Older cats will need a little more comfort as they are not as limber as they once were and giving them a nice soft surface to sleep on, away from drafts and in the warmth, will ensure that they remain in good health for longer.

Quite often cats will find a favorite place to sleep and as they are very clean animals, this place will need to be cleaned on regular basis or they will tend to move to other sleeping areas after a while.

There are some excellent cat beds available on the market designed to be very comfortable.
They are relatively cheap and most of them are designed to wrap around the cat as they lie in their natural curled up sleeping position.

This gives the cat support and also a sense of security and the good beds are made of materials that can be easily washed and dried to help maintain cleanliness and ensure that your cat stays in that same place most of the time.

One of the biggest problems that you need to consider as your cat ages is to have its teeth checked on a regular basis as teeth problems are one of the biggest causes of ill health in older cats.
In fact it is often said that cats that live longest are those that don’t have any teeth left.

They can get a buildup of plaque on the teeth and this can cause gum problems.These gum problems can cause infections that lead to the deterioration of their internal organs and reduction in the quality of life and the length of their life so try to get your cat’s teeth checked at least once every six months as they get older.

Some breeds of cats and more prone to teeth problems than others and a lot of this depends upon the type of food you are feeding them and also the way that they eat as some cats like to chew more than others, with the chewing helping to clean plague off the teeth. ]]> http://e-booksite.net/blog/pets/care-for-aging-cats/feed/ 0 http://e-booksite.net/blog/pets/dealing-with-cat-allergies/ http://e-booksite.net/blog/pets/dealing-with-cat-allergies/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:51:18 +0000 harry http://e-booksite.net/blog/?p=588 Cats are one of the most loved pets in the world, no question about it.  More than 50% of all households in the United States own dogs and cats.  Although cats are loved animals, cat allergies are one of the common forms of allergies.  Statistics in the past have shown that over 10 million people in the U.S. alone have allergic reactions to cats – especially their fur.

The biggest cause of cat allergies is dander.  The dander, is dust that is produced by the body of the cat.  Dander is basically shed skin that comes off of cats, normally in the form of small flakes.  Although dander can irritate your skin, it can also get into your immune system as well, resulting in a variety of symptoms and almost immediate allergic reactions.

The dander, once in the immune system, is perceived to be a threat.  Even though it isn’t classified as a disease, it’s more of a reflex by your body and your immune system.  Cat allergies occur quite often due to cats having allergens that are spread throughout their blood, urine, and saliva.  Although a cat may not be present at the time, the excretions probably still are.

Cat dander, urine, and saliva, are found throughout the home of cat owners.  Cats constantly groom themselves, which involves rubbing their saliva into their fur.  When they do this, they spread their dander and allergens around.  Although you may try, there is really nothing that you can do about it.  Cats have a natural instinct to groom or bathe themselves, no matter how many baths you give them, you simply won’t stop them from grooming.

Normally, when someone is taking an allergic reaction to cats, he or she will wheeze, cough, sneeze, itch, have watery eyes, or a difficult time in breathing.  Different people react different ways to cat allergies, meaning that some symptoms may not occur at all.  Fever and chills is very rare, although it can happen.  If someone who has cat allergies comes down with fever and chills, you should contact a doctor immediately.  Chances are, it isn’t an allergic reaction to cats, but instead another type of disease that a doctor will need to identify.

Cat allergies are normally treated with antihistamines and decongestants.  Those that experience asthma attacks or other forms of allergies, normally take antihistamines.  Decongestants on the other hand, are normally used to cure coughs and swollen nasal passages.  Sometimes, doctors will recommend allergy shots as well.  Allergy shots can help to prevent the attack, especially if someone is really allergic to cats.  They are a good form of treatment and prevention, and they can also help to decrease the risk of allergies affecting the individual.

If you suspect that you have cat allergies, you should always make it a point to visit your doctor.  He will be able to further diagnose your situation, and give you the best options available for treatment.  If you do indeed suffer from cat allergies, the best way to stop the attacks is to get rid of your cat.

Getting rid of a cat can be a very tough thing to do.  If you have become allergic to your cat’s fur, there may be no other way to prevent attacks than to get rid of him.  Although doctors can give you medicine and shots, it will only do so much.  Cat allergens are no fun, especially if you develop them years after owning your cat.  Cats are great animals to own – although cat allergies are something we could all live without. ]]> http://e-booksite.net/blog/pets/dealing-with-cat-allergies/feed/ 0