Healthy Kittens

If you are looking at a cat or kitten and its **sneezing, ** its time to check the nose. Is there mucous on the nose? This cat/kitten has an upper respiratory infection. A vet will recommend an antibiotic depending on what type of bacteria is causing the infection. Do not insist on giving antibiotics without a vet exam for practically everything - that is not the way to treat a cat.

Look at the **gums** too. If they are pale it means the cat is not getting enough oxygen or is anemic. If the gums are blue - this cat needs a vet ASAP because it is really low on oxygen and may have heart or other complications.

Look at the **ears**. Are they dirty? Does the cat shake its head a lot? See if the swabbed ear comes up with gritty, black stuff that looks like coffee grinds. That is ear mites. It is treated for 2 weeks with one product and for 30 days with mineral oil.

Does the cat have **diahhrea**? It is not always due to change in diet. Diahhrea can be caused by parasites and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian. Diahhrea that smells extremely awful can be attributed to Coccidia a parasite that can kill a kitten within days. Another extremely awful smelling diahhrea is caused by Giardia. The cat loses weight and has projectile diahhrea every time it eats.

Cats with Diahhrea usually are also somewhat **dehydrated** because of the fluids they keep losing with the diahhrea. The vet may want to give the cat subcutaneous fluids. Raw meat diets or rice are not the way to go with this dire situation. While you are doing this the cat is just getting worse.

Look at the **eyes** and see if they are clear without mucous.

Look at the **teeth** to see what condition they are in. A cat with dirty teeth that are not cleaned by a vet can develop mouth infections that cannot be cured but need regular care for the rest of its life. One trick of the trade is to get older cat's teeth cleaned and pass them off as younger than they are.

Be sure the cat has been checked for **fleas**. VERY important, after being treated for fleas they will usually get tapeworms because the fleas laid eggs before being killed and finally be sure to receive paperwork showing dates of deworming and vaccination.

Be sure to get all Original medical files on your newly adopted pet. Be aware that some of the above conditions can be easily treated by a vet.

If you adopt a cat and think it is healthy the vet visit never happens and the cat only suffers in silence until its health becomes seriously compromised.

What is Ringworm? If you are adopting a cat and it has lots of round, rough looking bald spots around the ears, eyes, neck and paws. Stop a minute. This could be due to a liver/kidney problem or it could be Ringworm. Ringworm can be treated. It is actually a fungus that attacks the cat’s hair and can spread over a good portion of the cat’s body. It is contagious to other cats and people can get it too. People can catch it from the cats. It can be treated with Athletes Food Cream or a lotion called Fungisan. I recently used an ointment of goldenseal and myrrh and the results were FAST. A vet can give the cat a pill and a skin ointment to help gets rid of the problem. Ringworm is itchy and looks like hives on a person. Always wash your hands after handling a kitten or cat with RingWorm.

A cat with Feline Leukemia or Feline Aids is not a healthy. Their immune system is being attacked by a virus and when the virus is active the cat needs a lot of vet care. These cats should be adopted as single if at all.

***Always*** Get Original Medical Records to take home with you of newly adopted animals. Verbal assurances that they’ll be mailed to you are not followed up. Some adopters expect you to take the animal to the vet after adopting what you expect to be a healthy animal

If you want to adopt a cat with any of the above conditions be sure the organization will clear up the condition through their own vet. Foster the cat until the condition clears up and then adopt.