Though having a cat in your home can be a very rewarding experience, it also involves a significant amount of responsibility. As a pet owner, you are entirely responsible for your cat’s good health. Despite what some cat owners may think, the health needs of a cat are actually fairly complicated. Here are three of the most common questions that cat owners may ask a veterinary doctor.
How do I protect my cat’s health?
This is a fairly common general question, as most cat owners want to look out for their cat’s overall well-being. A great way to help protect your cat’s health from an early age is to get your cat vaccinated. There are several different vaccinations that a veterinarian will recommend for your cat, which can help prevent many potentially serious health conditions. There is a vaccine for enteritis, which is a respiratory condition. In addition to this, there is also now a vaccine against the feline leukemia virus (FLV), which is potentially fatal to some cats. A rabies vaccination is also extremely important, since many cats each year die from being infected with rabies. Getting your cat properly vaccinated could perhaps be valued as one of the more important parts of pet care.
Why is my cat vomiting?
Since vomiting in cats is a symptom of many different health conditions, it is usually cause enough for some concern. Vomiting is indicative that a cat is experiencing some sort of gastrointestinal distress, which can be caused by a significant number of factors. In some cases, a cat may vomit simply from eating quickly. However, vomiting is often a symptom of a medical condition, and may be caused by digestive problems. If you cat seems to constantly vomit up one type of food, for example, this could mean that your cat is unable to properly digest the food formula. In this case, it is best to try switching cat food formulas until you find one that your cat is able to digest.
Why is my cat constantly scratching at their ears?
Severe scratching of the ears is a potential symptom of a parasite called the “ear mite”. Ear mites are a common problem among cats, especially cats that spend time outdoors. Though ear mites are not necessarily visible to the naked eye, a cat will experience severe itching in their ear area, which is a symptom of an ear mite infection. The best thing to do is to take your cat to the veterinarian. A veterinarian will usually take a cotton swab sample of the inside of your cat’s ear, and examine the swab under a microscope. Once identified, there are several different treatment options available for ear mites.
These are just some of the most common questions about cat health. If you have any questions about how to best care for your cat, it is always best to seek the advice of your veterinarian. Use common sense, and if you see any changes in your cat’s health, schedule a veterinary visit as soon as possible.
Sun, Nov 1, 2009