Home Remedies for Cats

By: Shanna Freeman & Dr. H. Ellen Whiteley
Knowing how to take care of your cat at home will help your kitten grow to be an adult. See more pictures of cats.
©iStockphoto.com/Melinda Nagy

You probably have a medicine cabinet or bathroom closet full of home remedies for yourself, and you probably also know when a visit to the doctor is in order for yourself. But what about for your feline friend? Knowing the basics about your cat's health and having some at-home health care skills can be a lifesaver, because an emergency is no time to start learning feline first aid. Find out now how to recognize and treat some of the most common cat conditions.

First, you have to discover whether or not your cat is actually sick. There are several warning signs that might tell you if you cat is coming down with something, and whether that something is minor, or serious. In How To Tell If Your Cat Is Sick, you'll learn how your cat's appetite, coat, body, mouth, ears and eyes can all reveal how she's feeling.

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There are many reasons why your cat might start coughing. For instance, cats cough due to hairballs formed because they swallow hair while grooming. They also may cough just due to simple throat irritants, like pollen. However, your cat's cough might be caused by something more serious. Find out what causes cat coughs and how to treat them in Home Remedies for Cats With a Cough.

Dandruff may be a problem that you usually associate with humans, but it can be a big problem in cats, too. The same thing that can give you the white flaky stuff -- allergic dermatitis -- can cause it in cats. In Home Remedies for Cats With Dandruff, learn the causes and cures of this unsightly and potentially problematic cat condition.

Dealing with diarrhea is uncomfortable for your cat and unpleasant for you. While it usually clears up by itself, there are some things that you can do to help your cat get better faster. Diarrhea can also be a sign of a serious medical condition, so it's important to know when to get your cat to the vet. Home Remedies for Cats With Diarrhea details the causes of diarrhea in cats so you can hopefully prevent it from occurring again in the future.

If you happen to notice something that looks like coffee grounds in your cat's ears, there's a good possibility that she's infested with ear mites. This common parasite lives in cats' ear canals. No need to panic, though; in Home Remedies for Cats With Ear Mites, you'll learn how to prevent ear mites as well as how to get rid of them. We will also tell you when ear mites can be a real cause for concern.

Hair loss in humans can be a little embarrassing and affect your self-esteem. Hair loss in cats, however, can be a symptom of a more significant health issue. The cause can be anything from an allergy to a hormonal balance., and treatment can sometimes be something as simple as a change in diet. Find out how to diagnose and treat the problem in Home Remedies for Cats With Hair Loss.

Since the vast majority of cats have hair, most cats also have hairballs at some point in their lifetime -- even the short-haired variety. It's an unpleasant side effect of their innate need to keep themselves clean through grooming. What if your cat has more going on than just coughing up the occasional wet clump of hair, though? In Home Remedies for Cats With Hair Balls, learn why hairballs can be dangerous and how to keep them to a minimum.

Obesity is a growing problem, and it is affecting cats as much as it affects their owners. Just like us, cats are at risk of diseases like diabetes if they carry excess weight. Can you really put a cat on a diet and get her to exercise? Get some tips on how to help your cat lose weight -- which might require some tough love on your part -- in Home Remedies for Overweight Cats.

Minor scrapes and scratches are one thing, but sometimes a cat's fur can make it easy to miss significant bites, potentially leading to infection. In Home Remedies for Cats with Scrapes and Scratches find out how to treat cat scratches and scrapes and when those wounds might need a veterinarian's care.

If you let your cat explore the outdoors, there is a possibility that she will acquire a tick at some point. Ticks aren't just nasty and unpleasant; they can also carry diseases like Lyme disease that be harmful to you, too. Learn how to reduce your cat's changes of getting a tick as well as what to do if she gets one in Home Remedies for Cats With Ticks.

Fleas are another big problem for outdoor cats. Even if your cats stay inside, they can still get infested by these tenacious little creatures. You might also be surprised to learn that those flea collars can do more harm than good. In Home Remedies for Cats With Fleas, find out how to protect your cat from fleas, and the best way to rid them -- and your house -- of fleas forever.

Getting a roundworm or tapeworm can cause serious digestive problems in your cat. If you see little grains of rice around her anus, that tells you that she probably has tapeworms. And that's just one type. Unfortunately another parasite -- fleas -- are often a carrier. Learn about the ways that cats can get worms, why they can be dangerous and how to get rid of them in Home Remedies for Cats With Worms.

Cats with hearing or vision loss can adapt remarkably well to your house -- and your family -- with just a few important changes on your part. However, sometimes exploring the cause can result in stopping the advance of their loss or even reversing it completely. Even if it is permanent, in Home Remedies for Cats With Hearing or Vision Loss, you'll learn how to help your hearing- or vision-impaired cat lead a full and happy life.

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