Feline Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye. It's more commonly known as "Cat Pink Eye" and is probably the most common eye problem cats have. Actually to provide a more precise definition, conjunctivitis is an inflamed conjunctiva, which is the thin, delicate membrane that covers the eyeball and lines the eyelid. The conjunctiva also creates a seal with the nictitating membrane "the third eye." (The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals like the cat that can be drawn across the eye for protection and to moisten the eye while also allowing visibility.)
A healthy conjunctiva is a slightly pale pink. When infected it swells and becomes much darker. This is why cats with conjunctivitis are often referred to as "pink-eyed."
What are the Signs of Cat Pink Eye?
1. Frequent squinting - your kitty looks sort of like one of the "Lolipop Kids" from the Wizard of Oz.
2. Watery or mucous-like discharge that's clear, yellow, and gray with pus.
3. The pink membrane lining, or conjunctiva, that surrounds kitty's eye is a much darker pink almost red and swollen.
4. Third eye protrusion. The nictitating membrane actually begins to protrude a bit because of the swollen conjunctiva.
5. The part of the eye called the iris, the beautiful colored part of kitty's eye will probably appear duller than usual or in some cases be an entirely different color.
6. Kitty is pawing or rubbing the eye.
7. Sometimes cat eye infections are accompanied by frequent sneezing and possibly an upper respiratory tract infection.
It is important to note that conjunctivitis should be treated as soon as possible. Although conjunctivitis is not life threatening, if it isn't treated in time, can spread from the conjunctiva to other parts of the eye eventually causing severe damage to the cat's eyesight.
Besides, all you have to do is take one look to know that the infectious condition is red, raw and sore. And you can tell immediately by paying attention to kitty's behavior that Feline Conjunctivitis is a very upsetting condition. The sooner you get relief for kitty the better!
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Cats show affection to you as an owner in many different ways. Some cats will show a lot of affection while other cats will show less. They have body language that you can pick up on that tells you how they are feeling. Here are some ways cats show affection for you.
Slow Blinking of Eyes
A cat may show affection to you by slowly blinking their eyes at you. This is a sign of affection but not many people realize it when the cat does it. Watch your cat for a while and see if this happens.
Grooming
Cats send a lot of time grooming but this isn't always about keeping clean. They use this to bond with you and to relive stress. If your cat comes over and licks you it's a sign you are a part of their "cat family". The cat will do this as a way of showing you affection but it's another one that we often don't pick up on as actually a sign of cat affection.
Butting and Head Rubbing
A cat loves to walk around your legs and rub its head or butt against you. This is a sign of marking you as property. The face of a cat has pheromones and these are rubbed onto you so the cat feels comfortable around you. Each cat has different pheromones so they can recognize you easily. They do this a lot when sitting on your lap and when you go to pet the cat they may want to rub their head against you. This is a sign of affection to you.
Following You
If the cat likes to follow you from room to room in the house they are showing interest in you and want to be in the same place that you are. A cat that doesn't show other kinds of affection may just follow you around and give you affection that way.
Gifts
No one likes to see a dead birds or a snake in the house but the cat is showing you affection this way by presenting gifts to you. It's not the right move to scold the cat when the animal does this because it's a sign of affection towards you. The cat is hoping that you'll be pleased with the gift brought to you.
Excitement
If you have been gone a long time, the cat may act exited when you get home and may run around more than normal or be a bit of a pest. This is normal and it's a sign of affection towards you.
On the Belly
A cat that rolls over and show you their belly is showing you that they trust and care about you. A cat won't do this in the wild because the animal would be attacked. If your cat does this the animal is showing you that you're important.
These are some of the ways that your cat will show affection to you as the owner. Your cat may do all of these or just a few it all depends on the mood of the cat and how they feel towards you.
So, does your cat love you? If your cat shows some signs that we mention above, then you can be sure your feline friend cares about you. If you live in UK, please checkout essential cat supplies from our site: pet supplies uk reviews
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Cat illnesses are not always easy to spot. Animals cannot tell you where it hurts or what their symptoms are. As owners it is our responsibility to keep a careful eye on our pets and spot the signs that indicate they have a problem.
It is even more important to monitor your cat as they get older. Cats like humans are living longer these days and many reach their late teens or early twenties. With older cats it is well worth taking them to you vet for a check-up at least every year.
Just like us as they age they begin to show signs of wear and tear. You will often find that they do not eat as much as in the past. It can often be worth changing their eating pattern and give them 3 or 4 small meals a day rather than the two larger meals they ate as younger cats.
As your cat gets older it is natural that they will slow down and they will not be as athletic. This in itself is just a natural result of the aging process. However, there are signs that you should look for in your older cat. The first signs of cat illnesses are bad breath, which could indicate dental problems or the onset of kidney problems. Cats are very prone to kidney failure and it is one of the most common causes of cat mortality. A cat can lose about 70% of its kidney function before any symptoms appear.
It is also important with older cats to monitor how much they are eating and drinking. A loss of appetite can indicate dental problems or progressive kidney failure. Another sign of kidney problems could be if your cat appears to have an increased thirst and drinks much more water than they did before. There are now cat foods especially developed for older cats and you might consider changing over to one of these.
With older cats you should also physically check them from time to time for signs of swellings or weight loss. Either of these could indicate a problem such as a tumour and in this case you should consult your vet.
No one knows your cat better than you and by checking and observation you should be able to spot any sign of cat illnesses. It is also important to keep your cats vaccinations and inoculations up to date as older cats can be more vulnerable to infection.
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Preventing your cat from being sick is an essential factor that you must keep in mind. There are a lot of cat illnesses that can be fatal to your cat; however, you should know that you can always take the proper preventive measures to avoid these complications. To be able to identify what your pet might be suffering from and find its cure, here is a quick reference guide that you can use.
A cat commonly shows the symptom of not being interested in food when it is not feeling well. This can be due to a number of factors, the typical ones being that your cat is experiencing a sudden change in its environment. Even the mere rearrangement of furniture might cause your cat to be distracted or stressed to the extent that it loses its appetite.
A change in its diet might also be the cause, but take note that all other at illnesses might be related to this symptom. If your cat does not go back to its normal demeanor within 24 hours, you might want to consider going to the vet.
On a different note, viral infections are deemed as the most dangerous among all cat illnesses, as these infections are truly fatal for cats. The various means that your cat might acquire a viral infection include mishandling of its food and beverage, exchange of bodily fluids with another cat, insect bites or fluids such as flea saliva, ingestion of fecal matter and other substances, among others. These examples might be avoided if you pay attention to your house's cleanliness and make sure that your place is conducive for growing a cat.
Parasites such as worms are also typical in felines, yet this situation can be controlled with ease compared to curing infections caused by viruses. Vaccines or oral medications can be used to de-worm your cat and prevent those irritating organisms to come back. Sometimes, it can also be helpful to give your pet formulated cat foods that are made to prevent parasites from growing inside your pet's digestive system. Alternately varying the type of food that your cat eats might also avoid these worms from growing, as the condition of the stomach is constantly changed.
Certain associations have conducted studies and identified around two hundred plant species that might be fatal for cats when ingested. Keeping your pet from nibbling anything that it sees might be the best preventive measure you can do. Also, if you are not sure if the plants you have at home would be harmful to your pet, just make sure that you would put the plants on a safe location where your cat would not be able to reach it or bite it.
Getting the opinion of your veterinarian on any matter would be best especially if you are very confused with the symptoms that you are seeing on your cat. Remember that cat illnesses should be taken care of as soon as possible to prevent it from aggravating.
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When it comes to illness, cats are masters of disguise. Think about this - in nature, if a cat allows himself to look or act sick, larger animals will see him as weaker and will be more likely to attack. So it is in a cat's own best interest to keep any illness or pain he feels well hidden. It is up to us as cat owners to be aware of some of the more subtle signs of illness in our cats, so that they can be addressed quickly, with the least possible impact to our cat's health.
For instance, if your cat suddenly refuses to use the litter box and is urinating other places, a medical issue may be causing this, especially if it is happening along with any of the other symptoms listed below. Watch your cat for other changes in behavior, such as disinterest in eating, lack of or change in grooming, and vomiting. If your cat appears to be struggling to pee, or unable to control his peeing, these can also be symptoms of illness. Inappropriate urination issues can often be corrected by addressing these symptoms with your vet.
Here is a list of cat illness symptoms that may be serious. You should schedule a visit with the veterinarian if your cat shows any of these:
- Inappropriate Urination, especially if it happens suddenly, for no obvious reason
- Urine or excrement contains blood
- Loss of appetite
- Disinterest in grooming
- Suddenly gaining or losing a great deal of weight
- Runny nose
- Prolonged bouts of sneezing
- Drinking much more or much less water
- Peeing more or less frequently
- Coat appears messy or loses its shine
- Lack of energy
- Inability to control urination
- Apparent distress during urination
- Excessive vomiting
For ourselves, we often will give it a few days when we begin to feel ill, assuming that our bodies will heal naturally without seeing the doctor. But with a cat, because they keep their illness so secret, we may not even be aware that our cat is sick until it becomes serious. A cat who is sick can appear to have a sudden onset of a serious disease, but chances are the symptoms have been there some time and they are just now becoming apparent to humans. Once a cat is obviously sick, his health may be threatened, and a trip to the vet may be very time critical. Even though it may seem expensive, it will be less expensive if done in the beginning; the vet may be able to begin treatment right away and you may be able to ward off more serious issues.
So for the sake of your beloved cat's health, learn to watch for these cat illness symptoms, and be ready to act quickly with a trip to the vet.
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After dogs, cats are the most popular family pet and they can wiggle their way into their owners' hearts just by purring. Getting a pet is a long-term commitment for every member of the family because the animal will require ongoing care. People should be aware of how long cats live in order to determine whether they are able to handle the responsibility.
The average lifespan of a cat is 12 to 15 years, but some indoor felines live into their twenties. Cats that go outdoors usually do not live as long as their indoor brethren because they are subject to additional dangers. These include fighting with other cats, getting hit by a car, catching diseases, and becoming the victims of accidental or intentional violence.
According to the 2007 Guinness World Records book, the cat that lived the longest was located in Austin, Texas. Creme Puff reached the ripe old age of 38 years prior to her death in 2005. Manx and Siamese cats are thought to be the breeds of pedigreed cats that live the longest. With a reported life span that sometimes reaches 30 years, the Jaguar is believed to be the longest living cat species.
In order to keep a cat healthy, it is recommended that the animal be taken to the vet once per year for a check-up and recommended vaccinations. The cat should also have proper dental care and the vet can provide gum and tooth cleanings throughout the life of the feline. Healthy teeth and gums can prevent infections that may cause problems in other areas of the body.
The food that a cat eats can also make a difference in how long the animal lives. Cats have certain nutritional requirements and these should be met by feeding the feline either dry or wet cat food. Dry food can be left out throughout the day, while wet food should not be left out for a long time because it can spoil. Semi-moist foods are not usually the best choice because they tend to contain artificial colors and flavors as well as preservatives.
An individual should consider how long cats live prior to getting a cute little kitten. An indoor feline that is properly cared for may live for up to 20 years. Outdoor cats often do not live past ten years due to the dangers that they encounter on a daily basis. Regardless of whether the cat lives indoors or outdoors, it will need to be taken to the vet and vaccinated on an annual basis.
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