Most Common Cat Illnesses

I've been wanting to write this post about common illnesses cat get but decided it has to start with a disclaimer...so, here it is: Most cats will not get sick at all! I don't want you to look at this list and freak out thinking your cat is going to catch all of these and constantly be at the vets office! He wont.

The majority of time you own a cat it will be perfectly healthy. Things do go wrong though, and we all want to get our cats back to health as soon as possible! Knowing the signs of the most common illnesses and ailments in cats is important to be able to spot the problems quickly!

Do I really need a cat carrier?

When you have a cat you end up with lots of extra equipment. From cat beds and toys to scratching posts and even towers, there seems to be no end to the stuff they make for cats! Most of it though, you don't really need. You can get buy with one cat bed, a litter box, some bowls, a scratching post, a few toys and a cat carrier. 

When choosing what to buy it might be tempting to skip the cat carrier. After all you probably only need it once a year when you go to the vet and many cats wear collars that can be used with a leash. If your cat is good on a leash then you're probably leaning towards no carrier. 

Pink slime in cats water bowl

How often do you clean your cats water bowl or drinking fountain? If you're anything like me you try to do it fairly often, but sometimes it doesn't get done as often as it should.  I mean really, am I supposed to clean it every day and refill it? 

For  years I would just add water to the bowl when it started to get empty. If it started to get funky or have floaters in it then I'd wash out the whole thing. But that wasn't very often until I learned about pink slime and the bacteria it contains.

How to make a feral cat shelter

Winter is a dangerous time for feral cats. Cold, wet snow and the freezing temperatures that accompany it can be deadly for a cat that lives outside. Unfortunately many feral cats are past the point of being able to be rescued and socialized but that doesn't mean they need to suffer during winter. Many rescuers and feral colony caretakers make and place shelters to help the cats through winter.

An insulated, dry place to sleep can really make all the difference. A shelter will provide a dry, comfortable place for the cat to get out of the elements. Since many feral cats live in colonies, they will often use the shelters together and the combination of body heat and protection from the elements keeps them much warmer than if they were sleeping on the ground.