Cat Health

BySonia Manning

Aging in cats creates special needs, just like it does in people. But unlike people, cats are not able to tell you what those special needs may be. We may miss or overlook actions that need our attention. Being observant to changes in our cat's behavior can play a vital role in their aging process.

Diet

One of the biggest issues with elderly cats is diet. You may feel that if you buy commercial food labeled for seniors you are doing the right thing. But that's not necessarily true. In many brands, there is almost no different between adult and senior food composition, even though their nutritional needs are not the same.

There needs to be a good balance between the nigh-moisture diets they receive from fresh or canned food and the dry food that they still need to receive.

Another important element of aging is weight. When felines stop running around and jumping from one piece of furniture to another, they don't burn as many calories. This means that you need to make adjustments in the quantity of food you're providing. Obesity is a serious concern!

Are Supplements Needed?
Many people have questions about supplements and if cats need them. Some people feel that the proper diet will offer all the vitamins and minerals that the cat needs while others argue that a senior cat can benefit significantly from the addition of a supplement in their diet.

A wise choice is to add a nutritional supplement containing enzymes, probiotics and antioxidants to your cat's food. These additives can be helpful for aging cats for generally the same reasons that they benefit people.

A favorite supplement is probiotics which help your cat absorb nutrients more efficiently and aid in proper elimination of by-products, thus promoting gastrointestinal health. They also provide a stronger immune system that is better able to fight off degenerative diseases.

In addition to probiotics, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, CoQ10, and alphalipoic acid help stave off degenerative diseases such as arthritis and cancer and help support brain function.

Elderly cats are prone to constipation so extra bran could be helpful. Increased glucosamine could help with arthritis while antioxidants will offer overall protection against aging. If your cat is having certain health problems, your veterinarian may recommend specific supplements.

If your cat has digestive problems or is not eating as much as he should, he is almost always going to benefit from added vitamins.

Dehydration is Dangerous

The importance of your cat getting enough to drink cannot be stressed enough. Elderly cats are quite susceptible to dehydration. Sometimes the effort of walking three rooms over to get a drink of water hardly seems like a good idea to a cat that has arthritis. Keep a few bowls of fresh water scattered around the home so they are easily accessible. Cats that don't consume enough water are prone to kidney disease and urinary tract crystal formation.

A Little Help, Please!

Your senior cat will not be able to tell you but it may hurt him to jump down from the bed or get up to that sunny window he loves to sleep in. When you start noticing him spending more time near the ground, you may need to buy cat stairs or a ramp. This will ensure he can still enjoy his favorite places.

Although cats are vulnerable to a long list of minor or serious health concerns, early detection and awareness can go a long way to helping make their senior years more enjoyable for both of you!

If you want to help your aging cat with Cat Stairs, check out Sonia Manning's recommendations. To find more Cat Behavior Solutions visit her website where you can receive a free mini-course on why your cat behaves the way he does!

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BySonia Manning

If you have a cat, strange behavior is probably something that you deal with daily. However, while you may think your cat's actions are a little odd, there may be a good reason why he's doing what he does. If you ask around, you may also find that other cat owners are dealing with the exact same behavior so maybe it's not as strange as you assume it is!

• Human Hair Chewing - Do you wake up to your cat chewing on your hair? This is a lot more common than you think! Adult cats often do this as an affectionate way of grooming you the way a mother would to her kittens. Interestingly, this behavior is more prevalent in Siamese and other Asian breeds because they are typically more anxious; chewing hair is calming to them.

• Head Butting - Ever wonder why your cat head butts you, the dog's nose or sometimes himself in the full length mirror? This is nothing more than a sign of affection. He wants to be petted or wants some type of attention.

• Elevated Butt - Why when you're petting your cat does he stick his butt up in the air? Why can't he just stay flat? Well, some believe that this is a plea to please scratch that hard to reach spot at the base of their tail. Others say it is just an invitation to interact; a declaration of friendship.

• Rolling - No, your cat doesn't think he's a dog, rolling is a very common behavior. Rolling spreads a scent, rolling in this scent is comforting. It can also represent submission or a cry for attention or your cat could just need a massage.

• Poop in the Sink - Thought you were the only one, right? You're not! Many cats who are trained in their litter box decide to start doing their business in the sink or bathtub. This could be stress, instinct, cry for attention due to illness or he could just be trying to emulate his master. Most cats follow their humans to the bathroom; it only makes sense that some would try to be like them.

• Eating Grass - Do you have a cat who cries to go outside just to eat a few blades of grass and then comes right back in? You may even notice that your cat nibbles at a few blades before choosing one to eat. Some experts suggest that there are some vitamins in grass that cats seek, others say it offers fiber to help move out hairballs. Of course, there is also the argument that they simply like the taste.

• Immediate Cleaning - Do you get offended when your cat cleans himself right after you petted him? Well, do you think your dog gets offended when you wipe his big slobbery kiss away? Some cats simply don't like to have human scents on them; it doesn't mean that they don't appreciate the affection though.

• Faucet Drinking - Even though you change the water in bowls several times a day, some cats simply enjoy drinking from the faucet. It's really not that the water is fresh; it's the sight and sound of dripping water that intrigues them. Some cats even go into a trance watching it drip.

All cats have their own peculiar things that they do. The only time you really need to be concerned is if an adult cat all of a sudden starts acting odd, this could be a sign of illness and that they need veterinary attention. For the most part, strange cat behavior is simply your feline's way of being unique.

Sonia Manning provides interesting information, helpful tips and useful resources about cats and their behaviors.

Visit her website at http://www.catbehaviorsolutions.com for more topics, and solutions for problem cat behaviors. You can also receive free an 8-day Email Mini-Course on "Secrets About Your Cat's Behavior: Why He Does the Things He Does!"

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Cats become territorial with age. It becomes more difficult to introduce a new cat in a household where one cat has already established its territory. Of course, it is best to either bring different cats into a household at the same time, to introduce them as kittens or to stick with litter mates who are already familiar with one another. However, things do not always work out that way.

You may already have a cat that is bringing so much joy and happiness to your home that you want to add to that joy by bringing in another cat. Before doing so, it is important to recognize that your first cat has already established its territory, and will view the new cat as an intruder. If you are not careful, this could lead to unwanted cat behavior, even an aggressive cat. The following five tips will help you introduce a new cat to your household successfully.

1. The first step is to familiarize the cats with one another. To do this you must use the following methods of socialization, isolation and reverse isolation. Socialization allows your cats to interact and to become familiar with one another. For new cats, you should supervise such socialization periods. When the cats are not socializing then you must keep them separated and in isolation. Once your cats become more familiar with one another, you can then use reverse isolation where you leave the cats alone together for progressively longer periods until they no longer act aggressively.

2. If your cats are acting aggressively, it is always important to catch them in the act and deal with the behavior immediately. A loud noise is useful as a way to break up unwanted cat behavior and is a great tool to stop bad cat behavior. This is only useful, however, if you catch your cat in the act of doing something unacceptable and use a loud noise immediately. A quick response will help the cat associate its bad behavior to the punishment.

3. Give your cat's options when it comes to food dishes, water dishes, litter boxes, cat toys, and sleeping areas. This allows your cats to make their own territories and helps to avoid having your cats fight with one another. It also helps to avoid cat confusion.

4. Never physically punish your cat. This creates more problems than solutions and has long-term effects creating more bad behavior. If you physically abuse your cat, it will learn to associate you with the abuse. Your cat will become scared of you and will no longer be the cuddly little cat it once was.

5. Stay consistent and always be patient since It may take weeks, even a couple of months for your cats to familiarize themselves with one other and become sociable. The wait is frustrating but being patient will pay off.

I have been a pet owner all of my life and for the last thirty years my wife and I have raised over a dozen cats. Please visit my website at: http://tipsaboutcats.com is your information source for their health, diet, disposition, and exercise. We even show the basics of making your own cat toys and condos. All tips and proceeds from this website is contributed to our local animal shelter who is short of funds from the county. I have a number of recommended natural food, supplements, products and books that are in my store which will save you time hunting on the web for at http://tipsaboutcats.com/store/. There are two expert interviews in the blog pages that are must reads because they will answer most of your questions and concerns about natural cat health and diet. Please feel free to leave comments on my website where you will also find links to me on Facebook and Twitter.

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