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478 results for “FIV”
A Complete Guide to Deworming Your Cat
Even indoor cats need regular deworming, because we carry parasite eggs home on our shoes. Kittens and adults alike are exposed through grooming and play. This guide covers internal and external parasites, common product types, a schedule, and the safety notes every owner should know.
Bad Breath, Tartar, and Lost Appetite: Feline Periodontal Disease
By age three, roughly 70 percent of cats have periodontal disease, and the first sign owners notice is bad breath. Left alone, bacteria-laden tartar inflames gums, weakens immunity, and can force extraction. This guide covers what periodontal disease is, its signs, vet checks, and how to build a brushing routine that protects your cat's teeth.
Why Your Cat Keeps Sneezing
An occasional sneeze is nothing, but frequent sneezing with discharge, eye issues, or coughing can hide something serious. Causes span environment, infection, and even facial structure, from dust and viruses to flat-faced-breed anatomy. This guide explains the reasons, when to see a vet, and how to care for and prevent sneezing fits.
Six Common Types of Cat Vomit and What They Mean
Vomiting is one of the most common reasons cats visit the vet, and the appearance of the vomit often points to the cause. From yellow bile and hairballs to undigested food, parasites, blood, or swallowed objects, each type tells a different story. Learning to read what your cat brings up helps you decide when a diet tweak is enough and when it is time to rush to the clinic.
How to Prevent Gastric Ulcers in Dogs
A gastric ulcer in dogs is a chronic sore between the cardia and pylorus that can penetrate the full thickness of the stomach lining, and most cases trace back to serious illness such as kidney failure or tumors. They arise from stress, drug side effects (especially NSAIDs and steroids, with ibuprofen especially dangerous), excess acid, poor feeding, or toxins and other diseases. Signs include vomit that looks like coffee grounds, belly pain, weight loss, and black tarry stools. Diagnosis uses blood work, X-ray, ultrasound, and endoscopy, and treatment targets the cause while curbing acid with antacids and acid blockers.
Why Do Cats Vary So Much in Jumping Ability?
A cat's amazing leaps come from its unusual build: more bones and muscles than humans, with around 240 bones and over 500 muscles, plus long hind limbs and flexible joints that extend fully during a jump. Yet not every cat jumps well. Breed matters, with lazy types like Persians staying low while American Shorthairs are athletes, and so do body shape, weight, and condition. Obesity and weak constitution lower agility and raise diabetes and liver risks, and jumping fades with age as muscle and joints decline. Owners should not overestimate cats' abilities and should fit window guards to prevent falls from height.
Diagnosing and Treating Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC)
Feline idiopathic cystitis, or FIC, is a common lower-urinary-tract disease in cats whose exact cause is still unknown, yet it is the single most frequent diagnosis in young cats, affecting roughly 50 to 60 percent of cases. It is linked to a defective bladder lining, nerve-driven inflammation, and stress. Because there is no single definitive test, veterinarians diagnose it by exclusion, using the history, urinalysis, blood chemistry, and ultrasound. Most episodes ease on their own within five to seven days, but treatment focuses on pain relief, protecting the bladder lining, litter-box management, more water, prescription food, and reducing stress.
Cat Upper Respiratory Infection: Symptoms and Treatment
A cat upper respiratory infection is inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper airways. Affected cats typically cough, sneeze, and have a runny nose, sometimes with yellow nasal discharge, and a sudden drop in temperature, poor nutrition, or stress can trigger an outbreak. The usual culprits are viruses such as herpesvirus and calicivirus, bacteria such as Chlamydia, and fungi such as Cryptococcus. This article covers the common pathogens, how viral, bacterial, and fungal infections differ in their signs, what else can mimic these symptoms, and the supportive care and medications veterinarians rely on to treat them, from keeping the eyes and nose clear to antiviral, antibiotic, and antifungal therapy.
5 Tips for Keeping a Senior Cat Healthy
Five tips for senior cats: twice-yearly exams to catch teeth, arthritis, heart, and kidney issues; watch behavior like appetite, litter, and sleep changes; ease daily life with ramps, non-slip mats, and low-sided litter boxes; switch to senior food to control weight; and give soft, warm, safe bedding, guarding wires from chewing.
Treating and Preventing Cat Tartar
Ignored mouth hygiene leads to tartar, common in cats over two on soft food, peaking at five and eight. Plaque hardens into tartar that causes gum damage, loose teeth, and bad breath. Professional ultrasound scaling under anesthesia is best; severely bad teeth should be pulled. Prevent with early brushing using pet paste and gauze, and feed cat kibble.