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Spaying or Neutering Cats
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Providing Care
Unless you plan on breeding your cat, spaying or neutering it is the best way to slow down feline overpopulation. Many cats that are born each year end up in overcrowded shelters or are abandoned in the wild. Spaying or neutering your cat early in its life can prevent this unnecessary suffering. Benefits
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Staph Infection in Cats
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria that commonly live on the skin in both people and animals. Usually, this does not cause any problems. However, sometimes the bacteria can change so that the antibiotic methicillin no longer works on them—meaning, this drug cannot slow their growth or kill
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Toxoplasmosis
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Pests and Parasites
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasite named Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). This parasite is very common and shows up in pets, people and nearly all other warm-blooded mammals. In spite of this, the parasite does not usually cause any real problems in cats. Life Cycle of the Toxoplasmosis Parasite T.
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Urinary Conditions
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
A cat’s urinary system can be negatively affected due to a variety of reasons, including suffering from an endocrine disease, such as diabetes mellitus and hyperthyroidism. More often, however, the cause of a urinary problem is a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). When problems with the urinary
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Vestibular Problems
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
In order to understand how vestibular problems exist, one must first look at the vestibular system, which consists of the parts of the inner ear (vestibular apparatus) and brain (medulla) that help regulate balance and eye movements. The vestibular apparatus involves a number of fluid-filled chambers,
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Caring for Senior Cats
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Providing Care
Thanks to advancements in veterinary care, today’s cats can live well into their teen years. It is not uncommon for cats to live to be 18 or even older. However, in order for cats to live a long full life, they need proactive veterinary care to stay healthy. As cats age, they are at greater risk for
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Feline Stomatitis: Treatments
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Digestive and Oral Health
Cats rarely display their pain, but cats with feline stomatitis are often the exception. If your cat appears to have mouth pain, is reluctant to eat, doesn't want to groom, is drooling, and doesn't want you to open its mouth, it may be suffering from this debilitating, degenerative oral condition, and
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Feline Leukemia Virus: What You Need to Know
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
Feline leukemia (FeLV) is a virus that weakens your cat's immune system. Unfortunately, when the immune system does not function properly, your cat may be more likely to develop other diseases, such as cancer and blood disorders. How Cats Contract Feline Leukemia Cats get feline leukemia from other cats.
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Family Cats and Pregnant Women: Take Measures to Prevent Toxoplasmosis Infection
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Providing Care
Nothing must spoil the joys of becoming a new parent. Not even your pets. But family cats with normal, every day habits can pose a risk to expectant women. Women's immune systems can be disturbed by a parasite carried in fecal matter. If you're the primary caretaker of your family's feline friend it
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Create an Environment Your Cat Will Love
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Bringing Your Pet Home
The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery confirms that feline emotional wellbeing, behavior and physical health are a result of how comfortable they are in their environment. Understanding how our cats interact with their environment can help us create a space for owners and cats to mutually thrive
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Common Feline Skin Conditions: Protect Your Feline
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
Cats can suffer from a variety of different skin disorders, including feline acne, allergic dermatitis, mites and ringworm. If your cat is frequently itching, scratching, licking his skin beyond normal grooming, or suffering unexplained hair loss, a skin condition may be the cause. The first step to
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Catnip: Why Cats Love It
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Providing Care
Few things stimulate a cat's pleasure faster than catnip. Exposure to this simple herb can reveal a new side to their feline personality. Many cats will go crazy at the smell of this plant. Catnip has a reputation of being a feline drug and many cat owners wonder if it is safe to give it to their pet.
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Zoonosis
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
Zoonosis refers to diseases that can be transmitted to humans from animals. In particular, they occur when an infected animal passes on bacteria, parasites, fungi or viruses to humans through scratches, saliva, feces and urine. Vectors (e.g., organisms like fleas and ticks) can also carry zoonotic diseases
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Heartworms
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Pests and Parasites
While more common in dogs, cats also suffer from deadly heartworm infestation. Heartworms, spaghetti-like white creatures, can measure 1-foot long and cause an inflammatory response in your pet’s heart and lungs. Heartworms are especially prevalent in hot, humid parts of the country, especially in
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Heart Problems
Category: Feline, Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
A cat’s apricot-sized heart is susceptible to several problems. Some develop in young kittens while others may strike at any age. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy results from a structural abnormality of the tissue around one or more of the heart’s chambers. It disrupts the heart’s normal
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Health Hazards
Category: Feline, Living With Your Pet, Providing Care
Cat lovers do not like to contemplate the expression “Curiosity killed the cat.” Nonetheless, it is true that cats like to explore and all too often they can encounter serious hazards in their own homes. Cat owners need to assess these dangers so their cats stay safe and happy. Everyday Hazards Home
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