Fur, Jaws, and Claws

posted by fmoore on Dec 2

Hey, everyone. I love finding articles that may have gotten past you during the ins and outs of life. This a short and sweet article about Dr. Karen Halligan that I think you will find beneficial to you and your cat. Enjoy!

by Dr. Karen HalliganParade November 2, 2008

The high cost of care may make you reluctant to take your pet to the vet. Home remedies can help with minor ills, however, sometimes you need a doctor to keep a simple porblem from becoming a big one. Here’s how to decide.

Vomiting. A symptom rather than a disease, vomiting can occur with numerous illnesses. The most common cause, however, is often the most ovbious: eating something (for example, hair for cat or table scraps for dogs) that upsets the stomach.

If your pet vomits but seems otherwise healthy, take away its food for 12 to 24 hours and provide only water. Then, if no further vomiting occurs, start your pet on frequent, small feedings of its regular diet and gradually increase to the normal amount.

If your pet can’t keep water down, is lethargic, has abdominal pain or a fever, or still can’t digest food, go to the vet. Even simple cases can lead to death from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Puppies, kittens, and older pets are especially at risk.

Diarrhea. Diarrhea can be a symptom of anything from cancer to a change in diet. Mild cases may be resolved with simple, at-home treatments, but see a vet immediately for diarrhea that is bloody, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms such as vomitting, lethargy, or pain.

As with vomiting, the best treatment for diarrhea is withholding food for 12 to 24 hours to allow the intenstinal tract time to heal. (Be sure to provide water.) Then start your pet on a diet of bland foods for two to three days.

Limping. If your pet is limping but will let you examine its leg and is not in too much pain, try letting it rest for a few days. If the lameness improves, slowly work up to a normal walking routine. Never give your pet over-the-counter pain medication without first checking with the vet. And seek help right away if your pet can’t put any weight on its limb, is in great pain, or has a fever.

If you are looking to find the best holistic vets in the WORLD, make sure you download our Fur, Jaws, and Claws guide which includes a BONUS e-book of all the best holistic vets in the WORLD. I cannot guarantee it will be availabe at the beginning of the year so act NOW!

posted by fmoore on Nov 29

Cats love it when you pat and stroke them, more than you could ever imagine. There are particular areas on your cat that are very sensitive to touch and your cat gains great pleasure from you stroking these areas.

Have you ever noticed that your cat will lift its chin to encourage you to pat it under there or allow you stroke the side of their face or scratch the base of their tail?

The reason for this is that these areas have sebaceous glands which produce body odors.
So every time you pat or scratch your cat in this area you are effectively letting it mark you with its scent.

The skin of your cat is also very sensitive, including the hairless pads on their feet. These areas of skin and pads are particularly sensitive in that they help the cat to investigate and be aware of things that are happening around it in the wild and at home.

While most cats don’t mind their body being patted, quite a few of them don’t like their paws to be touched. Ironically, a light massage between the paws is one thing that many cats enjoy even if they don’t normally like their paws touched.

If you have been patting your cat for some time and its tail begins to start flicking rather rapidly then this is a sign that it is starting to get somewhat agitated and it might be wise to stop patting it for a while.

Cats can get a little carried away when you pat them and particularly if you’re patting them on their underside and they are lying on their back. One moment they can be purring with pleasure and the next minute they can be biting and scratching your hand.

Often they are just playing and don’t realize that they can be causing minor harm to your hands or wrists. It is not uncommon for cats to give you a little nip when showing their affection towards you too. This is certainly not something that they should be reprimanded for. This is just how they show their love for us.

posted by fmoore on Nov 26

If you have small children in the house, particularly those under the age of three, a cat might not be the best pet to have around your home. This is taking into consideration both the child and the cat’s well-being.Cats love to snuggle under people for company and warmth. This can be particularly dangerous where cats have been known to get into bed with babies and smother them unintentionally.

Another problem can occur when young kittens like to play with children. There is a strong chance for the child to get scratched in the eye when playing with a kitten.

Kittens have particularly sharp teeth and claws and when they play they can get overly excited and do a lot of damage to the tender skin of children.

Now, make no mistake, cats can get a hard life from children as well. Young children often tend to be a bit heavy-handed when handling cats and this can lead to increased cases of anxiety for your cat.

If there are cats and children in your family, it is a wise decision to teach your children how to handle the cat correctly.

The children need to be told how to pick up the cat, how to handle it carefully, and how to become aware of when the cat does not want to be handled any longer and would like to be left alone in peace.

Many cats become quite stressed with loud noises and sudden actions which is something that is quite common with young children.

It is good for children to learn to be considerate towards animals at a young age.
Not only will they treat animals better, but they will also become more considerate towards other people. So having a pet in the family that your children can learn to respect can be excellent for developing children in to better people as a whole.

posted by fmoore on Nov 25

Even cats that roam freely outside look for something when indoors that they can scratch. Here are 5 reasons why your cat may need to scratch:

They will scratch to sharpen their claws.
They will show their superiority over weaker cats.
They will be exercising the extension and retraction of their claws.
They will be marking their territory.
They might even be getting rid of anger or frustration.

You can see there are many reasons why your cat need to scratch, but you certainly don’t want them to use your furniture as the scratching pad therefore it is a good idea to supply the cat with a good scratching pad and let them know that that is what it is intended to be used for.

Put the scratching post in a place that is easily accessible to your cat particularly when it is finished eating or grooming itself and is likely to feel like having a scratch. Anytime your cat looks like it is going to scratch your furniture or anything else that you don’t want it to scratch, quickly pick it up and put it near the scratching post. This way it learns that the only place it should be scratching is the scratching post.

If your cat tends to scratch a particular piece of furniture or other item in the house on a regular basis, remove that item and replace it with a scratching post. Your cat will begin to learn that it is the scratching post that it should be scratching and nothing else. The more time you spend with your cat training it where it can scratch, when it is young, the less trouble you will have as it grows older.

At times your cat will scratch as a form of devotion or leave its scent over your own scent. If you rub your hands or a piece of your clothing over the scratching post, you will be leaving your scent. Oftentimes, this familiarity is all that is needed to encourage your cat to scratch at its post. This way you, your cat and your furniture will all be happy.

So, if you are looking to build the best relationship with your cat, be sure to download Fur, Jaws, and Claws. You will be glad you did.

posted by fmoore on Nov 21

Cats LOVE to be touched, stroked, and petted.

They absolutely love to rub their bodies up against their owners in a show of affection and to leave their scent as a sign of ownership. Cats not only derive pleasure from having humans pat them, they also enjoy the company and bodily contact of fellow cats. They exhibit the same behavior with other cats as they rub up against one another, but it is usually only a sign of affection when they do this.

Where cats are living together in harmony, or wherere they have been brought up together, they will often sleep curled up together and also groom one another. They feel a sense of comfort, security, and warmth by sharing their space with another cat and sleeping beside each other. This happens more often with neutered female cats than with male cats, although it is not uncommon to see male cats grooming one another too.

This is one of the reasons why it is well worth considering getting two kittens from a litter rather than one kitten when choosing.

However, keep in mind that male cats will rarely groom female cats. So, if you decide to choose two kittens, pick either two female kittens or two male kittens, NOT one of each. It is a higher probability they will socialize better if they are the same gender.

Often, where there are two cats in the family, each cat will claim ownership of one member of the family. If there is only one person in the household, that person will need to ensure that the amount of time is spent equally with both cats so that one cat doesn’t become jealous of the other. This can, and will,  lead to behavioral problems with one, or possibly both, cats.

If you are in the process of adopting a new cat, or cats, be sure to do your homework on behavior and socialization of that particular breed. Adopting a cat is just like adopting children. You must put the same time and effort into choosing the right kitten, or kittens, so that they can have the best quality of life possible. You are the window into how they see the world. Make sure it is a clear window.

posted by fmoore on Oct 30

Curiosity killed the cat.  This saying has stood the test of time. Partly because, well, cat’s are curious and because people just plain love a great story. Today’s post is to prevent this from happening to your cat.

It is very important that you keep your environment as safe as possible for your cat. They are very inquisitive animals and will get into all sorts of trouble given half the chance in a moment’s glance.

You really need to use your common sense and look about the environment that your cat is living in to determine any areas that could be a danger to it.

Living near a road may become a major concern for any cat owner. Cats love to wander around the neighborhood in search of company from other cats or from other people. It is not uncommon for cats to wander a long distance, particularly at night. The best bet is probably to keep your cat confined inside at night so you know where it will be when you wake up in the morning.

You can either keep your cat locked inside the house or have an external area that is fenced in such a manner that your cat can’t climb out, taking into account, that cats are extremely good at climbing and escaping from any enclosure. Having a cat door that will provide your cat with unrestricted access to the house is essential for any cat that prefers to spend some of its time outside during the day or night.

Your cat needs to be protected from other animals, in particular other cats and dogs, that can become quite vicious in the pursuit of your cat if they have not been properly socialized. In addition, your cat can pick up infections, such as rabies from other animals or from the feces that has been left about by other animals. So, you need to know where your cat is wandering and whether those places could be endangering its health in any way.

If you choose not to keep your cat within a confined area then you will need some form of identification on it should it ever get lost.

By having your cat neutered there is less chance that it will wander about the neighborhood looking for other cats. This issue is always a hot topic of debate. However, if you are not a breeder, neutering your cat eliminates riks to various types of cancer if the reproductive organs are removed. We will claw into this subject on tomorrow to get a better understanding on both sides of this issue.

posted by fmoore on Oct 28

What should you be feeding your cat? As of 2008, this has been THE top question on cat owner’s minds. 2007’s pet food recalled far more kittens than it should have. We made the mistake of trusting big corporations too much with the lives of our companions. However, once you begin to consider what cats will need in the wild, you can then determine the best food sources for your cat.In the wild, cats will eat mice, cats will eat birds, and cats will drink water. It’s diet is that simple.
This is a diet high in protein and it is essential that your cat gets sufficient protein to maintain a good healthy diet.

What many people have failed to realize, even today, is that if you feed your cat too many carbohydrates, it has a high probability of contracting diabetes. By constantly feeding your cat carbohydrates it can become insulin resistant and unable to keep its blood glucose levels at a suitable level.

Signs that your cat is becoming diabetic include drinking a lot of water and eating considerably more than they usually do. You might also notice a sign of weakness in the back legs as they tend to wobble a bit when walking.

The only way to be sure whether your cat is developing diabetes is to have your veterinarian administer a blood test. This is the best way to determine whether the cat has diabetes or not. Although you can do a urine analysis to check blood glucose levels, this is not as accurate.

Fortunately, it is possible for cats that have diabetes to go into remission provided their diet has been changed with an elimination of high carbohydrate foods. Offering more protein will help to stabilize the blood glucose levels in your cat.

Dry food and dry treats are particularly bad for your cat as they are generally very high in carbohydrates and even though your cat might love eating them, because of the additives that have been put into these dry foods, it certainly is not a good idea concerning their health.

The reason why these dry pet food products are so popular is because of the convenience and the fact that cats can be very fussy eaters. Corporations have catered to cats that are picky and have engineered food to fit their tastes but, to the detritment of their health.

I want to end by saying that there is no reason that your cat should come in contact with the disease diabetes. Start taking the same care in feeding your cat as if it were foraging for itself in the wild. The closest you can mimmick your cat’s natural diet, the healthier and happier it will be. Plus, it will reduce your visits to the vet.

Trust me, you will not be looking forward to the long term care of your cat if it is not able to fight this disease through diet alone. This is so unecessary being that this disease is 100% preventable. I have read horror story after horror story of cats that have developed complications from diabetes and the bills went into the THOUSANDS.

If your cat is suffering from diabetes or you wish to prevent this disease from happening to your cat, make sure you pick up a copy of Fur, Jaws, and Claws before you go. Every type of diet is discussed in this guide from holistic, to wellness to raw even a handful of human grade commercial brands we have approved is immediately accessible once you pick up your copy. Look at your cat, right now? Isn’t he or she worth it? Take care.

posted by fmoore on Oct 24

Today’s subject is a sensitive one. Even though it has been over 18 months since the pet food recall, many cat owners found out that if they had just spent a little more on healthy diet options, they may not have been faced with the high price of veterinarian care once their cat’s became sick. Or even worse, if their cat had to pay for this unintended negligence with their life. This post speaks to preventing this from happeningn to you and your cat.

While we all expect to pay for pet food on a regular basis when we own a cat, it is those times when we need to get recommended additional prescriptions for medical supplies where the expenses quickly build up.

While you should always listen to the recommendations from your veterinarian, there are alternative places where you can buy medical supplies that are considerably cheaper than many of the outlets we commonly use. These savings have been the result of internet sites and blogs, like this one, that offer advice for pet prescriptions and at discounts that are not available elsewhere. 

The majority of these sites all offer the same products that you would expect to find at your veterinarians, but with reduced overheads and widespread distribution throughout the country. You can save a considerable amount of money and ensure that your cat gets optimal treatment without having to worry solely about the financial aspect that is so often the determining factor for many people with their pets health.

In addition to the prescription medications, you will also find the usual worming tablets, powders and alternative pet health products that you would normally buy at the local pet store, at cheaper rates online.

Even though I am recommending this advice, I will be offering alternatives for your cat that will keep your cat from ever becoming dependent on drugs to become well.

I would like to even take it one step further. Prescriptions should be your last resort when healing your cat. Be sure to do your homework on holistic veterinarians, alternative medicines, and complementary procedures when it comes to healing your cat.

At this point in this post, you no longer have to make decisions that are determined primarily on finances becuase I will continually share and update information in this blog for you to make the best decision for your cat, versus emotion, which many veterinarians play on so they can pitch you THEIR products.

You can even get advice from some of these sites that will help you to resolve minor problems rather than having to take your cat to the vet once they have contracted a major illnesses. You would only need to use this where the problems are minor. You would not like to endanger your cat’s health by making incorrect decisions concerningn its health.

Many of the ailments that your cat might get however, can quite easily be resolved through the use of good information (that you can always find here), common sense, and quality products and services that are designed specifically for problems concerning your cat. If you are looking to reign in the costs of caring for your cat, you will want to read: Fur, Jaw, and Claws: A Definitive Introduction to a Holistic Lifestyle for Your Cat. This will definitely be a decision you can live with.