Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow.
Sores that do not heal.
Weight loss.
Loss of appetite.
Bleeding or discharge from any body opening.
Offensive odor.
Difficulty eating or swallowing.
Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina.
Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating.
These signs can also be present in many other diseases; they do not necessarily mean your cat has cancer. Any cat showing any of the above signs should be examined by a veterinarian.

Tips!

Feline Cancer.

Each and every cat owner dreads the day that they discover a suspicious lump or growth on their cat’s body. Far too many problems are caused by panicking cat owners reacting in the wrong way to the discovery of a foreign body on their beloved moggy. Cancer does not measn the end of the line for you and your cat, as long as you deal with the problem in a calm and rational manner.

The instances of cancers which go undetected highlight the importance of checking your pet for abnormalities. This not only is a sensible measure to take as a precaution against cancer but it can also strengthen the bond between yourself and your cat.

The veterinary cancer society has compiled a list of the ten most common signs of cancer in cats.

Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow.
Sores that do not heal.
Weight loss.
Loss of appetite.
Bleeding or discharge from any body opening.
Offensive odor.
Difficulty eating or swallowing.
Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina.
Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating.

These conditions are not peculiar to cancer but they will always require medical attention.

Diet is an important factor in the recooperation of cancer patients. Energy levels need to be maintained at a high level in order for the patient to be able to combat the disease. Cancer cells feed on the startch content in the cat’s diet, they steal the nutrients from the food that the cat eats, so it is imoerative that the level of startch in the diet is high. This may seemnon-sensical but the value of startch to the cat is too high to consider removing it from the diet in order to affect the cancer cells.

Your cat will be weakened by both the treatment and the illness so be sure to be gentle with her.

Lions and tigers, today’s wild cats, descended from miacids, which were early carnivores. The wild cat developed into 3 main types of cats. These are the European wild cat, the African Wild Cat, and the Asiatic Desert Cat. The African Wild Cat is believed to have evolved into the domestic cat due to the Tabby markings they possess.

The domestic cats of today still show many of their wild ancestors’ traits. Those intelligent, almost human appearing eyes, their body shape as well as their feeding and grooming habits all come from these ancestors. They also possess the ability to spring into action at a moment’s notice. These are some of the characteristics that seem to make the cat so fascinating.

Cats were first domesticated around 4,000 years ago. The first people to realize the value of keeping cats were the Ancient Egyptians. They used them to protect their stores of food from vermin and other pests. The cats were also quite revered by the Egyptians as hunters, as well as being worshipped as gods and goddesses. Cats living in Ancient Egypt were quite safe as anyone who dared to kill a cat was put to death. In addition, cats were mummified upon death before they were buried.

It wasn’t long before other ancient civilizations began to domesticate cats. Tame felines made their way to Italy and spread throughout Europe from there. Shorthaired domestic cats began in Egypt and longhaired cats had their origins in Turkey and Iran. Domestic cats also began spreading over the world from India and into China and Japan. Eventually, the Pilgrims brought domestic cats to the New World with them. Aside from a brief period of time during the Middle Ages, when some people believed cats to be in league with the devil, they had become the most popular house pets in the world.

Prior to the commencement of the grooming process it is imperative that you get yourself organized. This means knowing exactly what you are going to do and in what order. You also need to arrange the bathing space and have your tools handy. Not only will this help you to perform the grooming process in a much smoother process but your cat will appreciate this as well. Cats, like all animals pick up on the emotions we emit, so if you are organized you are more likely to be calm which in turn will help to keep your cat relaxed too. This is not so much an issue if you’ve bathed your cat dozens of times before, but when you are just starting out the grooming process can be quite scary for cats as they have no idea what is going on.  Owners of Persian kittens should try to get their pets in the bath by the time it reaches two months of age or shortly after. This ensures that as the cat grows it gets used to being bathed and will not put up resistance to the process. Routine is a key element to successful bathing of your Persian cat. This means both the regularity with which your groom your cat but also the sequence of activities that make up the grooming ritual should be the same. This helps the cat get used to a routine and come to know what to expect making them on the whole calmer. Generally most owners try to get their cats in the bath once a week, although if you own a Persian you should really commit to a daily brushing of the hair to keep it free from matting.

Giving your Persian cat a regular bath is the core activity of the day to day grooming process. Regularity is the key bathing as the more your cat gets used to it the less resistant he is likely to be to the whole process. Place your cat gently but firmly in a bath of lukewarm water. Too hot or too cold and you’re likely to cause resistance in your cat or even injure it.  The water needs to be well worked into the cat before you start to apply the shampoo. Initially this can be difficult as the cat does not have the patience to stay in the bath tub but with practice things should get easier.  Choosing a shampoo may involve some experimentation on your part to see what your cat likes but generally any cat shampoo or even a shampoo with a no tears formula designed for children works fine.  Work the shampoo in gently with your hands or a sponge but be careful not to vigorously scrub. Once this is done the only thing left to do is give the coat a good few rinses to get out any shampoo and gently pat your cat dry with a towel.

An ordinary hair dryer is sufficient to use when drying the hair of your Persian cat, although you should make sure that the setting is on low as otherwise you could cause unnecessary discomfort to your cat or even burning. Those willing ot spend the money will find that most pet stores sell dryers especially for cats which are generally lower in power. Once thoroughly dry you are ready to place your cat on the grooming area and begin cutting away excess hair. The face, ears and back side of the Persian tend to be the three places where the most excess hair appears and consequently where the bulk of your concentration needs to be focused. Be especially careful when doing the ears however as it is easy to accidentally cut into the ear leather of your cat if you aren’t careful. One way around this is to slightly wet the ears making the leather more easily distinguishable from the hair.

Trimming your Persian cat’s nails is an important part of the grooming process although it does not necessarily need to be done at the same time as the bath. The problem with nail trimming is that cats have a tendency to get inpatient and in particular do not like having their paws held. Even if you only get one or two nails done before your cat wants to be released that’s fine. You can do the rest the next day. In general it’s more important to clip the nails from the front as the rear nails are less prominent and the bulk of damage to household furniture due to cat scratching comes from the front nails. You can either place your cat on your lap or on a grooming table when cutting the nails. Gently hold the paw and apply a little pressure so as to bring the nails out. Once out simply clip away taking care not to cut too much off as you may accidentally cut into the paw leather causing injury.

Here are some tips on how you can have a healthy and happy cat:

1. Take care of your cat’s health.

As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat is healthy and free from diseases that may even be transmitted to humans.

Visit the veterinarian if you notice that your cat has become lethargic or less active than usual.

If you see them ‘shedding’ excessively or has something unusual on their coat, immediately consult a professional.

Your cat might have a skin disease, or this could be a symptom of a sickness that you do not know about.

2. Groom your cat properly.

Cats are in the habit of grooming themselves. You will often see them using their tongue to clean their coat.

In spite of this, you should still do your part in grooming your cat if you want to keep them really clean.

Brush your cat’s fur regularly. There are several short-haired cats that need minimal brushing. For this, you can use a comb with soft bristles.

There are also cat breeds which have long, silky furs and this variety needs a much longer grooming time.

Use a wide-toothed comb initially then brush up with a fine toothed one afterwards. You can also use talcum powder in order to separate the hair strands.

Make sure that you brush with gentle strokes so that their skin will not be hurt or scratched.

Cats are also not that fond of taking a bath. But there are times when your cat would need bathing.

This is when they have accumulated a lot of dirt on the skin and coat. Bathing will help eliminate ticks and lice.

Also, there might be substances that could cling on the fur which can be poisonous and it is important for them to bathe.

When bathing your pet, use a shampoo that is specially made for cats. Prepare the following before bathing:

-a small tub or sink -slip-proof mat -water spray attachment -clean, dry towels -shampoo -comb

Adjust the water temperature, then place your cat in the small tub or sink before filling it up with water. It is better to attach a sprayer in the faucet rather than pouring water directly onto its body. Apply a liberal amount of shampoo on the cat’s body, and try to avoid the face, especially the eyes and ears.

After rinsing, towel them dry and comb the coat. Bathing time should build trust and create some quality time between you and your pet cat.

This should prevent your cat from making much of a fuss the next time it needs a bath.

Another part of grooming is keeping the eyes, teeth and ears clean. Also remember to keep the paws clean and the nails trimmed.

Go to a pet store and you are sure to find products specially made to clean these parts. You can also look for a nail trimmer specifically designed to use on your pet cat.

Ask a professional groomer or a veterinarian so that you can learn how to properly clean your cat’s eyes, ears, teeth and nails.

3. Feed them on time.

Another aspect of keeping your cat happy and healthy is by feeding them well and on time.

Your feline friends can learn how to “stick” to a schedule with your guidance and training.

Make time in your busy day to feed them. You can learn which variety of cat food they prefer by serving different brands and variants.

Along with cat food, you should give them plenty of clean water to drink.

If you have a lot of pet cats, give them individual feeding plates.

If there is just one dish, other cats might not be fed well because dominant felines will take the most part of the food that you serve.

4. Shower them with love and attention.

By giving your cats your undivided attention while grooming and feeding them, you are already showering them with love and attention. In addition to this, make their play time a lot more fun by appreciating the things that they do.By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cat and be a contented owner. When we learn, we continue on a path of growth. Therefore, learning about this subject has already helped you more than you know.

What can you do?

·   Don’t allow the fights to continue, hoping that the cats will “work things out” in time. The more often your cats fight, the worse the issue will become.
·   Spaying and neutering, a great idea any time, will reduce some types of aggression.
·   Separate the sparring cats, and keep them physically apart. Restart the introduction process slowly from the beginning. You should never expect the quarreling cats to become great friends, only to learn to tolerate each other without open combat.
·   Discuss the matter with your veterinarian who may have helpful advice (from a referral to an animal behavior consultant to temporary medication). Make sure the quarreling cats have thorough medical examinations; in addition to checking for wounds, the aggressive behavior could possibly be the result of some underlying medical issue.

Cats that were well socialized as young kittens — with positive experiences both around people and with other cats — are more likely to get along well in a multi-cat family. However, as you choose to invite more cats into your home, you will become far more likely to encounter conflicts. Reflect on your intentions and motivations before bringing more cats into your household.

They also scratch for exercise, as you’ll notice that they always stretch as they scratch. In addition, scratching helps the cats to remove older layers of their nails, so don’t panic if you find pieces of nails around the house. This is quite normal.When training a cat, the sooner you start, the better. Cat training is most effective with kittens, since older cats may have already formed bad habits. If you have an older cat who has not been trained, just start as soon as you can and hope for the best.If you want your cat to stop scratching your furniture and rugs you must give them something different to scratch. Pet stores carry a large selection of scratching post and mats. Choose a type according to whether your cat prefers to scratch up high, or out flat.

It is important while cat training that you show your cat the new scratching area. Sprinkle it with catnip and place your kitty in front of it. If he scratches, give him some praise or a tasty treat. Be patient, it takes time to train a cat.Training a cat goes beyond trying to get cats to use the fancy new scratching area that you’ve set up. At least equally important is getting the cat not to scratch where you don’t want him to. One successful technique has been to cover areas you don’t want scratched with aluminum foil or soda cans with pennies; the rattling of the foil or the falling cans will frighten your cat into not scratching there again.Above all, the most important rule of cat training is to always show your furry friend that you love him. Never make him fear you. And remember, you can never, ever, make a cat do something he doesn’t want to do.