HOW OLD IS A CAT IN HUMAN YEARS? CAT AGE CHART

Cat's Age Human's Age

6 months 10 years
8 months 13 years
1 year 15 years
2 years 24 years
4 years 40 years
8 years 48 years
12 years 64 years
14 years 72 years
16 years 80 years
18 years 88 years
20 years 96 years
21 years 100 years

It was once thought that 1 year in the life of a cat was equivalent to 7 years of a human life. Recently, a new scale has been accepted: after the first 2 years, the cat's life proceeds more slowly in relation to human life and each feline year is approximately 4 human years. The general consensus is that at about age 7 a cat can be considered "middle-aged," and age 10 and beyond "old."

WHAT IS A CATS TAIL USED FOR?

The tail of a cat is used for balance, and for communication. Their tails help them when they jump or walk on a narrow space, and are also used for communicating fear, anger, and aggression.
A cats tail is one of the best ways of telling thier mood. A still, raised tail
means a friendly greeting. A sudden whip of the tail shows a threat of
impending attack. A highly excited cat waves its tail from side to side in
jerky, rapid motions. The top of a tail moving means slight dissatisfaction or
impatience. A relaxed cat allows the tail to hang straight down. A tail held straight out behind them indicates caution.

WHEN IS KITTEN SEASON

The time of year when cats give birth, flooding animal shelters across the nation with homeless litters. Kitten "season" is really three seasons in one, starting in spring, peaking in late spring or early summer, and ending in fall. PLEASE SPAY YOUR CAT!!

CATNIP AND YOUR CAT ! WHAT IS CATNIP ?

Catnip is a member of the mint family of plants. Its cousins include basil, oregano, and spearmint. All these plants produce essential oils that contain flavorful and aromatic terpenoids such as limonene, menthol, and spearmint.
The leaves, stems, and seedpods of catnip are covered with microscopic bulbs called trichomes, which store the essential oil until they reach maturity and burst. External forces, such as a hungry bug biting into a leaf or a passing animal brushing up against the plant and bruising the leaves, can also release the oil.
That the essential oil is contained inside the fragile bulbs may explain why cats are seen rubbing up against, and even chewing, the leaves. Cats gain nothing by ingesting the leaves because the biological activity of nepetalactone is most likely centered in the olfactory tissues. But chewing the leaves will rupture the tiny packets of oil and release nepetalactone into the air.Because nepetalactone is volatile and will degrade over time, cat owners should store catnip in a freezer to preserve its potency. That way, kitty's next 'nip trip will be as wild and crazy as ever.

BEHAVIOR STAGES OF A CATS LIFE

Here are some normal behaviors for each cat life stage:
Birth to 16 weeks
Just learning her way around, your kitten may be playful, but most likely shy. Click here for more information on how to care for your new kitten.
16 weeks to 1 year
Your kitten will likely still be very playful and spunky. At approximately six months old, you should spay or neuter if you are not planning to breed your cat.
1 to 8 years
Your young cat is in her prime. Remember your annual visits to the veterinarian.
8 to 12 years
Your pre-geriatric cat may begin to slow down, but her behavior shouldn't change much.
12+ years
Your cat is entering old age. You may begin to notice some health problems. Your cat will move slower if her joints begin to stiffen. She may also become easily irritated.
Final Thought
In any health-related issue, whenever you have concerns about your cat, consult your veterinarian. He or she is familiar with your cat and her medical history and has the professional skill and knowledge to identify and treat whatever might be the problem.

WHY SPAY / NEUTER YOUR CAT

Spaying or neutering your cat prevents unwanted births and reduces the influence of sex hormones on your pet's behavior. In seven years, an unspayed female and unneutered male cat can produce up to 781,250 kittens. Homes cannot be found for most of these animals and many either end up in shelters or on the street. Only a lucky few are adopted; the rest are either euthanized or die from trauma, exposure, starvation or disease. By spaying or neutering your cat, you do your part to prevent this tragedy.
Behavior problems can also be prevented or minimized by spaying or neutering your cat. Sexual behavior in both male and female cats is reduced following surgery. In 90% of male cats, neutering eliminated roaming, urine spraying, and fights with neighborhood cats, regardless of their age when neutered. Female cats no longer show "heat" behavior (soliciting mounting from males). Overall, being sexually intact increases the risk of relinquishment to a shelter. There are, however, large individual differences and not all cats undergo a behavior change following spaying or neutering.

HEARTWORM IN YOUR CAT

When it comes to heartworm disease, dogs and cats have a lot in common. But new research shows that in cats there is the potential for more severe reactions and even sudden death. Indoor cats are also at risk for heartworm disease. Cats get heartworm disease the same way dogs get it. Mosquitoes transmit the disease by biting an infected animal, then passing the infection on to other animals they bite.
Cases of heartworm disease in cats have been reported across the United States and many other countries. Heartworm disease is most common in areas where dogs are also at risk.
What are the signs?The most common signs of heartworm disease in cats - coughing , vomiting, breathing difficulties, weight loss, and lethargy - are often mistaken for other conditions such as asthma, pneumonia and digestive problems. In fact, most common clinical signs of heartworm disease in cats resembles bronchial asthma.
PreventionOnce a cat is diagnosed with heartworm disease, managing the disease can be difficult. Treatment, as well as non-treatment, is very risky, because there's currently no approved product for treating adult heartworms, and the onset of clinical signs is impossible to predict in cats that are left untreated. Even if the disease is treated, your cat may experience severe complications or even death when the worms die. Prevention is the best medicine. Ask your veterinarian about heartworm disease prevention for your cat. It will help give your feline friend the best chance for a long and healthy life.

FEEDING THE ORPHAN KITTEN

HERE IS A CHART FOR AMOUNT OF FORMULA YOUR KITTEN SHOULD BE FED:

Birth to 1 week: 24cc
1 week: 32cc
2 weeks: 54cc
3 weeks: 80cc
4 weeks: 104cc
5 weeks: 128cc
As a guide, a kitten should drink about 8cc's of formula per ounce of body weight per day.
HERE IS A FEEDING SCHEDULE FOR KITTENS:
Birth to 1 week: Feed every 3 hours (8 feedings per day)
From 1 to 3 weeks: Feed every 4 hours (6 feedings per day)
From 3 to 4 weeks: Feed every 5 hours (5 feedings a day)
From 4 to 5 weeks: Feed four to five times a day.

FROM 4-6 WEEKS OLD YOUR KITTEN SHOULD START EATING ON HIS OWN ALITTLE AT A TIME, AFTER YOU SHOWING HIM HOW OF COURSE BY PUTTING LITTLE BITS ON HIS/HER NOSE AND MOUTH.

CAT VACCINATIONS

HERE ARE THE CAT DISEASE VACCINES YOUR CAT SHOULD HAVE ONCE A YEAR;
1. FVRCP :
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus - viral diseases of the eyes, nose and throat (upper respiratory infection) plus Panleukopenia a viral disease of the blood and intestines (feline distemper or infectious enteritis).
2. FeLV :
Feline Leukemia - a viral disease that impairs immunity. Usually fatal.
3. Rabies:
a viral disease fatal to humans and other animals. Vaccination is necessary for all cats. Some rabies shots are good for 3 years check with your vet to make sure which one your cat gets.

DOES YOUR CAT HAVE EARMITES

These are the signs:
1. excessive and persistent scratching around the ears
2. head shaking
3. restless behavior
4. the ears are painful to the touch and the pet may cry out in pain
5. brown material present in the ears
6. a foul-smelling odor.
The villain is ear mites, tiny parasites that live on the surface of the skin lining in the ear canal. Ear Mites pierce the skin surface to feed, causing inflammation and discomfort. If left untreated,bacterial infections and loss of hearing may result. Kittens can acquire an ear mite infection from their mother. Ear mites can be transmitted from one household pet to another.If ear mites are present in a multiple-pet household or a kennel or cattery, it is likely that if one animal is treated, the mites will move to another resident. The best preventive measure is to treat all residents for mites. Left untreated ear problems can have very serious consequences such as:Inflamed ears, Painful ears, Chronic Problems ,Constant medication, Hearing loss,Discharge and odor, intense scratching, ear infections, Sores, Painful blood clots,surgery and high veterinarian costs.

RHINOTRACHEITIS-CAT DISEASE

Rhinotracheitis is a herpes virus. Just like herpes in people, it keeps coming back. It is almost certainly the most common cause of chronic, non-responsive conjunctivitis in cats. It doesn't respond to any anti-bacterial agent because it isn't a bacteria. Anti-viral eye drops are available but may not be very effective, either. There is some evidence that administration of L-lysine is helpful in control of this condition. I am not sure how helpful. It can still be useful to use an anti-bacterial ophthalmic drop but the best recommendation is to use one that will work well against gram positive bacteria, which is gentamycin's weak area. A triple antibiotic drop with polymyxin and bacitracin may work better than gentamycin in this case. This is especially likely in a cat that had pneumonia because of the high probability of rhinotracheitis being involved in that, too. Unfortunately, if this is the problem, chronic non-responsive disease until the body can finally develop immunity for a while is not uncommon. Sometimes, nothing seems to aid this process.

DROOLING IN YOUR CAT

Drooling can occur for a number of reasons in cats. Probably the most commonly identified reasons are gum or teeth disorders. Oral ulcers can sometimes cause excessive salivation. Problems that lead to nausea, such as renal failure or gastrointestinal disease also cause excessive salivation. Some cats salivate excessively when they are nervous or stressed. This is a common reaction to oral medications and application of flea control products, too. Your vet can help sort through these possibilities and hopefully find a treatable cause.
Foaming at the mouth or excessive salivation is common when cats have ingested something more noxious than they expected it to be, when they are nervous, when they have been sprayed with a spray containing alcohol (many flea sprays are alcohol based), when they are nauseous and with a few diseases such as dental disease and calicivirus. There are probably other causes. A brief episode is probably related to ingesting something that was upsetting. I have seen this after one of my cats ate a spider. Licking toads will do this, too.
Hair balls are obviously one cause of feeling nauseous. If you live in an area with heartworms it is another cause of the hacking and vomiting problem some cats have. Inflammatory bowel disease is another. Your vet can help sort through these, too. In general it is a good idea to consider pursuing a diagnosis of vomiting if it is occurring frequently and coughing is almost always abnormal.

TAPEWORM IN YOUR CAT

Here is the short version of the tapeworm.
Tapeworms release muscular egg packets into the intestine. These egg packets are about 1/2 to 3/4th of an inch long when they first exit the rectum and are capable of movement. They wiggle around, spewing out tapeworm eggs until they use up all their energy stores. Then they dry up and look like rice granules stuck in the hair of the cat.
Tapeworms are carried by fleas and are not uncommon in indoor only cats, due to this. Good flea control will prevent recurrence after your cat is dewormed for the tapeworms he has now. There are safe and effective tapeworm medications available from your veterinarian. They are prescription products so your vet may need to see your cat prior to dispensing them if it has been a while since his last visit.

MEDICINE-GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL

Here is directions to giving your cat pills.
Extend your cat's head backwards just enough that her nose is pointing straight towards the ceiling. Most cats will open their mouth slightly at this point. Open the bottom jaw a little more with the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill. It may be necessary to hold her top jaw with the other hand while doing this. The drop the pill or lightly throw it so that it hits beyond the slight hump in the tongue. Most cats will swallow instinctively. Some pills are small enough to hide them in food. A good "last resort" is to find a compounding pharmacy and have them make a flavored gel or liquid out of the medication

FLEA LIFECYCLE

Even though flea season is ending we thought we would give you some information now so you will be prepared for next flea season.
Understanding the life cycle of the flea is necessary in order to control it. The flea has several stages to its life cycle. Adult fleas spend most of their time on the dog or cat - they must be dislodged to leave since they will not do so voluntarily. Despite this, when the flea population on the dog becomes excessive humans tend to be an acceptable alternative to the flea. The average life span of an adult flea is probably about 6 weeks - but fleas can live as long as a year under certain conditions. A female flea can lay 20 to 28 eggs a day. She may lay several hundred eggs over her life span. These eggs fall off the pet and develop where they land. They are small and can even develop in the cracks in wood floors or other small crevices. A larvae hatches from the flea egg. It takes as few as 9 days to as long as 200 days to go through its growth stages. At this time is forms a pupae and waits for the right time to hatch. Fleas prefer temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees and humidity of 75 to 85 per cent. This range determines the period of time that fleas are a problem in your particular area. For some areas of the country, this is all year. In others, the flea season is relatively short. It is estimated that for every adult flea found on the pet, there are about 10 developing fleas in the pet's environment.

ALL ABOUT ABCESSES

Abscesses are a common problem in cats. It is hard to say why cats develop abscesses more frequently than other domestic species but there are several plausible reasons. A bite from a cat wound is more likely to become infected than a bite from most other species due to the bacterial residents of cat mouths. Since cats bite each other fairly frequently this is certainly one reason for the high number of abscesses. This situation is exacerbated by the tendency for cat bite or scratch wounds to have small entry wounds but to cause damage subcutaneously which becomes infected after the small skin wound is already healed. Cats also are prone to immunosuppressive viral illnesses such as feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus which makes infected cats more likely to suffer an abscess after a wound.
Most abscesses start out as cellulitis, which is infection of the tissues under the skin. In some cases it is possible to prevent abscess formation by early detection of the presence of cellulitis. Signs of early infection may include lameness, localized pain, lethargy or reluctance to eat. If your cat exhibits any of these signs and your vet can determine that cellulitis is present early administration of an appropriate antibiotic may prevent abscess formation.
After a brief period of cellulitis, an abscess forms. The cat's body attempts to fight the bacterial infection by forming a capsule around it and flooding the capsule with a large number of white blood cells. This collection of white blood cells and bacteria is commonly referred to as pus. I f the cat is really successful at walling off the infection there may be a small abscess. If the cat is less successful at dealing with the initial infection the abscess may be very large. In this case the abscess may cause the skin over the abscess to die. The skin usually turns black and becomes very hard to the touch after it dies. It will fall off eventually if left in place but it is better to remove the dead skin to allow healing to occur faster and to ensure that the abscess can be properly treated. Abscesses that occur around the base of the tail are very prone to causing skin sloughing. Early aggressive treatment is best when there is pain or swelling around the base of the tail.
Abscesses are generally treated by opening them up to allow them to be adequately cleansed with an antiseptic. Abscesses can be very painful. If a cat will not allow an abscess to be opened due to the pain it may be necessary to use an anesthetic agent so that the abscess can be properly treated. If there is dead skin over the abscess is should be removed as well. It surprises many clients that this can often be done without an anesthetic agent, since the dead skin has little or no feeling. The live edges still have nerve endings and many cats do object, though. After the abscess is cleaned most vets will prescribe antibiotics. There is a wide variation in the way antibiotics are used by veterinarians in the case of abscesses. In general it is possible to treat most abscesses with ampicillin or amoxicillin since the majority of abscesses are caused by bacteria that are susceptible to these antibiotics. Once started the antibiotics should be used for at least three days and it is important to use appropriate dosages. It is not usually necessary to use antibiotics longer than seven days and it is often appropriate to use them for three to five days only.
Some abscesses do not respond to standard therapy. Almost every veterinarian who treats cats has run across an abscess that seems impossible to cure. If this happens there are a number of possible causes. It is usually a good idea to culture the abscess site in this case. If the bacteria involved can be grown and identified it helps a great deal. If the bacteria can be grown on a culture plate it is possible to try to kill it with a number of antibiotics and pick one that works -- at least on the culture plate. If it appears that a new antibiotic is necessary that may be enough to cure the problem. Sometimes that isn't enough to cure the abscess, though.
When abscesses do not respond to treatment with standard treatment and after identification of bacteria that can be cultured from the wound it is time to look for underlying causes or complicating causes. There are several things that cause abscesses to be difficult to treat. Feline leukemia virus infection or feline immunodeficiency virus infection can cause the immune system to fail to help clear up the abscess. Despite the "wonder drug" label, antibiotics often need the help of the body's natural defenses to cause a cure. Sometimes the infection is caused by an unusual organism that does not respond to the same antibiotics used for the most common bacteria found in bite wounds. Mycoplasma infections will respond to tetracycline antibiotics in most cases. Nocardiosis infections respond to sulfa/trimethoprim antibiotics used at two to three times the usually recommended dosages. Actinomyces infections may respond to very high dosages of penicillin. A newly recognized variety of bacteria, l-form bacteria, usually respond to tetracycline antibiotics. This form of infection may not be known to your veterinarian. It usually appears as an infection affecting multiple joints with several abscesses or draining tracts that does not respond to conventional therapy. The l-form bacteria can not be cultured in the same way other bacteria are so they are difficult to diagnose. Response to tetracycline may be the best "diagnostic" test available to the general practitioner since confirmation of infection may require examination of abscess contents with an electron microscope.
Abscesses vary in severity from a relatively minor problem that the cat's immune system will handle on its own to complicated, life threatening infections. It is best to treat them early, establishing proper drainage if at all possible, cleansing with an antiseptic and in most cases appropriate antibiotic therapy. Some abscesses are not going to respond to routine treatment methods and will require multiple visits and become very frustrating, both for you and your vet. If an abscess is not responding to treatment it is vitally important that you alert your vet and that you continue to work with your vet to resolve the problem. You may have to push a little for diagnostic testing or use of tetracycline based antibiotics to rule out l-form bacteria and Mycoplasma infections in chronic abscess situations since there is a tendency among veterinarians to continue to use broad-spectrum antibiotics in the face of resistant abscesses rather than switching to medications with a narrower spectrum of action such as the tetracyclines. It is probably not a good idea to use tetracyclines routinely since they do not work as well against the most common forms of infection as other antibiotics and because their mechanism of action makes them harder to combine with other antibiotic therapy to achieve a broader spectrum of action.
Neutering male cats greatly reduces roaming behavior and fighting associated with seeking mates. This also reduces the incidence of abscesses in male cats. It may be best to avoid the whole issue of abscesses by taking this preventative measure!

SIGNS OF SEPERATION ANXIETY IN YOUR CAT

Signs of separation anxiety in cats may occur when the cat is separated from his owner or another companion pet with whom he has a strong bond. A cat with separation anxiety may insist on being with the owner at all times, even following the owner from room to room. When the owner gets ready to leave the house, the cat may sulk and hide, or try to get between the owner and the door. When the owner returns, the cat may show an abnormally enthusiastic greeting.

CAT DISEASE FELINE LEUKEMIA

What is feline leukemia virus?Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), a retrovirus, so named because of the way it behaves within infected cells. All retroviruses, including feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), produce an enzyme, reverse transcriptase, which permits them to insert copies of their own genetic material into that of the cells they have infected. Although related, FeLV and FIV differ in many ways, including their shape: FeLV is more circular while FIV is elongated. The two viruses are also quite different genetically, and their protein consituents are dissimlar in size and composition. Although many of the diseases caused by FeLV and FIV are similar, the specific ways in which they are caused differs.
How common is the infection? FeLV-infected cats are found worldwide, but the prevalence of infection varies greatly depending on their age, health, environment, and lifestyle. In the United States, approximately 2 to 3% of all cats are infected with FeLV. Rates rise significantly—13% or more—in cats that are ill, very young, or otherwise at high risk of infection.
How is FeLV spread? Cats persistently infected with FeLV serve as sources of infection. Virus is shed in very high quantities in saliva and nasal secretions, but also in urine, feces, and milk from infected cats. Cat-to-cat transfer of virus may occur from a bite wound, during mutual grooming, and (though rarely) through the shared use of litter boxes and feeding dishes. Transmission can also take place from an infected mother cat to her kittens, either before they are born or while they are nursing. FeLV doesn't survive long outside a cat's body—probably less than a few hours under normal household conditions.
What cats are at greatest risk of infection? Cats at greatest risk of infection are those that may be exposed to infected cats, either via prolonged close contact or through bite wounds. Such cats include:
Cats living with infected cats or with cats of unknown infection status
Cats allowed outdoors unsupervised, where they may be bitten by an infected cat
Kittens born to infected mothers
Kittens are much more susceptible to infection than are adult cats, and therefore are at the greatest risk of infection if exposed. But accompanying their progression to maturity is an increasing resistance to FeLV infection. For example, the degree of virus exposure sufficient to infect 100% of young kittens will infect only 30% or fewer adults. Nonetheless, even healthy adult cats can become infected if sufficiently exposed.
What does FeLV do to a cat? Feline leukemia virus adversely affects the cat's body in many ways. It is the most common cause of cancer in cats, it may cause various blood disorders, and it may lead to a state of immune deficiency that hinders the cat's ability to protect itself against other infections. The same bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi that may be found in the everyday environment—where they usually do not affect healthy animals—can cause severe illness in those with weakened immune systems. These secondary infections are responsible for many of the diseases associated with FeLV.
What are the signs of disease caused by FeLV? During the early stages of infection, it is common for cats to exhibit no signs of disease at all. However, over time—weeks, months, or even years—the cat's health may progressively deteriorate or be characterized by recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Signs can include:
Loss of appetite
Slow but progressive weight loss, followed by severe wasting late in the disease process
Poor coat condition
Enlarged lymph nodes
Persistent fever
Pale gums and other mucus membranes
Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and mouth (stomatitis)
Infections of the skin, urinary bladder, and upper respiratory tract
Persistent diarrhea
Seizures, behavior changes, and other neurological disorders
A variety of eye conditions
In unspayed female cats, abortion of kittens or other reproductive failures