Health Care for Your Pet Cat

Health Care for Your Pet Cat

Pet cat  care may be similar to caring for other pets. But such care may also have its own differences. One of them is that pet cats may suffer from a host of different diseases that other pets may not go through. Here is a list of some feline diseases that pet cats may suffer from at some point.

Feline Distemper

This disease usually affects pet cats at a young age. Known medically as feline panleukopenia, this type of viral infection lowers down the immune defenses of young kittens by severely affecting the production of white blood cells. This infection can make young kittens pass, liquid stool with blood due to the severe hemorrhaging that happens in their small intestine.

Fever may also be expected and will lead the young kitten to become depressed and then refuse to take any food and water. It may seem to the pet owner that the cat has a temperamental personality, hence the name feline distemper. The infection actually has no effect on the cat's personality in any way. Sadly, recovery for such conditions is very rare for a cat.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

This is another viral infection that is also fatal in cats. Once your pet cat shows signs of this infection, it can take years and years of trouble. This infection is usually common mostly in young adult cats and can be transmitted to other cats. There are two known types of this infection.

There is the "dry" type where the young adult cat is affected by high fever as well as problems with internal organs such as the kidneys, lungs and the intestines. With this type of infection, the cats never seem improve no matter how well the treatment is given.

There is also the "wet" type of the disease has the young adult cat having a fluid discharge within the abdomen. Occasionally the cat's chest displays a golden and dense liquid that contains flakes within. This infection makes the cat run a high fever and would usually not eat well.

The only protection that cats can have over the disease is vaccination. But vaccines should be given to pet cats prior to any exposure to the virus or else the vaccine would not be very effective to prevent any infection.

Feline immune Deficiency Virus

This disease is similar to the Human Immune Deficiency Virus or HIV in humans. This virus in only found in cats and is being spread mainly through a bite from an infected cat. This disease suppresses the cat's immune system and leads the cat to be more prone to all sorts of infection. There is an intranasal vaccine available to protect cats from the FIV infection although some veterinarians are not that convinced that it can protect  more effectively as compared to  other  vaccines.

Feline Leukemia Virus

This virus can severely limit an infected cat's immune system. With the affected immune system, the cat has limited ability to defend against all sorts of other infections. This virus can be spread from contact with infected cats. Many cats can become carriers of the virus for years without displaying any outside symptoms of the infection.

Cats harboring the virus may at times develop clinical signs of the infection if they undergo surgery, get injured or when they get lost outside their usual environment. These diseases may give pet owners an idea of how pet cat health care may be important to ensure that their pets live healthier and longer lives.

Do You Know Why Your Cat Bites - Cat Behavior Explained

Ow! Your feline just sunk her sharp little teeth into you. Below are some reasons why your cat bites you.

Your cat could be frightened. Your child might be yanking on the cat's tail. A stranger could have tried to handle the cat. Cats often will bite for protection.

Playtime is another time when cats may bite. You may be strolling across the room and suddenly have a toe attacked. Some cats hate to get their bellies tickled and will bite you. Even though biting is normal cat behavior, you most likely do not want your cat to be biting you or your family members. Help your cat release energy by playing chase and pounce with cat toys that have long poles so your hands don't get in the way. Don't use your hand or other body part as the object to be chased as this cat training will only encourage biting.

Some cats bite to express their love. Cats bite each other lightly to demonstrate their affection for each other, and your cat may be giving you love cat-style. Cats may gently nip if they are licking you. The cat is really grooming you, and it is normal for cats to softly bite when they are grooming each other.

Cats may bite to communicate to you that they have had enough of your attention for the time being. Your feline could be purring happily as you pet her and then bite you to get you to stop petting her. Cats usually will give signals that they have had enough before they bite such as laying back their ears or making circles with their tails.

Feeling pain can lead a cat to bite. If your cat beings biting and you can't find the cause, be sure to get a veterinary examination to make sure there are no physical problems.

Handling kittens in the presence of the mother cat can also get you bitten since cat mothers tend to be very protective of their offspring. Usually the mother will stop biting once the kittens are older.

You should now understand why your cat bites. By not playing aggressively with your cat, treating underlying medical conditions, and learning cat behavior secrets , you can reduce or eliminate the biting and enjoy your cat friend.