Foothill Felines Mandolin Rain, a lovely Bengal queen
~ This article is intended to give first time cat-owners a reference guide, and experienced cat-owners a brush up on some basic cat care tips and health guidelines in the event of an emergency. ALWAYS consult with your veterinarian before administering any medication to your kitty, or when you have any concern or question about your feline's health. NEVER give prescription or over-the-counter medications intended for humans to your kitty. If your kitty has or develops a chronic, or on-going health condition such as Feline Diabetes, Feline Leukemia, etc., we recommend keeping a written record in a separate journal of all medications dispensed, and any other notations such as hydration status and pulse, appetite, bowel movements, as well as energy level and temperament, and your own feeling as to how your kitty is doing overall. This will not only help you to understand what helps your kitty the most, it will prove invaluable to the veterinarians who will be working with you and your kitty in the future. ~Feel free to browse through this entire page; or, click on any of the following topics:
Your Feline First Aid Kit; Houseplants Can Be Dangerous; How to Give Your Kitty Medications; Warning Signs (Of Possible Serious Health Conditions); Check Your Kitty's Breath; Check Your Kitty's Hydration; Check Your Kitty's Pulse
YOUR FELINE FIRST AID KIT
Every home
with a feline should have one of these!!
Make sure each family member knows where the Feline First Aid
KIT is located, and has full instructions how to
call your veterinarian 24 hours a day, in case of emergency.
Telephone number of your vet, and any emergency numbers to call
for after-hours or weekend emergencies. It is a good idea to also
have several copies of a release form signed by you, the cat's
owner, authorizing anyone in your family (and/or a trusted neighbor
or friend) to make decisions regarding your cat's health care
jointly with your veterinarian in case you cannot be reached in
a timely manner.
~ Absorbent cotton. It is best to have a roll of cotton and some
cotton balls handy.
~ Gauze rolls and/or pads. These need to have some thickness
to them.
~ Gauze tape, for bandaging.
~ Hydrogen peroxide.
~ Hydrocortisone ointment.
~ Scissors, small size, with rounded tips if possible.
~ Sterile eyewash solution that is safe for cats and kittens.
~ A pair of tweezers.
~ A clean, white cotton sock. This is very useful to slip over
an injured paw which will help keep the wound and your floors
clean until you and your vet can get the bleeding stopped.
~ Rectal thermometer.
~ Syringe (we like several sizes…3 cc, 6 cc and 12 cc) without
the needle. These are very useful for giving oral medications
and force-feeding cats and kittens who are too weak to eat.
~ Unflavored, liquid Pedialyte liquid. (You can freeze unused portions.)
~ Several jars of Gerber's baby food, lamb flavor.
~ Anti-diarrheal medicine for cats, prescribed by your vet.
~ A bulb syringe for suctioning out mucous in the nose and mouth.
~ Flashlight, for examining your cat.
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
HOUSEPLANTS CAN BE DANGEROUS!
It's probably
best to avoid all real houseplants in areas of your home
where your cats will be allowed to freely live, play, eat and
sleep. Or, at least have them hanging high or otherwise in areas
that your cat cannot get to them. Here is a brief list of the most dangerous houseplants
that you DEFINITELY want to avoid at all costs, as they are potentially
harmful or even fatal if they are ingested by your kitty (remember that lists for plants poisonous to cats may vary -- this is because often there is only a certain part of a particular plant that is harmful):
Airplane
Plant
Azalea
Caladium
Cyclamen
Dieffenbachia
Dragon Tree
Easter Lily
Foxglove
Jerusalem Cherry
Mistletoe
Mother-in-law's Tongue
Philodendron
Poinsettia
Rhododendron
Spider Plant
Yew
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
HOW TO GIVE YOUR KITTY MEDICATIONS
First, try wrapping a towel around your cat's chest so that her feet and claws are blocked by the towel. Place the palm of your hand over the bridge of your cat's nose, with your thumb and middle finger circling her muzzle and fitting behind each upper canine tooth.
Gently press her lips against her teeth to make her drop her jaw, then with your other hand, quickly poke the pill to the back of her tongue (put the pill as far back in her mouth as possible). Hold her mouth closed and gently stroke her throat until you see her swallow. If she licks her nose, you will know that you've been successful!! Another way to help make sure your cat swallows her pill is to startle her by gently blowing in her face.
For pills that have an undesirable odor or taste, you can try crushing the pill and putting it into an empty gel capsule. Some people report they have good success if they put a tiny dab of butter or Gerber's baby food on the gel capsule. There are also "pillers" available from your veterinarian or pet supply store, which are long tools with a plunger you can use to insert the pill far back inside your cat's mouth. You and your kitty will probably need to experiment with a few different methods before settling on the way that works the best for you and for her.
LIQUID
Using the syringe provided with the medication, gently put the end of the syringe inside your cat's mouth at one of the corners, and squirt the liquid in her mouth. You may need to do this several times depending upon the amount of medication you need to give her. If you give her too much at one time, she'll just spit it out or her tongue will reflexively push the excess amount out. For very obstinate cats, you might try "sitting" on her … straddle her gently with her back wedged firmly between your thighs, and use your left hand to open her mouth and your right hand to insert the syringe and medication.
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
WARNING SIGNS (OF POSSIBLE ILLNESS)
1. COUGHING
Coughing is very rare in cats, and any cat with a cough should always be seen by a vet as soon as possible. Coughing might be an indication of heart disease.
2. BLOOD IN THE VOMIT OR IN THE URINE
Might be a sign of internal bleeding.
3. PALE PINK OR WHITE GUMS
Press your finger against your cat's gums. If they don't turn pink momentarily after being white from your pressure, this could indicate your cat has lost large amounts of blood and/or is suffering from internal bleeding.
4. LISTLESSNESS
Could be a sign of many illnesses, and also could be a sign of internal bleeding.
5. MORE FREQUENT DRINKING AND URINATING
6. SUDDEN CHANGES IN APPETITE
7. SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT LOSS, EITHER SUDDEN OR GRADUAL
Anorexia could be a symptom of many illnesses, and could also indicate liver disease.
8. UNUSUAL SHORTNESS OF BREATH
9. ANY LUMP ON YOUR CAT'S SKIN
CLICK ON KITTY
to Return to Top of Page! CHECK YOUR KITTY'S BREATH
The odor of
your kitty's breath can sometimes indicate a health condition
that you might not otherwise be aware of. For example, if your
cat has a urine-like smell to her breath, this could mean that
she is suffering from kidney disease. If your cat has a sweet
or fruity scent to her breath, this could indicate that she may
have become diabetic (this is especially true if she has been
drinking large amounts of water and/or is urinating more frequently
than usual). Liver disorders are sometimes discovered when a cat
exhibits a breath that is simply "foul" smelling, and
is also accompanied by vomiting, loss of appetite, swelling of
the abdomen, and/or yellowing (jaundice) of the eyes or gums.
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
CHECK YOUR KITTY'S HYDRATION
Do you know
how to make sure your kitty has enough fluids?? Watch
your vet carefully when they test your kitty for hydration. They
will do this by gently lifting the skin along your cat's back,
often around the shoulder area. If your cat is hydrated, the skin
will snap back into place very quickly. If, however, an animal
is dehydrated, the skin will not have the normal elasticity, and
will stay up in a ridge. If this should happen to your cat, take
your kitty in to your vet immediately for hydration therapy.
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
CHECK YOUR KITTY'S PULSE
Normal pulse
rate for cats is 110 - 170 beats a minute,
and the pulse can best be found on the inside of your cat's back
thigh, where the leg joins the body.
CLICK
ON KITTY to Return to Top of Page!
CLICK HERE for our in depth BENGAL CAT HEALTH CORNER!
Our world famous HDW's Chat Board for Bengal and ALL Cat Lovers
is sponsored by TowelHoodies Hooded Towels and Pet Coupe.
|
~ Give your kitty the energy, great health and desire to enjoy life to the fullest! Used and recommended by Foothill Felines, click on image above to learn about and to order this uniquely powerful nutritional supplement for felines at our Foothill Felines breeder discount (which is up to 50% less than what most veterinarians charge). Just a pinch a day, sprinkled onto wet and/or dry food, strengthens the immune system and supports all ages, weights and breeds of cats. Developed by scientists, veterinarians and formulators to enhance the health and lives of cats, this unique Nu- Vet supplement contains many important minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins INCLUDING taurine, calcium, blue green algae, brewer's yeast, and much more.
 |
 |
|
~ NEW! Click on image above to find out more about these absolutely stunning leopard print pet cat strollers we've found; they hold pets up to 30 pounds, so bring your feline and take a walk on the WILD side!! ~ |
~ NEW! Click on image above to learn about the incredible new exercise wheels for cats; the Toy-Go-Round wheels!! They're simply the best designed, best built and best priced wheels we've found anywhere!! ~ |
 | © 1996-2009 Copyright
by HDW Enterprises, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
HDW Enterprises, Inc., Cameron Park, CA 95682 (530) 672-CATZ phone http://www.hdw-inc.com e-mail: holly@hdw-inc.com |