Cats and Kittens

Any time your cat shows signs of listlessness, or doesn’t eat for more than 2 days you need to take a closer look.

Try gently grabbing the loose skin behind his shoulders and pulling it away from his body, release it and see if it snaps back. If it just hangs there, he may be dehydrated.

Next, take a look at his or her eyes. When cats are ill, they may show a thin pink membrane, called the “third eyelid” partially covering their eyes. Their mucous membranes should be pink, if they are pale and any of these other signs are present, its a good idea to make an appt at the Vet.

When considering whether to adopt or bring home a new cat, you may use these methods to evaluate the prospective addition for general health. If there is crusting of the cat’s eyes, this can also be sign of illness. Be sure to listen to the cat’s breathing. It should be steady and quiet. Any rattling or wetness is also a bad sign.

Distemper is extremely infectious and any cat suspected of having it should be kept strictly separate from other cats. Make sure you change your clothes after handling a sick cat before touching or feeding healthy cats.

Get all of your cats vaccinated as soon as you bring them home and keep vaccinations up to date. Many shelters or vet clinics will offer cheap vaccination days or be willing to negotiate “group” discounts for large cat families. If you have a new addition, keep the cat separate until a vet has examined the animal and vaccinated him or her. An ounce of prevention can save a lot of heart break.

Related articles by Zemanta

• VIDEO: Pallas Cat Kittehs And Their Extreme Cyootness (icanhascheezburger.com)
• I Vaccinated My Cat, Now He Feels Sick – What Do I Do? (brighthub.com)
• Caring for Your Diabetic Cat (therealowner.com)

Myoxosarcoma is a cancer that is prevalent in cats in particular. It is believed that aluminum in some vaccines may cause this and other cancers. There is also increasing evidence that sarcomas grow rapidly around implanted microchips that doctors recommend for animals. Be wary. These things that you think are helping your pet may ultimately kill them. Here are things that all pet owners should be aware on to avoid this horrific disease.

Sarcoma is a rapidly growing invasive tumor that often occurs at the vaccination site on your pet. It may develop in particular after the FELV vaccine. (Feline Leukemia)

It is generally irregular in shape and may be firm or ulcerated.

When you take your cat for any vaccination, express your concerns to the veterinarian about this cancer. If he/she dismisses this as inconsequential I would find another vet.

The only diagnosis is a biopsy and treatment is surgical removal.

The tumor is extremely aggressive and invasive and often encompasses large amounts of muscle and bone and because it often occurs in the area around the leg where the vaccination is given, amputation is often needed to completely remove it.

Cats that never go outdoors do not usually need leukemia or FIP immunization. Test every cat in the household for leukemia and FIV so we do not have to worry that they will catch these diseases from each other. Test new cats before bringing them into the household.

A growing body of evidence is linking pet vaccines to sarcomas. Tumors are growing where the vaccines were injected in anywhere from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 vaccine injections. While most sarcomas are in cats, dogs can also be victims.

A study in 1993 also links a growing number of cancers in felines to rabies and leukemia vaccinations.

Felines who are outdoors only need a rabies vaccination every 3 years.

Know where the veterinarian vaccinates your cat. Request that the exact spot be marked or shaved so that you can keep an eye on it.

Look for a lump. It may take several months to appear. Be aware of the area for at least a year after vaccination.

Sarcomas may be masked by a hygroma, which is a benign growth. If the vet takes a sample of the growth and finds only a hygroma, do not stop there. Follow up with a bone test. It is a little painful, but may save your animal.

The older the cat, the more likely they will develop a sarcoma. Vaccinations are not usually necessary in older cats, especially if they are indoor.

Related articles by Zemanta

• I Vaccinated My Cat, Now He Feels Sick – What Do I Do? (brighthub.com)
• Importance of Getting a Rabies Shot for Your Cat (brighthub.com)
• Protect Your Cat With Vaccinations (happyclaws.com)
• How to Overcome Unanticipated Expenses (wewantinformation.com)
• Interview with Dan Stuart- CEO & CoFounder of Group Buying Startup GoNabit.com (mix5star.com)

Feline leukemia virus is one of the most common viral organisms found in the cat population, and it’s responsible for the deaths of many of our feline friends. Is your cat at risk of exposure to this virus? Should she be vaccinated against it? It helps to know a bit about how this virus is spread from cat to cat. Unlike some viruses, it is not airborne. Rather, it’s passed when the saliva of an infected cat contacts the mouth, nose or eyes of another cat . This happens when cats groom one another, fight, share food bowls, and sleep together. Feline leukemia virus can also can spread when blood passes from one cat to another (IE, through blood transfusions) and from mothers to their kittens when the kittens are in the uterus.

You should keep these factors in mind when considering whether or not to vaccinate your feline friend against Feline Leukemia Virus. If she lives in a closed environment with other cats who also have little contact with other felines, it may not be important to vaccinate her. On the other hand, if she goes outdoors and meets any other cat who could engage her in a conflict that would cause an exchange of blood or saliva, then she ought to receive the vaccination against the virus.

No vaccination comes without risk. Talk to your vet about the risks associated with FeLV vaccination before you have your cat immunized. Especially if you have a young animal, this discussion could help you decide whether or not to let your cat outdoors at all.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Best Pet Products of 2009 (abcnews.go.com)
• Pet vaccinations are no longer one-size-fits-all (cnn.com)
• Protect Your Computer from Latest Virus (swatspam.com)