What causes cats to chew through food bags?
Two of my three cats like to chew through food or treat bags (they have even chewed through a litter bag), this includes the dog food and treat bags as well. This happens alot when the bags have been brought into the house from the store as items are being put away. The food is locked in the closet and in plastic containers, but they try to get into those as well. They are fed and watered twice daily, so I am not sure what is going on. I have asked my vet about it, and she has no answers.
Do cats cause asthma??
I've been taking care of a stray kitten (a much loved pet now) since last December. She's about 6 months old now and is an indoor/outdoor cat. I tend to keep her close to me all the time, although my parents have never approved since the begining. Even the fact that I bathe her every week and feed her good food doesn't seem to help change their minds. Recently, I found that she has a hairball problem. Each time she coughs, it just drives my parents nuts. They think she has some kind of disease or something, no matter how hard I try to explain. My dad on the other hand insists that cats shed a lot of fur, and that this can cause asthma. I've only heard that cat's can trigger asthma, but cause them....?? Everytime she coughs, they'd force me to send her out. I know coughing hairballs are painful to cats, and I really hate carrying and sending her outside each time they tell me to. I'm really helpless, and I need some good advice out there, something to help change my parents minds...??
Do cats cause infertility?
I had to do a bit of research before answering this question. Cats can carry the toxoplasmosis parasite in their feces (Toxoplasmosis - Wikipedia). While toxoplasmosis does not have noticeable effects on most people, it can be dangerous for pregnant women because it can harm the fetus. This is why pregnant women are advised NOT to clean the litter box.However, does it affect fertility? A Chinese study showed that infertile couples did in fact tend to be infected with toxoplasmosis. [Survey of infection of Toxoplasma gondii in infertile couples in Suzhou countryside].However, this is not conclusive evidence because we do not know if it was the toxoplasmosis that caused the infertility or if they just happened to be both infertile and have toxoplasmosis.Many people already have toxoplasmosis and do not realize it. In fact in some parts of the world up to 95% of the population has it. In the US, about a quarter of the population has it.Conclusion:Based on current scientific evidence, it is not clear whether there is a link between cats and infertility. However, it looks like, unfortunately, there possibly might be.More studies are necessary to investigate this.You can see your doctor and find out if you have toxoplasmosis. If you do and have been having difficulty becoming pregnant, there is treatment for toxoplasmosis. (Treatment is not necessary for most healthy individuals.) You can then try to get pregnant once you are free of the toxoplasmosis and have found a new and awesome home for your cat.I hate to say this because I love cats, but it might be worthwhile waiting until after you have children to have kitties.1 View
How do cats think? Can they plan things? Cause obviously they can make decisions, but what separates their thought processes from ours?
I think cats can have ideas and short term plans but no sense of real preparation.They are creatures of routine, sticking to their schedule. It's why they will put themselves to bed at certain times, tell you when it's time for dinner and come in for cuddles when they know you are home watching tv in the evenings.They live in the moment.They also do revenge.My former fur baby, a white Persian cat, was once accidentally kicked by my dad whilst he was getting dressed. He didn't mean to do it as he hasn't seen her near his feet. She wasn't hurt, just pissed off and proceeded to destroy some thing she perceived as his. She went to the dirty laundry basket, pulled out his underwear from the day before and ripped it up with her teeth and claws.We obviously found this hilarious.
What causes cats to attack your feet and arms under the blanket? Is it just a play behavior?
Yes, most cats love to play like they would if they were outside chasing after small mice and yes I believe cats do know its you moving your hands or feet under the covers but they love the cat and mouse game so they will often times really go for it I’ve gotten a sharp claw or two that poked thru the the blanket and those little claws can cause a little pain when they forget its us under the covers and attack the movement like they are about to pounce on a real mouse, lol but with a think enough blanket and moving my hands or feet fast enough its a fun game kittys and cats love to play. I have found that even with the cat toys my cats favorite ones are of course number one is what I call string-string I just use a really long shoe lace or a nice long hoodie string and dangle and twirl that around and my cats could spend hours playing that game. The favorite of the cat toys is a little stuffed mouse that squeaks when it moves and second favorite is a little ball that has holes so you can see the inside of it and it has a little jingle bell inside, sometimes anything that makes some kind of noise during play is enough to entertain them like wadding up a blank piece of notebook paper and throwing it gets my one kitty chasing after it every time. That’s why cats are fun….like us humans they love to play and have fun….p.s. don’t forget some catnip now and then to enhance their fun.
What do you think of catios or outdoor enclosures for cats? Do they improve the life of an indoor cat, or do they cause problems that people don't think of?
My cats love the screen porch. To be able to experience the noises and sights of the outdoors while remaining safe just adds fun and enchantment to their lives.You must make sure that all screens are fastened tightly, as one day, one cat found a hole and escaped. She was a new rescue, and so I thought i would never get her back. She was gone for a few days. I searched and found there was a sighting of her in a barn a block away. My neighbor thought she was pregnant. I assured the neighbor, that she just had long fur, and was spayed.I tried to put the live trap in the barn to no avail. Then I just thought, I will put the live trap on my screen porch from whence she escaped, with a bowl of food in it. Behold! Into the night, around 2 a.m. I heard such a scramble from the screen porch. Sure enough, she had jumped back through the screen and I had her in the live trap. I was so happy!I ended up putting up some wooden slats over the bottom screens to prevent her escape.I have been to some cat households where the cats have figured out that it only takes a few claws and pressure to a screen to get on the other side of it and on to freedom. Every screen was ripped, and so the house people could not keep their windows open in summer anymore.Sometimes this happens when bugs and such land on the screen and kitty goes after it and accidently rips the screen. I try to discourage this type of behavior and they learn quickly, that going after bugs on the screen is a no no.
What are the causes of high calcium levels in cats?
There are various causes of high calcium or hypercalcemia in a cat. None of these include milk or fish. Diet is a very very rare cause of hypercalcemia. Some causes include lymphosarcoma, bone tumors, fibrosarcomas, and probably the most common cause in cats is kidney failure. To diagnose kidney failure it is important that your cat has an urinalysis done. This test will help determine the severity of kidney disease if present. Even though your cat's kidney values were slightly elevated there are other causes for the change such as dehydration, or an urinary tract infection. A urinalysis would allow the veterinarian to determine the kidney's ability to concentrate urine which is one major function of the kidney. If the urine was dilute that may be an indication that the kidneys are in dysfunction hence kidney failure. X-rays would be helpful to determine shape size and if there are any kidney stones present. But the best test would be an ultrasound of the kidneys. It is important that your cat's hypercalcemia is treated because high levels of calcium are toxic to the kidneys and can lead to the formation of bladder stones which can cause a urinary tract infection. It can also cause cardiac problems and overall generalized weakness in your cat. You should ask your veterinarian if there is a payment plan such as Care credit so your cat can be treated.
Does cats hair actually cause asthma?
Okay. Thanks for asking me to answer. I appreciate the confidence!Lets start with is cat hair dangerous to inhale. Not unless you inhale it directly into your lungs, which is not likely to happen. The human body is amazingly set up to protect itself. Get a hair in your nose? It’s probably going to tickle or make you sneeze. Get it in your mouth, you’ll either swallow it before you realize it’s there if you’re eating or drinking but otherwise the mouth is so sensitive that you’ll be digging it out and saying “Ewww!!!” ;-)As for can cat hair cause asthma. No. At least not like you seem to mean. Asthma is something that you’re either born with or develop at some point during your life. Me? I have adult onset asthma. We’re not entirely sure, so far as I know, as to what actually causes asthma. That said, it’s the dander and saliva that flakes off the fur that causes an allergic reaction and can irritate that allergy. If you have asthma, there are many things that can cause an asthma attack. That attack can be mild or life threatening. Anytime you have shortness of breath that is new you need to contact a doctor immediately or go to your local emergency department. If you know that you have asthma and become short of breath you probably have inhalers and instructions from your doctor about what to do. Those instructions should be followed exactly.I could write quite a bit more on the subject but I’m going to just tell you at this point that you’re clearly concerned about something for a reason. I and most folks here aren’t doctors. It’s never a good idea to seek medical advice on the internet. It can be a very dangerous thing. You never really know who you’re getting advice from and whether they have a clue that they really know what they’re talking about. So, I strongly suggest to you that you contact your doctor to ask the questions that are concerning to you. Your doctor knows you and your medical history and can safely advise you on your personal situation. Anything that you an allergy to can cause an asthma exacerbation if you have asthma. It’s not something to play with. Be safe and consult with your doctor! I hope you find this info helpful and I wish you luck.
What causes feral cats to abandon their kittens?
See my feral foster kittens below. Feral feline mothers will only abandon their litter out of pure fear. I wouldn’t even say abandon because their maternal instincts are strong, so they will be close by, but you wouldn’t know because they’re hiding from you. The kittens also must feed frequently and to keep up her milk supply for her nursing babies, she must find food often but momma isn’t gone long.A feral cat is wild just like a raccoon or a rabbit, you can’t get near them.Every single kitten season here in New Jersey from March till about October hundreds of feral kittens from newborn to about 4 weeks old, (by this point in age they will run and hide making them harder to catch), come into our Shelter.What these kind hearted people do not realize is that when they stumble on a litter of tiny helpless kittens under a wood pile or inside an old shed they aren’t abandoned. Their mother must frequently feed herself to keep up her milk supply and or also she fled because you are there.The silver lining is that these kittens will become adoptable pets and will also be spayed or neutered. Last year I had 3 litters of “abandoned” kittens. I had gotten 2 separate litters that were about 2 weeks old and also had a momma give birth at the Shelter and took her home when her babies were 3hrs old. All successful endings!2 days old1 week oldReady for adoptionThis entire litter was adopted along with their momma!This is the 2nd litter 2.5 week old bottle babies successfully weaned and All four adopted!3rd litter successfully weaned and all three adopted!Being a surrogate mother for these helpless babies is what I feel I’ve been put on this earth to do, and I will do it every single year, every time the phone rings. The feeding schedule is like that of a newborn baby. Very tedious but 100% rewarding.
Who likes dogs more than cats cause cats are stupid?
I detect a distinct anti-cat bias in your question.