Cat Behavior Issues

Everyday Cat Health Issues

All cats are different. Some may never get sick. Some cats unfortunately will and in some cases, they will inherit their diseases. It does not matter what type of cat breed you own, all cats are not immune to infections and diseases. Here is a list of the most common cat health issues your cat may incur.

Fleas:

Here we have the most common of all cat health issues. Fleas can easily take over your cat and home if you let your cat run free outside. If you do let your cat roam free outside, your best bet would be to get a flea collar. If the cat has picked up fleas there is a number of flea products to get at your local pet store. Ignoring fleas can lead to other diseases such as anemia, skin infections, allergies and tapeworms.

Parasitic Worms:

An occasional problem seen in cats in is parasitic worms. There are several types of worms cats may develop and reside in the intestines. Roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms that infect cats and are the most common. If your cat seems to be lethargic, not gaining weight and scratching from fleas, you should check the cats stool for signs of small white particles. If you see this or if the cat exhibits this type of behavior, he/she should be taken to the vet and checked for worms. Worms can be controlled with the proper medicine. If untreated, worms could be fatal.

Cats are constantly cleaning and grooming themselves. They lick their ears, legs and entire body every day. While cleaning themselves, hair from their body are swallowed. Over time the loose hairs will develop into a ball. This is known as a hairball. The hairball can sometimes get stuck in the cats digestive system. Cats will start to cough and in most cases, regurgitate the hairball. However, if cats cannot pass the hairball through its stool, it can get lodged in its intestine causing a painful blockage. If this blockage in not treated, usually surgically removed, serious and fatal damage can occur. If you notice your cat not eating properly, constipated and not grooming themselves as often as they do, contact your vet immediately.

Hairballs:

Hairballs can be prevented by grooming your cat several times a week with a brush to dislodge loose or dead hair. There is also cat food available to control hairballs. The food is generally high in fiber. You must gradually switch the food and increase the high fiber food daily until the cat is eating all of it.

One of the most common infection in cats in the urinary tract infection. Male cats that have been nurtured seem to have this problem more often than cats that have not. Female cats also have this problem but not as often. Cats will stop going in their litter box and in some cases, start to meow very loudly as to get the owners attention. Strong smelling urine is another symptom seen in this infection. This infection can be very painful if not treated over time. If your cats displays any of these symptoms, call the vet immediately and see if you can get the cat in right away. Medicine can be taken and the vet will also give you some suggestions on how to keep your cat healthy in this area.

Feline Leukemia:

Feline leukemia was known as a cancer in the past. It is known as FeLV and is in fact a retrovirus. The retrovirus is made from Ribonucleic acid. It is passed between cats through saliva and or nasal secretions, litter box and even biting . If the cats immune system cannot defeat the disease, it is usually deadly.

Although there is really no way to protect your cat from getting this disease, it is best to keep your cat indoors and away from other stray cats. Cats should be taken to their vets regularly and given their vaccinations that will lead to a normal and healthy life.

Remember, your cat is a member of your family. You want to take care of them like they were your own child. Cats that are well cared for can live a long time and will bring years of enjoyment to you and your family!

Sources: Pet Univeristy http://www.petuniversity.com/cats/health--nutrition/common-health-issues/ Common Health Issues

By Sam Carr -

Marking/Stains - Good Carpet Cleaner?
I've been having major issues with my cat's feces and urine staining on several pieces of furniture and areas of my apt. Not being able to lay down and even want to smell rooms of my place is really getting old. I've already put a "QUESTION" up regarding cat behaviour issues it answered a lot of questions and put me into a position of experementing and waiting. Now it's time for me to try to fix the place I live in to be something I can relax in again. Now if anybody has any great suggestions in affordable spot/carpet cleaners that I can use on furniture and my floor it would help incredibly. I can't afford to buy new furniture and I would like to keep the stuff I have. But it has become something that could change...and I'd rather it not.

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Cat Behavior Issues?
I just adopted a gray cat about 7 months old. It's a nice kitty. Lately, it's been "sick" and I got her some medicine. Today I was trying to hold it's back leg and it tried to bite me. Then I tried to pet her and she tried to bite me. I stood up, and said loudly, "NO!" like 4 times and ignored her for 20 minutes. Is there a reason for her to do this? Do cats hate people touching their back legs? I saw my friend grabbing her hind legs yesterday to play with it and she was OKAY. But she tried to bite me when I tried to pet her on her head. Is it because of the medicine? Is it because she's tired. I do admit that I like to pet my cat when she is sleeping waking her up. Is she cranky? Have I done something wrong? I usually cuddle her, kiss her and put my face into her coat and play with her? Is this playing spoiling her? Is my discipline wrong? What signs should I be looking for if she "might be angry"?

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Cat behavior issues.. PLEASE HELP!!!!?
I have a 3 yr old full grown female long hrd. cat. She use to live alone, so i got a male kitten in hopes to provide her w company. At first it tookawhile forher to except it, but she soon ended up liking the kitten, took him under her wing, and so on........ 2 weeks ago I had him neutered and brought him home that same day. She flipped out. She absolutely hates him and me now. Anytime he comes near, trys to eat, or even comes close to me she hisses, trys to bite.....she is seriously outta control!!! My roommate and I tryed the water bottle thing and the whole dominance thing where u lay themon there sides face to face till they calm down....we're gettin no where with that. So now, she's in the taxi carrier when she des it cuz we have no idea what to do, and we feel bad for being the ones that are having to do this. Especially bc the whole perpose was to get her a friend so she wouldn'tbe all depressed all the time anymore. gettin rid of the kitten is not an issue at this point.. HELP

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Opinions on a cat behavior issue?
I have 2 cats-- a male and a female, both fixed. I have had the male for 1.5 years and the female for 1. She is 4, but I don't know how old the male is as he was a stray. The vet guessed about 8 years old. My cats have always gotten along very well, and my male was the more affectionate one. Lately, he has started getting testy. He wants to be by himself in the other room. He sometimes squabbles with the female cat-- it seems like he's the instigator. He still grooms her, though. They aren't hurting each other, but I'm wondering why he's so grumpy. No aggression towards me. He had blood work done in November, and nothing was wrong. He looks very healthy and is eating and drinking normally. Doesn't seem to be in pain. No changes to his normal routine. Lately the female cat has become much more affectionate. Could this have something to do with it? Any suggestions? I'll definitely take him to the vet if this continues, but I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before.

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Cat behavior issue - stealing my food?
One of my cats has a history of difficult behavior issues. We go through re-training on the litter box a few times a year, and it's generally impossible to get her to respect boundaries about things like not being on counters, etc. Lately she's been getting very bold about stealing the humans' food. I cannot turn my back on her for even a few seconds, she will grab whatever she can from plates, counters, cupboards, the refrigerator, anything. Today I went to answer the phone, came back in about 10 seconds with the phone, and she had taken a chunk of raw ground beef right out of the frying pan on the stove, and she had it on the floor trying to scarf it down. That was a new move for her, actually grabbing food from a pan as it is cooking. Not only is this unacceptable behavior, obviously, but it's dangerous. The cat could get burned or could start a fire. The only solution I have that works is to lock her up in a closed room whenever I am eating or cooking. That is effective but it doesn't really solve the problem, and it's not practical to do this every time I eat. I am looking for behavior modification tactics for difficult, willful cats. I cannot use the basic methods like spraying with water, or putting foil or cat repellent on the counters, I have tried those things and they do NOT work on this cat. I need psychology-based tactics to assert my rules and get her to listen to me. Help? Repeat: Spraying with water does not work. Cat repellents, foil, tape, orange peels, loud noises, etc etc etc, these things are not effective on this particular cat. No offense meant by the way, I know those are good suggestions for most cats, but this one is not normal lol

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