Important Health Tips & Information
That You Should Know To Keep                  Your Cat Healthy For a Long and Happy Life

        Gathered from various sources

             Look for more details on some of these following items soon!

• You might be able to buy over-the-counter drugs for your cat, like Kaopectate or Imodium AD for conditions such as diarrhea, but always check with your vet before giving your cat any kind of medication.  Kaopectate reformulation could be dangerous to cats . Kaopectate, the over-the-counter diarrhea treatment for humans,  recently has been reformulated to contain an aspirin derivative that is toxic to cats.   Do not give your cat ANY form of cough medicine without express direction from your vet.  Some types of cough medicine are FATAL.

• Even if your cat is in distress and you may want to help, DO NOT give it human pain remedies without first checking with your veterinarian. Tylenol, Motrin, Advil and aspirin or aspirin derivatives, or any medication containing these items are extremely poisonous to cats, and can be FATAL!

• Most cats keep their own ears clean, but you might have to lend a hand if your pet is less than diligent in this area. Clean the outer ear gently with a cotton ball moistened with water or mineral oil. NEVER use rubbing alcohol.

• Is your cat drooling? Having difficult eating or chewing hard food? Does its breath smell particularly foul? Each is a sign that your cat’s teeth may need prompt attention. Your cat’s teeth can form plaque as often as your own. Make dental care a regular part of its health routine.

• If your cat stops eating for a couple of days, don’t think its OK because it can stand to lose a few pounds anyway. Cats can develop fatty liver disease after only a few days of not eating, which can be fatal. The disease itself also causes lack of appetite, which makes the disease worse and so on. It’s a vicious cycle. You and your vet must find the cause of the fasting and correct it. Forced feeding may be required in the meantime.

• If your cat is fed a high-quality cat food you can skip the vitamin supplements. In fact, high doses of certain vitamins and minerals can be toxic.

• There is a dental space just behind your cat’s large canine teeth which is seemingly tailor-made for a medicine. Remember it for easy access the next time you have to give it liquid medications.

• Unless exposed to extreme heat, unlike dogs, cats do NOT pant to cool themselves down. Opened-mouth breathing for a cat is a sure sign of respiratory distress or other stress and requires prompt veterinary attention.

• Unlike dogs, cats do NOT wag their tails when they are happy - they wag their tails when they are aggravated. This is different from a gently swaying tail, and can be a prelude to an aggressive act.

• As a general rule, avoid giving your cat meat with bones in it. Bones can splinter, and a piece might lodge in its mouth or intestinal tract.

• The best preventative for a hair ball? Daily grooming. Commercial treatments are also available - and helpful such as Petromalt or Laxatone - as is a simple dab of petroleum jelly, to be licked and swallowed once or twice a week.

• Some playthings that are NOT good for your cat: plastic bags, string or thread, shoelaces, small pieces of foil or plastic, thumb tacks, pins, nails, paperclips. These items can be swallowed causing severe damage to the intestine and can require surgical removal.

• Pine cleaning products can be harmful to your cat, as can any strong cleaning solution. Make sure you rinse all cleaned items with lots of fresh water. Only use dish detergent on your cat’s food and water dishes. Make sure you rinse these thoroughly as well.

• At the age of one and then again at the age of five years, a initial blood chemistry and CBC (complete blood count)   should be done to provide a baseline for comparison in future (let's hope not) illnesses.  At the age of 7-8 , the ideal is blood work (for organ function) every six months.

 
LINEAR FOREIGN BODY INGESTION

        by
        Dorene Olson, BA
        Tri-City Animal & Bird Clinic
        (314)-227-4041

       
Think cat and the vision of kittens playing with string springs to mind. Many commerciallysold cat toys are either string toys or toys attached to string for cats to chase. Being imaginative creatures, cats also invent toys out of shoe laces, sewing and craft items, yarns, ties on clothing,dental floss, curtain pulls, rubber bands and twines used to wrap up packaging.

Holidays post their own sets of temptations with tinsels, ribbons, Easter basket "string," Halloween spiderwebs and party balloon strings. If a cat swallows a string, medically termed "linear foreign body ingestion," the consequences can be very serious. Signs can include gagging, vomiting,diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, a painful abdomen, and perhaps an increase intemperature.

Sometimes the string can be seen wrapped around the underside of the tongue. DO NOT attempt to pull it out if it is lodged there because the string may be tangled throughout the intestines making removal of it impossible.  If the string is not seen in the mouth, bloodwork is indicated to rule out diseases of the kidneys, pancreas, or liver which may cause similar symptoms. An increased white blood cell count and a history of ingestion of foreign bodies are helpful for a diagnosis of foreign body ingestion.  X-rays may or may not be diagnostic as sometimes the swallowed item does not show up on film, or the intestines are not yet in the "loopy" shape that is characteristic of this problem. Surgical correction is usually necessary and can be complicated due to devitalization of the intestinal tissue and the number of incision sites needed to remove the object.             

Because domestic cats are often weaned earlier than feral cats, it has been proposed that inappropriate consumptive behaviors may contribute to foreign body ingestion and in face may be a more common problem than many people realize. (Overall, K., Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, Mosby, 1997) Early weaned kittens may suck and then chew not only on their owners but also a variety of non-food items. Cats on poor diets or generic food may often try to eat or chew on non-food items looking for better nutrition. Siamese cats are prone toa condition called wool sucking, and are in danger if the item that they are sucking on becomesunraveled and they swallow it.
Owners are advised to remove the dangerous articles from the environment, although sometimes it is easier to confine the cat instead. If the chewing is on one primary object, and objectionable taste smeared on it might helpful (bitter apple, deep heating rub, Listerine, Chinese hot oil)

Owners can also provide more appropriate chew items, such as Kong toys or sterilized bones stuffed with food treats such as cream cheese, tuna or canned cat food. Cats can also be taught to enjoy vegetables, rawhides or catnip or cat grasses fastened in bundles.
Despite the dangers posed by string, cats can live long and healthy lives playing with these types of toys. Strings allow owners to safely construct games of chase, providing physical and mental stimulation essential to a cat’s well being. Use proper supervision and attention in the creation of a pet safe household, and let your cats have fun.

      

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