Cat Health Problems And Behaviour Issues

This section contains articles on some of the most common health and behavior problems encountered when keeping cats.
The articles are provided for information purposes only and are in no way a substitute for professional veterinary advice .

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Allergies || Communication || Cat Food || Lifestyle || Dental || UTI || Fleas || Grooming || Kidney Disease || Litterbox || Pregnancy || Medicine

General

Cat Behavioral Problems: Domestic cat behavioral problems such as marking, scratching and climbing can be overcome by better understanding your cats natural instincts.
Adopting A Rescue Cat or Kitten From An Animal Shelter: What to look for when adopting a rescue cat or kitten from an animal shelter before you make your choice.
How To Take Care of a Cat: Information and advice on how to take care of a cat, to ensure your cat will live a healthy and happy life.

Choosing Cat Beds: Things to look out for when choosing your cat beds. Plus a selection of cat beds from UK retailers
Cat Diseases : Watch For Early Warning Signs by Marc Deschamps: Signs to watch out for to ensure any disease your cat has picked up is caught early.
Common Cat Health Problems By: Ron King: A quick guide to common health problems that can befall your domestic cat. This article Includes information on hairballs, worms, urinary tract infections, feline infectious peritonitis, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus and lyme disease.
Average Life Span of a Domestic Cat By: Larry Chamberlain: An article looking at the typical life span of a domestic cat and factors which can effect the age to which cats live.

Allergies

Cat Allergies: Information on allergic reactions affecting cats.
Inhalant Allergies In Dogs And Cats: Several objects in the environment can be inhaled by pets and can trigger allergic reactions in dogs and cats. These objects induce the cells of the pets to release substances such as histamine.

Communication

Body Language And Vocalisation: Learning the meaning of your cat's body language and vocal sounds can give you a better understanding of cats behaviour.

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Fleas

Cat Flea Control: Dealing with the control of cat fleas and getting rid of fleas in home.

Cat Food

What Kind Of Cat Food Is Best For A Cat?

Five Secrets for the Very Best Cat Food By: Fred Ege
Learning what goes into pet food will allow you to compare brands and determine which cat food is best for your feline friend. Understanding nutritional information can help keep your kitty in top health.

Holistic cat food

Why is an All Natural and Holistic Approach to Pet Food Gaining Importance? By: Fred Ege
An article looking at the health and nutritional benifits of an all natural, holistic approach to feeding your cats and dogs

Some Facts About Cat Food

What you Need to Know about Cat Food By: Jay Moncliff
An article discussing things to look out for when purchasing cat food.

Nutritional Information On Cat Food

Important Nutritional Information On Cat Food By: Jay Moncliff
An article discussing the nutritional content of the pet food your cat's eating

Nutritional Information For A Cat In It's Senior Years

Nutrition for an Aging Cat By: Amanda Baker
Health care for a senior cat requires a closer look at the food your cat's eating to ensure the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and calories.

Flower Essences For Cats

Using Flower Essences with Cats By: Nedda Wittels
An alternative article looking at how flower essences can be used with cats.

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Lifestyle

Grieving the Loss of a Pet: Grieving the loss of a pet is a difficult time for anybody, some people seem to be unsure or even embarrassed about the depth of grief and loss that they feel when a close pet dies.
Pet Poison Control: An article looking at pet poison control in your home and some common household substances which can be very posionous to your cat or dog.
Cats and Houseplants: A guide for cat owners to ensure a safe and friendly environment for their cat.
House plants poisonous to cats: List of poisonous plants to cats
Cat Friendly House Plants: A list of houseplants that are non toxic to cats. Where known, I've added some (very basic) information on how these plants can be propagated, if you happen to know anyone who owns some.
Checklist for Choosing a Holiday Boarding Kennel or Cattery By: Gerry Neustatl: There's nothing worse than going away on your hard-earned vacation with the worry that your pet might not be safe, secure, fed properly or exercised adequately in your absence...
Do Pets and Apartments Mix? By: Kyle Thomas Haley: Learning cat behaviors before you start training them would be an good idea for anyone that is going to train a cat's behavior. A cat can jump and land on its feet as this is a natural instinct for a cat. When a kitten is born the cushion in its paws are not developed with the cushion to land on its feet. It takes about 7 weeks to develop the cushion in a kittens paw for landing...
Travelling With Your Cat By: Evelyne Gaudreau: Whether it be by car, by train, by airplane or boat, it's not always easy to travel with your cat. It is necessary to always arrange certain things in advance - the tickets, an adequate kennel, tranquilizers, and water - in order to assure him maximum comfort and avoid any irregular meowing during the many hours of travel...
Living In Harmony Or At War? Having More Than One Cat In The House By: Niall Kennedy: I have two cats and I can't imagine that either of them would want to live without the other. They live like brother and sister. And I can't imagine...
It Is Possible To Give Your Cat A Bath, And Come Away Scratch Free By: Niall Kennedy: Although your cat doesn't realise it right now, after some tender loving care and a little shampoo, he will appreciate it...
Furniture Scratching: Learn how to reduce the damage inflicted on your furniture by our feline friends.

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Dental

Is Pet Dental Health Really Important? by Lori Matthews: Many veterinarians stress the importance of oral hygiene because tooth and gum problems are common medical conditions...

UTI

A Common Cat Litter Box Problem - Feline UTI By: Kurt Schmitt: Cat litter box problems stem from a variety of sources. One of the most common causes is a feline Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Cats tolerate pain pretty well. As a matter of fact, we can be fooled that kitty is feeling fine because she's eating, purring, and snuggling up to us for human love and attention. But at the same time...
Prevent Feline UTI With a Canned Cat Food Diet (Part II) By: Nancy E. Wigal: Last week I wrote about the benefits of transitioning your cat to a raw food diet to stop feline urinary tract infections. As I also noted, some cats just won't eat raw food. Part II gives you information about the more common diet alternative - canned cat food...
Here's A Quick Check for Feline Urinary Tract Infection By: Nancy E. Wigal: There's a couple different ways you can tell if your cat has a Feline Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). The most obvious way is if she cries while urinating, you see blood in her urine, and/or she won't use the cat litter box to urinate...

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Grooming

How To Do Cat Grooming At Home: A step by step guide showing you how to do cat grooming at home
Groom Your Cat To Avoid Hairballs - Kitty Will Love You For It By: Niall Kennedy: As loving cat owners we hate to think that our beloved pets are feeling unwell. That can be the first impression when your cat starts making hacking noises. Usually this is the first signs of the cat...
How Do I Groom My Cat? By: Ken Charnely: Tips on how to groom your cat, including brushing, bathing and cleaning eyes, ears and paws.

Kidney Disease

Could Your Dog or Cat Be at Risk for Kidney Disease? By: Bev Allen: Catching an Illness at an Early Stage Is Your Best Strategy. Just like people, animals are susceptible to illness and stress. And, just like people, there is a lot you can do to keep them healthy...

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Allergies || Communication || Cat Food || Lifestyle || Dental || UTI || Fleas || Grooming || Kidney Disease || Litterbox || Pregnancy || Medicine

Litter Box

Cat Litter Box Problems - Glass Litter Box: An article suggesting switching to a glass litter box if your having problems with your cat using the litter box.
Cat Litter Box Health Considerations: The majority of all risks stemming from cat ownership are associated with the cat litter box and/or cat feces. There are two categories of risks. The first category...
A Common Cat Litter Box Problem - Feline UTI: Cat litter box problems stem from a variety of sources. One of the most common causes is a feline Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Cats tolerate pain pretty well. As a matter of fact, we can be fooled that kitty is feeling fine because she's eating, purring, and snuggling up to us for human love and attention. But at the same time...
How To Do Cat Litter Box Retraining: Cats stop using the cat litter box for a number of reasons. Once you discover the reason why and correct it, you may need to re-train your cat to use her box again. Despite what you think, you can train a cat!...
Cat Litter Brands Determine Good Cat Litter Box Habits: If you have a cat who doesn't use her cat litter box, it might be the type of cat litter you buy for her. Cats are fussy about a lot of things, and the cat litter brand you think she'll likes might end up offending her for a number of reasons...
Why Cat Urine Smells So Bad and Doesn't Go Away: Cat urine odor is unique among the many smells we know. While there are other smells that are worse, most of us probably don't come across them. Many people wonder why cat urine odor is so hard to get rid of. This article talks a little bit about the composition of cat urine...
Cat Litter Box Location Strategies: Just like in real estate where location is crucial, so it is for your cat's litter boxes. Here's some ideas and tips on how to effectively locate them for good cat litter box habits...
Cat Litter Box Strategies for Special Needs Kitties: You don't often hear about or see information for special needs kitties. These may be blind, very old (with limited mobility), or disabled in some way. Disabled cats may be amputee's, or even paralyzed. There are special mobile devices you can purchase for your paralyzed cat. But this article will talk a little bit about the cat litter box concerns for special needs kitties. Due to their limited mobility or lack of site, litter box type and location are absolutely critical...
Feline Anxiety Causes Cat Litter Box Problems: Cats experience anxiety and get stressed out just like us human staffers. Unlike people, cats don't have a lot of creative ways to express their feelings. Unfortunately, when cats suffer from stress and anxiety, they generally communicate it in a very clear way that can really turn humans upside down...
How Many Cat Litter Boxes Do You Need?: The number of cat litter boxes available for your kitties is another key to good litter box habits. Many cats are fussy about their litter boxes, and if they aren't happy with number you provide, they communicate their unhappiness to you in most direct manner possible - they stop using the litter box...
Enzyme Cleaners - The Only Effective Cat Urine Odor Eliminator: The first time a feline owner encounters an out-of-the-cat-litter-box experience, she probably uses whatever cleaners she has on hand. Initially, it appears she's cleaned the cat urine odor and stain from the location. However, in a matter of hours or days...
Serious Cat Urine Prevention Tips: Many times cat owners are at a loss as to why their cat doesn't use their litter box. Here are some great tips that can help you solve...
Cat Toilet Training: Toilet training your cat is an easier task than you might think. Several techniques can be used for training your cat to use the toilet, and you can even buy products that will assist you in toilet training a cat.
How to Clean Cat Urine: Ideas for how to clean cat urine stains. When cat urine seeps through carpet, into padding and down to the floor beneath, it can give your home an unpleasant aroma...
Morgana, the Claustrophobic Kitty: For over ten years, my family and I have had several cats sharing our home with us. Our first kittens, Tiger and White Sox, came to us from a friend whose own two cats had...

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Pregnancy

How Fast Will Your Cat Will Grow - The Important Stages In A Cat's Life By: Niall Kennedy: Just like having a child, it can be incredibly fulfilling bringing a kitten into your family and watching it grow up. It takes only a year for your cute little kitten...
Help Keep The Pet Population Under Control, And Your Cat Healthy - Neuter Your Kitten By: Niall Kennedy: It is essential that you take the time to really consider whether or not you should neuter your cat. Because there are so many strays and so few homes for them...
Your Cat's First Vet Visit By: Kurt Schmitt: So you've got a new cat, and she needs a checkup. On your first vet visit, your vet will take the lead and give you some basic information, and probably will go through a fairly standard routine. Upwards of 90% of the information you need, however, will be based on the questions that you ask your vet...
10 Essential Pregnant Cat Care Tips By: Marc de Jong: 1. Keep your pregnant cat indoors: - Don't expose an expecting kitty to danger. But there are more reasons. Some queens go into heat even during pregnancy. Cats are capable to be pregnant of two different litters at the same them. And of course, a pregnant cat should not give birth in a cold place outside...
Weaning A Bottle Fed Kitten By: Anne Pottinger: Weaning normally occurs at about 4-5 weeks of age, but keep in mind that some kittens take longer, particularly without their mom to show them the ropes. You will know that a kitten is ready to begin the weaning process when it is biting the feeding nipple often and forcefully and also is able to lick formula from your finger...
Have Fun With Your Little Kitten By: Mary Majorda: Often, owners are frightened by their playfully aggressive cats and kittens because they look quite dangerous. Every housecat has a little tiger within it. So, the instinct to hunt is strong in all cats. So, as an owner of a pet cat or kitten, it's not possible to ignore its basic need to hunt...

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Medicine

Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online By: Burke Jones: Pets are many things in many ways but they are not responsible. Not outside of very limited doggy parameters. This means that you are 100% responsible for your pet's health...
Cats And Pills - Tablets By: Colin Visser: Nearly everything alive becomes ill at some stage in its life, and pets are no exception. I have been very fortunate in that my two cats have been very healthy for most...
Protect Your Cat With Vaccinations By: Ron King: If you want to enjoy the companionship of a healthy and happy cat, 1 of the most important things you can do is to safeguard its health. Vaccinations can protect your cat from many common cat diseases...