Author: David

Obesity is just as dangerous for pets as it is for humans. The extra pounds weigh on an animal’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems, exacerbating existing problems and causing new ones. Fat cats and dogs are also prone to injury, more at risk in surgery, and predisposed to conditions such as diabetes. And the laundry list of problems doesn’t end there. Decreased stamina, diminished immune function, and digestive disorders are all potential consequences of obesity.

Being severely overweight can significantly diminish your cat or dog’s quality of life. So when your porky pet pleads with you for an extra treat, remember that saying no may be the kindest response.

When buying food and water bowls for your cat, look beyond the cute patterns. Plastic scratches easily, and tiny fissures can harbor germs. Stainless steel is sturdy, unbreakable, and dishwasher-safe. Ceramic is another good choice. Be sure to wash out all food bowls daily.

Cat bowls should be shallow, yet large enough to hold a full cup of cat food. Straight-sided bowls are less likely to tip. Automatic feeders help keep kitty’s routine consistent when you’re away. If you care for outdoor strays, electrically heated bowls keep fresh water available all winter long. And, if you want to “bowl” your older cat over with kindness, buy an elevated bowl frame and watch her chow down in comfort!

Some pet owners forget that humans require a variety of foods to ensure the consumption of nutritionally balanced meals. A quality cat food has the proper balance of all the nutrients a cat requires together with a high level of palatability. Adding human food to a nutritionally balanced commercial cat food may upset the nutrient balance of the diet.

Milk is a food and not a substitute for water. As a food, milk is incomplete and does not provide a balanced diet. Milk contains lactose, which requires the enzyme lactase for breakdown in the intestinal tract. If the intestinal tract does not contain sufficient lactase, consumption of a high level of lactose can cause diarrhea.

Repeatedly adding raw eggs to a cat’s diet can cause a deficiency of the vitamin biotin, which can lead to dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), loss of hair and poor growth.

Some raw fish can cause a deficiency of the vitamin thiamine. Signs of a thiamine deficiency include anorexia (complete loss of appetite), abnormal posture, weakness, seizures and even death.

Although we may associate meat or meat by-products with a cat’s nutritional needs, it must be combined with other ingredients to provide complete nutrition. Raw meats may contain parasites, and cooked meats can be high in fat and do not contain a proper balance of nutrients.

Raw liver, fed daily in large quantities, can cause vitamin A toxicity in cats. Small soft bones (such as pork chop or chicken bones) should never be given to cats, as they may splinter and lodge in a pet’s mouth or throat.

Supplements are not necessary when a normal, healthy cat is being fed a complete and balanced food. However, factors like feeding table scraps, inconsistent exercise or stressful changes in routine can leave cats with special nutritional needs.

Some pet owners believe that additional calcium, and possibly other minerals, should be added to the diets of pregnant and nursing females and growing puppies and kittens. It is true that more minerals are needed at these times, but they are normally obtained through increased consumption of a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet. Adding them out of proportion to other nutrients can contribute to skeletal deformities and other problems.

Finally, table scraps should not be fed, as they will not provide the balanced diet which cats require.

Types of Cat Foods

The three main types of cat foods are dry, soft-moist and canned products. With today’s advanced technology, all types of cat food products can be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for your cat.

Dry Diets

Dry products consist of crunchy kibbles, which help reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar on a cat’s teeth. Dry foods also have the advantage of staying fresh longer than soft-moist and canned products once the package is opened.

Soft-Moist Diets

Soft-moist cat foods generally offer higher palatability as compared to dry diets, are convenient to serve and store easily.

Canned Diets

These diets generally offer the highest palatability when compared to dry and soft-moist products. Once a can is opened, unused food should be stored in the refrigerator.

Comparing Label Guarantees

The difference in moisture content among the various types of cat food impacts the nutrient density of the products or the amount of nutrients per ounce or pound of food. As the water content of the diet increases, the amount of protein, fat and other essential nutrients decreases. That means the cat must consume a larger portion of the high-moisture products to receive the nutrition they need.

This difference in moisture and energy content also prohibits a direct comparison of the nutrient content of one product type to another. For example, you cannot compare the 12% protein content of a canned cat food to the 21% protein level of a dry cat food and conclude the dry food will supply more protein. You can, however, make a fair comparison of the 21% protein content of one dry cat food to the 30% protein content of another dry cat food and conclude that the cat will receive more protein by eating the higher protein product. The higher protein product, however, is not necessarily superior. The key factors are the life stage and lifestyle of the cat eating the product.

Pet Foods to Meet Special Needs

For more information about individual cat food products, contact the manufacturer.

Don’t mistake your kitten for an adult cat when it comes to kibble. Cats are not considered adults until they are one year old, and before then, their nutritional needs differ.

You may have noticed that kittens are very playful, and fast growing. That extra movement, musculoskeletal growth, and neurological development all require more calories and protein.

But a kitty’s tummy doesn’t have a lot of space for a big meal, so kitten formulas are the answer. They pack more power into a petite portion.

Your kitten won’t be hurt by adult food, but an adult can be damaged by the extra protein in kitten formulas…so be sure to keep the kibble separate if you serve both adult cats and kittens at home.

If you spend any time with cats, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of their quality time is devoted to snoozing. Kitty sleeps up to sixteen hours a day, which means that two thirds of her life may be spent in dreamland.

Your feline friend may have taken it upon herself to give you a personal wake-up call at dawn. This is because the sleep patterns of domestic cats are inherited from age-old hunting habits. Large cats in the wild peak in activity at dawn and dusk, since this is the same time their prey is most available.

If you find that tabby has taken to the pillow more or less than usual, contact your veterinarian. A cat that seems lethargic may be ill, and a cat that’s sleeping less may have a thyroid problem.

Ticks get very active in late spring and summer, and they can carry several diseases including lyme disease. Both people and their pets are at risk. Unfortunately, lyme disease can be very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are often vague and can include lethargy, joint pain, and fever.

If you live in an area where lyme disease is prevalent, talk to your veterinarian about products that repel ticks. And make sure to check your pet for ticks after walks or other outdoor activities. If you do find a tick, grasp it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull it straight off. Try to preserve it in a tight container. That way, if your pet develops a problem, your veterinarian can determine whether or not the tick is a carrier of lyme disease.

Fleas and ticks are tiny pests that can cause big problems, and the damage isn’t just skin deep. Animals can ingest fleas containing tapeworm eggs, which then hatch in their intestines. In a flea-ridden area, the same thing can happen to a child.

Ticks can also carry a variety of diseases, including Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.

Risks vary by region, but Mike Paul, Executive Director of the Companion Animal Parasite Council says no risk is acceptable, so pet owners should be vigilant about flea and tick control.

Paul states, “what we’re trying to do is to get people to say, ‘well, not in my back yard,’ you know, and to keep their pets clean and their yards clean and make sure that their kids stay healthy.”

Cats are fastidious and groom themselves frequently with their tongues, so they can inadvertently swallow a lot of hair. The result for some cats is horrendous hairball hassles.

It’s not only a problem for long-haired kitties. Because a cat’s hairs are replaced roughly every thirty days, even short-haired cats can ingest a lot.

Usually this hair passes through the gastrointestinal tract unnoticed, but sometimes it gathers into sticky balls that your cat has to cough up. Otherwise the hairballs will block up the cat’s digestive tract and cause constipation.

The best way to avoid hairballs is to brush your cat frequently. If this doesn’t solve the problem, ask your veterinarian for a special laxative.

Cats can develop a variety of health conditions. Prevention is a big part of staying healthy. But you should also watch for general signs of health conditions and contact your veterinarian when you notice a problem or anything out of the ordinary. When it comes to identifying and treating problems, rely on your veterinarian and not a book or website. You should also call your veterinarian immediately if your cat is weak or listless, or refuses to take fluids.

Cat Allergies

The most common allergy among cats is flea allergy. As cats get older, their sensitivity to fleabites increases. Food allergies can also manifest themselves as dermatitis and severe itching, or vomiting and diarrhea.

Vomiting

One of the most common reasons for vomiting is hairballs, which can be minimized with regular coat brushing. Hairballs can occur even with
shorthair cats.

If you think your cat might be allergic to her food, try switching to another product with substantially different ingredients to see if that helps.

Periodic throwing-up may also be a sign of an overactive thyroid or kidney infection. This is particularly common in older cats. Your veterinarian can do a blood test to find out about either.

If your cat vomits more than usual or in some way demonstrates a departure from her normal habits, give her plenty of fluids so she does not become dehydrated and take her to the veterinarian.

Diarrhea

If your cat has persistent diarrhea – diarrhea that continues for more than two days – take your cat to the veterinarian with a stool sample.

Diabetes

Signs of diabetes may include excessive thirst and urination; loss of weight or obesity. Diabetic cats should be kept indoors to avoid accidental feeding that could elevate their blood sugar.

Upper Respiratory Conditions

Upper respiratory conditions manifest themselves in your cat by cold or flu-like signs, such as a runny nose and sneezing combined with reddened, runny eyes.