HowToDoThings.com Recent Cats Articles

How To Select a Name for Your Pet

kdiscountpetmall — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:40:06 -0500

How To Introduce Two Cats in Your Home

CrystalsPetPages — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:40:46 -0500

How To Make a Cat Door to the Basement

w1z111 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:21:09 -0500

Creating your own cat door in an interior hollow-core basement stairway door is not such a difficult task, if you exercise patience and focus. You might want to enlist a helper for some of these steps, depending upon your level of strength and experience.

How To Have a Cat-Friendly House

meloukhia — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:04:34 -0500

Making your house friendly for your cat involves the creation of safe spaces for the cat, the elimination of things which could be dangerous, and the addition of objects to make the environment more rich and interesting. If you have an indoor-only cat, it is extremely important to keep the cat entertained and engaged, and to make sure that the avenues of escape are limited. Whether you're bringing home a new cat or trying to make a new home more pleasant for your pet, making a cat-friendly home is worth the effort.

How To Get a Cat to Stop Pooping in Potted Plants

meloukhia — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:36:51 -0500

How To Choose a Cat Sitter

meloukhia — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:34:05 -0500

Every cat owner knows how fussy cats can get when you need to leave them, even for a few days. Finding a cat sitter you and they feel comfortable with is crucial, and it can be the start of a long-term business relationship. Be aware that good pet sitters can be booked for months in advance, so try to think ahead when you know you have a major trip planned.

Ask for recommendations. Skip the phone book and go straight to word of mouth, or turn to a trade organization like the National Association of Pet Sitters. Ask your veterinarian and friends if they know of a good cat sitter, and be sure to ask about rates as well. If you have additional pets, ask for a sitter who can handle all of your animals, in addition to your cat or cats. Humane organizations may also offer recommendations.

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How To Groom Your Cat

meloukhia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:37:48 -0500

How To Make Sure Your Cat Uses the Litter Box

sspets — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:28:02 -0500

How To Prepare for a Pregnant Cat

cwalk — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:44:43 -0500

How To Choose an Earth-Friendly Pet Toy

Pam Wheelock — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:55:02 -0600

Loving our pets and caring about the earth go hand in hand. Luckily, pet-friendly toys are often earth-friendly. A toy containing environmentally friendly materials, made by a company dedicated to "greening" its production, is not a guarantee a pet toy will be healthy, but it is a step in the right direction. Here are 7 tips on choosing an earth-friendly and pet-safe toy.

How To Care for a Blind Cat

Uninvited Writer — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:31:43 -0600

My cat, Boo, is blind. I don't believe he was blind from birth but he is now officially blind according to the vet. It takes a little while for you to realize that he can't see; you certainly can't tell right away by looking at him. I only started noticing because he would occasionally walk into a wall and had a hard time finding toys I threw. He runs and plays like any other cat, and is just as curious. He does not like a shut door and at night he has to sleep right up against me. He is very friendly with visitors just as long as they talk to him and pet him.

Don't let your cat outside. Being outside is dangerous enough for a cat but a blind one is at a definite disadvantage. There are too many dangers from other animals, traffic, and people.
Don't rearrange the furniture too often.

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How To Groom a Long-Haired Cat

CrystalsPetPages — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:48:02 -0600

Grooming your cat can be a chore to say the least. Grooming a long-haired cat can be an almost hair-raising experience. Be prepared for hair up your nose, in your eyes, and you might even end up with a little in your digestive tract. I will say that when you are finished and your cat has calmed down from being violated, you will both be happy you took the time to make your four-legged ball of fluff feel her very best.

How To Make Money as a Young Teen

Hayden Killworth — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:40:52 -0600

When you are young and can't get a job at a store or restaurant such as McDonald's, it can be hard to make money. As tough as it is to make a dent in the moneymaking world, there are other things you can do to pull in the cash.

How To Introduce Your Cat to a New Cat

Alicia Donatone — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:45:09 -0600

Many people decide to add an additional cat or two to their family, hoping for the cats to become best buddies. Then your current cat will have someone to play with while you are gone all day. For some animals, introducing a new friend is no big deal, but for others it induces tantrums and terrors! Here are some tips on bringing everyone together with the least amount of stress for all.

Here is what you will need:

A room with a door you can keep shut.
Separate food and water bowls for your new cat
Litter pan for your new cat
Toys (you can use toys that you already have, if you have enough to go around)
Blanket or cat bed for new cat
Water pistol or spray bottle

Now, follow these daily steps:

Day 1

How To Make Sure Your Pet is Safe During a Disaster

harryoakes — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:41:22 -0600

During a disaster, pets are often overlooked and left to die. For example, in NYC during 9/11, the police did not allow pet owners and rescuers to enter the outlying stricken areas to rescue pets until almost four days after the initial disaster. Many pets were found dead.

Here’s what you can do to help rescuers find your pet alive.

How To Keep Your Pet Safe During the Holidays

bronwyn — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:51:27 -0600

Christmas and other holidays can be fun for the whole family - pets included. However, there are some common hazards that may threaten your pet's well-being. Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other pets who wander around the house could soon find that their curiosity and playfulness gets them into trouble. Before relaxing and celebrating, make sure that your home is pet-friendly.

How To Decide What Pet Is Right For You

JessRan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:32:29 -0600

Selecting a new pet is a big decision for anyone. Remember anything you do will now impact the
life of another creature. Below are some things to think about before you decide to bring home any animal.

How To Give a Pet as a Gift

JessRan — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:24:10 -0600

Many people purchase pets as gifts with good intentions only to discover their new pet takes more time and care than anticipated or the recipient isn’t as thrilled as they’d hoped. Caged animals need daily handling to become loving members of the family. Puppies and kittens left in unfamiliar surroundings may get into more trouble or discover possible dangers in the home.

How To Grow Catnip

JessRan — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 11:13:51 -0600

Native to North America, this perennial can grow up to four feet high. The light green foliage is covered in a velvety down and produces small white or lavender flowers. Nepeta cataria is a member of the mint family and produces a strong lemony-mint fragrance found attractive to cats, bees, butterflies and some birds. Leaves can be dried for tea and cat use.

Garden planning. Catnip will grow in full sun or partial shade. The plants prefer an average, well-drained soil compared to the rich soil needed for some herbs. Catnip is a prolific grower and will often overpopulate small gardens. If this will be an issue, remember to put catnip in an area it will not overcrowd other plants. You can also place a separate barrier around your catnip crop.

How To Feed Your Pet Safely

teacher — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:17:30 -0500

Having a pet is a lot of fun as it provides you with company and even some entertainment, but you should be aware that it also comes with a lot of responsibilities, which includes feeding as well as safety. What do these two components have to do with each other? Well, next time that your pet is mooching food while you are having a snack or a meal, think about what you are about to feed him and ask yourself if it is safe to share? After all, the last thing that you want to do is to make your beloved pet ill, choke him or even cause his death. Surprised? Well, not as much as when you read the following potentially life-threatening foods that are listed below.

How To Clean a Cat

LisatheCopywriter — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:22:17 -0500

Cats are famously fastidious groomers. Anyone who’s lived with cats has observed them washing themselves several times a day; usually, they take care of themselves just fine.

Sometimes, however, you may wish to be involved. A grooming routine can be a good bonding experience; most cats enjoy the attention. Also, your cat may need help occasionally because of an unfortunate encounter with something icky, or you may have adopted a cat from difficult circumstances who just needs some help returning to his former elegance.

Before you get started, make sure you and your cat are both relaxed. If at all possible, enlist the help of a second person. Your helper can help Kitty stay still or just scratch him around the neck and ears to make it more enjoyable.

How To Make a Sisal Rope Cat Scratching Post

flerper — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:32:06 -0500

First of all, you need to know that I have produced sisal rope scratching posts for over 20 years - thousands of them. This is to establish the fact that I had better know by now the in's and out's of this! One thing I've learned is that people will go to a store displaying one of my works, and will conclude that they could make one of these things themselves, using readily available materials. In their mind (and I guess in yours, too!), it's just a matter of getting a post, some rug & some rope, a flat panel for the base, and VOILA! A sisal scratcher is born. I regard you cat lovers to be handy, resourceful, and patient. You CAN do this. Just know that you will invest several hours of your valuable time and the money for the materials you don't have lying around the house. So take a moment and read a catman's advice to the do-it-yourself'er, and save yourself a little time and aggravation.

TOOLS:

How To Car Travel with Cats

Staff468 — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:39:03 -0500

Cat lovers hate to leave their feline buddies behind during car trips and holidays, but usually even a short car trips prompts cats to become almost feral – moaning, pacing, hissing and clawing. And yet these short trips to the vet or a petsitter’s house are an unavoidable part of a cat’s life. So how can we make the trip as painless as possible for them and for ourselves? Here are some tips.

How To Clean Up Cat Urine

Staff468 — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:10:00 -0500

As any cat owner will tell you, cat urine has a particularly intolerable - not to mention resilient - odor. On top of that, cat urine can stain carpet and hardwood floor alike. There are many reasons why cats might urinate in improper places - stinky litter boxes, stress, age and illness being among the common reasons. You'll be able to clean up stubborn cat urine using the following techniques.

How To Leash-Train Your Cat

Staff468 — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:20:00 -0500

Leash-training a cat seems like a losing battle, doesn't it? If you've ever tried to walk your cat on a leash, you might have given up rather quickly, concluding that your cat would hate you if the leash stayed on for one more minute. And yet you may notice your indoor cat peering outside longingly, or smelling the fresh air from an open window. If only there were a way to train your cat to tolerate the leash...

But there are ways! Leash-training requires the right frame of mind, the right equipment, and lastly, a good amount of time. But leash-training provides a safe and healthy way for your cat to indulge his most famous of attributes - curiosity.

How To Choose Cat Food

Staff468 — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:13:00 -0500

When you look into the eyes of your beloved cat, do you see the soul of a voracious, meat-eating hunter? You probably see a cute, fuzzy, lovable attention-glutton! But rest assured, your feline is a carnivore, wired to hunt and eat animals. Cats require meat in order to be healthy, and yet so many available cat foods emphasize grains and veggies. No wonder there's a cat obesity problem in our country, and that so many cats suffer digestive ailments.

How To Groom a Cat

Staff468 — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:59:00 -0500

Would you want to bathe using your tongue on a daily basis? I didn't think so. But that's exactly what cats do. You'll never hear them complaining about it, either - or if you do, you probably won't recognize the complaint.

No, cats are generally very stoic about their grooming practices, quietly doing as much as they can to keep themselves tidy. But contrary to what many believe, cats can't groom themselves entirely on their own. We have to groom them in order for cats to be as clean and happy as they can be. And we all know how important it is that our cats be happy (they aren't stoic about too many things).

Brushing your cat. Cat hair comes in different lengths...

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How To Determine the Status of a Stray Cat

Staff468 — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:48:00 -0600

Stray cats are very common, and for a compassionate observer they pose a unique challenge. The challenge we often face as compassionate observers is figuring out whether the stray cat has merely wandered further than normal from a loving home, is truly lost, has been abandoned or is not really stray, but rather feral (never having been a pet). Before you take in a stray cat as your own, you must figure out the status of the stray cat. Here are some tips.

How To Adopt a Stray Cat

Staff468 — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:32:00 -0600

Ask many Americans how they found their beloved pet cat, and often you'll hear the familiar reply - "Our cat found us!" By some accounts, nearly half of all cat owners have gained their feline family members in this very way. Taking in a stray cat is a gesture of compassion that rewards you with a pet's loving devotion. Additionally, there is no more humane way for us to reduce the feral cat population; many stray cats haven't been spayed or neutered. Before adopting a stray cat, however, you should determine the status of the stray to make sure you aren't inadvertently adopting a pet who already has a family.

How To Help Children Cope with the Loss of a Pet

Staff468 — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:07:00 -0600

Children are funny when it comes to grief. It can look something like this: "Yea, my dog died. Can I have a peanut butter and banana sandwich?" Children can appear to be unaffected by the loss of a pet but they often express their feelings though behavior and play rather than through words. This does not mean that they are not grieving; they are, just in their own unique ways. Below are some tips for helping children cope with the loss of a pet:

Living in the moment. Remember that children live in the moment. Since we, as adults, do so little of living in the moment, we really forget what this means. What this means is that a child's acute sense of observation does not go away during the death process. If, as a dog lay dying, the dog loses bowel control, a child will notice and probably say something. Accept a child's observations of the death process without judging or shaming him.

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How To Travel with Your Pet by Air

The2 — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:10:00 -0600

It's easy to fly with your cat, small dog, bird, or other pet in the cabin of an airplane. Most airlines will allow you to bring an animal on board as a carry-on and place it underneath the seat in front of you. Restrictions can vary, however, depending on the airline that you're hoping to fly. Make sure that you look into the requirements that each airline sets forth.

There are also many standard rules and regulations that you'll need to follow, regardless of the airline you and your pet are going to fly. If you are going to travel with your pet, you should adhere to the following steps. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a list of airlines and their specific requirements and restrictions.

Before You Travel:

How To Cope with the Loss of a Pet

Staff468 — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:39:00 -0600

There's no easy way to cope with the loss of a pet, nor should you try to bypass the natural grieving process. Always remember, you're not alone. Everyone who's ever been touched by a pet's loving devotion has also known the pain of loss.

A time of emotional turbulence. After the loss of a pet, you can expect to face the emotional roller coaster known as grief. For a time - sometimes a period of days, sometimes weeks or months - you may experience feelings of disbelief, sadness, anger, guilt, embarrassment or depression. Let's banish embarrassment without further delay, though, since there is no justifiable reason to be ashamed of grieving for your lost pet. Grief is admirable and human, not unnatural or embarrassing.

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How To Stop Your Cat from Eating Houseplants

Staff468 — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:11:00 -0600

If you're a cat owner, you might have noticed it upon returning from vacation - a previously robust plant now tattered and ripped. Or maybe it's been happening bite-by-bite over a gradual period of time, almost imperceptibly until one day you're watering a plant that barely has any leaves left. Who is the culprit? Your lovable feline friend!

Cats are notorious plant-eaters. How can we indulge our love of healthy indoor greenery while responsibly keeping a pet cat? It's important that we all take the necessary steps to prevent our cats from eating houseplants, not just because we don't want our plants to die, but primarily because many common houseplants are toxic to cats. Teaching your cat to avoid houseplants can be a matter of survival.

How To Help Your Pet Cope with the Loss of Another Pet

Staff468 — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:36:00 -0600

Coping with the death of a beloved pet is very difficult for all of us, requiring lengthy sessions of grieving, feelings of emptiness and not just a few tears. But we often forget that the struggle is also difficult for a surviving pet who has lost a companion. Even if your pets did not seem incredibly close, they undoubtedly formed a stronger bond than was visibly obvious. Very likely you can see signs of grieving and sadness in your pet's behavior. We owe our pets all the support and love we can offer in their time of need; haven't they been there to support and love us?

Show the dead pet's body to your surviving pet, when possible. Allowing your surviving pet this opportunity can ease her potential anxiety and make the mourning period smoother.
How can you tell if your pet is grieving?
- You may notice a loss of appetite and enthusiasm for food and water.
  
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How To Buy Pet Insurance

Linette547 — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 07:43:00 -0600

You love your pet and do not even want to think about him becoming ill or having an accident. Pet insurance can provide you with peace of mind if your pet does need extensive or emergency medical care. The peace of mind comes from knowing that you will not have to make a decision on your pet's life based on how much the surgery or treatment costs. It would be good to know you have the resources necessary to take care of your pet in tough times. What do you need to know to find the best pet insurance policy for your needs?

When you are looking for a plan, there are several good questions to ask:

How To Choose a Veterinarian

Amy 329 — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 12:06:00 -0600

For those of us who love our pets, choosing the right veterinarian can be a big decision. There are several things you can do to ensure that you find a doctor you are comfortable with and who will take the best possible care of your pet.

Ask for recommendations. One of the best ways to find a good veterinarian is to ask other people for recommendations. You can ask family and friends, and you can also check with a breeder or the staff of your local animal shelter. Getting recommendations from people who have a good relationship with their veterinarian is better than searching your local yellow pages.

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How To Choose the Right Pet Boarding Kennel

Casey47 — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:03:00 -0600

Choosing your pet's home away from home while you are gone is one of the more important choices you can make for them. Many people do not realize the extreme differences in pet boarding kennels these days. Just the name itself can tell you a lot. Would you rather your dog stay at a boarding kennel or a pet resort? I think the answer to that is easy! Now let's explore why this is by talking about prices, accommodations, extras, and other factors.

Locating Pet Boarding Kennels: The first step in choosing the right place to board your pet is to first locate all of your choices. There are two really simple ways to do this.

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How To Identify and Treat Feline Herpes

Deborah331 — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 04:02:00 -0500

Feline Rhinotracheitis, or feline herpes, is a virus commonly found in weak kittens or older cats, both domestic and wild. This feline virus is highly infectious and is easily transmitted from an infected cat to an uninfected one. Transmission of feline herpes is easily accomplished by the uninfected cat coming in contact with the infected cat's body fluids, which are found in the nose, eye or mouth and can be transmitted through sneezing and coughing. Feline herpes can also be found on items exposed to the infected cat, including food and water dishes, cages and litter boxes. Owners can even pass feline herpes from one cat to another. Responsible owners will recognize the symptoms of feline herpes, go to a vet for a diagnosis, have the cat treated and, importantly, vaccinate their cats to prevent feline herpes in the future.

How To Identify and Treat Feline Kidney Disease

Darcy480 — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 17:01:00 -0500

Feline kidney disease is extremely common in older cats but can develop in younger cats. Cats that develop kidney disease do not begin to show symptoms until they have lost approximately 65-70% of the nephrons in their kidneys. Nephrons are funnel-shaped tubes that filter and reabsorb the fluids inside the kidneys. Kidney failure will result if more than 75% of the nephrons are lost.

What are the common symptoms of feline kidney disease?

The most common symptoms are:

Increased thirst.
Changes in bladder habits (increased urination, urinating in strange places, straining when urinating, and/or blood in the urine).
Gagging and/or vomiting (both clear/foamy liquid and food).

Other symptoms include:

Loss of appetite and weight loss
.
Depression and lethargy.

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How To Identify and Treat Feline Leukemia

Sharon449 — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:03:00 -0500

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) causes feline leukemia, a type of cancer, as well as many other disorders including lymphoma, immune system suppression, anemia, gastrointestinal disorders, paralysis, and upper respiratory infections. In the first stage of FeLV infection, the virus is found in the blood but has not spread. Some infected cats can fight off the virus in this stage and have immunity thereafter. In the second stage, the virus spreads beyond the blood to invade the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and other parts of the body. Once this happens, some cats will have an active infection and begin to show more symptoms right away, while others will have a dormant infection that may show up later, after months or years.

How To Identify and Treat Feline Pancreatitis

Ann110 — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:29:00 -0500

Feline pancreatitis is a serious disease that can be dangerous as well as painful for your cat.

What is pancreatitis? It is a swelling of the pancreas, an organ that produces digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin. When the pancreas is swollen, the enzymes it produces can enter the surrounding abdominal organs. Ultimately, this can cause damage to the liver, intestines and other internal organs that are near the pancreas.
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis? Feline pancreatitis can be hard to identify. While it is commonly marked by vomiting, not all cats display this symptom. Other cats may show signs of abdominal distress or fever, although these are symptoms of many feline health conditions. Two of the most common things observed in cats with pancreatitis are loss of appetite and lethargy.

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How To Identify and Treat Feline HIV and AIDS

Donna162 — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 13:17:00 -0500

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is part of the same family of viruses (lentiviruses) as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Essentially, FIV affects a cat's T cells, the white blood cells that are essential in staving off infections. As in the human variety, FIV attacks the cat's immune system, weakening it and leaving the cat prone to a variety of illnesses and infections. First identified in 1986, FIV is found not only in domestic house cats, but is also found in cats in the wild, including tigers, lions, leopards, bobcats, cheetahs, and pumas.

How To Identify and Treat Feline Constipation

Donna162 — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:32:00 -0500

Feline constipation is not uncommon, and while it is more often found in older cats, it can occur in cats of any age. Generally, a cat will have one or two bowel movements a day. A change in this pattern could indicate that the cat is suffering from feline constipation. Here's some information that can help you identify and treat this condition.

Symptoms of Feline Constipation

How To Begin Cat Toilet Training

Donna162 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 17:42:00 -0500

If you have a cat, you already know how unpleasant it can be to keep the litter box clean. But did you know that cats can be trained to use the toilet? It's true, and you can do this without buying any special equipment! Cats learn very quickly, and before you know it, you can toss that messy litter box away forever. Here's how to get started.

If you are working with a kitten, first you will have to train it to use the litter box. This is a very simple process. Place the box in the bathroom next to the toilet, and then, after the kitten eats, put it in the box and scratch its paws in the litter. Cats naturally use dirt, and after a few attempts, the kitten will go right to the litter box. Once the kitten is trained, you can begin the toilet training process.

How To Identify and Treat Feline Ear Mites

Ann110 — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 20:45:00 -0500

Ear mites are one of the most common causes of feline ear discomfort. But what exactly are ear mites? They are tiny parasites that live inside the ear canal of an infected animal; in the case of cats, the most likely organism is Otodectes cynotis. The mites live on the wax and other dirt inside a cat's ear.

How To Train Kittens

Theresa157 — Tue, 30 May 2006 08:02:00 -0500

Spending some time to train your new kitten will be much easier than trying to undo bad habits in an older cat. But you may be wondering what the best way to train your kitten is.

How To Care for Older Cats

Jane199 — Sun, 28 May 2006 16:18:00 -0500

Older cats are more sedentary than younger ones, and usually easier housemates, since they are less 'crazy,' but they have unique health issues that you should be aware of.

How To Care for Your House Cat

Jane199 — Sat, 27 May 2006 14:27:00 -0500

Cats are among the easiest house pets to care for, because they are fairly self-sufficient, as long as they are fed and their litter is changed periodically. But there are a few things you need to know if you haven't ever been owned by a cat before.

The procedures for integrating a cat into your household are a little different, depending on the age of the cat, and whether or not you already have pets. Don't hesitate to mix cats and dogs, unless you have a dog that is very territorial and aggressive. Dogs raised with cats are quite happy to share their person with them, and often will pick one kitten to be its particular friend.

If you adopt a kitten:

How To Identify and Treat Feline Distemper

Amy135 — Fri, 26 May 2006 12:09:00 -0500

Feline distemper, or panleukopenia, is a serious disease most often seen in kittens under age five months. The disease is often fatal in kittens, although older cats may have a better chance to survive.

Feline panleukopenia is a viral disease, and the causative virus is shed in most cats' secretions and excretions. It can even be passed along by a mother cat to her kittens in the womb. It is transmitted most often by fleas. The virus is a hardy one, and can live for years. Most antiseptics and disinfectants have no effect on it. The virus may be killed by at least a 10-minute immersion in bleach.
The first symptom of panleukopenia is usually a sudden, high fever. By about 48 hours after the fever's appearance, the cat will not eat, and often starts vomiting. Depression, diarrhea and dehydration follow. Hemorrhage of the intestines may follow as the disease progresses.

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How To Identify and Treat Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Carrie122 — Thu, 25 May 2006 17:44:00 -0500

Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases in cats. The term actually refers to a group of disorders that cause inflammation of the stomach lining or intestinal tracts, which causes changes in the normal bodily functions these organs perform.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease often mimic those of other diseases or illnesses, therefore it is important to take your cat to see the veterinarian if any of these symptoms occur. They include:

Chronic vomiting or diarrhea

Loss of appetite

Weight loss

Refusal to use the litter box

Stomach gurgles or rumbling

Flatulence

Darkened stools

Abdominal pain

These symptoms can last over the course of several weeks, or can come and go intermittently.

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