Senior Cat Supplements that Can Boost Your Cat's Health

Is your cat getting up in the years? An older cat has special dietary and nutritional requirements in order to maintain optimal health. A healthy diet is important, but the absorption of some nutrients may slow down due to the aging process. For this reason your senior cat may benefit from nutritional supplements to help prevent the diseases of aging. Here are some of the best nutritional supplements for senior cats:

Senior cat supplements: Supplementation for joint health

If your cat isn't climbing the stairs as quickly as he used to, it may be because his joints aren't as fluid as they once were due to the effects of arthritis. Fortunately, some of the same supplements that help humans with arthritis are effective for cats. One of the best joint supplements is glucosamine with chondoitin sulfate. Glucosamine is one of the key components of healthy cartilage in both humans and animals. Studies have shown that supplementing senior cats with glucosamine can help to boost joint function and even repair aging cartilage. Glucosamine has also been shown to be effective in improving the symptoms of hip dysplasia in cats. Other nutritional supplements that may improve arthritis symptoms in cats include bromelain and vitamin C.

Senior cat supplements: Probiotics

In order to maintain a healthy digestive tract, both humans and cats need friendly bacteria to aid in digestion and reduce the risk of illness. As cats age, the quantity of these friendly bacteria may decline increasing their susceptibility to infection and predisposing them to digestive related problems. Levels of gut friendly bacteria can be increased by giving your cat a probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Do some research before selecting a probiotic since there's a lot of variation in the number of active cultures in various brands of probiotics.

Senior cat supplements: Antioxidants


We've certainly heard a lot about antioxidants when it comes to humans. Antioxidants are substances that help to wipe out damaging free radicals formed by the body, potentially decreasing the risk of a variety of chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, and cataracts. Some of the more common antioxidants are the vitamins A, C, and E. Although it's ideal if your cat can get these antioxidants in sufficient quantity in his diet, antioxidant absorption may be diminished due to age. For this reason, you may want to ask your vet if your cat is a good candidate for antioxidant vitamin supplementation.

Senior cat supplements: Immune system boosters

As cats age, their immune systems may become less efficient at fighting off infection and disease. Certain foods and supplements have been shown to potentially have some immune enhancing effects in cats including wheat grass and barley grass which are natural cereal grains.

Senior cat supplements: Omega 3 fatty acids

Several studies have shown that supplementation with the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oils may help to reduce the risk of disease in the aging cat by suppressing chronic inflammation. They help to preserve heart health as well as promote good vision and joint health. There are now omega 3 fatty acid supplements available specifically for the health needs of cats.

If your senior cat could use a little boost, why not consider adding some of these supplements to his diet? It may be just what he needs to act like a kitten again.





By Kristie Leong M.D

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Cat Vegetarian Diet Research is It Healthy For Your Cat

We can understand why humans decided to maintain a vegetarian diet because of various health reasons. We also know that human may possibly live a healthier lifestyle on a vegetarian diet, but is it the same for cats? Is there a need to transform your cats diet into a vegetarian one just because you are one?

Like me, if the vegetarian cat diet issue has bothered you for a long time, I hope this little research article can help you clear some doubts on whether a vegetarian cat diet is a healthy diet:

Source 1. Dr. Richard Pitcairn, author of Dr. Pitcairns Complete Guide to the Health of Dogs and Cats, Rodale Press, notes that the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom reported that cats did well on meatless diets in Great Britain.

Nevertheless, he warns that cats are true carnivores and have dietary needs that can only be satisfied by ingesting animal tissue. He states that unlike humans and dogs, cats cannot convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. They also need sufficient taurine, which is not found in plant material. In short, Dr. Pitcairn does not feel that meatless or near meatless diets supplemented with taurine are healthy for cats.

Source 2. The Vegetarian Society, a UK organization founded in 1847, warns against feeding cats a vegetarian diet. The society explains that cats are natural carnivores and are likely to find their meat elsewhere by hunting rodents and birds. They also reminds cat owners that cats require nutrients that are found only in meat. These nutrients include: taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A, vitamin B12, niacin, thiamin and protein.

Explaining that meat is the only major source of arachidonic acid, and cats lacking the ability to synthesize niacin from protein. There are little replacements as cats cannot use the B12 in cereals, and egg and dairy products are actually poor sources for the vitamin.

Source 3. Wysong, a premium pet food manufacturer, has a vegan cat food formula on its list, but guess what, they themselves warns that the food does not meet feline protein requirements. Wysong advises that the decision to feed a cat that is a natural carnivore an all vegetarian diet brings inherent risk with an artificially imposed, imbalanced and deficient diet. The vegan food formula the company offers is to be used for specific purposes:

1. For when a pet has food allergies, use the vegan cat food as part of an elimination diet to see what meat products your pet is allergic to.

2. Use the food as a base and add fresh meats and organ meat.

Also, Wysong notes that since not 100% is known about nutrition or nutrition of cats in particular, calling a food 100% balanced cannot be truly accurate. One can extract from that statement that how can we truly know what other nutrients may be missing from a cats diet that is meatless and how can we be sure we are supplementing sufficiently?

At the moment of time, the decision of most cat owners to go with a vegetarian diet is really more of an ethical choice than of a health-based one. If you are thinking along the line of ethics, maybe you can consider the reasons why you are forcing your cat to eat a diet that goes against its nature and possibly put its health at risk. If you decide to stick with a vegetarian diet for your cat, do consult your veterinarian regularly and bring him for an extra checkup annually.



By: Moses Wright

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Cat Allergy Symptoms

Cat allergy symptoms afflict many people. Sufferers are in real trouble if they happen to own a cat. This might not make sense to the ordinary person but to a cat lover it does. The symptoms may developed long after they have acquired their furry companion so getting rid of the rascal my simply not be an option. So for many cat lovers and owners living with cat allergies is a real problem that they have to live with.

Allergies in general are still not completely understood by the medical community. Inroads have been made but the fact remains that not enough knowledge has been gained on allergies to completely eliminate them. Some of the best experts on allergies in the medical community are themselves allergy sufferers. This in itself has allowed them to make the observations necessary to gain a better understanding of allergy symptoms.

Cat allergy symptoms can manifest themselves in many forms. They can appear singularly or in combination. They can come and go for no apparent reason. So you may have been mistaking your symptoms for a lingering cold and or a sore throat that comes and goes. A rash that sometimes responds to topical treatment and sometimes doesn't. Sneezing fits that you blame on dust or pollen allergies.

Some of the symptoms are clogged and ringing ears. Sneezing fits. Red and watering eyes. Burning eyes. Skin rashes. Cold-like symptoms. Sore throat. Sound familiar? If you are a cat owner and you have these symptoms on a regular basis that you may be suffering from cat allergies. You can however take steps to reduce your suffering and still keep your beloved friend.

Until recently the actual cause of the allergy symptoms was a mystery. People thought they knew but in the end no one really knew for sure what in fact was on the cat that was causing the suffering. Hair?small skin flakes? The cat box? It turns out it is the cats saliva that is the culprit. By licking its hair, which is a cats favorite past time, your cat is spreading the stuff that is the root of your suffering.

The best method of determining if you are suffering from cat allergies is to remove your cat from the house for about two weeks and vacuum and clean anything your cat is in contact with and see if the symptoms disappear or are lessened. Not doing a thorough cleaning defeats the purpose of this test. This is a common test for most allergy sufferers. Remove the suspect material and see if it goes away.

Assuming that you have made a determination that you are in fact suffering from cat allergies then the next question is what to do about it. The easiest and most complete solution short of finding your cat a new home is to make it an outside cat. This might seem like a great sacrifice to yourself but your cat may love it once it has adjusted. A cat door can be installed on a side room or garage so it can still come in from the weather.

Other solutions can be had but they are not as completely as effective as putting your cat outside. Vacuuming and cleaning your house more often helps. It's a lot more work for yourself but the allergen can be removed. Receiving medical treatment for your allergies can be effective if you respond positively to the treatment. Limiting your cats access to your whole house particularly your bedroom is a must.



By: Sven Ullmann

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Cat Training And Cat Behavior Will Cat Problems Be Solved

The cat's probable social behavior varies extremely from ferociously self-determining to compatibly outgoing with other felines. According to a few professionals a cat's social qualities are in evolution from self-dependent to mutually dependent.

In reality, a cat's behavior and resultant societal relations with other cats are dependent on factors such as population density of neighborhood cats, premature knowledge and the amount of food available in the vicinity.

Variation In The Population Density And Grouping Dynamics:

The family cat is a solitary seeker. It requires a large area to catch adequate prey, while scrounging for itself and it will protect that area from other cats too. From a study, it is revealed that a vicinity of sq mile (1 sq km) will sustain nearly five cats in the agricultural areas of Europe, North America and Australasia.

Altering circumstances such as new felines, absence of few cats or new people greatly affects the social dynamics of cats. Social acquaintances generally develop between females and kittens, and rarely by adult males in a characteristic assembly of tamed cats, who stay with humans. Cats settle differences normally by visual contact or occasionally by a swipe of its paw once, there is friendliness amongst cats residing in the same place.

When two cats meet up suddenly, the cat that has a higher status is generally the superior at that time. However, it might not be the same during the next meeting. Odor and well-being also affects the status of a cat. When a cat comes home after undergoing treatment at a hospital for some medical issue, sometimes a healthy household cat attacks it. Once a status is formed in a multi cat home, however differences are rare.

Behavioral Changes Caused By Food:

When food is available in plenty, social relations increase because the reasons for fighting decrease. Sparsely distributed hunting cats exhibit defensive gestures rather than social while well-fed cats in neighborhood areas usually exhibit outgoing social interactions. Household cats are the friendliest, since food is aplenty at home.

The Importance Of Family And Matriarchy:

One should not expect a household cat to be pleased with the arrival of a new feline just because it gets plentiful food and it has a very easy life. It is nearly impossible. Cats can get along with one another only, if they share a blood relationship.

The other important thing is early castration. Although untamed male cats make very less social relations than females, neutered male cats make the same number of social contacts as neutered female cats. Neutering improves male feline relationships considerably.

The cat family is mostly matriarchal. Untamed cat population generally contains four or more blood-related feline generations. The most frequent social communication amongst females is licking rather than rubbing.

The mother, grandmother, sisters and other female members remove the male kittens from the colony as soon as they mature and exhibit rough play behavior. These males accompany other males, who generally hover around and prevent any unrelated male from coming near.



By: Martin Marks

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Symptoms of a Sick Cat Know When a Trip to the Vet is Necessary

Cats are not complainers. They do not come up to you and show you an injury, or come to you when in pain. Their meows do not often convey discomfort. Moreover, when in pain, they still purr. Therefore, WHAT can we, as responsible pet owners, look for in our beloved felines that would necessitate a trip to the veterinarians? As we are such responsible pet owners, we should be aware of the normal appearance of our feline. We should be aware of our pet's normal behavior and routine. A cat's eating habits should be familiar as well. Should you notice your cat not eating as much over the course of a few days and being lethargic- a trip to the vet could be vital. Yes, cats sleep upwards of eighteen hours a day, but you, as a responsible pet owner can tell if your cat is sleeping more than usual. You will know if your cat usually sleeps beside you nightly, and now is sleeping next to the water bowl that something is amiss.

Other signs to be aware of in our kitty's health:

Nose:

Is your cat sneezing more, having more nasal discharge, or green mucus running out? Is there reddening around the nasal cavity? If you observe your cat sneeze once or several times in quick succession, do not rush your kitty to the vet. Cats do have allergies, too. If you had just opened the door, something could have blown in, creating a sudden urge to sneeze. However if the sneezing continues, a trip to the vet could be in order.

Ears:

Is your cat scratching and shaking his or her head more than usual? Is there a balance impairment you have witnessed? A head tilt? It might be more than fleas. (Which as a resposible pet owner you are already using a preventative for right?)

Eyes:

Is there more discharge (eye gunk as we call it) than normal? Is there a small black dot in the eye (a sign of a corneal sequestrum), or a film over one or both of the eyes?

Fur and skin:

Is your cat's coat normally soft and silky but now it appears course and greasy? Could be indicative of a greater problem. Inspect your cat's fur on a regular basis (when grooming on a regular basis) for any bald patches (a possible fungal infection), scratches, cuts, or any other alterations to their body.
Teeth, gums, and mouth:

Most of us, even the most responsible of responsible pet owners do not brush their cats' teeth. However, looking for obsessive drooling, salivating, inflammation, or wounds is the responsible thing to do as a responsible pet owner. Has your cat suddenly developed a small bump on the upper or bottom lip? Could be something as simple as food allergy. A steroid shot and a change in food might be in order.

Lungs and Respiratory System:

Is your kitty having labored breathing? Is he or she coughing more? Does he or she seem to be panting or open mouth breathing? Is there black gook build up around their nose and mouth?

Intestines, stomach, and urinary tract:

Cats have hairballs-that is normal. Nevertheless, if you notice your cat is vomiting- not normal. A trip to the vet may be in order. If you have observed diarrhea, constipation, abnormal stools, or blood in urine and /or stools a trip to the vet is definitely in order. Normal feline behavior in your home that you have observed is kitty drinks a half a bowl of water a day, suddenly you notice you are having to fill the bowl more than once daily-get kitty to the vet!!!

Know your cat, protect your cat.

By Lori Piper

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