Saturday, December 31, 2016

Cats And Feline Diabetes

Cats And Feline Diabetes

Cats are one of the most popular pets in North America.  They are loving pets, capable of providing you years of companionship.  Like other pets, cats can sometimes get sick.  There are several different types of ailments that cats can get, one of which is feline diabetes.  Feline diabetes is a serious disease, although it can be treated by a veterinarian.

Diabetes is more common with humans than with cats or other animals. The cause of diabetes is actually quite simple.  Sugar, or glucose, is found in the blood.  The level of blood sugar in the body or the animal is kept under control by hormone insulin, which the pancreas produces.  When the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, diabetes is to blame.

The symptoms of feline diabetes will vary.  The most common symptoms include an increase in urine and an increase in thirst.  Other symptoms of feline diabetes include a loss of appetite, weight loss, and a poor coat.  An increase in thirst is easy to detect, as you can easily notice the water dish empty throughout the day.

If you don’t get your cat treated for feline diabetes immediately, the cat will eventually become inactive, vomit on a regular basis, and eventually fall into a coma.  On the other hand, if you get the diabetes treated in time, the cat will more than likely lead a normal and healthy life.  Keep in mind that treatment doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time and dedication.

Cats that have feline diabetes will need to be given food at the same time every day. They should be prevented from going outside as well.  If your cat has diabetes, you’ll need to give him insulin shots once or twice or a day.  Once your veterinarian checks your cat, he will tell you how many shots and how much insulin you need to give your cat.

Before you give your cat his insulin shot, you should always make sure that he has some food first.  If he hasn’t eaten and you give him a shot anyway, he could end up with a hypoglycemic shock.  This can also occur from too much insulin as well.  A hypo can be really dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs.  If your cat gets a hypoglycemic shock and you aren’t around, he may end up dying.

If you have to give insulin shots to your cat due to feline diabetes, you should always keep a watchful eye on him after you have administered the shot.  After your cat has been on insulin for a period of time, your vet may reduce the amount of insulin.  Even though he may have to stay on insulin the rest of his life, he will lead an otherwise healthy life.

Caring For Persian Cats

Caring For Persian Cats

These days, Persian cats are among the most popular breeds of cat.  Well known for their gentle and sweet personalities and their long hair, Persian cats have very attractive features.  They are great companions for virtually anyone, and not very demanding.  Unlike other breeds, such as the Siamese breed, Persian breeds need very little attention.

Although white is the color normally associated with Persian cats, they actually come in a variety of other colors as well.  During competitions, they are divided into seven color divisions – solid, silver and gold, tabby, shaded and smoke, particolor, bicolor, and Himalayan.  No matter what color of Persian cat it may be, they are best noticed during competitions by their long and flowing coats.

Persian cats should always be kept inside of the house, to protect their coat.  If they travel outside, they can easily damage their coat.  They will also need to be brushed daily with a metal comb, or their coat can become tangled, which will lead to hairballs.  You’ll need to bathe your Persian cat on a regular basis as well, to help protect his coat.  Bathing works best when the cat is young, as it will get him used to it.  Bathing should never be overlooked, as it will keep your cats coat looking clean and healthy.  Although some breeds can maintain their coats on their own, Persians can’t. Their fur is long and dense and you’ll need to groom them daily to ensure their coat stays healthy.

The Persian breed is gentle and sweet, getting along great with everyone – including kids.  They have a pleasant voice that is always good to hear.  Using their voice and their eyes, they can communicate very well with their owners.  They are very playful, yet they don’t require a lot of attention.  They love attention however, and love being admired.  Unlike other cats, they don’t climb and jump much at all.  They aren’t destructive either; they just love being admired and lying around.  A majority of the time, Persian cats love to bask in the sun and show others just how beautiful they truly are.

Although most breeds can be kept indoors or outside, Persian cats should always be kept inside and never allowed to go outside of the house.  Keeping them inside with protect their coats and also keep diseases and common parasites away from them as well.  You won’t have to worry about cars or dogs either if you keep your pet inside.
To ensure that your Persian pet stays healthy, you should always take him to the vet on an annual basis.  If cared for properly, such as grooming, shots, and checkups, Persian cats can live as long as 20 years.  One thing you’ll need to be aware of that’s common with Persians is their eyes.  Their eyes are very big and can sometimes be too much for the cat to clean.  This is a common healthy problem with the breed, and should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it doesn’t get out of control.

When you compare Persians to other breeds, you’ll notice that the Persians are among the easiest to keep.  You don’t have to worry about things like jumping or climbing, as Persians don’t like to do either.  All you’ll need to do is feed your cat and groom him or him on a daily basis.  Even though grooming can be quite a bit of work in the long run – it’s well worth it when you have a healthy an beautiful Persian cat.

Friday, December 30, 2016

An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats

An In Depth Look At Siamese Cats

The exotic and somewhat mysterious Siamese cat hails from the country of Thailand.  They had always been a popular breed of cats, some even residing in royal palaces.  Siamese cats, in the past, were trusted to protect royal palaces and monasteries from evil spirits.  These cats were also thought of as bringing good fortune to their owners as well.

During the year of 1884, the very first Siamese cats began to make their way to England, when they were given as gifts to a British general.  After that, they eventually made their way over to America.  Now days, Siamese cats are one of the most recognized of the breed.  Siamese cats are without a doubt the most popular short haired cat and among the top 3 in the entire breed of cats.

Even though there are several different colors to this breed, some questions what makes a cat a true Siamese cat.  These cats have always been known for their bodies which are lighter in color, with darker areas throughout.  The more darker areas found on their bodies are normally around the feet, tail, legs, or face.  They can weight anywhere between 6 - 16 lbs, with bright eyes that are normally slanted - which is another clue that the cat is a true Siamese.

Traditionally, Siamese cats are robust, with round heads and a truly muscular build.  They are well known throughout the world for their color points and unique personalities.  Unlike other breeds, Siamese breeds have a talent for communicating with people.  If you are looking for a cat that is nice and quiet, you wouldn’t want a Siamese cat.  These cats love to play, love to make noise, and they also happen to be the most social breed of cats out there.

Siamese cats demand a lot of attention, because in their minds, they believe that the world revolves around them.  For this very reason, they can tend be quite dependant on their owners.  They love to play, and crave interaction.  If you leave them alone for too long, they won’t like it.  They like to get attention, love to play, and hate to be left by themselves.

Even though Siamese cats are emotionally high maintenance, they don’t need a lot of maintenance They need a minimum amount of grooming, which involves bathing every once in a while, and brushing maybe once or twice a month.  If you like cats with minimal maintenance, Siamese cats are perfect.  Their hair is short to their skin, so a gentle brushing is all you need.  They can get sick however, which is to be expected with any breed of cat.

Siamese cats have a life span that is similar to other breeds, which is normally around 15 - 20 years, sometimes even longer. As long as you feed him on a daily basis and take him to the vet for his regular checkups and shots, he will be around for years and years to come.  Most people who have their Siamese cat for over 10 years, find the cat to be more like a child than a pet.

No matter how you look at it, a Siamese cat is a great pet.  Although the Siamese breed does require a lot of attention, they are excellent pets that you can spend a lot of time with.  They are great for kids as well, simply because kids can spend a lot of time with them.  As long as you give your pet the attention he craves - he will be your life long friend for as long as you have him.

A Look At Cat Breeds

A Look At Cat Breeds

Over the last thousands of years, cats have pretty much handled their breeding themselves.  In the beginning, they were used for one purpose - hunting and killing rodents.  As the years progressed, we began to breed cats more to our liking.  Now days, there are several different breeds of cats - which you can tell if you look closely.

These days there are over 70 distinct cat breeds, which are recognized through cat registries.  There are several registries that will recognize around 40 breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds such as tigers.  There are also many variations as well, including wild cats that have longer hair.

There are some cat breeds who have roots going back quite a bit in history.  Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail, can be traced back more than 1,000 years in history.  These cats were very common and well known throughout Medieval Japan.  Now days though, they are all but a myth throughout Japan and the entire world.

The more common cat breeds that are found in North America include the alley cat, long haired cat, and Persian cat.  Siamese cats are also common, although they are well known to be destructive and to have a foul temper.  Persian cats are very popular, proving to be loving companions.  Persian cats can be very expense, depending on where you get it and what type of Persian cat it is.

Alley cats are the most common in North America.  There are actually several different breeds, although most of us just refer to them as alley cats.  They make good pets, although there are literally thousands of them in existence.  Cats are known to breed more than any other pet, and they will continue to breed until they are stopped.  Alley cats are among the most bred, as there are hundreds of thousands of cats that are homeless - and have nothing to do but breed.

The look of the cat is the easiest way to tell what breed he or she may be.  Some people choose to go by color, although color isn’t as easy to identify.  Different breeds of cats have different looks, such as the Siamese and Persian cats.  Siamese cats are almost always black, and easy to identify by their color and their eyes.  Persian cats on the other hand, are easily identified by their body type and their hair.

Over the years, there has been quite a few breeds come along.  Cats were one of the first pets, and easily one of the most popular.  Millions of people around the world own cats, with many people preferring a cat over any other pet - including dogs.  No matter breed of cat you get - you’re sure to get a pet who make for a great companion for years and years to come.