For better understanding of cat's health/medical needs? Please see details.?

Question

I take my cats for their "annual" wellness visit, and while they're there, I ask my vet to update any shots that need updating.. but I don't really understand what the shots are, what each one is for, and how long each shot is supposed to last.

Also regarding shots: when is it necessary for cats to have "booster" shots (a second round of shots- a few weeks after the first)? I thought that was just for kittens.

Other things I'm wanting to be certain that I am doing right for my cats (please correct if I'm wrong/ suggest the best brands, etc):

Best way to worm indoor cats

Flea maintenance (they get a monthly mild-soap bath, monthly flea medication (& flea spray on the other weeks), I vaccuum a lot.

I brush their teeth monthly w/ cat toothpaste (is this necessary? Or should I even do it weekly like the tube says?).

They get purified water & they're on diet Iams, but I want to switch to a raw meat diet like "Bravo."

Anything else? Any *kind* info will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Try [e-mail] . Its an e-course on cats. There is a staff of vets to answer ALL your question. As for my Stimpy; our vet lives just 2 blocks away.

Answer 2

You are right that only kittens need the booster shots. Kittens should get a round of three shots-these are vaccinations and are made to protect them against illnesses like feline leukemia and rabies. When given the first time, they raise your cat's resistance to a disease. The subsequent booster shots raise it's resistance further and help the effects last longer. These shots are important, as well as the next shot, which should happen one year after the others. After that, it is not completely necessary to vaccinate, unless they are outdoor cats, because they are more likely to come into contact with something. Vaccination (and over-vaccination) in cats has been linked to fibrosarcoma, a type of cancer. If you have already recieved your first round of shots, as well as the yearly, and your cats live inside, you don't need to get anything else (though I would still take them in for check-ups every year or two).
If your cats have already been dewormed, they do not need to be dewormed again (unless they have a current infestation,, which is unlikely). Pyrantel is a decent choice, and is an easy-to-give oral suspension given twice, two weeks apart. This you would have to get from your vet.
As far as fleas, I think that Advantage is great. One of my cats has flea bite dermatitis, so we can't have anything near him or he scratches himself so much that he'll bleed. All I use is Advantage once a month, and it works great. Flea sprays can be dangerous in cats, so I would avoid them. Also avoid any product by Hartz, they are horrible and are renound for causing adverse reactions (tremors, seizures, extremely high fevers) in cats.
If you give your cat dry food, this should help their teeth. It is not a bad idea to brush their teeth once a month, but unless they are showing signs of gingivitis, it isn't really necessary.
Iams is a great company, so is Purina and Science Diet. Though some people have great results from raw food diets, you may run the risk of salmonella and other infectious diseases. Remember, when animals kill in the wild, they first thing that they eat is the viscera, not the muscle, which is what you'll mostly be feeding your pet, and the kill is fresh, so infection is less likely. Also cats are much more difficult to feed than dogs, as they are obligate carnivores and require a different ratio of protein to carbohydrates, as well as taurine and arginine. Without these amino acids, they will develop heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) and blindness. Good pet food companies, such as Iams, make sure that your pet is getting what they need.
Good luck with your kitties. You obviously care about them very much. They are in good hands.

Answer 3

First of all your going crazy with hygiene. Cats clean themselves every hour. And the hard cat food brushes they're teeth.

Flees are natural. Don't bathe your cats they will like you better. Get rid of all the flea medications or whatever. The only thing you'll need for flea protection is a monthly does of Pet Advantics. It can be expensive but it works. Ask your doctor about it. And you'll only need to vacuum at the end of each week. Let's say Friday.

Ask you doctor about the cats medical needs. He will know best. And if you ask him a lot of questions it's OK. He will that you are concerned about your pets. And you are.

To warm indoor cats light a fire in the fire place or cuddle with them.

Purified water is healthy for them. They shouldn't go on diets unless they're overweight. And If they are just put down less food in they're dish. That fat will be gone in no time. But if they aren't on a diet a handful of food is good. Raw meat isn't exactly a good way for cats to diet either.

Answer 4

You pose a lot of questions to be addressed. About vaccinations I think you would be well served to go to: www.littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article titled "Vaccinations". It is near the end of almost sixty articles on cat health, diseases, behavior etc. We do not give our children annual "boosters" for measles or tetanus, etc. Who decided that cats need these? Certainly it is not based on any research to show there is benefit in doing so. You should read Dr. Hovfe's article before having any further vaccinations for your cats. Talk with your vet about it. When cats live indoors even the rabies vaccination is not necessary. NEVER give the feline leukemia vaccine as it is suspect in actually causing the disease. Dr. Hovfe also has vaccine updates in her newsletter archives so read it all to be better informed before deciding with your vet on what vaccines are really necessary for your cat.

As to the raw meat diet I do a home-prepared one for my cats. On what basis is commercial cat food considered better for cats than the diet nature deemed is best for them. My cats have been eating the raw meat for seven years now and there have been no problems with parasites, worms, etc. The raw meat diet has everything the cats needs in it. There is no research to show that adding essential amino acids or vitamins in a POWDERED, synthesized form is good or effective for humans or cats. A raw meat diet should contain some liver from the species the cat is eating. That is the only vitamin that cats can't make in their bodies. Vitamin A is in the liver and the B vitamins, taurine and arginine are all there in the raw meat.

I think it's wonderful that you have gotten your cats to accept having their teeth brushed. If they eat raw ground meat or canned commercial food it is good that you do this. Dry food does not clean the teeth, (another article you can read at the Little Big Cat site).

The only thing that will keep the cats' teeth in really good shape is chewing meat from the bone - many raw feeders do this. You can get information on a raw diet from www.catinfo.org, also written by a qualified veterinarian. There are a number of Yahoo groups where members are raw feeders. I like Holisticat. If you join that group there are recipes for raw diets in the archives.

Dr. Martin Goldstein says in his book "if you do nothing more for your pet give it purified water to drink". So you are on the right track there.

Iams is a poor quality pet food using by-product meat and having corn as 2/3 of their food formulation.

Answer 5

cats are pretty self sufficient, just the intial round of shots, and vaccinations should be just fine. My cat hasn't been to the vet in years, and it is fine and healthy and happy. Your vet is just trying to get some extra $$$ out of you