Spring Cat Care: What Owners Should Know

1 Overview

Peak Mating Season

As spring warms, cats become more active, and the most obvious change is heat.

Female cats in heat call out, raise their rear near the owner, become clingy, roll on the floor, and drink and urinate more.

Male cats also call, but especially spray urine and turn irritable, sometimes running away. Note that males come into heat in response to females.

During heat, owners must secure doors and windows, especially on high floors, to prevent falls.

Of course, if you do not plan to breed, neuter after the heat ends.

If you do plan to breed, spring is the best season; arrange a suitable mate in advance for a healthy litter.

Prone to Hairballs

Spring is the shedding season; as temperatures rise, cats lose coarse fur to cool down.

Meanwhile they swallow more loose fur, and if it is not vomited or passed, it builds up and causes hairball syndrome.

Symptoms include vomiting, poor appetite, poor digestion, constipation and low spirits.

Hairballs must be passed promptly; once they block the gut they harden, and severe blockage becomes intestinal obstruction needing surgery.

So to spare your cat, do the following daily:

Brush regularly: removes loose fur and boosts circulation.

Feed hairball paste: helps pass hairballs and adds nutrients for smoother, shinier coats.

Offer cat grass: a good alternative if the cat dislikes paste. Common cat grasses include barley, wheat and foxtail grass; their fiber helps expel hairballs.

Shedding bothers owners, but be patient, brush often to limit flying fur, and protect your cat’s gut.

Preventing Cat Scratch Disease

Cat scratch disease is an infection from Bartonella henselae entering the body through a scratch or bite.

It is a zoonosis with an incubation of 10 to 30 days, sometimes up to 1-2 years; it causes swollen lymph nodes and fever.

About 10% of pet cats and 33% of strays carry the bacteria and spread it among cats via fleas. This shows timely deworming is vital.

Also, during spring mating, minimize startling your cat to avoid needless harm.

Cold Season

Spring’s big day-night temperature swings mean owners should be attentive to prevent colds.

Cats can catch colds year-round, but owners should not take it lightly. An untreated cold can spread inflammation to the trachea, bronchi and lungs.

Cold symptoms: lethargy, curled-up stillness, poor appetite; raised temperature, shivering, cold ear tips and nose; runny nose, frequent coughing and sneezing; red conjunctiva with discharge; severe cases show faster heartbeat and breathing trouble.

Causes include season change and sudden temperature drops; sweating after exercise then cold air; poor care and malnutrition; or other respiratory disease.

That covers spring cat care. For a healthy cat, nutritional support is essential.