Cats 101: Basic Health & Care Tips to Keep Your Cat Healthy Groom your cat regularly. Provide fresh water daily. Make sure you have enough litter boxes. Notice if your cat starts urinating outside its litter box. Train your cat to use a scratching post. Use a cat carrier in the car. Keep your cat’s … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITES Parasites are creatures that at some point during their life cycle are dependent on a host (e.g., your cat). Not all parasites are harmful. In fact, in most well-cared-for small animals, owners overrate parasites as causes of illness. Under specific circumstances, certain parasites do … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care: FELINE PANLEUKOPENIA Feline panleukopenia is an extremely common, very contagious, and often fatal viral disease that occurs in cats (both domestic and wild) and raccoons and other members of the raccoon family. The panleukopenia virus attacks rapidly growing body cells such as those in the bone marrow and … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care RABIES RABIES AFFECTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM The rabies virus can infect any warm-blooded animal, including humans. It causes a disease of the nervous system often manifested by changes in behavior followed by paralysis and death. The principal reservoirs of rabies in the United States are skunks, raccoons, bats, … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care PREVENTIVE VACCINATION PROCEDURES There are several major infectious diseases for which safe and effective vaccines are available: among them rabies, feline panleukopenia (feline enteritis, feline “distemper”), and viral respiratory infections (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus). Each of these diseases can easily cause death in an unprotected cat. We are very fortunate … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care BOARDING YOUR CAT Although many owners would prefer to travel with their pets, cats unaccustomed to travel when young are best left at home. Should you anticipate frequent trips to places where your cat would be welcome, be sure to start taking your cat with you when he … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care MOVING A CAT TO A NEW HOME Once a cat arrives at his or her destination special care is needed. Cats removed from their homes frequently try to return to them if they are allowed free access to the outdoors shortly after arrival. Confine your cat to a … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care TRAVELING WITH OR SHIPPING A CAT ACCUSTOM YOUR CAT TO TRAVEL EARLY Although cats do not travel in automobiles with their owners as frequently as dogs do, trips to the veterinarian, to vacation spots, or to new residences are frequent enough that real benefits are gained by accustoming … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care FEEDING AN ADULT CAT Although most adult cats require around 40 calories per pound body weight per day, each cat has his or her own individual requirements, and package information can be used only as a guide to feeding. Active cats require more calories than sedentary ones; uncastrated … Read more
The Classic Comprehensive Handbook of Cat Care FEEDING A KITTEN In order to meet a kitten’s nutritional requirements for proper growth and development you not only have to provide all the nutrients necessary to maintain an adult cat, but also must provide about two to three times as many calories on a per-pound (per-kg) body-weight … Read more