Pet Haven

It’s estimated that more than 1 cat in every 500 is diabetic and that the numbers are rising, so if you’re a cat owner there are a number of symptoms that you should look out for to ensure that your cat doesn’t have a major health problem that’s going unattended.

The four main symptoms are not unlike those you would find in a human who was showing signs of diabetes:

-          Drinking too much, constantly thirsty.

-          Urinating more frequently, and in the case of a cat, not always in an appropriate place.

-          More hungry than usual.

-          Not much energy

The difference with a cat is that you won’t really pick up on the signs immediately unless your cat is older and you notice that these symptoms occur over time – you have a knowledge base of your cat’s usually behaviour to use as a source of reference.  If you have a cat that has always been this way, then you can be forgiven for believing that this is just the cat’s nature – it’s a hungry, thirsty cat who isn’t much into exercise. 

You should always have a weekly health check with your cat to ensure that it’s always in a good condition.   The fact that your cat’s coat isn’t looking very healthy is something that you need to investigate, is it a nutrition thing, does your cat have fleas, have you skipped grooming it this week,  is there any other reason you can think of that would make your cat’s coat dull?  If not, think about the other diabetes symptoms and your cat’s life,  Does your cat drink a lot, urinate a lot – sometimes with “accidents”, always hungry but never really wanting to run around, perhaps sleeping a lot? 

If your cat fits into this pattern, then you need to contact your veterinary centre.  Diabetes is dangerous for cats if left unattended as if they get to a stage where they go into a coma, it’s not always possible to save them.  Once diagnosed however, like humans they can live a seemingly normal life – you’ll have to watch their nutrition and exercise, plus you may need to administer medication depending on the status of the diabetes, but other than that your cat will be fine.

The American Bobtail is relatively new breed. It has been around since the 1960ies. The obvious Bobtail characteristic is the stubby, almost non-existent tail. Where the breed originated from is still unknown. The oldest known Bobtail bloodline sprung from the mating between a short-tailed orange tabby male named Yodie and a seal point Siamese female.

Many of these early bloodlines have been thinned out over the years. The current American Bobtail comes in all colors and sizes. The most common goal is to breed a cat that is domesticated, good natured, and loving cat that still has the wild look of the bobcat. The sometimes completely tail-less Manx cat is believed to be the ancestor of the American Bobtail.

Some unofficial studies have shown that American Bobtails are playful, energetic, friendly, and possess quite a talent for escapes enclosed environments. They show a people oriented side, but don't appear to be too possessive, however curiosity gets the better of them sometimes.

If you are away from home for longer periods of time, you should make sure that there are plenty of toys available to keep your cat's mentally stimulated to keep him out of trouble. Even though this breed is very sociable, you may also want to add a second cat to the Due to the fact that these cats, as most other cats, are very sociable, you might want to consider adding a second cat to the household, if you do not already have a multiple cat household.

When the Bobtail was first discovered, the breed had a few health problems, which however have been bred out of the Bobcat for the most part. These days, the American Bobtail is a strong and proud breed.

The outgoing temperament and friendly personality makes the American Bobtail a perfect choice for families. If you work with your kitten from a young age on, you should be looking forward to having a friend and family member for life.

American Bobtails come in a long haired and short haired version. Both kinds have to be groomed on regular basis to prevent hair balls. Although the longhair coat does not tangle easily, you may need to groom your longhair Bobtail more frequently. If you teach your kitten that grooming can be fun while she is still young, she will grow to enjoy the attention.

Owners of cats and dogs in the same household often wonder if they can feed dog food to their cats as well, simply because it is more convinient. However, feeding your dog food to your cat is extremely dangerous. Dog food lacks the essential nutrients called taurine and arachidonic acid. Taurine deficiency can result in blindness as well as other health problems. Arachidonic acid can lead to dry and flaky skin. Felines require a higher protein and fat content in their diet than dogs.

More and more cat owners change to more nutritious foods for their feline friends, due to specific health problems they have encountered. Many are advised by their veterinarians, others have read reviews and heard news reports about a certain brand, or the word of mouth will usually work as well. We all have our reasons why we use this brand of cat food and not the other.

However, the most important criteria while chosing a good nutrional cat food is not met. People do not read the lables!

 Table Scraps can be a dangerous factor to your cat’s health as well. Some people believe that the food they eat is good enough for their pets too. Wrong! Most human foods have proven itself to be very dangerous to pets, some even fatal! Cats have a complete different body chemistry and nutritional requirements as humans and the wrong food can do a lot of wrong to your kitty!  

This decision would have to be made for every cat on individual basis. Some cats are more independent than others. Every cat needs a certain amount of human companionship and affection. Why have a pet that you do can’t or don’t want to spend time with? That would be a little bit selfish now, wouldn’t it?

If you do lead a busy lifestyle, spend a long time away from home working, it is strongly suggest that you have at least two cats. Cats like to be amongst their own kind and they can keep each other company.

You might be concerned that you will be left behind if you have 2 cats. Do not worry. As soon as you get home, your cats will compete for your love and attention!

Fact: Many cats just love to drink cow's milk, which includes canned milk, but I advice strongly against it! Most cats, or all mammals for that matter, are lactose intolerant and letting them drink milk will result in an upset tummy and diarrhea, which is especially dangerous, even fatal sometimes, in kittens who can dehydrate quickly.

An adult cat doesn't need to drink milk at all. If you must give your cat milk, it is recommended you purchase special "cat's milk" which has been specifically formulated for cats to drink.

Should you get end up with an upset tummy, it is ok to offer her a table spoon full of plain yoghurt. The natural bacteria in the yoghurt will help settle down the stomach and aid the digestion.

No, they don't always fall on their feet. Sometimes they fall off a low lying place and the distance to the ground is too short for them make a turn in mid air. If the place is high enough, the cat will certainly turn so she will land with her feet first.

Having said that, please bear in mind that any cat will be seriously hurt and maybe even killed if she falls from a great height.

American veterinarians have a new term called the "high rise syndrome". Due to the rising human population high-rise buildings are erected and 3 stories and higher apartments are becoming more and more available, which results in more and more cats falling out of the window with horrible results.

There are window safety guards available for your windows. Please be a responsible cat owner and save yourself and your cat from such terrible accidents.