Normal Cat Weight vs. Age

Normal Cat Weight vs. Age

The Kitten

A cat is considered a kitten for the first year of her life. Kittens grow rapidly and are very active, and it's normal for her to look a bit lanky during rapid growth phases, as long as she is getting enough food. Regular checkups at the vet can help ensure that she is not underweight.

Adolescence

Most of your kitty's development is finished by adolescence. Between 6 months and 1 year, your cat will begin to be sexually active if you have not yet had her spayed. She is still very active, and so it's fine for her to be somewhat lean.

Adulthood

Things start to slow down for your cat as she enters adulthood at or after 1 year, because she's not growing or changing as quickly as when she was a kitten. It's important at this stage to be vigilant about checking that the numbers on the vet's scale don't start creeping too high.

Seniors

As cats age, they sometimes have health issues that extra weight can worsen, such as arthritis and heart, kidney or liver disease. Carrying less weight after the age of 12 years or so is important to Kitty's good health and ease of movement.

Signs of pain in cats

Signs of pain in cats

Top 5 signs

• Appetite decrease
• Avoiding bright areas
• Growling
• Groaning
• Eyes closed

What if you see these signs of pain in your cat?

Cat owners should be aware of these signs. Some mistakenly attribute behavioral changes, such as absence of grooming or playing less, as signs of aging; they can actually be signs of pain.

If you see any of these signs in your cat, see your veterinarian right away. Also remember that the absence of a sign does not mean your cat is no pain.
These signs may help both vets and cat guardians better assess the pain status of cats in their care.

While it can be fairly easy to recognize severe pain, it is much more difficult to detect low grade pain. The criteria above are a great start. Hopefully, this research will spark more studies to help us assess mild pain in cats as well to ensure their well-being.

CAT BEHAVIOR

Why Does My Cat Lick Me?

Does your feline companion lick you, and are you wondering why? Particularly since a cat’s tongue can feel a bit rough, it’s a behavior that’s hard to ignore! In general, there are two major reasons a cat will lick human family members.

Some cats lick for social affiliation and affection. you have more than one cat, or have observed cats together, you’ll notice that cats will lick other cats in their social group.   many species of animals will lick and groom each other to strengthen their social bonds. It also helps to reduce conflict within the group¹. Since cats live with you, as part of your social group, it’s natural for them to engage in allogrooming to demonstrate affiliative behavior. If your cats are generally healthy and behaving normally, licking is a positive indicator that they like you and want to be closer.

Some cats lick to alleviate anxiety.Some cats will lick humans because they feel anxious and/or fearful. Licking their humans is a way to calm themselves³, somewhat like how humans will chew their nails when they feel anxious. This behavior is also observed in cats that were too young to be taken away from their mothers.

A RESPONSIBLE CAT OWNER

A RESPONSIBLE  CAT OWNER

While your are busy with your work, you still need to give a lot of care and attention to your cat. Why? Because it is your responsibilities to take care about your pet not only for cat but the other pets that you have. So, how you want to be a responsible cat owner? There a lot of ways that you can do to be a responsible cat owner.

Firstly, you must always play with your cat when you are free. Give them a lot of attention so that they can play around and feel comfortable with their owner.

Besides of that, you must take care of you cat carefully. Never forgot to give them cat foods when its time to  they eat. Dont make they feel too hungry because waiting for their foods.

Cats make great pets to have around the home. They bring their own personalities, habits, and characters, soon becoming a key part of your family. And while some cats are known for being a little less on the needy side, you do need to care for them to make sure they're at their happiest.

feeding your cat

FEEDING YOUR CAT

Diet is the brick and mortar of health. Everyone want their cats to feel healthy. So there are some often-ignored principles of feline nutrition and explains why cats have a better chance at optimal health if they are fed canned food .

Putting a little thought into what you feed your cat(s) can pay big dividends over their lifetime and very possibly help them avoid serious, painful, and costly illnesses.  An increasing number of nutrition-savvy veterinarians, including board-certified veterinary internists, are now strongly recommending the feeding of canned food instead of dry kibble.

The three key negative issues associated with dry food are:
1) water content is too low
2) carbohydrate load is too high
3) type of protein – too high in plant-based versus animal-based proteins

In addition, dry food is very heavily processed which includes being subjected to high temperatures for a long time resulting in alteration and destruction of nutrients.

Dry food is also often contaminated with bacteria, fungal mycotoxins, storage mites/cockroaches and their feces.

Also keep in mind that dry foods are not refrigerated and they sit in warm warehouses, on pet store shelves, and in your cupboards for weeks or months before your pets consume them.  Fats can easily become rancid, and bacteria will proliferate, in this type of environment.

So, there is no doubt that dry food is responsible for far more intestinal problems, and other diseases, than most veterinarians and cat owners realize.

Feeding Your Cat

What to Know About Feeding Your Cat

Whether your cat is a picky eater or a little on the pudgy side, she probably lets you know how she feels about what you put in her bowl.

“Cats are very opinionated about food, and a lot of their food preferences are formed in the first year,” says Julie A. Churchill, DVM, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in St. Paul. So if your cat is a kitten, now is the time to get her used to different types of food -- wet, dry, and semidry.

But even if your pet is older, there are still ways to make sure she’s getting all the nutrients she needs to be healthy. Start by learning more about what you’re buying and what your cat needs.

Choose Balanced Food

All cat owners should know how to read a cat food label, says Richard Hill, PhD, associate professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville.

“With so much advertising, people tend to focus on ingredients, but the nutrients are more important, namely protein and fat,” he says.
It’s trendy to bash grains and carbohydrates in pet food, but those are not necessarily bad, Churchill says. Plus, food made of only protein and fat gets pricey. “Carbs can be valuable to hold dry food together and make food more affordable, and many cats like that crunch. As long as carbs are in an amount cats can handle, it’s OK.”

How do you know if your cat’s food is balanced? Look for a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) on the package.

“It will say that the food is complete and balanced, either through a feeding trial or because the recipe meets cats’ nutritional requirements,” Hill says. If the food has this distinction, there’s no need to give your kitty extra vitamins or supplements -- the food has all she needs.

How Much, How Often?

Most cats will eat their main meals at dawn and dusk, when they would normally be hunting and catching prey in the wild, so those are often the best times to feed them.

Cats and Compulsive Scratching, Licking, and Chewing

Cats and Compulsive Scratching, Licking, and Chewing

Most cats are meticulous groomers, but what happens when the behavior goes into overdrive? For a variety of reasons, some cat licking, scratching, and chewing behaviors become compulsive, which can annoy you and damage your pet’s skin and coat.

If your cat is scratching, licking, or chewing herself compulsively, it is likely you regularly catch her in the act. But if you don’t, your first clue may be the disappearance of your cat’s fur, often in strips along her back or stomach. Cats with self-mutilating behaviors may also cause red, irritated areas called hot spots to form, but they are less likely than dogs to do so.

Although compulsive cat scratching, licking, or chewing behaviors can develop in any animal, they are more commonly observed in Siamese cats and other Oriental breeds. Female cats are more likely than males to lick, chew, or pull on their fur.

Because there are a number of medical problems that may result in scratching and licking behaviors, be sure to consult with your veterinarian to help determine the cause and the best course of action.

Why Do Cats Compulsively Scratch, Lick, or Chew?

Parasites. Fleas are often the culprits behind compulsive cat scratching or cat licking behaviors. Because cats are excellent groomers, they may actually remove all traces of fleas. If you notice your cat licking his lower back obsessively, with or without scabs on the neck, it is a sign that fleas might be causing the problem. Other parasites, including ticks, mites, and ringworm, can also prompt scratching, licking, or chewing.

Allergies. Just as some people develop skin irritations in response to certain foods or environmental triggers, cats may have itchy, irritated skin if they are allergic to something in their environment.

Cat Health Care - Top Tips for a Healthy Kitty

Cat Health Care - Top Tips for a Healthy Kitty

Good cat health is something we all want for our beloved pet. Cats give us so much in terms of love, companionship and entertainment, so it is natural for us to want to look after them the best we can. 

 My cats have always meant so much to me and their health and well being has always been something I have taken seriously, I'm sure as a caring animal lover yourself, you feel the same way.

Making sure our cats are in good health involves many things, from making sure they eat the best food to knowing what signs and symptoms of cat illnesses to look out for.

Over the many years I have been a cat owner I have experienced a lot of different feline health issues and have spoken with many vets about them. These pages are my way of sharing that information with you, so that you too can provide the best care for your cat.

Cat Hair Loss

Cat Hair Loss

Hair loss in cats can be a sign of a number of different  

medical conditions. Consult your vet if you’re unsure
why your cat is losing her hair.

Finding the cause of cat hair loss

If your cat is losing hair, it could be due to a number of reasons including ringworm, fungal skin infections, hormonal problems   and infestations of fleas or mites.                                                  

                                                                     "Excessive grooming can lead to hair loss"

Hair loss can also result from something as simple as excessive
grooming. This can be spotted when a cat starts to lose hair,
especially on the belly, the back and inside her back legs. 

Cat hair loss treatment

See your vet for a thorough physical examination. This may involve taking skin scrapings, blood tests and hair samples for testing.
Firstly, your vet will look for parasitic infestations and discuss a flea treatment regime. If this isn’t the cause, your vet may need to investigate further.

If there are any behavioural reasons for your cat's hair loss, you will need evidence. For example, if you notice the warning signs that your cat is stressed and anxious, keep a diary of times and specific circumstances when hair licking and pulling takes place. Your vet will then decide whether or not you need to change something in your cat's environment or she needs anti-anxiety medication.                                                                                      
                                                                        

                                                                                                   

Why Does My Cat... Cry at Night?

Why Does My Cat... Cry at Night?

If your cat cries at night, you’re not alone. Cats get noisy for different reasons at different stages in their lives.

Kittens often like to play at night. Though adopting two kittens together is an excellent idea (and recommended for health and general welfare), their wee-hour play-fights can keep you from a good night’s rest.
As your cat matures, he might want to hunt. Some cats get especially vocal when they’re on the prowl. Often cats feel the urge to hunt in the evening, and a midnight hunt of an insect, reptile, or rodent (depending on your geographic location) can mean a rude awakening for you when your cat screams out in frustration or elation.

With an older cat, vocalization throughout the night can be a sign of a serious problem. Advancing age sometimes brings sleep-wake cycle aberrations and dementia. These conditions are common in geriatric cats and may be related to anxiety or plain old disorientation. If you have a senior cat who gets very vocal at night, tell your veterinarian. There are therapies that can improve the quality of life of afflicted cats — and their humans