The Cat Specialty Clinic

10/08/2022

𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗮𝘁

Cats that are ill will usually show changes in overall appearance, energy level, sociability, coat appearance and/or amount of shedding, appetite, litterbox usage, breathing, or discharges from the eyes or nose. That's why it's critical to visit your vet as soon as possible if you notice any of these signs or symptoms:

• Sudden change in mood
• No inclination to play or appear lethargic
• Constricted or dilated pupils
• Much less or much more vocal than usual
• Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• Noticeable weight loss or gain
• Sudden changes in appetite, drinking, or eating habits
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Neglecting grooming or over-grooming
• Hiding
• Improper use of litter box
• Hair loss or skin irritation
• Bad breath
• Discharge from eyes or nose
• Wounds or swelling
• Limping or injuries

𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗸

You know your cat better than anyone else. Watch your pet for subtle changes in behavior that others may not notice and monitor any changes in your cat's usual demeanor or body language. If something doesn't seem right, schedule your cat for an examination, even if you don't see any of the symptoms listed above.

Cats that are not feeling well may just look a little “off.” The cat might sit in a hunched position, might not move as gracefully as before, might not lift its head properly, might have a head tilt, or might carry its tail in a different way than normal. Sometimes there is not any one thing that stands out, but instead a variety of subtle changes.

Sick cats usually become withdrawn and may hide, although this does depend on the personality of the individual cat. Some cats become clingier or demanding of attention, while others just become cranky.

As a general rule, cats that are sick will have lower energy levels. The only thing you may notice is that your cat sleeps more, does not play as much, or is restless. With some diseases, especially hyperthyroidism, your cat’s energy level may actually seem to increase to the point of hyperactivity. Cats with hyperthyroidism often are restless at night and may suddenly begin howling or waking family members up.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝘀

Now that you know some signs that your cat may be sick, here are a few common illnesses that can develop in cats:

Is your cat drinking far more water than is typical? This could be a sign of kidney disease, diabetes or thyroid issues.
Bad breath can indicate your cat is suffering from tooth pain or periodontal disease. Left untreated, dental disease in cats can lead to more serious problems such as heart, kidney and liver conditions.

A sudden increased appetite can be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal cancer, hyperthyroidism or diabetes.
Have you noticed your cat is suddenly experiencing litter box issues? This could be a sign of anything from a urinary tract infection to kidney disease or bladder stones.
Breathing problems and reduced enthusiasm for play or activities can indicate an upper respiratory infection.
Arthritis or injuries can lead to a drop-off in your cat's acrobatic activities.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗼 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗸

Your vet will provide diagnosis and treatment if your cat is exhibiting any unusual behaviors. Early detection and treatment of illnesses can help to prevent conditions from worsening or becoming life-threatening.

Cat illnesses or injuries often need urgent medical attention, surgery, or even emergency care. It is essential to seek professional veterinary advice as soon as possible. The sooner treatment begins, the sooner your furry friend will be acting more like themselves again.

15/06/2022

𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝

We've got fascinating facts about one of, if not the most, popular pet in the world - CATS!
Many of us cat lovers are intrigued by all things feline, we've listed some purr-facts you may not have known.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 13 𝒕𝒐14 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒚.
Like humans, cats have a circadian rhythm4. The circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock5 that guides the 24-hour sleep-wake schedule.
In humans, the sleep cycle is diurnal, meaning we are naturally prone to stay awake during the day and fall asleep at night. Cats, however, are crepuscular6. They experience two peaks of activity, one in the early morning before sunrise and one in the evening around sunset.
Researchers hypothesize that a cat’s crepuscular sleep cycle is driven by their predatory natures. Common prey animals for cats have different sleep cycles. A cat’s crepuscular nature allows it to be awake at daybreak to prey on diurnal birds, and at twilight to prey on nocturnal rodents.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉.
Cats have flexible bodies and teeth adapted for hunting small animals such as mice and rats
The cat’s teeth are adapted to three functions: stabbing (canines), anchoring (canines), and cutting (molars). Cats have no flat-crowned crushing teeth and therefore cannot chew their food; instead, they cut it up. Except for the canines and molars, the cat’s teeth are more or less nonfunctional; most of the cheek teeth do not even meet when the mouth is closed. The dental formula in all cats, for either side of both upper and lower jaws, is incisors 3/3, canines 1/1, premolars 3/2, and molars 1/1. The total number of teeth is 16 in the upper jaw and 14 in the lower. Primary, or milk, teeth number 24; these are replaced by permanent teeth at about five months. Each half of the jaw is hinged to the skull by a transverse roller that fits tightly into a trough on the underside of the skull, making grinding movements impossible even if the cat had teeth suitable for grinding.
● A group of cats is called a clowder.
● A male cat is called a tom.
● A female cat is called a molly or queen.
● A young cat is called a kitten.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 (see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs in order to see)
The reason cats' night vision is so excellent is because of the intelligent design of their eyes. They possess a curved cornea and large lens, and in low light, their pupils can dilate to full circles to allow for maximum light.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 180 𝒅𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅.
Cats can rotate each of their ears 180 degrees and move them independently from each other, to help them work out which direction a sound is coming from. The position of a cat's ears can tell you a lot about what they're feeling. For example, flattened ears indicate that they are stressed or scared.

● 1 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔 15 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.

● 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒃𝒚 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈.
It is thought that the vibrations from the activity are physically rejuvenating – a way for the cat to ‘heal’ itself after stress.
One hypothesis is that the purr is a powerful healing action. It’s thought that the vibrations from the activity are physically rejuvenating – a way for the cat to ‘heal’ itself after stress. The frequency of those vibrations – which range from 20Hz up to 150Hz – is thought to promote bone growth, as bones harden in response to the pressure. Other frequencies may do something similar to tissue.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 (at least five times keener than that of a human adult).

● 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 and they rely on this leading sense to identify people and objects; a feline’s sense of smell is 14x better than a human’s.
A cat's sense of smell is the primary way he identifies people and objects. Cats have more than 200 million odor sensors in their noses; humans have just 5 million. Their sense of smell is 14 times better than that of humans.

● 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒋𝒂𝒘 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏, not side to side like a human can.
Large, powerful muscles attached to the skull strengthen the bite. Like other mammals that eat meat, a cat's jaws only move up and down, not side to side.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒘𝒔 and nowhere else on their body.

● 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒕.
Even though you may never see them sweat, cats are born with an efficient cooling system. Unlike humans, who are born with sweat glands all over the body, a cat's sweat glands are only located in a few specific hairless areas, including the paws, lips, chin, and the skin that surrounds the a**s.

● The average 𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒋𝒖𝒎𝒑 8 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 in a single bound–nearly six times its body length.

● 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, from 110-140 beats per minute.

● 𝑴𝒆𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔, and they can have up to 100 different vocalizations.
The cat's meow is her way of communicating with people. Cats meow for many reasons—to say hello, to ask for things, and to tell us when something's wrong. Meowing is an interesting vocalization in that adult cats don't actually meow at each other, just at people.

● 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 5 𝒕𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒘𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒂𝒘𝒔.
Most cats have 18 toes. They have 5 on each front paw and 4 on each hind paw. But this is not universal. An individual cat may have more… or even less!

Don’t worry if your pet has more or fewer toes than expected. It happens all the time, and most times is perfectly harmless.

Appreciate how awesome they are, there’s more to our little feline friend than meets the eye!

25/10/2021

The bonds we forge with our pets are powerful. Their love for us is unfaltering, and they have a way of making us feel better even on our worst days...🐩🤍

Our pet relationships are among the most powerful in our entire lives.

They offer -

✓significant emotional support
✓mental health benefits
✓unwavering companionship
✓love for our children and other family members

Enjoy today (and everyday)! Have fun and have time for your pets!😎🐕

10/10/2021