| Prevention & Health |
| Lacey |
| Finnegan |
As with any disease that has no specific cause or cure, it’s hard to know exactly what to do to prevent the onslaught of that disease or
the conditions relating to it. There is no guarantee that even if you do the very best for your cat that they still won't get IBD or any
other disease, sometimes we just never know why it happens. But knowing what instigates and irritates the disease can help create
guidelines for care and prevention.
Most cat owners treat their fur kids like they were human kids already. So just as in humans, preventative care is very important with
animals. And we’re learning more and more that they need as much clean and healthy living as we do. Being vigilant and proactive in
your cat’s healthcare is more important than ever given all the serious obstacles we face with trying to keep them healthy. They depend
on us for everything just like children so it’s up to us to make sound and informed decisions on everything we do for them from food to
products used for grooming.
Research all of the products you use with your kitty. If using bath wipes, shampoo, flea and tick medications and preventatives, etc.,
make sure they don’t contain anything harmful. When buying a product I usually check it online and look at the ingredients first. If I’m
not sure if that product is safe or has an ingredient I’m not sure about, I send the link to someone I know that has more knowledge
about these things and check with them. Ask some of your online friends what they use. Because we form that bond with people in
support groups for our kitties, we get a lot of feedback on everything to do with our cat’s health. Even if your kitty is perfectly healthy,
join an online cat community. The more brains to pick, the better. Try to go as eco-friendly as possible with all products, but be aware
that doesn’t always mean it’s safe. Stay away from anything with essential oils, fragrances, etc.
Try to feed your cat the best food you can find or make. Look for organic ingredients with low-fat, low carbohydrates, high-protein,
mostly meat varieties. Say NO to grains and gluten, especially corn! Don’t even give treats that contain grains, there are plenty of foods
and treats out there that are much better for your cat than what’s available at the supermarket. Cats are natural carnivores so meat
and protein form the basis of their diets. A low protein diet won’t provide enough of the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Rotate their diet every three to four months so their systems don’t get used to one specific ingredient and develop allergies. I actually
rotate their food on a daily basis, from different flavors to different brands. Nature’s Variety has a rotating system of raw, to canned and
kibble. I don’t recommend a kibble only diet at all but am okay with giving a small amount, once in awhile as a treat. I usually give mine
a quarter of a cup a couple of times a week as a snack in the middle of the day, plus two cans of food. Rotating different brands of foods
will also help to diminish any allergies as ingredients can vary greatly between brands.
Also, use a water filter for your cat’s sake as well as yours. There are too many dangerous chemicals and bacteria in tap water. I have an
over-the-counter filter that attachs to my faucet from Paragon Water Systems. On the food page of this site I have a section on the
importance of a filter and why I use this one.
I’ve also included a link for the company if you choose to look for one. I don’t work for them or make any money. It’s just the best filter
around for removal of not only toxins and bacteria but parasites as well. Look for one that removes the same things when buying one.
If your kitty gets an infection of any kind and needs to be put on antibiotics, keep in mind that this will destroy not only the bad bacteria
but the good as well. After they're done with their meds, give them a probiotic every day to replace the healthy flora that was lost. I
think too many times we give our kids antibiotics and forget to give them the tools they need to keep a healthy immune system. We
strip away the healthy bacteria needed to fight future intestinal issues and then wonder why they're getting diarrhea, gas, vomiting, etc.
Go to the supplements page for a list of probiotics that are safe and effective for your kitty.
Use environmentally safe and animal friendly cleaning products. Some products contain not only toxic cleaning chemicals but oils and
fragrances that can accumulate in your cat's system after a certain amount of exposure. These oils can eventually lead to liver damage
and toxicity, lung disease and other health hazards. These are all things I never knew about until Alex passed away and I developed this
website. Researching has opened up my eyes to a whole lot of dangers to a cat's health, so just as if you had a human baby in the house,
keep chemicals and cleaners out of the reach of your furbabies.
Keep your pet at a healthy weight for their age and frame. Check with your vet to see what that weight should be and get a baby scale,
one that has a hold button for better accuracy for when your kitty is wiggling around. You can also tell if they’re gaining weight by
feeling their hip area and their underbelly for extra fat. If you feel mostly muscle and bones and a little fat in the area where they were
spayed or neutered, they’re in good shape. They’ll almost always have that fatty area where they were fixed, it’s normal. Also watch
how they walk. If you see them start to waddle too much, it’s time to take a weight check to see what’s going on. It may not be a weight
issue but a joint issue, which should also be checked out by your vet.
It’s not okay to have an overweight pet, take it from me. Alex’s problems stemmed from being overweight and she suffered for it. You
may think it’s cruel to hold food from your cat when they’re sitting in front of you with those sad eyes! But the cruelty actually lies in
giving them everything they want and having them develop IBD, fatty liver, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, pancreatitis, etc. Fat
leads to inflammation and inflammation leads to disease, it’s that simple. Cats are usually gluttons and will gorge themselves with as
much food as you put down. It’s a myth that a cat will stop eating when it’s full. Most of the time, they’ll come back to that bowl and
keep snacking. Leave the bowl down for approximately 30 minutes at the most after they’ve started eating. If they don’t eat anymore
after that, remove the food until the next feeding.
Keep certain items handy at home like the baby scale, an ear thermometer, canned pumpkin for constipation or diarrhea. You can go to
the Tips and Tricks page for more information about how to use these products. Keep a couple of jars of baby food handy but make sure
there isn’t any onions or garlic at all in it. Also keep a pet pill gun and some hairball remedy in the house.
When scooping or changing the litter box, inspect what’s in there and make sure they’re going to the bathroom the way they should.
Chronic loose stools, diarrhea or constipation is not normal and should be checked within a couple of days of first spotting it. Their diet
may need to be adjusted but if you let it go too long, it can become a much bigger problem. If you see blood in their stools or urine, call
the vet immediately. If your cat has hairballs once in awhile, that’s normal. I brush my cats several times a week even if it’s just for a
couple of seconds. Feeding them the proper diet should prevent them from shedding excessively and vomiting. This sounds disgusting
but when they do vomit, look at it. If it’s food or hair, that’s normal. If it’s bile or white foam, that’s not normal. Vomiting more than
once every week or two isn’t normal either and irritates their digestive tract, it’s acidic just like with us. If they start to vomit too often,
they may stop eating, which is very dangerous for a cat. As always, if your cat vomits blood for any reason call the vet immediately or
get your cat to an ER if you can.
Because canned and dry cat foods are over-processed, giving probiotics once a week would be helpful to keep the good bacteria available
for fighting off anything like upper respiratory infections. I give mine Kyo-dophillus powder and L-Lysine powder once a week for that
specific reason. Finnegan and Lacey both had upper respiratory infections when I first got them and the L-Lysine powder, Viralys,
works fantastic at keeping them breathing right and keeping their eyes and noses in great condition. I have links to all of these products
on the supplements page.
I also give my kids a B12 sublingual tablet at least once a week. I only use one that is a vegetarian version, no fillers, sugars, sugar
substitutes, grains or soy. I either put it in a treat or make a meatball with their food from the fridge they don’t even know it’s in there.
Because of everything I’ve learned about the importance of B12 in all living things I’ve taken it upon myself to make sure they get an
extra dose once in awhile. The amount I give is such a small dose it’s not going to hurt them in anyway as they’re water soluble,
meaning they’ll urinate what they don’t use. B12 is a very important vitamin that helps to regulate the absorption of other nutrients.
The older we get, animals and people alike, the less stored B12 we all have in our reserves. If your cat is older than five or six years,
consider giving a twice-weekly B12 sublingual. Start out with two B12 dots, (they look like little dots, 1,000 mcgs), a day for a week.
Then go down to one a day for another week and then one every other day, to a couple times a week for life. If they’re older than 10
years, give one every day for life after the first couple of weeks. Your cat may need a multivitamin as it gets older or has other health
conditions for extra support. But check with your vet first as it’s easy to give them too much which can be dangerous and toxic. For
more information on B12 and the different conditions it helps, go to the Supplements page and click on B12.
Look at your cat’s behavior and mood to make sure they aren’t depressed or lethargic. That’s a sure sign that something deeper and
usually health related is going on. Alex was depressed and staring out the window for months before she took her sudden downturn.
And not the kind of window gazing a cat usually does. She was sad, lethargic and didn’t want to play anymore. I should have had it
checked out sooner and because I’m a better-informed parent now I’ll never make that mistake again. Although cats are notorious for
hiding their illnesses, they’re happiness is an important step in their health process. It can pave the way to their feeling good and strong
for most of their lives.
There’s so much to learn and so much more to know about their health than we ever have in the past. Gone are the days when you can
say that cats just take care of themselves and all you have to do is feed and clean up after them. We as the human race are the ones who
domesticated them and we are the ones who need to take responsibility for their well-being. We don’t take a life into our home just to
have them for a few years if we know we can do better for them, we can and we have to. We are their parents and they’ll love us even
more for it.
Check out Finn and Lacey in action on youtube! http://www.youtube.com/user/finnlacey
the conditions relating to it. There is no guarantee that even if you do the very best for your cat that they still won't get IBD or any
other disease, sometimes we just never know why it happens. But knowing what instigates and irritates the disease can help create
guidelines for care and prevention.
Most cat owners treat their fur kids like they were human kids already. So just as in humans, preventative care is very important with
animals. And we’re learning more and more that they need as much clean and healthy living as we do. Being vigilant and proactive in
your cat’s healthcare is more important than ever given all the serious obstacles we face with trying to keep them healthy. They depend
on us for everything just like children so it’s up to us to make sound and informed decisions on everything we do for them from food to
products used for grooming.
Research all of the products you use with your kitty. If using bath wipes, shampoo, flea and tick medications and preventatives, etc.,
make sure they don’t contain anything harmful. When buying a product I usually check it online and look at the ingredients first. If I’m
not sure if that product is safe or has an ingredient I’m not sure about, I send the link to someone I know that has more knowledge
about these things and check with them. Ask some of your online friends what they use. Because we form that bond with people in
support groups for our kitties, we get a lot of feedback on everything to do with our cat’s health. Even if your kitty is perfectly healthy,
join an online cat community. The more brains to pick, the better. Try to go as eco-friendly as possible with all products, but be aware
that doesn’t always mean it’s safe. Stay away from anything with essential oils, fragrances, etc.
Try to feed your cat the best food you can find or make. Look for organic ingredients with low-fat, low carbohydrates, high-protein,
mostly meat varieties. Say NO to grains and gluten, especially corn! Don’t even give treats that contain grains, there are plenty of foods
and treats out there that are much better for your cat than what’s available at the supermarket. Cats are natural carnivores so meat
and protein form the basis of their diets. A low protein diet won’t provide enough of the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Rotate their diet every three to four months so their systems don’t get used to one specific ingredient and develop allergies. I actually
rotate their food on a daily basis, from different flavors to different brands. Nature’s Variety has a rotating system of raw, to canned and
kibble. I don’t recommend a kibble only diet at all but am okay with giving a small amount, once in awhile as a treat. I usually give mine
a quarter of a cup a couple of times a week as a snack in the middle of the day, plus two cans of food. Rotating different brands of foods
will also help to diminish any allergies as ingredients can vary greatly between brands.
Also, use a water filter for your cat’s sake as well as yours. There are too many dangerous chemicals and bacteria in tap water. I have an
over-the-counter filter that attachs to my faucet from Paragon Water Systems. On the food page of this site I have a section on the
importance of a filter and why I use this one.
I’ve also included a link for the company if you choose to look for one. I don’t work for them or make any money. It’s just the best filter
around for removal of not only toxins and bacteria but parasites as well. Look for one that removes the same things when buying one.
If your kitty gets an infection of any kind and needs to be put on antibiotics, keep in mind that this will destroy not only the bad bacteria
but the good as well. After they're done with their meds, give them a probiotic every day to replace the healthy flora that was lost. I
think too many times we give our kids antibiotics and forget to give them the tools they need to keep a healthy immune system. We
strip away the healthy bacteria needed to fight future intestinal issues and then wonder why they're getting diarrhea, gas, vomiting, etc.
Go to the supplements page for a list of probiotics that are safe and effective for your kitty.
Use environmentally safe and animal friendly cleaning products. Some products contain not only toxic cleaning chemicals but oils and
fragrances that can accumulate in your cat's system after a certain amount of exposure. These oils can eventually lead to liver damage
and toxicity, lung disease and other health hazards. These are all things I never knew about until Alex passed away and I developed this
website. Researching has opened up my eyes to a whole lot of dangers to a cat's health, so just as if you had a human baby in the house,
keep chemicals and cleaners out of the reach of your furbabies.
Keep your pet at a healthy weight for their age and frame. Check with your vet to see what that weight should be and get a baby scale,
one that has a hold button for better accuracy for when your kitty is wiggling around. You can also tell if they’re gaining weight by
feeling their hip area and their underbelly for extra fat. If you feel mostly muscle and bones and a little fat in the area where they were
spayed or neutered, they’re in good shape. They’ll almost always have that fatty area where they were fixed, it’s normal. Also watch
how they walk. If you see them start to waddle too much, it’s time to take a weight check to see what’s going on. It may not be a weight
issue but a joint issue, which should also be checked out by your vet.
It’s not okay to have an overweight pet, take it from me. Alex’s problems stemmed from being overweight and she suffered for it. You
may think it’s cruel to hold food from your cat when they’re sitting in front of you with those sad eyes! But the cruelty actually lies in
giving them everything they want and having them develop IBD, fatty liver, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, pancreatitis, etc. Fat
leads to inflammation and inflammation leads to disease, it’s that simple. Cats are usually gluttons and will gorge themselves with as
much food as you put down. It’s a myth that a cat will stop eating when it’s full. Most of the time, they’ll come back to that bowl and
keep snacking. Leave the bowl down for approximately 30 minutes at the most after they’ve started eating. If they don’t eat anymore
after that, remove the food until the next feeding.
Keep certain items handy at home like the baby scale, an ear thermometer, canned pumpkin for constipation or diarrhea. You can go to
the Tips and Tricks page for more information about how to use these products. Keep a couple of jars of baby food handy but make sure
there isn’t any onions or garlic at all in it. Also keep a pet pill gun and some hairball remedy in the house.
When scooping or changing the litter box, inspect what’s in there and make sure they’re going to the bathroom the way they should.
Chronic loose stools, diarrhea or constipation is not normal and should be checked within a couple of days of first spotting it. Their diet
may need to be adjusted but if you let it go too long, it can become a much bigger problem. If you see blood in their stools or urine, call
the vet immediately. If your cat has hairballs once in awhile, that’s normal. I brush my cats several times a week even if it’s just for a
couple of seconds. Feeding them the proper diet should prevent them from shedding excessively and vomiting. This sounds disgusting
but when they do vomit, look at it. If it’s food or hair, that’s normal. If it’s bile or white foam, that’s not normal. Vomiting more than
once every week or two isn’t normal either and irritates their digestive tract, it’s acidic just like with us. If they start to vomit too often,
they may stop eating, which is very dangerous for a cat. As always, if your cat vomits blood for any reason call the vet immediately or
get your cat to an ER if you can.
Because canned and dry cat foods are over-processed, giving probiotics once a week would be helpful to keep the good bacteria available
for fighting off anything like upper respiratory infections. I give mine Kyo-dophillus powder and L-Lysine powder once a week for that
specific reason. Finnegan and Lacey both had upper respiratory infections when I first got them and the L-Lysine powder, Viralys,
works fantastic at keeping them breathing right and keeping their eyes and noses in great condition. I have links to all of these products
on the supplements page.
I also give my kids a B12 sublingual tablet at least once a week. I only use one that is a vegetarian version, no fillers, sugars, sugar
substitutes, grains or soy. I either put it in a treat or make a meatball with their food from the fridge they don’t even know it’s in there.
Because of everything I’ve learned about the importance of B12 in all living things I’ve taken it upon myself to make sure they get an
extra dose once in awhile. The amount I give is such a small dose it’s not going to hurt them in anyway as they’re water soluble,
meaning they’ll urinate what they don’t use. B12 is a very important vitamin that helps to regulate the absorption of other nutrients.
The older we get, animals and people alike, the less stored B12 we all have in our reserves. If your cat is older than five or six years,
consider giving a twice-weekly B12 sublingual. Start out with two B12 dots, (they look like little dots, 1,000 mcgs), a day for a week.
Then go down to one a day for another week and then one every other day, to a couple times a week for life. If they’re older than 10
years, give one every day for life after the first couple of weeks. Your cat may need a multivitamin as it gets older or has other health
conditions for extra support. But check with your vet first as it’s easy to give them too much which can be dangerous and toxic. For
more information on B12 and the different conditions it helps, go to the Supplements page and click on B12.
Look at your cat’s behavior and mood to make sure they aren’t depressed or lethargic. That’s a sure sign that something deeper and
usually health related is going on. Alex was depressed and staring out the window for months before she took her sudden downturn.
And not the kind of window gazing a cat usually does. She was sad, lethargic and didn’t want to play anymore. I should have had it
checked out sooner and because I’m a better-informed parent now I’ll never make that mistake again. Although cats are notorious for
hiding their illnesses, they’re happiness is an important step in their health process. It can pave the way to their feeling good and strong
for most of their lives.
There’s so much to learn and so much more to know about their health than we ever have in the past. Gone are the days when you can
say that cats just take care of themselves and all you have to do is feed and clean up after them. We as the human race are the ones who
domesticated them and we are the ones who need to take responsibility for their well-being. We don’t take a life into our home just to
have them for a few years if we know we can do better for them, we can and we have to. We are their parents and they’ll love us even
more for it.
Check out Finn and Lacey in action on youtube! http://www.youtube.com/user/finnlacey
| "The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." --Thomas Edison |
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