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174 results for “cat dehydration”
Why Cats Get Diabetes
Diabetes is an endocrine disease where too little insulin or poor insulin response raises blood sugar, disturbing carbs, protein and fat and causing electrolyte imbalance. Cats have three types (I insulin-dependent, II non-insulin-dependent, III secondary); type II is common and, happily, preventable. The real drivers are diet and exercise, not just 'obesity' - high-carbohydrate commercial kibble turns to fat in a short gut that needs little carbohydrate. Signs: excessive drinking and eating with weight loss, 3-5x urine, walking difficulty, and late ataxia even paralysis. Complications bring lethargy, dull coat, vomiting, dehydration, sweet breath, coma. Prevent and treat with fixed high-protein, low-carb meals, regular activity, weight and check-up monitoring; many cats live well with medicine and good management.
How to Tell If Your Cat Is Dehydrated
An adult cat needs about 150 ml of water a day, but cats dislike drinking, so many drift into chronic dehydration and later urinary trouble. Two home checks: stool - if it comes out in hard, dry pellets the cat is already short on water (the body pulls moisture from waste); and urine clumps - an adult's clump should be about a third of a palm, once or twice a day, so a ping-pong-sized clump is a red flag. Remember, you judge by what goes out, not what goes in. Fix it with a fountain cats prefer and wet food or rehydrated freeze-dried meals.
How to Care for Your Cat in Summer
Cats have thick coats and dislike heat, so summer care centers on safe cooling to prevent heatstroke. Move the bed to a cool indoor spot, offer a cooling mat, trim only the paw fur (never shave—UV then damages skin), and keep air flowing with a fan or AC set no lower than comfortable, avoiding big temperature swings. Cats shed heat through their paw pads, so shorter paw hair helps. Hydration matters because fast summer metabolism raises dehydration risk—encourage drinking. Feed fresh food in small portions and clear leftovers fast, since wet food spoils quickly in the heat. These steps keep a cat comfortable through summer.
Cats Evolved in Deserts But Still Need Water
Wild cats get 70-80% of their water from prey, so a dry-kibble home cat that also refuses water faces real danger. A cat needs about 40-60 ml per kg of body weight daily (a 4 kg cat: 160-240 ml). Low intake concentrates urine and triggers a chain of trouble: bladder and urinary disease, kidney disease, cystitis, even life-threatening urethral blockage. Check dehydration by skin elasticity (slow rebound) or gums (sticky when dry). Boost intake with wet food, raw meat if skilled, a fountain for moving water, or a syringe; never give tap water - use cooled boiled or purified to avoid parasites.
Why Your Cat’s Diarrhea Persists Despite Probiotics
It is a common story: your cat has soft stool or diarrhea, you reach for a probiotic, and the problem does not go away. Probiotics can help the gut, but they are not a cure for every loose stool, and not every product on the shelf is what it claims to be. Understanding why they sometimes fail points you toward the real fix.
Summer Hazards for Cats
Summer is a rough season for cats. With poor sweating, they overheat fast - five minutes on hot asphalt, in a sealed space or on a sunny balcony can cause heatstroke: high temperature, fast pulse, panting, then dizziness, vomiting and coma. Move them to shade and cool with water or a fan, and rush to the vet if it does not ease. Warm weather also brings acute gastritis from spoiled food (limit water and feed easily digested fluids) and skin disease from fleas, mites and fungi - treat the cause and keep up prevention with cleaning and deworming.
What to Do When Your Cat Throws Up
Cat vomiting has many causes, so watch and reason before acting, and see a vet when needed. A single vomit of undigested food with normal energy is usually harmless. Bad or spoiled food can trigger it and may lead to gastroenteritis. Hairballs show as fur in the vomit and need a hairball remedy. True gastroenteritis brings repeated vomiting, soft stools, and severe thirst but no eating, risking dehydration and organ failure if ignored. Pancreatitis and serious viral infections also start with vomiting. For mild cases, probiotics and warm water may help; persistent vomiting needs a vet, where anti-emetic and anti-inflammatory shots work fast and forced feeding may be needed.
Four Winter Diet Points to Keep Cats Healthy
Cold weather means cats burn more energy and need smarter feeding to stay well. Beyond cat food, add freeze-dried meat snacks like chicken, quail, or herring to keep energy up, top up vitamins and trace elements, supplement calcium in moderation, and make sure your cat drinks enough warm water. These four adjustments help fend off the minor illnesses winter tends to bring.
Five Rare Cat Diseases Every Owner Should Know
Most cat illnesses are familiar, but a few rare conditions can catch owners off guard. From contagious mites and bizarre allergic behavior to the much-feared FIP, hormone-driven acromegaly, and a mysterious nervous-system disorder, these diseases are uncommon yet serious. Knowing the warning signs helps you seek the right diagnosis before a rare illness becomes untreatable.
Four Winter Diet Tips to Keep Cats Healthy
Cold weather raises a cat's energy needs and weakens its natural defenses, making winter a season of extra health risks. Supporting your cat's immunity through diet is one of the simplest ways to help it sail through the cold months. From adding more meat to the kibble to topping up vitamins, calcium, and warm water, here are four practical feeding adjustments every owner should know for a healthy, comfortable winter.