27 August 2011

Declawing Cats Pros and Cons - An Unbiased Overview




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Declawing cats pros and cons have been circulating in a lot of pet magazines, the internet and even conferences of moral sectors and ethical world organizations. The problem of cat declawing has been a major source of controversies and debate amongst the animal welfare societies, veterinary specialists and cat owners. The declawing cats pros and cons are extremely debatable and not all veterinarians and cat lovers have the exact same ideologies about declawing of a cat's feet.


This post will give you an unbiased insight about the declawing cats pros and cons based on verified reports, professional interviews and concrete facts.


Declawing Cats Pros and Cons: The Pros


A cat owner's main reason to declaw their cats is to bring safety to their home furniture and, of course, to other household members who directly interact with the cats, particularly the kids. The scratching act carried out by our feline pets is included in their innate characteristics and not something we can easily discourage. Hence, a lot of cat owners deemed cat declawing as one of the preferred techniques to stop the scratching procrastination and bring peace and safety in the household. Unless, of course, you choose to get rid of the cat ultimately (which is not in most cases the case for many cat lovers).


Even though there has not been an official statistical study done to ascertain the percentage of consumer satisfaction for declawing, various men and women in the online have commented of the good positive aspects they are receiving after the surgery was carried out. According to the , the horrors claimed by quite a few net websites are somehow unreasonable and that their cats are not at all showing signs of intolerable pain throughout or immediately after the surgery. Aside from the security of a non-shredded curtains, walls, sofa and intact skin tissues, cat owners are also appreciating the gradual change of their kitty's behavior. They claim that their cats are no longer as "temperamental" as they made use of to. Perhaps due to the fact they know they can no longer play as a vicious cat, and thus they shift to becoming the cuddly cute small babies rather.


Declawing Cats Pros and Cons: The Cons


1 negative aspect reported by many cat owners right after declawing is the inability of their cats to defend themselves. The cat's claws are their main physical defense and declawing will evidently lessen their chances of winning for the duration of cat fights. If your cat is the sort that frequently kicks a different cat's butt, you may perhaps have to bear the sad thought that they will be reduced to a defenseless small kitty once they are declawed. In line with this, you will have to detain them at dwelling and stop them from obtaining into cat fights. An additional risk of declawing is infection and malformation of your cat's feet. There are also times when you will still witness the re-growth a couple of weeks right after surgery primarily if you opt for the standard strategies of declawing, or if the procedure wasn't accomplished effectively. Therefore, you may perhaps have to re-declaw them, which indicates additional expense for you.

22 August 2011

Cats and Cancer




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Whilst cancer in cats is not as common as it in dogs, it is nonetheless 1 of the leading causes of death in older cats. According to the Animal Cancer Foundation, 6 million cats will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States along. And considering that cats are masters at masking illness, it is regularly harder to detect. Cancer employed to be a death sentence for cats, but current advances in feline cancer investigation have created treatment feasible in a number of instances. Just like with human cancers, early detection is important to successfully treating feline cancers.


Standard cancers in cats


One of the most widespread forms of cancer in cats is lymphoma. Other often seen cancers are oral squamous carcinomas, related to what persons get. Fibrosarcomas, or soft tissue sarcomas, are tumors developing in muscle or in the connective tissue of the body. These are typically related with injections and vaccinations. Other forms of cancer are much less widespread, but they do happen in cats: lung tumors, brain tumors, nasal tumors, liver tumors. There are fewer incidences of mammary tumors (yes, cats can get breast cancer, too) given that much more cats are spayed and spaying is one of the preferred approaches to stop this certain cancer.


Symptoms of feline cancer


Men and women and cats both show comparable symptoms when it comes to cancer:




  • Lumps, specifically lumps that seem to be getting bigger
  • Sores that do not heal
  • Changes in bowel or bladder habits
  • Unexplained bleeding or a strange discharge from any body opening
  • Loss of appetite and weight loss
  • Breathing challenges
  • Lameness or stiffness that persists over a period of time
  • Poor odor
  • Having trouble consuming or swallowing food


If you notice your cat showing any of these symptoms, take him to your veterinarian for a thorough examination.


Diagnosis


Diagnosis will vary, depending on the presenting symptoms. An exam will most likely contain a total blood chemistry, blood count, and urinalysis. Your veterinarian may take x-rays, perform an ultrasound, and take tissue biopsies. Depending on exactly where the biopsies are taken from, this might possibly need sedation, or full anesthesia. Biopsies will be reviewed by a veterinary pathologist to figure out the kind of cancer.


Treatment


Therapy alternatives for cats are nearly as varied as therapy alternatives for human cancers, and will depend on the sort of cancer. Surgery is the most well-known therapy for any lumps or growths that need to have to be removed. In some instances, surgery can be curative. Other cancers may perhaps demand chemotherapy or radiation. Cats tend to tolerate chemotherapy much better than people today, and can have good excellent of life for countless months and quite often even years following therapy. Radiation therapy might be utilized for tumors that can't be removed. This is a even more stressful therapy for cats, due to the fact it will need sedation or anesthesia for every single treatment.


Causes


There isn't as significantly research into the causes of feline cancer as there is on the human side, but I don't feel it's much of a leap to assume that some of the very same environmental toxins that trigger cancer in humans also trigger cancers in our cats. There have been some studies searching at secondhand smoke and feline cancers. Vaccinations and other injections have been verified to be responsible for fibrosarcomas, and these findings have led to .


Prevention


Whilst some cancers are triggered by genetic mutations, there are nonetheless items cat owners can do to lessen the likelihood that their cats get the illness.


A wholesome, species-appropriate, meat-based diet plan is 1 of the most valuable foundations for stopping cancer, or any other well being issues in cats. A balanced grain-absolutely free raw meat or canned diet plan gives the ideal nutrition for your cat. As obligate carnivores, cats do not want carbohydrates in their diet plan. In fact, commercial dry cat foods have been linked to numerous of the degenerative illnesses we're seeing in cats such as diabetes, kidney failure, and inflammatory bowel illness. The latter is frequently a precursor for intestinal lymphoma. The one most effective thing you can do for your cat's well being is to eliminate all dry food from his diet plan.


Environmental toxins and stressors are also linked to cancer in humans, and almost certainly cause cancers in cats. Steer clear of exposure to commercial cleaning goods and use natural merchandise rather. Make certain your cat usually has pure (bottled or distilled) water accessible. Most municipal water systems are contaminated with anything from heavy metals to chlorine. Don't use chemical flea and tick products on your pets, use natural options instead. Minimize vaccinations, and if your cat already has cancer, do not vaccinate the cat at all.


Cancer is a devastating illness, but early detection, combined with ever increasing therapy solutions, makes it achievable for cats to continue to live with beneficial high quality of life.

10 August 2011

Why Did God Create Cats?




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What superior are they? They take the top chair in the house. They sleep on the steps where I have to step over them. Or they walk along with me and get under my steps and they trip me as I walk. So why did God produce such a worthless creature?


Cats eat food. They poop. They lie around all day questioning when we are going to feed them. At least dogs wag their tails and show some emotions when they interact with you. Cats typically ignore you unless they want one thing.


I even buried two kittens this year mainly because a stray cat that hangs around here had kittens but will not take care of them. She just left them to die. Was she just generating food for the coyotes or what?


Have you ever attempted to train a cat to do a trick? Have you successfully trained an outside cat to stay in your yard? Can you picture in your mind a cat doing anything you ask it to do? They just cozy up next to you when they are hungry, tired, or cold. Otherwise they have far better places to be.


Cats want to be fed. They want to be warm. They want to scratch factors. And when you give them anything and every little thing they want do they show any gratitude? If so it most likely takes the form of rubbing up against your legs which usually indicates leaving shedding hair stuck to your clothes.


So why did God even produce such a worthless animal? And why do we even like them? I think I discovered the answer. We like them simply because they remind us of ourselves. God developed cats so we can we can see His perspective of us.


How lots of men and women would really like to just lie about on the beach all day in the warm sun? (OK, possibly not in Ohio) How a lot of many people want someone to scratch their backs? (I'm in!) How a lot of men and women use up resources with no concern for who supplied them? (feel scratching) How a large number of times do consumers get in the way of others and not care if they inconvenience them? (feel driving) How sometimes do some many people consistently have the same expression on their face? (apathy)


Do cats ever say thank you? Do cats ever offer to assist those who offer for them? Do cats ever do anything that makes their owner proud of them? I've seen police dogs. I've noticed dogs who lead the blind. I've observed hunting dogs. But what use is a cat? Possibly God created cats just to be utilised as an example of what not to be.

09 August 2011

Training Your Dog To Live With Cats




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Dogs and cats can make natural bedfellows – really literally. Although various dogs chase cats naturally mainly because of their hunting instinct, it can be simple for them to co-exist. All it takes is a little patience.


Why is cat training significant?


It's especially important to socialise your dog with cats even if you do not have one. That way you can go to other places with cats - pals houses, pubs/bars, hotels, vets (you will want to do that occasionally of only for vaccinations!) – and know that your dog will be well behaved.


I have ex-racing greyhounds as portion of my ‘pack'. In all, I've owned 6 greyhounds of my own in the last 10 years and fostered quite a few by means of rescue. I've had other dogs as well, most through rescue routes. And I've still got my fat cat Hoolie who has lived with dogs all her life.


ALL of these dogs have been trained to live with cats reasonably quickly. In some circumstances it was a matter of minutes, in others a few weeks. I know that I can go anyplace with them and they will enjoy to meet the resident cat – even if the cat doesn't like them!


Initial hints


If you get a rescue dog, constantly see if the rescue centre can give you any indication of results of their own cat testing. Some locations do cat testing and others do not. Yet remember that some dogs are so traumatised by their background that you could possibly not get a fair reading of the situation until they have been in a residence environment and settled down.


If you get a puppy from a breeder who has cats themselves, this is a very good start out but you should continue that cat training as the puppy matures. That will construct on the decent foundations they already have.


If you don't have a cat of your own, come across a friend with a cat who can help out. Or possibly a nearby rescue centre that has ‘centre cats' (eg they lie on the reception desk) may possibly help you. Dog behaviourists or the breeder may possibly also be willing to assist.


The process


I thought I would describe what I do with my dogs, such as puppies. This works with a cat which is reasonably well adjusted and not overly timid or nervous. This is just my technique and is has worked nicely for me in the past.



  • I introduce them initial inside the house. Obtaining the dog applied to the cat indoors indicates that you can then do the same training outdoors. This is so the dog learns that cats are not to be chased indoors or out.
  • I continually introduce the dog to the cat. It is challenging to get a person to bring a cat close to a dog if the cat doesn't want to go. Have you tried giving a cat a tablet, or trying to put it into a cat box to take it to the vets? It is like trying to untangle a quite strong, slippery octopus.
  • I have the dog and cat in the similar room with the doors closed. There is generally somewhere high for the cat to leap to, out of reach of dog nose, such as the back of a high sofa, window sill, bookshelf or comparable.
  • I try as far as probable to have a person else with me, armed with a squeezy water bottle or decent water pistol – you'll see why in a minute (it is some thing to do with not very getting sufficient hands!)
  • The cat is allowed to be zero cost in the room. The dog is kept leaded (leashed) and muzzled in the case of ex-racing greyhounds or any rescue dog where history is uncertain. In the case of new puppies, leaded (leashed) really should be sufficient.
  • Keep the dog sitting or standing next to you. Hold the lead firmly. Watch the body language – if the hackles (fur on the back of the neck) rise and the dog goes stiff, it is squaring up for a lunge.
  • If the dog lunges at the cat, immediately right with a sharp pull back on the lead accompanied by a firm loud ‘NO' or ‘LEAVE' command. Do not shout or scream but raise your voice enough to make it understood this is not acceptable. (The cat may possibly leap up high to get out of the way.)
  • If you can, at the same time, the dog lunges, get the other individual to squirt the dog with water between the eyes. If you don't have a friend, squirt the dog oneself as very best you can as soon as the lunge starts. And it's only water so the floor or carpet will dry out pretty quickly. Greyhounds and sighthounds commonly don't tend to like water so this is a superb non-physical strategy of making it unpleasant for them to lunge at the cat. Countless other dogs are the same. It does not tend to function so well with water dogs or working dogs such as labradors or spaniels!
  • Repeat the procedure until you see the dog is calming down and learning that lunging at the cat = being reprimanded and squirted.
  • When the dog stops lunging reward with praise ‘good boy/girl', a pat or stroke and a treat.
  • Repeat the procedure until the dog and cat essentially meet up and can sniff each and every other. At this point, assure that the dog is still held rather firmly on the lead (leash). If your dog is muzzled, do not take off the muzzle until you are sure they will not lunge and bite. This may well take a even though. Some dogs are pretty intelligent and will bide their time. Reward all decent behaviour positively with praise and treats.
  • Immediately after the dog and cat have sniffed each and every other, a very good sign is when the cat basically rubs against the dog. This is saying ‘you are my friend'. Cats have scent glands on their heads so when they rub their heads against you it's marking you as ‘territory' and ‘friend'.
  • If the dog responds well to that by calm acceptance and sniffing the cat's bottom, rather than lunging and barking, reward with treats.
  • At this point, I would try letting the dog have the full length of the lead (leash) but keep it muzzled if a muzzle has been used all along, walking it about the room with the cat nonetheless in residence.
  • As soon as all lunging behaviour, which includes any suggestion of lunging has ceased, I would then permit the dog off the leash. This is when having two folks working together on the dog is helpful – if you do suddenly get a lunge/chase, there is far more than one set of hands to grab the dog.
  • Usually throughout the process reinforce superior behaviour with praise/treats so the dog learns ‘nice to the cat = treats' and ‘lunging at the cat = unpleasant things'.
  • As soon as the dog and cat have accepted each other, allow them to reside in each other's space under close supervision. Never leave a dog and cat alone together in a room or a residence until you are totally satisfied that they get along fully.























04 August 2011

Cat Breeding cycle




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cycle is very vital to know. As the trend of having a pet is gaining popularity, people are seeking at it from company perspective. So it is very important to understand the information and facts from basics.


Very first of all maintain it in mind that breeding is not carried out to have kittens for enjoyment sake. The kittens will need to be healthy. So cat care is exceptionally necessary. Treat the cat queen with terrific care during the cat pregnancy period. Take care of her nutrition, cat illnesses. Her delivery, post delivery care of the kittens is equally important. Then only you will be in a position to uncover a great house for the kitten.


cat breeding


Cat Breeding Cycle


When a is ready to mate, it is frequently stated that the female cat is on heat. At this time the behavioral adjustments are noticed in them are, they yell in loud cries to attract male. The cats stoop and crawl with shortened legs. The cats spray too.


Now the next indication of the breeding cycle is the female rubs herself against furniture or you. She raises the back portion of the body in air and generates the appealing noise.


Some noticeable bodily modifications are observed such as the external component of the genital organ gets swollen and some secretion is discharged through it.


It is observed that the outdoor cats undergo the mating cycle twice a year, i.e. spring and early fall season. In case of indoor cats, the mating season is noticed every single few weeks all through the year unless and until she is bred. Any one will come across this fact fairly wonderful. The reason behind it is, the temperature at home is additional or much less exact same all through the year and artificial light could resemble sunlight in spring and summer.


If the cat mating season is too frequent, it affects her wellness up to awesome extent as the cat will not eat during those days and will turn into considerably weak.


If the cat already has the kittens do not bred her quickly. If you do not want your queen cat to be pregnant at that particular time, then you have to impound her.


 


As far as are concerned, it is not suggested to use a pet cat for mating. As they tend to fight and spray. If you nonetheless want to bread the male cat with the pet queen, then neuter the cat so that the powerful smell of the urine is decreased.Consistently remember one thing that does not breed unless and until you own fit and strong animals with ultimate breeding characteristics.


 


Age Factor for Cat Breeding


It is very significant that the queen cat attains her adult size prior to breeding. If not all her energy is consumed into feeding the kittens and her growth is hampered. The required age for breeding is 18-24 months of her age. In case of male cats, the permissible age for breeding ought to be 18 months.


 


Wellness Check- ups Prior Breeding


Cat pregnancy is particularly necessary appear out as the disorders in the parents get genetically transferred to the off springs. So it is suggested to carry out the check up for vaccinations, internal parasites. They really should be totally free from ear mites, ring worms and fleas. Both the male and female cat really should be tested for genetically transferred conditions such as poly cystic kidney illness, hip dysplasia, heart troubles and so on.

01 August 2011

Natural Remedies For Cats With Kidney Disease




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Kidney disease in cats is a popular problem. It can be due to a quantity of factors such as accident, shock, old age or bacterial and viral infections. Natural remedies for cats with kidney disease can treat the condition and will enhance the top quality of your cat's life.


Diet plan


Feed your cat a particular kidney diet. Feed a protein wealthy diet of human-good quality raw meat plus small quantities of a selection of herbs, fruit, grain and vegetables. A raw meat diet keeps blood urea nitrogen levels low, a protein waste product excreted by way of the kidneys. Heat-treated animal protein, as located in commercial foods, is more tricky to digest and creates additional waste which the kidneys have to deal with. Such a diet is much more stressful to the kidneys and outcomes in greater toxicity in the blood if the kidneys are not working correctly. Raw protein, in comparison, digests more completely with less waste.


Alter the diet plan gradually and be patient and persistent, particularly if your cat is not employed to eating raw meat. Feed small meals but sometimes, to ease the burden on the kidneys. A tiny bit of salt can be added to the morning meal to replace the salt loss brought about by the imbalance of the kidney function.


If you cat suffers from kidney failure, you need to have to monitor the acid content of the food carefully. Honey is the most appropriate of sugars that can be dealt with by the kidneys, but do not give more than half a teaspoon per day. Dilute the honey in spring water and add 1/3 of a teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar.


Herbal remedies


The finest way to administer natural kidney remedies is to prepare a tisane (herbal tea). Useful herbs incorporate parsley, shepherd's purse, golden rod, cleavers, yellow deadnettle, yarrow, horsetail, marigold and stinging nettle. To make a tisane use 1 teaspoon of the needed herbs and pour 150ml of boiling water over the them. Leave to infuse for one minute. For all kidney disorders give four dropperfuls, four times a day.


Parsley has a cleansing and toning impact on the system, so provide your cat fresh chopped parsley. If she does not accept it, prepare a parsley tisane. The parsley tisane is so advantageous that it need to be given in addition to all other treatments.


If there is blood in the urine, give a tisane of shepherd's purse and golden rod. If your cat suffers from hardening of the kidneys, make a tisane of golden rod, cleavers, yellow deadnettle and yarrow. Per litre of the answer add half a teaspoon of Swedish bitters. For gravel in the kidney make barley water and give one dropperful just before each and every meal. For kidney failure due to accident or shock give a golden rod, horsetail, yellow deadnettle and St John's wort tisane.


Numerous forms of chronic kidney failure are the finish result of infections or toxins damaging the kidneys. Yet, the typical form of chronic kidney failure is the result of aging. Chronic kidney disorder can be treated with a horsetail and yellow deadnettle tisane. This will help older cats with a sluggish liver. For acute kidney disease due to bacterial, viral infection use a horsetail, marigold, stinging nettle and cleavers tisane. This recipe will also benefit cats with kidney failure due to significant injury or main surgery.


The most very important thing for a cat with kidney failure is to preserve adequate hydration. Supply lots of fresh water. If your cat is not a fantastic water drinker, pour liquid over its food. The aim of this is to promote diuresis, i.e. flushing the body with fluids to develop a lot more urine and aid eliminate the develop up of waste items.


These natural remedies for cats with kidney illness are proven to be useful. They are secure and will strengthen kidney functioning.