Blog News

August 10, 2016

Stiff and sore?

Sixteen year old Harry is having trouble jumping up on the table this winter. He circles it quite a few times before making the leap. His family also noticed that he is sleeping a lot more this winter and is reluctant to move when he first wakes up. Cats don't usually limp unless their arthritis is severe. Their elbows, knees and backs are the most common sites for arthritis. Harry's older brother Cino hesitates to jump down off the bed. He has also been toileting around the litter box instead of in it lately. His elbows were thickened and painful when he came to visit last week and Dr Kate found that his lower back was acutely painful. Harry's knees were his problem. We've found a litter box with lower sides for Cino and have put a footrest near Harry's favourite perch to make access easier. Both Harry and Cino are trialing some arthritis meds and fish oil. Already their family has noticed that they are more mobile and interested in cuddles and household doings.
August 3, 2016

Peeing blood

Finding blood in the litter tray or, worse still, on the carpet is guaranteed to trigger concern. A cat running back to the litter tray every 5 minutes and sitting with a concentrated look on the face is also a major worry. In a young male or desexed male it is an emergency as he may have a blocked or semi-blocked urethra and be unable to pass urine. The bladder rapidly fills and the cat can become toxic in a matter of hours. The main cause of blood in the urine is stress and the resulting pain from an inflamed bladder. Stress or anxiety cause the inflammation which is painful, causing more stress... and the vicious circle goes on. Common causes of stress are moving house, new people or pets in the household, tradies or visitors in the house, conflict between household cats, or any change in routine. In older cats, especially those with kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism, a urinary tract infection is more likely. Occasionally bladder stones cause blood in the urine. After a chat with you and a physical examination of your cat, your vet will take a urine sample to sort out what is the most likely cause of the problem.
July 28, 2016

Sniffles and snuffles

Half of Canberra's human population is down with the flu this winter - and so are the cats. While the viruses that affect cats' respiratory systems are quite different to the ones that affect humans the signs are similar: runny eyes and noses, sneezing, snuffling and snorting. Some cats suffer from mouth ulcers, too, but coughs and chest infections are mercifully rare. Cat flu is spread by aerosol or nose to nose contact so outdoor cats or cats who run in outdoor enclosures are the most likely to be infected. While the cat flu vaccination doesn't always prevent illness, it reduces the severity of the signs and shortens the duration of the illness. Annual vaccination is strongly recommended as immunity wanes within a year. Some cats, especially kittens or insufficiently vaccinated adults, suffer secondary bacterial, mycoplasma or chlamydial infections. If your sneezing cat refuses dinner or has pus in the eyes or nose then antibiotics are indicated. At home you can offer strong smelling foods, keep the air moist with a vaporiser or pop your cat in a steamy bathroom. Wiping secretions away from the nose and eyes with a moist cotton ball will make your cat feel more comfortable.