CAT VACCINATIONS WHAT SHOTS TO GIVE YOUR CAT OR KITTEN

WHAT TO VACCINATE YOUR CAT FOR

Feline Panleukopenia (feline distemper) is a widespread, potentially fatal viral disease. Most cats will be exposed to it at some time, so vaccination is critical. Kittens whose mothers have panleukopenia during gestation or who survive the disease themselves often suffer permanent brain damage and other lifelong problems.
Feline Rhinotracheitis is a viral disease that causes severe upper respiratory infection. It is widespread, and although vaccination won't prevent the disease, it will make its symptoms more mild.
Feline Calicivirus is a viral disease of the upper respiratory system and is responsible for nearly half the upper respiratory infections in cats. Once infected, a cat can continue to carry the virus and suffer runny eyes and sneezing all its life, even if it is treated

Rabies is perhaps the most frightening of the viral diseases that threaten pets because it can affect any mammal, including people, and it is always fatal once symptoms appear. The rabies virus, which attacks the central nervous system, is spread in the saliva of an infected animal, usually by way of a bite. Rabies is fairly common in wild animals, including skunks, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, and bats, which can pass the disease on to domestic animals.

(FeLV), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), chlamydia (see Common Feline Diseases), and ringworm. The AAFP recommends that FeLV and FIP vaccinations be given only to cats who might be exposed to the diseases through contact with other cats. The decision to vaccinate against chlamydia or ringworm should be based on the cat's risk of exposure.

READ MORE HERE;http://life.familyeducation.com/cats/disease-prevention/45702.html

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAT GETS BURNED

The major goal in treating burns in your dog, horse or cat is to relieve the pain and heal the burn without infection or major scarring.

First degree burns usually don’t require any medical treatment, since the fur of your dog or cat will have protected it more than likely from being burned.

Second degree burns need to be checked by a vet if they exceed an area of more than two fists. The blisters that usually occur with second degree burns should be left alone if they look normal. The skin will start healing on its own underneath the blister. The function of the blister is to protect the new skin from infections and further damage. The only thing you can do is applying a light gauze to the blister. Then, once the blister bursts it is important to gently remove the dead skin, for example by washing it off the affected area. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE; http://www.natural-animal-care-products.com/Burns-Scars.htm

The Photo above is of a burned heroic mother cat whom saved her 5 kittens from a burning building...Read This Amazing Story Here; http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cnn.com/US/9604/05/briefs/am/scarlett_large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cnn.com/US/9604/05/briefs/am/&h=261&w=300&sz=20&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=ell-YXq5RtI5UM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCAT%2BBURN%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLR%26sa%3DN

WHAT KIND OF CAT DO YOU HAVE? TAKE THE TEST

Answer the following fun questions and then add up the numbers to work out your cat's purrsonality type. Pure-breds often have distinctive purrsonalities while mixed breeds have a mixture of traits.

1. When it wants attention, does your cat misbehave or do destructive things?
Always 5 points
Often 4 points
Sometimes 3 points
Hardly ever 2 points
Never 1 point

2. How often does your cat come running if it hears or smells food being prepared (cat food or people food)?
Always 5 points
Often 4 points
Sometimes 3 points
Hardly ever 2 points
Never 1 point

3. Is your cat a fussy eater which only likes gourmet food or is it a dustbin-guts which eats anything on offer (and anything else it can find)?
Not fussy at all 1 point
Sometimes fussy 3 points
Always fussy 5 points

4. Does your cat drag its food from its bowl and play with it or is it a tidy eater?
Very tidy eater 1 point
Usually tidy eater 3 points
Sloppy eater, food goes everywhere 5 points

5. When your cat sees birds or other prey through the window, how often does it get frustrated at not being able to reach them through the glass?
Always 5 points
Often 4 points
Sometimes 3 points
Hardly ever 2 points
Not bothered 1 point

6. Outdoor cats: Is your cat a patient and proficient hunter?Indoor cats: How well does your cat 'hunt' its cat-tease toys?
Very proficient, always catches what it stalks/plays with 5 points
Fairly good, often catches what it stalks/plays with 3 points
What are mice? You mean you want me to chase that toy? 1 point

7. How much does your cat use its tail to communicate its feelings?(For tail-less cats score 2 points and go to next question)
Has an entire tail-language 5 points
Wags tail when happy 3 points
Holds tail up when greeted 2 points
Lashes tail when angry 1 point

8. Is your cat talkative with a wide vocabulary or is it the silent type?
Always talking, complete sentences even, good conversational skills 5 points
Meows and chirrups 3 points
Sometimes meows 1 point

9. Is your cat agile or does it fall off the windowsill/shelf (etc) or into the bath/pond when playing or exploring?
Frequently falls off things or trips over its own feet 5 points
Sometimes falls off things if it is in a hurry 4 points
Very agile and never falls off things/never get on things in the first place 1 point

Now add up your cat's scores and see what purrsonality type your cat is. Remember, this is a fun quiz!
Score
Purrsonality Type
Description
Over 37 points =Frantic Feline
Life is never dull when you have a Frantic Feline. They are intelligent, talkative, hyperactive and easily distracted. They need plenty of stimulation from their owners or other hyperactive cats - but your house might not survive their antics! Typical Frantic Felines are Siamese/Orientals and Devon Rexes.
30 - 36 points=Clever Cat
Clever Cats are lively in body and mind. They need plenty to occupy their minds and they like to think through a problem before taking action. They are often good hunters and retrievers and enjoy playing with their owners. Typical Clever Cats are American Bobtails, Bengals and Burmese/Asians.
24 - 29 points=Magnificent Mog
Active but not highly strung, Magnificent Mogs are well-balanced and easy-going. They display a mixture of purrsonality traits from other categories and make good family cats. Typical Magnificent Mogs are British/America Shorthairs, rugged Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats and most random-bred kitties.
17 - 23 points=Cordial Kitty
Cordial Kitties are cats with New Age philosophies. They are gentle, harmonious souls who waft elegantly around the house. They are easily offended. They would much rather sniff the flowers than wreck floral arrangements. Probably a Buddhist monk in a previous life. Typical Cordial Kitties are Birmans, Balinese and Angoras.
Less than 16 points=Placid Pussycat
True couch potatoes of the cat family, Placid Pussies enjoy snoozing in sunbeams and snuggling up to heaters. They prefer gentle petting to active play and are happy to watch life go by. Elderly cats often fall into this category after retiring from another purrsonality type. Other Placid Pussycats are Persians/Himalayans and their relatives, Exotic Shorthairs.

This is a fun test, it is not intended as a reliable indicator of breed personalities. Not all cats of a specific breed will fall into the suggested category!

SICK CAT ? SIGNS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR CAT

The Subtle Signs of Sickness in Cats
1. Inappropriate Elimination Behaviour
or Litter Box Use
Inappropriate and annoying elimination behaviors
by your cat can often indicate an underlying medical
condition and do not mean your cat is trying “to get
back” at you. These behaviors can include urinating or
defecating outside the litter box or other problems. A
cat with these behaviors may have any number of conditions,
including lower urinary tract disease, kidney
disease, urinary tract infection and diabetes mellitus.
2. Changes in Interaction
Cats are social animals and enjoy interactions with
their human family and often with other pets. Changes
in those interactions may signal problems such as disease,
fear and anxiety. It may also signal pain, which
can cause aggression.
3. Changes in Activity
A decrease or increase in activity can be a sign of a
number of conditions. Discomfort from joint disease
or systemic illnesses can also lead to a decrease in
activity. Increased activity is often seen with hyperthyroidism.
It’s important to understand cats don’t usually
slow down just because they are old.
4. Changes in Sleeping Habits
The average adult cat may spend 16 to 18 hours per
day sleeping. The key to differentiating abnormal
lethargy from normal napping is knowing your cat’s
sleeping patterns and noting any changes.
READ MORE;http://www.catclinic.com.au/newsletters-pdf/catsonly_Toxoetc2006.pdf

CATS AND KITTENS TEETH

During its lifetime, a cat has two sets of teeth, a deciduous set and a permanent set. Kittens have 26 deciduous teeth (molars are absent); adult cats have a total of 30 teeth.Deciduous or “milk teeth” begin to appear when the kitten is about four weeks of age. At six weeks of age all 26 deciduous teeth are present. From 11 to 30 weeks of age, kittens lose their deciduous teeth. During this time they may eat less because of sore gums.When the deciduous teeth fall out, they are replaced by 30 permanent teeth. The permanent teeth should be in place by about six months of age.A cat's teeth are well-suited to rip and cut. Twelve tiny teeth in the front of the mouth (incisors): six in the upper jaw, six in the lower jaw do some scraping. They are flanked by two upper and two lower canines, sometimes described as “fangs,” designed to hold prey and to tear flesh. Ten sharp premolars and four molars act together to cut food. READ MORE: http://pets.yahoo.com/cats/health-and-nutrition/244/a-cat-s-teeth-timetable-and-functions/

CAT LITTER HOW DID IT START?

The Scoop on Litter
Before the advent of kitty litter, cat boxes were filled with newspapers. Entrepreneur George Plitt came up with the idea of packaging ashes from burned wood for cats to use. The cat litter industry had its birth one day in 1947 when one of Edward Lowe's neighbors who was tired of dealing with sooty paw prints, asked for some sand. Edward's father owned an industrial absorbents company in Cassopolis, Michigan so instead of sand, Lowe suggested using absorbent clay. The neighbor loved the product and soon returned for more. READ MORE; http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/housesoiling/the_scoop_on_litter.html

YOUR CATS EYESIGHT

It is not secret that cat vision at night is excellent. But why? When looking into your cats eyes, you will notice that during the day, the pupils are nothing more that little slits. However at night, those slivers open up to encompass almost 90% of the cats eye. This lets in even the faintest amount of light that is available.Another valuable asset for cat vision at night is a special membrane called the tapetum lucidum which is located behind the eye itself. This reflective membrane bounces any available light back to the retina, which then allows the cat to see even better in dark situations. However, cat vision can only be so good, they can not see in complete darkness.So, cat vision is great at night, but what about color? Do they see color like we do, or black and white like dogs? Actually, cats see in between, studies have shown that they do see some color, but not as well as humans do. What cats do see better is movement. READ MORE AT CATHEALTH.COM http://www.acecathealth.com/cat_vision.html

IS MY KITTEN / CAT A MALE OR FEMALE ?

Determining the sex of a kitten may be difficult especially before about 8 weeks of age. The male and the female kitten's genitalia look remarkably similar. If kittens of both sexes are available to compare, it makes the process easier and more likely to be correct. In the male kitten, the scrotum is located below the anus and above the back of the hind legs. The testicles are descended into the scrotum presumably at the time of birth. READ MORE @ PET EDUCATION http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1388&articleid=923

ALLERGIC TO CATS ? IT'S THE SALIVA NOT THE HAIR !

Cat allergy is by far the commonest allergy to pet animals and up to 40% of asthmatics are sensitive to cats. The cat allergen is much more likely to cause sensitisation than that of the dog.
The Cat Allergen
A tiny protein particle, the "Fel d 1" allergen is found mainly in the cat skin flakes and saliva. The protein is produced in the cat salivary glands and sebaceous glands of the skin. Cats are fastidious groomers, so they deposit the Fel d 1 protein on their fur by licking themselves.
An allergen is a material, which is capable of provoking an allergic reaction, such as pollen grain, dust mite or animal dander. Cat allergen — the allergy causing material from cats - is not cat hair but a protein present in the dander and saliva of cats. The allergens become airborne as microscopic particles, which when inhaled into the nose or lungs, can produce allergic symptoms.
Although individual cats may produce more or less allergen, there is no relationship between the pet’s hair length and allergen production, and no such thing as a non-allergic breed.
Male cats are more allergic than female cats, because testerone increases Fel d 1 production by the sebaceous glands.
Where is Cat Allergen found?
Cat allergen is present in largest amounts in homes with cats, but has also been found in homes where cats have never been present and in offices or public spaces where animals are not allowed. Cat allergen is particularly sticky and is carried on clothing from places with cats to other locations. It is almost impossible to not be exposed to some level of cat allergen. Of course, levels of exposure will be much higher where cats are present, and these levels are more likely to cause allergic symptoms.
Because cat allergen particles are particularly small (1/10 the size of dust mite allergen), they remain airborne for prolonged periods of time. Cat allergic individuals are more likely to have a rapid onset of symptoms when entering a room with cats, because there is always allergen, which is airborne and can be easily inhaled. Opening windows, using exhaust fans and using high efficiency air cleaners, can decrease the amount of airborne allergen.
Soft furnishings, such as carpets, sofas and mattresses, will hold cat allergen even after a cat has been removed from the home or banished from the bedroom. It has been shown that it can take as long as 20 weeks for levels of allergen in carpets to decrease to levels found in a home without a cat, and up to 5 years for cat allergen levels in mattresses to decrease to such levels. Removal or treatment of the carpet or sofa, and encasing of the mattress, will reduce the continued exposure to these reservoirs of allergen.
Cat allergen is also found on vertical surfaces such as walls. Attempts to decrease cat allergen exposure in a home should include wall cleaning. If the cat is removed to a restricted area of the home, it is important to realise that airflow through the duct system in a hot air heated home could spread the allergen. Efficient vent and furnace filters could help trap the allergens and reduce the spread. READ MORE:http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/7.html