Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Cat - Symptoms And Possible Treatments For Cat Health Worm Problems

With Cat health worm problems result from internal and external worms that cause many different health problems. Thinking internal worms, there is the heartworm, tapeworm, hookworm and roundworms. Usually you see no signs of worms unless you really know what to look for. Because these worms, except for heartworm, can infect people as well. Some common signs might include lack of the ability to gain weight, dull coats and in some cases diarrhea.

Cat Health Worm and the Heartworm
Heartworms do affect cats, but not as much as they do dogs. The sign of heartworm in cats is anorexia. A cat will become so underweight and experience bouts of vomiting causing concern in for owners. These worms are deadly and need prevention rather than treatment to protect the kitten and full-grown cat.

Roundworm and the Cat Health Worm Issue
Roundworms grow to be about four inches long and live in the intestine of the cat. Roundworms appear in the stool and vomit of a cat as they populate inside the cat. The cat may also show signs of bloating and in some cases, will block the intestines to prevent bowel movements. If you catch this problem early enough, you can prevent some further complications that may put your cat at risk of death.

Hookworms and the Cat Health Worm Problem
Hookworms live inside the cat and suck the blood from the cat usually causing the cat to become anemic. These worms live in the intestines and are generally found in younger cats rather than in older cats. Older cats seem to develop an immunity to fight the hookworm that kittens do not have at such a young age.

Cat Health Worm Problems and the Tapeworm
Tapeworms feed from the cat and cause the cats to become weak and listless if not treated. In young kittens, these worms hinder the growth and can cause death if not treated early. You see these worms by the rectum and they appear to be little pieces of rice.

Treatment of Intestinal Worms
If you bring a kitten home without treating it for worms, chances are, if you have other cats, they will become infected. The thought that all kittens have worms, is not true. Kittens born outside probably do, but kittens born inside to a properly cared for mother may not. If you have a kitten with worms, an over the counter de-wormer works great. You may need to treat more than once, but generally speaking, one dose for an inside cat usually cures the problem.

Heartworm prevention is the only way to protect the cat. If an animal contracts the heartworm, killing the worm may and not of the time does kill the pet. These worms affect cats and dogs, but for cats, it appears to cause health problems earlier than with a dog. Prevention always saves lives and keeps the cat happy and healthy. Cat health worm and potential problems need immediate attention to prevent further health complications.

You can also find more info on Neutered Cat Post Operative and Pregnant Cat Health. Aboutcathealth.org is a comprehensive resource to find more information about cat health.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mandi_Fain

Cat - How to Remove Cat Urine

There are a number of reasons that cats, who are fastidious creatures, may choose to urinate outside their litterbox. The primary causes are a box that is dirty, and hasn't been kept scooped or cleaned, and urinary tract infection. If your cat's litterbox is pristine, then you may want to take them to the vet for a urinalysis, and then a discussion of possible behavioral causes.

But when a cat urinates indoors, particularly if they have done it more than once in the same spot, the smell can be pretty pervasive. The worst is from unaltered tom cats, whose hormones are announcing that he's ready for romance. Neutering will not only cure the odor, but the behavior as well. However, you'll still need to find a cure for the smells and/ or stains.

If you can smell it, but not locate the stains, get a blacklight at the hardware store. These are the "special effect" lights used for Halloween and stage productions. When turned on in total darkness, they have a purple glow, and make certain things like white articles, fluoresce and glow in the dark. It will also make urine glow. Put the bulb in an automobile "trouble lamp" receptacle and make a hood to go over the usual metal cage. This will help direct the light, making it more intensive and the stains easier to find.

Urine stains that have dried, can be treated the same way as fresh spots, with the exception that they should be sprayed with warm water first, to soften the fibers and allow for easier removal of the odor and urine.

Take several folded paper towels and place them over the urine spot. Step on it with your shoe and press down. Do not "work" it in, just lend your weight to blotting. Take away the wet towel and put down dry ones. Repeat until no more liquid comes up.

Apply a stain and odor remover that has an enzyme base. Remember that cat urine is a biological product, and chemical based solutions are not usually the answer, because odor can remain afterwards, which will attract the cat back to the same spot. Use the remover as directed on the container. When done, shampoo that section of carpet, and dry. Ideally, a steam clean is best, in order to bring out any remover and urine that is deep into the nap or pile.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Cat - How to Remove Cat Urine

There are a number of reasons that cats, who are fastidious creatures, may choose to urinate outside their litterbox. The primary causes are a box that is dirty, and hasn't been kept scooped or cleaned, and urinary tract infection. If your cat's litterbox is pristine, then you may want to take them to the vet for a urinalysis, and then a discussion of possible behavioral causes.

But when a cat urinates indoors, particularly if they have done it more than once in the same spot, the smell can be pretty pervasive. The worst is from unaltered tom cats, whose hormones are announcing that he's ready for romance. Neutering will not only cure the odor, but the behavior as well. However, you'll still need to find a cure for the smells and/ or stains.

If you can smell it, but not locate the stains, get a blacklight at the hardware store. These are the "special effect" lights used for Halloween and stage productions. When turned on in total darkness, they have a purple glow, and make certain things like white articles, fluoresce and glow in the dark. It will also make urine glow. Put the bulb in an automobile "trouble lamp" receptacle and make a hood to go over the usual metal cage. This will help direct the light, making it more intensive and the stains easier to find.

Urine stains that have dried, can be treated the same way as fresh spots, with the exception that they should be sprayed with warm water first, to soften the fibers and allow for easier removal of the odor and urine.

Take several folded paper towels and place them over the urine spot. Step on it with your shoe and press down. Do not "work" it in, just lend your weight to blotting. Take away the wet towel and put down dry ones. Repeat until no more liquid comes up.

Apply a stain and odor remover that has an enzyme base. Remember that cat urine is a biological product, and chemical based solutions are not usually the answer, because odor can remain afterwards, which will attract the cat back to the same spot. Use the remover as directed on the container. When done, shampoo that section of carpet, and dry. Ideally, a steam clean is best, in order to bring out any remover and urine that is deep into the nap or pile.

Visit http://www.LearnHowToRemove.com for a growing library of tips to remove those annoying messes in your life.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_H._Murphy

Cat - Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopard is a unique animal. A medium sized cat, it has sufficient genetic diversity to classify into a specie, unique from the leopard and Bornean clouded leopard. The cat, though, is not strictly included in big or small cats, owing to its inability to roar or purr respectively. Length is around three to four feet, weight approximately forty to fifty pounds, with males being generally bigger. It occurs in the wild exclusively in South East Asia.

The Clouded Leopard coat is generally tawny and is marked by a number of irregular shapes mimicking clouds, hence the name. The tail is nearly three feet long, at times as long as the body, and assists the cat in its acrobatic climbs up and down trees. Capable of moving over branches horizontally, hanging from them by its hind legs, and coming down tree trunks head first - clouded leopard is considered as one of the best tree climbers in all cats, a fact assisted by large paws and sharp claws that support grip on trees. In fact it spends most of its day time on trees, resting on branches.

Previously considered a nocturnal hunter, the Clouded Leopard is now seen in activity during day time as well. Prey is usually taken on the ground, though jumping at it from trees is a preferred tactic. Hunting is assisted by its long canine teeth, considered to be the longest proportional to body size in family felidae. In fact the long fangs have led many to compare the Clouded Leopard to the Saber toothed tiger! Prey is usually small to mid-sized animals including monkeys, birds, porcupines and deer.

Owing to its rarity and elusive nature, the Clouded Leopard has seldom been studied in the wild. Few animals have been successfully collared and monitored. As a result, very little is known about its behavior in nature, though it is generally considered a solitary cat that comes together for mating and perhaps raring of the young. Gestational period is around three months and on average a litter of three cubs is born. They are blind and helpless initially but become active in a month's time. Lifespan is nearly seventeen years in captivity and eleven years in the wild.

The beautiful Clouded Leopard is classified as a vulnerable specie and strict embargoes are placed by CITES and the US government on the trade of live animals or its parts, allowing only the scientific study of these great cats. The bans though are poorly enforced in the native countries and this has led to a global Clouded Leopard population that is less than five hundred - much like Asiatic lions they face extinction unless greater protection of these cats and their habitat is enforced in the wild.

Breeding in captivity is quite difficult owing to the aggressive nature of male clouded leopards who frequently attack females when introduced to them. A new approach though, that employs grouping the animals together before they are one year of age, has proven to be more successful, raising some home for sustenance of this wonderful specie of cats!

Cat - Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopard is a unique animal. A medium sized cat, it has sufficient genetic diversity to classify into a specie, unique from the leopard and Bornean clouded leopard. The cat, though, is not strictly included in big or small cats, owing to its inability to roar or purr respectively. Length is around three to four feet, weight approximately forty to fifty pounds, with males being generally bigger. It occurs in the wild exclusively in South East Asia.

The Clouded Leopard coat is generally tawny and is marked by a number of irregular shapes mimicking clouds, hence the name. The tail is nearly three feet long, at times as long as the body, and assists the cat in its acrobatic climbs up and down trees. Capable of moving over branches horizontally, hanging from them by its hind legs, and coming down tree trunks head first - clouded leopard is considered as one of the best tree climbers in all cats, a fact assisted by large paws and sharp claws that support grip on trees. In fact it spends most of its day time on trees, resting on branches.

Previously considered a nocturnal hunter, the Clouded Leopard is now seen in activity during day time as well. Prey is usually taken on the ground, though jumping at it from trees is a preferred tactic. Hunting is assisted by its long canine teeth, considered to be the longest proportional to body size in family felidae. In fact the long fangs have led many to compare the Clouded Leopard to the Saber toothed tiger! Prey is usually small to mid-sized animals including monkeys, birds, porcupines and deer.

Owing to its rarity and elusive nature, the Clouded Leopard has seldom been studied in the wild. Few animals have been successfully collared and monitored. As a result, very little is known about its behavior in nature, though it is generally considered a solitary cat that comes together for mating and perhaps raring of the young. Gestational period is around three months and on average a litter of three cubs is born. They are blind and helpless initially but become active in a month's time. Lifespan is nearly seventeen years in captivity and eleven years in the wild.

The beautiful Clouded Leopard is classified as a vulnerable specie and strict embargoes are placed by CITES and the US government on the trade of live animals or its parts, allowing only the scientific study of these great cats. The bans though are poorly enforced in the native countries and this has led to a global Clouded Leopard population that is less than five hundred - much like Asiatic lions they face extinction unless greater protection of these cats and their habitat is enforced in the wild.

Breeding in captivity is quite difficult owing to the aggressive nature of male clouded leopards who frequently attack females when introduced to them. A new approach though, that employs grouping the animals together before they are one year of age, has proven to be more successful, raising some home for sustenance of this wonderful specie of cats!

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on clouded leopard.

Learn more about cats here: http://ailurophiles.blogspot.com

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Omer_Ashraf

Cat - Spay Or Neuter Your Cat

You can avoid unwanted problems for your fluffy, furry friend when you spay or neuter your cat. There are surplus amounts of cats and kittens living in alleyways and wandering the streets, unhealthy, unclean and mean- all because an owner was not responsible and did not spay or neuter their cat. It is not necessary to wait until your cat matures in order to spay or neuter them. In fact, there are misconceptions about waiting to spay or neuter. A female cat does not need to have a litter of kittens or go into heat before being spayed. Both female and male cats should be spayed and neutered by six months of age. Both sexes undergo a surgical procedure to permanently remove the sex organs. In females, the spay or ovariohysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and ovaries and in males, a neuter is the removal of the testicles.

Having this procedure done by six months or even earlier will prevent the cat from developing annoying mating instincts such as spraying urine around your house and/or yard and decreasing the need for the cats to escape outside, looking desperately for a mate- which can cause them to get hurt, lost or disoriented. Neutering your male cat will lower his desire to fight with other cats and prevent unwanted litters of kittens. Female cats, when spayed, have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, which tends to be fatal in cats. When you spay your female cat, you prevent her from contracting pyometra, a painful and very serious infection of the uterus that affects older females and requires surgery and intensive medical care.

Of course, unwanted litters and difficult pregnancies in older cats are completely prevented if you spay your female cat early. In addition to all these health benefits, you will not have to listen to the awful, disturbing sound of a female cat in heat, slinking around the house with her tail in the air! Neither male nor female cats will gain weight after being spayed or neutered. Some veterinarians suggest early spay or neuter. This term refers to cats being altered at a very young age, between 6 and 14 weeks. This procedure has been in practice for 25 years in North America and is a safe operation for your kitten to undergo. Studies have shown that early spay and neuter does not affect the behavior of your cat in any way differently than spaying or neutering at six months.

What it provides is the absolute assurance that your cat will not breed unwanted litters. Humane societies all over the world are overrun with unwanted cats and other animals. It is imperative that a responsible owner take his or her part in helping to control the population of unwanted pets and reducing the stress on the Humane Society in your area from placing these animals in friendly, loving homes. Many pets are euthanized when the shelter cannot find a home for them. If you want to breed your cat, discuss birth control options with your veterinarian.

Cat - Spay Or Neuter Your Cat

You can avoid unwanted problems for your fluffy, furry friend when you spay or neuter your cat. There are surplus amounts of cats and kittens living in alleyways and wandering the streets, unhealthy, unclean and mean- all because an owner was not responsible and did not spay or neuter their cat. It is not necessary to wait until your cat matures in order to spay or neuter them. In fact, there are misconceptions about waiting to spay or neuter. A female cat does not need to have a litter of kittens or go into heat before being spayed. Both female and male cats should be spayed and neutered by six months of age. Both sexes undergo a surgical procedure to permanently remove the sex organs. In females, the spay or ovariohysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and ovaries and in males, a neuter is the removal of the testicles.

Having this procedure done by six months or even earlier will prevent the cat from developing annoying mating instincts such as spraying urine around your house and/or yard and decreasing the need for the cats to escape outside, looking desperately for a mate- which can cause them to get hurt, lost or disoriented. Neutering your male cat will lower his desire to fight with other cats and prevent unwanted litters of kittens. Female cats, when spayed, have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, which tends to be fatal in cats. When you spay your female cat, you prevent her from contracting pyometra, a painful and very serious infection of the uterus that affects older females and requires surgery and intensive medical care.

Of course, unwanted litters and difficult pregnancies in older cats are completely prevented if you spay your female cat early. In addition to all these health benefits, you will not have to listen to the awful, disturbing sound of a female cat in heat, slinking around the house with her tail in the air! Neither male nor female cats will gain weight after being spayed or neutered. Some veterinarians suggest early spay or neuter. This term refers to cats being altered at a very young age, between 6 and 14 weeks. This procedure has been in practice for 25 years in North America and is a safe operation for your kitten to undergo. Studies have shown that early spay and neuter does not affect the behavior of your cat in any way differently than spaying or neutering at six months.

What it provides is the absolute assurance that your cat will not breed unwanted litters. Humane societies all over the world are overrun with unwanted cats and other animals. It is imperative that a responsible owner take his or her part in helping to control the population of unwanted pets and reducing the stress on the Humane Society in your area from placing these animals in friendly, loving homes. Many pets are euthanized when the shelter cannot find a home for them. If you want to breed your cat, discuss birth control options with your veterinarian.

Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on pets and visit our associated site articles for free

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell

Cat - Hello from Rochester: A Discovery of Its Architectural Jewels

My second day in Rochester started off with a lovely Park Avenue neighbourhood breakfast and an exploration of the ArtWalk neighbourhood. I only had a few hours left before I would have to hop back on the high-speed ferry, the CAT, to Toronto, and I definitely wanted to get a more indepth look at some of Rochester's historical architecture. Rochester is one of those North American cities that has managed to preserve a good portion of its historical masterpieces, despite the "urban renewal" efforts of the 1960s that saw many historic buildings razed and replaced with nameless, faceless skyscrapers and office buildings.

We started our architectural tour right at the foot of the building that fascinated me the most: the Times Square Building. However, an equipment malfunction (i.e. empty batteries) forced me to search for a convenience store, and my local expert Patti came to my aid and took me to another historical building, the Reynolds Arcade, where I was able to replace my batteries and continue my photographic journey.

The Academy Building was built between 1872 and 1873 and is a later version of Gothic revival. The building was originally a high school, later became the Municipal Court and Education Building and also served as headquarters for the Board of Education. Today it houses offices and features a dramatically sky lit central atrium.

City Hall is the former Federal Building and was built between 1885 and 1889 as a superb example of Richardsonian Romanesque style. The building housed various government operations as well as Rochester's main post office. The City of Rochester acquired the building in 1975 for $1.00 and started renovation and construction of a 45,000 square foot award winning addition.

The elegant three-story atrium inside City Hall features cast-iron work and marble columns and a stone mosaic. It has a glass roof and is often used as a setting for weddings and special events.

St. Joseph's Park is another fascinating structure: it is located in what was the city's oldest Catholic church, built in 1843 by German immigrants, and was destroyed by fire in 1974. Only the exterior fa?ade remains and the inside of the former church has been turned into a park, with an enclosed courtyard and fountain. It provides a welcome tranquil spot in the downtown area.

There would have been so many more buildings to see, but my stay in Rochester was rapidly coming to end. My departure on the ferry was scheduled for 3:30 pm and we still had to have lunch and check out the Charlotte area surrounding the Rochester ferry terminal.

So we headed off on the green highways of the city, which is located about 13 km (8 miles) south of Charlotte on Lake Ontario. This time I really enjoyed the drive through the well-manicured streets of Rochester since a crystal-blue sky brought out the vibrant colours of the surrounding scenery.

We had a casual lunch in the bright sunshine on the patio of the Pelican's Nest restaurant, located right on the Western shore of the Genesee River. The view from the restaurant is great - you get to peak out at an old, now unused swivelling railroad bridge that marks the center of the river. Families of ducks, sail boats and kayakers round out the serene picture.

About half an hour before the departure of the ferry we checked out Ontario Beach Park which features a beautiful sandy beach, a boardwalk, various concession stands, a community center as well as the famous historic Denzel Carousel, created by Gustav A. Denzel, a German immigrant to Philadelphia who opened a cabinet making shop and found his calling in carving horses. He introduced a novel mechanism that allowed the animals on the carousel to go up and down. Today there are only 26 Denzel carousels left, of which 14 are still in operation. Interestingly enough, the only one left in Canada is located in Toronto, in the Centreville Amusement Park, just a ferry ride away from Rochester...

Just minutes before getting on the ferry my local experts Patti and Carrie said they couldn't let me go before exposing me to another Rochesterian specialty: a sample of Abbot's frozen custard! I had never tasted frozen custard before, I guess it's very similar to icecream, just smoother and creamier.

So after a very fulfilling taste of chocolate and almonds I made my way onto the Spirit of Ontario ferry, also referred to as the CAT, and I watched our slow departure from the ferry dock from the top open-air deck of the vessel. As the vessel sped up to its top speed of almost 80 kph (50 mph) I stood out there watching the Port of Rochester and the southern shorelines of Lake Ontario disappear. I thought that I had had a fabulous time in picturesque Rochester, and now that the ferry makes things so much more accessible, I am planning to come back to check out Rochester and its surrounding area in more detail in the future.