Putting your cat to sleep

What do you do when your veterinarian says that they can do no more for your cat. A friend of mine faced this only two days ago. Her cat, adopted from another family three years ago, had been acting quite strangely for two or three days. She was not eating, which in itself was worrying, and then in the morning she was found with her head in the water bowl. On investigation the Veterinary Hospital did some tests and found that she had kidney failure and diabetes. Meg was an older cat and had enjoyed good health until the previous week. Athough failing kidneys and diabetes can be treated the veterinarian said it would involve a long hospital stay which would be stressful to the cat plus owing to her age there was no guarantee that her quality of life could be sustained. My friend took the brave decision and agreed to have her put to sleep- her pain and sufferring were over and I like to think she is jumping through the clouds chasing imaginery birds and rays of sunlight. Rest In Peace, Meg.

Getting rid of Cat Fleas

The cat's have fleas and have brought them home. I really am having problems getting rid of them.
We tried treating the cats with spot on anti flea treatment which did not work.
Last week we bathed the cats and killed many of them- my poor little ginger cat was infested with them.
This week we have been spraying the carpets with anti flea spray and vacuuming but my daughters and I are still being bitten. The weather is so warm and muggy I am sure that they are breeding.
Reference sources seem to think that the fleas will be killed by very cold weather- we are hoping for a freeze up. If anyone knows a sure fire way of killing them, please let me know. (the fleas that is)

Diabetes in Cats

Cats can suffer from daibetes. The symptoms include:

• Cat is allways hungry
• She has lost weight even though she is eating well
• She is thirsty all of the time
• The cat is peeing all of the time

Like Humans the cat's blood sugar level needs to be contolled. If the diabetes is not too severe it can be controlled by diet and there are a number of foods available to help you control their diet. If your cat needs insulin then it will have to be given injections and you will have to learn about injecting insulin, storage and checking blood sugar levels- just as you would with a human.

 As with humans, diabetes in cats is hard worked and the blood sugar levels have to be monitored but good control can lead to a normal life.

TESCO FREE FROM CAT FOOD

Kidney Disease in Cats

Kidney disease is a commpn disease especially in older cats. However there are some treatments available that can reduce her suffering andgive her a full life.

CONGENITAL KIDNEY DISEASE- The disease can be congenital- that is from birth, perhaps inherited from her parents.

ACQUIRED KIDNEY DISEASE- Many cats who have kidney disease acquire ir during their life times simply as a  result of aging or infection or injury.

CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE- If a cat has chronic kidney failure symptoms will not show until up to 75% of kidney function  has been lost.

ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE- In most cases there is a sudden shut down of kidney function. In most cases the prognosis for the cat is poor.

DIAGNOSIS- A regular check at the vets can detect signs of the disease, weight loss, dehydration , aneamia and enlargement of the kidneys. Examination of her eyes can indicate high blood pressure which is a common symptom of kidney failure in cats. Blood tests or ultrasound scans can confirm the diagnosis.

DIET AND MEDICATION- Kidney disease in cats can be treated by a mixture of a low protein diet and ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors which reduce excessive protein, reduce blood pressure and increase the lifespan of your cat.

Celiac Disease in cats

Cats can have celiac disease which is an allergy to a protein in wheat, called gluten. The first I knew of it was when I was told my youngest cat had the disease. Find out how to cope with a celiac cat
Now you know how to cope with your celiac cat!
I didn't bother to have Bagera tested for the disease as once I started an elimination diet with him, I dropped  lucky and got the first allergen- gluten

Cat Illness Symptoms

What do you do when the cat is ill? Sometimes they just don't seem to have their normal sparkle or want to play. The problem is when an illness crosses over from being an ordinary every day event into something more serious. Cats are often a little bit sick. How often have you been sitting quietly in the comfort of your home and suddenly without warning the cat is sick? Happens at least once a week in our cat filled house. This may be a sign of a prolonged illness but nearly all the time it is simply because they ate something that disagreed with them or had a particularly big hairball (fur ball) to bring up. I usually watch if any of them are eating grass as it acts as an emetic and sure enough a little while later up comes the sick, usually somewhere nice and warm where they fled to as they were feeling a bit off.  Washing sick off duvet covers is a chore that all cat lovers do several times a year.

Occasionally they will sneeze and the violence of that sneeze is tremendous, their little bodies shake and a loud noise appears from their nostrils. They don’t seem  to have perfected using handkerchiefs or covering their mouths and noses when they do it, they just sneeze! If your cat has a cold make sure that you clean her food and litter trays very carefully as  you do not want any infections to spread.

When do you seek professional advice from your veterinarian? It is a difficult question to answer. I think the rule must be the same as we use for our own general health. If the cat is looking really ill, having trouble breathing or has a temperature and maybe is sick all day and all night, call the veterinarian. If it’s a sneeze and a cough and then they roll over look adoringly at you and scoff their meal, then leave it a few days as it is probably just a head cold that will go after a couple of days rest and relaxation.

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