Isle of Arran Branch

How you care for your cat will change over time from being a kitten to a senior.

Your cat is a kitten from birth until strictly speaking 6 months old. At this age they can reproduce. However, if you equate their age to ours then a cat is roughly as follow:

At 8 years old your cat is a 'senior'. From this point your cat is a pretty good age and will as likely need a dietary change to compensate for his/her change in lifestyle. At this age a cat may be more inclined to stay at home, sleep longer, less playful and be quite happy with a lap to sit on, window ledge for the sun's warmth. It doesn't mean that they wont play or do all the things they did before but like us they will start to slow up a little as the years pass.

Like us they will be prone to illness that goes with age and these are the things you need to watch out for so that they can receive veterinary treatment as soon as possible to ensure they keep as healthy and active as possible. That their quality of life is as good as it can be.

So we need to follow a treatment pattern which includes worming, prevention of fleas, lice, ticks, ear mites and vaccinations. It all sounds horrible, I know, but its not really as horrific ass it seems. Some simple steps will deal with it and will not feel like too much effort or awful to do!! I should add that whilst your cat may not like some of it the act of handling your cat will help the bonding between you and help your cat to come to you when it doesn't feel well.

Throughout a cats life vaccinations are an important part of their health . Humans have vaccinations to help prevent diseases such as measles, TB, smallpox, typhoid etc some of which are life threatening and some can lead to permanent disabilities. So too vaccinations for cats are as important. Cats have their own groups of illness that we need to prevent in order to help them stay healthy.

Vaccinations

Cat 'flu- a vaccination must

Two types of cat 'flu are vaccinated against feline herpes virus (FHV-1) and feline calicivirus (FCV). These viruses are very common and vaccination will protect your cat against prolonged illness, but because there are many different strains of cat 'flu the vaccine will not totally eradicate the threat

Feline infectious enteritis (FIE) - a vaccination must

Feline infectious enteritis (a severe and often fatal gut infection) is caused by the feline parvovirus (or feline panleukopenia virus). Vaccination against FIE has been very successful. Unvaccinated cats are at great risk because the virus is widespread in the environment.

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)- a vaccination must for outdoor cats

FeLV is a lifelong infection and unfortunately most cats will die within three years of diagnosis, usually from a subsequent disease like leukaemia, lymphoma (tumours) or progressive anaemia. It is not an air born disease and can only be passed on via direct contact between cats (usually by saliva or bites). Because of the serious nature of the disease, CP recommends FeLV vaccination

Feline chlamydophilosis- depends on your circumstances

This bacterium, which causes conjunctivitis in cats, can't survive in the atmosphere and is thus spread by direct contact between cats (affecting multi-cat households and kittens predominately). Your vet will discuss your situation and advise as to whether this vaccine is necessary.

Worming, Fleas,Ticks and Ear Mites !

Worming

There are two main types of worms that infect cats - roundworms and tapeworms. Most cats will suffer from roundworms at some point in their lives and infection is not always visible. It is advisable to treat for roundworms in adult cats and for kittens.

Tapeworms, if present, will be noticeable, as segments are passed in the cat's faeces and can be seen clinging to the animal's legs/fur. When dry, the segments are cream coloured and look like grains of rice. Good treatments for both tape and roundworms are available from veterinary surgeries. Please consult your vet for advice on treatment frequency, as this depends on the preventative product used. Please don't try using the products on supermarket or pet shop shelves, they are not strong enough to actually clear worms from your cats system

If your cat is sick some short while afterwards this is often a common sign they have had worms and is not something to worry about. But do keep an eye out if they continue to be sick. Whilst not pleasant it is a good idea to see what they have brought up in case its anything you need to take to them to tech vet to get checked. On the whole there will be no problem as this routine treatment will ensure your cat has no problems with worms.

Fleas, Ticks and Ear Mites

Fleas often affect cats, even meticulously clean ones, because the eggs can survive in the environment for a very long time. Fleas can be present all year round especially in milder climates. The good news is that they are easily prevented and treated using the very effective flea treatments now available from vets. Cat fleas can bite people and can make some people itch, signs of such are small red spots round the ankles and scratching. A good Flea regime is to Hoover all the carpets well into the corners of the room and settees and spray with an effective flea treatment used for the house. The sprays on supermarket shelves are not suitable for such and can of this product will usually cost in the region of £10. I have used them and they are effective for several months, so its not expensive. Due to the climate Some parts of the country suffer from fleas more than others, .

An infected cat or kitten will scratch his ears, shake his head and sometimes damage the skin on his ears and temples. Ear mites live on dead skin, inside the ear and brown wax will be seen in the outer ear. Treatment is required to eliminate them so it is best to take your cat to the vet.