Symptoms for Feline Asthma

If your cat shows signs of having asthma you need to take the subject seriously because asthma is both for your cat and you an unpleasant and partially painful issue.

In the following we want to help you find out if your cat just has an harmless cough or if there are real asthma symptoms occurring.

Symptoms for a Cough

Short coughs that don't hold on for longer than two minutes and don't come again more than two times can be considered harmless. If cough attacks just happen 1-2 times a month (or even less) without any signs of breathing trouble you can stay at home with your cat and have a nice time. You won't need to see your vet.

Close observation can't be bad though, because also cats can develop allergies. For example it could be that your lil' tiger reacts allergic to haispray that you are using just once a month. When you suspects that it could be something like that just stop using the "hairspray" (or other things you suspect) and see if the coughs come again.

Symptoms for Feline-Asthma

1. Gasping cough attacks that last longer than usual coughing and - above all - takes place a lot more often.
Asthma attacks most commonly happen in the early morning and at night because it than that the body doesn't produce any cortisone which could alleviate the airways' inflammations.

2. Dyspnea as well as whistling noises that come from your cat's throat are further signs for feline asthma.

3. In quite a lot of cases the eyes are also wide open because dyspnea causes for cats as well as us humans panic.

What is Asthma? In a Nutshell!

Asthma attacks are caused by bronchoconstriction as well as the constriction of the airways.

Inflammations lead to those dangerous constrictions and are caused themselves by certain substances.

The constrictions can be so strong that it leads to dyspnea which can lead to death even. Therefore asthma should be considered dangerous and a meeting with your vet is inevitable.

Those substances that can trigger feline asthma are treated in an other article of ours. In there is also valuable information on how you can ease your cats life if it is in asthma: Feline Asthma - Help your Cat



Picture: CC 2.0 by Just me...

Feline Asthma - Help your Cat

Before showing you possible therapies that can help your cat with feline asthma we want you to know how you can ease and improve your cat's life at home by undertaking very simple preventions.

To help your cat as much as possible you should have a close eye on her and note down in which situations the asthma attacks happen.

That's important because it's not always certain substances that can trigger an asthma attack but also certain situations in which a cat feels "confined". (You probably also know cases of human-beings who get their attacks inside of elevators or while being in a very stressful situations. Cats ain't that different!)

If you, for example, notice that a cat starts coughing and gasping whenever a child picks it up and won't let go of the cat you know for sure where to tie in!

But pretty often (and sadly) the sole avoidance of situations won't help you a lot. Then it can be suggested that your cat reacts in an allergic manner to one (or several) substance(s) which make her airways swell.

A lot of substances are known to trigger asthma attacks. The most important are listed below:

Mites and Dust
Solution: Wipe the floor with a humid rag instead of vacuum-cleaning it. The vacuum-cleaner swirls up a lot of dust and therefore is bad for your cat's airways. You also should wash blankets and similar stuff at least once a week to give mites and dust not a chance!

Pollen
Solution: Keep the windows closed during times of pollination or apply nets to your windows that keeps the pollen out. Keep your cat at the same time, of course, inside especially in the morning and evening.

Dry Air
Solution: Air dampers like a room fountain and small bowls filled with water that are positioned above a heater can help to create a less dry atmosphere for your cat.

Cigarette-Fume
Solution: Stop smoking near your cat or inside your apartment/house - or stop it completely... ;)

Mold
Solution: Detect the source where the the mold comes from and eliminate it yourself with the right products for that purpose. You can, of course, also ask a specialist.

Chemicals (e.g. shampoo, washing powder, hairspray, sanitizer, ...)
Solution: Keep the chemicals away from your cat or start using (by now lower-cost) eco products.

The Asthma-Therapies for Cats

Cortisone
When you are visiting an ordinary vet who learned the orthodox methods he will tell you to treat your cat with cortisone. This cortisone can either be given inside of pills or also be injected via syringes.

Cortisone is a hormone naturally produced in the body that soothes inflammations and makes them go down again.

As nice as it sounds, Cortisone that's being given via syringes and pills for a long time can cause diabetes which lowers the cats already restricted life quality even more.

An alternative to the often hated syrenges and pills is a respirator for cats that becomes slowly known all over the world. Certainly the following page can tell you more about this invention: http://www.trudellmed.com/animal-health/aerokat.

Homeopathy
The former notorious treatment with homeopathic means acquires not only vogues in human medicine. And the use of this kind of therapy in veterinary medicine proves a bit that it is more than a big placebo.

But please note that homeopathy is now allround-magic-therapy that shows results after just two days of treatment. It is still a therapy - an alternative one - that needs time and just acts in a different manner.

Homeopathy also should performed by a specialist who knows what he's doing. Otherwise it's eventless at the best case!

Take care of your cat,
your Healthy Cat Team!



Picture: CC 2.0 by Mel B.

Cat in Heat - Signs and Symptoms

From the fourth month of your cat's life at the latest (!) you should think very deeply about your cat's possible next steps in life. Because this is the time your cat's youth goes to an end and she comes of age.

You could compare the time your cat goes through then with a young girl's first menstruation. Therefore a midnight meeting with the neighbors' tom can bear adverse consequences.

Just a little Sex-Ed

Broadly speaking being "in heat" or "calling" is the time(s) of the year when the cat is able to become pregnant. The follicles (eggs) come to maturity in the cat's ovaries and contingent upon that as well as the day's length and the season hormones are released that make the cat change her behavior as well as her scent in a manner that will attract potent male cats.

Cats, contrary to us human-beings, can never get pregnant from the first mating. That is like that because ovulation can only be initiated by the pain the cat feels when she is penetrated by the tom's penis (which caries lots of small "barbed hooks" on it).

This is also the reason why cats in professional breeding have to "take the tom" several times.

In one kindle of kittens there can be up to three different fathers!

The In-Heat-Check-List

If your cat is in heat can it be checked best by watching her closely. The following check list will help you look out for the right signs.

1. Completely Mad
Cat owners who experienced their cat being in heat describe her during that time pretty often as "completely mad" and irrational which means that the usual character of the cat changes until almost nothing is left of it anymore. But don't be afraid - as soon as the heat is over your cat will cool down to her old shape again. ;-)

2. Talkative
Even calm and silent cats become talkative during this period and seem to be meowing all the time. Do you also feel slightly reminded of a teenage girl's behavior so far?

3. Clingy Kitty
Calling cats seek attention and love not only among other cats in the neighborhood but also from you as care giver. She will want to be petted and noticed between 22 and 24 hours a day but it also means she trusts and loves you (as much as any other tom near her...). ;-)

4. Tail up High!
Especially while petting her you will notice that as soon as you come close to her lower back her hindquarters will lift up and press firmly against your hand. Her tail will be upheaved and she will probably purr manically.
She does that to make mating easier for the tom.

5. Roller-Coaster
The best known sign for a cat being in heat is her constant rolling and lolling on the floor as well as their rubbing on all reachable furniture around. They also seem to be never sleeping - just like you (during her calling).

Therefore: If one or more of your cats shows signs of being in heat we advice you to call your vet and let her spay or castrate.



Picture: CC 2.0 by Zemlinki!

Cat in heat despite castration?

If your cat shows signs of being in heat despite its castration you as care giver should observe your cat's behavior closely.

False Alert

Lots of cat owners tend to worry too much as soon as their cat behaves slightly different than usual. But different behavior doesn't necessarily mean that the cat is in heat.

Quite often cats act like "mad" when, for example, a new cat invades the neighborhood, the weather changes or because you are acting differently. Sometimes even cats just wish for a little attention and want to make you know it.

Play it safe

Therefore make sure that your cat's unusual behavior is also "in-heat-behavior" before you see the vet immediately. When you still aren't sure after a few days you can take your cat to the vet and make him take a vaginal swap. With that vaginal swap vets can find out about your cat's hormone balance and if she's probabyl really calling.

Go, see the Vet

As soon as you are 100% sure that your cat is in heat despite its spay or castration you have to go to your vet immediately, because in most cases cats like that still have hormonal active ovarian tissue inside their uterus.

This ovarian tissue triggers hormone releases that make the cat think that it's in heat.

"Lost" unfertilized ova can lead to the forming of cysts inside the uterus and terrible infections that can cause a lot of pain and - in the end - even death.

Two Methods

Hormone Therapy
The vet has two methods to help our cat. The first one and seemingly easier one is to give your cat hormones via pills which make the cat think it had been served. This triggers the ovulation and "ripe" ova are harmless to the cat because they can leave the cat's body.

This method, though, isn't foolproof because hormone therapy never is totally reliable.

A cat getting this therapy will still be in heat twice a year and have to be treated with the pills the rest of her life.

Surgery
The second, seemingly more dangerous, method is to make your cat have a surgery in which the remaining ovarian tissue has to be found inside the uterus and removed. It is indeed a fiddly task for your vet because the tissue can be scattered all inside the uterus.

We, of course, wish you and your cat a lot of luck and hope that it's just a false alert!

Picture CC 2.0 by slowdown

Teach your Cat to live with a Dog

"Time is a great healer. But a bad beautician." - Mark Twain

Generally it's fair to say that it's easier the younger the two pet are and that it takes a lot of patience and love in the first place to teach them to live together in harmony.

How can I get my Cat and Dog to get used to each other?

Subsequent we listed a few tips and tricks that you should take into account when you want your cat and dog to get along.

The Dog has to match the Cat

Compatible minds are a basic requirement for a peaceful life with both cat and dog beneath your roof.

If you have a dominant senior tom cat with a healthy self-esteem the dog in contrast should be devote. That way no fights for the leading position will be fought in your home.

A shy and anxious cat on the other hand fits best with a calm and older dog who won't corner the cat through playful hunting and barking.

In most cases the wisest thing to do is to get a pup to give your cat the opportunity to get used to the dog slowly and without distress. Your cat will recognize that your new dog is still a baby and will treat it that way in a softer an forgiving manner.

A pup also will never go for your cat's throat since he hasn't learned yet that dogs usually hate cats... ;)

Divided Environments

Regardless of how nice you think it will be when your future dog shares its sleeping-place with your cat and eats from the same feeding-dish, during the lead time both cat and dog have to have enough places for a fallback procedure.

That means that especially the cat's feeding and sleeping places have to be at a height that the dog can't reach them. Also the litter box should be put into a higher place (at least as long as the lead time takes) because especially young and agile dogs tend to disrupt a cat during its use of the toilet or even eat its dung.

And a cat that's being disrupted all the time when she wants to go to the toilet will look for other places very soon - for example the garden or even your bed.

Give enough Attention

As soon as a new pet is introduced to its new home all attention is naturally and automatically given to the new one. The old (and probably boring?) cat therefore feels alone, unloved and even insulted.

Think about this: In most cases a cat isn't moody because a dog is in the house now but because it feels neglected by you! Therefore if you spend attention to both your cat and your dog both pets will feel loved and will have an easier way of becoming friends with one another.

A few Marginal Hints

To teach your cat and dog to live together there are a tricks and knacks that will help you to deal with the task.

Mark their territories
It's a common trick to keep the dog in only one room for the first week or so. Don't close that room's door as usual, though, but with an approximately 1m high panel that won't leave the dog out but allow the cat to jump into room. For small dogs like a Yorkshire Terrier the panel can be less high, of course.

The cat who loves to decide on its own when to meet the new roommate will chose the right time to jump over into the "dog-room" and also has the freedom to leave it again when it thinks it's time. This approach is a good method - especially for anxious cats!

That way the cat also doesn't feel displaced from its territory and can slowly get used to the though of having to share its home with a dog.

Leash the Dog
If you're the owner of a brave and curious kitty you can assume that your wants to know from the beginning who the new roommate is. Instead of creating a barrier with a panel you can also put the dog on its leash and wait for the cat to get near the dog.

Not to force the cat is - again - essential here.

Lure your Cat
If your dog is living with you already for one or two weeks and your cat still didn't have the courage to meet it you can try to feed those two furry noses some special treats (like boiled chicken) at the same time.

You should start with both pets being apart from each other for about 10 to 15 meters and bring them closer each day.

Good luck (and love and patience) bringing your pets together!
Your Healthycat-Team



Picture CC 2.0 by Patti Haskins

Attune your Cat to Outdoors

Cats are freedom loving creatures who enjoy their freedom - preferably alfresco. Therefore cat-owners with outdoor-cats have far healthier and smoother individuals than owners who keep their cats inside all day long.

But before throwing your kitty outside there are some points to be taken care of.

1. Is your Cat vaccinated?

Cats, as well in Europe as in the USA, should be vaccinated against a plethora of illnesses. Among those illnesses are for example cat flu and the rabies.

The anti-rabies-inoculation, however, won't be given "automatically" to your cat in most cases like all the other vaccinations. You will have to tell your vet yourself when the anti-rabies-inoculation should be given. And that is not necessary until your cat is about to go outside.

The inoculation is potent as soon as it is given but cautious cat owners and vets advice to syrenge two vaccinations and not to leave the cat out until the second one was given. The second shot needs to be dosed 4 weeks after the first one. Therefore it needs a little planning on when you want your cat to be confronted with the great outdoors.

2. Is your Cat castrated?

Especially owners of female cats should make sure that their cat gets an appointment with its vet as soon as as it becomes sexually mature. Unwanted kittens are unfavorable for the mother, the owner and - above all - for the young ones.

But also tom cat owners should more than just think about it : Castrated toms are less dominant, don't "spray" anymore (don't mark their territory) and don't lead to unwanted pregnancy in the cat neighborhood.

Nowadays quite some cats become sexually mature with just 4 months - Therefore you should make an appointment with your vet early enough, because early castrations on young cats are easier to do and also more facile for the cat.

3. Does your cat like your home?

If you want to make sure that your cat comes back after her first visit in the nature you should offer a lovely, preferably quiet home with regulated feeding-times, a cozy napping place and a lot of love.

If a cat however, doesn't like her current home (which is a rare thing to happen luckily) it might run away in order to look for a better place.

It's advisable to keep a cat at least a month inside her new home before leaving her out - especially older cats need that much time to get accustomed to its new home.

Kitten constitute an exception in this. You can attune your cat to the world beyond your threshold after 2 weeks already. For young cats not the territory is that important but their caregiver. And that would be you.

4. In what kind of Neighborhood are you Living?

Aside from the fact that there should be no outdoor cats at all in the city or near a freeway you should go for a little walk around your block and have a look at how many dogs there are running around, if there lives an alpha-tom directly next door, or even if there is a cat hater living close by who would probably poison your cat.

In case of dogs running around off-leash you should have a word with the dogs' owners and arrange an afternoon with them when they will leash their dogs. During that time you can explore the outdoors with your cat undisturbed.

The alpha tom, as a rule of thumb, is harmless to young cats and kitten. They become a menace for him, though, when they come of age and threaten his territory. Therefore it certainly is important to know where that stray cat lives and when he is active.

Sad but true: You can't do anything against cat haters except pressing charges against that person when it's too late already. It could help, though if you asked all your neighbors to help you have a stern word with him.

Attune your Cat to the Outdoors

Subsequent there will be listed a few things that you need as well as thing that you won't need at all:

The Catleash:
We all agree that the Catleash is of more use to you than to your cat. You want to fight your fear with that leash that your cat might run away or will be overrun by a car.

Trust your kitty to come back to you. Even if your cat runs away on its first day outside - it will come back as soon as its tummy begins to rumble.

An open door:
An open door is very advisable to attune your cat to the Outdoors. That way your cat will be able to hush back in whenever something scares it which means that your cat has a much better feeling outside since it isn't excluded from its home. A catflap can also be a useful thing if you don't want to run every five minutes whenever your cat decides that it wants out/in again.

Treats:
Treats can be a useful thing when you want to teach your cat to come when you call its name or when you want your cat to come back if it ran off a little too far.

A good relationship:
Leaving your cat outside without leash and cage takes a whole lot of trust. Especially from your side. A good relationship is therefore the most important thing that you need to attune your cat to the outdoors. You are in the main role here, though, because your cat depends on you and not the other way round!

You should therefore tread your cat with a lot of love and a good deal of care!

Tenderly attune your Cat to Outdoors

Cats are exploraholics by nature and won't "need" you as caregiver after their third time anymore. Most (young) cats are thankful for the company, though, because it makes them feel more secure.

An established method to attune your cat to outdoors is to feed it less than usual the day you want to leave it out the first time.

The hunger will make the cat come back - even if all the new mysteries outside would make her stay outside. You therefore don't need to worry so much and you cat has the freedom to go everywhere it wants without being on an (embarrassing) leash.

After your cat was outside for an hour or so and you want it to come back you go outside, call her name and perhaps even show her some treads. After your cat saw you and your treads you just go back inside and leave the door open. Your cat won't feel forced to come in that way.

But most cats on their first run outside won't even feel to stay outside too long. Most cats will do a few steps, seek your eyes (and their reasurement) and after that maybe go some more steps.

When your cat is too far away for your taste just call its name and give it a treat.

But by no means run after it to catch it! That will make your cat run away further because it feels either chased in a fun way or it is scared by your unusual fast movements which could mean danger.

PS: Cats are wired differently!

Please note that every cats reacts in a different manner to their first impressions of the great outdoors.

Anxious specimen and young cats might have "enough" after 2 minutes already and hurry back to their safe home. But even very cautious cats will have the self confidence to go outside on their own after a few tries when they know the environment a little better.

True tigers on the opposite might dash away on their first run already and spend even an hour or two outside all on their own. We know that that hour might feel like it will never end, but trust us (and your cat) - it will come back!

Picture CC 2.0 by Hans Pama

Is Catnip dangerous for Cats?

A long time ago the first human beings discovered the astonishing effects that catnip has on cats. Delighted by the amusing behavior of a cat being "high" on catnip they created toys filled with that herb. Those toys are nowadays pretty common and almost every cat has its own "dope" at home.

A small Documentary about Catnip and its Consequences

Catnip belongs like the common peppermint herb to the mint family. Its a native resident in southern Europe, Africa and Asia.

Neither the catnip that's filled into the toys nor the catnip that grows on our balcony or garden is directly noxious for cats. (But beware: There is one exception: The Matabi plant is related to common catnip and causes a strong addiction that makes cats stop eating and drinking until they die in some cases. The Matabi plant, though, only grows in certain parts of Asia and is not for sale in Europe or Northern America.)

The component that's so incredibly attractive to cats is the essential oil within the catnip plant. Cat's can smell and find it from kilometers away. Just like peppermint oil the pure oil of the catnip plant in high concentrations leads to skin irritations of both cats and human beings.

The concentrated oil, though, is usually nowhere for sale and so rare that it isn't dangerous to any cat and its owner at all.

There is another point, though, that's got a more dangerous character than the possible irritations catnip oil can cause (especially since almost every essential oil causes skin irritations used in a high dosage): It's the condition a cat is transferred to when confronted with catnip.

Catnip seems to be a Hallucinatory

Catnip causes trance-like conditions for approximately 50% of the cat population. Those conditions can be compared with trips human beings get on LSD.

A usual catnip-"trip" takes between 5 and 20 minutes - depending on the dosage of the herb or its oil, the age of the leaves (fresh catnip makes higher than dried leaves) and the kind of catnip.

The cat incessantly sniffs the catnip, licks the leaves, gnaws them, rolls over them and rubs its fur on the plant. The cat is in a condition far away from reality. It knows nothing but the plant as long as the trip takes.

Some cats even seem to have visions impassively staring into the void, haunting imaginary prey or cutting capers.

Catnip in Moderation is Harmless

You as a cat owner should overthink your attitude toward catnip. It's more than a mere toy. It's a druglike device that can lead to negative consequences like the loss of reality. Or would you hand out marihuana or LSD to people you like for your own amusement if it was legal? Think about it!

On the other hand cats don't seem to get abstinence syndromes (like a headache) after a catnip-"trip". Therefore the occasional play with a catnip toy is neither dangerous nor reprehensible.

Allowing your cat to have a "trip" once a week, can't really be harmful. Most of us can openers also drink a glass of vine or beer on our weekend!