Miscellaneous
Some cat health problems can be assessed initially by the keeper. As I have mentioned a cat owner can take a cat’s pulse to ascertain if your cat is possibly feeling unwell. In the section about diabetes, I referred to the importance of cat food to promote health. The convenience of dry cat food keeps it on the shelves but it could be argued that it also has a negative impact on a cat’s teeth causing cat teeth neck lesions. Some cat food manufacturers promote dry cat food as good for cleaning your cat’s teeth. Is this correct? If you feel it necessary to try and clean your cat’s teeth and vets seem to be saying we should (although I don’t really see it as practical) you could try cat dental gel. This is another post on the subject of cleaning a cat’s teeth.
Living indoors continuously as some do and with other pets can be stressful. One cause of stress is being separated for long periods from the human keeper. This may cause cat separation anxiety. Dr. Bachs Holly remedy can help. It can also help deal with a cat’s anger and jealousy.
Cat skin rashes can be due to a defective immune system or environmental factors. Sometimes your cat may be allergic to an ingredient in her food. This can be analysed by the use of hypoallergenic cat food.
Taurine is an essential amino acid and a supplement in cat food. It has been argued that rice in cat food can impair the metabolism of the Taurine. Rice is frequently added to cat food.
Cat parasites are never far away. A common one affecting dogs more than cats is the tick. Although not a worm, cat ringworm is not uncommon and it can be transferred to humans (zoonotic). It is a fungal infection of dead skin. Cat sneezing can be caused by various conditions.
Another fairly common condition is ear infections. It may be possible to alleviate the condition in a natural way.
Common Dog Health Problems Symptoms & Natural Dog Remedies – The complete veterinary-approved list of common dog health problems symptoms and natural dog remedies. Organic Pet Digest focuses on the right combination of conventional and natural dog care to give your dog the best chance for recovery.
Some terms briefly explained in respect of cat health problems:
Virus – tiny organisms consisting of a genetic blueprint of DNA or RNA and a protein container. They depend of getting into an animal’s cells to multiply and make protein. Feline Viruses.
Infectious Disease – a disease caused by the presence of what is called a “pathogenic microbial agent”. These are viruses, bacteria and fungi for example.
Medical Disorder – this describes a condition where the body does not function normally. This term is interchangeable with “disease” and “illness”.
Granulamatous – inflammation consisting of localized nodular (nodes, lumps) inflammation
Retrovirus – a virus composed of RNA but not DNA. This virus can integrate into the DNA of the host cell. A human example is HIV in humans.
Lymphocytes – these are small white blood cells which help to prtect the body from disease.
Endocrine System – a system of small organs that work together and which produce hormones. Hormones alter the rate at which paticular reactions take place.
Cat health problems – Sources:
- Your Cat by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM
- The Veterinarians’ Guide to Your Cat’s Symptoms by Garvey DVM, Houpt DVM, Wallace DVM,
- Hohenhaus DVM, Pinkney DVM, Randolph.
- Veterinary Notes
- for Cat Owners by Trevor Turner BVet Med, MRCVS and Jean Turner VN
- Wikipedia
- Various online medical dictionaries
- Cornell University College of Veterinarian Medicine website
- Pictures of cats website
- Robinson’s Genetics 4th Ed.
Images: Books: by Ian Wilson (Flickr)
Cat Health Problems to Home Page
On another note reading about savannah is that they need a higher protein and calorie counot where as wet food has 80% water…a raw diet seems to be ideal but the risks scare me away from that…would I be better to switch him to another grain free dry food and just leave him a bowl for him to nibble at as usual and just give him a couple spoones of canned food during the day maybe a couple of crickets or something? Also Ive heard that fish foods contain IEBD or something like that from pollution in the water that is thought to be linked with hyperthyroidism In whales and vats. There is also a chemical I heard that is used to seal canned wet food thats used to seal the can that is thought to do the same (more evidence supports the fish theory) upon finding this information again I find myself very confused and in the unknown abit what is best for my cat, and at that after hearing about the blue recalls and sick pets I’m unsure which companis to turn to
I am really leaning towards wet cat food now and becoming increasingly worried about my cat…he’s an f7 savannah and I know he needs a high protein diet..so as you know I switched him to wilderness blue and he’s has since become constipated he’s defaced once or twice since last weekend his stomach feels quite bloated and I have also learned of lots of people’s pets be comming quite sick and surpassing toxicity limits…I have thrown out the food and just about everything is closed today idk what to do I thought I was on the right path with him now I am lost on what to feed my savannah and I’m becoming scared and worried for him
John, I’m very surprised to hear that some of the people that you talked to were against wet cat food. I’m not surprised that a lot of the pet stores are against it because it is easier for a pet store to store dry cat food. I honestly believe that the people who are against wet cat food are incorrect and I say that from many years of thinking and working on the subject. Here are is a post about dry cat food which may help but in any case I wish you the best of luck. A book called “Your Cat” by Elisabeth Hodgkins is interesting and is about the health affects of dry kibble.
https://pictures-of-cats.org/cat-food-recipe.html
This is a link to many articles.