CAUSE SIGNS & TREATMENT OF A CAT ABCESS

THE SIGNS
Bacteria which are trapped under the skin following a bite wound can multiply for several days before any signs of infection are seen. Swelling and pain at the puncture site are the most common signs of infection; When cats are afflicted with an abscess they generally run a fever, quit eating, sleep more than usual (like 22 hours a day instead of the usual 21!) and may exhibit pain. The sooner a treatment for a cat abscess is administered, the sooner the health of the cat can be restored. . Many times a pocket of pus, called an abscess, will form. . The most frequent sites for bite wounds are the face, legs, back, tail and over the rump.
THE CAUSE
When a cat bites, the teeth go through the skin, and then it releases quickly. This results in small puncture wounds in the skin, with small holes. These holes seal and virtually disappear within hours, trapping bacteria from the cat's mouth under the skin of the victim. The type of bacteria which live in the cat’s mouth thrive in an environment where the oxygen concentration is low. Once the wound seals shut, bacteria can begin to multiply at a rapid rate. The organisms most commonly involved with cat bites are Pasteurella multocida and Streptococcus.
TREATMENT
Once the cat abscess opens and the pus has a way to escape, the healing process can take over. The purpose of intervening in a case of a cat abscess to to assist the cat in this process by facilitating the escape and cleaning up of all those dead and dying defenders, plus, often when the pus drains the offending instigator of this whole process gets swept right out of the cat with everything else! Some gentle flushing of the wound cavity cleans things up quickly, a touch of antibiotic prevents the damaged tissues from being reinvaded, and the painful pressure from the abscess is relieved. READ MORE HERE;http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/abcat.html
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YOUR CAT & COLD WEATHER

Hypothermia is a major concern during cold weather. Inadequate shelter, calories, or becoming wet can make a pet much more susceptible to this condition. There are additional indoor and outdoor hazards associated with cold weather. We hope this article will help you become more aware of how you can keep your cat comfortable and safe during the cold weather season.
Outdoor housing
If your cat is an outside cat, make a small warm area, preferably a crate or box, in a sheltered place away from the wind, such as the garage. Line it with warm blankets or a cat bed. If the sleeping area is too large it will not provide proper insulation to keep your cat warm and frostbite on tails and tips of ears can occur in severely cold weather. READ MORE HERE;http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1383&articleid=933

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."

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.

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.

GROOMING YOUR MATTED CAT

Here is a few tips to help you with dematting your cat.
Grooming your cat regularly with a brush or comb will reduce the occurrence of mats in the fur. Unfortunately, many cats wind up with matted fur because they hate to be groomed. Here's how to deal with the problem, which occurs most often in longhairs.

1. Attempt to remove the fur mat after the cat has eaten. Cats tend to be more relaxed after meals.
2. Adopt a calm and soothing demeanor as you approach the cat.
3. When the cat is relaxed, try to work out the fur mat with your fingers.
4. If the fingers don't work, get scissorsSnip down the middle of the fur mat, far from the skin. It's quite easy to snip the skin accidentally on longhaired cats, so work carefully.
5. Slowly work apart the fur mat with your fingers, Snipping away a little more if necessary. Reassure the cat in a soothing voice as you snip. If she becomes upset, stop and come back to the task later.
6. Once you've worked apart the fur mat and it's clearly away from the skin, cut it off.
7. Reward the cat's cooperation with a kitty treat or petting under chin, behind ears etc.
8. If the cat has several fur mats, remove them at separate times. The cat will quickly lose her patience after you remove the first fur mat. Build trust with a gentle approach and treats to make future grooming encounters easier.
9. Bring the cat to a professional groomer or a veterinarian if the cat is unapproachable, if the fur mat is in a delicate area or if the mats are extremely tangled cat may have to be given a tranqulizer to get the job done, sedation is much eaiser on your cat then the trauma. Even if taken to groomer might be a good idea to get a kitty relaxer pill from your vet first!

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.

CAT DECLAWING

JUST ALITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT DECLAWING WE THOUGHT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN,
When a declaw procedure is done, the entire distal phalanx (digit) is removed. It does not have the same effect that removing the last digit from a human has, however. The presence of the protective sheath over the digit, rather than skin tightly adhered to the phalanx gives a natural protective closure after a declaw rather than a sensitive "stub" end. Since the cat uses its feet for walking, orientation and use of the digit is much different, as well. If the footpads aren't disturbed by the declaw procedure (they should not be) the weight distribution on the remaining portion of the toe is essentially the same. Cats tend to use their foot as a unit for manipulation of objects rather than grasping it with individual "fingers" as a human does. This makes for less disturbance in their typical lifestyle than would occur in a human with the loss of a digit.
Without being able to ask them, it is impossible to determine if cats have problems with things like phantom pain or minor discomfort chronically after declawing. These things do not appear to be a problem but there is no way to be sure.