A cat making hacking noises and throwing up a cylindrical mass of hairs and mucus can be quite alarming. This problem is cat hairball, a mass of hairs accumulated in the intestine and stomach when the cat grooms and licks its fur thereby swallowing loose hairs. These loose hairs cannot be digested and do not pass through stools completely, which makes the cat throw it all up. The problem becomes graver when the cat sheds heavily, grooms and licks other cats, or swallows big hairs. Cat hairball can clog the digestive system and can be removed only by surgery. Whether the cat has long hairs or short, over grooms or not, it will face this problem some time or the other.

The cat will vomit hairball just about anywhere and any time. Some cat hairball symptoms include the cat passing hard stools containing hairs in them, lethargy, vomiting after consuming food, dry cough, and a loss of appetite. Additionally, the cat’s fur also becomes matted, and the cat will seem depressed and fatigued all the time. A general pet health information is that when the cat tries to vomit a hairball out, she will crouch, back up and hack, symptoms that are similar to cat asthma too. So, if one finds the cat showing these symptoms several times without throwing up anything, the owner must take it to the vet immediately as it may be an asthma attack in deed.

Even though one cannot do anything when the cat is expelling hairball, controlling this problem is quite possible. Preventing hairballs can be a part of pet health care as this problem can lead to extreme abdominal pain, intestinal blockage and even death in some cats. The owner must brush the cat’s fur about twice a week and once everyday during the shedding season to remove loose hairs. Feeding the cat half a spoon of melted butter everyday for a few days or a little petroleum jelly will lubricate the intestine and make the hairball pass through feces instead of vomit. It’s important to improve the quality of the cat’s coat to prevent shedding and consequent hairballs. For this, the cat’s food must have more fiber and less grains like corn or wheat. Heavy snacking and inadequate exercise will make the cat’s bowel movement difficult and in turn make it throw up the hairball. There are many commercial hairball remedies that can help in treating pet health issues like hairballs and inability to defecate.

Cat Hair Loss Tail

Hair loss in cats is becoming one of the commonest pet health issues these days. A cat loses hair all over the body or just in patches, (a condition called alopecia areata) due to many reasons. One of the most common parts where a cat loses hair is its tail. Often, the hair loss is at the tip of the tail and moves upwards. Factors like toxins in the blood, mites or flea infestation, stress, hormonal imbalance, injury, or stud tail causes alopecia areata in cats tail.

The most common cause for a cat to lose hair on its tail is an allergic reaction to flea bites. In this case, the bite of a single flea is enough to make the cat scratch, bite and lick the tail at the skin level causing baldness in that area. One can prevent this by applying anti-flea ointment or brushing the coat with a metal flea comb regularly. Including fish oil in the cat’s diet also helps in treating flea bite allergies. There is also endocrine alopecia that is responsible for hair loss on the tail. This condition causes inadequate or excessive hair growth hormones thus disturbing the hair growth cycle. This problem can be treated only by a veterinarian. Injury to the tail can also be a reason for hair loss, as it makes the cat lick the wound excessive causing hair fall. So, it is important to check for injuries on the tail or any other body part if one notices hair loss in an area.

If there has been a change in the cat’s environment or even food, it will become edgy, nervous, stressed and anxious and lick itself excessively causing hair loss. Checking for and eliminating such factors will help in getting rid of the hair loss on the tail. The presence of toxins in the body also makes them lose hair excessively as the poisonous chemicals in the blood stream affect the body cells. Keeping the cat free of toxins should be a regular part of pet health care and it can be ensured by regular moderate exercise and nutritious cat food. An important pet health info with regards to cat hair loss is a condition called stud tail. Sometimes a build up of wax or oil from the sebaceous glands near the base of the tail causes hair loss and a sour smell. A veterinarian must be consulted if the owner suspects this condition.

Cat Ear Hair Loss

It is disheartening and worrying to find hair loss in a furry pet like cat. Cat hair loss, also called alopecia areata, can be hereditary or acquired and has several causes. Though the cat loses hair all over the body, the face, neck, and ears are most prone to cat alopecia. Pet health info worth noting is that hair loss caused on the ear the most worrisome one and must be treated immediately. Allergens like some food products, pollen or dust mites, ear mites, fleas, chronic stress, and side effects of some medications cause alopecia areata in cats. General pet health care can prevent all these problems and the resultant hair loss.

Ear mites infesting a cat’s ears cause severe itching, redness, wax, foul odor and hair loss. Mites can be easily removed from the ears and a solution can be instilled into the ear canals. Similarly, the saliva left behind by the fleas after biting causes an itchy reaction in the ears. The cat scratches its ears against furniture or rough surfaces to find relief, in turn, losing hair. Fleas can be treated by insecticidal sprays or shampoos. Ringworms, actually an itchy fungal infection, also affect the cat’s ears. The mites that cause this infection survive in the hair follicles and nourish on dead cells and cause breakage of the hair at the skin level thereby leaving bald patches. Fungal infections often require the cat’s hair to be shaved off completely. Tablets and topical ointments are available to treat the infection. Mange is also a mite infestation that causes hair loss in the ears, and on the neck and face. Additionally, the skin gets covered by a yellowish crust. The treatment of mange includes applying lime sulfur once a week about six to eight times.

Apart from these infestations, food allergies also cause itching and subsequent hair loss, which is further worsened by chronic ear infections. It’s important to find out what is causing the allergy and avoid feeding the cat that food. Lastly, though in only a few cases, stress and boredom also cause hair loss in cats. The more stressed a cat is, the more it licks its fur and paws. This causes the hair to fall, and since ears have short hair, they fall off more easily. If all the factors causing stress are eliminated, the cat won’t suffer from hair loss. There are other problems like damage to the sebaceous glands or even cancer that cause hair loss on the ears too.

Cats are generally known to be an independent breed. When it comes to pregnancy, too, the cat is more or less independent throughout the gestation period and during the delivery. She will decide who does and does not she want to be with and will also look for a cozy place in the house on her own to deliver her litter. The cat goes through the pregnancy and delivery almost without any trouble. The owner may not have a big role to play. He will just need to pay attention to her nutrition and general pet health care during her pregnancy and give her affection, fresh water and make a comfortable litter box for her.

When a cat gets pregnant, she will show many physical and behavioral changes. She will have a bigger appetite, will gain weight and her nipples will be larger and rosier. There will be behavioral changes as well. A cat that likes being outdoors will be seen around indoors more often. She will be more subdued, lazy and will want to sleep more than usual. An important part of pregnant cat behavior is her disinterest in male cats and other cats in general, as she wants privacy during gestation period. So, it would help if the other cats in the house are kept away from the pregnant queen. The cat will shower more affection on her human companions and she will also seek more attention from her owner. The owner must give her that attention but try not to pick her up too much as this will make her irritable. In some cases, the pregnant cat may avoid her human companion and behave moody. But once she has delivered, her behavior will be back to normal.

During the last stage of pregnancy, the cat will be restless and try to find a comfortable place in the house where she might deliver the kittens. This is perfectly normal. But if the cat gets too irritable and restless, or pants and paces around too much, the owner must consult a vet immediately. One of the reasons for such a behavioral problem can be eclampsia (depletion of calcium from the blood stream), which is one of the pet health issues found in cats during the last stage of pregnancy. If you see cat behavior problems like not eating and being too lethargic along with passing a discharge, you must have your cat checked by a vet immediately.

Usually, the owner cannot tell that his cat is pregnant for the first three weeks, unless he has bred her and keeps a track of her pregnancy. A sign like a bulging stomach becomes visible only a couple of weeks before the cat is due to deliver the litter. So, a cat’s pregnancy often goes undiscovered till she is well into the pregnancy period. One can determine whether a cat is in gestation or not by knowing some pregnant cat symptoms, which are both physical and behavioral.

One of the first cat pregnancy signs is a stoppage of her heat cycle. The pregnant cat will stay indoors and away from male cats. This can be seen as the first sign of pregnancy. About three to four weeks after conceiving, the cat’s nipples become more visible, softer and pinker. This change is called pinking. Other than these, signs of a pregnant cat also include increase in its appetite and weight gain. Since the cat has to eat for herself and her fetus, she will crave more food and after four weeks of pregnancy gain considerable weight too. The weight gain will be more on the stomach and mid-section. Just like human beings, a pregnant cat also suffers from morning sickness, that is, she will have occasional bouts of vomiting in the morning. While this is perfectly normal, if the episodes of vomiting become too frequent, a veterinarian must be consulted.

The owner will also be able to see a change in the cat’s behavior when she is pregnant. She will seem lazier, quieter and will tend to sleep more. Jerky and sudden movements such as stretching will be avoided by the pregnant cat. Though the pregnant cat will be less affectionate towards male cats, she will have affection in abundance for her owner. This is often credited to her maternal instincts. During the advanced stages of pregnancy, she will look for a warm, quiet and secluded place to deliver her litter, a behavior that has been termed as the ‘nesting behavior’. It becomes important to pay attention to pet health care when the cat is pregnant and give her nutritious food. Though these signs show that a cat is pregnant, ultrasound procedures are recommended to rule out abnormalities in fetuses that can pose pet health issues later. Another important pet health information for a pregnant cat is that she must be given adequate clean water and exercise to prevent obesity and to keep her muscles toned.

Cat Gestation

Other than how many kittens a pregnant cat would be delivering, the most likely question about cat pregnancy is: how long are cats pregnant. The usual cat gestation period is 58 to 65 days, that is, about nine weeks or a little over two months. However, the cat can have a normal delivery approximately five days before or after the stipulated date too. So, over all, the cat pregnancy period can be as short as 58 days or go up to 70 days. If the owner is breeding the cat, he will be able to keep a check on the gestation period. But, if the cat is in heat, meets an unneutered male cat and has an unplanned pregnancy, there are chances that the owner will discover it after about three weeks. This is because the cat will not show any signs or symptoms of pregnancy for about three weeks after breeding, and her abdomen will bulge only a couple of weeks before she gives birth to kittens. If one finds the cat’s nipples getting softer, rosier and warmer, it should serve as the first sign of pregnancy. Other than that, the cat’s appetite increases, it gets more affectionate, gains weight, and suffers from morning sickness. If all these signs are visible, the cat must be taken to the veterinarian to confirm pregnancy.

Cat Pregnancy Tips

Even though cats are self sufficient during pregnancy, it is very important to give the pregnant cat the right care throughout the pregnancy period. One important pet health fact about a cat’s pregnancy is that she must be kept indoors as much as possible throughout the cat gestation length as she can be on heat during pregnancy as well. She can have two different sets of litter at the same time. Anyway, kittens must be delivered only in a warm environment. The cat must be fed nutritious food high in proteins and calcium. To ensure that the cat produces a healthy litter, one can mix cat food with a premium kitten food as it has more calcium, fat and protein than regular cat food.  Other than specific pregnancy tips, the owner needs to keep general pet health care in mind during pregnant cat care. She must not have fleas or intestinal worms as she can pass them on to the kittens through her womb or milk. It always helps to have your cat checked by a vet regularly to prevent any pet health issues especially during pregnancy.

Diet for Pets:

For all of you who are proud owners of a pet, the joy and deep emotional connection that you share with your faithful friend is something that can not be described. They also bring out the protective and parental instincts in us, with almost every owner of a pet wishing to provide his or her companion with the best possible life. This does bring with it tremendous responsibility, because as the care giver the pet is dependent on you not just for everyday care and maintenance or feeding, but also when dealing with any problems or threats, whether direct or indirect. To fulfill these responsibilities you need to be aware of the various pet health issues and concerns that could crop up. It’s not as grim as it seems, and there can be a lot of pleasure and joy to be got from caring for an animal.

There is a vast amount of pet health information that is easily accessible online and even in encyclopedias and journals, at book stores or libraries. There are also educational dvds and cds on the subject. Although the internet can be a treasure trove for researchers it does have some serious pitfalls as it becomes hard for the untrained eye to sift through the info and decipher which has any merit to it. Your local veterinarian or animal shelter is therefore the best source of pet health info. Pets can be afflicted with a variety of health conditions, parasitic or other infections and various diseases. Many of these are easily avertable or treatable at home itself, and could include problems like obesity, fleas, poor skin, a dull coat of fur, among other problems.

Another very important area of concern is your pet’s diet, and this is one aspect that is generally neglected. Foods of convenience are not always the best choice, as a lot of the commercially sold pet foods are not best suited for regular consumption. Many of these products contain artificial flavors and food preservatives that pose a health risk to your pet. This is particularly true of most of the foods available for cats and dogs. Your local veterinarian would be able to provide you with more info on dietary choices. Home prepared foods are however the best bet. Exercise is another aspect of pet health care that goes hand in hand with the diet. Make sure that your pets are active and get adequate opportunity and stimulation to play and exert themselves.

Vaccinations against common diseases like rabies, or viral and bacterial infections are also necessary, and regular visits to the vet would be necessary.

Pet Health Advice:

Pets sure do add a lot of joy to our lives. They not only provide companionship but also give us a sense of responsibility and safety. However, our pets are completely dependent on us for taking care of their food, shelter and health. They depend on us for the fulfillment of their basic needs. It is only natural therefore, to give a lot of thought to the kind of pet you want for yourself and your family.

It always helps to think over the basics like who will take pet care, are you financially secure enough to have a pet, does anyone in your family have an allergy to pets, does your lifestyle allow you to give adequate time to your pet and finally, whether you have the requisite space to keep a pet.

Pet Health Information:

Once you own a pet, keeping it in good pet health care becomes your responsibility, and if you have not given a thought about which pet to buy before buying one, chances are, you will feel a little lost. Owning a pet means understanding the needs of the pet, spending time with it, and knowing when it is not in the best of health or spirits.

The thumb rule to keeping your pet in good health is to start off early. As soon as you get a pet, make an appointment with a veterinary doctor and get your pet tested for common diseases and ailments. Your vet will chart a check up routine, will inform you about the vaccinations you will need to give your pet and the vet will also most likely guide you regarding feeding and caring for your pet. A lot of pets require special foods. If you are a first time pet owner and do not know what kind of food is good for your pet, make sure you speak to your vet about it. A balanced diet for humans may not be adequate for pets, which often need different nutrients from humans.

Keep yourself abreast about the latest pet information. In case there are some new shots available for a new infection, make sure that your pet gets them. Also, check your pet from time to time for signs of any parasitic infestation, ticks, fleas or other insects. While checking, also feel for any unusual lumps, sores, scratches or cuts which may need medical attention.

If your pet is not well, they will not be able to tell you and therefore you have to be proactive enough to observe the signs of ill health in your pet. If you find that your pet is not feeding normally or is drinking unusually high amounts of water, it is time to be alarmed. When your pet is not well, it is easy to tell because they may gain or lose weight suddenly. They may also start behaving in a strange manner or appear rather sluggish and tired most of the times.