Introduction to Home Remedies for Cats
Having some basic at-home health care skills can be a lifesaver -- for your cat's life, that is. And it's best to learn those skills right now; an emergency is no time to start learning feline first aid or the right way to handle and move a sick or injured cat. In this article, we will show you some treatments you can give your cat at home for the following conditions:
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Knowing how to take care of your cat at home will help your kitten grow to be an adult. See more pictures of cats. |
- How to Tell if a Cat Is Sick
The first step in treating your cat is discovering whether or not your cat is, in fact, sick. There are several warning signs that might tell you if you cat is coming down with a serious or minor condition. In this section, we will show you how to recognize these signs. Soon, you will be able to read your cat's behavior, appetite, eyes, ears, and coat to tell if your cat is coming down with something. We will also teach you how to take your cat's temperature. - Home Remedies for Cats With a Cough
There are many reasons why your cat might start coughing. For instance, cats groom themselves, and, consequently, get hair stuck in their throat. However, your cat's cough might not be caused by something internal. Your cat's collar, for example, could be too tight and thereby causing the cough. In this section, we will tell you how to cure a coughing cat or when you need to seek the help of a vet. - Home Remedies for Cats With Dandruff
Dandruff may be a problem that you usually associate with humans, but it can be just as much of a concern for cats. The same thing that causes the condition in people -- allergic dermatitis, causes dandruff in cats. In this section, we will show you what causes and how to cure the flakes in your cat. For instance, humidity, excessive sunlight, and fleas can all be contributing factors to cat dandruff. - Home Remedies for Cats With Diarrhea
A cat with diarrhea is no picnic for you or for your pet. However, diarrhea can be a sign of a serious medical problem in your cat. Usually diarrhea will clear up by itself and your cat will be perfectly fine in a few days. In this section, we will cover the various causes of diarrhea in your cat, most of which are food related. Then we will give you various strategies for helping your cat through the experience. Most importantly, we will show you how to keep your cat hydrated. - Home Remedies for Cats With Ear Mites
A cat's ears are, obviously, not shaped like our own. Their ears have much larger openings, and that means they are much more open to infection. One ear problem that is common with cats are little parasites at live in the ear canal called ear mites. In this section, we will show you how to prevent ear mites as well as how to clear them up if your cat already has them. We will also tell you when ear mites can become a serious problem and when you will need to seek a vet's attention. - Home Remedies for Cats With Hair Loss
If a human has hair loss, the problem can be a little embarrassing and affect the patient's self esteem. A cat with hair loss, however, can be a significant medical problem. Hair loss can be the cause of a sore or other irritation on the cat's skin that needs special attention. We will show you some tips for clearing up hair loss including changing your cat's diet and lowering you cat's stress levels. - Home Remedies for Cats With Hairballs
Hairballs is one the most common problems with cats. While the problem is obviously much more pronounced in long-hair cats, most cats will have a hairball or two in their lifetime. In this section, we will show you how to prevent hairballs in your cat, including the proper way to groom your cat to stop hairballs. - Home Remedies for Overweight Cats
Obesity is a growing problem, and it is affecting cats as much as it affects their owners. The same problems that face humans who are overweight are also a risk for cats -- heart disease, liver problems, and diabetes. In this section, we will give you some tips to help your cat lose weight. Unsurprisingly, they are very similar to the advice you would give a human: eat right and exercise more. - Home Remedies for Cats With Scrapes and Scratches
Scrapes and scratches are not a major problem for cats or people, but there is one significant difference. If a cat gets a scratch, it is hard to see underneath the cat's fur, and there is a good chance the cut could get infected. In this section, we will tell you how your cat is most likely to get scratched, how to find your cat's scratches, and how to properly treat and clean them. - Home Remedies for Cats With Ticks
If you let your cat explore the outdoors, there is a pretty good chance they will acquire a tick at some point. While ticks are unsightly and unpleasant, they can also carry harmful diseases like Lyme disease. In this section, we tell you how to cut down on your cat's likelihood to get a tick. Next, we will tell you the correct way to remove a tick and how to spot the warning signs of a more serious disease. - Home Remedies for Cats With Fleas
Fleas are another problem for outdoor pets. While you might associate fleas with dogs, cats can get them, too. We will tell you how cats can get fleas, and what you can do to get rid of them. You might be surprised to learn that the collars you can buy for your cat will not protect them adequately. We will also tell you how to rid your house of fleas once you have purified your cat. - Home Remedies for Cats With Worms
A roundworm or tapeworm can cause serious digestive problems in your cat. The best way to prevent your cat from getting such a worm is to take your cat out of the situations where these types of worms live. Fleas, for example, can cause worms. We will let you know all the causes of worms, how to get rid of worms, and how to ease the symptoms. We will also tell you what a vet will do to clear up a case of worms. - Home Remedies for Cats With Hearing or Vision Loss
A cat with hearing or vision loss is at just as much of a disadvantage as a human with similar problems. The first step in treating this problem if finding out what has caused this handicap. Next, you will most likely have to make some substantial changes to your house to ensure your cat's safety. For instance, if you cat with eyesight problems continues to bump into the same piece of furniture, you might want to move it.
How to Tell if a Cat Is Sick
Your cat can actually tell you a lot about how he's feeling, if you can understand what he's saying. No, there's no secret code to your cat's meows and purrs. But in many ways you might otherwise overlook, your cat is making clear statements about his health. Here's what to look for and what to do:Behavior. Vets get a lot of the same kinds of phone calls. One of the most common is what the staff at one animal hospital has dubbed a "comedian cat" call. That's when the owner calls and says, "My cat is acting funny..."
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. If you cat is acting strangely, you need to write down a detailed description for you vet. |
Appetite and elimination. As unpleasant as it may seem, keeping a close eye on what goes into and out of your cat's body is a valuable home health care tool. How much food a cat needs will depend a lot on his age, life stage (growth, pregnancy, lactation, or old age, for example), activity, and the type of food he gets. How much he eats is more a function of how much food is available and his health.
Here's an easy trick for collecting either kind of sample. Close your cat in a room with his own litter box. The box should be thoroughly washed first and filled with those plastic foam "peanuts" used for packing. (If those aren't available, you can try cut-up plastic trash bags instead.) Listen for your cat to start scratching in the box and collect samples as quickly as possible. (If a cat urinates and defecates in the box, the urine sample is contaminated and can't be used.) Collect urine samples in a clean, dry container with a tight-fitting lid. Stool samples can be collected in an ordinary sandwich bag and sealed with a twist-tie. Samples should be taken straight to the vet. If you can't leave immediately, they can be refrigerated for up to three hours. |
It's usually not polite to talk about elimination, and most of us aren't comfortable discussing it in the kind of detail that you need to know to help a sick cat. But it is important in understanding the health of your cat. Are stools well formed, soft, or loose? Is there any trace of blood in urine or feces? Is there mucus in the stool? Even things like color or odor can be important.
Of course, eating and elimination are two sides of the same coin (or two ends of the same digestive system, to be more accurate), so pay attention to how they go together. For example, if your cat has a ravenous appetite but doesn't seem to put on any weight (or actually seems thinner), that should alert you to a possible problem. He could be the feline equivalent of those people we all envy who can eat anything and never gain an ounce -- or there could be something a little more serious going on. Once you've noticed these changes in your cat, take him to the vet to determine the cause of the problem.
Mucous membranes. This is the term for the skin that lines the mouth and nose. It's pretty tough to look up a cat's nose, so that's probably out of the question. You might be able to get your cat to cooperate with looking in his mouth for a second, but the odds are he won't be too pleased. Still, how to open a reluctant cat's mouth is something every cat owner should know.
The best way to check your cat's mouth is to grasp the top of your cat's head with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Tip your cat's head back so his nose points upward. Now, using your other hand, put one finger where the front teeth meet and push down gently with steady pressure on the lower jaw. As your cat's mouth opens, you'll have a few seconds to get a good look inside.
The color of the skin in your cat's mouth and on his gums tell an important story. A healthy cat usually has a tinge of pink. Stark white could be a sign of anemia. A yellowish cast (jaundice) is often a sign of liver trouble. A bluish tint may mean your cat isn't taking in enough oxygen, usually a result of a respiratory problem or poisoning.
If your cat isn't cooperating with having his mouth opened -- or you're squeamish about doing it -- you can also check the color of his gums. Hold his head the same way you would to open his mouth. Gently pull down on the skin covering the lower teeth at the corner of the mouth, using the thumb and forefinger of your other hand.
A word of warning, though. It's not unusual for a cat's gums -- and even the roof of his mouth -- to take on some of his coat color, especially as he gets older. For some reason, orange cats are also prone to developing "freckles" on their lips, gums, and inside their mouths. Black gums on a black cat aren't anything to worry about, but pale, yellowish, or bluish tinged gums on any cat should be reported to your veterinarian right away.
Coat condition. A healthy, well-groomed cat has a soft, clean, slightly lustrous coat. A cat whose fur is dull, dry, oily, or unkempt may not be getting groomed well enough or often enough by his owner, or he may be under the weather.
Even with regular grooming by humans, a cat needs to do some of his own grooming to keep his coat looking good. Cats are usually pretty diligent about their personal hygiene, so a cat who's not keeping up his appearance is likely not being lazy, he doesn't feel good.
On the other hand, a cat who's grooming himself raw is also telling you something. Excessive grooming can be a sign of stress, a skin problem, or a reaction to fleas. Look for "hot spots" -- patches where your cat licks so much that the fur is gone and the skin is red or raw.
Of course, not all hair loss is from grooming. Take note of any bald patches or areas where the hair is thin or sparse. Most of your cat's body should be covered with a coat of hair thick enough to hide the skin underneath. (About the only place where it's normal for the fur to be thinned out is the area between your cat's eyes and ears.) Whatever the case, your vet's advice will help put your cat back on the path to a healthy coat.
Ears. Make it a point to check your cat's ears periodically. Grooming time is a good time to do this. Look for a change in color inside the ears. Just like the gums and inside of the mouth, a yellowish or bluish cast to the skin on the inside of your cat's ears can be a sign of a major health problem; alert your veterinarian right away.
Cats do a pretty good job of keeping their ears clean. Outside of some normal wax, then, you shouldn't see much in your cat's ears other than...well, ear. Any sort of inflammation, raw skin, or crustiness is a tip that something's amiss. Debris in a cat's ear -- it usually looks like dirt or coffee grounds -- is an indication of ear mites, tiny insects that live and breed in the ear canal. Itchiness is another sign of ear mites, but not all cats with ear mites will scratch or rub at their ears -- and not all cats who scratch or rub their ears have ear mites.
Cats who go outdoors need to have their ears inspected from time to time for other reasons. In cold weather, frostbite is a real danger. Those nice, tall, pointy feline ears are made up mostly of skin and cartilage. There isn't a lot of blood flow to the ears. Even being caught outside for an hour when the temperature takes a sudden drop can be enough for the tips of your cat's ears to freeze.
Outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) cats are also more likely to get into scrapes with other cats. The ears are easy targets for scratches and bites during even the mildest of cat fights. A cat's small, sharp teeth can make a puncture wound that seals up immediately, trapping dirt and germs inside, causing infection. The cat may look and act all right when he comes home, but a few days later an abscess -- a tender, swollen area of trapped pus -- may form, and the cat can run a fever. At this point, you'll need to take your cat to the vet.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Your cat's eyes and ears are a prime spot for infections and other problems. |
- A cat's pupils can look like anything from vertical slits, to the classic spindle-shaped "cat's eye," to full dilation -- big black dots that take up all of the colored part of the eye. Certain diseases, including trouble in a cat's nervous system, can cause the pupils to be noticeably different sizes. A cloudy, milky, or filmy look to the pupils might be a sign of cataracts, viral ulcers, or other vision problems.
- The iris is the colored part of the eye. Cats usually have some variety of green, yellow, or blue eyes. Occasionally, a cat will be "odd-eyed"; each eye is a different color. If you notice changes in your cat's iris or the appearance of splotches of other colors, contact your vet. (Note: It's not unusual for the iris to change with age. Old cats' irises may take on a "Swiss cheese" look, as if they're falling apart -- although they aren't!)
- The "white" of the eye is officially known as the sclera. Obviously, this should be white (perhaps with some small blood vessels visible). Yellow or "bloodshot" sclera, ulcers or splotches of color, and signs of damage (like scrapes or bruises) are indicators of trouble.
- Conjunctiva is the pink, fleshy stuff under the eyelids that helps hold the eye in place. You usually don't notice the conjunctiva unless it swells up, in which case it may protrude from under the eyelid, giving the eye a "meaty" appearance.
- The third eyelid appears when your cat blinks or closes his eyes; this wonderful adaptation moves from the inside corner of the eye to cover the front surface of the eyeball. Again, it's something you rarely notice unless there's a problem. One of the ways cats announce that they don't feel well is when their third eyelids are up -- that is, they've moved partially across the eyeball.
Coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes. An occasional cough or sneeze -- or even an occasional bout of coughing or sneezing -- is a normal reaction to the millions of unseen irritants in the air. Even good, clean country air has pollen, dust, and other tiny things floating around in it. So if your cat sneezes or coughs now and then, it's probably nothing to worry about.
Of course, cats are notorious for coughing up hairballs -- another natural part of being a cat (especially a longhair cat). Regular grooming can keep down the number and severity of these clumps of swallowed fur (some well-groomed shorthair cats never seem to get them), but periodic coughing or "throat-clearing" sounds are also pretty normal.
Repeated or frequent bouts of sneezing or coughing are usually a sign of a health problem. Sneezing accompanied by a "runny nose" is a definite symptom of illness, as is swelling or discharge from your cat's eyes.
Temperature. Ever notice that a cat is particularly nice to cuddle up to on a chilly night? That's because the average body temperature for a cat is 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit (a good three degrees warmer than ours), although an individual cat's temperature may range between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit and still be considered "normal." Disease -- or prolonged exposure to heat or cold -- can send a cat's temperature above or below the normal range.
Usually, a mild fever is a normal part of a cat's natural disease-fighting system. But extremely high or persistent fever can do serious -- or even fatal -- damage, and calls for professional help.
Now that we have preliminaries out of the way, let's get into some actual home remedies for your cat. We'll begin in the next section with some tips for curing a cat with a cough.
Obviously, a rectal thermometer is the equipment called for here. Shake the thermometer down below 99 degrees Fahrenheit, and lubricate the end with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. With his feet firmly planted on a secure surface, tuck your cat under one arm with his tail pointed outward and his nose back by your elbow. With the hand of that same arm, hold the cat's tail up, and gently insert the thermometer in the anus with the other hand (you may have to bear down slightly at first). Slowly insert the thermometer about one inch, and keep it there for up to three minutes, if possible. Gently remove the thermometer, wipe off the glass, and read the temperature. |
Home Remedies for Cats With a Cough
We all know what coughing is and your cat coughs for the exact same reasons. Your cat, just like you, also has cousgh with different sounds: a dry, hacking cough; a moist-sounding cough; a single, gagging cough; a wheezing cough; and that half-cough, half-clearing the throat thing. Coughing is a reflex; when something irritates the back of the throat, breathing passages, or lungs, the body responds, expelling whatever is causing the irritation. But coughing is one of those reflexes that is not completely beyond conscious control; when needed, it can be done at will. In other words, coughing is an important mechanism for protecting the lungs and air passages from foreign objects and expelling infectious matter from the body.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. A cat's cough can be caused by many factors, some harmless and some quite serious. |
From hairballs to heart trouble there are many reasons why a cat might cough. For a cat with any kind of cough or respiratory trouble, follow the steps for helping a cat with asthma. Other kinds of help depend on why the cat is coughing.
Hairballs are a common problem of cats and can be easily treated. Persistent coughs due to feline colds or flu can sometimes be helped with over-the-counter cough suppressants. (Do not use any cough medicine or other over-the-counter drug without the advice of your veterinarian. And keep in mind that dosages will vary widely.) If your cat is coughing and also pawing at her mouth or shaking her head, there may be something stuck in her throat or mouth. Open your cat's mouth -- taking care that you avoid being bitten -- and look inside. If you find a foreign body and can remove it easily, go ahead. Then keep a close eye on your cat for the next few days to see if infection develops. If, however, the object is stuck in the roof of the mouth, between the teeth, or you can't locate it, see your vet right away.
A collar can sometimes be the cause of a cough, especially if it's too tight. If your cat wears a collar, check the size. You should be able to slip the tip of your finger between the collar and the cat's neck easily. Since cats like to squeeze into tight places, collars can pose a choking hazard. Many experts recommend you only use cat collars with elastic or breakaway features so that if the cat gets the collar snagged, it comes off easily.
When to Call the Vet
Any cough that persists for more than 24 hours or is accompanied by wheezing, shortness of breath, or bluish gums and tongue means a trip to the vet. Coughs combined with other serious symptoms should prompt a call to the vet, too.
DANGER LEVEL: Coughs by themselves are signs of something else; they may be annoying but are usually not dangerous. Keep in mind, however, a cough may be a sign of a serious or dangerous condition.
Next we'll deal with a problem that you might not associate with cats. In the next section, we will offer some tips for dealing with cat dandruff.
Home Remedies for Cats With Dandruff
Those same little white flakes that sell millions of dollars of medicated shampoo to human consumers can afflict cats as well. Since a cat has hair all over her body, dandruff is easy to spot. The flakes are dead, dried-out skin and usually the result of some sort of allergic dermatitis -- a reaction to something that makes the cat's skin dry, itchy, or scaly.The causes of allergic dermatitis can be anything from parasites -- such as fleas or mites -- to sunburn, to a sensitivity to new carpeting, or even to something as simple as the air being too dry during heating season. Don't confuse dandruff -- the result of abnormally dry or itchy skin -- with dander. Dander refers to normal shedding of dead skin cells, combined with proteins in the cat's saliva that is left on the hair and skin when the cat grooms herself. (This dander isn't the result of an allergic reaction in the cat, but it is the cause of allergies to cats in humans.)
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Excessive sunlight can contribute to your cat's dandruff. |
What's the humidity? If you feel like the air is dry in your home and your skin feels dry and tight as a result, you can bet your cat is experiencing the same thing. Humidifying will not only lick the dry skin problem, it will cut down on static electricity in your cat's coat and reduce the likelihood of winter colds.
Look for freeloaders. Check your cat for parasites. Bites from fleas, lice, and mites can all cause allergic dermatitis. Chyletiella mites have been called "walking dandruff" since they're large enough to see with the naked eye but too small to distinguish detail. All skin parasites can be treated fairly easily, but in order to stamp them out completely, you'll probably have to treat all other animals in the home, the house itself, and sometimes even the people.
Made in the shade. A cat's coat protects the sensitive skin underneath from the burning rays of the sun. But cats that spend a lot of time outdoors can still get sunburn, especially on the tips of their ears, eyelids, nose, or lips. Any place the hair is sparse -- the area on the head above the eye and below the ear or wherever the cat has scars or bald patches -- is particularly sensitive. Sunburn kills the top layer of skin, which dries up and flakes off. Repeated sunburn can cause skin cancer -- another reason to keep cats indoors. At the very least, cats that have had a sunburn or are especially at risk for it (cats with thin, sparse, or white coats, for example) should be kept indoors during the most intense period of ultraviolet (burning) sun rays -- generally from about 10:00 o'clock in the morning to 3:00 or 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon.
When to Call the Vet
Persistent or worsening itching and flaking or the presence of parasites calls for professional veterinary care. Over-the-counter pet shampoos and parasite treatments usually aren't potent enough to do the trick.
DANGER LEVEL: Most causes of dandruff are not dangerous. But, if left untreated, some causes may be so uncomfortable that the cat scratches herself raw, running a mildly dangerous risk of infection.
Diarrhea is a problem that most might now want to talk about, but it can be even more serious for cats than for humans. Learn some home remedies to treat this condition in the next section.
Home Remedies for Cats With Diarrhea
When the body needs to get rid of something quickly, it speeds up the action of the intestines and cuts down on water reabsorption from the gut. The end result (no pun intended) of this important defense mechanism is diarrhea. Once the cat's body has expelled the suspect stuff -- and no more is taken in -- diarrhea usually clears up by itself.Certain viruses and diseases, a change in diet, or a food allergy can also trigger diarrhea. In the case of illness or food allergy, the diarrhea may not clear up for several days. Because it also removes fluid from the body, bouts lasting more than 24 hours may cause dehydration, which is a potentially serious condition.
What to Do
An occasional loose stool or bout of diarrhea is a normal part of life and will pass without you having to do anything. When a cat suffers "the runs" for more than a day, though, you may need to help nature along.
What's the cause? Make a mental checklist of the previous 24 hours. Did your cat rummage through the garbage? Have a snack of "people" food? Eat a new food of any kind? Have a major stress or trauma (such as a plane trip)? Now think about the past week. Has there been an increase in stress for the cat? Did she eat some nonfood item? Has she been showing other symptoms of illness? These are all questions to ask yourself when evaluating your cat's condition.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Cat's may love milk, but they do not digest it very well. |
Get rid of cat foods that contain dyes. Cat food that comes in attractive colors, is processed to look like chunks of meat, or stays moist in the container for months include dyes and other artificial ingredients. These are nonfoods, and the gut has to work harder to process them -- just the opposite of what you want for a cat with diarrhea. Although changing foods also can cause diarrhea, switching to a brand with no dyes or additives can help clear up the current trouble and prevent future bouts.
Try to give your cat foods that are easy on the stomach. Cooked white rice mixed with boiled hamburger or chicken meat is bland and easy to digest. Some cats balk at rice, so you may have to use potatoes or pasta instead. If you don't feel like cooking for your cat, lamb and rice cat foods are available at most pet supply stores.
You can also try fasting your cat. Sometimes fasting your cat for 24 hours is enough to drop the intestines back into low gear. If nothing at all goes in (except water), there's nothing to process; and by the end of the 24 hours, nothing should be coming out. When you resume feeding, begin with the bland rice mixture, then slowly mix in regular food, reducing the amount of the rice mixture until the cat is back on a normal diet.
If Not Nature...Although common sense says that adding a stool-softening laxative to your cat's food will keep the bowels moving, a bulk-forming laxative such as Metamucil seems to have a normalizing effect on cats with diarrhea. If your cat's stools are still a little soft during or after a couple of days of the "quiet diet," try adding about a half-teaspoon of the Metamucil laxative to each of her meals for a day or two.
Keep her hydrated. It's important that a cat with diarrhea keeps drinking. In fact, her need for fluids is actually greater, so make sure she has plenty of water available at all times. Besides losing fluids, though, a cat with diarrhea is losing key nutrients called electrolytes. These nutrients, such as sodium and potassium, make the nerves work right. To replenish electrolytes, keep fluid intake at the necessary level and provide some extra energy boost; you can try filling a bowl with Gatorade sports drink.
Nature's way. Nature provides its own way to slow down and get back to normal. Relaxation, stress reduction, and gentle exercise (take your cat for a walk on a leash and harness, if she likes it) may be all that are needed to clear up a attack of loose stools. Avoid the temptation to use over-the-counter diarrhea products, unless your vet specifically tells you to.
When to Call the Vet
Call the vet immediately if severe (watery or "explosive") diarrhea continues for more than 24 hours or if diarrhea worsens, is bloody, or is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, fever, or difficulty walking. A cat with diarrhea should drink a little more, but intense thirst with diarrhea may be a sign of diabetes.
DANGER LEVEL: By itself, diarrhea is only slightly dangerous, mostly because of the risks of dehydration. Severe, bloody, or watery diarrhea--or diarrhea accompanied by other symptoms of illness--can be a sign of something as routine as worms or as serious as panleukopenia (feline distemper).
The idea of tiny organisms taking up residence in your cat's ears may make your skin crawl, but it is actually a fairly common problem. Learn how to treat ear mites in the next section.
Home Remedies for Cats With Ear Mites
Tiny, pinpoint-size ear mites live and breed in the ear canals of cats and dogs. They feed on skin debris and can gnaw on the tissue of the ear canal, using cell fluids and blood for food, too. Ear mite infestations usually itch, so cats with ear mites will scratch excessively at the backs or insides of their ears (sometimes to the point of producing raw patches), shake their heads, or hold their ears at an angle to their heads.Ear mites produce a black or brownish waxy debris in the ear canal, which looks very much like coffee grounds. Live mites can be seen in this debris with a magnifying glass or by spreading a small amount on dark paper and watching for tiny, moving white points.
Treatment of ear mites involves removing the debris from the ears and using a topical insecticide in the canal for a period of time to kill off the remaining mites and new mites that hatch out of eggs left behind. Since the mites can crawl out of the ear canal and onto the cat's fur -- or the fur of other animals -- all animals in the house should be dusted, sprayed, or dipped with an antiflea product. Ear mites are extremely common, and treatment is usually inexpensive and effective.
What to Do
To treat a cat with itchy ears or telltale debris in the ear canal, gently remove a little bit of the junk with a cotton ball and examine it under bright light with a magnifier or spread it on a piece of dark paper. Any movement -- including tiny white moving specks -- means mites. Sometimes, mite debris is located deep in the ear canal where you can't see it. If you suspect your cat has mites, gently massage the back of the ear at the base between your thumb and forefinger. A cat with no mites usually enjoys it or, at worst, will fuss and try to get away. A cat who has unwanted company living in her ear canal will usually start scratching vigorously so watch your hand because she won't.
Other ear problems can cause itchiness and debris in the ear canal, too, so don't start home remedies for ear mites until you're fairly certain that's the problem. Seeing live mites is real proof. When you have that proof, try to ease your cat's discomfort.
Clean them out. The first step toward clearing up an ear mite infestation is to get as many tiny critters (and their belongings) out of the ear canal as possible. Put several drops of mineral oil into the ear canal and massage gently. If the debris is particularly hard and crusty, you may have to let the oil work in for a few hours to soften things up. The massaging will help bring debris up to the outer part of the ear where it can be wiped away with a cotton ball or tissue. (Do not use cotton swabs, even though you may have seen your vet clean a cat's ears that way -- one slip could puncture an eardrum.) If you want to do a thorough cleaning job (and you're courageous enough), you can use lukewarm distilled water in an ear syringe to gently flush out the canal. Repeat the cleaning procedure until the debris is gone.
Hit them while they're down. While the mineral oil immobilizes any mites left behind, it won't kill them all. To do that, you need insecticide eardrops. Reliable products that contain pyrethrins (a natural insecticide found in flowers of the mum family) are widely available at pet supply stores. Follow directions carefully, making sure to massage the drops in well and wipe away any excess.
Where mites might be. By the time you notice your cat has ear mites, there are literally thousands of the itty-bitty things around. Smaller than the period at the end of this sentence, a single ear mite can crawl out of your cat's ear canal and hide out deep in her fur -- only to crawl back in after all the excitement of treatment is over and repopulate the colony. Therefore, cats with ear mites need regular treatment with flea products to knock out those adventurous mites that go exploring elsewhere on the cat's body.
Once is not enough. A single cleaning and treatment with eardrops won't do the trick. Just one surviving female mite with eggs can have your cat right back where you started from before you know it. You must be absolutely diligent about cleaning out cat's ears every day or two and using the medication exactly as directed. It's not enough to kill all the mites in your cat's ears, either. Microscopic mite eggs can hatch days after a treatment, starting the infestation all over again. It usually takes a few weeks of treatment before you can safely assume your cat and home are ear-mite-free.
When to Call the Vet
If your best home remedies don't knock out ear mites within a month, or the skin in or around the ear becomes raw or inflamed, you need professional help. Likewise, if your cat has itchy ears, shakes her head, flattens her ears, and has discharge from the ear canal -- but no mite debris or there are no live mites to be found -- check with your vet. It could be a yeast or bacterial infection or another type of ear problem.
DANGER LEVEL: Ear mites are annoying and sometimes painful to the cat but not dangerous. They're contagious to dogs and other cats, and untreated infestations may lead to excessive scratching and wounds behind the ears that may become infected.
Hair loss is not just a cosmetic problem for cats -- as it is in people. In the next section, we will show you how to combat this problem.
Home Remedies for Cats With Hair Loss
Cats shed constantly, so there's a certain amount of natural hair loss every cat owner should expect. However, bald patches, "hot spots" (areas that are inflamed and red and that the cat may lick or scratch excessively), and hair that gets so sparse you can see the skin underneath are all signs of a problem.Hair loss happens for reasons as simple as a scar to more serious causes such as skin fungus, mites or fleas, or hormonal imbalances. Dermatitis is another word for inflamed skin, and many kinds of dermatitis result in hair loss, too. Stress can also cause hair loss. A stressed cat not only sheds more but a very anxious cat may actually tear out her own hair by excessive licking or chewing.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Excessive shedding can produce bald spots on your cat. |
Location, location, location. If the hair loss is someplace you see your cat licking, biting, or scratching regularly (leg, paw, or side, for example), it could be a "hot spot" that is stress-induced or a reaction to bites from fleas or mites. Check your cat's coat for parasites. If it's a flea-bite allergy, you'll have to get rid of the fleas before you can hope to have the hair grow back. If the hair loss is in a hard-to-reach place (between the shoulder blades, for example) or in many places, it's probably not the cat doing it to herself. If the hair loss seems limited to one area of the body (for example, on the legs from the paws up to the "elbows"), suspect a "contact allergy" or something similar. (Hair loss on the lower legs may be a reaction to new carpeting.)
You are what you eat. Have you been cutting corners on food costs by giving Tabby an off-brand or trying to go with table scraps only? Hair loss can be a sign of improper nutrition, so make sure your cat is getting the nutrients she needs.
Less stress is best. Actually, this advice could be added to every remedy! However, once your cat develops the habit of chewing, licking, or pulling out hair, it might be hard to break even after you cut down on stress. Do not scold or otherwise punish your cat when you see her working on a "hot spot" or pulling out hair. Scolding just adds more stress. Instead, try some behavior modification. Give her something else to do: Engage her in active play, pet her, open a securely screened window and let her sniff the great outdoors. Substituting a happy and fun activity for the bad habit redirects her attention and energy.
When to Call the Vet
A cat with hair loss plus other signs of disease--fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting -- needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Certain kinds of alopecia are caused by parasites or fungus that can be passed to people, so the sooner a cat with no other symptoms than hair loss is seen by the vet, the better.
DANGER LEVEL: Alopecia by itself is not dangerous, although it may be a signal that internal organs are not working right -- a condition that could be moderately to very dangerous.
In our next section, we will cover another cat-hair problem -- hairballs. Learn how to stop the constant hacking and coughing.
Home Remedies for Cats With Hairballs
Every time your cat grooms herself, she swallows some loose hairs. The hairs don't digest and then they get passed through the cat's stomach and intestines. Sometimes -- especially in longhair cats, during periods of heavy shedding, or in cats who groom other cats or groom themselves excessively -- the cat swallows enough hair so that it forms a wad in the cat's stomach. These wads of hair are ejected as hairballs.Virtually all cats have hairballs at some point in their lives. Many are passed through the intestines, but cats who swallow large amounts of fur can develop hairballs that actually clog the digestive system and have to be removed with surgery.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Long-haired cats are more susceptible to hairballs. |
Many times, the best thing to do when your cat coughs up a hairball is...nothing (except clean it up, of course). Once the hairball is out, everything's usually fine. Still, if your cat is bringing up hairballs regularly or to prevent future hairballs, there are some tried-and-true tricks to take care of this common cat complaint.
Brush up a bit. Regular grooming, even just a little bit every few days, removes the loose hairs that cause hairballs. Remember, every loose hair you brush or comb off your cat is one less for her to swallow.
Ease the passing. A small amount of intestinal lubrication will help hairballs make their way through the digestive system instead of coming back up. You can buy commercial hairball remedies, use a little bit of melted butter, or give your cat a small dollop of petroleum jelly. The petroleum jelly is probably the cheapest and most effective method, but it's also the one most difficult to convince the cat to swallow. Butter is probably a better bet, since most cats love dairy and fat. Give your cat about a half-teaspoon of melted butter once a day for a few days (and no longer); it should do the trick. Commercial remedies taste good and are very effective, but always read and follow label directions carefully. (Never give any hairball remedy as a daily part of the cat's diet or for more than four or five days in a row, unless specifically recommended by your veterinarian.)
Bulk up your cat's diet. Too many snacks, too little fiber, and not enough exercise. It may sound like what the doctor told you at your last checkup, but it's equally sound advice for your cat. A hairball is a problem because it just sits there. Unless you get your cat's system moving a little more vigorously, hair will continue to collect, form hairballs, and be thrown up on your best rug or next to the bed for you to find with your bare feet in the middle of the night. A higher fiber diet, fewer empty-calorie snacks, and a little more exercise may be all it takes to lick a hairball problem.
When to Call the Vet
A hairball once in a while is normal. Hairballs several times a week or even daily is a problem. Hairballs usually come up in one or two tries. If your cat continues retching and trying to bring something up or has diarrhea that won't stop or loses her appetite along with hairballs, call your vet right away. It doesn't happen often, but hairballs can get so bad they block the throat, stomach, or intestines; and that can be fatal.
DANGER LEVEL: Occasional hairballs should be considered normal, and even more frequent ones are not dangerous. If hairballs can't be passed or thrown up, though, they can cause blockages in the digestive system that are very dangerous.
Next we will deal with a problem that is an epidemic with both humans and cats. In the next section, we will learn how to treat overweight cats.
Home Remedies for Overweight Cats
Obesity is usually defined as being 15 percent or more over the average body weight for a particular individual. Since cats usually weigh somewhere between eight and ten pounds, any cat that tips the scales at more than 12 pounds is probably carrying too much weight. It's difficult to get an accurate weight on your cat at home so another way to tell is feeling the cat's ribs. You shouldn't be able to see the cat's ribs, but you should be able to feel each one under the hair and skin. As in people, a belly that protrudes much farther than the ribs is also a sign of weight gain.Overweight cats are at higher risk for more serious or life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes. They are less active, which may also be an important factor in urinary tract problems.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Overweight cats are at a high risk for diseases and illnesses -- much like humans. |
Get 'em going. There's only one way to lose weight safely: Burn more calories than you eat. You're not going to convince your cat to get on the treadmill or the stair machine or to take up jogging, so it's up to you to increase her activity. Sometimes, introducing a young, active cat will get an obese cat moving out of self-defense, but the most reliable method is for you to exercise her with regular daily play sessions.
Less is more. A weight loss diet means cutting your cat's calories by about 30 percent until she hits the target weight, then maintaining the right number of calories to keep her at her lower weight. (This will be fewer calories than she was eating to maintain her weight.)
Cats are particularly notorious for being bad sports when they don't get as much to eat as they want (or have become used to), so be ready for some protests at first. To get your fat cat on the road to fitness, be sure to feed her less. Reducing calories means reducing the amount of food. Period.
You should also cut out snacks and treats. If you feel you absolutely must give your cat a treat, take a few morsels of food out of an already smaller meal and give it to her later. The overall calorie count (amount of food) for the day must stay down, no matter what!
Another guideline to follow is to give her lots of small meals. If your dieting cat gorges on her more humble repast and acts like she's starving three hours later, try splitting her food up into several little meals, gradually reducing the number until she's back to two or so a day.
And finally, don't "free feed" your cat. You can't tell how much your cat is eating if you leave a bowl of food out all day. Keep meals at regular intervals, and pick up what isn't eaten.
Easy does it. Your cat didn't get fat overnight or in one week. It took months or years. Gradual weight loss lets the body adjust to the changes and puts less stress on internal organs. The increase in your cat's activity will help regulate the rate of weight loss and speed things up as your cat gets fitter. Never put a cat on a starvation diet; starvation and rapid weight loss can trigger a fatal liver disease.
What about low-calorie cat foods? Low-cal cat foods are designed to make your cat feel full while actually giving her less calories than a full meal. In some cases, your vet may prescribe a weight-reducing food or suggest buying one of the low-cal commercial brands. In general, it's better not to change your cat's food -- if you can help it -- and just feed less of what she usually gets. However, switching to a low-cal food so that your cat successfully loses weight is better than keeping her on the same food -- and keeping her fat.
When to Call the Vet
It's probably a good idea to talk to your vet before you begin a home weight-reduction program for your cat, just to make sure there's nothing you've overlooked. If your weight-loss program doesn't seem to be working after several weeks, you should definitely call the vet for advice. Any cat who begins looking plumper in a very short period of time needs to see the vet as soon as possible; quick weight gain can be a sign of very serious illness.
DANGER LEVEL: Obesity is moderately to very dangerous, since it increases a cat's risk of life-threatening illness. The health risks go up as both the weight and the length of time that the cat remains overweight go up.
Most cats -- especially outdoor cats -- end up with occasional scrapes and scratches. In the next section, we will show you how to heal these minor cuts.
Home Remedies for Cats With Scrapes and Scratches
Abrasions (scrapes and scratches) are damage to the outer layers of skin. The most common cause of scrapes and scratches in cats is other cats. Usually, cats keep their claws retracted during play, and their thick hair protects them from accidental nicks. Vigorous play, a miscalculation, or an unplayful smack can cause an abrasion, usually most noticeable around the ears and face where the hair is more sparse. Unaltered cats and cats who go outdoors are more likely to get into out-and-out fights and suffer bite and scratch wounds.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Most cat scratches come from fighting or playing with other cats. |
Keep it clean. For fresh scratches simple soap-and-water cleanup, using a washcloth or cotton ball, is usually enough first aid. Don't try to prevent your cat from licking a scratch -- that's Mother Nature's way of taking care of it, and she knows what she's doing. But do keep an eye on your cat. Occasionally, a cat may overdo it and require some type of restraint to prevent mutilation of the wound.
Look for more. Ruffle through your cat's fur and check for additional scratches. A veterinarian from an animal shelter remarks, "Any time we had to shave a stray cat with visible scratches for surgery, we found more scratches or scars all over her body."
Plumb the depths. How deep is the wound? Anything that bleeds noticeably needs more attention than a simple scratch. First, stop the bleeding with direct pressure, using a cotton ball or gauze. (You may need help restraining the cat.) Trim the hair from around the edge of the wound, and wash thoroughly with soap and water. Bandaging usually isn't necessary, and most scratches, scrapes, and minor wounds heal better and faster in the open air. Just be sure to keep the wound area clean.
When to Call the Vet
Any serious wound or wound that won't stop bleeding needs immediate veterinary attention. If direct pressure doesn't stop bleeding in a couple minutes -- or if the wound is spurting blood -- your cat is in grave danger. Take your cat directly to the vet, and continue to apply pressure and bandages until you can get her there.
Bite wounds should be treated by a vet, too, since they can become infected easily. Sometimes bites or other wounds will close up with some dirt or germs inside, causing an abscess -- a painful, swollen pocket of infection. If the site of a wound swells, leaks pus, or is sensitive to the touch, or if your cat suddenly begins to run a fever, call your vet right away.
DANGER LEVEL: Most minor scrapes and scratches are not dangerous; deep wounds require veterinary attention.
Next we will deal with a problem that affects all outdoor pets -- ticks. We will offer you some tips for finding and removing these potential disease carriers.
Home Remedies for Cats With Ticks
Ticks are small, blood-sucking insects that attach themselves to warm-blooded animals by burying their mouth parts into the skin. Once a tick begins to feed, its body expands, often to many times normal. A gorged tick may look like a small mole or roundish bump of odd-colored flesh. Ticks are usually found on vegetation, several feet off the ground, and drop onto passing animals such as your cat or dog.Because their mouth parts make contact with the bloodstream of the host, ticks can transmit diseases, most notably Lyme disease. It's important, then, that ticks be removed as soon as possible -- and with their entire body intact. The longer the tick is imbedded, the greater the risk of spreading anything it might be carrying, and any part of the tick left behind could still contain infectious matter.
What to Do
Keep out of the country. Cats that remain indoors almost never get ticks, unless they're carried in by other pets, people, or rodent pests. Even if your cat goes outdoors in a "controlled" way (on a handheld leash, for example), keep her away from tall grass and out from under bushes and shrubs -- anywhere ticks could be lurking, waiting to drop.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. While it might not be an option for everyone, cats that never go outside will not get ticks. |
Nice and easy does it. Check your cat for ticks any time she goes outdoors, especially in more suburban and rural settings and during warmer weather. If you find a tick on your cat's body, it's important to remove it quickly. The best way to do this is to grasp the tick at the skin line with a pair of forceps or tweezers. Try to grab the tick as close to its head as possible and pull gently and steadily straight out from the cat's body. Forget what you may have learned about burning ticks out; it doesn't work well, and you run the risk of badly singeing or burning your cat.
It ain't over 'til it's over. Ticks are hardy creatures. When you remove one, don't assume it's dead or that you'll be rid of it by throwing it in the garbage or sending it down the drain or toilet. They can crawl back out from any of these destinations, ready to attach themselves to the next mammal that happens by. Throwing them outdoors gets them out of your house but may just be passing the problem along to someone else. It's best to put the removed tick immediately into a small jar with rubbing alcohol or insecticide, and then seal the jar securely. This method not only ensures the demise of the little pest and seals off any escape, it preserves the insect in case the tick-bite victim develops complications.
Watch for complications. Once you remove a tick from your cat, keep a close eye on her for the next week or so. Ticks can carry some serious diseases, so contact your vet at the first sign of sickness, especially fever, loss of appetite, listlessness, or apparent stiffness or aching in the joints. Sometimes the tick bite itself can cause a progressive weakness in the back legs of the cat, a condition called tick-bite paralysis. This usually clears up on its own, once the tick is removed.
When to Call the Vet
Contact your veterinarian if your cat shows any signs of illness within a week or so after you remove a tick, or if any redness or swelling develops at the bite location. Ticks are small and can be easily missed, so be particularly aware of symptoms any time your cat goes outdoors -- even if you don't see any ticks.
DANGER LEVEL: Because ticks carry some diseases, tick bites should be considered moderately dangerous; however, in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent, tick bites should be treated as dangerous.
Ticks aren't the only nasty little critter that can latch on to your cat. In the next section, we will show you how to keep your cat free of fleas.
Home Remedies for Cats With Fleas
These small, flat-bodied insects are no bigger than a pinhead, yet they have literally conquered the world. Fleas are found just about everywhere, they are tough to kill, and they can leap many times their body length.Fleas can live off the blood of just about any warm-blooded animal, but they prefer the higher body temperature of dogs and cats over humans. They reproduce quickly, and their eggs can survive in the environment for long periods of time -- time enough to hatch out and take over the skin of the next host that happens by.
In areas that have cold winters, outdoor fleas die off (although untreated indoor infestations can last year-round). In warm and humid regions like south Florida and Louisiana, however, "flea season" is a year-round event.
A cat with fleas may scratch a lot, but then again, she may not. Surefire signs of fleas are small, black comma-shaped droppings in the cat's coat and, of course, the presence of live fleas. Both may be noticeable when the cat is being combed or brushed -- another good reason for regular grooming. To check a cat for flea dirt, stand her on a white or light-colored surface and ruffle her fur vigorously. If you see black specks around her, moisten a cotton ball or tissue and smear the specks. A streak of blood confirms flea dirt.
What to Do
Make no mistake about it, when your cat has fleas, you are going to war against an enemy that is not about to surrender. You have to wipe it out or put it into retreat down to the last man, woman, and child. There's no such thing as peaceful coexistence.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. A bath will usually not be enough to rid your cat of fleas. |
Kill them in your home. If your cat has fleas, your house has fleas. Not a pleasant thought, but true. If you just bathe, dip, or spray the cat, any fleas not killed will immediately abandon ship (remember their astounding jumping ability) and wait until the coast is clear to return to your cat. Or, they may switch over to a human host for a while until the pesticide on your cat is gone. Actually, treating the cat for fleas is the easy part (although it may not seem like it at the time). Treating your home is more complicated.
"Evict" fleas from your home by thoroughly vacuuming the entire house, including floors, carpets, and upholstery. Immediately dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag. In hot water, wash the bedding and linen from anywhere the cat sleeps. Clean up the yard and prevent wildlife from reinfecting it by trimming brush and removing food sources such as pet food bowls, garbage cans, and bird feeders.
The next step is to "bomb" the annoying insects. Cover or securely put away all dishes, eating utensils, baby or pet toys, and other items. Remove all pets and people from the home, and set off the appropriate number of insecticide foggers for the size and number of rooms of your house. Use veterinary-strength foggers, not over-the-counter house or yard products. A good way to coordinate tactics is to take the infested animals for their flea treatment while the foggers are doing their work. You'll probably have to stay out of the house for a few hours after the foggers have been set off. In some cases, you should seek the services of a professional pest control operator.
Even if you've been successful in killing every flea on your pets and in your home, there can still be flea eggs left behind. You'll probably have to repeat the treatments again to catch these stragglers as they hatch out. Newer flea products contain growth regulators that prevent eggs and young fleas from maturing, which can make things easier; however, some people may be allergic to these chemicals.
Keep them out. You may have defeated the enemy on the home front, but you've only won the battle -- the war goes on. Cats who go outdoors are almost guaranteed to pick up fleas again. Fleas can also be brought back inside to indoor cats by the family dog. Even without a dog to serve as the "flea train," though, the more the door and unscreened windows are open during flea season, the more likely one or more of those hardy little critters are to hop into your home. Regular preventative flea treatment in your home will help prevent a sneak attack.
When to Call the Vet
As soon as you see live fleas or flea dirt on your cat, call your vet. The longer you wait, the more fleas you'll have to fight. Your vet can give you the shampoos, foams, dips, sprays, topical treatments, oral medications, and foggers you'll need for your war on fleas, or you can have the vet or groomer do the treatment on the animals.
DANGER LEVEL: Fleas are mostly a nuisance and only slightly dangerous. They can carry tapeworms, which your cat can only get by swallowing a flea. A cat who has a particularly bad case of fleas can lose so much blood she becomes anemic. Anemia is moderately to very dangerous for kittens and weakened cats.
We will conclude our look at microscopic pests that can plague your cat in the next section with thorough discussion of intestinal worms.
Home Remedies for Cats With Worms
Your cat's stomach and intestines are home to a host of tiny creatures -- microscopic critters that are actually normal, natural, and healthy for her. But sometimes the eggs of parasites get into her digestive system, developing into adult worms or other things that feed off the food going through her gut and steal its nutrition. Worms will thrive in the cat's gut, producing more eggs that are shed in the cat's feces and spread to other hosts.The most common unwanted tenants of your cat's digestive tract are roundworms, tapeworms, and Coccidia. Roundworms (or ascarids) look like short strands of thick white thread, and a cat with a particularly bad case may actually vomit some up. Adult roundworms lay eggs, which are passed in the cat's stool, and can be seen under a microscope. Tapeworms attach to the lining of the cat's intestine by their heads (called the scolex) and grow by segments. Each segment contains eggs, ripens, and is shed with the cat's stool. Since the eggs are contained in the segments, microscopic examination of a stool sample may not find them. Sometimes, the tapeworm segments -- which look like grains of rice -- can be found clinging to the cat's rectum. Coccidia aren't actually worms but microscopic one-celled organisms that live and breed in the cat's intestines.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Cats can sometimes get tapeworms from grooming themselves. |
Vanquish the vectors. Your cat has to get worms from somewhere or something else. A vector is the fancy word for the thing she gets it from. Fleas, for example, carry tapeworm. A cat with fleas grooms herself, swallows the flea with the tapeworm eggs, and -- voila! Similarly, a cat who shares a litter box (or goes outdoors) where a cat already infected with worms goes is likely to come in contact with eggs or spores shed in the infected cat's stool and -- voila! Another common vector is infected birds, mice, or other unfortunates that your cat captures and eats. Cats who hunt or are used as "mousers" are more likely to pick up parasites of many kinds, including toxoplasmosis, which has some health concerns for humans.
No news may not be good news. Kittens with worms may show diarrhea, slow weight gain, and a pot belly, and adult cats may have dark tarry stool, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss -- or no signs at all. Just because your cat doesn't have any symptoms doesn't mean she doesn't have worms. If your cat has never been checked for worms, it's a good idea to do it and to have a stool sample checked for any new cat brought into your home. Even if your cat has been treated for worms, should she get fleas, go outdoors, or hunt mice or other small creatures regularly, it's almost a sure bet she's got them again.
Only rely on the good stuff. Over-the-counter worming medications don't have enough punch to knock out worms for good. No home or folk remedies have been shown to be both effective and safe enough to get the job done, either. Prevention is the best cure, but if your cat does have worms, get the right medication in the right doses from your veterinarian.
Soothe the symptoms. Even after your cat has been treated for worms -- and sometimes as a result of the treatment -- she may have some stomach or intestinal distress. Following the steps in this chapter for treating diarrhea and vomiting can make her more comfortable while her gut gets back to normal.
When to Call the Vet
All cats should have a stool sample examined for worms -- the earlier the better. While many cats who have worms may have no symptoms, an infestation that goes unchecked for months or years has been robbing your cat of nutrients. What's more, she's been shedding the worms' eggs in her stool, passing them along to other animals in the house and in some cases, even to people.
Even if a cat has been wormed in the past, the treatment is not effective for life -- it just kills the worms that are in the cat's body at that time. Cats who go outdoors, hunt, are fed (or eat) raw or undercooked meat or meat products (including organs), have fleas, or share quarters with a cat who has been diagnosed with worms have probably been reinfected and should have a stool sample checked.
DANGER LEVEL: The most common worms are usually not dangerous, although untreated cases -- especially in debilitated cats -- can be dangerous. Some of the rarer types of worms and one-celled parasites can be moderately dangerous to dangerous, depending on how quickly they're diagnosed and treated.
We have saved or most serious problem for last. In the next section, we will discuss home remedies for cats with hearing or vision loss.
Home Remedies for Cats With Hearing or Vision Loss
Cats can lose hearing or vision in accidents, as a result of disease, or because of birth defects. Reactions to some medications or lack of oxygen during birth can also impair hearing and sight.If a cat doesn't get enough of the amino acid taurine in her diet, her retinas (the layer of light-sensitive cells inside the eyeball that send messages about sight to the brain) can deteriorate, causing blindness. All-white cats with blue eyes have a high risk of being deaf, a condition related to Waardenburg syndrome in humans. White cats with yellow eyes or one blue eye have a greater than normal chance of being deaf, although not as likely as blue-eyed white cats.
 ©2006 Publications International, Ltd. White cats with yellow eyes are more likely to develop hearing problems. |
Find the reason. When vision starts going bad because of diet, switching to the right kind of food can often stop -- but not reverse -- the deterioration. On the other hand, cataracts (cloudy lenses in the eyes) can be corrected surgically, just like in humans. A thorough veterinary exam can determine if a cat's hearing loss is treatable (for example, an obstruction in the ear canal like impacted wax, ear mite debris, or a tumor) or not.
Make adjustments. Incredibly, blind cats can eventually figure out the layout of their home by touch. You may want to keep a blind cat restricted to certain rooms or levels of the house to avoid accidental tumbles down stairs or exits out external doors. Once a blind cat learns the lay of the land at home, do your utmost not to change anything. If a door is usually open, leave it open. If furniture has to be moved for some reason, put it back where it was. A blind cat relies on landmarks that are at cat level -- just a few inches off the floor -- so even something as simple as leaving shoes in the hallway can throw her off.
Seeing (and feeling) is believing. Deaf cats process the world through their sense of sight and touch. The feline eye perceives moving objects better than stationary ones, so deaf cats take particular pleasure in making things move -- especially downward from high places to shatter below. The thuds, crashes, and smashes that would send a hearing cat running for cover are lost on a deaf cat. Any visually stimulating thing is particularly interesting to deaf cats, so their owners should take note and try to provide them -- or to prevent them, if they're unsafe or unwelcome. For example, owners should remove breakable knickknacks from shelves so ambitious cats can't knock them off.
Sound is felt as vibrations in the deaf world. You may not be able to get your cat's attention by calling her name, or you may not be able to reprimand her with a sharp "No!" However, you can do both by stamping your foot or knocking on whatever surface the cat happens to occupy.
The golden years. All the senses and body functions slow down with advancing age, and hearing and vision are no exceptions. Once a cat passes middle age (anywhere from six to ten years old), expect her to lose a little of her edge. The difference with an elderly cat whose vision or hearing has gone down is that her other faculties have diminished, too, and she can't adapt as well. She also has a lifetime habit of relying on full-functioning eyes and ears. At that point, the most important ingredient for dealing with a blind or deaf cat is patience -- she's doing the best she can with what she has.
When to Call the Vet
If your cat seems to be less responsive to sound, bumps into things, or her pupils stay dilated even in bright light, contact your vet for an evaluation.
DANGER LEVEL: Deafness and blindness themselves are not dangerous. However, deaf and blind cats are at a serious disadvantage once they leave the familiarity of their own home. It's not only extremely dangerous to let a deaf or blind cat outdoors unattended, it's cruel.
When your cat is struggling with a minor illness, it's good to know a few things you can do at home to alleviate the symptoms. However, as with all medical conditions, serious problems need to be seen by a professional immediately.
©Publications International, Ltd.
