Vet Q&A-Cat

Cat drags her butt across the carpet after pooping to clean herself. How can I make her stop? (She's fat so cleaning herself is difficult sometimes.)

This sounds suspicious that your cats anal glands may be full. The anal glands are located just inside the rectum at the 4 and 10 o'clock position and when they are full they can cause irritation resulting in the pet scooting across the carpet. So this is a common presentation. Typically the anal glands are expressed by pets when they go poop, but in obese or overweight pets this is difficult and can result in them not being expressed properly. So first thing is to get the anal glands checked by a veterinarian to avoid having them rupture because of over-filling. The second thing is to get your kitty on a low fat diet or weight loss routine, such as decreasing portions and limited extra calorie snacks. Here are my picks for weight loss foods if interested: 1) Hills Metabolic- by far the best product in my opinion for FAST (within 2 months approx. 79% of pets lose weight) weight loss and weight maintenance (prescription only) 2) Hill's W/D - effective and also can help regulate glucose to prevent diabetes (prescription only) 2) Hill's Low fat - over the counter, varying results

Hello there! My cat just was over her heating cycle and she doesn't eat at all, she didn't eat in her heating cycle either. Why doesn't she eat?

Some cats can develop a uterine infection after their heat cycle. it is recommended to take her to the vet in order check for an infection. in most cases it's recommended to spay her if this is indeed the cause. if she isn't eating at all since her cycle started it's very bad, a cat usually starts developing fatty liver if he stops eating for more than 3 days strait.

Can you suggest a canned hepatic food for my cat. He doesn't care for Hill's ld or Veterinary diet NF. Perhaps something homeopathic or holistic?

Liver issues can be tricky to treat, and cats with liver issues may be more picky about what they eat. The first suggestion to try is if your cat had a dry (or wet) version of a prescription diet is to try the opposite dry or wet version. (IE if you try Hill's l/d dry, try a can of the l/d wet). Some cats may find the change in consistency and flavor more palatable and may begin to eat without having to completely change foods. If your cat was on a dry diet, a wet food may also be easier for your cat's liver to process. Another suggestion to try is to add a few kibbles of a food or a teaspoon of wet food your cat really likes to his prescription food. While some cats may figure out and pick out the good bits, many cats will begin to eat the whole meal and thus get the nutritional benefit from it. Your vet can let you know if it's safe to try this method depending on the severity of your cat's condition. For over the counter foods, a diet that has a similar nutrient makeup to prescription foods (you can check the nutrition label of l/d or NF if you have a bag handy) may help your cat with his liver issues while still being palatable. This is usually higher protein, contains L-carnitine to promote fat metabolism are low in sodium and have vitamins E and C to support the immune system and liver function. Your vet may also wish to recommend a supplement such as milk thistle which can also help promote liver function without a major change in food.

My cat has blood in one of here eyes, what could it be? Our cat appears to have trauma to one of her eyes. She has had herpes before of the other eye

If the blood appears to be inside the eye itself, this is called hyphema - the most common cause is trauma, but it can also be caused by a severe eye infection, a bleeding disorder, or certain systemic illnesses such as lymphoma or FIP. If you think the blood may be trauma-related, I would recommend having her examined by a vet as soon as you can - eyes are very delicate, and many conditions can lead to vision loss or permanent damage if they are not treated promptly.

My Cat keeps stealing pants and socks off our washing line and clothes horses and carries them around meowing. Why is she doing this?

There are a couple of reasons behind why she may be doing this. One reason cats steal is for attention. When she takes the clothes, see gets attention from you for doing it. Even if the attention is negative, she still gets what she wants, and it reinforces the behavior. In addition, your cat may be stealing particular objects because they provide some comfort to her if she’s feeling stressed. Some cats engage in wool sucking behavior as a self-soothing mechanism so the objects stolen may include socks or other cloth items. Your cat may also steal an object that contains a family member’s scent as a way to self soothe. If you suspect the behavior is stress related, talk to your veterinarian to first make sure there isn’t an underlying medical condition, especially if your cat is engaging in wool sucking behavior. You can also speak to your vet about tips to stop her from engaging in this behavior.

Hi I have just given my cat Johnson's flea tablet he has had these before but it excessively scratching this time and very unsettled unsure what to do

Johnson's flea tablet sound very much like a product I am familiar with called Capstar. It is meant to kill the fleas on the pet right away and to be used in conjunction with a longer acting flea product. It's helpful because it starts working quickly, but the effects only last for 24 hours. Your cat may be unsettled because she has a decent flea population on her and now the dying fleas as running around and making her itch. As long as she is okay otherwise, eating, drinking, eliminating normally, with no adverse symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or loss of appetite, I'm inclined to believe that this is what is happening. If she develops any of these symptoms, get her seen by you vet right away.

My cat keeps itchin at her ears and making a cry ive never heard her make before does that mean she has ear mites and what can I do if I have no money

Your cat may have an ear infection or Earmites. This really should be seen by a vet to get the correct treatment. Try cleaning her ears with a solution of 50% water/50% white vinegar. Moisten a cotton ball and wipe only the visible portion of the ear. DO NOT push the cotton ball down into the ear canal, and DO NOT fill the ear canal with liquid, this can cause nerve damage. This may make her feel a little more comfortable, but probably won't cure her condition. If you are in financial difficulty, there are ways of still getting your pet treated by a veterinarian. Ask if they take Care Credit and apply online. This is a credit card that is used specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary expenses. GiveForward is a crowd funding website that helps you raise money to help take care of your pets Call your local animal shelter and ask if they have or can direct you to a low-cost pet clinic that works with people with limited incomes. If there is a college of veterinary medicine in your area, call and ask them about a low- or no-cost veterinary care program. Many run low-cost clinics for limited income clients. The Humane Society website has a lot of links to other organizations that help with veterinary expenses. Some are for working/service animals, some are breed-specific, some are by start or location. Hopefully there is something available in your area.

Vet Q&A

Is chicken intestine is bad for dogs and cats??