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Home cat maintenance can easily be achieved. Prior to
visiting a veterinarian, give your your cat this mini-physical exam.
These are several of the most important steps:
Place
your hands on your pet.
An excellent opportunity to examine your cat
is by grooming. As your grooming,
check the feet, tail, mouth and other body parts for:
- Rashes
- Scars
- Fleas
- Other
potential problems
Report any
abnormalities or painful spots to your veterinarian.
Check
the ears.
Odor free and clean is what your
looking for here. The
problems to watch out for are:
- buildup
of wax
- discharge
with an offensive odor
- dirty flakes
that are brown
Always use a cotton ball or swab
and never insert anything into the ear canal to clean it. Then call your veterinarian if you notice any hazards.
Examine the eyes.
The
discharge should be slim to none and they should be clear.
Face staining can occur, especially in Persians as a result of tear overflow.
Use a warm water moistened cotton ball to remove any accumulation of mucus
that has deposited in the corners of the eyes. If she has constant tearing or
discharge consult veterinary care.
Examine
her teeth and smell her breath.
The following are warning signs of health problems:
- broken
teeth
- buildup
of plaque
-
offensive odor
Moisten
a piece of gauze and wrap it around your finger, a children's toothbrush,
or finger-brush especially designed for cats to remove plaque . There are
toothpastes out there specially made for cats that may make your cat more
receptive to having its teeth brushed. If tartar develops as a result of
hardened plaque your vet will have to remove it.
Checking longhaired cats for clean under-tail areas.
Clip
these areas to a short length. Skin problems may arise from matted hair due to
restricted defecation. Irritation and infection is common when skin is in
constant contact with urine, due to matting .
Trim
the claws and inspect for redness and swelling.
To trim your cat's claws, do the following:
- Expose
the claw by pressing the paw gently .
- Cut the tip
only.
- Pain
and bleeding can occur if you cut the pink area, so be careful .
Anytime you're
unsure about a procedure, ask your cat's vet to show you by example.
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CAT HEALTH SITE
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