PURRaffection

Posts Tagged ‘Cat Health Care’

Any cat owner will tell you that felines are family members just like humans and that losing them doesn’t bear thinking about. But if the unthinkable were to happen and your cat was to get injured or become unwell would you have the money to pay for the cat health care?

When asked about the costs behind keeping a cat, people think of the cat food and perhaps the cat litter. Perhaps the cost of worm and flea treatments might also be factored in. Most people would not stop to think about cat health care costs.

Veterinary costs can be very high if surgery or ongoing treatment is needed. Cats who are fortunate enough to survive being hit by a car often need extensive surgery. Similarly, there are some diseases which require costly or ongoing medication, like cat diabetes or leukaemia. Could you afford to pay for these cat health care costs?

You might think that you’ll be lucky and that there’ll be no problems for your pet, but it’s not worth the gamble. This is why pet insurance exists. You pay for the insurance which will cover the costs of treatment if something were to happen. You won’t have to worry about how cat health care is going to impact on your budget.

Be sure to invest in the pet insurance whilst your cat is young. Premiums will be higher for older cats with existing problems. Also bear in mind that there could be terms and conditions affecting the insurance, so read the small print. You’ll still have to pay for vaccinations and an insurance company will normally not payout for conditions which could have been prevented if you’d have the cat vaccinated.

It’s not just about cat health care though, some companies will offer you other extras. Some companies will offer money to cover the costs of advertising or offering a reward should your pet go missing.
Pet insurance is vital to give you peace of mind. It’s just important to get the best deal you can and to be certain you understand what is and isn’t included. Take care to understand excesses and limits and remember to renew annually.

There’s an old saying that you are what you eat. Obviously, this isn’t a literal truth but the importance of a good diet for cat health care as well as our own cannot be underestimated. Ensuring our cats get all the nutrients they need to keep themselves in good health might be a big responsibility but it doesn’t have to be complicated if we understand a few simple rules.

Hydration is really important for both us and cats. If a cat is denied fresh drinking water it can become seriously ill in a matter of hours. Dehydration can cause serious cat health care problems and even death.

The diet of a cat must be very specific. Felines cannot survive on a vegetarian diet because they are true carnivores. A cat which is denied a meat-based diet will develop cat health care problems including blindness and would eventually die.

Because of the very specific dietary requirements of our feline friends, owners must take care to try not to upset the delicate balance of their diets. However harmless they might seem, giving leftover human food can lead to cat health care problems. Human food is too fatty and calorific for cats and might even be toxic to them. For example, onions are highly poisonous to cats.

In the wild, cats would eat several small meals everyday and owners should try to accommodate this. Obviously, cat owners may have work commitments which mean they are unable to be at home feeding their cats frequently. One option to overcome this problem is to give the cat dried food which it will be able to return to at regular intervals through the day.

Finally, when considering diet we must consider obesity, which is one of the biggest cat health care problems of the moment. Obesity can lead to heart problems, breathing problems, diabetes, arthritis and eventually death, so it must be avoided. A short haired cat is generally considered a healthy weight when its ribs can be felt but not seen. Pay close attention to the instructions for serving sizes on cat food and always see a vet if you believe that your cat’s weight is a problem.

Amongst the most serious cat health care problems in the UK is obesity. More cats than ever before are obese and the result is increased incidence of serious cat health care problems. Sadly, obesity amongst cats can be regarded as a vicious circle: an obese cat is significantly less likely to be physically active, meaning that they are more likely to remain obese.

This common cat health care problem is easier to spot than most others: all it takes is a careful look at the cat. Cats which have a healthy weight will have a waist just in front of their hind legs which is easily visible from above and if they are short hair breeds you will be able to feel but not see their ribs.

Obesity can be confirmed by a vet: the cat will be weighed and the vet will suggest a weight loss regime for the cat. Cat health care problems such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and breathing difficulties are likely to follow if the obesity is not treated. In short, obesity can kill a cat.

Owners can buy special, low calorie cat food from pet shops and their vet’s practice. Its important that we remember that any cat treats we give still count towards to overall daily intake of calories for the cat, so meals should be reduced accordingly. Similarly, it is important to remember that tidbits and human food leftovers could seriously upset the delicate balance of your pet’s diet. Many pet owners are not aware that their cat is being fed by well meaning neighbors, as well as at home. It is a good idea to mention the cat health care problem and politely request others do not feed your cat.

It is an important part of an owner’s responsibility for cat health care to ensure that their cat exercises and is physically active, but this is more difficult with cats than it is with dogs. Try to send your cat outdoors for some time every day so that it can take a stroll. Also try to spend more time playing with your cat. Toys like balls encourage cats to chase, which will boost their weight loss.