Cat Health - How to Care for Your Feline Friend
Being a pet owner is almost like taking care of a child. The most common pets in most households are dogs and cats, which many of us have. Dogs and cats must be fed, bathed, shown love and affection, and taken to the veterinarian to ensure good dog and cat health. You must research dog and cat health care and concerns in order to ensure that you are properly taking care of your pet.
Sometimes it is hard to read your pet, even if you have had your pet for a while. Be sure to recognize what your dog or cat’s normal behavior is and what their normal temperament is. If they begin to act differently, they aren’t as active, or their weight drops or goes up, this may be red flags of dog or cat health problems. Take your pet to a veterinarian for yearly check-ups and shots, if necessary. NEVER give your pet human prescription or non-prescription medications. Some common human medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be deadly to your pet. Occasionally, your veterinarian may prescribe over-the-counter human medications, but you should never administer them yourself without consulting the veterinarian first.
It is recommended, especially if your pet is going to be an outdoor pet, that they be spayed or neutered. Females are spayed and males are neutered. Consult with your veterinarian about when to spay or neuter your pet and how much it will cost. They will also give you information on surgery recovery time and care for your pet during their recovery to ensure good dog and cat health.
Dog and cat health issues are very common. Dogs and cats both lose their baby teeth and grow permanent teeth in the first year of life. They both may have problems with worms, fleas, tics, and matted hair. Be sure to take a fecal sample to the vet at their yearly check-ups so they can be tested for worms. Use a flea treatment on your dog or cat, especially if they will be staying in a kennel. Also wear a flea collar on your pet to repel fleas and tics. To prevent matting, which can lead to bad dog and cat health issues such as skin diseases, have your pet groomed on a regular basis. Do not overbathe your pet because this can cause matting also.
It is becoming less common for cats to be declawed, and some veterinarians refuse to do the procedure. If cats are trained while they are kittens, they can be trained to only scratch scratching posts. If excessive scratching is a problem, talk to your veterinarian about whether or not declawing would be a detriment to good cat health.
Consult our veterinarian or research the Internet for additional dog and cat health information to ensure you pet stays healthy.