and hope your cat does well.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

I have a male cat that is 2.9 years old. I had him since we was a tiny kitten that wander…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

At the suggestion of my veterinarian, I’ve begun to look for cat foods which have meat,…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

One thing that is important to remember is that cats don’t require ingredients (such as chicken, fish or grains), they require the nutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) those ingredients provide. Many people feel that since cats are considered carnivores that meat should be first on the ingredient list. However, cats do just fine on diets that contain cereals/grains or other ingredients as the primary ingredient on the list. Whether you are considering a dry food or a canned meat product isn’t nearly as important as ensuring that the food you select provides all of the essential nutrients your cat needs, and that the nutrients are supplied in the correct proportions. In addition, it is essential that your cat enjoys eating the food, as the best food in the world will not provide your cat the nutrients he needs if it is left in the bowl all day and never eaten.

Part of your assurance of complete and balanced nutrition comes in the form of the AAFCO statement on each package or can of cat food. The AAFCO statement will provide information to let you know whether or not a product provides complete and balanced nutrition, and whether it is adequate for all life stages or just for a particular life stage (such as maintenance of an adult cat). Look for this statement on the package to ensure that your cat is receiving the nutrition he or she needs. All Purina Cat Chow dry cat foods make this claim and thus are considered complete and balanced for the various life stages specific to the products.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

I have a neutered male and female. I would like a third cat. Would choosing a male or…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Various research studies have looked at the social arrangements within groups of cats and some have noticed that related females tend to stay together. What was also noted was that a cat would choose “preferred” associates, cats that they would routinely and regularly be near and share space with as well as other cats that they actively avoided. Therefore adding another cat to a home may depend less on the gender of the cat than the willingness of the cats to accept another housemate and the individual personalities of the cats involved.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

I have four cats, one of which is a 13 year old Female Long Hair Calico. She’s my…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

A cat that is healthy will normally spend a great deal of time keeping their fur clean and if they do not feel well, they may groom less frequently. In addition, if a cat has a chronic disease which impairs their respiration or digestion they may not have a healthy looking coat. A 13 year old cat could also have additional problems that need to be treated. Therefore, a good physical examination and blood work are necessary to be sure that a medical problem is not causing the poor hair coat, low weight and congestion.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back

We have two cats, a male and a female, both are 12 years old. They both spend time…

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

The onset of spraying behavior in a neutered 12 year old cat who has never sprayed before is not common. It may be the symptom of a metabolic problem and a change in the cat’s hormonal or physiological state. Therefore, the first step is a good physical examination and blood tests to ascertain if there is a medical problem. The results of these tests will determine what other steps need to be taken to control the spraying problem.

Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): PurinaÂ® Cat ChowÂ® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back