Posts in Category: The Cat’s Meow

There are different reasons to consider adopting another cat, but if you already have an aging feline at home you’d be correct to take pause over the decision. It’s possible your senior cat is out of sorts if they’ve recently lost a friend or littermate, but introducing them to another pet won’t replace their buddy. What’s more, the situation could be fraught with territorial tension that could profoundly stress them out.

All this doesn’t mean your cat wouldn’t benefit from another pal. Instead, with a lot of love, patience and encouragement it could be the best choice of all.

Every cat boasts an array of uniquely feline physical attributes. Like the color of their eyes or the length of their whiskers, a cat’s fur coat tops the list of what makes them beautiful or handsome.

Aside from aesthetics, however, a cat’s coat is the ultimate indicator of overall feline health. Whether thick and fluffy or silky and smooth, when they feel good, their coats can take on a lustrous quality. But when something’s “off” you’ll likely see it first with a change in grooming habits.

If you own a cat, you know what mysterious, funny, and independent creatures they are. They can also be extremely loving. But whatever your cat’s personality, the fact is that they are a big part of our lives. So it’s natural that we want to care for them the best we can.

But when was the last time you thought about cat dental health? Maybe…. never? If that’s the case, let us give you some reasons that we should all be paying attention to cat dental health, beginning with our own kitties.

It used to be that an eight year old cat was considered a senior. But with better nutrition, indoor living, and preventive health care, cats are now regularly living into their teens and twenties. Making that time together the best it can be is one of our most important goals at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital.

Senior cats do tend to be less active and playful, have a harder time getting to their favorite places, and may lose weight. Don’t chalk up behavior or health changes to old age, however. Getting older is not a disease, and physical changes can be often be attributed to health problems and/or dental problems that we can address and treat.

Aging in Cats

Because aging changes happen gradually – without you even noticing them, perhaps – we recommend seeing your older cat twice per year so that we can catch small problems and treat them before they become advanced. Cats are masters at hiding signs of disease, so the quicker we catch these problems, the better your cat can feel.

Special Care for Senior Cats

In addition to routine preventive care exams, there are some simple things you can do to help your cat enjoy her golden years.

Some like it warm – cats like warm places, so make sure your senior cat has a bed or other comfortable resting spots in a warm part of your house. They may have more trouble moving away from discomfort, however, so think warm, not hot.

Easy access – senior cats may have trouble getting to food, water, and their litter box if these places are accessed by stairs, high on perches, or even behind a baby gate or a cat door. Arthritis may play a role as well. Pay attention to any eating, drinking, or litter box changes and assess whether difficulty getting there is having an impact.

It’s a good idea to have a litter box on each floor of your home for easy access, since older felines may also have reduced control over bowels and bladder.

Help her get there – senior cats love their special places but may have trouble getting up to a favorite window sill or perch. You can create box steps or a ramp for cats who can no longer jump up to their special spot. Make sure footing is secure and non-slip.

Gentle grooming – senior cats can benefit from a little help from you in the grooming department. Use a soft brush to remove loose hairs and stimulate circulation. Plus, it just feels good for your cat, and improves your bond. Keep in mind that a sudden lack of grooming may signal a health problem.

Play – although getting a rambunctious kitten for your older cat is not recommended, keep your senior playful with a feather wand, playing “fetch” with dry kibble, or mixing up crinkle mice toys with other novel toys.

Night light – older cats may have waning vision, so you can install a night light for her to help her get her bearings at night. If your cat is blind, try to keep her surroundings consistent (by not moving furniture).

Attention to the basics – good nutrition is important for cats at any stage of life. But senior cats can benefit from a little attention to this necessity. A high quality diet has been shown to improve health and longevity, so talk to us about the best fit for your cat.

Creatures of routine – just like older people, older cats can derive comfort from their normal daily routine. Senior cats may become more dependent on relationships, so make sure to carve out some time every day to spend quality time with her.

As our cats age, they can definitely benefit from a little extra TLC. Special cats (and they are all special, in our book!) deserve special senior care. If you have any questions or need assistance with any of the ideas above, please don’t hesitate to call us. We’re here to help you make your cat’s golden years the best they can be!

People depend on verbal communication to understand each other, but body language is a huge part of eye-to-eye conversations. Even though we constantly process and synthesize information from others, confusion and miscommunications occur all the time. So, if we aren’t that great at understanding other humans, how can we expect to learn verbal and nonverbal cues from a whole separate species?

Felines, for example, use various vocalizations to communicate, but amazingly, cat tails are equally helpful indicators.

Domestic felines may seem like they’ve shunned many of their primal instincts, and yet, many ancient behaviors remain in tact. Hunting, for example, is one feline behavior that persists despite the fullness of their food bowl. Sure, pet cats don’t have to be the predators their ancestors once were, but it sure is fun to bring home a tender morsel or two!

Cats are pretty awesome for a lot of reasons, but one of them is their stalwart dedication to waste containment. You don’t see cat owners walking around the backyard looking for poop to scoop. Nope, cats visit their litter box, scratch around, relieve themselves, and then cover it up. Sure, they might have accidents occasionally, or passive aggressively suggest that you get up and clean their box tout suite. But overall they are perfect participants in the bathroom department.

All this leads us to wonder if automatic litter boxes are really worth the hype. When a product is designed to eliminate (or reduce) your chores, is it too good to be true? There’s a few strong contenders out there, it just depends on what’s right for your cat, and your wallet.

If cats and dogs aged at the same rate that humans do, we’d be able to live with our best friends for much longer. Unfortunately, they age about 7 times faster than us, or approximately 7 years for every one of ours.

The good news is that with routine preventive care and early screening of age-related diseases, senior pets over the age of 7 years old are living longer, more complete lives. Growing older is a natural part of life, and with a proactive approach to senior pet health, special pets can live far into their golden years.

As with most things in life, once a decision is made you have to do your best to stand by it. There’s just no room to be wishy-washy. In the case of pondering the good ‘ole pets on furniture conundrum, it’s absolutely required to either allow it – or not. To avoid confusion and potential behavioral problems, there must not be a grey area. Now that that’s out of the way, is it bad if you allow your pet on the couch?

It’s Just Nice

Snuggling with your pet on the couch is one of the best moments in life. Both of you get the maximum chill time out of the opportunity, and your pet likely relishes in the closeness. Plus, they get the added benefit of hanging out in your favorite spot when you aren’t at home which, conveniently, smells like you. It’s also way more comfortable than their bed on the floor. Continue…

Have you been thinking about adopting a cat, but you’re not sure if you’re ready to take the plunge? There are plenty of things to consider, and Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital has a few ideas to get you started.

Are You Ready for a Cat?

Cats are wonderful, unique, and mysterious at times, but one thing’s for sure – once you adopt a cat, you’re in it for the long haul. Cats can live for a long time, so it’s great that you’re giving the idea serious thought. Here are some important prerequisites when it comes to owning a cat. Continue…