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Blog posts Categorized under ‘Cat Health News’

Pet health: Cat box training kittens

Posted on: January 28th, 2011 by

Two new born kittens play.

Kittens are born with the instinct to dig around before and after they eliminate. This instinct allows you to easily litter box train your cat or kitten. Cat box training should begin once you bring your new kitten home.

Before you bring home your new cat or kitten, you need to decide where you are going to put the litter box. It is best to put it in a quiet area where the kitten won’t be disturbed.

Areas with an easy to clean floor are ideal as this allows you to be able to easily clean up any litter that may be tracked outside of the box. If you have other cats in the house, you will want to get a separate litter box for your new cat.

There should be one litter box for each cat in the house, plus one additional. Some cats can be very finicky when it comes to their litter box. You also want to have a litter box on each level of the house. This will help ensure your kitten can make it to the litter box in time.

Once you are home you will want to begin kitten training. One of the first things you should do is show your kitten where the litter box is located. Place the kitten inside the box so that they will know that it is the litter box. Take the kitten to the litter box throughout the day until they go to the box on their own. Kitten training requires patience and repetition until they understand.

Pet insurance: Some symptoms seem scarier than they are

Posted on: January 24th, 2011 by

A dog with pet insurance displays odd pet health symptoms.

It seems like every month I’m typing a new symptom into search engines that my dog or cat has displayed. I try to stay on top of cat and dog health care so that I can speak confidently to the vet about what I observe.

There’s nothing better than breathing a sigh of relief when what I thought would surely result in a new dog insurance claim turns out to be nothing.

About once or twice a week, my 10-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog was snorting backwards, seemingly uncontrollably, for up to a minute at a time. I didn’t know if he was having an asthma attack, gasping for breath, choking, or trying to clear himself of post-nasal drip. It didn’t take much searching to find video of other dogs suffering from similar attacks, and find out that this phenomena is called “reverse sneezing,” or “paroxysmal respiration.”

The condition is called reverse sneezing because air is being rapidly pulled in through the nose, the opposite of a sneeze.

“Although it can be alarming to witness a dog having a reverse sneezing episode,” wrote Ernest Ward, DVM, “it is not a harmful condition and there are no ill effects.”

Of course, if a dog does display reverse sneezing too often for comfort, a veterinarian may test for nasal polyps, respiratory issues and collapsing trachea; tests that will likely be covered by pet health insurance, which is why it’s a good idea to ensure you have cat or dog insurance for your pet.

While Dr. Ward claims there is no exact known cause for reverse sneezing, “this problem seems to be exacerbated by allergies and environmental odors such as smoke, potpourri, and perfume.”

Should your pet display any symptoms you are not familliar with, seek the advice of your veterinarian, as Google Video and Pets Best Insurance blog posts should never be substituted for your veterinarian’s expert opinion.

Top 3 things to do when caring for a stray kitten

Posted on: January 20th, 2011 by

New born kittens with pet insurance drink from a bottle.

I don’t know if I smell of catnip or if word has gotten around to the local cats, but I am one of those people who always seems to find the strays and lost kittens in the neighborhood.

I’ve repeatedly exclaimed, “the kitten can stay – but just for tonight,” only to find myself with a growing number of lifelong family pets.

While new born kittens can be slightly more intense than the needs of adult cats, taking in and taking care for a newly rescued stray kitten isn’t so complicated if you keep a few things in mind.

1. A stray kitten will almost certainly have fleas, and may also have worms. Fleas carry parasites, so if your kitten has ingested any fleas while grooming herself, she’s probably taken in a few parasite hitchhikers.

You can purchase a flea control agent and medication, especially for de-worming kittens, at most pet stores. Be sure you buy the type intended for your kitten’s size and weight. Adult dosages can be toxic to small kittens. Dawn dish washing detergent is a gentle and effective kitten flea shampoo. Any stray kitten should be washed immediately if brought into the home to prevent an indoor flea farm.

2. Spaying and neutering is an important part of responsible cat ownership, as is purchasing a pet insurance policy for your beloved feline. A kitten may be sterilized as young as 8 weeks old, so contact your local rescues and research and see if you can find a spay neuter assistance program. Sibling kittens will mate earlier than expected if not fixed.

3. Pet health insurance is an excellent investment for your new kitten. Not only will you pay very low pet insurance premiums due to your kitten’s young age and presumable lack of pre-existing conditions, but many cat insurance policies also offer wellness and routine care packages.

Cat health insurance: What you need to know

Posted on: January 13th, 2011 by

Two kittens with cat insurance play.

If you have a new born kitten, one of the first things you’ll want to look into will be finding the best cat insurance plan for your kitty.

Cat health insurance not only will give you peace of mind, it will help you avoid costly medical bills. Pet health insurance can help you afford to keep your cat healthy.

Choosing a cat insurance company can seem overwhelming. You can find a number of companies by typing “online pet insurance” into your favorite search engine.

Once you have a list, you’ll want to compare cat insurance companies closely. You want to compare how much they will reimburse you after your deductible is met. It will either be a percentage of the bill or an allotted dollar amount based on the terms of the contract.

The next thing that you will want to look at and compare is the deductible and monthly premium for your pet insurance policy. The deductible is the amount you must pay before the insurance will cover any treatments or services. If you choose to go with a lower deductible, then you will most likely have to pay a higher monthly premium. Higher deductible plans are a good choice if you are looking for coverage in case of a serious illness or injury. This type of coverage can save you from the enormous costs of care for major accidents or illnesses.

How to compare cat insurance companies

Posted on: January 10th, 2011 by

A woman holds her cat after purchasing cat insurance.

When choosing a cat insurance plan, it is important to ensure that you compare each part of the plan. Some companies may offer better rates, but they often lack in the coverage they provide.

Some companies have a per incident deductible. This is the amount of money that you will have to pay out of pocket before the cat insurance will begin coverage. Policies with lower per incident deductibles will usually have a higher monthly premium, and vice versa.

The next thing you will want to look at is whether the company has a per incident limit. This is the maximum amount the pet health insurance will cover per incident after the specified deductible is met.

The lifetime limit is the maximum amount the plan will cover for the lifetime of the pet. This is important to look at in the event that your pet becomes sick with an illness that will need treatment for the rest of the pet’s life.

Other services that plans may cover can include hereditary conditions, behavioral conditions, pregnancies, and even cremation. Other treatments can include acupuncture and chiropractic services.

When you compare pet insurance companies, you also want to consider how much of the actual bill they pay after the deductible. The amount a company pays can vary depending on the condition being treated. Pets Best Insurance covers 80% after the deductible, while some other companies operate on a benefit schedule or a “usual and customary fee schedule.”

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