Author: PetGd

When you’re hit with an upset stomach, you seek sympathy from your cat while contemplating the contents of your medicine cabinet. But cat stomach issues are different. If your cat throws up, or you wake up to the nasty reality of cat diarrhea, your kitty relies on you to find out what’s wrong and how to get her back on track. Symptoms of Cat Stomach Upset “Symptoms of an upset stomach in a cat include licking the lips, which is a sign of nausea, vomiting and refusing to eat,” says Dr. Elizabeth Arguelles, medical director and founder of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, Virginia. “Possibly the cat ate something it shouldn’t have, like a bug or a leaf of a plant.” Diarrhea may also develop if the problem affects the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Mark Rondeau, DVM, BS, of PennVet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, says that while vomiting is the most visible sign of cat stomach upset, “a change in behavior, such as being less active or not interacting or hiding in unusual places—a lot of those behaviors are common in cats that may have upset stomachs.” And no, those hairballs that suddenly appear on the new living room carpet are not the same thing as when your cat throws up. “This is an extremely common myth,” Dr. Arguelles says. “There’s a distinction between a hairball—which looks like a piece of poop made out of hair—and vomit, which may have hair in it along with partially digested food or bile.” Dr. Rondeau adds that if a cat occasionally hurls a hairball—ejecting hair that isn’t processed out through the ‘other end’—it’s not something to worry about, but that “the reasons for feline vomiting can include a long list of things.” Possible Causes of Cat Stomach Upset Dr. Arguelles says frequent causes of cat stomach upset include switching cat food too frequently as well as intestinal parasites. Dr. Rondeau adds that parasites are especially common in young cats and kittens. Both Dr. Arguelles and Dr. Rondeau say that food intolerance, food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) also commonly lead to an upset cat stomach. More serious causes, such as gastrointestinal cancers, kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, can also result in vomiting. If you are worried that your cat is sick, seek veterinary care immediately, says Dr. Arguelles. How To Cure Cat Stomach Upset Detecting what’s behind your cat’s vomiting is crucial, and that means a trip to the vet.  A cat who throws up multiple times in a day or who has not eaten in 48 hours needs to see a vet immediately. Dr. Arguelles says, “Veterinarians have anti-nausea medication that can be given as an injection or as an oral tablet (Cerenia)” as well as medications to help with diarrhea and poor appetite. A temporary switch to a bland diet may be recommended until the cat’s symptoms subside.  In some cases, a veterinarian will recommend heartworm medicine for cats or a prescription dewormer for cats. “A cat that is vomiting more than once per month should be examined by a veterinarian, who will deworm—or recommend your cat be on monthly prevention with Revolution, Advantage Multi or Heartgard,” says Dr. Arguelles. Many heartworm medicines for cats also kill some of the intestinal parasites that can cause cat stomach upset. She says a vet may also recommend abdominal radiographs (X-rays) to check for an obstruction, foreign body or other problem, or lab work to seek underlying metabolic causes of vomiting, such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism.  “In cases that have normal labs and radiographs, your vet may then recommend an abdominal ultrasound to visualize the layers and thickness of the stomach and intestines. Sometimes, we find foreign material that wasn’t visible on radiographs, other times we find thickening of the intestines and enlargement of lymph nodes—and then we are looking at either inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal lymphoma,” she says. “The only way to determine which of these diseases is present is through intestinal biopsies.” Dr. Rondeau says if your cat has just started vomiting or is suddenly “lethargic, won’t eat or is hiding, definitely bring him to the vet. But we also see a lot of cats with chronic vomiting… In those cases, maybe they aren’t lethargic, but the owners notice some vomiting and see the cat has lost weight … for those, it is definitely time to check with the vet.” Preventing Cat Stomach Issues Once the serious issues are ruled out, you can work on helping to avoid future cat stomach issues. “The three things that you can do to promote good digestive health in cats are placing them on monthly prevention that deworms them for intestinal parasites, feeding them a balanced diet (not raw and not homemade), and taking them to the veterinarian at least yearly,” says Dr. Arguelles. As long as your cat is healthy, “if you are feeding a high-quality diet, your cat’s digestive health will be good.” High-Quality Diets for Cats Dr. Rondeau agrees that a high-quality diet is key, along with “avoiding table scraps. It is mostly about consistency for cats. If yours is happy to eat the same thing and is getting that balanced diet, don’t switch brands or flavors. We might project onto them that they are bored with whatever brand and taste, but rapid diet changes can create problems.” When cats develop diarrhea, a diet change alone can fix the problem about half the time, explains Dr. Arguelles. “Diarrhea is frustrating in that even if we treat appropriately and make the right changes and recommendations, it can take several days to clear up.” She recommends a vet visit if a diet change doesn’t help or if your cat is vomiting, lethargic or has other worrisome symptoms. Prescription Cat Food Cats with fiber-responsive diarrhea “will respond to adding fiber to the diet. You can do this by feeding Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Fiber Response cat food, a prescription cat food that includes brewers’ rice, B vitamins and psyllium husk seed, among other ingredients, or by adding canned pumpkin or Metamucil.” Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin is 100% organic pumpkin that can be mixed with dry or canned cat food to help provide some relief to your cat’s stomach. Dr. Rondeau says that a tablespoon of pumpkin with a cat’s food is also often a recommendation for cats with constipation, but adds that “Pumpkin is fibrous, but Metamucil or similar supplements will offer more fiber per volume.”

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Reviewed for accuracy on May 21, 2019, by Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM When adopting a cat, the first 30 days are very important for setting up your new family member for success. These first weeks should be used to establish a strong bond between you and your cat and create healthy routines. To get your relationship with your new cat started off right, here are some essential cat care tips for transitioning your cat into your home. Let Your Cat Settle In When you adopt a new cat, you can expect that she will need time to adjust and acclimate to her new surroundings. Dr. Megan E. Maxwell, certified applied animal behaviorist (CAAB) and owner of Pet Behavior Change, explains, “Understand that the [new] cat may be timid in his or her new surroundings and may not show all of her normal play behavior or other personality characteristics at first.” Dr. Adam Behrens, VMD, owner of Wandering Vet and member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, recommends that you allow the cat to approach you on her own terms when you first bring her home. This will help your cat feel a sense of control. Keep Your New Cat Separate From Your Other Cats If you have other cats in the household, you should keep them separate from your new cat until she has settled into her new routine. “Cats are all about routine and territory,” Dr. Behrens continues. “If there are other cats in the house, it is critical that they avoid visual contact until the new cat is comfortable in the new home and has started to adapt to a daily routine.” The general recommendation is to keep cats separated for 2 weeks. This can be considered a quarantine period, so that you can make sure your new kitty doesn’t have an upper respiratory infection or parasites. After the 2 week period, it will be up to your new kitty to set the pace for acclimating to their new home. There’s no magical number of days it will take your cat to settle in. Be patient and give them time, and you’ll set your new relationship up for success. Have Her Space Set up Beforehand To help your new cat settle in, Dr. Maxwell recommends having the cat’s space set up before you bring her home. She explains, “Be sure to have the litter boxes and food and water bowls set up before bringing the cat home, and start with small spaces for the cat at first.” Dr. Behrens says, “It is critical to establish some area of your house that belongs to the cat. And it is important to allow them to widen their territory slowly over the coming days or weeks [after adoption].” For example, a bedroom with separate areas for the cat litter box and food and water bowls is preferable to opening the entire house to the cat in the first week or so. Provide Enrichment for Your Cat In addition to your standard cat supplies, you should also provide your kitty with a variety of enriching cat toys until you learn which they prefer. Dr. Maxwell says, “Investing in a few different styles early on, and encouraging play by sitting with your new cat and playing with the toys yourself will be helpful.” Along with cat toys, you should provide your cat with cat scratcher options. Dr. Maxwell explains, “They should have more than one scratching option—perhaps a post with vertical threading and also a flat scratching board with an alternative material or direction of threading.” Some cats prefer vertical sisal cat scratchers, like the Frisco scratching tower, while others prefer horizontal pad scratchers, like The Original Scratch Lounge. Offering your cat options will give you a better idea what she likes, and it will certainly make for a happier cat.   Establish Structure and Routine Providing structure and routine is a great way to help your kitty smoothly transition into her new home. When establishing this new routine, Dr. Behrens recommends regular times for feeding, grooming and play. Perform Regular Cat Grooming and Dental Care Dr. Behrens recommends brushing your cat’s teeth regularly. You will want to wait until your new cat has completely settled in and is comfortable in their new surroundings before incorporating these new activities into your routine. If you’ve never brushed your cats teeth before, Dr. Behrens advises pet parents to start slowly. “Feeding small amounts of toothpaste from the tip of a finger for a month or two may actually lead to being able to eventually brush their teeth, but cat parents should take things slowly and not rush to brush.” Dr. Behrens recommends Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic dog and cat toothpaste for brushing teeth. Never use human toothpaste to brush your cat’s teeth. Dr. Behrens also recommends that cat parents brush their cat regularly. He suggests the Safari self-cleaning slicker brush for all cats. Whether you are brushing your cat’s teeth or fur, remember to start slow and offer rewards to make the experience a positive one. Cat Training and Play Sessions Start small with training, and use it as a time to bond with your new friend. Dr. Maxwell recommends, “A first training goal can be to teach the cat to look at you in response to his name.” To do this, call her name in a happy voice, and then throw a cat treat or toy across the floor. Repeat this several times a day, always delivering something your cat likes when you call her name. As with all other routines, take training at the pace your cat is comfortable with and encourage the good behaviors through positive reinforcement. Slowly Transition to New Cat Food When you adopt a cat, you will need to properly transition her to the cat food you plan to feed her regularly. When transitioning any pet to a new diet, it’s best to do it slowly—over the course of 5-7 days—to prevent gastrointestinal upset. Cat parents should speak with their veterinarian regarding the best cat food for their individual cat and how best to transition their cat to a new diet. When choosing a new cat food, Dr. Behrens explains, “The focus should be on feeding a high-quality food with meat as the primary ingredient. I recommend a mixture of canned and dry food—with the emphasis on canned and a small amount of dry food to help prevent the buildup of calculus on the teeth over time.” Establish a Relationship With a Veterinarian As with adopting any animal companions, an important step in the process is to establish a relationship with a veterinarian who you trust. Dr. Maxwell says, “Owners should have a relationship with a veterinarian with whom they feel comfortable and who takes the time to answer their questions regarding cat care and health.” She continues, “If they encounter behavior problems with their cat, they should seek out the services of a board-certified animal behaviorist (CAAB) or veterinary behaviorist.” Dr. Maxwell also recommends that cat parents ask their veterinarians about grooming requirements, feeding routines and cat food types, exercise opportunities, and common signs of illness to watch out for. She encourages cat parents to ask their vet about litter box habits (how often the cat should be using the litter box and how often it should be cleaned) and about common household toxins and dangers for cats. By: Carly Sutherland Featured Image: iStock.com/SilviaJansen

By Paula Fitzsimmons Given that obesity in cats and dogs is increasing at epidemic rates, there’s a good chance your furry companion is among those pets who need to shed some weight. While you may view calorie counting as a form of punishment, a better way to think about it is as a labor of love. “While pudgy pets can be cute and the extra weight may seem harmless, we see lots of health problems associated with excess weight that can have a negative impact on quality of life and decrease life expectancy,” says Dr. Wendy Mandese, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville. “These include Type 2 diabetes (especially in cats), early onset arthritis, high blood pressure, ligament rupture, spinal problems (including paralysis), and heart disease.” It’s not easy to go from eating table food and super-sized portions to a bland diet, however. What animal—or human, for that matter—enjoys reducing their food intake? Luckily, there are some steps you can take to make the transition a bit easier on your companion—and you. Any new diet plan should begin with your veterinarian, who will determine appropriate body weight and calorie consumption for your pet and monitor his progress. Go Slowly Transitioning to a new diet should be done gradually, says Dr. Joe Bartges, professor of medicine and nutrition at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia in Athens. It can take three to four days but sometimes longer. “In some studies with diet change, it can take weeks to months.  So don’t give up,” says Bartges, who is board-certified in veterinary nutrition and internal medicine. “Slowly increase the amount of the new food while decreasing the amount of the old food.” Mandese suggests increasing the amount of new food to old food by 25 percent daily.   It takes time for a weight loss program to work, adds Dr. Donna Raditic, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist with Nutrition and Integrative Medicine Consultants in Athens, Georgia. “I am thrilled with just small amounts of weight loss in my patients, because I know it is not easy and at least we are moving in the right direction.” Weighing food on a food gram scale can help ease the process. “It allows us to adjust intake by saying OK, let’s decrease intake by 10 or 20 percent fewer grams of food a day,” Raditic says. “It is not only precise but seems less dramatic than going from a half-cup to one-fourth of a cup of dry food, for example.” Animals should lose no more than 1 to 2 percent of their body weight per week, according to Dr. Zenithson Ng, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine. “Bring them into the vet’s office to be weighed on the same scale on a regular basis (every two to four weeks, initially),” Ng says.