Elaine Wexler-Mitchell - Guide to a Healthy Cat

Guide

to a

Healthy

Cat

Guide

to a

Healthy

Cat

Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, D.V.M.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Copyright 2004 by Elaine Wexler-Mitchell. All rights reserved.

Howell Book House

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Wexler-Mitchell, Elaine.

Guide to a healthy cat / Elaine Wexler-Mitchell.

p. cm.

ISBN 0-7645-4163-3 (alk. paper)

1. Cats. 2. CatsHealth. I.Title.

SF442.W455 2003

636.8083dc21

2002014825

Printed in the United States of America

All photos by Elaine Wexler-Mitchell

Contents

Preface, ix

What Is a Healthy Cat?, 1

Characteristics of a Healthy Cat, 1 The Lowdown on EssentialCare, 2 The Scoop on Litter Boxes, 4 Keeping CatsIndoors Keeps Them Healthier, 7

Kitten Development, 9

Birth to 1 Month, 10 4 to 6 Weeks, 11 6 to 8 Weeks, 12

8 to 16 Weeks, 12 16 to 28 Weeks, 13 Puberty, 13

6 Months to 1 Year, 15

Feline Mental Health, 16

Keys to Good Feline Mental Health, 17 Signs of Stress, 18

Proper Handling Keeps a Cat Happy, 19 Adding a NewCat, 21 Kittys Being Mean!, 23 Housesoiling, 24

Turn It Down!, 26

Good Grooming, 27

Start With the Claws, 28 Should You Comb or Should YouBrush?, 29 What About a Longhaired Cat?, 31 Mats andTheir Problems, 32 Bath Time, 34 Give Up?, 35

v

vi

Contents

The Best Nutrition for Your Cat, 38

Picking the Right Food, 39 Essential Differences in Cats, 41

Viva Variety, 42 Feeding by Life Stage, 43 Drink ItUp, 44

How Do I Know if My Cat Is Sick?, 46

Is Your Feline Anorexic?, 47 Does Your Cat Have aFever?, 49 What to Do When Your Cat Is Acting Funny, 51

Typical Signs of Illness, 52 When to Go to the EmergencyRoom, 53 Checking Out Your Medicine Cabinet, 54

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down, 57

How to Choose a Veterinarian, 62

Selection Basics, 62 Feeling Comfortable, 65

Annual Health Care, 71

Did Your Cat Pass His Physical?, 71 Viral Testing, 73

What About Vaccines?, 74 A Cheshire Cat Smile, 74

Parasite Control, 77

Tell Me About Vaccines, 81

How Do Vaccines Work?, 81 What You Should Know AboutVaccinating Your Cat, 83 Core Vaccines, 85 Non-CoreVaccines, 87 Kitty Needs Shots, 91 Adverse Responses toVaccines, 92

Common Surgical Procedures, 94

Tell Me About Declawing, 94 Prevent a Paternity Suit, 97

Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy, 99 Hernias in Cats, 101

Pregnancy and Queening, 103

The Estrous Cycle, 103 The Act, 104 When Your Cat IsPregnant, 105 The Birth of Kittens, 108 Raising anOrphan, 110

How to Care for a Senior Cat, 112

How Long Will My Cat Live?, 112 Senior Health CareProgram, 113 What May Cause Your Kittys Demise?, 114

Keeping Your Old Friend Comfortable, 120 Knowing Whento Let Go, 123

Contents

vii

The Respiratory System, 125

Sneezing, 126 Cats Do Catch Colds, 127 Could Your CatHave Asthma?, 131 Pneumonia, 133

The Gastrointestinal System, 135

It All Starts in the Mouth, 135 Kittys Going to Be Sick, 137

Getting to the Box, 140 Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD), 142 What Is Helicobacter?, 143 IntestinalCancer, 143 When Kitty Is Constipated, 143 Is Your CatTurning Yellow?, 145 Pancreatitis, 147 The End of theLineAnal Gland Problems, 148

Skin and Dermatology, 149

Itchy Kitty, 149 Kitty Is Bald!, 153 Zitty Kitty, 153

Ringworm Is Not a Worm, 154 Looking Mitey Mangy,156 Insect and Spider Bites, 158 Other Ear Problems, 158

Cats Can Get Skin Cancer, 159 Infections and Abscesses, 160

The Cardiovascular System, 161

How the Heart and the Circulatory System Work, 161 Bloodand Bleeding, 162 If Your Cat Is Anemic, 164 Born Witha Bad Heart, 166 Leaky Valves, 166 How the HeartIs Evaluated, 167 Treating Congenital Heart Disease, 168

Heart Muscle Disease, 168 High Blood Pressure, 169

Feline Heartworm Disease, 170

The Musculoskeletal System, 172

Its Hard to Get Up in the Morning, 173 Its Broken, 176

Sprains and Strains, 177 Do Cats Get CruciateInjuries?, 178 Born With Unique Bones, 178 Surgeryfor Bone Deformities, 180

The Endocrine System, 181

If Your Cat Has a Hyper Thyroid, 181 Feline Diabetes, 185

Uterine Infections, 187 Cats Can Get Breast Cancer, 188