Posts Tagged ‘kitties’
A very scary sounding disease for a pretty awful virus. Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP is a strain of what is called a corona virus. Corona virus is the germ behind a kitty cold and there are 12 different kind of them. We will focus on FIP because this particularly nasty disease is fatal.
Corona virus is very common in cats and most cats have come into contact with it at some point. Cats that are at risk of developing FIP are those that have come in contact with the corona virus or a cat that has an active infection. However, this does not mean that the cat will actually develop FIP itself.
cats that have a lowered immune system are the most likely to develop FIP. The disease is most seen in cats that are younger than 2 but any age can develop the disease. Luckily, new research shows that it is virtually impossible for FIP to be contagious.
FIP is a very uncommon disease in the general population. Rescues, shelters and breeders may see more of FIP since they are logically dealing with a larger population of cats.
Symptoms of the disease can mimic other diseases so be sure to check with a vet when a cat becomes ill. Symptoms can be that of a common cold and diarrhea. Since cats excel at masking disease it is sometimes very challenging to know when one is ill.
There are two forms of FIP: one is effusive or wet and the other is noneffusive or dry. The dry form of FIP develops slower that the wet form.
The wet form of FIP is characterized by fluid that accumulates in the abdomen and chest. This rapidly causes the cat to have difficulty breathing. The dry form causes a slow wasting away of the cat characterized by a prominent spine.
Diagnosing FIP can be another challenge because there is no actual test for it. Tests are specifically for the corona virus but there are 12 types of those. Most vets will only make a diagnosis based on the symptoms. Treatment is not very helpful and the disease is ultimately fatal.
Keeping a sanitary environment and being sure to not introduce new cats until a trial period is set up is important. Creating a plan with your vet to minimize the risk of FIP should be the first step.
.
Find the perfect cat trees for your kitty by visiting Dawn’s site where you can find a quality cat condo that your cat can depend on.
Feline upper respiratory infection (URI) is perhaps the most frustrating illness facing shelter veterinarians, managers and staff. Many cats are chronically infected, vaccines are partially effective at best, and specific treatments are limited. URI is very easily spread by fomites or droplet transmission, and some URI agents are resistant to disinfection.
There are many factors that lead to URI’s in homes, shelters or catteries. The following is certainly not an exhaustive list but includes overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions, stress, poor ventilation, poor nutrition and so many more. This makes it impossible to eradicate the URI from a group cat situation.
The two biggest contributors are overcrowding and stress. This can cause severe breakouts in the population. Sadly overcrowding is a typical issue in a shelter environment due to the amount of people who are turning in pets, the small areas they have to live in and the ideal that the US should work towards becoming a no kill nation.
Tragically, such efforts may not only fail to improve the number of animals adopted, they may actually lead to increased disease and death. Even in a boarding facility or vet clinic, it is important to anticipate times of peak population, recognize that these will be periods of increased risk for respiratory disease outbreaks, and plan sufficient additional staff that husbandry is not compromised.
There are some very clear signs to be on the lookout for in cats. As soon as you suspect a URI the cat should be removed from the situation and isolated as best as possible. Then you will need to keep an eye on the rest of the cat population as most URIs are caught by other cats quickly. Observe your cats for the following:
A drippy nose that has clear or color discharge
Coughing or sneezing
Eyes that are swollen or red
Ulcers in the mouth, on the gums or even on lips
Loss of incentive, fever, or no interest in food.
Dawn works with New Cat Condos to develop cat furniture that your kitty can depend on. Be sure to visit their cat house site where you can find the perfect cat condo for your kitty.
Because if you are about to spend $150 on a cat tree that wobbles or tips over your cat will never use it after that first time. Cats are very finicky about these things and will never go near at item that they associate as having a bad experience about.
I have seen cats get very excited about the new cat tree in the house. However if they use the tree and it wobbles or is unstable chances are they will avoid using it again. I hope it really was a bargain and you can use it for sculptural art.
I run a rescue so I have a lot of cats in community living. These cats are very active and at least once a day they get the cat “crazies” as I call them. They run around the house bouncing from cat tree to tree, playing with their feline friends and knocking them off the top of “their” cat tree and launching into pounces from 10 feet away. My cats range in weight from tiny kitten to more than 20 pounds! This gives any tree a workout.
I have spent $150 on a “really cute” tree and after assembly and a test drive my cats won’t go near it. The tree looked great, but any jump started a wobble which sometimes would lead to a tip over with a chunky cat. They were scared of the tree for the rest of it’s time in my house. Whether we are choosing a one foot scratching post or a 6 foot playstation every piece should be stable and secure.
So before you invest make sure that:
* It has a wide base
* The base is made from thick wood, not press board
* It is weighted on the bottom
* If needed, it can be taken apart, reassembled and still be steady.
* The company has a history of high quality products
* There is a return policy
* You can talk to a human when you call with an issue
Your cat condo is an investment in the happiness of your cat. You also need to be happy with the company and construction.
Looking to find the best deal on keyword #1, then visit www.yoursite.com to find the best advice on keyword #2 for you.
With the amount of cat condos and cat trees on the market these days it can be difficult to tell what is truly quality and what just looks “cute.” This article will help you make good choices for you and your furry friend.
Why look for quality? Many times people look for a cat condo that they think will be perfect, but in the process forget that it has to be functional for the cat, sturdy and long lasting. A good cat condo will be appealing to humans and fully functional for cats.
1. Construction is everything. Checking the sturdiness of a cat condo is the primary thing you should be looking for. If your cat jumps on the condo and it wobbles and falls over, the cat will never use it again. Cat trees and condos should be weighted bon the bottom. The product must be made of quality wood and not pressboard.
2. The houses, caves or platforms should be big enough to accommodate your cats.
3. Something that is not usually taken into consideration is the cat needs to be able to access all the levels. Make sure that the platforms are staggered so the cat can easily do this.
It is best to invest in a high quality piece that is manufactured by a reputable professional. This way you will not have to replace your condo year after year.
The best cat condo materials: * High quality wood, no pressboard * Quality carpet that would be appropriate for your home. No faux materials or fleece. These will be torn up within a month. * Scratching areas with sisal rope. Sisal rope is 10 x more durable that carpet! Of course, it also helps to keep the cats nails healthy and trim. Carpeted areas work fine but are not as good as sisal.
Purchasing your cat condo: Be sure that you are purchasing from a reputable dealer. This means that they have been in business for at least several years. Look into retail stores, factory stores and private manufacturers. Check online for best deals. Ask rescues and shelters where they get their cat condos.
When I make a new product I usually have to make 4-5 samples of the items before I have perfected the product. And then I continue to make improvements as we make more. Most of my top selling items have been produced thousands of times over the years. Would you rather buy the first product someone has made or the 500th piece they have made?
The internet is a good place to buy but make sure that they: 1. Make the product themselves not a marketing company for many manufacturers 2. HAVE A PHONE NUMBER THAT IS ANSWERED 3. They don’t sell fleece or faux products on their cat condos The bottom line is that quality counts. A functional cat condo is one that your cat will enjoy for years to come. High grade materials will help with the longevity. Also remember to check that if something goes wrong you contact the company! Can you believe most of the Internet marketing companies don’t even have a phone number listed!
Interested in finding out more about cat condos? Then visit our website where you can find the perfect cat condo for your cat.
One of the most overlooked parts of a cat’s health is their teeth. We assume that they will just take care of their own teeth, but this is not the case. As a cat owner we need to be aware of what is typical development for our cat and how to care for our cat’s dental needs.
Dental care in cats is similar to dental care in humans and is just as important. Over 70% of cats show some form of dental disease by age 3.
Cats have two sets of teeth just like us. They start with 26 baby teeth that begin to be replaced from 11-30 weeks. We call these milk teeth and we usually do not even get to see the tooth as it is lost. The kitten swallows them, so keep them if you happen to find some around the house. Just like when you were a child, your mouth was sore when you were losing teeth. This is the case for cats as well.
Since your cats mouth is sore, they usually like to have their gums massaged. This is a perfect time to start a dental hygiene routine.
Once your cat loses her baby teeth she will end up with 30 teeth. They are: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 10 premolars and 4 molars. Incisors are used to groom and chew. Canine teeth are the fangs and are used to grip and defend a cat of need be. The premolars and molars are used to cut food.
Now that you know what is in your cat’s mouth, we will follow up with articles that will hopefully prevent your cat from becoming an alarmingly high statistic of cat’s with dental disease.
Want to find out more about cat condo free shipping, then visit Dawn Kavanaugh’s site on how to choose the best cat tree for your needs.
Just like humans, cats need to drink a lot of water to stay healthy. This can be a challenge to cat owners. Cats usually do not drink enough water, but they are always lurking around when you have mile, coffee, tea or soda. As much as they may want these liquids they can make kitty sick.
When cats do not drink enough they can become dehydrated leading to urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder issues and causing severe issues that can shorten their lives.
It probably sounds like a chore to encourage your cat to drink more, but there are ways to make water attractive to your cat. Just as kitty lives for her cat tree, she will be excited about water if you:
Get a pet fountain. Cats enjoy the noise, watching the water move and they just cannot help trying it out themselves. The best fountains are made from ceramic.
Ditch plastic especially for drinking. Plastic bowls are notorious for leaching toxins, they can make water taste strange and they cause feline acne. Switch to glass, ceramic or stainless steel. Let kitty choose what she likes best.
The indulgent cat owner will respond to kitty jumping up onto the sink by turning on the faucet for a few minutes.
Add ice cubes to the water bowl. This is a great treat for warm, summer months. It is also a great toy for the cat. They tend to bat at them with their paws and sometimes drink from their paws.
Place water bowls in various locations throughout the house. Sometimes cats simply do not like the placement or are uncomfortable with noises or distractions in certain areas of the house.
Clean bowls daily. Bacteria can build up quickly and cause illness.
Cats love wet food, so why not add more water to it. Soupy and slurpy!
Remember that you are your cat’s guardian so you need to observe even small changes in your cat’s behavior. These can point to early warning signs of illness and will warrant a trip to your trusted vet.
Dawn Kavanaugh is an expert in cat care and works with New Cat Condos to come up with safe cat condos for your cat. All of the cat condos are exclusive with cat condos free shipping.
Cats are naturally clean creatures and given the right tools will naturally use a litterbox with no coaxing. Cats have a natural instinct to use a sandy area to eliminate. They want to dig a hole, eliminate and cover.
Sometimes we run into cats that have issues with eliminating in areas outside the box. As much as we are all told to think outside the box, this is not an area we want to encourage those thoughts. Usually when this happens it is because humans have not read the cats signals and given them what they needed. Cats are taught by litter mates and mom to use a litterbox as early as 3 weeks.
Whether you have never owned a cat or you have ten cats this article will set you and kitty up for immediate success. The general elements include the litter box, the litter, the placement of the litterbox and maintenance.
The litterbox:
The foundation of everything is choosing g the litterbox. From covered, to automated, to high end furniture you need to let your cat decide what works for him. Older cats and kittens may not be able to jump into a deep box, so one with a lower side is a better option.
If you have many cats in your home you should have at least one box for each cat plus one extra box. Try all sizes, shapes and types so that the variety will be appealing.
If you have a single cat you should have two boxes. If you have male (neutered or unneutered) a box with a higher back area will catch any urine as they stand and go. This way you avoid drips on the floor.
The litter:
Again, we choose litter by our preference of smell or odor control. Cats do not like their litter to have an odor. In fact, litter with perfumes or deodorizers can encourage kitty to find another place to eliminate that may be less than appropriate.
Scoopable litter is the way to go. It is easy for you and cats like it fine. The litter can be made of corn, clay or wheat. Using the litter that your cat was trained with will be the best way to ensure he uses the box. However, if you are determined to switch do so slowly and mix litters until kitty gets used to the new one.
Location, Location, Location:
When it comes to a location there are specific things you want to avoid:
Noisy areas
High traffic areas
Areas near food and water
Finding a secluded area of the house is the best bet for success. If you are introducing a new cat into the home create a litterbox area in a completely separate area of the home. Many new cats will not go near the resident cats box as they feel it is their territory.
Maintenance:
Clean, clean, scoop, scoop. Do this as many times per day as your cat uses the litterbox. Cats deplore dirty litterboxes and a clean one encourages kitty to use it.
Whatever happens do not be frustrated. You must put yourself in your cats mind and “listen” for kitty to tell what she likes. Observation of your cat is the way to success!
Learn more about finding the rightlitter box. Stop by Dawn Kavanaugh’s site where you can find out all about litter boxes and what they can do for your cat.
Here are 63 different recipies to create on your stove in the Webkinz world
Enjoy! ;D
I do not own Webkinz,
or songs played.
Duration : 0:5:30