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532 results for “Kitten disease”
How to Get Your Cat to Enjoy Tooth Brushing
Cats need daily dental care, and the habit is best built young—kittens get 26 baby teeth, adults 30, with eruption and exchange from 3 to 8 months. Brushing fights bad breath and prevents tartar, yellowing, gum redness, and periodontal disease that can loosen teeth early. Brush with cat toothpaste in small circles, including the inner surfaces. Win cooperation with food association (a rare treat like nutritional paste only at brush time) and a step-by-step approach—first just touch the teeth, then water, then paste—and always stop if the cat resists.
How to Tell If Your Cat Has Feline Rhinotracheitis (Cat Flu)
Cat flu and a common cold look alike, which leaves many owners unsure whether their cat has feline rhinotracheitis — an infection caused by the feline herpesvirus. The reliable approach is twofold: watch the symptoms and confirm with a test. Early signs are subtle — sneezing, a runny nose, watery eyes, low appetite, no fever — while the active phase brings a high temperature near 40°C, persistent coughing and sneezing, and thick eye and nose discharge. A test strip or a PCR check at the clinic confirms it, but the result must be read alongside the symptoms.
Can a Cat Get Feline Distemper for No Reason?
Feline distemper, or panleukopenia, sounds terrifying, and for a kitten it can be life-threatening. The good news is a cat cannot catch it from nothing — it is a contact-transmitted virus, so infection only happens after exposure. Even an indoor cat that never goes outside can be infected if the virus is already in the home or is carried in on a person's hands, clothes, or shoes. Understanding how the virus spreads is the key to protecting your cat, and the defense rests on three pillars: vaccination, avoiding contact, and regular disinfection.
Why Isn’t My Ragdoll Cat Gaining Weight?
Ragdoll cats that eat plenty but never seem to gain weight worry many owners, yet the cause is not always disease. Genetics, low activity, or an unbalanced diet may simply mean your cat burns or absorbs fewer calories than expected. Parasites are another common culprit that blocks nutrient absorption. If diet and exercise adjustments bring no improvement, a veterinary check-up can rule out hyperthyroidism, digestive disorders, or liver problems. This article explains the likely causes and the practical steps you can take at home to help your Ragdoll reach a healthy weight.
What to Do When Your Cat Eliminates Outside the Litter Box
Cats don't pee or poop randomly without a reason, so fixing it means finding the cause. Common ones: never learned the box (left the mother too early), bullied by other cats, disliking the box (too far, too tall, smelly litter), illness (soft stool, UTI, stones, diabetes), or anxiety marking. Solutions are specific—teach the box, build the outcast's confidence, fix the box setup, treat disease, and address social frustration (neutering alone won't stop spraying).
Why Does My Cat Always Lie Down? Understanding Feline Arthritis
If your cat spends most of its time lying down, walks with a limp, or refuses to be touched on the hind legs, it may be suffering from arthritis—a condition that affects up to 90% of cats as they age. Arthritis is the inflammation and degeneration of joint cartilage, most often secondary (degenerative) arthritis, which worsens as cats grow older. Cats are masters at hiding pain, so signs like reluctance to jump, reduced grooming, increased sleeping, and irritability can easily go unnoticed. Causes include aging, genetics, obesity, injury, and acromegaly. Treatment combines veterinarian-supervised medication (NSAIDs such as meloxicam), weight management with omega-3 and glucosamine supplements, and environmental adjustments like steps and soft bedding. Prevention starts with a healthy diet and keeping your cat lean.
Postpartum Care for Mother Cats
Cat birth is long and exhausting, leaving the mother weak and far more vulnerable to disease. Poor aftercare can lead to uterine problems or lasting complications, so postpartum care matters. Within two hours of delivery, observe quietly without disturbing her or the kittens. Then focus on three pillars: nutritious food (more protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, plus broths and milk), a calm, clean, warm environment with a disinfected nest, and vigilance for uterine disease and mastitis—seeing a vet at the first sign of trouble.
Is a Pet Health Check-Up Really Necessary?
Like human screenings, pet check-up prices vary by region, and yes, it's an extra cost—but it's not wasted money. A check-up includes an external exam (eyes, ears, mouth), bloodwork (inflammation, infection, anemia, organ function), radiology (bones and organs), fecal testing (parasites), and urinalysis (urinary tract; in older cats it also shows kidney health). Cats and dogs have limited lifespans and often develop multiple diseases in old age, so early detection changes the outcome. Schedule a first exam at about 30 days old, yearly for seniors, and roughly every two years for healthy adults. Always use a proper veterinary clinic.
Should You Reattach a Cat’s Lost Whisker?
A cat losing whiskers isn't something to glue back—whiskers can't be reattached, and usually they don't need to be. Shedding is normal with age (older cats' whiskers whiten, break, and fall as metabolism slows) and during growth (kittens lose and regrow them along with coat and teeth). The real worry is disease: skin infections (bacterial or fungal) and nutritional or metabolic disorders can also make whiskers fall. If loss comes with skin problems or you suspect a deficiency, act early—supplement vitamins and minerals, adjust the diet, check the skin, and consider fish-oil coat support.
Should You Vaccinate a Cat That Has a Cold?
Don't vaccinate a cat that has a cold—wait until it recovers. Vaccinating a sick cat can cause vaccine failure and lower its already weak resistance, worsening the cold or inviting other infections. The best time to vaccinate is when the cat is healthy, the right age, and its immune system is working normally. Kittens usually get their first shot at about 8 weeks, commonly three shots spaced three to four weeks apart; adults typically get two feline-combination shots, the second three to four weeks after the first. After that, a titer check every three years shows whether boosters are needed. Also skip vaccination if the cat is vomiting, diarrheal, newly recovered, low in spirit, pregnant, has an allergy history, swelling, or is already infected.