Things You Should Know When Buying a Cat

The domestic cat can be a very rewarding pet to own, providing great companionship, but like all pets cats have their problems, whether it be health or behavioral, most can be treated with medical help and care.

Common Health Problems Affecting the Domestic Cat

Fleas and mites

Fleas and mites can effect any cat at any time, causing excessive itching and mange if left untreated. A responsible cat owner will treat a cat for fleas every 12 weeks with an appropriate ointment to kill any existing fleas or mites and prevent further infestation. On discovering an infestation on a cat all other pets in the household need to be treated in order to eradicate the problem, sometimes carpets and bedding need to be treated too.

Fleas that are left untreated in a cat or any pet can cause great discomfort, causing the cat to itch excessively which can sometimes lead to bald patches in the fur, skin is then exposed, if the itching continues on the skin, then their claws can break the skin and an infection can then be caused.

Worms

Worms are picked up by cats that like to venture outdoors and can cause excessive eating and a general feeling of being uncomfortable. As with flea treatments worming tablets should be administered every 3 months to keep the cat worm free and healthy. Many worms are passed to the cat through fleas so it is important to keep cats worm and flea treatments up to date. Obvious signs that a cat has worms is looking very skinny or bloated and a constant hunger , always asking for food.

Neutering

Neutering a cat can prolong the life of a cat, a cat that has been spayed or castrated will be far less likely to roam , therefore not getting in to as many accidents or problems situations, like running out into the road in front of a car whilst chasing a mate.

Inoculations

Keeping a cat inoculated against common diseases is one of the most important things to do when it comes to responsible pet ownership. A booster every year will help to protect cats against life threatening diseases picked up from the outside world like feline distemper and leukemia to name a few

Common Behavior Problems Affecting the Domestic Cat

Defecating & urinating in the house

A common behavioral problem with the domestic cat can be defecating and spraying urine around the house. A number of reasons can be the cause of this. A new cat for instance can make the existing cat nervous and anxious and make him feel the need to mark his territory. Moving the furniture around in the house can also make a cat feel uncomfortable, cats like familiarly and don’t adjust to change very well so they become stressed and spray their scent around the home.

Clawing

Cats like to sharpen and clean their claws and will sometimes use the furniture in the house to satisfy this need. Often clawing at the back of sofas causing the material to shred. A clawing post can be purchased and the cat encouraged to use this rather than the upholstery.

Crazy running cat behavior

Most cat owners have experienced at one time or another their cat running around the house like a crazy possessed cat, this behavior is quite common and usually happens in the evening. “these “evening crazies” result from the cats ancient rhythm of activity hunting around dawn and dusk.” (page 35) (1)

Sleeping

Cats tend to nap throughout the day rather than go into a deep sleep. They are always on the alert and very rarely go into a deep sleep. They like to spend their days lazing around in the hot sunshine, so napping is to their advantage, so they are always ready and alert if danger approaches. On the rare occasion that a cat is seen sleeping for long periods of time it could be that they are feeling unwell and using sleep to conserve their energy and letting their body heal itself .

Psychic trailing

Cats have the amazing ability to find their owners in a new house if they have been left behind, or the opposite they can travel back to a old home from a new one having never taken that route before. It is truly a unique ability to a cat but completely unexplainable too.