Animals

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Older Cat Losing Weight: What Could Be The Cause?

A skinny old cat is probably a sick old cat
As cats age, it's common for them to lose weight suddenly - or over the course of several months - for no apparent reason. Often, these cats will show no symptoms other than the weight loss. Many cat owners conclude that their cat is "just skinny" or that this is part of the natural process of getting older.
 
But it isn't! Most likely, an older cat's weight loss is caused by one of three common conditions. All of these conditions are easily treatable, which can give your cat several more years of comfortable, healthy life. 

Grooming Your Cat

Kitty's tongue isn't always enough!
Shedding season is fast approaching. This year I decided to get ahead of the curve: last weekend I bought a Furminator for my cats. 
 
Let me tell you something, it is SHOCKING how much fur you can get off a cat with a Furminator. You would think my cats would be bald by now, with all the fur I have taken off them in the last week. But no: all I have done is caught the loose fur before it ended up all over the couch, the carpet, my clothes, the bed, etc!
 
Not to mention, hairballs! If you brush the hair off the cat, it won't end up in their stomachs when they groom themselves.

Choosing And Placing A Scratching Post

Cats scratch to mark their territory - which is why they love couches so much!
Every cat scratches things. It's not just exercise and a way to loosen the shed claw covers, it's primarily a way for your cat to mark her territory. Many carnivores mark their territory by scratching - including bears and tigers, who scratch tree trunks. The higher the scratches are located on the tree, the deeper the scratches, and the more prolific the scratching, the more trouble you know you're in! 
 
Your cat works on the same principle, just smaller. And on the arms of your couch.

Food for Finicky Eaters

Tiki Cat, baby food, Nutrical, and Science Diet A/D
Even a healthy cat can go through an occasional bout of being a finicky eating. The conventional wisdom is that you should "wait it out and he'll eat when he's hungry enough." But what these laypeople don't realize is that if a cat fails to eat (or under-eats) for long enough, they are at risk of Fatty Liver Disease. This is basically a feedback loop where not eating makes the cat feel sick, and the sicker the cat feels the less they eat, which makes them feel worse. Next step: liver failure.
 
Then again, you might just want to give your cat a special treat, maybe for her birthday, or for a holiday!
 
Either way, there are several great options out there for treating a happy cat, or coaxing an unhappy one to eat.

Introducing The New Cat

In a nutshell: take it slow.

 

Bringing a new cat into the household can be a traumatic experience for all involved. I know cats who continue to hiss at each other even years after becoming roommates. Other cats seem to get along within a few days. How can you tell which scenario will happen, and how can you make it easier for both cats?
 
How Will Your Cat Feel About Another Cat?
Some cats will never accept a newcomer. If you have a cat who becomes tense and alert when she hears another cat on television, or who has been known to hiss and growl at a cat she sees out the window, these are signs you have an "only child" on your hands. However, if your cat is casual and unconcerned when she sees other cats, this is an encouraging sign.

Dealing with a Shy Cat

I adopted both of my cats from the local SPCA.  They do their best to get to know the cats and their personalities, but sometimes it is just not possible.  It’s a strange environment for the cat, they don’t know what to expect or what is going to happen to them, and they just do not want to be there.   

When I got my new cat home, she immediately found a safe place to stay.  I attributed this to being in a new house and a new situation, I didn’t push her and let her become comfortable and come out when she was ready.    But even now, two and a half years later, she is still shy.

Keeping Christmas Cat-Safe

Make sure your favorite pets aren't eating your decorations

 

As someone who has always lived with cats--from when I was a wee fetus till I left for college--our holidays have always been notably tinsel-free. Cats may be known to cause less trouble than dogs to a certain degree, but when it comes to devouring the undigestible, there's no match for them. They're pros. And it gets worse during Christmas, when there's all sorts of shiny, pretty stuff hanging around that's ultimately dangerous for the feline members of the family.

How To Give A Cat Medicine

It's not very fun, but when you gotta do it, you gotta do it
One of my kitties took a turn for the worst last week, and was ultimately diagnosed with liver problems. The good news is, liver problems are very treatable in cats. The bad news is, I have to give him a pill and a dose of liquid medicine EVERY DAY for the next MONTH. Oh wow!
 
If you have never tried to give a cat medicine, you are in for a real treat. Wait, not "treat," I mean "rodeo." 
 
First of all, if you have to give a cat a pill, start by trying Greenies Pill Pockets! Most cats will accept their pill as a delicious treat this way. It's definitely worth a shot!

How Many Litter Boxes do you Need?

"Keep in mind that some cats get very finicky about their litter boxes and expect it to be cleaned out before they even use it."

Common wisdom says that you need one litter box per cat plus one more.  But depending on where you live, this can be difficult.  For this reason, here are a few ideas to help you figure out how many litter boxes you will need.

How Many Cats – If you have one cat, you can likely get away with only one litter box.  The same goes with two cats.  But once you get over this number, then it starts to get tricky, especially depending on how much space you have.

Size of House – Depending on the size of your house will help in determining how many boxes you can accommodate.  If you live in a small place, chances are one or two boxes are the limit.  If you have four cats though, then you may have some issues.  On the other hand, if you live in a large house, you likely are able to accommodate a few more litter boxes if need be.

Why I Fed My Cats Chicken

As much as I love my cats, I had a hard time loving my one cat when she was having stomach issues and leaving me presents all over the place.  Due to this, I ended up taking her in to see the vet.  But as there are many things that can go wrong with your cat and they are not able to talk and tell you about it, diet is one of the first things that they recommend you do.  I had her on a few different foods at that point to no available, so it was suggested to put her on just plain boiled chicken for a bit and see how that worked for her. 

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