Weaning kittens

All aspects of kitten care and rearing are fun, but weaning kittens is especially fun.   Usually, kittens can be weaned from the queen at 3-4 weeks of age.

Weaning is a step process, gradually introducing foods of increasing consistency.  First, introduce the kitten to light milky replacement formula foods in a shallow dish or saucer.  The kittens may not identify the saucer as a food source, but be more overtaken by a sense of exploration and fun and paddle in the food.  Gradually, they will begin to get the taste for ir and start to lap it up. If they are particularly shy of the saucer then allow them to lick it from a finger and be gently led to the saucer.

Once comfortable with both the saucer and content, you can begin to slowly introduce food of a slightly heavier consistency, such as baby food or mashed egg.  Then  move on to yoghurt and commercial kitten food. 

It is important to wean kittens on to a variety of foods in order to avoid them becoming dependent on the same type of food.  Kittens should be encouraged to experience a wide variety of textures and tastes early in their lives.

Cat grooming

Grooming your cat is an important part of a regular cat care program.

Regular grooming will not only improve the physical appearance of your cat and give you time to bond with him, but can also lead to a far healthier cat.  A cat’s regular self-grooming will lead to a certain amount of fur being ingested.  Ingested fur will eventually expelled as fur balls.  These fur balls can pass in faeces, however, many cats find the easiest way to be rid of them is by vomiting them.  Depending on the size of the furball, this can lead to problems that may require the intervention of a vet (for instance, if a blockage occurs).  Regular grooming can reduce or eliminate fur balls.

When  buying grooming equipment, try to avoid the cheapest items; it is unlikely to last as long as better quality products and may even damage your cat’s skin (for example, ensure that comb teeth have smooth, rounded ends).

A grooming kit will typically comprise several items: a flea comb, a wide toothed comb, a soft bristled brush, a toothbrush, chamois leather (or grooming mitt) and a white cloth.

Depending on the length of your cat’s hair, you may have to groom your cat daily.  Cats with very long hair require daily or grooming every other day, and grooming sessions can take longer.  Medium length hair cats should be groomed about twice weekly, and short hair cats can be groomed once per week.

Inoculating cats

If the symptoms are spotted early enough, most illnesses are treatable.  However immunization against many diseases that may affect your cat are readily available.  Diseases and recommendations vary from country to country, so this is something you should check with your vet.  Often, vets recommend a cat undergo vaccination for a set of three or four core diseases and then a decision be made on the remaining non-core vaccinations.

Your cat should have been inoculated before it is brought home, but if this is not the case, then it is a good idea to look in to inoculations immediately.  If you already have cats and are introducing a freshly inoculated cat, then try to keep him isolated for about 7 days as it is possible that the cat could pass on virus within days of his inoculations.

Some cats feel a little run down after inoculations and may even suffer mild stomach complaints.  This is common and not considered unusual unless it persists beyond 48 hours.

Vaccines for cat related illness are undergoing development all the time so it is important to check with your veterinary surgeon with regard to recommendations in your country.

Vaccines commonly administered include: rabies vaccine, Feline leukaemia virus, feline infectious enteritis (also called feline distemper and feline panleukopenia) and cat flu (also called feline viral rhinotracheitis).

The following vaccines are undergoing development or are relatively new:  feline infectious peritonitis, chalmydia, feline immuno-deficiency virus.

It is not completely clear how long the effect of vaccines lasts in all cats, therefore follow-up booster injections are often recommended.

Pet insurance and your cat

Cats are like humans.  They get sick, they have accidents, they can die.  So, like humans, they will need insurance.  And nowhere in the world is there universal pet insurance.  Therefore, you will need to shop around for insurance, just like you would for your car, house, or yourself.  A pedigreed kitten may already come with insurance, but when it comes time to renew, be sure you do your homework and review the policy and compare it with others.

Veterinary care is already expensive and emergency care is much more so.  Having a good insurance policy will give you peace of mind.  You can find information on pet insurance on the internet, at your vet’s office, in the supermarket, in the papers.  In short, everywhere.  It has become very routine to have pet insurance if you own a pet.

As with any insurance policy, be sure to read the fine print.  Some policies may have a pre-existing condition clause, for which they will not pay for cover of a condition within a specified amount of time.  Kittens will usually not have any pre-existing conditions, but older cats may.  Therefore, check for this.  Also, some policies only cover the cat up to an age limit, rather than life cover.  Some policies may only cover traditional veterinary care, but others may expand this to include complementary therapies, such as behavioural counselling, homeopathy or acupuncture.  Also, some may not cover the cost of treatment obtained outside of your local area.

In addition to the standard insurance cover, you may get insurance to cover the cost of advertising to recover a lost cat or to offer a reward for its safe return.  It is also a good idea to get coverage for accidents and third part liability.

With all these things to consider, be wary of the cost of the policy.  You will be expected to pay an excess, or deductible, regardless of what is included.  Make sure you have a clear understanding of this excess.  Some companies will state a percentage of the final bill rather than a set amount.  The percentage can mean a large excess if the bill is very high.

Make a table and compare different policies with regards to what and how much is covered, the amount of excess, any age limits, coverage for alternative therapies, any exclusion periods, and monthly premiums.  This will give you an idea of what is available.  Then you can decide which policy is best for your circumstances and your cat’s conditions.

Food choices for cats

Cats are natural predators.  In the wild, a cat will happily stalk, kill and then eat whole its prey.

Modern domestic cats no longer need to kill birds or other prey as a wide range or tinned, packet and fresh food is available.  The key to providing a good cat diet is balance.

Canned foods are the number one choice for most cat owners since it is easy to store, convenient,  retains freshness when unopened and offers a broad range of nutrients.  Also, canned foods come in a huge variety of flavours and textures so it is unlikely that you will not be able to find the right type to satisfy your cats tastes.

Fresh foods are also popular and should be offered to your cat frequently.  Many choices exist including: fish, rabbit, cooked filleted chicken, lamb and beef.  Be sure that all bones are removed from fresh foods as they are a very real choking hazard for cats.  Some cats may enjoy raw beef, however you should never offer a cat raw fish or chicken.  If offering raw beef, ensure you buy food of such quality that it is fit for human consumption.  Some raw foods labelled for pets can contain a heavy concentration of fat and although fine for dogs, they may cause diarhhoea or digestive problems in cats.

Biscuits are more a supplement to your cat’s regular diet.  They are usually given with a main meal and contrast with the usually soft nature of the main meal.  The hard, crispiness of the biscuits often provide a welcome change and can give the cats jaws and teeth a valuable work out.

Supplements can be given, although it is very important to read the accompanying instructions.  Also, if you notice your cat seems undernourished despite your best efforts to feed him a balanced diet then you should consult your vet.

Toxoplasmosis in cats

A word of caution to women.  As much as you love that cat of yours, in the event that you should become pregnant, you must take extra precautions in the care of your cat.  That is because cats are a major source of Toxoplasmosis, an infection with the Toxoplasma parasite.  The infection can also occur through handling of infected foods.

That is not to say you have to give up your cat, either temporarily or permanently.  It just means that if you are not already using these precautions, you ought to at least start in your pregnancy.  You will not get Toxoplasmosis just by stroking its hair or playing with it.  The parasite will be excreted in its faeces.  Therefore, when you are cleaning its litter box or gardening, there is the potential to become infected. Following a strict regime for regular hygiene will prevent unnecessary infections.

Some common sense advice during pregnancy suggests that if you cannot avoid having to clean the litter box (due to the absence of a partner), you should always wear gloves while doing so.  The litter should be cleaned daily, with the faeces disposed of in plastic bags carefully tied up.  Once bagged, it should be removed to a dustbin outside the home.
Never dispose of faeces onto the soil or directly onto compost.  Similarly, while gardening, gloves should be worn, as the cat may have relieved itself outside the house.  Always wash your hands before handling food – that should be requisite whether you are pregnant or not.  All fresh fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating.  All meats
should be cooked thoroughly.  Feed your cat only cooked meat and discourage it from catching vermin (although that may be a difficult job if you are on a farm).

Further advice from your doctor or midwife may also be warranted.  They may be able to run blood tests at the beginning and end of your pregnancy to check for infections.  Left untreated, toxoplasmosis can cause serious
illness and may result in death.  In worst case scenarios, infected newborns may have serious eye or brain injury.

Choosing a vet for your cat

Do not wait until your cat needs treatment to start looking for a vet.  It is a good idea to start looking for a vet even before you get your cat so that you have all the necessary obstacles and time-consuming research out of the way should your cat needs treatment.

Although all vets have undergone the necessary training to make them a GP, which would certainly entail dealing with cats, many vets specialise in particular types of animal.  These specialisms are often in accordance with the demands of the local population.  For instance, vets located in or near farming communities are far likelier to specialise in dealing with larger farm animals.  Likewise, city or large town vets are far more likely to specilise in treating domestic animals such as cats and dogs.

Choosing a doctor/surgeon for your cat is done much the same way that you might choose a doctor for yourself.  If you acquried your cat from a recognised breeder, then ask the breeder for recommendations on a vet.  Likewise, if friends or neighbours keep cats, ask them to recommend a local vet.  Some towns have cat keepers clubs or societies or even breeder clubs;  members would usually be willing to offer recommendations on local veterinary surgeons.

Try not to work off a single recommendation.  Make a list of three recommendations and then visit them to look around.  If one or more looks and feels right, then arrange and appointment so that you might meet the vet and get a better feel for how they operate.  It is important that all parties (you, your cat and the vet) get along well and feel comfortable.  If this is the case then go ahead and register your cat  with the vet.

Does your cat have worms?

Most cats will suffer from worms of one kind or another at some stage in its life.

There are two kinds of work that effect cats:  tapeworms and roundworms.

Roundworms sit in the cat’s intestines and thrive on partially digested food passing its way.  As a result, some of what your cat eats goes to nourishing the worms and consequently a cat with worms will often look out of condition (sometimes with a dull coat and pot belly).  In younger or weaker cats, the symptoms can be more severe and can include diarrhoea, constipation and anaemia, all of which will make the cat seriously ill if left untreated.  Occasionally, roundworms are vomitted up by cats; they can look like small coiled elastic bands.

Tapeworms are frequently associated with flea infestation since fleas can act as an intermediary host in the tapeworm’s lifecycle.  Fleas eat tapeworm eggs, in the process of grooming cat’s eat fleas and the egg is introduced in to the cat’s intestine for a new cycle of infestation to begin.  So, if you suspect your cat has tapeworms, it is equally important to treat for both tapeworm and fleas. 

The telltale sign of tapeworm infection are small wriggly white pieces around, or caught in the fur surrounding,  the cat’s anus.  These are small egg laden tapeworm.

Treating worms (both type) is usually done with a single tablet.  Dosing and frequency can change depending on several factors, so if you are treating your cat without the supervision of a vet then be sure to read the instructions before administering medication.  Your vet will have a range of stringer more effective products than pet stores.

Treating Your Cat for Fleas

Once you have established your cat has fleas, it is time to seek treatment.  There are a number of methods available to treat fleas in cats, of varying efficacy and cost.

High street pet stores often sell a range of cat collars designed to treat for fleas.  Collars carry an anti-flea agent and can be bought and fitted quickly.  However, they are not always effective and can cause an allergic reaction around the neck and discomfort in some cats.

High street stores usually also carry a range of powders and sprays.  Although these might be cheaper, they are often less effective than the range of products on offer from your vet.  For a fast and effective treatment of fleas, see your vet.

For every flea you see on your cat, there could be many hundreds roaming elsewhere in your cat’s bedding or further afield in your house (in areas such as carpetting).  As a result, when treating for fleas you should also consider treating these others areas.  A range of products is available for treating these areas, so be sure to ask your vet at the time of purchasing the cat treatment.

In addition to the range of traditional treatments, many pet stores will carry a range of alternative treatments.  It is important to understand that alternative treatments do not treat flea infestations, but rather repel fleas.  

Some cat owners have also reported some success by making subtle changes or introductions in to their cat’s diet in order to make the cat’s blood less appetising to fleas.  For example, introducing garlic or adding a small amount of vinegar to your cat’s food can be enough to deter fleas.

These preventive measures are perhaps best undertaken after successful treatment.  Other preventive measure that can be taken include regular grooming with a flea comb, administering a regular monthly flea treatment (particularly in the months of warmer weather) and properly treating carpets and other areas where fleas may accumulate.

Does Your Cat Have Fleas?

Fleas are a very common parasite and have been a universal pest for some time.  And modern centrally heated homes provide a veritable haven  for fleas.  Flea infestation is a major cause of skin disease in cats of any age, so prompt effective treatment is desirable.

The first symptom in cats is usually repeated scratching, especially around the areas at the back of the head and neck, and the base of the spine.  This is usually seen with the advent of spring or summer as warmer weather encourages fleas to return from hibernation.

If you suspect your cat is infested, then although you may not actually see fleas, you should see flea dirt in the cat’s fur.  This will appear as small black specks in the areas you notice the cat scratching most. 

One way of determining that the small black specks are in fact flea dirt is to comb the cat and collect some of the suspected flea dirt.  Then, place it on a slightly damp, clean white cloth or paper tissue.  The flea dirt is in fact deep red since it is largely blood.  When the suspected flea dirt falls on to the cloth or paper, if it turns red as it comes in to contact with the dampness, then it is very likely to be the confirmation that the cat is infested.

In addition to the dirt, and depending on the extent of the infestation, you may also occasionally see fleas in the cat’s fur.  Although this is not always as easy as it sounds as fleas are very fast movers.

Once you have confirmed that your cat is suffering a flea infestation, you should proceed to investigate appropriate treatments.