Happy Pets

Wheezing

Wheezing is noisy breathing (respiration) and may be accompanied by increased effort during breathing, noticeable by exaggerated movements of the abdomen or chest, and perhaps more rapid breathing than normal. True wheezing is often caused by allergic conditions, especially the quite common condition of feline ASTHMA, but most owners would be unable to differentiate this from similar breathing noises caused by other conditions such as PNEUMONIA.

Wool‘ eating

This is a recognised behaviour pattern in pet cats, especially those of Oriental breed, e.g. Siamese, Burmese, and Oriental crosses. It first starts in young adults and shows as a tendency to suck, chew and eat wool and other fabrics, especially clothing items. Individuals vary in the amount consumed, but it can be surprisingly large quantities, and may on occasion cause medical problems due to bowel obstructions.

Urgency

This behaviour problem is not urgent, unless medical symptoms suggestive of obstruction are seen: this would be severe vomiting, poor appetite, lethargy, etc. Behavioural advice is mentioned below.

First aid & nursing

Deficient diet is not the cause of this abnormal appetite in the vast majority of cases. In fact, the underlying cause is not yet fully understood but the higher incidence in certain breeds (and crosses) suggests it may be partly inherited.

Behavioural stresses may also be partly to blame, and wool eating may be a tendency in anxious or over-dependent cats, for whatever reason. If the source of Anxiety is removed (or becomes tolerated), the wool eating can stop. However some cats persist with the habit since it seems to prove extremely addictive and rewarding.

Some behavioural guidelines

• Spend less time giving the cat overt attention. Do not always respond when the cat seeks attention or fuss.
• If possible, allow outdoor access for extra stimulation.
• Reduce access to fabrics that may be eaten, e.g. restrict the cat to the kitchen area mainly.
• Treat fabrics with taste-deterrents, e.g. bitter spray (from veterinary practices).
• Allow access to ‘kitty grass’ in indoor cats, to promote fibre intake. Also supply dry food to cats normally fed tinned.

Homoeopathic first aid

Remedies for ANXIETY may be appropriate.

The calcium remedies Calc. carb. and Calc. phos. can be useful for appetite abnormalities and are worth trying. Using the 30C potency, give 1 tablet twice daily for 10 days. Assess any response over the following few weeks since the ‘mental’ effects of the remedy can take time to work.

Veterinary treatment

• Unusual appetite (pica) can be a symptom of disease, especially LIVER DISEASE, but the characteristic age and breed of cat, and the behaviour pattern, usually makes the diagnosis obvious.
• Referral to a behaviour specialist may be possible in severe cases.
• For cats presenting with obstructions, diagnosis and treatment proceeds as normal — surgery is usually required to relieve the impaction.

Related or similar conditions

• ANXIETY/FEAR
• APPETITE (ABNORMAL)
• BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS - GENERAL
• FOREIGN BODY
• SOCIALISATION

Worms

Cats are prone to ROUNDWORMS and TAPEWORMS. Roundworms resemble strands of spaghetti whereas tapeworms appear as small segments which are sometimes mobile. Full details of their life-cycles and preventative treatments are given under the appropriate sections.

LUNGWORM is uncommon in cats.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
The most Popular Cat Disease (Wheezing, Wool’ eating, Worms)

• Teaching the Cockatiel to Talk
• Cockatiels Breeding Season, how to take care the mom and babies
• Little Bird Taming
• A Sick Bird, take care Illness
• Cockatiels Breeding Season, how to take care the mom and babies part 3
• A litter Tray and its Accoutrements
• Wildcat Pedigree, a Hunter's Build, every cat does its hunting
• Bird Feeders, how to take care Parrots Babies
• Cockatiels Breeding Season, how to take care the mom and babies part 2
• Domestic cats Vaccination and Medication Care

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 6:26 am and is filed under Birds, Cages, Cat Litter, Cats, Collars, Dogs, Drinking Fountains, Grooming, Hair Remover, Kennels, Kittens, Pet Medication, Puppies, Scratching Posts, Toys, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.