It is easy to get used to seeing your cats healthily gambolling around and think that it will always be this way, but sadly this is not the case. Every good thing must come to an end some day, and one of the best ways of making this easier is with Pet Insurance. A sick cat is any owner’s worst nightmare, but it would make the vet’s bills one less thing to worry about. It can’t stop your cat from getting ill, but it makes it easier to get the treatment  needed.

Insurance is something you hope you will never need to use, but if the time comes when it would be useful then you would thank your lucky stars that it is available to you. It might be cheaper to simply put money aside by yourself, but insurance can come to pay for itself very quickly if it turns out to be necessary.

The only time that is too late is if your cat is already sick. It is best to start looking as soon as possible to give you the maximum time to learn about pet insurance and find out which plan will serve your needs best.

Pet insurance gives you tremendous peace of mind, knowing that no matter what happens your cat is guaranteed the best medical attention available. Whether it gets sick or has an accident, whatever needs to be done will get done with the insurance paying almost all the bills. In addition, this care will be provided as soon as possible.

Unless you have already had dealings with them it is hard to explain how quickly vet bills add up, and swiftly become very expensive. Investing in pet insurance means that you are protected from the risk of unexpected and unnecessary debts, even if it seems like it’s not an apparent necessity at the start.

If you don’t have insurance, then it means that money becomes a factor when deciding which treatments your cat should have. If, like many families, you consider your cat to be more than just a pet, this can be a simply awful decision to make.

Imagine if you had to have your cat put down because you can’t afford the fees. With the right policy, money is less of a concern, and therefore you can focus your attention on your cat and its wellbeing.

There are many available pet insurance plans to choose from, and it is important to research all of them thoroughly. Pet insurance is not cheap, but you need to decide before it is too late. Do your research thoroughly as best as you can to decide if insurance is the right path for you, and if so, which plan to take out.

The risks of your pet being poisoned

How safe is your pet? The Kennel Club, RPSB, the Dogs Trust and the Feline Advisory Bureau are warning pet owners that over the past decade, at least 22 cats and 56 dogs are known to have died in pesticide abuse incidents. The majority of these come from poisoned baits that had been placed illegally with the intention of killing wildlife and birds of prey.

The problem is that these baits have been placed so indiscriminately that many pets have become the unintended victims. The animal organisations have warned the public to watch out for poisoned baits being left in areas where pets can get to them. Those who need to be particularly aware are cat and dog owners who live in rural areas, or walk their dogs there.

Martin Harper is the RSPB’s Conservation Director. He said: “To lose a pet is heart-breaking, but it must be unbearable to know that a pet has died because someone callously wanted to kill foxes or birds of prey and that your companion was just an unintended casualty in the war on predators.”

Employees on rogue shooting estates will illegally douse rabbit or pheasant carcasses with poisons. These poisoned baits are then carelessly left out in areas where foxes or birds of prey may take the bait, with the inevitable consequences. The use of poisoned baits was outlawed in 1911, but the practice still continues illegally.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “Behind every one of these incidents is a tragic story, which could have been avoided. Whether it’s a red kite or a red setter, there are too many victims of illegal poisoning and it’s time for the law to change. We urge dog owners to avoid letting their dogs go out of sight when they are out for a walk, so that they can try and prevent them from picking up potential poisoned bait.”

Claire Bessant of the Feline Advisory Bureau, said: “We believe that too many pets and threatened species have died and it’s time this deplorable practice was brought to an end.”

Dogs Trust Veterinary Director Paula Boyden added: “Illegal baiting is a despicable practice that causes unimaginable suffering to wildlife and domestic pets. Should a pet owner have any suspicions that their animal has eaten something that might be toxic; they should call their vet for immediate advice.

“Although it is not always easy to do when walking a dog off-lead in rural areas, we strongly recommend that you prevent your dog from scavenging on animal remains and ideally encourage them to leave carcasses alone.”

The RSPB is campaigning for a list of the most widely-abused and lethal poisons to be added to the legislation, so that only those with a legitimate use for them can have them in their possession.

Jeff Knott, the RSPB’s bird of prey policy officer, said: “It is illegal to poison a bird of prey, but in a bizarre quirk, it is not illegal inEngland,WalesandNorthern Irelandfor individuals to possess some of the most deadly poisons capable of killing these species, even though they have no legitimate need to possess them.

“Currently it is only a crime to use these poisons to kill wildlife, but by making it an offence to hold stockpiles of these chemicals, we believe we can lower the threat to wildlife and pets.”

The previous Government accepted in 2006 that it was sensible to make it illegal for unauthorised people to possess these poisons, but despite the law being in place, the Government hasn’t listed the banned pesticides. This is despite the controls being in place inScotlandsince 2005, where police find it a very useful tool in the fight against wildlife crime as 10 convictions have already been secured. The RSPB is asking the Government to add a list of chemicals to Section 43.

The RSPB Birdcrime 2010 report reveals there were 128 reports of illegal poisoning in theUK, and the early figures for this year suggest a similar pattern. In 2010, 20 red kites, 30 buzzards, two goshawks, eight peregrines, five golden eagles, one white-tailed eagle and one sparrowhawk were found poisoned in theUK. The RSPB believes that the number of recorded incidents is way below the actual number.

Here at Hill’s we understand the importance of providing your precious pooch or cute kitty with a well-balanced and varied diet. That’s why we work around the clock to produce pet food products that are specially tailored to your pet’s size, weight and medical needs.

We’ve more than 150 veterinarians, Ph.D. nutritionists and food scientists worldwide who are constantly innovating tasty, new recipes. We are proud to have developed leading formulas and have the most extensive range of clinical nutrition products for sick, at risk and healthy dogs and cats.

We know that like human beings, every animal is different and requires a unique and specifically modified diet. That’s why our specialist team have created the Science Plan to make sure your canine or feline gets the right balance of antioxidants and high-quality ingredients. A bouncing puppy doesn’t need to follow the same diet as an aging cat, which is we have spent our time creating specialised meal choices.

Our Prescription Diet plans are also ideal for animals that are suffering from particular illnesses as they offer clinical approved nutrients. So, if your furry friend is feeling a bit under the weather Hill’s is here to help with a highly nutritious and specially tailored diet. We all need a bit of a boost when we are feeling low and eating the correct foods is essential to a speedy recovery.

Hills are dedicated to strengthening to relationship between you and your pooch and have devised a number of products to help with stiff joint in dogs and other animal ailments. We want you to enjoy a quality life with your pet for as long as possible and our passion for giving animals the best quality of life underpins everything we do.

So if you are looking to save money, cut back elsewhere and make sure you dog or cat is getting a top quality diet – after all they are one of the family, right? Find out more about Hill’s today and take excellent nutritional care of your furry friend.

Article Supplied by Hill’s

One of the most important things you must be careful about doing as a cat owner is checking your cat for injury. This might not always be immediately apparent as cats are known to hide their injuries as it might be construed as aweakness.

Obviously, in the home environment, this weakness is not going to lead to the problems it would in the wild as it might make them an easier target and this is something that remains in their nature. If you do suspect your cat is in pain take them to the vet so that the cat can be treated and given appropriate painkillers.

Cat owners should also be aware that they age in a very similar way to people and as they get older they suffer from similar conditions, such as arthritis. They do age much faster than us so when your cat is getting older make sure you take it to the vet for regular checkups.

If your cat is in pain then it is important that you take it to the vet, who will be able to diagnose the cause of the problem and be able to treat it appropriately. Never try to treat your cat with your own medications as these will only serve to cover up the pain and not treat the cause.

This means that if the cat has a serious problem you are unlikely to know about it until it is too late. Another disadvantage is that medications designed for humans can cause liver damage to cats and in some cases this can be fatal.

Even if your cat is in pain, the vet will not always prescribe it painkillers and there is usually a good reason for this. Just because you feel sorry for your cat being in pain you must not give it painkillers yourself, if you have any concerns ask the vet why they are not prescribing it anything.

Painkillers can have a negative effect on a cats life and mean that its normal lifestyle can be affected. This will mean that the cat might suffer further injury or become a greater burden to its owners.

Generally, if the vet feels that your cat can tolerate the pain they will not prescribe it any drugs, and in some situations the drugs might make the condition worse so the vet will want to avoid them. There are other methods apart from drugs that can be used to relieve pain in cats and if you are curious about these it is worth asking your vet about them.

It is important that adult cats visit the vet regularly and that they go at least on an annual basis. This should be for just a basic physical examination to make sure that they are remaining healthy. For young kittens they should visit on a monthly basis for the first four months of their life.

For cats who are eight years or older, they should visit the vet twice a year to make sure that any illnesses are caught early. If the vet has any thoughts that your cat may be getting sick, they can order regular blood tests to ensure that any illness can be treated before it becomes a significant problem.

If your cat displays any symptoms of sickness you should go to the vet immediately. Symptoms can include a decrease in activity, a lack of appetite, diarrhoea, vomiting, and discharge from various bodily orifices, such as the eyes.

Liquid medication is much easier to give to your cat and it can be administered with an eyedropper or a syringe without the needle. Pills can be a much greater challenge and cats will often refuse to swallow them. If you open the cats mouth while tilting its head back you can put the pill far back in the mouth and then close the cats mouth while rubbing its throat, this will cause the cat to swallow the pill.

Administering eyedrops, or eye cream, to a cat can also be challenging and you can hold the cat still by placing it in between your legs while you are sitting down. Place the eyedrops into the cats eyes while it cannot run away and then release it.

Vaccinations are important as they will help cats fight disease, and there are many types of vaccination the cats need to receive. These vaccinations will protect them against various viruses that will attack their respiratory systems, nervous systems, immune systems, blood cancer and disease of the bone marrow. Certain vaccinations, such as rabies are essential as this disease can be spread to humans and if untreated is deadly.

Parasites are a common problem in cats and these can be passed to your cat in many ways, such as through eggs, faeces or directly from the mother’s milk. Unfortunately, some of these parasites are untreatable, for example, heartworms have no effective treatment. Parasites also exist externally and you should check regularly for tics and fleas. There are many creams that can be used to treat these conditions.

Everyone knows how important it is to brush their teeth and this is something you can also do for your cat. Several brushes are available that you can use to brush your cats teeth and once a year you should visit a professional for cleaning.

Those that are most obvious appear horizontally in rows on the whisker pad or puffy area of the cat’s cheeks on their face. They are generally in an area between the corner of the cat’s nose and the corner of its mouth. There are a number of others that are in areas around the cat’s face on the chin, eyebrows and also on places of the body like the front legs, hind legs and feet although in these areas they are usually shorter.

Each of the whiskers has a deep follicle that is surrounded by a sheath of muscle tissue that is highly developed, full of sensory cells and nerves, and sealed in a capsule of blood called the blood sinus. The muscle can move the whisker anywhere in order to best optimise its use. The nerves connect directly to a large area in the cat’s brain to process nerve impulses received from these whiskers.

If you touch the whisker it automatically moves and blood in the blood sinus is then compressed to the opposite side. The movement is amplified by the blood allowing even the most miniscule of movement to be detected. They are very important to the survival of a cat.

The sensory hairs are about the width of the cat’s body and cats will measure an opening by ducking their head inside to see if there is sufficient space for the rest of the body to pass. They have learned over time that up to a certain pressure on their whiskers will allow them to make it through the opening.

Whiskers are also a good sign of what is going on inside the cat’s mind. If they are pulled back to the side of the face then they are aggressive, angry or defensive. If they are standing up and extended to their full circle around the face then they are curious, alert and interested. If they are pointed forward they are excited and animated.

They do fall out and can naturally re-grow. They should never be trimmed as it lowers their senses and eliminate one of their means of communication and ultimately you put the cat’s life in danger.

There are three different types of ringworm infections that can happen to pets and every breed of cat or dog is susceptible to having the infection. The infection is not a pleasant one and may cause a great deal of irritation.

The symptoms are very difficult to distinguish since there are is no set type. Unlike in humans the symptoms are different and it may end up being quite difficult to figure out what it is the dog or cat is suffering from. Because of that only the vet is going to be able to help. The proper diagnosis can be determined by the vet as to the type of infection that the pet has and then can accordingly treat the pet.

If the infection is not treated correctly then the infection could spread and get worse therefore it is necessary to not allow this to happen. Many vets believe the best treatment for a pet affected by ringworm is for up to eight weeks to completely cure the infection down to the roots.

Even though the infected dog or cat may respond positively to the treatment the treatment needs to go to the end since the fungal spores can last for much longer time even if the pet’s symptoms go away. Only proper treatment will guarantee that the fungal infection will be completely cured.

Furballs can completely block the esophagus so your cat could have a problem with breathing as well as blocking the intestines that could create the need for surgery. There are cats that will not show any symptoms of a blocked intestine until they are near death.

The fact is that cats must lick themselves; this is done in order to maintain their cleanliness and also helps to regulate their body temperature. Because they have such a rough tongue they at times pull out loose furs when they lick and then they in turn swallow the fur.

If you see or hear your cat hacking or gagging or having a problem with breathing they are probably having a problem with a furball. They may stop eating completely since there is a blockage in their intestine. Many believe these are just par for the course of being a cat, but if this persists and happens more than once a month, or if you notice the cat has stopped eating, then you must take the cat immediately to the vet,

If they only occur once or twice a year there are things that can be done to fix the problem. You can brush your cat on a regular basis, at least every week, and if it is a long haired cat, more often. There are pet brushes that pull the loose furs out, and these are the best. The amount that your brush has after brushing is the amount the cat could possibly have in its stomach.

You can also purchase a lubricant at any pet store and they have different flavors making it easier for the cat to swallow. This works in a wall to help move the fur through the intestine and entire digestive system without it becoming a fur ball.

One other alternative is to feed them only organic food with no fillers and that helps their digestive tracks so fur balls would not form. You can take them off the organic food after about six months and you should not have any further problems.

Scratching high, with different pitches are then preferred because cats tend to like to stand up, safe from “danger”. However, the integrity of fragile objects and furnishings can not be guaranteed with a cat (especially the most lively, hoisting himself on a soft surface using fingernails as hooks).

It is important that each individual can polish and sharpen their claws in a safe place. In the absence of an appropriate scratching post the cat tends to find one by itself and thus ruins doors, furniture or carpets.

The cat does not need a kennel because it is perfectly able to find a bed that’s convenient.  They find anywhere to sleep, usually in the warmest place.  It is essential to vaccinate cats.  Parasites decrease the resistance of animals as well as their ability to “respond” to the vaccine by producing antibodies.

To protect cats, the veterinarian has many vaccines. Those most commonly used are those against feline infections (or infectious gastroenteritis), including Korce, chlamydia, rhinotracheitis, the calicivirus, leukemia and rabies.
Infectious diseases of the cat.
Panleucoponia contagious or infectious gastroenteritis: Also called typhus, caused by numerous outbreaks. It is a contagious disease and viral in nature.  Due to a parvovirus, it is characterized by a state of deep prostration, gastroenteritis and leukopenia (fall in the number of white blood cells).

Mortality is very high, and 80% will die in 6 months and 40% in 1 year. If the virus hits a pregnant cat, the young animals may show disturbances, caused by the location of the virus in the cerebellum of the foetus.  Many veterinary laboratories offer vaccine efficacy close to 100%. The first immunization includes in principle, 2 injections at 2-3 week intervals from one another

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The following should be immunised against in a regular annual booster.
The Korce: Includes some infectious diseases, infections and virals (herpesvirus, Calcivirus, Reovirus …)  These are very common in cats. Particularly affects animals living in institutions (shelters, farms etc).
Feline Leukemia: A few years ago they have found a cure for this disease caused by virus FeLV. Today, viruses have been identified in 2 of the diseases: the first and most common is FeLV and was discovered by Professor Jarret quarter of a century ago, in Great Britain. Vaccination protects, even if incompletely, the cat against this virus.  The protection is demonstrated only in animals that were infected with the virus and is therefore negative.

The second is the IVF, identified recently in the United States and then in France.   The FeLV FIV causes a weakening of the immune defenses, and affected cats become susceptible to other infections. No cat is safe from this danger. Vaccination for leukemia needs an annual booster.
Anger: Like dogs, the cat is affected by this disease, which is also a zoonosis. The first vaccination requires 2 injections (depending on vaccine used). This type of vaccination is regulated by law and maturity, so you must respect the dates indicated on the certificates.
Chlamydia: chlamydia feline (caused by Chlamydia psittaci) is a disease of the airways characterized by conjunctivitis and nasal discharge, it is highly contagious and even humans can contract it.

In cats the symptoms of the disease are similar to those of coryza, conjunctivitis, but it is more marked. With kittens, the most severe forms can cause dehydration and anorexia and can even cause death. For some years the vaccine was used in France and the United States, but is now also available in Italy.

The cat uses different vocalizations to communicate (over 16), purring, and the positions of the body produces pheromones. The cat can be trained to obey simple commands and there are cats who have trained themselves to manipulate simple mechanisms such as door handles or flushing the toilet. The name derives from the Latin cattus cat of uncertain origin, the root of which has similarities with the Nubian and Berber kadiska Kadis.

The cat’s body temperature fluctuates between 38° and 38.5°C.  The respiratory rate is normal a 10/20 breaths per minute and the heart rate is 110/140 beats per minute.
Their body is agile, flexible and solid enough to allow him to walk in quiet and prominent big jumps, and their retractable claws (more precisely protractile, since under ordinary conditions of rest are hidden and are extracted only if necessary) enable it to climb with great agility.  The skeleton consists of 250 bones. The neck vertebrae are short and the spine is very mobile.

The clavicle of cats, like all felines, is small and only connected to the sternum by a ligament.  This gives great mobility as the shoulders can move independently. Caudal vertebrae extend the column; the number is variable depending on the breed. The tail has an important role in maintaining balance.
The front legs end in claws, five fingers provided by protractile, formed by keratin, but only four of them touch the ground.
The hind legs are longer than the front, finishing with four fingers and retractable claws. The bearings are made of elastic membranes that give silent pace.  The back muscles are very flexible and more powerful than the hind legs.

These specifications give the animal a great agility and breadth when jumping.  It can jump to five times the height of his stature.  It can reach 40km and they can run 100m in 9 seconds.  It is a runner of long distances and gets tired very quickly. Contrary to what is generally thought, all cats can swim very well and do not hesitate to jump into the water if forced to.  It weighs on average between 2.5 and 4.5kg and measures 46 to 51cm without the tail measures 20 to 25cm. Record weight and size is held by Himmy, a cat neutered in Australia and until his death in 1986 weighed 21.3Kg and was 96.5cm in total length.