Protect Pets During Summer Holidays

Holidays are a lot of fun but the noise and chaos can frighten pets. Some pets may get aggressive or become traumatized. Animals can become overloaded when cities shoot off fireworks. Holidays like Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day, can be very hard on pets because most animals are extremely sensitive to noise. A couple of things you can do to help your pet during these times include;

Create a safe space for the pet. Bring outdoor dogs inside. Allow your cats to hide under the bed or in closets. Don't force your animal to be social, allow them to hide.

Consider using non-addictive relaxers like "Rescue Remedy". Or, if your pet has bad reactions to noise and chaos, have your veterinarian prescribe some tranquilizers. Begin giving rescue remedy or tranquilizers a few hours before the noise is about to start.

Limit your pet's exposure to children and other animals at this time. When your pet is anxious because of noise and chaos, they may exhibit signs of aggression. A normally docile cat or dog may bite or attack a child or other pets when it's overloaded with fear and confusion.

If your pet hides in a closet or under the bed, leave them alone. Some people try to baby their animals. Usually, pets just want to feel safe. If your pet is anxious and comes to you, by all means provide comfort. But, if your pet is hiding, don't go after it. It will come out when it's more relaxed and ready to be social.

These tips also work well if your pet is afraid of thunder or lightning storms.




www.InstituteOfSoundHealing.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Kate_Garvey

Cat Labor Signs - 7 Ways To Tell That Your Cat is About to Give Birth

So your cat has been pregnant for awhile now and been getting rounder and rounder. Suddenly, her whole demeanour changes and you're standing there, wondering if this is really it -- is your cat in labour?

Are her kittens coming?

How can you tell?

Just what are the signs of labour you should be looking out for?

Cat lovers the world over do their very best to make sure that their beloved pets receive the best care possible.

But when our feline friends become ill -- or in this case, are due to give birth to kittens -- we begin to feel very anxious and out of control as we realise that we simply don't know enough about the situation.

After all, we can't all be vets! You need to know what to look out for and you need to know fast.
Your cat is due to go into labour around the 64th day of her pregnancy, although it is very unlikely that you will be able to be that accurate in your calculations. Instead, you will have to rely on your ability to read the signs of the stages of pregnancy and of her impending labour.
Firstly, you are likely to have noticed that your cat's appetite will have almost doubled in the past few weeks and you will be able to see her kittens moving around in her abdomen quite clearly.

Also, she will have been displaying nesting behaviour -- looking for a safe, warm and quiet place in which to give birth. Hopefully, you will have already provided a suitable nesting box for her to use, otherwise you may find that she has chosen to give birth in the middle of your bed!
Then, as your cat nears the start of her labour, her appetite will reduce dramatically. It may even disappear completely.

A further sign of your cat's labour is that she may become particularly clingy and want to be around you constantly, seeking your affection.

As she gets closer to the time that her labour begins in earnest, you may find that your cat starts pacing about, appearing nervous or particularly excitable.

Another very distinct sign that your cat is very close to going into labour is that she will begin to 'call' to you. Even if you have never been present when a cat is giving birth, you won't be able to mistake this particular sound!

As the time approaches, you will see your cat repeatedly licking her bottom as she reacts to changing sensations in her body as it prepares for the birth of her kittens.
And finally, when your soon--to--be mother cat starts to feel the first twinges of her labour, she will appear to be uneasy and will repeatedly go in and out of her nesting box, 'treading' on the nesting material that you have already provided.

When you see this last behaviour, you can be quite sure that your lovely cat is entering the first stage of the birth process -- your cat's labour has begun.

In conclusion then, when you find yourself faced with a heavily pregnant cat and are wondering just when things will start to get moving, the foregoing, seven signs will give you a good guide to follow.


www.howtodeliverkittens.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Jane_Tompsett

Cat Diseases Every Cat Lover Should Be Aware Of

If you own a cat, and want to keep it happy and healthy, you will need to take your cat to the vets on a regular basis for immunizations to protect it from diseases. There are many diseases that cats can contract including Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Feline Leukemia.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP):

This is a cat disease that is caused by the coronavirus infection. There are many different strains of the coronavirus that can make your cat sick, but most of them do not produce the serious kind of illness. The FIP-producing kind of coronavirus invades and grows in certain white blood cells in the cat's bloodstream. The infected white blood cells then travel through the cat's body where an intense reaction can occur in the tissues. Infected cats can pass the virus on to other cats through the saliva and feces. Saliva can get into the water and food dishes, toys, clothing, bedding and surfaces they lie on. The virus can survive for several weeks but can be inactivated by common household detergents and disinfectants. Owners of multiple cat households should use one part household bleach to thirty-two parts of water (4 oz. of bleach to a gallon of water).

Symptoms of FIP are those of a mild upper respiratory disease in that the cat will sneeze, have watery eyes, and a watery nasal discharge. Sometimes the cat will have a mild intestinal disease. Usually cats completely recover from FIP and can also become virus carriers. Unfortunately a few cats can develop the lethal disease several weeks, months, or even years after having the disease for the first time.

Symptoms of the lethal FIP are anemia, depression, fever, and weight loss. The cat will develop kidney failure (increase it's water consumption and urination), or have liver failure and become jaundiced, or have pancreatic disease and show signs of diarrhea and vomiting and diabetes. It may also have neurological disease, which manifests itself in loss of balance, behavioral changes, paralysis and also seizures. It may have eye disease, which includes inflammation of the eyes or blindness. Because there can be so many different symptoms FIP can be difficult for vets to diagnose.

Cats that are very young, or are older than 10 years, or cats that are in poor physical condition are all prone to FIP.

The first FIP vaccine (Primucell PIF) was introduced in 1991.

FIP has not been documented in any other species other than the feline population.


Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV):

The virus that causes Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is the same retrovirus family of viruses that includes the feline leukemia virus (FeLV), the is different in many ways including the shape of the virus and genetically.

FIV is spread basically through bite wounds; thus cats who are outdoor cats allowed to roam freely are prone to this infection. Sometimes an infected mother cat can give the infection to her kittens while passing through the birth canal or through the milk when nursing.
A cat may have the FIV virus for years before showing any signs of illness. The virus will render the cat more susceptible to diseases caused by common bacteria, viruses, protozoa, or fungi found in everyday environments that normally do not affect a healthy cat. The cat with FIV will have a weakened immune system.

Symptoms of FIV infection:

In the early stage of the infection the virus is carried to nearby lymph nodes where white blood cells are produced and the virus is spread to other lymph nodes throughout the body resulting in a temporary enlargement of the lymph nodes, which if a vet is examining the cat at this stage the vet may notice the swollen lymph nodes. There is usually a fever while the lymph nodes are enlarged.

The health of a cat with FIV will deteriorate progressively and the owner may notice a loss of appetite, poor coat condition, an inflamed gum (gingivitis) and inflamed mouth (stomatitis), and chronic skin infections, a urinary bladder infection and upper respiratory tract infection is also usually present. Slow but progressive weight loss is very common, followed by severe wasting late in the disease. When a cat has FIV, it is prone to get different kinds of cancer and blood diseases. Some cats with FIV may have seizures, and behavior changes as well as other neurological disorders.

The diagnosis is made with a simple blood test.

There is an FIV vaccine.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV):

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is also a retrovirus, just like FIV, and HIV the human immunodeficiency virus. In the U.S. approximately 2 to 3% of cats are infected with FeLV.

FeLV is spread through the saliva and nasal secretions, but can also be spread by contaminated urine, feces, and in the milk of infected cats. It can be spread by a bite, or by sharing of litter boxes, or feeding and water dishes. An infected mother cat can give the FeLV to her nursing kittens. Cats in multiple households where there is an infected cat are at risk, as well as cats that are allowed to go outside unsupervised, where an infected cat can bite them.

Symptoms of FeLV are loss of appetite, slow and progressive weight loss, poor coat condition, enlarged lymph nodes, persistent fever, pale gums, gingivitis, stomatitis, skin infections, urinary infection, upper respiratory tract, persistent diarrhea, seizures, behavior changes, and also eye conditions.



www.bestcatbook.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Jason_Burton

Cat Eye Health Care Tips

The health of your cat's eyes is very important to the health of your cat. So, it is extremely important to monitor your cat's eye health and to take action immediately upon realizing there may be an issue. Use the following tips and if the problem is persistent or severe, consult your veterinarian.

Keep Your Cat's Eyes Healthy

One sure way of making sure the health of your cat's eyes health doesn't become a problem is by keeping your cat well groomed and cleaned. Watch for some of these things to help prevent any cat eye health problems.

- Keep your cat's eyes free of mucus by gently cleaning his or her eyes.
- Before bathing, flea treatments or doing anything that may introduce chemicals to your cat's eyes you should apply a neutralizing ointment.
- Keep hair out of your cat's eyes, this is particularly true for long haired breeds such as Persians.
- Clean tear stained fur around the eyes.

Signs of Cat Eye Health Issues

Healthy cat eyes are always moist and clear, if you see any of these following symptoms there may be a health issue.
- Reddish colored inner eyelids
- The third eyelid roams across the eye and/or stays across the eye
- Unusual discharges or matter forming on the eye or in the corners of the eye
- Excessive tears and/or signs of excessive tearing around the eyes

Cleaning Your Cat's Eyes

Dilute some baby shampoo with water at a solution 1 part shampoo and 20 parts water. With a cotton ball, gauze pad or cotton swab soaked in this solution gently wipe away any discharge or dirt residue by massaging the eyeball. Clean around the edges of the eye thoroughly. Once you have sufficiently cleaned the area, wipe away the shampoo with clean water and cotton ball or gauze pad.

If there are any formations of discharge residue inside the eyelids themselves, drip sterile saline eye drops from above the eye and carefully remove with a tissue or cotton ball.

Apply Medication to Your Cat's Eyes

If you are giving your cat eye drops, gently lift your cat's head up and apply one or two drops of the eye medication. Space multiple treatments out by around 10 minutes, this will allow the first treatment to absorb.

If you cat eye health professional has recommended the use of an ointment be sure to use only a very little at a time, too much will result in irritating the eye. Apply it to the corner of the eye, or to the eyelid and gently rub the eyelid around your cat's eye to evenly distribute the ointment.
Hopefully these quick tips will go a long way in preventing any potential cat eye health problems and allow for you cat to remain A Happy Cat.




www.ahappycat.com
Source: http://EzineArticles.com Matt_Ryan