by Margejane | Cat Food & Treats, Featured
CATS WITH DIARRHEA
Cats with diarrhea isn’t a pleasant topic but it must be addressed. There are many different causes of diarrhea in cats, so the treatment varies. In simple cases of adult cat diarrhea, withholding food for 12-24 hours and providing water frequently, then feeding bland food like boiled fat-free chicken or boiled hamburger and boiled rice or plain mashed potatoes given in small amounts to start may resolve the problem.
Does your cat have smelly poop? If so, there are a number of reasons this could be happening, such as intestinal parasites such as Giardia. Giardia can cause foul-smelling feces with or without diarrhea. Other parasites such as Coccidia and trichomonas are parasites that can cause intestinal inflammation, odor, and diarrhea.
Signs of possible parasitic infection are chronic vomiting and loss of appetite, weight loss, and malnutrition. Some cats show no signs of disease.
GETTING RID OF PARASITES
De-worming can be done by either oral or injectable medication. Hookworms are blood-sucking intestinal parasites and can cause anemia and possibly death. Hookworms are intestinal parasites that live in the digestive system of your cat (or dog). They attach to the intestinal wall and feed on your cat or dog’s blood.
The eggs get ejected into the digestive tract and pass into the feces.
TAPEWORMS IN CATS
These are long, flat white worms with hook-like mouths that anchor onto the wall of your cat‘s small intestine. Cats can get infected if they digest an infected flea while grooming, and then the flea can transmit a tiny tapeworm into the cat and grow into a full-sized adult worm. If treated promptly tapeworms shouldn’t prove dangerous.
With the proper medication, the tapeworms can be killed within 24 hours, and on occasion, a second dose is required 3-4 weeks later.
HOW TO GET RID OF FLEAS ON CATS
Years ago I fell in love with a beautiful Torti cat I saw on Petfinder and decided to adopt her. To my horror, it turned out my beautiful new cat had fleas! I had never had this problem before.
I had two other cats in my apartment and I was panicking. In my case, I took the cats to the vet for flea baths and fumigated the place with Cedarcide, an all-natural non-toxic product that suffocates the fleas rather than poison them. One treatment and my home were once again free of fleas.
Cedarcide can rid your home and garden of all sorts of pests. It’s available on their website. You can also safely treat your cat’s flea problem with Flea-Ex, an all-natural, highly effective product.
You can find this and many other all-natural cat products where I shop for mine. My 17-year-old cat, who has chronic kidney disease, was not eating, but after using these all-natural products for cats with kidney disease, she started eating well the very next day, much to my amazement, has continued doing so and got a very good bill of health from a recent veterinarian visit.
If you don’t or can’t fumigate your home:
- Vacuum floors (I put a flea collar inside my vacuum which was recommended)
as well as upholstery and mattresses (I sprayed my mattress with Cedarcide, and never got another flea bite after that one treatment) and you can also spray Cedarcide on your furniture.
- Wash all of your bedding and your cat’s bedding in hot water.
NOTE: The above-recommended product, Cedarcide, is not only excellent to kill fleas, but works great on all kinds of pests, both indoors and out, and is safe around animals and humans.
UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS (URI)
The upper respiratory tract includes the mouth, nose, sinus, throat, larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe.) Bronchitis and pneumonia are infections of the lower respiratory tract.
DO CATS GET “COLDS?”
Cats do get upper respiratory infections (URI’s.) What is the cause of URI’s in cats?
There are two viruses that are the most common causes. They are the feline herpes virus and the feline calicivirus. These two viruses make up almost 90% of colds (URI’s) in cats. There are a few other causes, such as feline chlamydiosis, Bordetella, and mycoplasma. Cats with severe URI’s may be tested for these pathogens, as well as if large groups of cats have been exposed.
SYMPTOMS YOUR CAT MAY HAVE AN UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION (URI)
Symptoms may include cat’s eyes watering, wheezing, sneezing in cats, runny nose, sniffling, fever (often evident by loss of appetite, oral or nasal ulcers, raspy voice or loss of voice).
WHEN TO SEND YOUR CAT TO THE CAT CLINIC (OR DOG & CAT HOSPITAL)
If your cat is eating and drinking normally, is active and acting per usual, then most likely your cat will recover on its own. I personally highly recommend the all-natural cat product on (put TwoCrazyCatLadies link here). This is not to replace veterinary care, but the products for URI work well to boost kitty’s immune system. Fortunately, most URI’s are relatively mild. A little extra care should take care of kitty for a full recovery.
Although most URI’s are viral in nature, there are times when antibiotics are required to prevent a secondary bacterial infection such as Bordetella and feline chlamydiosis. Your veterinarian can determine if this is needed.
If your kitty has stopped eating, and the cat’s eyes are watering, wheezing and/or sneezing a lot, not eating, congested so that kitty must keep its mouth open in order to breathe, please take your cat to your vet as soon as possible.
MY STORY
Many years ago I had put my two cats, Sam and Pinky, into boarding at a brand new veterinary clinic. I hadn’t wanted to do this but my then-boyfriend didn’t want anyone he didn’t know coming into our apartment while we were out of town.
We were only gone for one week. When I returned, my little cat, Pinky, had a slightly running nose and watery eyes, but she was eating and behaving fine. My large male cat, Sam, was so sick it was frightening. He stopped eating and drinking, stopped grooming himself, and worst of all stopped urinating and defecating.
He would just lie on his back with his mouth open and his tongue hanging out. I rushed him to the vet I had boarded him at, and was told that, unbeknownst to them, a woman had boarded four cats, one of whom had an upper respiratory infection. Of course, the vet treated Sam free of charge.
I had to take Sam to the vet every day, and force-feed Sam with a syringe every day. My other cat, Pinky, recovered quickly and even groomed poor Sam.
Sam eventually recovered. I bring this true story up as an example of how different the severity of UTI’s can be. I must tell you that after this experience I refused to ever board my cats again.
To this day whenever my husband and I go out of town, I have a great cat sitter care for our five cats in our home.
by Margejane | Cat Food & Treats, Cat Health
I had given my cats one of those commercial brands of cat treats until I read the label – full of unhealthy fat, preservatives, and in a nutshell, nothing good. We’ve probably all done that. I am sure you, my valued readers, want the very best for your cats, so I have searched for and found five all-natural, healthy and delicious (for cats) homemade cat treats. Easy to make and kitty will probably love them. I hope you’ll have as much fun making them as I have chosen them for you.
NOTE: if you make tuna treats, please be sure not to give too many dailies, and do not make these all the time. Tuna does contain mercury; in small amounts it’s okay, but not as a constant.
CHICKEN CAT TREATS
- 1 heaping cup rolled oats
- 4 ounces cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 heaping teaspoon dried catnip
- 1 large egg
Put oats in a food processor until they are flour. Put the remaining ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Put into a bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out ¼ teaspoon-sized portions into balls, then flatten using your finger. Place evenly on the baking sheets.
Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown and dried out on top. Let cool completely. Store in fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
YUMMY CAT TREATS (GRAIN FREE! NO BAKING REQUIRED!)
- 1 cup low sodium skinless, boneless canned sardines in water, drained
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- (NOT pie filling, get pure pumpkin puree)
- 1 tablespoon fish oil
- 1 tablespoon kelp (available at health food stores)
Mix all ingredients and roll into balls. Put into containers and separate each layer with waxed paper to keep them from sticking together. Treats keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.
CHICKEN & SPINACH CAT TREATS
Note: You can use salmon or tuna in place of chicken. Whenever possible choose organic.
- ½ lb. boneless & skinless chicken thighs, steamed
- 1cup spinach leaves
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon catnip
- ¼ cup flour (I prefer whole wheat or rice flour)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam the chicken thighs until cooked through. You can use chicken breasts, salmon or tuna if you prefer. Let the chicken cool for 20 minutes before step 2.
- Place chicken, oats, spinach leaves, egg, and catnip in blender or food processor, and pulse on low until the mixture blends together. It should be slightly chunky but smooth, like wet sand.
- Place the mixture into a bowl and add the flour. Knead the dough until it is not sticky, then put it on a work surface dusted with flour.
- Use a rolling pin and create a rectangle of dough approximately ½ inch thick. Create small shapes with a cookie cutter.
- Put the kitty treats on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool until room temperature. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It should last about 5 days.
POTATO AND TUNA PATTIES
- 1 small potato, peeled
- 1 can tuna in water, drained
- 1 egg
- Coconut flour, if needed
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Boil or microwave potato until well-cooked and tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a medium blow, mash the potato with a fork.
- Add drained tuna and egg and mix until well combined and easy to mold. If the mixture is too moist add a little coconut flour, a teaspoon at a time.
- Shape mixture into bite-sized patties and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly browned and crispy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
SALMON AND CARROT CAT TREATS
- 1 can salmon, drained
- ½ cup carrot slices
- Coconut flour if needed
- Steam the carrots until mushy.
- In a blender, combine the salmon and carrots and process until well combined. Add coconut flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary to make the mixture moldable.
- Form the mixture into bite-sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Freeze until firm. Store in the freezer in an airtight container.
by Margejane | Cat Behaviors, Cat Food & Treats, Cat Health
So you’re thinking your cat is overweight. But how (unless he is obviously quite fat) to be sure? By taking a BCS, or Body Condition Score. A BCS is a number assigned to a cat’s body type ranging from 1-9, with 1 being very underweight and 9 being very overweight. The ideal weight is around 5, which is the healthiest cat weight.
If your cat is at the ideal weight (5) – your cat should have a well-proportioned body; you can see the waist behind the ribs; you’ll be able to feel the ribs but they have a slight covering of fat. There should be a little paunch of abdominal fat. Now, if your cat is overweight, meaning a BCS of 6-9, you can feel his ribs but they have excess fat covering. The waist and tummy fat pad can be noticed, but it’s not obvious. There’s no abdominal tuck. In an even more obese cat, the ribs cannot be felt and have excess fat covering. You can’t see the waist and the stomach is round with prominent tummy fat. The back has extra fat also. At the most extreme, kitty’s ribs and lumbar area are covered under a heavy fat covering. There’s also heavy fat deposits on the face and limbs The abdomen’s distended and covered in fat and you can’t see the waist – kitty’s too fat to have one.
ASSESS YOUR CAT STEP-BY-STEP
Here’s how to examine your cat thoroughly:
- Feel the ribs – see how easy it is to feel your cat’s ribs. If your cat is at the proper weight it will feel like feeling pencils in a pocket.
- Check kitty’s waist – an overweight cat does not have an hourglass shape – you’ll feel it when you run your hands along your cat’s ribs – they should tuck in when your hands reach the end of the ribs and come to the waist.
- Look at the side view – when you look at your cat from the side, kitty’s stomach should tuck up back towards the hind legs.
HELPING YOUR CAT LOSE WEIGHT
It’s estimated that 50% of cats in America are overweight. An overweight cat is more susceptible to diabetes, many types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis, bladder stones, etc.
It’s a slow and gradual process to get your cat back to a healthy weight. Losing weight too quickly is unhealthy and can be dangerous.
The following are some ways to help kitty lose weight:
- Measure kitty’s food so you know exactly how much kitty is eating. Calculate how much your cat is eating now and make a note of it. Keep a record of the amounts as you gradually reduce the amount of food you feed kitty (no more than 10% – 20% per month.)
- Feed your cat several small meals throughout the day. Your kitty will feel less deprived that way even though you’re gradually decreasing the amount of food he’s eating.
- Cats need a more natural diet – high moisture, high protein, and low carbohydrate. Most of the commercial kibble is not healthy. Try to transition your cat to wet or freeze-dried foods. There are some cats that seem to do better on a low calorie, high fiber weight loss diet. Your veterinarian can help determine what’s best for your kitty. Also, ask your vet about supplementing your cat’s food with L-carnitine, an amino acid that can help kitty lose weight faster while gaining lean muscle mass.
- More exercise – get some great interactive cat toys and spend time playing with the kitty a few times a day.
NOTE: You only want your cat to lose 3% – 4% of total weight per month, equivalent to one pound a month for a 20 pound cat. Keep a record of kitty’s weight (weigh every week or 10 days) and then sustain that weight loss by continuing the healthy food regimen.
In closing, helping your cat lose the weight it needs to lose can add years of a healthy life, and helping in the weight loss journey is well worth the effort!
by Margejane | Cat Food & Treats, Cat Health
As cat owners, we have the responsibility of keeping our cats happy and healthy.
Being a kind and loving “pet parent” can certainly keep your cat(s) happy. Keeping our cat(s) healthy means being aware of any changes in our cats’ behavior and/or appearance. When we become aware that something is wrong, we take the kitty to our veterinarian, and hopefully, it’s something that can be resolved simply with a prescription (my FREE pet prescription discount card can help save you money on your cat’s prescription medications.)
Sometimes your cat’s condition may be more complicated – for example, a chronic condition such as hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, or FIV.
Traditional medicine plays a very important part in our cats’ lives. What is gaining more acceptance nowadays is naturopathy for pets. Animal naturopathy is an alternative form of healing using the only natural, non-invasive, drug-free methods to prevent and treat illness in animals. In my case, for instance, while I take my cat with chronic kidney disease to a traditional veterinarian, I also will use a naturopathic product to help keep her kidneys stay as strong as possible, as well as a naturopathic “calming” product to help another of my cats who is very nervous and neurotic.
To get the full picture of available treatments for your cat(s), it’s a good idea to discuss your options with both a traditional and naturopathic veterinarian. You can learn more about naturopathic products as seen on My Crazy Cat Ladies.
If you’re interested in chasing a course in healthcare, you may consider applying for this UK health scholarship offered by Swansea University.
by Margejane | Cat Food & Treats, Cat Health
When you care for your cats, you want to be sure you’re doing everything right…sometimes that means taking the kitty to the vet and getting a prescription such as an antibiotic or topical medication. That can get pretty costly…until now. Visit Americasdrugcard.org/Marge, and print out your pet prescription discount card today!! Call or text me at (630)887-6746, or email me at [email protected] for more cards.
But what can you do to help keep your cat healthy, or improve it? We all love our feline friends and want to do all we can to have them with us as long as possible. That’s why I recommend the wonderful all-natural products offered by these two crazy cat ladies. You’ll find everything to help keep your cat healthy, from the powerful immune-boosting FeLeuk Kit to Kitty Kidney Kit, and so much more. Visit the two crazy cat ladies today and help kitty stay happy and healthy!
by Margejane | Cat Accessories, Cat Food & Treats, Cat Health
Cats are a common sight in many households. These felines are known to be warm, furry and friendly. Children especially derive joy from having a pet in the home, particularly if it is a cat. However, even within households, cats are exposed to danger. No one would want his or her cat to get hurt, sick, weak or even die (in the most extreme cases). Therefore, it is imperative that you identify, isolate and mitigate the common household dangers cats face. The truism ‘prevention is better than cure” is very appropriate and is definitely applicable in this case.
The fact is anything that has the potential to poison, harm, maim, disfigure, cut, burn, scald or shock a cat or kittens can be and should be classified as a potential danger. Knowledge of these dangers and their mitigation can help save the life of the family cat loved and adored by all, avert unscheduled visits to the vet, cut down on unforeseen vet bills and head off a sad untimely end. The following are at least 8 common household dangers for cats, so be sure to look out for them:
1- Human Foods: Grapes, raisins, avocados, garlic, and products containing xylitol (categorized as a sugar alcohol and present in small amounts in some vegetables and fruits), can seriously disable our furry friends. In addition to this chocolate when ingested by cats can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. Ensure all these foods are kept out of reach.
2- Chemicals and Poisons: These include bleach, detergents, disinfectants, antifreeze, garden fertilizers, rodent poisons. If these are ingested or inhaled by cats (even in small quantities), they can cause serious life-threatening problems and chemical burns. If for instance, disinfectant is used on kitchen cookers as well as flat surfaces like tabletops, towels should be used to dry it up immediately before cats get to walk on the surface or even lick them. Also always keep the toilet seat down as powerful chemicals are also used to keep it clean and kill germs. Furthermore, it is dangerous and sometimes catastrophic, when people mistakenly apply flea and tick products to the wrong species (products meant for dogs are used on cats and vice versa). The best way to avoid this is to read labels correctly and consult your vets before starting a flea and tick eradication program or exercise.
3- Human Medications: Prescriptions, over the counter drugs like pain killers, cold meds, anti-depressants, and dietary supplements, are probably the most dangerous category of threat in the home. Cats can grab pills from containers or eat meds accidentally dropped on the floor. So it is essential to lock them away in cabinets or places they (cats) have no access to. Childproof latches will really come in handy in case your cat is a problem solver.
4- Plants: Some plants are poisonous to cats especially lilies which causes life threatening kidney failure even in minute amounts. Holly, mistletoe, Christmas trees (used on special occasions like holidays) and Christmas tree water are all lethal to cats. Furthermore, decorations like tinsel, ribbons, fake grass, balloons, candles, snow globes, and lights should all be securely stowed away as they can cause intestinal blockages to cats if ingested. Snow globes especially contain toxic chemicals. Turkey bones as well can cause choking so food in plates should be stashed away and never left uncovered or unattended.
5- Dangerous Objects: Rubber bands, hair ties, earbuds, yarn, and dental floss. These may be harmless to us as humans but if swallowed by cats will result in intestinal blockages and even death. Plastics like cellophane bags can even choke cats. Therefore freshly bought groceries should be put away as quickly as possible and plastic bags tucked in a safe hiding place like drawers. Toys with strings should also be kept out of reach of cats.
6- Fireworks: The resulting loud sounds and bright flashes from fireworks tend to startle and frighten cats. Consequently, it is wise to be aware of this and apply prudent measures to curtail or avoid these entirely.
7- Fire Hazards: Items and products used in the home like cooking gas and gasoline for generators and cars are all potential fire hazards if not carefully handled. Gas can choke cats to death while fires will no doubt lead to fatalities. Ensure all necessary safety measures are applied. Furthermore, ensure your windows have Pet Alert stickers on them depicting which rooms have pets in them in case of a fire outbreak. This would enable emergency first responders (like firefighters) pinpoint rooms where the pets are located and rescue them.
8- Miscellaneous Hazards: These include cords of window blinds which potentially could strangle cats. These should be coiled and kept out of reach. Ensure all windows screens are securely fastened and latches locked down. Washers and dryers (washing and drying machines) should be kept closed at all times when not in use. Furthermore, as an additional safety precaution ensure you carry out visual inspection of the machines before turning them on as cats have been known to be trapped within. This would prove fatal to the cats if the machines are turned on with the pets inside. Electrical wires are another high-risk hazard, as cats are sometimes known to chew on them. If plugged to an electrical outlet this could result in electrocution. Endeavor to hide the wires under carpets or rugs or encase them in tubing and coat them with something safe that tastes horrible to cats like bitter apple spray. Provide cats with safe alternatives like chewy toys coated with a flavor delicious to cats like tuna juice or paste. Kitchen utensils used in culinary preparations are also a potential danger. This is because they more often than not have sharp, serrated or pointed edges or ends which can accidentally cut, pierce, amputate or stab cats while being used in the kitchen. Also, be safety conscious when using them to avoid tragic incidents.
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