Happy Pets

Unless you are about to become the proud owner of a Sphynx, which has no hair at all, if you buy nothing else in the way of grooming equipment, you should at least invest in a comb that has been specially designed for felines (not a human one) to help your cat to keep its coat tangle-free. Human-assisted grooming is vital for longhaired cats to prevent their coats from becoming so drastically matted that the only solution is a trip to the vet’s to have the solid clumps of fur shaved away. (more…)

As we have seen, in the final stages of the hunt the cat uses its claws to pin down its prey and its teeth to administer the killing bite. In non-aggressive mode, the cat’s claws are retracted - or, more properly, sheathed - into the tips of its toe bones (the phalanges), both to prevent them from injuring itself or its friends and to preserve the sharpness of their points for, as every successful hunter or warrior knows, if you look after your weapons, when it comes to the crunch they’ll look after you. (more…)

Nephritis

Kidney damage, reducing the cat’s ability to eliminate wastes, may have several causes, including bacterial infection, but a chronic nephritis of unknown cause is most common, especially in elderly cats. It usually develops over a long period so that symptoms may not be

noticed until the ailment is well advanced, with the kidneys becoming scarred and smaller. Cats may lose appetite and drink noticeably more water; they will therefore urinate more frequently and may show signs of pain, arching the back when doing so. Sometimes there will be vomiting or diarrhoea, yellowing of the gums and ulcers in the mouth, and the breath may become increasingly unpleasant; the cat itself may begin to develop a urine-like smell. Blood and urine samples will confirm a diagnosis. Treatment may include a special diet and measures to reduce strain in the cat’s life to improve its general condition and slow down the development of the disease, but a complete cure is impossible. (more…)