Recently in Cat Health Category

So I'm working on the computer the other night and my cat Maddy jumps on my lap for loving. Nothing unusual here, this happens every night. So I'm petting her and she's purring and everything seems to be all right. Suddenly, a strong sulphuric scent ruined the moment. My cat farted! I've had Maddy for about six years and she's probably farted a handful of times that I know of. This led me to wonder, why do cats fart? Is this a sign of a greater problem?

Here's what my research turned up:

If your cat eats a high grain diet like IAMS, your cat will be more prone to let one loose more often. IAMS isn't exactly the best cat food and is typically loaded with filler like corn that your cat can't digest. In worse situations, your cat can suffer from a bad stomach if he or she can't digest the food correctly. The next time you go to the store or vet, take a look at the ingredients in your cat food. If the ingredients are proportionately high in corn, wheat, soy, By-products, BHA, corn syrup, meat and bone meal (may include anything from road kill to dead pets), artificial colors, Ethoxyquin and beef tallow/lard you might want to start looking at a better brand of cat food.

Cat food with Ethoxyquin in particular can be very dangerous to the long term health of your cat. Although I'm not a vet, my research tells me that Ethoxyquin has been linked to leukemia, liver cancer, chronic diarrhea, immune deficiency syndrome, loss of hair, liver damage and kidney damage. Ethoxyquin was initially developed as a herbicide and it's also still being used as stabilizer in rubber production. Sound healthy for your cat? Probably not.

Many believe that wet food for cats make them pass gas more than dry food. I'm not so sure about that. My cat has been eating a combination of mostly wet and dry food for six years and she rarely farts.

Having said all of this, if your cat is having a consistent issue with passing smelly gas, you might want to take your cat to the vet to have his/her stool examined more closely. My cat rarely farts so I'm not worried about it and I don't think you should be either if it rarely happens. It's always a good idea to talk to the vet just in case though.

Another way to look at your cat passing gas is that he or she is so comfortable with you that it simply flows out of them without any resistance. I've noticed that my cat has only farted when we've been cuddling. I'm squeezing her gently so that might be the issue too! Either way, I look at it is as a compliment.

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Figuring out if it makes sense to give your cat cantip or not? Here's a couple of factors to consider:

Catnip has a chemical compound that is thought to mimic the effects of a pheromone.

The effect catnip has on cats is similar to what LSD does to humans. (without the harmful effects)

Catnip is a perennial herb that is now native (originally from the Mediterranean region) to Canada and America.

If you live in certain climates, you can actually grow cat nip in your garden. Like Mint, if you're not careful, it will take over your garden.

Up to 30% of cats feel no effect from the plant. Some young kittens and senior kittens do not respond to it at all.

Although it is said that catnip is chemically related to the cannabis plant, your cats will not be harmed by it and will not become addicted to it.

So if you have a young kitten or an older cat, there's a chance that your cat may not feel the effects. The bottom line is that catnip is not harmful to your cat in any way. I'll actually be giving my cat catnip for the first time next week, I'll post the video for you guys to see its effects. In the mean time, check out this YouTube video showing cats on catnip. It's pretty funny actually.

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Be prepared to take your cat with you if you have to evacuate your home. If the area is unsafe for humans, it's unsafe for cats too. It is a myth that animals can take care of themselves in a disaster. I know you hear stories about families being reunited with their pets after a disaster but those stories are rare. No one hears about all the cats that perish in floods, fires and other disasters that you might have to evacuate your home for. Your family will be calmer and happier during this time of crisis if they have their beloved cat with them.

So what do you do if you have to evacuate?...

We all make fun of really fat cats. They are cute and lazy and we love them. But really fat cats are not happy, healthy cats. As a matter of fact, really fat cats are prone to diseases that can shorten their lives. Diabetes, hear disease, cancer, all those horrible diseases are much more common in really fat cats than in slimmer, healthier cats.

If you truly want your cat to slim down, there are several ways to help them that doesn't require starving them or buying a kitty treadmill. But don't expect weight loss to happen too quickly, cats can safely lose about 1lb per month. Any more than that and your cat might not be healthy.

So here is how you can help your really fat cat get healthy:

1. Switch from dry cat food to canned cat food is the first step. Dry cat food has been known to cause obesity because of its high grain and filler content and not enough protein.

2. Fresh water every day is a must. Your cat may not drink that much, but having a clean fresh bowl of water ready when your cat does decide to take a drink will be very helpful. Water helps keep tummies full so they don't eat as much, and it helps digestion so their bodies can absorb more nutrients.

3. Don't starve your cat, but if you leave the food in the bowl all day and let him come and eat whenever he wants, you might want to stop that. Some cats, like people, eat out of boredom, they'll wander by the food and take a bite or two even when they are not hungry. So having designated feeding times is a really good way to start limiting extra calories. Set the food out in the morning and again at night for 20-30 minutes each time. Cats seem to need to eat twice a day and they usually eat their fill within 20-30 minutes, so after that time has passed put the food away.

4. Get some exciting toys for your cat and play with him. Cats are very intelligent, and if they don't get stimulation regularly, they kind of show signs of depression. They don't get up and run around, just stare out the window and watch the world go by. But spending time playing with your cat and the new toys will go a long way to getting some much needed exercise for your cat (and you too!).

5. If you have to be away all day, leave your cat access to a window that overlooks a busy street or yard, cars, birds, and activity will keep your cat thinking about things other than food.

Cats like Charley who have Cerebellar Hypoplasia are a result of not vaccinating for common feline diseases. Pregnant Queens who contract feline panleukopaenia (sometimes called feline infectious enteritis or feline distemper or feline ataxia) will often give birth to kittens with cerebellar hypolasia. But even with the vaccinations, sometimes the cerebellum in the kitten doesn't develop properly. If the mother was poisoned or injured during pregnancy, the condition could develop in her kittens. Cerebellar Hypoplasia often occurs in the kittens of stray or feral cats. Feral cats are never vaccinated, are considered a pest so they are poisoned and are victims of violent human behavior so they are often injured. So the chances of a feral kitten being born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia is very high. It shows up right away when you see the kitten trying to move with its jerky movements. So out of fear, or ignorance, these kittens are destroyed because the humans who find them think they are diseased. But they are not, as we saw with Charley, they are perfectly normal, happy cats, who simply have spastic movements.

What was once the leading cause of death in cats has come under control through effective vaccines. Some vets don't vaccinate for panleukopenia any more because there hasn't been a reported case in their area for years. But that is not the case every where, even though the vaccines are effective, not every cat gets vaccinated and the potential for spreading this deadly disease is still a problem. It is very common amongst outdoor cats, strays and feral cat colonies.

Feline panleukopenia (sometimes called feline infectious enteritis or feline distemper or feline ataxia) is a highly infectious disease that can infect your cat even without close contact with a diseased cat. The virus stays alive and active in the blood, stool, or even the fleas from infected cats. But the biggest threat is the virus can be transmitted to your cats from bedding, cages, clothing or even if the cats dig in the same soil as an infected cat.

Feline panleukopenia attacks rapidly dividing cells, such as in bone marrow, intestines and in a developing fetus. The bone marrow is responsible for red and white blood cell production - lack of red blood cells causes anemia and lack of white blood cells compromises the cat's immune system. A lack of cells in the intestinal walls will mean the cat's digestion system is weakened and they will not be able to eat or drink properly. Often they will vomit or have a bloody stool. If the cat is pregnant and survives, the kittens will likely develop Cerebellar Hypoplasia. An infected cat will become anemic and the immune system will be weakened. This means that the cat will become infected with other illnesses so the symptoms of feline panleukopenia are hard to identify.

If you see any of the following symptoms in your cat, get him to a vet as soon as possible. Often cats can hide their illnesses so by the time you notice anything is wrong, it could be too late to save your cat. But watch for these signs:

fever, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, nasal discharge, dehydration

When a cat comes in contact with the virus that causes feline panleukopenia the result is usually death. Preventing the infection is far more effective than treating an infected cat so get your cats vaccinated against feline panleukopenia.

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Yesterday, you met Charley, the domestic cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia. He is such a sweet cat, it's so sad that many cats like Charley are destroyed because people don't understand what it is.

Cerebellar Hypoplasia is when the cerebellum is not completely developed at birth. The Cerebellum is the area of the brain that controls motor function (movement) and sensory perception (usually affecting sight) Cats with Cerebellar Hypoplasia have difficulty walking, and have generally uncoordinated movements. They have tremors in their limbs that get faster when they are excited and tend to slow when they are at rest.

Affected cats generally don't grow into large cats and they may be slower to grow and develop. But they learn to adapt to their disability. Often cats with Cerebellar Hypoplasia are still able to run and jump and climb, but with jerky movements. They will have more falls and more accidents so its best if these kittens are kept indoors.

They live long healthy lives. So if your kitten displays symptoms like Charley, talk to your vet, you'll see that there is no need to destroy the kitten.

This is the amazing story of Charley the domestic cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia. Cerebellar Hypoplasia is a development disorder that effects Charley's motor skills. While he may not move like a normal cat, he lives a normal life and seems to be an absolutely fun loving cat. Go Charley!

You've seen this guy here before, Dr. Greg McDonald has tips for cleaning your cats teeth, but this time he is showing you how to check for sickness in cats from fleas. Anemia can kill your cat. If you suspect your cat has fleas, check his gums, if they are bright pink, your cat's fine, if they are a pale pink or white, your cat has lost too much blood and may need a transfusion.

Because fleas cause illnesses that can kill your cat (see my previous post called sickness in cats from fleas) its a good idea to check your cats regularly. Unless you check, you may not even know your cat has fleas until it's too late.

I thought my vet was crazy when he checked Neo for fleas, because