Did you Know?

Disclaimer: All this information have been collected from diferent sources. We do not imply that the facts are real or true.

*The oldest reliably recorded cat was a female tabby named Ma, who lived to the age of 34.

* The heaviest domestic cat was a neutered male tabby named Himmy, weighing in at 46 lb. 15 ½ oz. (neck 15 in., waist 33 in., length 38 in.).

* The Smallest Cat was a male blue point Himalayan-Persian cat named Tinker Toy, is just 2 ¾ in. tall and 7 ½ in. long.

* Cats can purr to express pain or fear in addition to expressing pleasure. Female cats often purr when they are in labor, as well as when they are nursing their kittens!

* People who like cats are called ailurophiles. This word comes from the ancient Greek language.
*Did you know cats can get Alzheimer's disease?
If your older cat is acting weird, it could be a mental disorder... even Alzheimer's disease... according to a news item posted at Discovery News. (See Alzheimer's in Cats)
*Did You Know Your Cats Can Get Sunburned?
Animals do get sunburned just like people do, and it is just as painful for them as it is for us when we get burned. Cats are especially vulnerable to sunburn if they have white, or light colored ears, have a light colored nose, and if their fur is thin enough that sun can get through to the skin.
*Did you know that white haired/blue eyed cats are always deaf? ---really it is a genetic linkage of their genes.

* Did you know that pet owners have longer lives, less stress and less chance of having heart attacks?
* Cats can distinguish colors.
* Did you know that cats can not see closer? Apparently, cats can't see directly below their heads. This is why they don't see their food when you put it right under their nose.
* Did you know that cats don’t like dirty dishes, or the food to be in bathroom?
* Did you know that chocolate and aspirin is poisons for cat? Do not use aspirin on your cat.
* Cats have more than one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
* Meowing is reserved for humans. A cat will almost never meow at another cat.
* Did you know that your cat talk with other cats telepathic or using body language?
* Did you know that your cat can hypnotize a mouse?
* A frightened cat can run at speeds of up to 31 mph, slightly faster than a human sprinter.
* Do you know why other cats walk slowly in presence of another cat? Because they try to avoid a fight.
*Studies have shown that cats have better memories than dogs. A dog's memory lasts 5 minutes while a cat's memory lasts up to 16 hours!
* Did you know that cats smells is developed 16 times more then dogs smelling?
* Did you know that cats are more intelligent that science believe it? They train you, you don’t train them.
*Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.
*Did you know that your cat won you? When she touch you she leave a scent meaning “This is mine”
*Did you know that a cat will tremble or shiver when it is in extreme pain?
*Did you know Sir Isaac Newton invented the cat-flap door?
*Do you know why Cats were respected in Egypt? Because they killed the rats, and mice, and saved the country of plague.
* Did you know that people that don’t like cats in reality are afraid of them, and superstitious?
* did you know that a cat can protect you of bad entities?
* Did you know that the places that your cat chooses to sit are the one with good energy?
* Did you know that cheese and milk are bad for cats?
*Did you know why your cat is urinate or doing second mess in your house?
There can be something upset him/her like: another cat entered on her territory and you accepted it. if you do not clean her/his litter box; or you do not clean the house. Cats are very clean, if you don’t keep clean the house they think is Ok to mess in.
*Did you know that cats are not afraid of water? Only because they like to be dry, they don’t like to spend hours to dry their fur.

Are you Worried that Your Cat Needs a Veterinarian?

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and all these information has been collected from different source.

Here are listed some symptoms that give you general information and you can see if require a visit to veterinarian or not. Not all the following symptoms require immediate veterinary care if your cat don’t seem better after few days (I will wait 2 days) then you need to go to visit a veterinarian. If you have doubts and don’t know what to do then call your veterinarian or if you do not have one and you think that it is necessary a hospital visit use an emergency hospital. Your veterinarian, of course, is the one to diagnose ailments and prescribe treatment. But you can help out by staying alert to early signs.

Look for Changes in Behavior

  • Sleep more than usual, (don’t forgot that cats when ages sleep longer) our cat started to sleep more so we are not worried because when he is awake is playful and eats well.
  • have a rough coat ( A cat that doesn’t groom show sign of illness, so pay attention to this)
  • have discharge from the eyes (green or yellow are signs of illness, white or brown is normal), Cats get cold too, or they can have a foreign object inside of eye so better see a veterinarian
  • Show a decrease in appetite or increase in water drinking, (My cat drinks water more because he eats more dry food. In order to get attention after the knee surgery he got used to be fed and to receive water with a syringe. So I am not worried I know he likes to drink water. Some cats like water, and the food has an  influence too)
  • have a change in bowel or urinary habits, (Ok if it is a cat that goes out you can’t see but if is in night home and he need to go to the toilet often he will use the box, so you  will have an idea if his bowel movement is normal)
  • Become less responsive then he is most likely signaling he’s sick, particularly if these changes continue for more than 2 days.

A cat that is apathetic doesn’t play hide, do not rub do not cries is less responsive. Cats do not cry when are in pain. A cat in pain can purr or shiver or breathe hard or look normal but is not interested in anything around.
Likewise, if the cat’s behavior has changed so that he is hiding in a hard-to-reach place, such as under your bed (our cat change his behaviors once in a while and hide under bed, or in bathroom where is dark, this doesn’t mean he is sick may be he doesn’t feel good, like humans they have migraines, headaches, pain in tummy or flies), in the basement, or in a closet, then he needs to be seen by a veterinarian. If symptoms get worse, or include a fever, it’s time to take him in for a checkup. It is good to have a thermometer in house used only for cat. Your cat will let you insert the thermometer; jut put a little oil to slide easy, and be careful as the thermometer to not be cold (will bother the cat too).

Convulsions
Any animal that suffers from convulsions – or seizures, as they are sometimes called –needs a veterinarian’s care. Poisoning, infectious disease, and brain injury or stroke is just a few things that trigger seizures. A thorough examination is required to pinpoint the cause.
Coughing
A cough that persists for more than two days is almost always a trouble sign. It may signal a throat blockage, upper respiratory infection, internal parasites, chronic allergic bronchitis, asthma, or even a heart condition. Only your veterinarian can determine what the problem is for sure.
Sneezing
Cats sneeze too, there are many reasons: Cat has a cold so you need to go to the doctor and give the pills that the doctor recommends. Please avoid giving your cat aspirin – you will poison your cat. The cats can have allergy too. A foreign object is in his nose. If not treated (the sneezing) and is caused by cold, then your cat can end up having a pulmonary disease.
Dehydration
Cats that don’t eat or drink can rapidly become dehydrated. To test for dehydration, gather up a fold of skin along the middle of your cat’s back, and then release the skin. It should be pliable and spring back into place. If it doesn’t, your cat is probably dehydrated and needs to be checked by a veterinarian. Dehydration is a sign that something else is going on.
Cats don’t need too much water since they are a desert animal, they get their water from wet food.
Diarrhea and Constipation
Diarrhea, too, is very common among cats, and its causes vary. Usually the problem is dietary or emotional. If diarrhea persists more than two days without improvement or is accompanied by vomiting, fever, lack of appetite, or dehydration, get your veterinarian’s help.
Constipation, on the other hand, is unusual for healthy young cats. A cat that has not had a bowel movement for 3 days or more needs to be seen by a doctor. Likewise, if your cat has recurrent bouts with constipation, he will also need to see a doctor and perhaps be on some medication or diet change in order to help him become more regular.
When our cat had the surgery because is a very clean and shy cat he didn’t had a bowel movement for a week. And then when he finally did it was very hard and painful for the little friend. If your cat had a surgery or other medications it is possible to become constipated.
Fever
Normal temperature ranges for cats vary from 100 to 102.5 degrees. You can ask your veterinarian how best to test your cat’s temperature. Usually fever indicates an infection, although there can be other causes as well (exertion, hot weather, or excitement). A moderate fever (102.5 to 104 degrees) should be brought to your veterinarian’s attention after two days. High fever (over 104 degrees) or low body temperature (under 100 degrees) requires immediate professional care. Don’t reach for the baby aspirin at the first sign of fever. Again DO NOT USE ASPIRIN. Unless your veterinarian prescribes the exact dose, your good intentions could prove fatal. Remember, fever is only a symptom; call your veterinarian and give him or her chance to treat the cause.
Don’t rely on your cat’s temperature as a foolproof or not he is sick. Metabolic disturbances or deficiencies and cancerous growths, for example, may not be accompanied by fever.
Shivering
A shivering cat may or may not be sick. Cats shiver when they are cold, frightened, or excited; also when they are in pain or have a fever. Eliminate external causes first; then take your cat’s temperature to determine whether or not to visit your veterinarian. After the knee surgery our cats was shivering, and we used the pain medicine the doctor give it to us. The cat begin after a while to like the pain medication (I thought he is addicted).
Vomiting
Vomiting is fairly common in cats and can signal a variety of illnesses or conditions – from feline enteritis to parasites, ingestion of hair balls and other foreign objects, or simple stomach irritation. If your cat vomits repeatedly or forcefully retches unproductively, or if you notice blood or signs of abdominal pain, he needs to be examined by your veterinarian immediately.
Once a month our cat vomits. The hair ball is not a hair ball but food undigested; this is how they clean of hair from their digestive system. Depends what he ate, sometimes is soft sometimes is hard.

 

Some of this information are from http://www.treehouseanimals.org/Tree%20House%20Site-E-HCV.htm