No matter whether you are thinking about buying a cat or you have recently added one to your family, it is important to do as much research as possible so that you can create a healthy and happy home for your new furry friend. In this guide, we will give you some tips on how to create a great home for your cat, as well as revealing some of the most common cat diseases to look out for too.
An introduction to cat care
You wouldn’t like to live in an uncomfortable and unsuitable home, would you? You wouldn’t like to eat food you didn’t enjoy, would you? So, this is why looking after your cat in the right way is so important. Here are some tips for doing so:
- Housing – Your cat should have a dry and clean place to call its home where it can rest and sleep. Your cat’s bed should be lined with a warm and soft towel or blanket. You should also regularly wash the bedding too. You should also keep your cats indoors, as outdoor cats don’t live as long.
- Grooming – Most cats rarely need a bath, as they will stay clean themselves. However, you should comb or brush your cat regularly.
- Feeding – When it comes to feeding, there are a number of factors that come into play. This includes your cat’s health, activity level, and age. Treats should make up no more than between five and 10 per cent of your cat’s diet. Also, cats require an essential amino acid called taurine, which is critical for eye and heart health.
Learn more about different cat diseases; the symptoms and how to cure them
Those of you who have cats are likely to treat your furry friend as a member of your family. Pets need to be loved and cared for just like humans are. If your cat is looking under the weather you will need to seek treatment as soon as possible. If he or she is behaving oddly or has an evident disease then the best thing you can do is to source out the necessary cure. The only way you can do this effectively is by establishing what is wrong with your cute little kitty. Read on to discover information about various common cat diseases, what symptoms you will notice, and what you can do to treat them as well.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
This is a cat disease associated with skin irritation. As you may have gathered from the name of this condition, it is caused as the result of an allergic reaction to a flea bite. This can provide a huge level of itchiness for your cat. You are likely to notice that they will be scratching and biting their fur. Furthermore, you may notice scabs on your cat’s skin. There are numerous treatment options at your disposal. Depending on the level of irritation experienced your cat may be given antibiotics, antihistamines, medicated shampoo, topical medication, or hypersensitisation. The latter works to alter your cat’s immune system, this is so that the cat is no longer hypersensitive to flea antigen.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
This is one of the most common diseases cats seem to experience. Gastrointestinal disorders result in your cat being sick and having diarrhoea. This is not pleasant for your poor cat. However, the one good thing you should be aware of is the fact that inflammatory bowel disease can be treated quickly. If your cat has IBD then the best treatment tends to be corticosteroids. Nevertheless, you should also consider changing your cat’s diet as this is a likely contributor to the reason why the feline is suffering from the unpleasant disease. If after the treatment your cat is still being sick and having diarrhoea then you need to search for vets near me and take your cat to an experienced vet. Unfortunately, this can be a huge indication that a bigger problem is evident
Urinary Tract Disease
Feline lower urinary tract infections (FLUTD) can be very painful for your cat and if you do not treat this then the disease can become fatal. This is because urinary tract disease can result in even bigger problems, such as bladder worm, cancer, and cystitis. There are several symptoms that will indicate your cat could be suffering from urinary tract disease, these including; pain during urination, urination in unusual places, small amounts of blood in the urine, a strong odour after urination takes place, and a notable rise in the level of water consumption. In order to treat your cat for this, you should alter their diet and sourcing out the relevant antibiotics. You may need to get pain relief as well if your cat is in evident discomfort.
If you have a cat then you need to ensure you are knowledgeable about all of the diseases out there so that you can help your little pet as best as possible. There are many other viruses your cat could catch, however, the three mentioned in this article are common and therefore it is good to know about them.
Hopefully, you now feel more prepared in terms of looking after your new cat or, indeed, bringing one into the family home. If you follow the tips provided, as well as looking out for some of the most common illnesses, you can be sure your cat will have a happy life!
