Felines Health

Feline Health Tips: Helping Your Overweight Cat Lose a Few Pounds

Feline obesity is a threat to the health and lifespan of your cat. This article will help you work with your cat to lose the needed weight with minimal struggle.

Feline health is, in many ways, common sense. Since cats are mammals like us, many of the same basic premises apply.

When a cat is overweight, he or she is at risk for heart problems, diabetes, and the exact same complications obese humans experience. Good feline health practices for reducing obesity are the same tactics used for people who need to shed a few excess pounds.

Essentially your cat needs to take in fewer calories and get a little more exercise. That's all there is to it unless there is some genetic setback causing the feline obesity.

You might think it's hard to get your cat on a diet and exercise program, but in truth it's quite easy. Where you lead, your feline friend will follow.

The first step is to ask your vet what your cat's target weight should be. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a good range to shoot for with a basic physical exam.

Fewer Calories In Your Cat's Diet

Once you have a target weight goal, you'll need to start by adjusting your cat's caloric intake. Your vet can recommend a good food with fewer calories.

Also you can adjust the current feeding schedule. If you're leaving food in the bowl all day long, start feeding your cat twice a day instead.

Take the bowls up after your cat eats in the morning and set them out again for the evening meal. Again, once the cat has had a good meal, take the food up again until the next morning.

Clearly if you have multiple cats it might not be as easy to manage your obese feline's diet. If you don't want to put all cats on a reduced schedule just find a food with fewer calories and eliminate treats until the target weight is reached.

And certainly stop giving your cat people food! Especially in cases of feline obesity it is counterproductive to share people food with your cat.

Feline Exercise Program

Chance are your cat is already somewhat active. Even cats who "sleep all day" have at least one activity period during the day.

Felines are polyphasic, meaning they have multiple periods of sleep and activity during the day. You may simply be unaware of when your cat is running and playing.

Your job is to get your cat involved in a period of exercise and brisk physical activity for about ten minutes each day. And you can do this by simply playing with him or her.

Drag a string, throw a catnip ball, or do something else to intrigue your cat into motion. Keep him/her running, jumping, and swatting for ten minutes or longer without stopping.

You can use catnip to stimulate your cat if needed. Many felines get a rush from this herb and will become more active for several minutes after rolling in or eating it.

It takes a little focus on your part to correct a feline obesity problem. But you owe it to your cat to put forth the effort on this because after all, you are the parental figure in this relationship.

For more easy, practical tips on keeping your cats in an optimal state of feline health be sure to visit the author's cat health care site now.

Please help save my cat!?
I have a ten year old cat that I've had since she was only four weeks old. She's a beautiful cat, and nearly the perfect picture of feline health, but she has a number of difficulties associated with owning her. The tip of her tail was broken and healed badly as a young kitten, so her balance is completely shot. She is most definitely -not- good with kids (she swats at my nephew without cause) and not too good with other animals, either. She's -terrified- of the outdoors and won't set foot outside without her claws dug into someone's flesh. Most particularly, though, she sharpens her claws on all of our furniture (ruining it in the process), and she also refuses to use the litter box for peeing. She uses it for poop, but I've seen her come out of it afterwards and immediately pee on the carpet, so I know this isn't a bladder control or other health issue. I've tried training her out of it with a water bottle and with chemical treatments for the carpets, but nothing works.(more) Unfortunately, when I move in September, she won't be allowed to come with me. I've spoken with the no-kill shelters in the area, and they won't take her, as they look for 'fast turn-around' (read: perfect) cats. No one I know personally will take her because she's so destructive to property. I don't want to take her to the pound, because it's a near guarantee they'll put her to sleep, and I don't feel that's appropriate. After 10 years, I feel I owe her more than that. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do? It's not where I'm moving, but who I have to move with that makes it so I can't keep her with me, and unfortunately I don't have a choice in that matter. She's already fixed, so that won't really help. She won't use scratching posts, even when they've got catnip all over them. The double-sided tape is possible, but I'm really less concerned about the scratching than I am about the peeing everywhere. None of my friends will take her for the same reasons I'm having to get rid of her. I've got an ad up on Craig's List for her, but I haven't put her on Freecycle yet; I'll try that. For those of you who have made judgments on my not being able to take her with me: Please, please don't. This is -not- my choice; much as her peeing everywhere really does annoy me, I would tolerate it to keep her. Unfortunately, the choice is not in my hands, but in the hands of the person I am moving with. It's either lose the cat or don't move, and that would leave me homeless. For those who have suggested taking her to the vet: I simply can't. At this point, I'm barely financially able to keep feeding her and myself; any major outlay of money is simply not possible. For clarity's sake, BTW, I'm only 25 and I have a very low paying job. The kitten was a Christmas present, and at the time I got her, I had -no- idea what kind of obligation being a pet-owner was, in terms of finances - even when you've got a perfectly good pet who never does anything wrong or gets sick. To those of you who have suggested special needs shelters and other resources, thank you.I hope one will work out.

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Quiz - Feline Health?
1. Your cat has recently briefly been in contact with a sick cat and you check its temperature just to be on the safe side. You are getting a reading of 102?F. On this information alone, with no outward symptoms of sickness, what would be the correct thing to do? Give the cat an aspirin and take temperature again in an hour. Wrap the cat in a warming blanket. Immediately take the cat to your veterinarian. Nothing - this is normal. 2. Which of the following is a hereditary disease having a high prevalence among Maine Coon cats? cytauxzoonosis toxoplasmosis feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy feline panleukopenia 3. Which of the following statements about feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is false? FIV is usually transmitted through bites. FIV is diagnosed through a blood test. FIV infected cats should not be adopted into a family with uninfected cats. FIV can be successfully treated with antiviral medications. 4. The holidays often present special hazards to our feline friends. Many decorative plants common to Christmas, for example, are toxic to cats. Which of the following is the least toxic? holly amaryllis mistletoe poinsettia 5. Which one of the following is not a possible symptom of feline cancer? lameness and stiffness high activity and restlessness abdominal swelling weight loss and appetite loss 6. How do you treat a cat with frostbite? firmly massage the area dab the area with a sponge dipped in warm water warm the area with warm, moist towels give the cat a hot bath 7. Cats are carnivores. When selecting food for your cat it is important to make sure the main ingredient is: carbohydrates protein and carbohydrates from both plant and animal sources protein from plant sources protein from animal sources 8. What is the safest way to administer cortisone medication to an asthmatic cat? monthly injections inhaler daily pills or syrups not at all - asthmatic cats do not need cortisone 9. In a senior cat, what could be a symptom of arthritis? enthusiastically playing with a fishing pole toy reluctance to jump up or off of a couch or bed restlessly racing up and down the stairs obsessively licking the "poopy pants" region to clean 10. What is the most common type of allergy in cats? Flea allergy Food allergy Inhalant allergy Contact allergy

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Changing career to work with animals?
I'am currently employed but am desperate to change my career to something a lot more worthwhile and I have always wanted to work with animals. While I'm working in my current job, I'm also studying feline health care and behaviour, and am awaiting my final results, but I also have a diploma in animal health care and behaviour. I've put in a few c.v's and applications for a trainee verterinary nurse with a few local practices near me, they have put me on their waiting lists as there limited places in the surgeries to do on site training. So while I'm waiting to hear anything, I was interested to finding out about working in the police force as a wildliffe officer or as a kennel attendant, now this is where I'm asking for your guys help. I've been onto the south wales police website (uk) but I can't seem to see if they have divisions in what I'm interested in,I've found information for other police forces in the uk,but not in south wales,so if anyone could possibly help me and point me in the right direction on how to get the relevant info that I need,as I would be really interested in doing something along these lines also,any help would be fantastic thanx Thanks guy's,I did look at a police dog handler and yes you do have to serve two years as an officer,which I'm not interested in doing,I would rather be a kennel attendant,but I do know other forces have wildlife officers but not sure about south wales police,I'll give them a ring I think.Thanks for your responses

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Feed 4 week old kittens whole food?
I've been feeding these 2 four week old kittens (born May 25,2009) "Just Born" kitten milk replacement for a while now, since the mom cat abandoned them. They're pretty skinny which really worries me. What can I do to make them get fatter? Should I start feeding them whole foods? Like that: http://www.petco.com/product/10180/Royal-Canin-Feline-Health-Nutrition-Babycat-34.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch or should I continue to just feed them the kitten milk replacement? and how do I litter train them? **Advice please? thank you thank you in advance!! http://www.petco.com/product/107835/Fancy-Feast-Tender-Ocean-Whitefish-Feast-Gourmet-Canned-Kitten-Food.aspx?CoreCat=LN_Shopping_CatFood_CannedFood this thing has byproducts... but would you recommend it? it's a canned food i'm going to petco tomorrow...if you can find a product on their website it would be appreciated; but then again you don't have to **oh and I also have a follow up question about bathing & litter training them [look @ my profile Q's)

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