In this article I will be looking into some issues you may face if you are a cat owner, how to deal with them as they arise and how to spot the symptoms of any illness.
There are a number of cat illnesses you should be aware of. The first we will look at is Feline Leukemia. This is a serious condition and causes many deaths in cats. Some cats symptoms are a less than normal appetite, weight loss and less energy than typically found, there could also be blood in their stool.
It is worth speaking to your vet about a vaccination for your cat though it is not always advised. If there is any risk that the cat has been exposed to the disease then they should be vaccinated and if a cat is found to have the disease they should be kept away from other cats as they can spread it on. The vaccination can help cure the condition but it is important that the cat is quarantined and tested again until two negative tests have been confirmed.
Feline diabetes is the second of our potential cat illnesses. It is usually found in older and overweight cats but can affect any age or breed. Some symptoms are weight loss with a greater appetite and increased urination. This can be dealt with by a vet with medication. If the condition worsens then the cats appearance and hair condition will worsen.
Lymphoma can cause damage to a cats organs so the symptoms can vary depending on the organ affected. Often though they will be lethargic and have a decreased appetite. The treatment for Lymphoma is chemotherapy and the chance of surviving depends on when it is diagnosed and how bad the condition has got.
Now we will look at a potential issue when cat rehoming takes place. I have a couple of British shorthair cats and when we moved they did not like the new location. The short hair cats are generally known for being laid back but they did not react well. A number of methods I found to be effective were:
Taking them out on a leash so they got used to the new location gradually.
Have plenty of cat toys around the house so they had familiarity around them.
Created an area of the house just for the cats seats and scratching post so they had their own location in the house.
The final area to look at is cat birth. The best advice I have found on this is that for the first week after birth the kittens should be left with their mother most of the time. It is okay to hold the kittens but not for too long. Provide food and water for the mother but do not give canned cat food for the kittens until about the fourth week. They may not start to eat this for another few weeks though. The growth will be quick as they open their eyes and start to explore the surroundings.
I hope you have found this article useful and feel free to comment on it
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