heart disease

Just like humans, as cats age they can develop many diseases that affect their heart, kidneys and other organs. In older cats, the most common diseases are are cancer, renal or kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism (disease of the thyroid gland), dental disease and heart disease. Cats age seven times faster than humans and examinations done by your veterinarian twice a year will help detect diseases earlier while they can still be treated. Diagnostic tests such as blood work, ECG, ultrasound and blood pressure monitoring can help detect problems sooner.

A common heart disease that affects cats is hypertrophic cardipmyopathy (HCM). HCM is found in cats more often than dogs. HCM is an acquired heart disease that causes the muscular walls of the ventricles to thicken. As the heart walls get thicker, heart function decreases. As the walls of the heart thicken, they aslo stiffen and loose the ability to contract efficiently. The narrow heart chamber holds a smaller volume of blood, so less blood is pumped out of the heart with each beat of the heart., This results in the amount of blood that once filled the heart is less than it should be and the heart muscle can’t contract as well to move the blood out of the heart into the body. The diseased heart has to pump harder and faster than normal to keep the blood flowing throughout the body. The resulting pressure begins to back up the blood into the lungs resulting in edema leading to congestive heart failure.

Sometimes, the faulty heart will develop changes in the conduction system that tells the heart when to contract. Irregular heart beats may develop in the diseased heart resulting in sudden death, similar to young athletes that die during practice.

Cardiomyopathy can also cause feline aortic thromboembolism or FATE. Blood clots can form on the valves of the heart and they sometimes break off the valve and lodge in the aorta leading to the legs. The dislodged blood clot causes blockage of the blood flow to the legs resulting in severe pain and paralysis. The blood clot is sometimes referred to as a saddle thrombus. About 40% of the cats recover from a saddle thrombus with intensive therapy and may regain use of their legs over time. However, these cats can still risk develop another episode and will continue to suffer from the primary heart condition.

Cats are very good as masking underlying physical problems and early screening is key to helping these cats live a full life. Your fat and lazy cat may actually be hiding a heart condition. Of course not all fat and lazy cats a have heart disease, but the only way to tell is with health exams by your veterinarian. Laboratory tests, such as, EKG, blood pressure monitoring and ultrasound can help the veterinarian diagnose heart disease. Ultrasound is the only way to truly detect the thickened walls of the heart and is now used to screen our young human athletes as well.

Medications can help cats with their heart function, reduce the edema in their lungs and may help reduce the blood clot formations. The prognosis for a cat that has already developed the congestive heart failure is guarded, and even with medication, survival rates are 12-18 months after diagnosis and sudden death can occur at any time.

At your cat’s next health check, speak with your veterinarian about developing a wellness plan for yor cat. By diagnosing disease conditions earlier, small changes in diet and adding medication can help your cat live longer.

You can find more on Cat Health Care at LuvUrCat.com

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As a rule, cats can take care of their own cleanliness and grooming. However, sometimes you still need to do your part in order to keep them at optimal health and cleanliness. Your cat will continue to look good if you help to keep her hair clean and tidy. The best way to accomplish this is by combing and trimming the hair regularly.

Regular cat grooming will help you make sure that your pet isn’t having problems with fleas or ticks. This is also a good opportunity to check for any skin irregularities, injuries or bald patches. Read on for some tips that will help keep your cat looking good.

You should purchase some essential cat grooming tools in order to make the job easier and more effective. Some of the items you’re looking at are a brush, comb, scissors and grooming glove, all of which should be made specifically for this purpose.

Choose a brush with many small pinheads for grooming your cat’s hair. The head should be relatively small so that brushing goes more easily. Proper grooming requires that you brush your cat in the direction that her hair grows. If you don’t, you may end up with a very angry kitty.

Another part of grooming your cat is giving her a bath from time to time. To make the job easier, bathe her while in a carrier and use a towel to keep her as calm as possible. Choose a shampoo formulated for cats that will lather well. The shampoo should also be effective at relieving dryness and flaking on your cat’s skin.

For optimal grooming, you need to make sure that your cat’s hair doesn’t get tangled or mangy. If you own a long haired cat, you must trim it on a regular basis. It requires using a proper pair of grooming scissors along with a comb. Use caution so you don’t prick or scratch the skin that lies at the base of your cat’s coat.

Cat grooming gloves are a wonderful tool to help with shedding problems. They also make brushing easier and gentler. Look for a pair that is machine washable. Usually, you can also use these gloves to clean up cat hair from your carpet and furniture.

Pet grooming tools can actually be a source of pleasure for your cat if you use them properly. The right cat grooming tools can make the difference between a clean and healthy cat and one whose hair is knotted and mangy.

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Cats

Target training and clicker training are two of the more popular methods used in training cats.

Target training
This is where you attract your cat’s attention and then obtain desired behaviors through the use of a designated tool such as a training wand.

Clicker training
This is a form of operant conditioning. A small mechanical noise-maker (the ‘clicker’) is used by the trainer to create a short, distinct noise. The clicker is clicked at the precise moment that the cat performs a desired behavior. For example, for the ’sit’ command, the clicker is pressed at the exact moment your cat places it’s bottom on the floor. Directly after the click, the cat is fed a small and tasty treat.

As this is repeated over and over again, the cat will start to associate food with the clicking sound and recognize that he can earn treats by performing the actions based on the specific commands.

A few quick tips for training cats properly

• Remember to be patient. Your cat is unique and will have its own abilities and likes and dislikes. Make allowances for his personality, and don’t lose your temper if it doesn’t go exactly according to schedule.
• Enforce a feeding schedule. Your cat should not have access to its food all the time during the day to have as it feels like. Enhance the reward-value of food and treats as training aids in order to improve your cat’s routine.
• Train smart. Schedule training sessions for just before mealtimes. Your cat’s natural desire for food at his regular mealtime will sharpen his focus and increase his desire to obey you.
• Take it one step at a time when training your cat. As with all training, the most effective way to teach your cat is to get the basics right first before moving on.
• Keep lessons short and interesting and always try to end on a positive note.

Training cats to sit: training your cat to ’sit’ on command
‘Sit’ is the perfect first command to train your cat to do as it acts as a foundation to build upon for other commands and tricks such as ’stay’ and ‘high five’.)

Make your training wand extra-effective by smearing the tip in a little tuna oil, and use it to attract your cat’s attention. As he comes closer to you, hold the wand slightly above and behind the back of his head around the crown area.

He will tilt his head back to keep his eyes on it. Doing this will force him to sit down naturally. Obviously as your cat sits down you should say the command ’sit’ in a clear tone. As soon as his botttom hits the floor, press the clicker. It is critical that the timing is perefct here.

Directly after clicking, give him a small food treat. Ensure the pieces are small enough for your cat to eat quickly otherwise the reason you gave it will be lost on him.

Repeat this process a few more times, and over the next few weeks, keep doing so until he’s comfortable with what’s expected of him. When he’s able to sit down on command, you can phase the clicker out – but still give treats sporadically. It’s important to bear in mind that patience and a consistent approach are crucial.

Where to find more cat training tips
For step-by-step advice on how to train your cat in a huge variety of other obedience commands and tricks check out our Complete Cat Training Review.

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Cats