Friday, August 26, 2011

Does my cat sick cat sneezing?

Just like humans, cats are inclined, from time to time sneezing. There are many reasons for this, and although it could perhaps be the first signs of a problem it's reaction to an irritant such as someone be, simple smoking or wearing a strong perfume.

The most common cause of sneezing is a type of upper respiratory infection caused by viruses or bacteria. This is similar to a human being always a cold or flu. If sneezing is the only it's probably not too much to worry about, but you should check your cat and search for character of the current eye ulcers in the mouth or swollen glands. This indicates that your ct to overcome drugs, the problem may should in this case take it to the vet.

Some cats suffer from allergies, and they can effectively suffering a feline equivalent of hay fever. It is not uncommon that some cats be allergic to pollen and if you suspect that the case with your cat may back a conversation can this with your veterinarian to be in order. He or she might be also a form of anti-histamine treatment with the problem require help.

Another reason for sneezing in cats can dental abscess, which can be removed the infected tooth, require to cure the problem. Occasionally a cat can take a foreign object in his nose, it can something like grass seed or pollen. Typically, a fit of sneezing will clear the problem.

If your cat is sneezing you should check to ensure that it is not blood with the mucus discharge. If there are signs you should again take your pet to the veterinarians.

It is possible to prevent related viral infections by you with your cat vaccinated. This is recommended for all cat owners but is particularly important if your cat mixes with others as the infection from animal to animal can be passed.

Certain breeds cat, especially the flat faced breeds such as Persians are reduced particularly susceptible to sneezing because of their nasal passages. This sneezing is often caused by irritants such as smoke or perfume.

Just because your cat starts sneezing which does not necessarily that it is sick. A fit of sneezing is usually not so serious, and providing there are no other symptoms such as nasal blood or swollen glands it is best to keep the animal warm and isolated for 24 hours. If you are still concerned, take the cat to the vet, which can cause and start the treatment.

Is a cat owner comes with responsibilities which you know about cat care must. Visit http://www.cat-lovers.co.uk/ find free articles about looking after your cat


View the original article here

Advantage for cats

The lovers of pets should know how to take care of their needs. Not something extraordinary domesticated animals such as cats, but lots of love and a little care of hygiene and food safety must habits. Cats are loving animals and to obtain their inclinations, the owner, that they free from parasitic infestation, which dramatically internally harm they must be very cautious. These parasites are the digestive system of cats and cause many life-threatening diseases.

Fleas are the most common parasites in cats found. Fleas spread not only quickly, but take also to various other diseases such as tapeworms, the powerful are dangerous. There are various products that are aware of animal lovers for the treatment of their lovable cats and the most popular and advantage for cats is most desirable. Advantage helps to keep fleas in cats under control. It not only helps the error but also checked their growth during the rainy season. Advantage consists of chemicals such as imidacloprid and Moxidectin that directly attack the nervous system of the fleas, bugs, mites, lice, and their larvae and eggs. These chemicals paralyze the parasites, resulting in her death. Many types of other worms are eradicated with the aid of the advantage. A cat owners must do proper medical consultation before each dose of advantage, their cat, because if rendered to use for the animal as well as dangerous can be it.

According to various medical reports advantage works on parasites and fleas within caused the death of minutes within two to three minutes for use. Veterinary doctors always have advantage as an escaped killer, recommended as they that the product ticks and fleas within 12 hours and their larvae is successful faith in the killing of 100 percent in 20 minutes. But animal lovers believe that is the best thing about the product, that advantage successfully prevented also re infestation of parasites. The owner only of the product can dissolve in water and bathing their cats in the solution for quick and easy results. A unique application can relieve ticks, and fleas for at least a month or even more cats from. It is an oil-based solution and therefore it collects on the hair of cats and take effect on the release of the chemicals on parasites for a longer period. It is safe for use and can be applied to even newborn kittens.

So if you really care to their cats and wants pets will have to grow healthy and safe, they take care of your hygiene. And to give them unnecessary parasites release which may be fatal for their lives, have the owners use advantage for full protection. So are parasites of Los and let your cats life in a sterile.

Advantage for cats - our pet pharmacy is your pet online store offers discount prices on pet supplies, medicines, products & accessories.


View the original article here

Thursday, August 25, 2011

NUM, NUM - plant risk red flag for a cat

There was a time, when I plants all over the House had good..., in the living room, dining room, and a few in the bedroom.

That was, as we had alie, snowflake, Jonny CAT I and scooter.

It was also a time when I was a bit of "young and foolish" and I was not so good some of the health hazards that could represent some plants for a furry cat.

Snowflake must, though, they called have "plants for me;" "care" would you up on the shelves where I had placed properly, the plants and one by one, they tap on the ground! After several times of "Knock off" and "pick up", washing you and repeat, I got the message!

Fortunately, snowflake more sense than I had and lived just set up me.

In particular, as you know, because many plants have poisonous elements to them, which a kitten could jeopardise takes, a term for a snack. Or I suppose one that decides to roll - in it if it is left to achieve in roles.

And not all plants are poisonous, she should other elements to them, the Kitty upset a cat stomach could cause. Because God knows a thing as a plant in which put close to a Kitty and you can pretty much guess that soon a part of which somehow get mouth in your cat.

Is the question really how fast?

There are sprays traded in the OTC market, as well as those you receive online or through your local veterinarian, who may for leaves of the plant (to try) "detour a kitten" from eating the leaves. You use something like this, though, it is the best, spraying it / put it on your system outside in the free, as possible. And then like with other such products, wear gloves, your hands from the product as well as to protect. In fact, it is also a good idea, "Rigging in Lee received the spray", if you handle the installation, so that the fumes not "find their way" back on the wind to your mouth and lungs.

In short, follow the instructions on the bottle or can.

Now if your cat that will "do what does Kitty" and/or "does naughty" and eats, or licking the leaves or otherwise she mutilated, get your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

And if it is necessary for you to rush your cat to the vet, the or the spray bottle with you can take; the ingredients at hand have a lot of the type of treatment necessary to quickly help your veterinarian to determine, will facilitate your cat out of danger.

Karen McGreevey, virtual assistant and expert shares author, trainer, speakers and authors of the day, and a "surrogate MOM to 'Boys'" by night and in between, their antics and a collection of tips and thoughts of kitten 'n things. Their weekly ezine, Mews-Nooz is an extension of "conversations". We are now on Twitter at KittensndThings so stop by at any time.


View the original article here

Does your cat have ear mites?

Ear mites are tiny parasites to live internal and external ear in the channels. They feed on wax and oils in a cat ear canal causes irritation and inflammation, and are responsible for more than 50% of feline ear infections. The infection causes the rule commonly reported a dark brown to black discharge look like coffee grounds. The mites are very small and often are not recognized by the human eye.

These mites are highly contagious and by casual contact with other pets are passed. Although they may have dogs and cats, cats are much more likely to become infected.

Some of the symptoms of ear mites are:

* Brown or black waxy discharge (similar to coffee grounds)
* Shake head
* Excessive scratching of the ears
Scratches, scabs, or hair loss in the vicinity of ears
* Smell
* Inflammation

Scratch due to the intensive and cause head shake ear mites sometimes causes blood vessels to the ear break an aural hematoma. This is a localized collection of blood, which is trapped between the skin and cartilage of the ear.

Your vet will examine a sample of wax in the ear under the microscope to diagnose ear mites. This is referred to an ear cytology. If mites are present they typically see in this way. In some cases, the eggs of the mites can also be seen.

There are several treatments available. The use of a topical prescription medication called Tresaderm ear is able, to develop ear to kill mites eggs. It contains an antibiotic for each secondary bacterial infection with a drug for inflammation. The recommended treatment with Tresaderm is 10-14 days. A follow up ear cytology after treatment is usually recommended to ensure that the infection has cleared.

There are also two products (Acarexx and Milbemite) that are applied directly into the ear canal. A single dose of this medication is usually all that is required to clear the infection.

Revolution and advantage multi are two topical products that are applied between the cat shoulders. These products will control also fleas and several other parasites. These products should be applied once in the month, every month for the cat throughout entire service life.

A new infection of the ear mite to prevent one, it is important to treat all animals in the household and to have all the animals on a monthly preventative. A routine check your cat ears will alert you to an early infection. You can also check, thoroughly clean your carpet all bed linen and vacuuming.

Copyright Todd Gore. For more information about ear mites and other cat health questions visit: A pet blogger cocks


View the original article here

Reasons why people give up their cat

I am a cat owner, so I know what it is like a furry little companion must be accompanied by. I have also volunteered at the shelter, have so I had the chance to see what it is like your pet make the decision to surrender. Nine times, not out of ten, the decision is easy. But I still understand that a few reasons why people have to give up their cat. Here are just some of the reasons.

Moving: The most of the time, the decision on something so easy comes as move to, but not in the position to take your cat. Let's assume you get a job in another city and move to, but not the only apartment you find pets possible. It comes to the have to surrender of your cat, provided that you do not find that take care of a member of the family to them, until you can find an other pet-friendly apartment.

Change of lifestyle: let us say you have a baby but know, that your cat is the curious and active type, enough so they scratch and bite everything simply. This is a threat to your newborn to your cat, based on your child well-being must be the choice. Another instance is when you have a disease, where you just can't no longer worry about your cat. These are absolutely reasonable situations to pass your cat shelter.

Behavior problems: You discover other times that negative behaviors go a cat not way over time, but instead worse, always. It is quite common to have a cat, that according to middle of the night seemingly without reason, what to sleepless nights and General complaints and dissatisfaction with your pet meows. The time required for the cat train may be unavailable or the money needed, may be you can afford, so the only option left for adoption is expressed. This is not a question of being lazy, it's just a matter of the review of priorities. If you work two jobs and need sleep, but must at any time in the day to spend with your cat, it leads to harass you need to place the cat in a new home at night, a House that cat who can devote time only makes you sense.

Given the opportunity, most cat owners would decide always to their cats to keep rain or shine. But we always have this luxury. Keep result their cats pet owners an open mind about, how it could be a situation to find you later in your life.

For more cat information and tips about cat health, go to the SimplyCatBreeds.org today!


View the original article here

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Feline aggression towards people

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

A variety of different types of feline aggression exist:

1) play aggression,
2) petting aggression,
3) fear and anxiety aggression,
4) redirected aggression,
5) aggression associated with lack of inhibition (often a result of premature weaning),
6) pain-associated aggression, and, less commonly,
7) territorial aggression and predatory aggression.

Play Aggression

Play aggression is a common type of feline aggression, and tends to be seen most in young, energetic cats, and then diminishes with age and maturation. Kittens and young cats practice their predatory skills through uninhibited play behavior, stalking and attacking their targets which are often siblings, mother cats, small bugs, and occasionally even inanimate objects. This is a normal behavior in cats and is an integral part of kittens' learning processes, but presents a problem if directed at non-furry targets such as humans. It becomes increasingly problematic if it is not discouraged and continues as cats grow older and stronger.

PREVENTION & CORRECTION

Fortunately, play aggression is relatively easy to correct, and several simple steps may be taken to prevent and/or curb play aggression:

Never engage in play with your cat using direct physical contact with them while hand wrestling with your kitten may seem cute and harmless, it becomes progressively less cute as they grow into adult cats and continue to attack human hands and feet!

If your kitten or cat attempts to directly engage in physical play with you, withdraw all hands/feet and dangling limbs, and quietly ignore all inappropriate play overtures.

Never swat at your cat, or tap their nose in order to 'punish' them for their play behavior: in addition to being ineffective, it simply increases arousal levels in cats with uninhibited play, and may stimulate them to reciprocate with more physical aggression.

Once your kitten/cat has ceased to solicit direct physical play with you, reward him or her with attention and treats, and then engage in appropriate play that involves other physical objects as the prey target - ie. toy mice, balls, 'fishing-rod' toys, and other play objects.

Reward your cat with food, treats, and attention during and after all occasions in which appropriate play behavior is displayed.

Always have mentally stimulating toys available for your cat and rotate which toys are available to them every week so they don't become bored with them, and they continue to focus on toys as their prey targets.

Petting Aggression

Petting aggression, also referred to as conflict aggression, is another commonly seen form of feline aggression, but unlike play aggression, there are no easy solutions for the correction of petting aggression. Cats who display this form of aggression typically appear to be friendly, sociable cats who actually solicit attention from people by rubbing against them, joining them for cuddles, or by making other affectionate overtures. But cats with petting aggression only allow people to have physical contact with them for very limited periods of time. Their behavior will change suddenly and they will strike out with claws and/or teeth.

CORRECTION

The best method of managing petting aggression in cats is to simply learn how to recognize the warning signs of the impending behavior change, and to engage in shorter interactions with these cats.

SIGNS TO WATCH FOR

Warning signs of imminent petting aggression can include:

Rippling skin along the back
Dilating pupils
Tail flicking
Ear rotation to the side

Fear Aggression

Fear aggression is often a result of inadequate socialization during important time periods during kitten-hood, and/or due to negative, frightening experiences during sensitive developmental periods. Fearful dispositions can also result from genetic inheritance, so it is possible for cats who have not had any negative social experiences, and who have been adequately socialized, to still express fear aggression. Occasionally cats who don't normally do not display fear aggression may do so transiently in response to significant environmental stressors. Examples include a large number of guests entering the home setting or a large dog being brought into the house.

Cats who are orphaned from littermates and their mothers earlier than appropriate (before 8 weeks of age) are slower to learn, more fearful, more prone to be aggressive, and are at higher risk of developing compulsive behaviors. Cats who are not well socialized with humans before 14 weeks of age are typically more fearful and aggressive toward people. Cats who have experienced strongly aversive events and stimuli during the sensitive period of 3 to 9 weeks of age may be lastingly influenced by the events, and may have more fearful dispositions as a result.

PREVENTION:

Despite genetic predispositions, preventing fearful behavior toward people can be established with proper human socialization early in kittens' lives. Older cats can be socialized using similar methods, but the process is slower and may not achieve the same levels of success:

Spend time gradually socializing kittens to new people: men, women, children (under supervision and with instructions on gentle handling).

Spend time introducing your kitten to other kittens, cats, and pets, as well as novel inanimate objects.

During all socialization sessions, always be sure to provide escapes, or 'outs,' for your kitten, such as perches, cat beds, and secluded areas so that they may retreat to if feeling uncomfortable. Escapes mean your kitten will not feel trapped during these encounters, and will be more relaxed and receptive to novel interactions and can safely enjoy observing the situations.

Provide treats, toys, and other forms of stimulation to make the social experiences positive and fun.

To desensitize cats to various potentially stressful stimuli, spend time exposing kittens to gentle versions of such stimuli like noises, strong smells, busy rooms, and riding in vehicles, without creating genuinely frightening experiences, and always using positive attention, treats, and familiar comforts and toys to make the experiences more pleasant.

CORRECTION:

To decrease stress levels and fear aggression of already neophobic, fearful cats, decrease their overall exposure to stressful situations, and ensure that you can easily recognize warning signs of fearful and aggressive behavior to avoid incurring injuries during interactions with them:

Maintain solid routines at home with respect to your cat's feeding times, when you clean the litter box(es), and when you play with, groom, and stroke your cat.

Avoid creating sudden, startling noises in the home such as loud alarm clocks, having televisions or music on high volumes, cooking timers, microwave alarms, and fire alarms.

Keep the litter box(es) clean and use a clumping, fine grain cat litter substrate. If you have a multiple cat household,having enough food and water bowls, litter boxes, and scratching posts for all of the cats is essential, so that amenities are not guarded by more dominant cats in the social hierarchy within the household.

Have perches and cat beds available at varying heights in multiple rooms so that your fearful cat has 'escape' options at all times. Strategically place boxes and crates around your home, and keep closet doors open, in order to provide more cat retreats where your fearful cat can feel safely concealed if necessary.

Use calming feline facial pheromone in spray form (spritz on favorite cat beds and perches), and use the plug-in diffuser form of pheromone for dispersal around your entire home.

Provide mental stimulation with training, interactive toys, puzzle feeders, catnip, cat grass, window ledge perches, and other environmental enrichment methods, so that fear and anxiety is not augmented by boredom and social frustration.

SIGNS TO WATCH FOR:

Fear expression in cats includes the following:
Crouching, hissing, and growling
Ears flattened backward
Hair completely erect
Hiding, rapid breathing Redirected Aggression

Redirected aggression is a unique type of feline aggression. It occurs when cats are highly aroused by particular stimuli, usually the sight, sounds, and/or smells of other animals, and is expressed at a target close to them that is not the original source of their stress. For example, if a cat sitting in a window sees a cat outside, he or she may become agitated and attack their companion, a cat sitting beside them whom they have known for many years. Similarly, a cat who is highly aroused by a stressor may even attack their owner or other nearby humans, and may temporarily appear as though they do not recognize who they are attacking.

PREVENTION AND CORRECTION:

What to do if your cat shows signs of redirected aggression:

Never attempt to interact with your cat when they are in this highly aroused state since their behavior can be extremely aggressive and unpredictable.

If handling your cat is unavoidable while in this state, then use a thick blanket to cover your cat with. Being swaddled like a baby may have a calming effect on your cat, and will provide you with some protection against their claws and teeth.

Look for trends in your cat's behavior, and try to determine what stimuli trigger your cat's aggression; once you identify your cat's triggers, implement preventative measures in order to avoid future incidents.

Seek help from your veterinarian so they can advise you on how to better cope with your cat's unique situation.

Lack of Inhibition Aggression

This form of aggression is most commonly associated with cats that were orphaned early in their kitten-hood and, similarly, those who were prematurely weaned prior to reaching at least 8 weeks of age. As described in the "Petting Aggression" section, kittens' interactions with their siblings and mothers are paramount to their development of appropriate feline 'etiquette.' While kittens' activities often appear to be nothing more than clumsy playtime fun with their littermates, it is through these sibling interactions and disciplines meted out by their mothers that they learn behavioral boundaries. Kittens who have not received their full 'feline education' are more prone to display aggressive behavior later in life because they simply do not always know 'right' from 'wrong.' They lack appropriate scratch and bite inhibition because they missed out on essential developmental periods with their feline families, and instead were hand-raised by humans.

Unfortunate cats who have been declawed often display a lack of bite inhibition when they feel threatened, because they are quite aware that they lack their normal primary defense mechanism, so biting behavior escalates far more quickly than otherwise seen in cats whose paws are intact (as they should be!).

Lack of bite inhibition can also be induced by particular drugs and, even less commonly, can be caused by certain central nervous system diseases.

PREVENTION

Do not wean kittens any earlier than 8 weeks of age.
Allow kittens to roughhouse with one another and don't prevent their mother from disciplining them.
NEVER declaw a kitten or cat!
Avoid handling your cat if they have been given medications that can decrease bite inhibition.

Pain-Associated Aggression

Many cats become aggressive when particular body part is patted or brushed if they experience discomfort associated with it. The hips are an area where this phenomenon is commonly noticed, particularly as cats age and their hip joints become arthritic this type of reaction while you are grooming their derrière may signify that it is time for your cat to have an orthopedic assessment by your veterinarian. Similarly, if your cat becomes aggressive while you are scratching their cheeks or chin, this may represent the presence of painful dental disease.

To read more of Dr. Ko's articles, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/

The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.

catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat's quality of life!

All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership - it's fast and free!


View the original article here

Ringworm in cats - a simple question and answer Guide for you

Cats are often victims of the dermatophytes that cause ringworm. Specifically, ringworm is caused in cats by M Canis or Microsporum Canis. This mushroom is also responsible for the dog and human infections. It is the most important dermatophytes connected with ninety percent of ring worm cases in cats. These errors are tiny and as soon as they the cat fur attach it spit out spores also are smaller. The spores in groups on the hair of the animal are available and they easily create ring worm secretly. If you want to help your animals, you need to learn more information about M.canis behavior. The following question and answer guide can boost your understanding.

How contaminated your get little friend of Microsporum Canis?
Sick animals lose their infected fur and place it can collect where it other pets and people without their knowledge could. If your cat is unfortunate enough to in direct contact with infected hair or polluted environment might it develop ringworm. Even grooming accessories uses at the groomer shop, can pass the spores.

What happens if the animals fell the germs?
Once the spores fur attach to the animal they will pursue their skin. Looking for it, they immediately become hyphen and then the infection germination to the form. In particular, loses the animal left his hair on the affected parts scaly patches. Even the hair to the limit of the rings is weak and brittle. Sometimes, the affected skin may look and the animal infected itching problems. The nature of the symptoms depends mainly on the exact cause of the problem.

Where the round round rings or lesions form?
They are mainly on the cats head and ears. If the degree of infection is serious, the lesions on the feet can also make. Ring worm is a very contagious disease and the animal can help to pass the disease on his body. Cats are always lick their fur and maintain their faces with the front paws. In addition, they can spread the disease to humans, especially children, many do not think that the injuries are contagious to their pet body. Even your dogs are not sure, as long as they share an environment with the sick kitten. Speaking did you kittens, know that they are in grave danger of catching the infection? Since their immunity is weak, young kittens are very susceptible to fungal infections.

Is there a way that can help you, animals with this disorder?
The first action that you can take, if you notice an unknown infection on your cat hair is to take it to a veterinarian. Take this measure ensures that your friend treated and relieved of the complaints relating to this fungal disease. The veterinarian will carry out a diagnosis because the infection can be easily confused with certain skin diseases. Canis with UV wood lamp veterinarians call is diagnostic M. You can run also the culture test, infected hair be set to a medium that increases fungus growth in the laboratory. Sometimes a simple check with the Microsoft range.

For more information please read this article on ringworm and ringworm in cats


View the original article here

Perfect cat Air Purifier - 5 functions, that you and your cat purr

Living with a cat means additional hair, dander and sometimes smell. To eliminate cleaners to these unwanted pollutants, with an air is one effective solutions, but has only, if it the following 5 features.

Filter for Dander--this dead skin cells (known as scales are microscopic size and not to see enlargement.) But if you or someone you know at all is allergic to the protein that it contains, not knowing they need to see it there.

HEPA or high efficiency captivating particulate filters are the best at removing particles like this. Must by definition this type of filter able to remove particles, are the three micrometres or greater.

The good in this technology is that it be removed particles of this size, whether it related to cat or only a normal household particles. Some typical particles, which will remove it contain, dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, bacteria and viruses, often on the larger particles

Carbon filtration - carbon-based must be all cleaner that effectively be to eliminate odors. This type of filter is the industry leader when the remove gaseous pollutants. A considerable amount (about 15 pounds) is required to ensure a long service life and remove both relating to cat as normal types of gases and odors resulting from daily life.

Additive for urine-accidents happen, and if they do, it's nice, an Air Purifier, has your back. Urine smell can rid of incredibly hard, be, in particular, if is it difficult or impossible, to get on the scene of the crime.

Because ammonia is part of it, which is the offensive, it is only sensible that the additive able should the carbon ability to get from the air to make it easier. Even if you do not now problems is can it be a good idea, this function as an ACE have petto.

24 Hours - your friends produced dander and throws some hair 24 hours a day. To need to limit the amount that goes into your air, remove your cleaner of these pollutants as soon as they go into the air. This continuing distance will keep the air always thick with particles and may have problems Heath, for your family, friends, and you.

Wartungsarme-- Cats may be required, and they are not happy if you spend all your time on the administration of the Purifier... A low maintenance filter meeting with your cat approval and sell...

Avoid the units that require filter change frequently (every 3 to 6 months), wash, injections or the filter load. Every time you run is maintenance time, which is the air is not cleaned. And Exchange filter often significantly added to the total cost of the unit.

Instead, you select a unit, the filter has which can last for years (3 to 5), and wears a guarantee if it take for this time.

A cleaner with these 5 functions is safe, effective, and provide a purr-fect cleaner for you, your family and your cat.

PurerAir.com offers a carbon-based Air Purifier with additive for urine smell with 3 particulate filter for hair and dandruff.  See it now http://purerair.com/austin_air_pet_machine.html


View the original article here

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Food in cans be given cats?

Pet owners should be smart when choosing the kind of food that will be in their pets. For cats, there are on this dilemma if they go to their pets with canned foods or non-feed.

Many think that the currently processed of canned foods and are commercial. Thus follows the idea that this food, although they offer nutrition with harmful components may be able to come. But they are really potential threats to the health of your pets?

Ideally, your cat needs a diet, contains substances, which are close to what they eat in the wild or cats were domesticated. This means a mixture of meat of various animals, which is rich in proteins and only limited quantities of cereals. And so, if you plan to provide the best for your cat, you need to able to come up with a diet that is similar to mineral and vitamin components.

Protein is the most important mineral and there should be considerable quantities available. The food element can contain also a certain amount of fat. Vitamins and other essential minerals must be also available. Taurine, which is an essential amino acid should be present. Also, it is included as the amount of water in the food item. Sufficient amounts of water can greatly improve the hydration status of your pet.

If it need a thing you, to avoid, or at a minimal level to keep, it is the presence of grains. Fillers be available in commercial products. In General, these fillers have no nutritional benefits and so should be avoided.

Canned foods may or may not contain all the necessary nutrients. But of course, this depends on the brand and the manufacturer of the product. So you need just search, to the right canned cat food.

Thus, the first step will be to obtain recommendations. This can be from friends that you, who have cats and she fed have canned food. They offer valuable contributions on which brands work best for them. However, what your pet worked worked may not be well with you. Your next option is to seek recommendations from a veterinarian. Tell your pet doctor, about the dietary requirements of your cat. This depends on your cat age, activity and even development stage. The right kind of canned food is based on this dietary.

You should understand restrictions and recommendations with regard to the can of cat food also. These you can know which components will be safe for your cat and are potentially dangerous.

Then go to the correct food on their own also looking. Make sure that you buy a good and safe product, leave it a point to read the label. The food label will tell you everything, you have to know about this product.

Jerri Torres enjoys writing for Petflow that sells solid gold cat food and taste of the wild, as well as a variety of other products.


View the original article here

Top ten cat food myths and misconceptions

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

Myth # 1: Dry food is better for my cat than wet food.

False! While dry food does leave less residue on cats' teeth, thus creating less plaque buildup and tartar formation, dry food is far less natural for your cat than wet food, and the few dental benefits of dry food do NOT outweigh the health advantages of wet food... there is no contest!

Feral cats hunt mice, birds, and other small prey animals because they are obligate carnivores. When comparing water content, protein, fat, and other elements within the nutritional composition profiles of feline prey species to both dry and wet cat foods, wet foods are more analogous to cats' natural diet than dry foods are - by far!

Wet food is approximately 70% to 80% water content which is similar to the water content of prey species' bodies.

Cats who eat wet food consume 3 to 5 times the amount of water over the course of the day relative to cats who eat dry food.

Cats were originally desert creatures and inhabited areas where water was not freely available for consumption. This means two things: 1) cats are meant to hydrate themselves via their food intake, and 2) their kidneys developed the capacity to produce highly concentrated urine to conserve their body water in times when prey was scarce and water was unavailable. So when cats do not obtain water through their diets because their diet is composed mainly of dry food, their kidneys chronically conserve their body water by producing the highly concentrated urine they are capable of making. Their kidneys spend a lifetime working very hard in order to compensate for their decreased water intake when their diets are composed of dry matter; this water conservation mechanism was only meant to be used in temporary times of need - not as a long-term solution to be used for decades!

Why is water intake so important for cats? Because proper hydration, as obtained via wet diets, helps prevent many human-induced (via dry diets) lower urinary tract diseases and kidney problems.

Additionally, dry food often contains grain fillers (corn, wheat, potato, rice, soy, etc.) that are entirely inappropriate for obligate carnivores to be ingesting. Evolutionarily cats were not built to digest grains. And although there are now a few 'high quality' dry foods on the market that are not made with grains, the fact remains that dry food is still dense (97% dry matter), is hard on cats' GI tracts and still results in decreased water intake. Avoiding dry food and unnatural ingredients in your cats' diets (even the wet ones) helps prevent human-induced diseases (via diet) such as inflammatory bowel disease, eosinophilic enteritis, pancreatitis, triaditis, intestinal lymphoma, and many many more.

Myth #2: Animal by-products listed in the ingredients of cat foods means that the food is low quality and non-nutritious.

False! While most humans don't want animal by-products on their plates (by-products can include bone, skin, eyes, intestines, chicken feet, undeveloped eggs, etc.), they are still very nutritious body parts and in some cultures many by-products are even considered to be delicacies!

When cats hunt and eat their prey (eg. mice), they don't skin them, remove the muscle from the bones, and toss aside the viscera: they eat the entire mouse, rarely leaving any 'by-products' behind!

That said, kitties still need to eat muscle tissue along with the other bits and pieces that may be included in their suppers in order to get enough protein in their food, so a good quality cat diet should contain a significant amount of 'real meat' as well!

Myth #3: I don't need to regulate the amount of food my cat eats because, unlike dogs, cats can regulate their own food intake and will not overeat.

False! Many cats will indulge in overeating just like dogs and humans do. In fact, obesity is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem among North American cats, particularly for indoor cats who are fed dry food. Many cat owners allow their kitties to free feed on dry food, and the food bowls are just topped up with kibble every several days when they're looking a bit low.

Dry food is very calorie dense in comparison with wet food or a natural feline diet consisting of prey species, so the volume of food that is equal to an average cat's daily caloric requirements is relatively small.

This means that many cats do not feel satiated by the small volume of dry food that is equal to their daily caloric needs, and therefore they unwittingly consume excessive calories since they continue to eat more dry food in order to feel full.

Just a few of the reasons that obesity poses health risks to cats include the following: 1) obesity leads to diabetes (a disease that is now rampant in our domestic cat population), 2) early onset of severe arthritis, 3) increased risk of urinary tract problems, 4) increased risk of liver failure when obese cats become ill and stop eating, 5) decreased quality of life due to lethargy and low energy levels, and 6) decreased capacity to have thorough veterinary physical exams performed.

Additionally, unless the amount of food that is fed on a daily basis is quantified, it is very difficult to recognize when a cat stops eating if they are fed dry food. If the food dish is just topped up periodically, it may be a matter of days before their inappetence is noted, at which point illness may have progressed significantly.

Cats naturally eat ten to twenty small meals per day, so it is best to feed them as many small meals (of wet food!) as possible.

Myth #4: Cats only need to be fed once or twice per day.

False! Cats will naturally eat ten to twenty small meals per day, so it is best to feed them as many small meals as possible.

Logistically it can be somewhat difficult for working owners to provide this ideal number of feedings, but when possible, feedings should be done upon waking up, again in the morning before leaving for work, immediately upon returning home from work, and then once or twice more before going to bed.

Leaving a very very small amount of dry food or better yet, high quality freeze-dried meat treats, available in puzzle feeders while away from home during the day, and when in bed during the night, allows cats to enjoy small feedings at their leisure and will encourage natural foraging/hunting behaviors (and may help prevent your kitty from waking you up at 5 AM for their breakfast feeding!).

For practical reasons, wet food needs to be fed in small frequent meals because most cats won't eat wet food that has been out for longer than 30 minutes.

Once wet food has dried up from exposure at room temperature it loses its appeal to cats, and additionally, will grow bacteria, which means it won't be safe for cats to consume.

Wet food should not be left out for more than 15 to 30 minutes and if not immediately placed refrigerated once meal time is finished it should be thrown away.

Myth #5: My cat goes crazy over wet food, and wet food will make my cat fat.

False! While many people make the assumption that wet cat food is fattening, this is a gross misconception.

Intuitively it seems to make sense: wet food smells rich and enticing, many cats gobble their wet food with an enthusiasm they rarely display when presented dry food, and even the moistness of the wet food looks fattening! However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Canned food is approximately 70% to 80% water content, so while it may seem rich and delectable, it is actually very calorically dilute (literally!) in comparison to dry food. It's mostly made of water!

Dry cat food (kibble) is approximately 97% dry matter, and it is extremely calorie dense.

Kibble is similar in concept to a human meal-replacement bar; it's a compact little item that contains all of the nutrients and calories that are required but, who feels full after one little bar?! It would take four or five meal bars to actually feel physically full as though one had eaten an entire meal, and the very same problem exists with dry cat food.

Only a small volume of dry food provides the calories necessary to meet cats' daily caloric needs, but since most cats do not feel satiated by the tiny volume that equals their daily caloric needs, they eat larger volumes than they actually require in time, this leads to obesity which frequently results in diabetes over time.

Myth #6: My cat can eat the same type of food at all stages of life.

False! Kittens, adults, and geriatric cats all have slightly different nutritional requirements, and it is important that they be fed appropriate diets for their stage of life. Additionally, some cats may have particular diseases that may require specific diets to aid with their disease management.

Myth #7: Cats who eat dry food drink more water, so dry food is healthier than wet food.

False! While cats who eat dry food may appear to be ingesting more water (and they certainly do spend more time visibly drinking from their water dishes), in actuality they only consume one third to one fifth of the amount of water over the course of a day as cats who eat canned food do!

The reason that cats who eat canned food ingest so much more water than those eating dry food, is because canned food is anywhere from 70% to 80% water content (in comparison to dry food which is only 3% water content).

Despite the fact that cats on dry diets appear to drink large quantities of water from their water bowls, they actually do not compensate nearly to the point of actually equaling the amount of water that cats who eat wet food consume on a daily basis.

Cats were originally desert creatures and they evolved to have the capacity to concentrate their urine very highly.

Thus, cats who eat dry food only take in enough water to remain adequately hydrated while their kidneys work in overdrive day in and day out, producing highly concentrated urine to bridge the gap for them. In turn this chronically concentrated urine causes urinary crystals, bladder and kidney stones, kidney disease, idiopathic cystitis, urinary obstruction, and many more serious health problems.

Myth #8: Cat treats are not a significant source of calories so I give my kitty lots of them.

False! Depending on the type of cat treats that are being fed, they can be a dangerously high source of calories!

Over-treating your cat can be a contributing factor in the development of obesity, so it's a good idea to know the caloric content of the treats you feed your cat.

For example, Pounce treats are 10 kcal/treat; Temptations are 2 kcal/treat; and MediCal treats are 1 kcal/treat.

So if you give your cat 5 Pounce treats in one day, this is equal to 50 kcal.

Since the average adult cat needs approximately 200 to 250 kcal/day, 5 Pounce treats is actually about one quarter of an adult cat's daily caloric requirements! Which means that their meal portions for that day would need to be significantly reduced.

5 Temptations treats, on the other hand, are only equal to 10 kcal, and so are a relatively low calorie choice.

The bottom line is that you can feed your cat treats, but you need to include your cat's treat calories in their calorie count for the day.

Also, keep in mind that many cat treats are similar to dry food in that they can include many inappropriate ingredients for our little carnivores, including food coloring. For this reason, I tend to stick to freeze dried meat treats - they are much healthier and contain no added ingredients!

Myth #9: Organic cat foods and holistic cat foods tend to include veggies and fruits in them, which means that they are wholesome, higher quality, and more nutritious for my cat.

False! It is true that many organic and holistic cat foods contain veggies and fruits in their ingredient lists. But while the concept of organic cat food is a good one, the fruits and vegetables that are frequently included in these diets tend to actually detract from their overall healthiness and suitability.

Organic food is an important part of healthy living, but unfortunately many organic cat foods that are commercially available today include inappropriate ingredients in their make-up. Vegetables and fruits are included in cat diets purely for marketing purposes. This tactic is very effective because we humans - the consumers! - have the preconceived notion that these items are healthy and wholesome: which they are, but that's because we are omnivores!

Cats are obligate carnivores which means that their digestive tracts are built solely for the purpose of ingesting prey, and are not designed to digest herbivorous food. If cats were pushing their own shopping carts through pet store aisles, the food companies would not be marketing their feline diets with veggie and fruit ingredients, and nor would they be enhancing their diets' appearance with artificial food coloring!

Cats are primary protein users for energy, and the only veggie matter that would normally be ingested by cats would be the very minute amount present in the intestines of their prey, which is already digested. Blueberries, apples, carrots, etc., are simply not appropriate for the feline diet!

Myth #10: Making a home-cooked diet for my cat is easy. I will simply cook some meat for my cat, or perhaps find an online recipe for cat food.

False! Cats have very specific nutritional requirements, including essential amino acids that absolutely must be obtained dietetically.

Significant diseases can develop as a result of vitamin imbalances and amino acid deficiencies, and it is imperative that before switching your cat to a home-cooked diet or a raw diet that you consult with your veterinarian and obtain a balanced recipe and all of the appropriate supplements that must be included.

To read more of Dr. Ko's articles, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/

The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.

catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat's quality of life!

All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership - it's fast and free!


View the original article here

Monday, August 22, 2011

My two rescue cats were always in all

When playing links to their own devices-cats with the things that are not for cats. Your toilet paper in a gigantic mess already shredded? Ever your car keys under the couch for when you are absolutely sure, whether you it on the table links? If you use your window blinds as a head ever?

If the local animal shelter, looking after a new addition to the family to visit, you gave it two kittens from the same litter are still waiting for adoption. Long after her brothers and sisters and their mother thought was they were begging me to it they take at home. To hold and play with them, I could not resist and they came home. As a young cats were malicious and kept me busy on a daily basis. They were literally in everything. Let us see that toilet paper was reduced to a shredded chaos on a daily basis. Car keys had to be kept in a drawer. You found out elements (who knows where) for lost ages had, above was abandoned. She found a way to use window blinds, such as ladders!

They were the cat toys to entertain and to stay out of trouble. Someone told me about an online store, to transfer all kinds of cat toys. Without knowing what kind of toys would them most have selected some of bulk toys. Very quickly the toy came and they were happy. They spend countless hours batting these things around together and sometimes everyone plays with his own toys until they are exhausted and then short story, only to wake up and get right back in this cat toys.

The cooker, dishwasher and refrigerator become a toy bank. There are countless toys that was batted under these appliances. This tiny mouse go directly to the back of each wait for appliance and collect like crazy. If it with that "Look" sit on their faces, I know it was in the dishwasher ate some valuable mouse or the ball of the appliance. You do not stop, look at me, until I made your favorite toy with scale fish. While I was at it, I find dozens of other toys that have found their way in there also. Their little is facing light up when I consider all these things out, it's like when they see all these toys who lost and forgotten Christmas!

About once in a month, I will order some more toys so they have a variety of things to play with. Bulk toys offer a variety of toys and are inexpensive.

You have adapted well to their new home, love their toys and enjoy themselves happily with their toys as opposed to more in another. The toilet paper is now secure and intact, the car keys are enough not interesting anymore. The window blinds now collecting dust rather than as ladders is used. It's just so amazing that cat toys now have their attention and they no longer have an interest in the things which they should play with.

Cat toys for less offers a constantly growing selection of fun cat toy, by your special friend be booked (and active) for hours. Keep prevents your active indoor cat health risks such as obesity.
http://www.cattoysforless.com/


View the original article here

The scoop on cat litter

There are so many types of litter may be available in pet stores today, completely overwhelming it, trying to choose between them! You are confused about which you should use, cat litter? Continue reading...

Cat litter is a variety of features, and here is a list of the most important aspects of shopping the litter: broken down and criticized for your convenience!

Compared to non-clumping clumping:

Grouping cat waste

Clumping form is best for most owners lifestyles because for daily removal of urine from the litter box allows it. Clumping types can you monitor, volume and frequency of your cat urinates, and as a cat owner is this important to note because urine certain habits can be indicative of health issues. Roll media non-clumping makes it much more difficult problems to watch as they arise.

Non-clumping cat litter

Non-clumping cat litter means that either excessive waste is emptied every day the whole content or, Alternatively, this means that the smell of ammonia and feces strengthens all week in the litter box until it is emptied on the weekend.

The only non-clumping type that prevents the smell, is silica Crystal litter more on, that one further down!

Scented with unscented:

Scented litter

Scented litter means generally more chemicals, and while it can mean a more pleasant smell as the owner for you, it is unpleasant almost certainly for your cat be and in addition the chemicals will be taken of them, while self grooming (lick and swallow litter dust agreed on their coat, while using the litter box).

The exception to the rule of the scented cat litter are contaminated, that usual natural fragrances - include such as pine throws and litters, the Cedar flakes this cat.

Unscented litter

Eliminate chemically scented litters of types, those that you are under selection, and this further narrows the selection. If litter boxes are properly managed, there is no need for scented litter.

Dust-free cat litter

Dust-free cat litter is important for cats and owners - especially for those who suffer from allergies, or other respiratory problems or asthma... Unfortunately, it seems not to such a company as one are 100% dust free cat litter to a throw at this point in time – especially when searching all other desirable qualities as well. That said, two types of waste, which deserve praise for be (relatively) free of dust and not tracking: pine litters (several brands available) and of the Purina, what uses paper recycling of yesterday news. The catch is that this cat litters are non-clumping. Cat attract cat litter of precious cat litters, is one of the most dust-free clumping litters, personally I could find in my own quest.

Clay litter substrate when compared to alternative:

Clay litter

Cat litter - granulated, absorbent clay - was invented in the 1940s by a man named Ed Lowe, and then it was not until the 1980s that clumping clay cat, the litters have been developed. Grouping cat litters contain bentonite clay (or silica), which are called inert substances, the cats not damage; often There is some controversy about whether this is entirely true. Clay clumping litters are relatively well have odor control in the rule and are easy to draw. They are not Flushable, but most "natural", depending on which elements they contained.

Alternative substrate litters

Today there are with a variety of cat litters, that alternative substrates such as paper, pine, wheat, maize, silica and so on. Corn litters are natural, Flushable and biodegradable. They have slightly less effective odor control in comparison with clay litters, but they make decent urine clumps. Pine litters are non clumping, have good odor control, not easily monitor and natural, Flushable and biodegradable. Wheat throws are also natural and Flushable biodegradable. Depending on the brand wheat can throws relative to the most sound clumping litters easily mushier' urine clumps form.

Rudeness of cat litter when compared to tracking qualities:

Most cats prefer grain cat litter much more rough makes of cat litter and with good reason... Coarse cat litter is uncomfortable on with bare feet to increase, if it is embedded in a carpet, let alone because walking on a total surface of it, has much less give! Most cats prefer fine grain sound roll of coarse clay litter, paper pellets, pine pellets and silica. Silica cat litter crystals are particularly large, rough and angle, which is to use a very unpleasant substrate, particularly those with arthritis, obesity, poorly done declaws for cats, declaw Neurinoma and Pododermitis problems.

Unfortunately, correlated particle size of the litter, more than often not with how easy the litter around the House is tracked! The key here is, opt for the fine litter, but make sure that you are well prepared to prevent that excessive roll tracking with the litter mats, that more than other preventive measures will help in this Department, can take you!

Ultimately your Kitty is the one who should choose their litter substrate, because it is advisable to avoid problems of urine and/or bowel movements before they have even a chance to occur.

Information provided in this article is purely an educational documentary value. It is not a substitute for the advice and support by your veterinarian, nor be medical diagnosis or treatment. Any questions concerning your cat health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

More Dr. ko's article to read, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventive medicine and teach cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal, which was the motivation for the creation of the website of Dr. Ko.

catdoctorko.com is dedicated to a brand new website, the cat owners with information, so that they can provide effective and preventive health care for your cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, Know-How-videos, cat health articles, questions has Ko Dr. tips (in which she answered your cat health questions), information on toxic substances created recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition houses the website a store filled with products, specially selected for their benefits to optimize your cat quality of life!

All the topics which Dr. Ko writes about are made by members of their website. An article issue for the Dr. Ko suggest, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership – it is fast and free!


View the original article here

Their kitten veterinary needs in their first year of life

Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8942.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 9153.

Congratulations on the adoption of your new feline! And now...

... you may be wondering, 'what comes next?' What kind of care will your newest, and youngest, family member require?

In addition to all of the TLC that your kitten will receive from you at home, there will be many ways in which your veterinarian will contribute to the health and growth of your kitten during their first year of life. It is important to establish a healthy beginning, and your veterinarian will be essential in this process.

PHYSICAL EXAMS:

Your vet will give your kitten a full physical exam, which means that your kitten's heart and lungs will be listened to, their belly (and all abdominal organs) will be palpated, their temperature taken, skin and coat health assessed, and their teeth, eyes, and ears checked. Your vet will check if your kitten is indeed a male or female (gender confusion is not uncommon in small kittens... sometimes the first trip to the vet means that "Alex" becomes "Alexandra!"). If your kitten is male, your vet will determine whether his testes have descended yet. They will check for the presence of umbilical hernias and other common congenital abnormalities, and will look for ear mites and fleas. If any of these unwanted visitors are present, they will be promptly dealt with by your vet!

VACCINES:

There are three types of vaccinations that kittens receive, and they are administered in a series of boosters, typically at 4 week intervals. FVRCP, FeLV, and rabies are the three vaccines types with which kittens are immunized. FVRCP stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia. Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis is caused by the Feline Herpes Virus -1, and causes upper respiratory and eye infections which can range from mild to severe. Calicivirus is also an upper respiratory virus that can cause both 'colds' and eye infections, but which can have a greater severity of clinical disease, including sudden death in certain highly virulent (pathogenic) strains. Panleukopenia is also a very serious virus. It causes severe bone marrow suppression, intestinal disease, and commonly death. All three viruses in the FVRCP vaccine are extremely contagious. FeLV stands for Feline Leukemia Virus, which will be described briefly below.

On your kitten's first visit (8 weeks old), the first of three FVRCP vaccines will be administered, as well as the first of two FeLV vaccines.

On their second visit (12 weeks old) your kitten will receive an FVRCP booster and the second (and last) FeLV booster.

On their third visit (16 weeks old) your kitten will receive their third (and final) FVRCP booster as well as a rabies vaccine (which does not require additional boosters). This last set of vaccines never occurs earlier than 16 weeks of age, because otherwise there are still maternal antibodies present (viral immunity that was transferred through nursing) which interfere with your kitten's own antibody immune production.

DEWORMING & OTHER CREEPY CRAWLIES:

Your kitten will also be sent home with a broad spectrum deworming medication that is typically administered either orally or topically several times at anywhere from two to four week intervals depending on what type of dewormer your vet has dispensed. Your vet may also instruct you to collect a fresh fecal sample which you can bring to your kitten's next appointment; it will be checked for the presence of parasitic protozoan organisms which the deworming medication does not treat. If your kitten's fecal sample is positive for any of these other parasites, your vet will prescribe medication(s) to treat their infection(s).

VIRAL TESTING:

On the second or third visit, your veterinarian will likely recommend laboratory blood work tests for your kitten. Blood work is done for two reasons. One reason is to check your kitten's viral status (positive or negative) for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FeLV and FIV are retroviruses that spread between kitties, and are the most common causes of infectious deaths among domestic cats. Assessment of your kitten's viral status is particularly important if you have other cats within the household as well.

Kittens can test negative for FeLV and FIV during the incubation phase of infection, so if your kitten was tested at a young age, your veterinarian may recommend testing a second time several months later to ascertain your kitten's negative status.

PRE-ANESTHETIC BLOOD TESTING:

The second reason for which blood work is performed in your kitten's first year of life is to prepare for the general anesthetic that will be needed for your kitten to be spayed or neutered before they reach 6 months of age. A general blood work panel helps to assess the health of the kidneys, liver, and bone marrow so that your veterinarian knows in advance of any abnormal anesthetic and surgical risks your kitten may be affected by.

Spaying and neutering should typically be done between 4 and 6 months of age. This helps lessen the occurrence of certain types of cancers, lessens wandering behaviour, aggression, and also prevents reproductive activity, which is very important due to the high population of feral cats as well as the many unwanted shelter kitties in North America.

When you kitten is under general anesthetic for surgery, it is an opportune time to also give them a microchip. A microchip is a fail-proof form of identification, unlike tattoos which can be blurred over time and are only useful locally, and unlike collars and tags that can come off or become outdated. Microchips are implanted just underneath the skin between the shoulder blades, and then can be read using a scanner. If your kitten ever gets outside accidentally and becomes lost, any veterinary clinic or animal shelter will be able to identify your kitten via the microchip code.

All of this may seem like a crazy jumble of medical terms and concerns, but just keep in mind that you'll need to take your kitty to the vet four times in their first year. Three times for vaccinations, physical checks and bloodwork and once for spaying or neutering.

That is the end of your kitten's first set of health visits to the veterinarian!

At 1 year of age, your cat will be due for a health exam and their 1 year FVRCP and rabies boosters. If you have any questions or concerns before the 1 year milestone, you should not hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

To read more articles written by veterinarian Dr. Ko please visit www.catdoctorko.com

The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.

catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat's quality of life!

All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership - it's fast and free!


View the original article here

Sunday, August 21, 2011

You keep your cat entertained interactive cat toys-

Since the first cat toy was designed, there was a lot of development with regard to article for entertainment for your cats. Nowadays, there are interactive cat toys, which also promise an exciting experience, not only for the cat, but for the cat owners.

So, whether you have a kitten or an adult cat, don't miss the chance for an interactive toys to buy.

A common game for cats is a coil, which forms a tunnel, the cat of and can receive. Cats would run within it enjoy. Sometimes, they can trade and play, as they are the creeping. It will be for the cat more fun when you can play with it. They can serve as prey and let stalk on the leads or crawls in this tunnel.

Because the type of the toy your cat in can get caught, it is important that you specific not the alone not while playing with the toys. Also, can it on their own be bulky and dangerous, if links around the House. So, in choosing the products like this, make sure that you get the folding for you may take into account memory and occupies a very small space. But aside from the fact that a toy, this tunnel can as sleeping quarters for your cat. To make it more comfortable, you can cover as well as your cat see and arrange a pillow.

There are also shaky toy, perfect to offer rights to play animation for your cat. Usually soft, sometimes, rubbery materials comprise these toys, who began spring back and forth on the move. Most cats are interested with this kind of toys. You are involved in the game by making sure that the toys in motion will be kept.

You can create also toys for your pet. The easiest will be the mouse. As an electronic version may be too complex for you, you can make one that is bound to a string. Their mouse body can be made of clean cloth. For this material, you can simply you take out a or two of the old, but clean, socks and wrinkles and it is a round form element, which is similar to a mouse.

Then, you can sew the ends together, to ensure that the form will not be disturbed. Get the string and also bind or sew it on the "mouse". You can draw a mouth, nose, whiskers, eyes and ears, if you want. Now you can ready to play. You drag the "mouse" and teasing your cat with him.

An other toys you can make is at the end of a rod and reel with a toy fish. This activity is also teasing your cat and make it to reach the fish. This can be exhausting less as the toy, which includes the mouse as you play with your cat can, while you just sit. You can keep the bar simply submit your cat.

Enjoys the Innova and chicken soup for the pet lovers Jerri Torres for write Petflow and numerous other products sold.


View the original article here

What is a hypoallergenic cat?

The definition of a hypoallergenic cat is a cat that less is likely to provoke an allergic reaction in humans. Although some debate on the existence of a truly hypoallergenic cat, it can not debate about the fact that cause some breeds of more a reaction in humans than others. Hairless cats like the Sphynx cause certainly little allergic reaction in humans. It is also assumed that Siberian cats produce less of the allergy causing protein Fel d 1 as the most other races.

Cat allergens
According to medical research, there are a total of five cat allergens. These include the two biggest problems for the people, Fel d 1 and Fel d 4, Fel d 1, Fel d 3 and finally cat IgA.

Fel d 1 explained
Fel d 1 is a protein in cats, which is largely produced by their saliva. It is the main cause of allergies, who suffer from a number of people, if you come up with cats in contact. The function of this protein is not know, but if come into contact with people, it can cause an allergic or asthmatic reaction. Female cats produce a lower level Fel d 1 as castrated male cats do. This had led to the assumption that Fel d 1 is hormonally regulated by testosterone. The protein is quite sticky and clings to a number of areas in the home. There are measures you can take to reduce the amounts available including often use themselves wash washing clothes, HEPA filter, as the cats.

Hypoallergenic cat breeds
Cats with little or no hair at all are most effective, if you try to select a race, which help you to avoid the symptoms of cat allergies. The Sphynx is the most popular and well-known hairless cat breed and a very identifiable one at that. You are very smart cats and their individual appearance is actually quite attractive to some pet owners.

The varieties of cats, the hair, the Siberian is probably the most hypo-allergenic available. This particular breed is Russian for many years already and in tests (d) have produced at a lower level of the allergy caused 1 as other breeds protein Fel. As cats also lower levels of this allergen produce woman, a female Siberian cat should be an option good consideration for people with allergies.

Hypoallergenic cat resources
For more information on hypo-allergenic cats from excellent hypoallergenic Katze-Site-http://hypoallergeniccat.org/

Hypoallergenic cat information, it is the leading resource on the Web and to fight the allergies associated with cats.


View the original article here

Saturday, August 20, 2011

How to deal with cat spray and female cat spray

I have a cat that was spraying in the vents of my truck bad about cat. I broke him by little sticky Roach fall on the hood of my truck. It became very clear that you did it, the Roach-fall from the had to peel when I feet. I know it sounds a bit cruel, but it was putting up there better than rat traps or to get rid of the cat.

I got rid of cat spray smell with baking soda and bleach. I mixed a little baking soda and water and it in the ventilation slots my truck together with a little bit of bleach poured. Seemed to do to get rid of the problem immediately to the cat spray smell.

Normally, when a small kitten starts to spray them lift their small tail and twitch it back and forth in a vibrant movement. Typically about 6 weeks it really no spray come on, are they go only through the motions. But they will try, trust me.

Cat spray should not be treated with ammonia, as it will make it even worse. If you notice, cat sorta smells spray such as ammonia. So why would you throw gas on the fire? It will step up only the cat spray smell.

I'll you some solid advice, that really works when you your cat, spraying in the House or in the same place and want to stop.

First you get a scratching post and put it in your garage or on the back porch, if you do not have a garage. A cat post contains Cat Nip, but not much. So the next you need to go to your local Walmart or wherever, and you can buy cat NIP. Pour all Cat Nip scratching post. The cat or cats are rather spray on the scratching post as apposed to your sofa or armchair. Trust me this really works.

There are more tips and tricks that will help you, spray to stop your cat if you your cat love. If you have not the patience is the only other alternative to make to stop your cat spray, get rid of the cat and not get an animal, the spraying.

I'm no expert cat although believe me, that I could qualify as one, if for no other reason than the fact that I had so many cats in my life. Both inside and outside cats.

So, if you really know how to best handle your want to cat spray smell, either click on this link and visit my blog where I go more in-depth or visit my blog here: http://www.cat-spray.blogspot.com/


View the original article here

How take care of a kitten

Be fooled not the cuteness of a new baby kitten, these adorable critters can a lot of work. Kittens are usually with their weaning period after 12 weeks old, is done so that home a kitten should bring you not, that is younger than 12 weeks old. A healthy kitten have pink ears, pink gums, and clear eyes. Keep your cat healthy, as it grows, is an important part of the boost of a cat, which is a long and happy life.

Just like any young pet kittens need some guidance. Start to roam around your House to do, what it may seem to be only result casinos and frustration of a kitten, so to acclimatise your kitten in its new home as soon as possible. First, a kitten should own little space like a part of a kitchen, a bathroom or even a spare bedroom or den. Fill this room with kittens, which: a litter box, food, water, and toys. This is occupied, while the kittens also begin to teach it, that they will piss into the cat toilet keep.

If you have other pets or children in the home, should they gradually on the kitten introduce you, after the cat has signs for is comfortable in his new environment. Pay attention to the kittens not alone for long periods of time leave and the him much love and affection. After all, you are the new parent. Play helps the kitten muscle building and developed a strong bond between you and the cat. Make sure that everyone else who lives in the home playing with the kittens, if it is young, so that it starts form bonds with all members of the family.

Once comfortable is your kitten in his room, you can start, do a little training. Litter box training is important, and start this training at a young age will only help the kitten, and save the trouble of clean up casinos around the House. Spend much time with your kitten, especially after it eats and drinks, you can know when your kitten's going to do his business. If you see that your cat to urinate, gently lift it and put it in the litter box and litter box, you have set up. A kitten with praise and treats to reward if it used the litter box, to promote the repeating behavior.

You can also your kitten used to care while his young get. This results in a much easier time on the road when your adult cat must be maintained. You brush your cat fur and teeth regularly, so that it easily with this kind of touch is. You can also your kitten feet touch much, so that it is used, touch the paw for future nail clipping and other maintenance.

The key to improving is a happy and healthy kittens make sure that it is comfortable in his new home, and that you play enough time, care and education-spend the new Cat. Their kittens will grow in a very short time, and you have a fun and lovable cat, if in the time and effort when it is young.

Alison wood is co-founder and managing partner of Woodmors.com, a new commercial/information website with a range of products and ideas for everyday life. For more articles about cat care product reviews and pet related interviews, please visit ==>> http://www.woodmors.com/cats


View the original article here

Friday, August 19, 2011

Maintenance of do's and Don'ts of the litter box

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

Q: What kind of litter should I use?

A: There are so many types of litter available in pet stores today that it can be overwhelming when trying to decide what to pick off of the shelf!

Clumping litter is almost always the best choice (save for certain medical situations such as a paw laceration) because it allows for daily removal of urine from the box. Non-clumping litter means that either there is excessive waste of litter when the entire contents are emptied every day, or alternatively, it means that the smell of ammonia and urine strengthens throughout the week until it is finally emptied. The only non-clumping litter that prevents ammonia odor buildup is silica crystal litter, but silica litter is not recommended since the the crystals are hard and sharp, creating an unpleasant surface for to walk on.

Clumping litter also allows you to monitor the volume and frequency of your cat's urination, and as a cat owner this very important to note since particular urine habit changes can be indicative of serious health issues. Non-clumping litter disguises cats' urine habits and makes it far more difficult to notice problems when they arise.

Two types of non-clumping litter that do deserve kudos for being (relatively) dust-free and non-tracking are pine litter (multiple brands available) and Yesterday's News made by Purina, made with recycled newspapers. These non-clumping litters play an important role for kitties that have healing wounds on their extremities since they are generally too large for pieces of litter to get stuck in and contaminate open wounds.

Eliminate scented litters from the types you are choosing amongst, and this further narrows your selection. Scented litter means more chemicals, and while it might mean a more pleasant odor for us as owners, it is almost sure to be unpleasant to our cats, and they end up ingesting the chemicals when grooming themselves later, licking the litter dust particles that settled onto their coats while in the litter box. Additionally, scented litters are not necessary; when litter boxes are properly maintained, there should not be any significant odors present that require masking.

Q: How often do I need to empty the litter box?

A: Clumping litter is the most hygienic and practical litter type that exists. Maintenance is minimal if you are diligent about daily scooping. The litter substrate remains nice and fresh, and the litter can simply be topped up once weekly to maintain an appropriate volume inside the box. Litter should be kept at least several inches deep to allow cats a satisfactory substrate in which they can dig and bury their movements. Maintaining a good depth in the box at all times also means that the bottom and sides of the container will remain relatively clean since they will have little to no contact with urine and feces. Once per month the entire litter box can be emptied and cleaned with an unscented, gentle soap and warm water. Once the box is completely dry it can be refilled with fresh litter.

Boxes filled with non-clumping litter need to be emptied daily in order to avoid the unpleasant buildup of ammonia odor and feces.

Q: How many litter boxes do I need?

A: The "Golden Rule" is that the number of litter boxes needed is 'n + 1.' The 'n' stands for the number of cats who live in the home, so the number of litter boxes needed is the number of cats you have plus one extra.

Cats are not always willing to share their amenities, even if they have lived in the same home with multiple kitties their entire lives! Just because two cats use the same litter box does not necessarily mean that they are 'comfortable' doing so; it is simply the best option that they have available to them and so they make do with what they have.

Additionally, some cats who are forced to share their bathrooms experience real distress, not just mild discomfort from the suboptimal situation. It's not uncommon for dominant cats within multi-cat households to guard litter boxes and ambush kitties who are lower in the social hierarchy as they exit their litter boxes. Cats who experience frightening, stressful, or painful situations correlated with litter box use are prone to start eliminating outside of their litter boxes as they attempt to avoid the same adverse situations from reoccurring. Having an extra box present means that there will always be at least one bathroom freely available that will not be guarded.

It's also important to remember that by requiring our cats to repeatedly use the same space for elimination (let alone requiring them to share that space with other cats!), we are already requesting a significant sacrifice from our felines. They would not naturally eliminate in the same place so repeatedly if they were outdoor or feral cats.

Along similar lines, the reason for having more than one litter box for single cats allows them to enjoy having their options; many cats prefer to have one box for urinating, and another one entirely for passing bowel movements. They don't want to use the same space for both which is why 'n + 1' holds true even for single cat households.

Q: What kind of litter box should I get? Covered? Uncovered? Deep sided? Small, large, extra-large?

A: The best litter box is the roomiest one that you can find and fit within your household!

Most commercial options that are available, even the extra-large sized models, are still too small! The average litter box allows one cat to fit inside it and turn around within its confines, similar to human porta potties. And if you stop to think about it, comparing litter boxes to porta potties is a rather accurate analogy, and should provide the right kind of motivation needed to improve on our cats' "elimination situations!"

Imagine being a cat who has to run into the same washroom where another cat just went -- there are old urine clumps and bowel movements present that create an odiferous environment and our noses are nowhere near as sensitive as our cats' noses are! It's no wonder that (non-medical) inappropriate elimination is such a common problem - how many people prefer to find their own clean location in the woods somewhere rather than using porta potties? Sometimes cats end up resorting to the same behavior when they use laundry piles as surrogate litter boxes!

Litter boxes should allow your cat to be comfortable while they are doing their cat business: generous in size, shallow side-wall depth, and easy to enter and exit.

While covered boxes do prevent some scatter, most cats prefer non-covered versions because they instinctively wish to be able to look around and ensure their safety before adapting a vulnerable position as they must in order to complete their task(s) at hand. Covered litter boxes are more cramped and obstruct cats' views: cats in covered boxes are unable to see their surroundings and check for people or other pets walking by, and they also impair their ability to hear others coming as well. Covered litter boxes are particularly uncomfortable for older, arthritic cats, overweight cats, and large cats. They tend to have very deep sides, so the entrance is more difficult to step in and out of. Some covered litter boxes also come with door flaps, and these should absolutely not be used. Cats should not have to work in order to access their bathrooms, and they definitely don't like being smacked by the door flap in the rump as they push their way through the entryway. Door flaps can cause cats to quickly develop aversions to using the corresponding litter boxes.

Rimmed litter boxes are uncovered litter boxes that have separate plastic rims which snap onto their tops, securing pet litter liners in place, and helping to minimize litter scatter. Rimmed litter boxes are far from ideal because while they may help prevent a small percentage of litter scatter, they also decrease the amount of room available to cats in which they can maneuver, and they also detract from litter box accessibility since cats must step over much wider rims when entering the boxes compared with regular models.

The less comfortable a cat is with their litter box situation, and the more difficulty they encounter when using their bathroom, the more time they actually spend inside of them. Cats with cramped litter boxes spend extra time digging to make satisfactory holes for their elimination and, similarly, they try just as hard to find ways to cover their movements properly. So, ironically, many litter box systems developed to try and decrease litter scatter actually increase the overall amounts of scatter created! Comfortable litter boxes result in much less litter box activity altogether... which translates into less scatter!

The product that I have found that works best and keeps both cats and owners happiest is actually the 'under-the-bed-storage-bin' which can function as an extra-long, shallow, regular width (relative to commercial options), roomy "litter box." Under the bed storage bins are made by Sterilite and Rubbermaid and can be found at most Walmarts, Zellers, Canadian Tires, and many other stores, for approximately the same prices as regular litter boxes.

Q: Where should my litter box(es) be placed?

A: Below is a list of criteria detailing where you should avoid placing litter boxes. Do NOT locate litter boxes by:

Noisy machines like laundry washers, dryers, garborators and dish-washers

Food and water bowls (cats do not want to eat and drink where they urinate and defecate, just like humans!)

High-traffic areas like doorways and landings (cats prefer a bit of peace and quiet when using the loo, and if they are ever scared or startled by passers-by, they can develop aversions to the litter box and its location)

Cramped corners (although we may want to hide the unsightly litter box, cats prefer to have good visibility when doing their business)

Children's play areas (keeping kitty waste and children's toys away from each other keeps everyone happy!)

The kitchen area (even the best litter box set up will have some slight smells in the immediate post-use phase, and you don't want to be wondering why your cuisine always tastes better than it smells)

If you have multiple levels in your home, do not isolate the litter box(es) to the basement - there should be an easily accessible box on each level of the home, especially if there is a geriatric cat, or if there are more than one cat in the household (if litter boxes are located together, then one cat can guard access to them, or ambush another cat using them)

When the unsightliness of litter is an issue that is preventing one from being located on a particular level, although covered options are not considered ideal, there are litter box-containing constructs that still allow for large, shallow litter boxes to be placed inside and also function as esthetically pleasing furniture pieces.

Q: How do I prevent litter from tracking everywhere?

A: There is no magical method here unfortunately, but the following are some very useful tips:

PetMate The Litter Catcher Mat (46"x32") - this mat covers a large surface area, is extremely efficient at trapping litter, is soft and flexible on cats' paws and is easily shaken out for cleaning - avoid hard plastic, ridged litter mats that are unpleasant on cats' paws to walk over.

Keep a hand broom and dust pan or a small handheld vacuum nearby for escapee particles!

Keep the litter level a couple inches below edge of the litter box

Purchase low-tracking litter substrate

Q: What about litter liners?

A: Cats do not like litter liners, so it is best not to use them. Simply keep the depth of litter adequate and scoop frequently enough that the bottom and sides of the litter box stay clean.

Q: My litter is advertised as 'biodegradable' - can I compost the cat litter?

A: Yes, you can compost your cat litter. However, it's not recommended that you use the compost of carnivores to fertilize vegetable gardens, because of the variety of pathogenic microbes that their excrement can contain. Cat litter should be composted separately from your kitchen compost. PC Green cat litter is a popular eco-friendly, clumping, absorbent product that works well for composting owners.

Q: My cat litter is advertised as 'flushable' - should I flush it?

A: It's best if your litter can be composted rather than using 6 to 18 litres of water to send the litter somewhere else for composting. However, if you cannot compost the litter, then simply throwing it away is the next best option, since it will biodegrade in landfills as well.

Q: I've heard that cats can be toilet trained, and that using a litter box isn't even necessary. Is toilet training my cat a good idea?

A: While it sounds like a very appealing idea to not have to take care of the litter box, toilet training cats is not a good idea. Healthy, happy cats are those that are permitted expression of as many of their natural behaviors on a daily basis as possible. Eliminating a cat's ability to dig comfortably in a substrate in which they can urinate or defecate would substantially reduce their quality of life. Requiring a cat to balance on a slippery toilet rim multiple times per day would be a significant stressor to them, and this task would become more and more difficult and uncomfortable with age and the onset of arthritis and muscle wasting.

While training cats to do other tricks is a good idea and can enhance their quality of life by providing mental stimulation, when it comes to kitties' bathroom habits, it's best to provide them with a great litter box setup, and reserve the toilet for human use only!

To read more of Dr. Ko's articles, please visit www.catdoctorko.com

The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.

catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat's quality of life!

All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership - it's fast and free!


View the original article here

Allergic to cats? Here is the reason and what you can do

Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request
Translate Request has too much data
Parameter name: request

You may wonder, why does playing with my cat make my nose run and my eyes itch? Why does cuddling with my cat throw me into sneezing fits? What is it about my cat that causes this reaction in me?

The simple answer is that your cat is constantly shedding skin flakes (dander) into the air which you breathe in and to which your body overreacts. If you have cat allergies these little 'bio-bits' contain protein fragments that trigger your body's immune system, which mistakes them for dangerous pathogens. Allergenic proteins are also present in cats' urine and saliva so activities such as cleaning the litter box and receiving kisses from your kitty may cause flare-ups in your allergy symptoms.

Basically, allergies are the result of misguided, overzealous immune responses to normally harmless substances. And you are not alone; roughly 20% of people suffer from allergies, and a significant portion of them experience cat allergies.

Allergic reactions can range from skin rashes, hives, rhinitis (runny and stuffy nose, post-nasal drip), red and itchy eyes, asthma, including severe asthma attacks, and even anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock and asthma attacks are the most serious of allergic reactions because they can be fatal if not treated immediately.

There is a strong genetic component to allergies, and people are more prone to experiencing them if their parents have allergies as well. However, exposure and other environmental influences also play a role, and people can develop allergies at any time in their life, with or without a family history of allergies.

Specifically, here are the main causes of cat-related allergies (note: there are several more feline allergens that have been identified, but the following five described below are the most important allergens discovered to date):

Common name: Dander Allergen

Scientific name: Fel d 1, secretoglobin, uteroglobin

Role: major cat allergen (the most significant cat allergen, elicits allergic responses in 90% of people with cat allergies)

Found in: saliva, sebaceous(oil) glands, anal glands, lacrimal (tear-producing) glands, internal tissues, skin (skin is the most significant source) - production of Fel d 1 is at least partly controlled by testosterone, with male cats producing more than females, and neutered male cats producing less Fel d 1 than intact males

How it's transported: Fel d 1 is extremely small and light enough to float in the air

The Myth: cat hair causes allergies

The Truth: dander can be trapped in hair, making it seem like hair is the culprit, but it is actually secreted by skin cells

Common name: Major Urinary Allergen ('Mup')

Scientific name: Fel d 4, lipocalin

Found in: urine, saliva

Role: major cat allergen (causes allergic response in approximately 60% of cat allergy sufferers)

How it's transported: Fel d 4 in feline saliva is deposited onto cats' dander particles when they groom themselves; Fel d 4 in feline urine may exacerbate allergies in those who are on kitty bathroom duty

The Myth: I thought that if protein is present in my cat's urine it meant that they could be having kidney problems

The Truth: This can be true in various instances, but not when it comes to Mups! Mups are supposed to be present in cat urine, and they act as pheromones that trigger social cues both within the feline species and among other species (eg. feline Mups elicit fear responses in mice and rats!)

Common name: Cat Albumin

Scientific name: Fel d 2, serum albumin

Found in: saliva, dander, serum (blood)

Role: minor cat allergen

How it's transported: similar mechanisms of contact with humans as Fel d 1 and Fel d 4

The Myth: Fel d 2 is a more prominent cat dander protein than Fel d 1, so it is probably an even worse allergen than Fel d 1, the "Dander Allergen"

The Truth: Fel d 2 is considered a minor cat allergen and only elicits an allergic response in 15% - 35% of people with cat allergies

Common name: Cat Cystatin

Scientific name: Fel d 3, cystatin - cysteine protease inhibitor

Found in: dander

Role: minor cat allergen (elicits allergic reactions in approximately 10% of individuals with cat allergies)

How it's transported: similar mechanisms of contact with humans as Fel d 1, Fel d 4, Fel d 3

Common name: Cat IgA

Scientific name: Fel d 5, feline immunoglobulin A

Found in: dander, serum

Role: minor cat allergen (elicits allergic reactions in approximately 40% of individuals with cat allergies)

How it's transported: similar mechanisms of contact with humans as Fel d 1, Fel d 4, Fel d 2, Fel d 3

HOW TO MANAGE CAT ALLERGIES

If you suffer from cat allergies there are many lifestyle modifications you can make that will enable you to enjoy a close, loving relationship with your cat(s) without suffering allergy symptoms or constantly needing to use allergy medications. The simplistic tasks range from precautions you should take while interacting with your cat, to cleaning your cat, and how to improve your home cleaning and ventilation methods so that the overall allergen load in your home is minimized.

The more costly and challenging (but worthwhile!) modifications include changing your home flooring, your bedding and furniture type, window treatments, and other remodeling efforts. While these are more expensive and time-consuming changes to accomplish, they are particularly beneficial to allergy sufferers because they not only reduce the cat allergen load in your home, but also that of other potent allergens (such as dust mites), thus reducing the presence of all allergens at home - this is key in managing the overall manifestation of your allergic symptoms.

Here's what you can do:

With Your Cat -

- After each contact with your cat, avoid touching your clothes, face and eyes until you can wash your hands.

- Change your clothes post-cuddle or purchase a tight-weave housecoat to wear when cuddling your cat.

In Your Home -

- Avoid 'knick-knacks' which can collect dust and allergens.

- Open windows to ventilate rooms.

- Avoid using drapes (they are hard to clean), instead use blinds or shutters.

- Use easy to clean semi-gloss paint on walls.

- Minimalist furniture that is easy to clean is best (leather or removable tight-weave upholstery is a close second).

- Flooring should be hardwood or vinyl (avoid the use of area rugs).

- Buy bedding and covers designed to keep out allergens & choose linens with the smallest fabric weave possible.

When Cleaning -

- Use HEPA filters in your vents, air purifiers, heaters and vacuums.

- Vacuum 2x per week.

- Wash bedding 1x per week.

- Clean air vents 2x per year.

- Clean decorative pillows 1x per week.

- Steam cleaning is a good way to kill allergens in upholstery, carpeting and fabrics.

Keeping Your Cat Clean -

Yes, cat's bath themselves, but they're not worried about dander (and the kitty self-grooming process spreads salivary allergens over their coat surface and onto dander particles!). To help reduce the amount of dander being released from your cat's skin (the main source of cat allergen) you can soak your cat in warm tap water for 3 minutes. These mini-baths are best if done twice per week, but some owners have found that even once per week can provide some help with allergies. If you wish, you can use a gentle, hypo-allergenic shampoo, but this isn't necessary for the purposes of decreasing dander. Please remember, whenever you bath your cat, use the same precautions as you would with an infant (make sure the water is warm but not hot, do not leave your cat unattended in the bath, and if the running water scares your kitty then be sure to fill the basin prior to bathing your cat).

A great tip for both you and your cat is to use a low-dust type of cat litter. Low-dust litter helps reduce the amount of dander present in the air, and causes less irritation to the sensitive airways of owners with allergies and the airways of cats that suffer from allergies too. Keep in mind that if the allergic person in your home is cleaning the litter box, they should use a mask to avoid the inhalation of dander particles and litter dust.

- Medical Information for Humans -

Before you blame your cat for your allergies, be certain that they are indeed the guilty party; your family physician or allergist can help diagnose your allergies properly. This is crucial since there are a wide variety of environmental allergens that can mimic cat allergy symptoms.

Also, it's important to note that many people with cat allergies just need a few months to build up a tolerance to their individual cat. So, if you start sneezing around your cat, do not take any drastic actions such as surrendering your kitty or renovating your entire home until you've given it some time. Patience can often pay off when it comes to cat allergies!

Additionally, there are many over-the-counter remedies, prescription drugs, and other treatment approaches that can provide significant relief for allergy sufferers, particularly during the period when your immune system is acclimatizing to your new cat(s). If you are suffering, it's a great idea to check in with your family physician, allergist, and local pharmacist. They can discuss many treatment options with you, which may include:

antihistamines, decogestants, nasal glucocorticoids, nasal cromolyns

rescue inhalers and inhalant glucocortoids for asthmatic reactions

omega 3 fatty acids and select other nutritional supplements that can help decrease inflammation throughout the body

immunotherapy specifically for cat allergens which can help decrease the frequency and severity of allergic symptoms

A NOTE ABOUT HYPOALLERGENIC CATS

Some cat breeds have been genetically manipulated via inbreeding to make them less allergenic to humans than others. However, I strongly recommend that you not purchase a purebred, hypoallergenic cat. Hypoallergenic cats suffer greater frequency of genetic disorders and diseases, and that means a sick cat with a lower quality of life, as well as more veterinary bills for you! So, before you search out a cat that may let fly less allergenic dander, consider the solutions I've listed above, and think about the welfare of the cat you wish to own and care for. Read Selected Inherited Diseases of the Cat by Dr. Susan Little, Diplomate ABVP (feline), for more information on genetic disorders in purebred cats.

ALLERGY RESOURCES

Shopping for allergy products? Recommended websites:

Allergy Buy's Club (affiliated with Allergy Consumer Review - below)

Air Cleaners.com

Sleep Clean (sells organic allergy bedding)

The Allergy Guy

Allergy Consumer Review (great reviews on products)

Miele.ca (vacuums)

To read more of Dr. Ko's articles, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com

The information provided in this article is for educational reference purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice and care of your veterinarian, nor medical diagnoses or treatments. All questions regarding your cat's health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Dr. Ko is a passionate believer in the importance of preventative medicine and educating cat owners about its benefits for their cats. It was this ideal which was the motivation for the creation of the Dr. Ko website.

catdoctorko.com is a brand new site dedicated to providing cat owners with information to help them provide effective and preventative health care for their cats. Within the site, Dr. Ko, a licensed veterinarian, has created Know-How Videos, Cat Health Articles, Ask Dr. Ko tips (in which she answers your cat health questions), information on toxic substances, product recalls, dangerous household items and much more! In addition, the website houses a store filled with products specifically selected for their benefits to optimizing your cat's quality of life!

All of the topics that Dr. Ko writes about are provided by members of her website. To suggest an article topic for Dr. Ko, please visit http://www.catdoctorko.com/ and set up a membership - it's fast and free!


View the original article here