Health

We understand that as a loving cat owner, you want your pet to be as happy and healthy as possible. As cats can’t tell us what’s wrong when they don’t feel well, it can be difficult to know when they might need help. Warning signs Unlike dogs, cats tend to shy away from contact when they’re under the weather, rather than seek comfort. This protective instinct can even make them more aggressive and hide away, making it tough for you to keep an eye on them. You can avoid cat health problems by taking him or her for a check-up with the vet every 6-12 months, especially when they’re over 8 years old. If you suspect that there is something wrong with your cat but aren’t sure if it’s anything to worry about, there are several unusual cat health symptoms to look out for, to help alert you to when you should take them to the vets. Our guide below sheds light on some of the common cat illnesses and symptoms to look out for. If you have any concerns about your cat’s health, contact your vet.

Tapeworms are parasites that commonly settle in a cat’s bowels. They reproduce by attaching themselves to the gut and breaking into a series of segments containing eggs, which are then passed out with the faeces. Whilst this is unpleasant, it is also easily treatable, especially if you catch the spread of tapeworms in cats its early stages. How do cats contract tapeworms? While tapeworms in cats are a common problem, not many owners know how cats get them. Tapeworms are often contracted when a cat accidentally eats tapeworm larvae. Many types of tapeworm larvae are found in fleas; if a flea is ingested, the tapeworm larvae begins to grow when inside your cat. This is not, however, the only way your furry friend can contract tapeworms. Some cats eat the faeces of infected cats, which can pass on the parasite. It is also possible for mothers to pass on tapeworms to their young. What do tapeworms in cats look like? Tapeworms are long, flat worms that can vary in length. They have a segmented body and a head, which has suckers and hooks to help them attach to the intestine. You’re unlikely to see a tapeworm in this form, though. Once tapeworms begin to grow, segments of their body separate themselves from the main body of the worm. These segments can often be found behind your cat’s tail and look like small grains of rice. You may also see them in your cat’s faeces. Symptoms of tapeworms in cats There are a number of symptoms to watch out for when it comes to tapeworms in cats. The first is to check your cat’s faeces. If they have small white ‘grains’ in them, it’s likely your cat has the parasite. These small pieces will be cream in colour and around the size of a grain of rice. If your cat is regularly licking their anus it could mean they have tapeworms. Similarly, biting or scratching at this area may be a sign. Cats also tend to drag their hind legs across the floor in order to scratch the area; if you see your cat doing this, they may have contracted the parasite. Tapeworms can also cause cats to lose weight. This weight loss may occur even though your cat’s appetite has increased. The final sign to look at for is the condition of your cat’s coat. If your cat has a tapeworm, their coat could become a lot more dull or shabby than usual. If you notice any of these signs it’s important to take your cat to see your vet as soon as possible. If noticed early, tapeworms are easy to treat and get rid of.

You’ve made a new furry addition to your family – fantastic! When your kitten is still so small and cute, it could be tough to imagine them with kittens of their own. However, as your cat reaches sexual maturity between four to six months old, they could potentially have kittens whilst they are still kittens themselves! Therefore as a new pet owner, you’ll need to start thinking about cat neutering early on. Neutering felines means that your cat will avoid any unplanned pregnancies and it can also protect them from certain diseases.

Although cat constipation is a fairly common problem, the causes and symptoms can be wildly different from one cat to the next. Discover what you need to know about this condition to help treat it quickly and prevent it from making sudden appearances into your cat’s life. If you suspect your cat is constipated, you’re no doubt eager to figure out what has caused it and how you can provide some relief to your beloved cat. In this article we look at the essential information you need, from early symptoms all the way to veterinary cat constipation treatment and ways you can prevent the discomfort to help your cat get back to their usual happy self. Cat constipation symptoms A cat who hasn’t produced stools for more than 24 hours is likely to be suffering from cat constipation. However, sometimes owners might not be up to date with their cat’s bathroom routine as some felines are known to like going to the toilet outdoors as well. Therefore you might not notice the infrequency of their toilet habit straight away. These are some of the other symptoms of cat constipation you may want to keep an eye on: • Tense abdomen • Hard, dry, small stools • Straining which can be mistaken by owners as difficulty urinating sometimes • Lack of appetite (occasionally) • Hunched posture

Getting a feline to do anything unwillingly is a challenge few owners look forward to. Here is a guide to how to give a cat a pill while minimising stress to you and your cat. Giving a cat a pill is one of those tasks cat owners keep their fingers crossed they won’t have to do too often. But unfortunately, there are times when you need to give them important medication. It’s not as easy as it sounds: there are claws and teeth you need to stay clear of, and cats are experts at spitting out pills. Before we get to our tips on how to give a cat a pill, the first thing you should do is check with your vet for any restrictions on how the medication should be administered. Certain pills can be mixed with food, while others must not be. Some pills can be crushed or divided, but others cannot as this could risk damaging your cat’s oesophagus or stomach. This is because the medication will no longer be protected by the outer coating of the pill. Knowing this information can help you decide on the best way to give your cat the tablet. Once you’ve established what you can and can’t do with your cat’s medication, there are a few methods to get past those feline defences and give your cat the pill. How to give a cat a pill Here’s a step-by-step guide to administering medication to your cat by hand. • Try to approach the task calmly, aiming to minimise stress to your cat. If you haven’t given a pill before, it is very useful to ask a vet or vet nurse to show you how to safely give oral medication. Do not put yourself at risk of getting bitten, and watch your cat closely for signs that they are becoming angry or distressed. • Place your cat on a flat, stable surface such as the floor or a tabletop. It can be helpful to put down a towel to stop them from slipping. • To give the pill, this will be easier from behind or next to your cat. However, avoid taking your cat by surprise as this will startle them and may result in a defensive scratch or nip. • Having a second pair of hands can be very helpful, but is not essential. You want your cat to be facing away from you as this will make it easier to restrain their legs or any other movement they might use to try and escape your grasp. You may find it helpful to hold them securely against your body to prevent them from reversing. • Take the pill in one hand and with the other hand gently hold over the top of their head with your thumb and index fingers either side of their jaw and tilt your cat’s head upwards. Use the other hand to gently open the lower jaw to open their mouth. • Use your index finger to place the pill in the middle of their tongue, as far back as you can. • Close your cat’s mouth, gently rub their throat for a few seconds and then return their head to a normal position and wait for them to lick their lips as they swallow. • Once you think your cat has swallowed, check their mouth and the corner of their lips if they will let you. If you can’t spot the pill, then you can be reasonably confident that you’ve been successful. • If you see they haven’t actually swallowed it, just try to place it at the back of their tongue again, close their mouth and gently rub their throat. You could squirt a very small amount of water in their mouth to encourage them to swallow the tablet, but not too much as this may cause them to choke. In some cases, it’s best to let them spit it out completely and start the process again. • The final step is to treat your cat with their favourite food and toys once they have ingested their medication. This helps to develop a positive association between receiving medication and having a treat, and can help to make the process a little easier in future. Safety tips when giving a cat a tablet • If your cat scratches or doesn’t like being held, try wrapping their body and legs in a towel, allowing only their head to remain exposed. • Always hold over the top of their head to reduce the risk of being bitten. • If your cat is particularly unruly, get another person to hold them while you administer the pill. • If you or your cat are getting stressed, stop and give them a few treats and gently stroke and soothe them before trying again. • If you get bitten by your cat, contact your GP for advice. Cat’s teeth harbour nasty bacteria which can cause an infection.

All that cleaning and removing fur you see your cat constantly do, leads to them swallowing a lot of hair, which can collect into balls in their stomachs. Here is what cat hairballs are and how you can help a cat with hairballs. Cats are very good at keeping themselves clean. They naturally know how to self-groom, and rarely need bathing. However, during the self-grooming process, they can swallow loose hair – and this leads to a cat hairball. Most cats get hairballs from time to time and it’s usually nothing to worry about. But if you are wondering what is causing them, what are the symptoms you should look out for and how to help a cat with hairballs, here is everything you need to know. What is a cat hairball? A cat hairball is a collection of dead hair and digestive juices that have formed in your cat’s stomach. Cats develop hairballs by grooming themselves and swallowing the hairs, which build into hairballs in their stomachs. All cats groom themselves by licking at their fur. Their tongues have little barbs to snag the hairs as they shed. Barbs face backwards on the tongue, a design engineered by nature to help snag loose hairs, but it also means cats have little choice but to swallow the hair they groom. Cat hairball symptoms When a cat is trying to bring up a hairball, they may start retching, gagging or acting like they are dry heaving and trying to vomit. Sometimes the sound they make is called a ‘cough-gag-retch’. This is because your cat can appear to be coughing from the lungs, gagging with their throat and retching from the stomach. Are cat hairballs normal? Many cat owners find it very difficult and distressing to hear their cats gagging and retching, and they start to wonder if there is anything they should be worrying about. This self-grooming is completely normal and cats should be doing it to keep their fur in good condition. Most individual hairs will pass through the cat’s digestive system as normal, but sometimes they can form clumps which begin to accumulate in the stomach. Cats try and vomit them up to prevent them going into the intestine and causing a blockage. Don’t be worried if you see your cat stretch their neck, dry retch (their mouth opening wide) and expel a hairball before calmly walking away. It can be distressing to watch this, but don’t worry – it’s normal.

Ear problems in cats not only impact their life, but can also have a profound effect on their relationships with owners. Just like any other sense, hearing is vital a part of how your cat navigates the world. Fortunately, cats are incredibly adaptable and can often acclimatise to life without hearing. Knowing the causes, signs and how to deal with cat deafness will help you prepare for future challenges. Causes of cat deafness There are a number of causes of deafness in cats, old age being the most common. Temporary cat deafness can be the result of the following: • Mild bacterial infections • Fungal infections • Parasitic infections, usually a result of ear mites • As a side effect of certain drugs Permanent cat deafness can be the result of: • Injury • Old age • Severe, untreated middle ear infections • Neurological problems • Tumours and polyps in the ear canal Cat breeds that have completely white fur and blue eyes are often born deaf. How will I know if my cat has experienced deafness? Deafness in cats can be incredibly difficult to pick up on, as cats are experts at using their other senses to compensate. A deaf cat might not turn when you approach, probably won’t react to loud noises, or won’t turn their ears towards sounds. You may also notice that they are difficult to rouse from sleep, and don’t respond unless physically touched. If you think your cat is suffering from deafness, it’s important to take them to the vets. If the deafness is temporary such as from an ear infection, the vet may prescribe some treatment to help clear it up.

Our cats are creatures of mystery, but their anatomy needn’t be an enigma too. At Purina, we’ve put together this guide to cat anatomy so you can understand all that’s going on inside your furry friend. We spend so much time snuggling and petting our cats and obsessing over their adorable looks, but not many of us actually know what’s going on inside. If you love cats as much as we do, you’ll probably be wanting to find out everything you can about these mysterious creatures, so we’ve put together this guide to cat anatomy to give you a peek into what’s happening inside your four-legged friend. All about cat anatomy When we have to take our furballs to the vet, we often nod and smile as they go through various cat anatomy terms, but very few of us will actually stop to ask “where is that located?” or “what’s that responsible for doing?” The internal workings of your cat are rather amazing, keep reading to discover everything from the structure of their ears to the amount of bones in the average cat’s body. Cat ear anatomy You’ll all be familiar with the adorable triangle shape of your cats’ ear (also known as the pinna), but did you know this serves a far greater purpose than just appearing cute? The pinna is the part of your cat’s ear anatomy which is responsible for capturing any soundwaves and funnelling them into the ear canal and into the middle ear. According to Pet MD, your cat’s ears have loads of muscles so they can easily manoeuvre them and turn them toward sound, increasing their ability to hear even very quiet sounds. The middle ear houses their eardrum and ossicles – these are small bones that vibrate with soundwaves which then get sent onto the inner ear. The inner ear is incredibly complex as it contains sensory cells which send electrical signals to the brain. The vestibular system is also located here which is responsible for balance and orientation – hence why your cat may feel off balance if they get an ear infection! Cat teeth and their different purposes Adult cats have 30 teeth in total and they serve 3 different purposes: holding food, chewing food and killing prey. Cat teeth are located in the alveolar socket within the jaw and are held in place by ligaments, cementum, soft tissue and bone. You may be surprised to learn that your cat’s teeth are made up of three unique substances: pulp – in the centre of the tooth, this contains cells, nerves and blood vessels; dentine – this covers the pulp; enamel – this is the protection for your cat’s teeth, it covers the crown and prevents teeth from becoming too sensitive. Different types of cat teeth: • Incisors: the small teeth at the front, which are used to hold prey. • Canines: the long, sharp teeth used for hunting. • Pre molars and molars: these are for chewing and cutting through meat and bone.

Most cat owners will be used to seeing their cat vomit from time to time without being overly concerned. Usually the occasional vomit is a result of a minor problem such as overeating or playing too vigorously immediately after dinner time. However, if your cat is vomiting more frequently, it can be a sign of a more serious condition which requires immediate veterinary attention. Chronic vomiting (lasting a number of days to weeks) can be due to gastrointestinal or systemic (whole body) disorders. What is cat vomiting? Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth. It should be differentiated from the more passive regurgitation in which expelled food is more gently brought up from the oesophagus with no stomach contractions. Vomiting cats usually show signs of nausea including drooling, lip-licking and excessive swallowing before they throw up. Potential causes of vomiting in cats If your cat is vomiting, it can be due to a wide range of causes and in chronic cases it is vital for your veterinary surgeon to find out the exact cause in order to determine the optimal treatment for your cat. Common causes of your cat being sick include: • Hairballs. • High speed of eating. • Sudden dietary changes or the introduction of new food without a gradual transition. • Ingestion of something inappropriate such as spoiled food, toxins or foreign bodies. • Intolerance, allergies or sensitivities to certain food ingredients. • Gastrointestinal infections, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites. • Inflammatory bowel disease (inflammation of the stomach and/or intestinal tract). • Tumours of the stomach, bowel or other organs. • Diseases affecting other parts of the body such as kidneys, liver, pancreas or thyroid gland. Treatment when your cat is being sick Following a single episode of vomiting, check your cat for any other signs of illness such as listlessness, fever or diarrhoea. If possible, locate and remove any item which may have caused your cat to vomit in the first place, and also remove your cat’s food bowl for a few hours.

While the occasional sneeze from your cat is completely normal and is no cause for concern, frequent sneezing might catch your attention. For humans, sneezing is a normal response to irritation in the nasal passages - the body’s way of removing an irritant from the nose. If your cat’s sneezing won’t go away, or if other symptoms such as a runny nose or eyes or coughing occur along with the sneezing, it might be time for a visit to your vet. What is cat sneezing? Sneezing is an explosive expulsion of air from the mouth and nose. Sometimes a shower of discharge is also sprayed out. This can be clear, or it may be bloodstained or even yellow or green if an infection is present.

If your cat seems hungrier than usual, here are a few reasons why that may be the case: from simple ones such as plain boredom to more serious conditions needing the vet’s attention. Is your cat acting hungry all the time? We tend to think of cats more as fussy eaters than food obsessed, so when your dear feline doesn’t stop asking for food, it’s natural to wonder whether this is normal or you should head to the vet. If you’re asking yourself ‘why is my cat always hungry’, here are a few possible reasons. Boredom Always-hungry cats might actually not be all that hungry. Their constant interest for ‘what’s for dinner’ could mean ‘I’ve got nothing else to do, but eat’. Keeping your cat physically and mentally active is incredibly important, particularly if they spend most of the time indoors. While it’s difficult to recreate all the exciting stuff going on outside that keeps cats active, there are a few tips guaranteed to entertain bored felines, including cat trees and puzzle feeders. Check out our article on cat mental stimulation if you’re stuck for ideas. Parasites If you’re wondering ‘why is my cat always hungry but skinny’, one possible reason is intestinal parasites. These little creatures are feeding off of your cat’s food intake and sometimes they may not leave enough nutrients to satisfy the cat’s needs. As a response, the pet will ask for food more often or in larger quantities. The vet will be able to discover if intestinal parasites are to blame for your cat’s large appetite and will prescribe de-worming medication.

As a responsible cat owner, it’s important to keep up to date with your kitten’s vaccinations to protect them from a range of diseases. Read about when to vaccinate your cat or kitten and what to expect here. Cat vaccinations are vital to help protect them from common illnesses and to help keep them healthy. Additionally, kitten vaccinations are a condition of boarding for most reputable catteries and they are completely necessary if you want to travel abroad with your cat or kitten. Cat vaccines can be divided into two different types: core and non-core. Core vaccines are recommended for all kittens, and non-core vaccines are given depending on the risk to an individual cat. Discuss with your vet which vaccines are best suited to your cat. How kitten vaccinations work? The aim of the kitten vaccine is to immunise your cat against certain illnesses and diseases. The vaccines will help your cat’s immune system to recognise certain viruses and get to action quickly to fight the infection, before the disease can take hold. What are the core vaccinations for cats? Core vaccinations are those recommended for all cats. They’re designed to keep your pet safe and free from some very serious conditions, so it’s very important you get your cat vaccinated against these conditions as soon as possible. By vaccinating against these core diseases, you can also help to protect other cats living in your environment by helping to establish ‘herd immunity’. The more cats that are vaccinated in any one place, the harder it is for viruses to become established in a population. If too many cats are not vaccinated then those viruses become more of a risk to all the cats living there. Core vaccinations are those recommended for all cats. They’re designed to keep your pet safe and free from some very serious conditions, so it’s very important you get your cat vaccinated against these conditions as soon as possible. By vaccinating against these core diseases, you can also help to protect other cats living in your environment by helping to establish ‘herd immunity’. The more cats that are vaccinated in any one place, the harder it is for viruses to become established in a population. If too many cats are not vaccinated then those viruses become more of a risk to all the cats living there. Kitten vaccinations include: Feline Panleukopenia Virus (Feline Infectious Enteritis or Feline Parvovirus) This is a highly contagious virus and can often be fatal, particularly for young kittens. The most common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, dehydration (even if they keep drinking), loss of appetite and, less commonly, nervous signs associated with brain damage. Feline Calicivirus This virus causes cat flu (sneezing, nasal discharge, mouth ulcers and excess salivation/dribbling). Affected cats may be reluctant to eat and have a temperature. Feline Herpesvirus This also causes cat flu, fever, sneezing and nasal discharge as well as ulcers on the eye. Chronic infection can result in nasal diseases.