Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease - Will Your Cat Be a Victim?

Are you concerned about feline lower urinary tract disease? All cat owners should be aware of cat urinary health issues to prevent their cats from becoming victims of this common feline problem.

What Cat Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms Should You Be Aware Of?

Sometimes the most obvious symptom is that your cat is urinating outside the litter box. As wonderful as cats are, they don't have advanced powers of reasoning. If your cat is hurting every time he uses the litter pan, he thinks that somehow the litter pan is causing his pain. In his little kitty mind, if he urinates someplace else, it won't hurt when he goes.

Of course, we humans know it doesn't work that way. But if your cat suddenly stops using his litter box, it may not be a behavior issue. It could be one of several cat urinary tract infection symptoms.

If you use clumping cat litter, be observant of the size of the clumps when you scoop or change his litter. You should see a few large clumps. A whole bunch of little clumps indicates that he can't pass much urine at one time. This is another symptom of feline urinary problems.

Bloody urine is another clue to watch for. It's a little harder to see in cats than it is in dogs. However, if your cat is urinating outside his box, you may be more apt to notice it.

Be aware of your cat's behavior in his litter box. Is he crying out in pain when he tries to urinate? Is he straining to pass urine? Often cat owners mistake this for constipation.

Your cat should be using his litter box several times a day. If he is urinating less and less, or stops completely, he may have a cat urinary blockage, which is a veterinary emergency.

Treatments For FLUTD

In order to treat feline lower urinary tract disease, your vet will need to run several tests to find out what's going on with your cat. A urinalysis is necessary to determine if your cat has a bladder infection, or if he has feline bladder stones. A cat urine culture will tell your vet which bacteria are causing the problem, and a sensitivity test indicates which antibiotic will work best.

If your cat has a feline bladder infection, antibiotics are the usual course of treatment. Bladder stones in cats are a common problem, too. Your cat may have to eat a special diet so the stones can dissolve. If your cat is blocked, he may need to be catheterized.

Can FLUTD Be Prevented?

You can prevent your cat from becoming a statistic by taking these easy steps.

First, feed your cat a high-quality canned food. In the wild, cats are meant to get their water from their food, which is why cats don't seem to drink much water. When we take our cats out of a natural situation and feed them an unnatural diet of dry food with an extremely low moisture content, we're setting them up for urinary tract infection symptoms.

Canned cat food has a moisture level of about 75%, which is much closer to a cat's natural diet. If your cat has always been fed dry food, he may resist a change in his diet. Cats are notoriously resistant to change, but with patience, time, and persistence, you can switch him over to canned food.

A steady supply of clean, fresh water is a must, too.

Consider giving your feline friend a natural cat UTI remedy that supports bladder health. Look for a remedy that's made especially for cats. You'll want to deal only with a company with a sterling reputation for producing only the highest quality pet remedies.

Don't let your cat become a victim of FLUTD. Start taking steps now to protect your cat from feline lower urinary tract disease.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how you can prevent feline lower urinary tract disease, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com

Cat Toys - Perfect For Giving Your Feline Something Fun to Play With

If you do not give your furry feline something fun to play with, then he or she will take it upon his or herself to find something to pass the time. So, if you want your shoes to be ruined or remote control to be wrecked, then do not provide the little guy or gal something to have fun with. But, if you do care about your belongings, then make sure to purchase some cat toys for him or her.

Cat toys offer your companion a great way to stay occupied and what is nice about them is that there are actually a slew of different options to pick from. For example, you can get interactive puzzle ones that have treats inside them. When your cat plays with it, he or she has to figure out how to get the treat out of it, offering him or her hours and hours of fun. There are also hanging options that you can hang from a doorknob or on a nail off the wall, giving your furball something fun to paw at. There are also options that wind up and run all over the floor, like those that are in the shape of mice. You can even get remote control options like this one too. And, do not forget about those cat nip selections, which are a great way to tire out your cat to help them calm down.

If you do not think that cat toys are enough to keep your feline occupied, there are a number of cat furniture options that you can pick from that will offer your companion an awesome place to play. For instance, you can get your feline a kitty gym that has different juxtaposing limbs, perches, and tunnels where you kitty can jump around and play on. There are also cat scratching posts perfect for letting your kitty scratch away and get his or her aggression out and you can even get larger cat towers that have multiple levels.

For a fast and effortless way to look into all the cat toys and cat furniture selections that you could get for your furry companion, the thing to do is to jump on the Internet for some online shopping. Seriously, it is the route that you should take because for one, you do not have to go anywhere to do it since you can just sit in front of your computer and browse through the many online retailers and their offerings in no time at all. This is a great way to find what you want at the best possible prices too, plus, what you buy will be shipped right to you so no having to worry about spending any time or money driving anywhere.

In the end, if you want to keep your cat from ruining the things around your home, make sure that you purchase some cat toys for your little guy or gal. There are many options to choose from, all of which will be sure to please.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on pets. Whether it is puppy supplies [http://www.formypuppy.com/blog/] for your family companion, or even cat supplies for your kitten, there are many tips you can use to help you make your home a better place for your pet. Click today and indulge your pet's senses.

Is This Cat Suitable For Your Lifestyle?

Do you think every cat is the same, well think again, each cat, like humans have their own distinct personality and breed specific traits. From a domestic cat to a pedigreed cat the differences vary in numerous ways.

Prior to choosing your new cat, especially if you are looking at purchasing a particular breed, it's imperative that you know something about their temperament. You should never purchase a breed just because you like their looks, but one that's also suitable to your lifestyle.

If you have a hectic lifestyle, you want a breed that is going to be low maintenance and independent. If you're looking for a cat for companionship, you want a breed that is affectionate and loving, not one that is aloof and standoffish. If you have children, you want to ensure that the breed you pick is laidback, gentle and tolerant not one that is skittish or aggressive in nature. Remember, you are the one making the choice not the cat! If you pick a breed that isn't suitable to your lifestyle the cat is the one that pays the price, 9 time out of 10 it's through the loss of their life.

Another thing to take into consideration, when people see a pedigree cat in a shelter, they automatically believe that there is something wrong with the cat. Why would someone pay "big bucks" for a pedigree cat and put the cat in a shelter if there wasn't? When people have this mindset, the possibilities of the cat in question being adopted are severely limited. Would you put your baby up for adoption because he or she didn't meet your expectations? Cats are living creatures that deserve the right to live a long and happy life and should never be treated as a disposable item, simply because you made the wrong choice.

Animal shelters are already overloaded not only with strays, but with a number of pedigrees as well. We're seeing more and more pedigree cats in shelters each day, through no fault of their own, but due to the fact, the person purchasing them didn't educate himself or herself on the breed first. Unfortunately, with shelters being overcrowded, the majority of these cats won't have an opportunity to find a forever loving home.

Most shelters require Government assistance, but in order to receive Government assistance, they have a number of restrictions that they must abide by or they lose their funding. Regrettably, one of these restrictions is the length of time they may remain in the shelter, prior to being put down. Unless the shelter is self-funded, they have no say in the matter. As much as they would love to keep the cat, they don't have that option. They do everything within their powers to try to find the cat a home, but when time is limited and there are so many pets in shelters, it's simply not possible.

Please don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution! You can and will make a difference if you take the time to learn about the breed you're interested in prior to purchasing that cute little kitty. Ethical breeders are more than willing to discuss the personality of the breed. In fact, ethical breeders will question you to ensure that their kittens are going to a good home. Most breeders are not in the business to make money, but for the betterment of the breed and their love of animals.

Ethical breeders rarely sell their cats to pet stores, thus if you are purchasing a kitten from a pet store you are most likely receiving a kitten from a Kitty Mill.

Kitty Mill breeders don't care about the welfare of their cats their in it strictly for the money. They breed indiscriminately, without any sound knowledge of genetics. The end results are serious health issues and shorter life spans for the kittens involved. You can help put an end to Kitty Mills by NOT purchasing your cat from a pet store find a reputable breeder. If they don't have a kitten available, they can usually provide you with the name and number of a breeder that can. Please, keep in mind, if a breeder if over eager to sell you a cat without asking you any questions, chances are you are dealing with a Kitty Mill.

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Feline Urinary Problems - What Every Cat Owner Should Know

Did you know that up to 1.5 percent of all cats in the US are plagued with feline urinary problems? That's a lot of cats.

These problems can range from an uncomfortable cat bladder infection to a life-threatening cat urinary blockage. An an informed cat owner, you should always be on the lookout for cat urinary problems.

What's The Difference Between FUS And FLUTD?

Many cat owners are confused, and rightfully so, over the terms used to describe cat urinary problems. FLUTD is an acronym that stands for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. FLUTD used to be known as FUS, or Feline Urologic Syndrome. Feline Urologic Syndrome has been renamed as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease to reflect that most of the urinary problems in cats happen in the lower urinary tract, which includes the bladder and urethra.

Overview Of Feline Urinary Disease

There are many different aspects to feline urinary problems. Here's a quick overview of a few different conditions that can affect your cat's urinary tract.

• Cystitis is an inflammation of your cat's bladder.
• If your cat's urethra is inflamed, he has urethritis.
• Idiopathic cystitis means that the cause of the bladder inflammation is not known.
• Bladder stones in cats often occur as a result of feline urinary crystals.
• A tumor in your cat's bladder may cause problems, too.

You can see that it's important to pinpoint what's causing your cat's urinary tract problems in order to treat his condition successfully.

Symptoms of Cat Urinary Problems

No matter what's causing the feline urinary tract problems, your cat will show these symptoms:

• Bloody urine
• Urinating in places other than his litter box
• Urinating often, but passing only small amounts of urine
• Straining to urinate, or not being able to pass urine at all
• Crying out in pain in the litter box

Any of these symptoms should be enough for you to take your cat to the vet for a check-up.

What Your Vet Will Do

Your vet will examine your cat and feel his bladder to see how full it is. The vet will also want to do a urinalysis to check for infection or feline urinary crystals, and may want to do a cat urine culture to see if bacteria are present. If your cat's bladder is distended, that indicates a cat urinary blockage, and your vet may want to take x-rays or do an ultrasound to look for cat bladder stones.

What Can You Do To Prevent Feline Urinary Disease?

There are many steps cat owners can take to prevent their cats from developing feline urinary tract problems. The most important thing you can do is to feed a high-quality canned food. Cats are supposed to get most of their water from their food.

A cat who eats only dry food is usually chronically dehydrated, which leads to his urine becoming concentrated. And concentrated urine can lead to cat bladder stones, and a whole host of problems that goes along with them.

Be sure your cat always has access to plenty of clean, fresh water, too.

You may want to consider giving your cat a natural remedy for pets that supports bladder health in felines. This remedy should contain herbal extracts of barberry and uva ursi, along with the homeopathic remedies Cantharis and Staphysagria. These natural treatments have stood the test of time for bladder infections in humans, and they have been proven to work very well in cats.

Your goal now? To make sure your cat doesn't become a statistic suffering from feline urinary problems.

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Learn how to prevent feline urinary problems, and find the best place to buy herbal pet remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com

Cat Giving Birth - What You Should Really Know When it is Time For Labor

You will usually see a mucus discharge from the vaginal opening, which indicates that birth is imminent. You should be on hand to comfort her but do not be too hasty about stepping in to help.

You may do more harm than good. The queen should deliver the first kitten within 15 minutes of her first beginning to crouch, strain and cry, and she will purr throughout the entire delivery.

The remaining kittens will be delivered at intervals of between 5 and 30 minutes. If the kitten is delivered head first, the queen should need no help. If it is delivered hind feet first or breech birth and it does not arrive for five minutes or so, you will need to assist.

Make sure your hands are clean, wrap a soft towel around the kitten's body and gently manipulate him, trying to coordinate with the mother's contractions, if possible. Do not pull on the tail or the legs or they may come off in your hands.

Do not squeeze the abdomen either. If labor continues and no kittens appear for more than an hour, or if a kitten or two have been born and labor goes on for another hour or so without another kitten appearing, then you should call the veterinarian.

He will instruct you as to the best course of action; this might involve taking your queen into his office so that he can assist. If you allow labor to go on too long without kittens appearing, you risk not only having the kittens die but also possibly losing your queen.

When preparing for a home birth, make sure that you have the following items on hand:

- hand towels
- kitchen towels
- sterilized scissors
- heating pad or hot water bottle
- clean bedding
- garbage bags

The queen delivers her first kitten within about 15 minutes of the onset of labor. Depending on the number of kittens, labor will last for up to two or three hours. Soon after being born, the kittens will shakily make their way around their mother's nipples and start feeding.

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Electrocution and Drowning - Information That You Should Know When it Happens to Your Cat

Many cats, especially kittens, will chew on wires. Some even like to chew on wire coat hangers. With today's electrical equipment, it may be almost impossible to wire proof your house.

If your cat has been electrocuted, do not touch him until you have turned off the power and removed the plug from the socket. Check for his heartbeat by feeling the lower part of his chest just behind the left foreleg.

If he is unconscious, you may need to rush him to the veterinarian for treatment. Never attempt to resuscitate him yourself. If the shock is not sufficient to render him senseless, it can still inflict a serious burn on his tongue or in his mouth.

Take him to the veterinarian as soon as you can to avoid any possibility of gangrene. To protect your cat from any further shocks, remember to unplug appliances when you are not using them and to keep cords out of reach.

What about drowning? Although they may be very good swimmers, cats, just like people, can drown, particularly if they fall into a swimming pool. Even a toilet bowl can be hazardous to a kitten.

If your cat is drowning, remove him from the water as quickly as possible. Then, holding him by his hind legs, swing him gently between your legs until all the water has been expelled. If he has problems breathing or acts abnormally, contact your veterinarian.

Cats have no concept of the danger of the roads. Because cars do not smell like predators, cats cannot understand that they can be harmed by them. So if you live on a bust road, it is best to keep your cat indoors.

To revive your cat if he is drowning, swing him between your legs. Continue to do so until the water in his lungs gushes outward, and it has all been expelled.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Cat Pet Supplies [http://www.catpetsupplies.org/] and Reader Sunglasses [http://www.readersunglassesdeal.com/]

Cat Pregnancy - What You Should Really Know When it is the Time to Give Birth to a Kitten

Watching your queen give birth is one of the most satisfying parts of breeding. Although she will rarely need assistance, your queen will appreciate your presence, particularly if anything should go wrong. Just remember that too much human meddling may be deleterious.

When your queen is approaching her 59th day of pregnancy, you should confine her to the cage or room in which she is to deliver her kittens. She may fool you into thinking that birth is imminent by scratching and tearing at the paper or toweling in the birthing box, becoming very restless and not wanting much to eat.

However, these signs can go on for one or two weeks and are not sure fire indicators of labor. In fact, in some cases these signs may have started to occur at the time she was mated. Her temperature will drop to below 101.2 F for a 24 hour period before delivery, although it is not advisable to take her temperature at this time as this could stress her.

Other definitive signs are a tightening of the skin over her abdomen and the movement, or dropping, of the kittens to the rear. She will meow quite plaintively during this time, but she may have been doing this during most of her pregnancy.

Be alert to any signs that labor has begun. You will notice her squatting and straining and, if she is shorthaired, you may also see labor contractions rippling. If she is longhaired, you will have cut away the hair from around her vagina so the hair does not stick to the umbilical cord during delivery. You also should have cut the hair from around her nipples to enable the kittens to suck on them more easily.

If she is shorthaired, these procedures are not necessary. It is unusual for your queen to have much difficulty when giving birth. Even with her first litter, a queen knows instinctively what to do.

After giving birth, the queen will chew off the umbilical cord and ear the placenta. In the wild, the placenta would attract predators, so this behavior is vital. She will then lick her kittens clean.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Igloo Dog House and Purses And Handbags