Cat Health and Care

Many cats enjoy feeling the warmth of the sun on their fur on the balcony or roof of the car. However, cats reach their limits on real summer days and with severe heat. Sunburn or heatstroke can be the consequences. The following five tips indicate how you as a cat owner can protect your pet on hot summer days.

An allergy is an endogenous reaction against normally harmless substances (allergens or antigens) in which the body forms certain protective proteins known as antibodies. This antigen-antibody reaction can ultimately lead to several secondary reactions, which can trigger life-threatening situations along with harmless skin inflammations. In principle, all cat breeds can be affected by an exuberant immune reaction, which can occur spontaneously at any time.

It's not uncommon for cats to suffer from what is known as feline bronchial asthma, an allergic inflammation of the bronchi (bronchitis). All age groups and cat breeds can suffer from this disease, although Siamese cats are affected particularly often. Due to the narrowing of the respiratory tract, sick cats stand out in particular due to a dry cough and poor performance. Since there is also the threat of anaphylactic shocks, the allergic disease should definitely not be underestimated.

Healthy bones and joints are essential for little hunters like cats. However, unfortunately what appears self-evident isn't always obvious. Along with age and injuries, poor nutrition and illnesses can also affect a cat's bone health, cause inflammation and lead to long-term damage.

A cat’s age is not linear compared to a human’s age. During their first year a cat develops particularly fast and it’s only from its second year onwards that the age curve becomes more linear.

It is important to note that factors such as diet, care, environment and genetics will have an impact on how a cat’s age is comparable in human years.

On average, cats today live between 10 to 15 years old, whilst outdoor cats tend to live shorter.

Using the following table you will be able to approximate a cat’s age in human years.

 

You love cats but always have to sneeze in their presence and your eyes get watery? Then you may have a cat hair allergy. Find out here how to reduce cat allergy symptoms and open the doors to plenty of cat cuddles.

You have an outdoor cat that comes limping home? Then there's a good chance that it was in a turf war. In this case, affected cats often have scratch and bite marks, which can lead to severe inflammations and dangerous bacterial sepsis if unrecognised. Along with cats themselves, we pet owners and other pets like dogs, rabbits or chickens can be affected by cat bites. Due to the very high risk of infection, early detection and treatment are of great importance. The following article tells you what you should concentrate on:

Cold, wet weather, mud and constant changes in temperature – the current weather in the United Kingdom really puts human and animal immune systems to a tough test. Hence, many cat owners are familiar with the subject of cat colds from first-hand experience. 

A thick, shiny coat is a sign of a cat being in good physical and mental health. Cats largely take care of grooming themselves. However, you can support your feline friend by brushing it regularly. A balanced diet also ensures a healthy coat.

It’s not just the right type of litter tray that will make your cat happy, but also the right type of cat litter. The best litters are ones that are very absorbent and ideally neutralise odours too, but finding the perfect cat litter can be no easy task with so many varieties on offer from natural clumping litter made of clay, non-clumping litter, litter made of wood or silica. Silica cat litter and clumping natural clay litter are the most popular choices among cat owners and their cats. But which litter is better for the cat, the owner or the environment?

Silky-soft cat fur isn't just nice to look at and stroke, but also fulfils important protective functions for cats, along with the skin that lies underneath. As fundamental parts of the feline body, they clearly signal when something is not right: if the metabolic processes are out of sync, the skin and fur often visibly suffer.

Does your cat occasionally snore? This is mostly no cause for concern. Nevertheless, you shouldn't take rhonchopathy, the medical term, lightly, because dangerous diseases or health problems could be behind it.

There is lots you can do to keep your cat fit and healthy! A proper diet, a stress-free environment and lots of affection benefits them as much as regular visits to the vet. Your cat’s annual vet check-up often includes vaccinations against common infectious diseases. But more vaccinations aren’t always better. So, which vaccinations are useful and which are not?

Coconut oil is very popular among cat owners as it provides natural protection from ticks and other parasites. In addition, this on-trend product is said to have numerous benefits. We will give you tips and information on how and when coconut oil can be a practical alternative to conventional remedies.

Like us humans, our pets can also suffer from colds. The typical symptoms of colds like coughing, sniffles and tiredness are mostly the consequence of a harmless viral infection, with the pathogens of the cat cold complex playing a primary role. The latter often emerges in animal shelters or households with several young cats. Some of the pathogens can have a serious impact on a cat's health, which is why a thorough diagnosis and effective treatment are very important.

Conjunctivitis, also called pink eye, very regularly affects cats and can be triggered by numerous causes. It isn't a single disease, but rather a symptom. Although all cat breeds and all ages can be affected, young cats in particular suffer from cat colds, whilst older cats often have allergic conjunctivitis. Consequently, conjunctivitis with cats can also be accompanied by other symptoms, which influences treatment and prognosis.

Coronaviruses don't just affect us pet owners, but our furry friends too. In contrast to the new type of coronavirus affecting humans, feline coronavirus (FcoV) has already been known for several years. These include feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and the much better-known feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV). The latter causes fatal feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which leads to peritonitis and abdominal dropsy. On the other hand, people suffer from flu-like symptoms, especially those with weakened immune systems like elderly or sick people.

Coughing is very common with cats and can be triggered by numerous causes. A cough is an explosive expulsion of air from the lungs through the cat's mouth. The trigger for this symptom is always a stimulus that triggers the associated cough reflex. The objective of this reflex is either to cough out foreign bodies or to remove bronchial mucus from the respiratory tract.

It's said that we cat owners should drink around 2 to 2.5 litres of water each day. We don't always manage this and sometimes suffer from headaches and a bad mood in the evenings. But how much fluids do our cats actually have to consume in order to not suffer from dehydration? And how do I recognise whether my cat has drunk enough or if it is dehydrated? We will give you all the important facts and tips on the subject of dehydration in cats.

Diarrhoea is one of the most common problems that cat owners will encounter. But what can cause diarrhoea in cats and when should you start to worry? We have summarised the most important information in this article for you.

The diet of our domestic cats rarely resembles that of their wild relatives. As a result, the change in cat food since they started living with humans is a key factor in many cats being constantly plagued by digestion problems. However, illnesses, contamination and other issues can also cause diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation!

Has your cat tested positive for feline AIDS? Above all, keep calm. Find out here why a positive feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) test doesn't always indicate an FIV infection and what you should focus on if your cat is actually suffering from feline AIDS.

Cats have considerably better hearing and sound localisation than humans. For adult cats, the upper hearing limit is around 50,000 Hz, whilst young cats even hear sounds up to 100,000 Hz. In contrast, we just about manage to hear sounds of 20,000 Hz. This figure decreases rapidly amongst old people, which becomes very evident when they can no longer hear high frequency sounds such as dog whistles or bat calls, for instance. Likewise, dogs fall behind cats with a hearing range of up to 40,000 Hz.

 

If you see a limping cat, it's likely due to a paw injury. Smaller cut wounds on the paws in particular are no rarity. How can I help a cat if you notice an injury? We will show you how to deal with paw injuries with cats in the right way, how to put on a dressing and what should be in a first aid kit.

Your cat is sick and the vet has prescribed tablets. But how do you get your feline friend to swallow the required medication? This article will reveal the best tricks to give your cat tablets.

How long do cats take to grow and how big do they get? This depends partly on their genetic make-up and external factors such as diet. Cats have six growth phases. If we are aware of these, we can give our cats the perfect start to a healthy life and support them as well as possible on the road to adulthood.

Gingivitis is the term for inflammation of the gums, which mostly manifests itself through redness and swelling of the mucous membrane surrounding the teeth. This usually painful gum disease is very common amongst cats and can be triggered by numerous causes. Thus, a detailed diagnosis is important in order to treat it correctly and at an early stage.

Hair loss (alopecia) in cats can occur physiologically due to seasonal moulting, or can also be pathological. Parasites, hormonal disorders or hereditary hair formation disorders are just a few examples of the causes of hair loss in cats:

Hairballs are usually not dangerous. We will explain how they come about and in which rare cases they can be dangerous for your cat.

Around two-thirds of all cat owners think that a sensitive stomach has an impact on the general health of their cats. Food intolerances can lead to dull fur and bad skin. However, only in around a quarter of cases an intolerance can cause repeated vomiting and/or diarrhoea. It's important to differentiate intolerance from a real allergy, i.e. a reaction triggered by the immune system.

Cats are master hunters, even in the dark. But how do they do that? And is it actually true that cats are colourblind? We will explain how cats see the world and how their eyes are constructed. We will also give you tips should you have a cat with poor vision at home.

Worm infestations affect young cats with relative frequency. If untreated, they can lead to severe ailments. Thankfully though, parasites are very easy to combat as soon as the problem has been recognised. Get your little “tiger to caress”, as Victor Hugo lovingly called cats, dewormed for the first time three weeks after it is born and then every three to four weeks recurrently. However, this is just a general guideline. Only a vet can make the final decision as to what deworming cycle is right for each individual cat. Vermifuges have to be administered very frequently in animal homes too, because unfortunately kittens are partly in a very bad condition when they are handed in there.

Cats can suffer from pain just as severe as us humans. The problem is simply that our pets often hide this from us. But without treatment, chronic pain can soon develop, therefore it is important to pay attention to changes in your cat's behaviour in order to start with the right pain treatment at an early stage.

When a kitten enters your home, it¡s an exciting time for everyone! Regardless of whether you're an experienced or first-time cat owner, it's a time of change. Little cats require special attention. Enjoy every minute because they grow up ever so fast!

In specialist medical jargon, loss of appetite is also known as anorexia or inappetence. This is a pathologically reduced food intake, which can be triggered by different causes. However, the term has to be differentiated from what is known as pseudo-anorexia. This condition describes a sense of hunger with simultaneously disturbed food intake (e.g. due to injuries to the jaw or difficulties swallowing). In order to be able to understand how a loss of appetite can arise with cats, it helps to take a closer look at feline physiology: The feeling of hunger is primarily controlled by the hunger centre in the brain. It receives important information like the expansion state of the gastrointestinal tract from the hunger receptors located there. If the stomach is extremely full, the expansion receptors are activated and send the brain the signal that no more food needs to be consumed. In contrast, a feeling of hunger comes to the fore when the stomach is empty and the expansion sensors aren't activated. Along with this signalling pathway, however, the sense of hunger is also activated by other factors like hormones or state of health, such as by the cat's acute phase reactions. This is an important immune system reaction in which the body reacts to diseases with an acute inflammation, which is meant to encourage wounds to heal, for instance.

When it comes to deciding on contraception and neutering for their beloved felines, pet enthusiasts often find themselves in a state of uncertainty. Neutering, particularly in the early stages, seems vital for unowned cats and in overpopulated animal shelters. Nonetheless, concerns persist: will withholding the chance for my cat to reproduce have an impact? What's the optimal timing for neutering? How do temporary methods differ from permanent neutering? And when is the right moment for this procedure? Regardless of whether your cat originates from an animal shelter, a home or has been acquired from a breeder, the question of neutering has inevitably crossed your mind. Cats adopted from shelters typically undergo neutering before being rehomed, and unless you have ambitions of establishing a cattery, neutering is also recommended for pedigree cats.

Parasites are little pests that feed off the blood of our cats. Not only are they irksome, but they can also cause severe diseases. Find out everything you need to know about parasites affecting cats, especially ticks and fleas in the following article.

As long as kittens consume their mother's milk, they will be well protected from infections by all the antibodies it contains. This protection only diminishes when they start to eat solid food from the age of six weeks.

Cats are generally considered very clean and hygienic. But what if they ever come home really dirty? Can or should I bathe my cat? We will give you a short overview and some practical tips.

You may believe that cats are sufficiently sun-protected by their fur. Unfortunately, they too can get sunburn. In this article we explain which breeds are especially sensitive, how to identify sunburn and the measures you can take to treat it.

Old cats in particular often suffer from severe tartar, which is made up of brownish-yellow deposits on the surface of the teeth. This forms through accumulated dental plaque, which is still soft in contrast to hard tartar. More precisely, it is a thin film of mucus made up of food particles like proteins or polysaccharides and microbes (e.g. fungi and bacteria). Tartar in cats can develop from inflammation of the mouth, such as in the gums or periodontitis. In addition, tartar leads to further inflammation through bacterial infections.

Generally speaking, kittens are cared for exclusively and extremely well by their mother in their first six weeks and are protected from infections by antibodies in her milk. Should a kitten nevertheless fall ill, a quick trip to the vet is always advisable, since young cats in particular have little resistance, vital functions quickly malfunction and they can soon give in to severe illnesses.

Although life with humans is comfortable and mostly not dangerous for cats, they can suffer from wounds or small injuries. With the right medicine cabinet for pets, animal lovers can soon fix up their pets or at least provide first aid!

Your garden is blooming in full splendour and your cat is nibbling at your garden plants with relish. As wonderful as this may seem, it can be life-threatening because not all plants are good for your cat's health! In this article you can find out everything on the important subject of toxic plants for cats.

Although our domestic cats physically and psychologically resemble their wild ancestors, their living situation has transformed after cohabiting with humans. A diet of ready food, targeted breeding selection and infections lead to domestic cats suffering from many diseases not known to affect wildcats. These include urinary tract diseases.

Time and again, cats have to see a vet due to a wasp sting. But what should be done in emergencies and when do wasp stings become dangerous for cats? We will explain it all, as well as the difference between a cat being stung by a wasp or a bee.

Is there a better sound than a cat purring? For cat lovers, there surely isn't. Cats purr when they feel happy and this good feeling is spread to their owner. But did you know that cats also purr when injured or stressed? Read on to find out why cats purr and how they make this continuous, deep humming sound.

Worms are a nasty chapter in the life of a cat owner. Nevertheless, most cat lovers come into contact with worms – especially if their cat enjoys outdoor access. Domestic cats too though can become infected with worms through contaminated foodstuffs.