As you can see in the video above, a basic pill “popper” or “gun” makes giving solid medications to your sick cat both painless and stress-free. Which is good for you both.

A pill popper is usually a device with a long plastic barrel  with a split or rubber tip on one end to grip and hold the med and a plunger on the other.

These devices can administer tablets and capsules to cats more quickly, safely, and easily than you can with bare fingers.

Here are the steps to pill a cat again…

1.) Place the pill or capsule into pill popper’s rubber or grip tip (before you pick up your pet!)

2.) Open your pet’s mouth and tilt the head slightly upward. A 45 degree angle is ideal.

3.) Insert the popper and place the rubber tip on back part of tongue.

4.) Quickly push the plunger to eject the medication.

5.) Withdraw the piller immediately and close your pet’s mouth.  Watch for swallowing, usually indicated by your cat licking it’s nose.

You can aid  the cat’s swallowing process by giving them a sip of cool water from an eyedropper.

In an emergency, if a pill seems to get stuck in the cat’s  month, you can also use your own saliva to help get a pill down.

Yes I know UGH, but if you have to you can quickly tilt their head back and release some of your saliva into their mouth! Better this than have your pet choke on an undissolved pill.

Now an alternative to a pill popper is a pill wrap or pocket. These pockets eliminates the need to force a pill down a pet’s throat or wrap it in some kind of fatty table food like cheese or hot dogs.

The pockets are hollow so almost size pill can be hidden inside. Plus they are made from easy to digest foods that taste good to even the most picky eater.

There are some special considerations you need to be aware of when taking care of a pregnant cat. Most importantly, she needs to be kept in the best health as possible to ensure the delivery of healthy kittens. If you are breeding, there are some steps to take before mating.

However, the majority of us with our domestic cats are usually confronted with the fact that she is pregnant, so I suggest following these tips as soon as you can.

How to Take Care of a Pregnant Cat

Worms

It is very important that she is free of worms as these can be passed to the kittens in while still in the womb via the bloodstream or through the mother’s milk after birth. Worming can be undertaken between the second and sixth week of the pregnancy and I suggest contacting your vet about this.

He will be able to assess your cat and give the best treatment necessary. Kittens that are born with a worm load can become stunted in their growth and are generally less healthy. After you have had your pregnant cat wormed, I would advise making sure she cannot be reinfected, either from contact with other cats or through feeding. It is also important to maintain strict hygiene with regard to the litter tray.

Behavioral Changes

You will notice your pregnant cat’s behavioural changes. She will become quieter and more affectionate. She may become more aggressive with any tom cats in the house. She may also rest more often. Be aware that cats can have morning sickness so if your cat starts vomiting, make sure there is plenty of dry biscuits and fresh water available.

Diet

It will be easier for your pregnant cat if you start giving it smaller and more frequent meals. Just like with humans, the kittens are taking up a fair amount of room so your cat won’t want to eat large meals. I suggest increasing the overall quantity of food by around a third to maintain your cat’s good health and the best growing environment for the kittens. Try to feed her the most nutritious food you can afford. This extra expense will pay off in keeping your cat and her kittens healthy.

Exercise

Exercise is important for the pregnant cat. Allow her to play or run around as normal. She will slow down in the final weeks of the pregnancy as the kittens grow. Exercise will help keep her muscles toned which will help during the birth, just as it does for us. Keep your cat inside during the pregnancy as she is at risk of picking up parasites or infections if allowed to roam with other cats.

You will be able to have the pregnancy confirmed by a vet at around 4 weeks. This will be done by feeling the cat’s abdomen. You will also notice the increased girth. By the end of the seventh week, you will be able to see the kittens moving. Look for rippling or sliding movements in the abdomen when she is resting.

Long Haired Cats

With long haired cats, it can be a good idea to trim away the fur around the nipples so to make feeding easier for the kittens. This will have the added benefit of preventing the fur becoming mattered around the nipples.

Nesting

About a week before the kittens are due, your cat will start to look for a nesting place. You can prepare a cardboard box with scrunched up plain paper in it. Paper has the advantage of being able to be thrown out after the birth. Don’t use old newspapers for this as the ink can smudge and run when wet and this can be harmful to the kittens and mother.

Place the box in a warm and draft free place that will not be too noisy. Make sure food and fresh water are close by. If your cat doesn’t use this box, keep an eye on where she goes as it could be in a wardrobe or drawer somewhere.

Taking care of a pregnant cat is not hard. Give her the best food you can afford, make sure she is healthy and stays that way, and give her plenty of love and attention. You will be rewarded with a litter of beautiful and healthy kittens.

The vet confirmed your newly adopted kitten wasn’t pregnant, but she was was loaded with cat parasites. Here’s how to help free her of this cat worm mess.

Its been a few days since you first saw the abandoned calico running away from her hiding place in the garage. You caught her attention by offering her a can of cat food which she promptly inhaled. Starving yes, she was, but you couldn’t help notice that she had a big pot belly.

Pro Vet Secrets Revealed - Treat Your Cat at Home

A quick test by your vet which confirmed that she was loaded with cat parasites. There are two types of cat worms: roundworms and tapeworms. Just in case you’re wondering, the details of this article probably would not make good dinner conversation!

Roundworm cat worms are most common in kittens. Kittens contract roundworms through their mother’s milk; the mother usually becomes contaminated with these cat worms via contaminated soil.

Kittens with roundworms usually have enlarged pot bellies. Roundworms look like cooked spaghetti and can appear in vomit or poo. Sorry for that detailed description, but it’s all part of being a responsible kitty caregiver, right?

Most kittens are born with roundworm cat parasites. All kittens should get a vet checkup to see if deworming medication is necessary. Oftentimes kittens need to take deworming medication for several months to get rid of cat parasites. In fact, you should consider putting your cat on a regular program to keep her free of the creeps.

Tapeworms are most common in adult cats. The cat ingests a flea while grooming; the flea has a tapeworm inside it. Outdoor cats may contract these cat parasites by eating raw flesh from prey such as small animals or fish.

OK, if you thought the roundworm description was gross, brace yourself for the tapeworm description! Tapeworm parasites are approximately one-fourth inch long. You may see them moving about in the fur surrounding your cat’s anus. You may also see what looks like dried up grains of rice in areas where your cat sleeps; these are pieces of dead tapeworms.

Tapeworm cat worms also signify that your kitty has a flea infestation. So when you visit the vet, you’ll probably need a deworming medication to get rid of the cat parasites and a flea medication to stop the cycle.

Although its rare, sometimes cats have reactions to prescribed medications that treat cat worms. Symptoms include shaking, poor coordination, vomiting and diarrhea. If your cat experiences these symptoms after taking a over-the-counter dewormer, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Better yet, take a turn for a gentler, natural solution to cat parasites. Visit http://Cat-Bladder-Problems.com and download your free e-report to learn what natural remedies are best for getting rid of cat worms in your cat or kitten.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Rieger

http://EzineArticles.com/?Cat-Parasites—Who-Else-Wants-to-Know-About-Pot-Bellied-Cats?&id=3565333

Roundworms, Tapeworms, Hookworms

When cat owners get together, they exchange stories about how quirky or cute their pets are, laugh over the “biggest hairball I ever saw” joke but they almost never discuss deworming their pets! Yet, worms are a very common ailment, even in well cared for animals.

ROUNDWORMS (Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina)

These are the most common form of parasite in today’s cat. Roundworms can grow from 2-4 inches long and can overwhelm a cat’s stomach giving it a potbelly appearance.

Cats can easily pass a whole live, roundworm (thin, spaghetti-like critters) which results in a freaked out call to the vet from horrified owners! Roundworms can cause weight loss and diarrhea or vomiting. And in very severe cases, they can actually so numerous, that they can cause bowel blockages!

Cats can get roundworms from other cats, infected prey animals (rodents, rabbits and squirrels) or even from the soil where other infected animals have defecated.

Roundworms are also the cause of Visceral Larva Migrans in humans. Young children are at high risk for this disease due to roundworm eggs being found in sandboxes, playgrounds and yards. Visceral Larva Migrans can affect the lungs, liver, eyes, the brain, heart, and other organs.

HOOKWORMS (Ancylostoma braziliense)

Hookworms are dangerous bloodsuckers that can kill a kitten or adult cat depending on the severity of infestation and the overall health of the cat. At other times, a cat with severe hookworms may require a blood transfusion in order to recover. Hookworms are most often found in areas with warm, moist environments.

Signs of hookworms are anemia (pale, mucus covered gums), dark stools (passed blood), weight loss and dull, poor looking coats. Hookworms can’t be seen with the naked eye, so if you suspect or know that hookworms are prevalent in your area, take your pet to a vet for tests immediately.

Hookworm eggs can lie dormant for months in the soil around apartment complexes and other outdoor areas that infested animals may frequent. Even if you pet lives alone, just by playing in an infected area, it can ingest a hookworm egg or even have one burrow under its skin while resting on the ground.

TAPEWORMS (Dipylidium caninum, T. taeniaeformis)

Tapeworms round out our worm trilogy. Tapeworms are visible to the human eye like round worms. The first time a cat owner usually knows their pet is infested is when they notice “dried rice” or “sesame seeds” stuck to the cat’s bedding or on its anal area. These nasty bits are dried tapeworm segments.

The most common way for tapeworms to enter a cat’s system is via fleas. Yes, our vampiric friend, the cat flea is also a prime carrier of tapeworms. Tapeworms if left to grow can cause very horrible stomach cramps, diarrhea and even convulsions in cats as their systems become overwhelmed with toxins from their uninvited guests.

Like roundworms, humans can sometimes become infested with tapeworms due contact with infected animals. This is yet another reason that you should control your cat’s flea problem.

Both roundworms and tapeworms can now be treated with over the counter tablets that are inexpensive. Hookworms, however, must be treated by your vet since it can quickly lead to more serious conditions. But if you are not sure which type of worm infestation your pet is suffering, please visit your local vet for a proper diagnosis.

Click to learn more about DE

]]> http://mysickcat.com/cat-worms/treating-cats-worms/feed/ 0 http://mysickcat.com/cat-worms/signs-of-cats-worms/ http://mysickcat.com/cat-worms/signs-of-cats-worms/#comments Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:01:37 +0000 admin http://mysickcat.com/?p=16 Signs of Worms in your Cat

Like most mammals, your cat’s intestinal tract is host to many different kinds of tiny biological critters. Most are harmless but the ones that instinctively give people the shudders are worms.

These parasitic pests can enter your cat’s body in numerous ways; some kittens are even born carrying worms!

If you want to know how to prevent and treat worm infestations in your pet, then you should learn the follows signs.

Signs of Feline Worms

Loss of Appetite: In advanced stages, worms can cause considerable pain and discomfort that makes eating difficult or stressful for your pet. Also over time worms can cause damage to the digestive tract.

Dull coat: Worms compete for nourishment with the host animal and a sign of this may be a lackluster coat.

Potbelly: Especially with roundworms, a cat or kitten can develop a distended or potbelly appearance.

Weight Loss: A cat with worms will have a sudden drop in weight. Although weight loss is one of the signs of worms, it can also be indicative of other problems such as diabetes or heart problems. So weight loss must to taken in combination with other symptoms. Please visit your vet for a profesional diagnosis.

Stunted growth: This is seen in kittens and young cats. But older cats may be slow to heal or recover from illnesses.

Listless or Lethargic Your normally happy-to-see-you cat, who greets you at door, now seems not to care anymore. Worms often cause anemia and poor nutrition in infected cats that make it difficult for them to maintain their natural energy levels. To check for anemia, look for pale pink gums in your pet.

Diarrhea or vomiting: All types of worms can cause intestinal distress that can lead to loose and watery stools or vomiting.

Constant licking around the anal area: Worms are very irritating and your cat can be seen frequently licking or grooming around their anal areas. Look for bits of something that looks like “dried rice or sesame seed” (dead tapeworm segments) sticking to your animal’s fur.

If your cat is experiencing any noticeable pain or discomfort, you should take them to your vet immediately because some worm infestations can become life threatening.