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Sheriff : Blog #1 |
Get that furball immediately to a veterinarian to see if it’s a medical condition brought on by stress, moving, loss of companionship, etc Basically any changes (even the very subtle ones that you might not even notice) taking place.
Many cats are prone to bladder issues (Cystitis, Urinary track infection, crystals, blood in urine) and other very serious conditions from the food they are eating, to not drinking enough water or just plain stress that causes any of the above.
A somewhat inexpensive urinalysis can be done without any other tests to determine if the problem is a medical one. After it is established what the problem is (the proper medicine can be administered) and life can resume back to normal for EVERYONE, especially, Mr. or Mrs. Cat.
Males tend to be more prone to UTI problems, like blocking which can become fatal. The first signs to look out for, are as subtle as peeing outside the box, peeing on beds, rugs, or anywhere out of the litter box especially if this behavior is not normal. This is the cats way of telling you it’s in pain or something is wrong. Face it, cats can’t hold up a sign saying, Hey moron, I’ve got a urine infection and it hurts so much, I keep trying to find a place that it won’t hurt.
Some cats (especially if not neutered) or spayed, will spray. Many cats are fastidious about their litter boxes being cleaned. Some even prefer two litter boxes, one for urinating and the other for a bowel movement, lol.
Cats aren’t big water drinkers (since in the wild they would catch birds and mice) which would provide all the moisture they need in their diet. However, in captivity, they are only fed dry food, which is really hard on their kidneys, thus kidney disease being one of the number one diseases conditions cats die from, which could be preventable if the correct steps were administered throughout their growing lives.
A healthy cat should not ever pee outside the box, since cats are known to use their litterboxes, as people use their toilets. However, many other conditions can be an issue if the medical ones are ruled out.
If its behavioral, it can be as simple as the wrong litter, (if its scented), one of the fancy litters that cats aren’t used to (i.e. pine, coffee grounds, and other strange looking litter). It can be the place the litter box is placed (near a refrigerator, washer or dryer) anything that makes noise. Cats that aren’t used to covered cat boxes, will not use a litter box with a lid, until they know it’s a (a litter box) and two, it’s a safe place for them to go.
Gotta run for some treats, but I’ll explain more about behavioral issues next time.
Keep your cat healthy, by watching subtle changes in his or her behavior.
Cats are very intelligent, devoted, affectionate and will bring many years of companionship and joy if his/her life is free of ailments. Much like people…….