Chicken Gizzards And its Role In Preventing Cystitis In Cats

Author: Sarah Smith

Cystitis is a very common problem encountered in the cat community. Typically there are signs of blood in the urine, straining to urinate or even worse, a blocked bladder. If your cat has ever had a blocked bladder you will know that this is a life-threatening emergency. You need to get your beloved puss up to your vet as quickly as you can.

In my practice this condition is very common. It is more serious for males than for females in that the male cats urine outflow pipe, the urethra, is very fine. It can easily become blocked by blood clots or crystalline sludge. Typically there is a dietary history of feeding dry cat food. One thing we always advise is to stop feeding the dry food. Some cats are addicted to eating dry food and refuse to eat anything but dry food. These cats do better if they swap to a prescription diet designed to be lower in the minerals that cause the crystals that cause the blockage. They also contain a urinary acidifier to reduce the chances of minerals forming together to create the crystals. Some cats will still have problems regardless of what they eat.

One of my interests as a veterinarian is to look at alternative ways of treating these common, often frustrating and frequently life threatening conditions.

In my reading around the subject of cystitis in cats and possible approaches I came across an interesting thought.

In traditional Chinese medicine the development of cystitis and crystals in the urine is considered a form of DAMPNESS. Dampness is correlated to the presence of food allergies or sensitivities and incomplete digestion. Many of the Chinese medicines used specifically for the treatment and dissolution of bladder stones or crystals contain the inner lining of chicken gizzards, also called ji nei jin.

Chicken gizzard lining has been used for over 2,000 years in China. Initially it was used in the treatment of diarrhoea. Later it developed a reputation for promoting digestion and astringing fluid discharge. The digestion promoting effects were prominent on both meat and grains. The astringing effect was found to actually break down kidney and urinary stones.

An active principle, named ventriculin was named as the component that gave chicken gizzards its medicinal effects.

In the wild situation one of the main food sources for cats is birds. Obviously not chickens but chickens are birds and all birds have gizzards. I have to say I'm not entirely sure about what goes into the moist style of cat food in a can but I do wonder how much chicken gizzards are incorporated. I doubt that there are any in the dry form of cat food and I often wonder just how digestible it really is anyway.

It makes sense to me to consider adding chicken gizzards to our cats dinners. The eating of birds by cats is greatly frowned upon in many circles. It is especially unacceptable in the National Park where I live.

Obtaining chicken gizzards is at best a challenge. It can however, be readily accessed in its medicinal form of ji nei jin.

Given that it is a natural component of the wild cat diet and its historical use in Chinese medicine as a treatment for cystitis, urinary stones and digestive disorders in humans it seems logical to consider supplementing cats diets with ji nei jin especially if they are prone to urinary tract problems.

Sarah Smith is a student with Success University. Her online studies are teaching her to create a healthy work and home life balance. She is learning the secrets of attracting success in ALL areas of her life. Sarah is a student with Success University. Learn to Create a Successful Home Business Collect your FREE E-book

http://www.successful-home-business-connection.com

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Cat Care - The Best, the Easiest, the Most Natural

By Madeleine Innocent
Raw Food Diet - Photo: © Alison007 (Flickr name) reproduced under creative commons

Caring for your cat is easy when you try to remember her origins. Being domesticated doesn't mean you should abandon how she would live in the wild. Cats have evolved in the wild over millennia. They have been domesticated for a mere trifle in comparison.

This means that their nutritional and emotional needs remain identical to those of their forebears. In attempting to provide the best cat care means looking at these needs. Lets look at their nutritional needs first.

Wild cats hunt on their own. They hunt small animals, sometimes up to about their own size, but mostly smaller than themselves. They rarely eat anything other than freshly killed meat. Contrasting this with a typical domestic cat's diet of dried pellets and you realise how off the mark commercial pet food is. Even if dried pellets were made with the best cuts of meat (which they aren't), the meat is still not fresh or raw. So, if you're trying to provide the most complete cat care, what should you feed your cat?

In my opinion, the best cat food is raw meat and bones. You can't completely duplicate a wild cat's diet, but you can come so close as to not compromise her health. Cat care starts with food as this is consumed daily. Something done daily has much more impact on our health than say something that only happens once a year.

When a cat eats her prey, she will eat all the meat, including the bones. Bones are the best source of calcium for a cat. And meat can only be properly digested when it is consumed with bones. After all, all carnivores eat meat with bones. Not only that, crunching up on bones is the best way of keeping her teeth and gums healthy, as long as they're not too big. No dried pellets can do that as well, despite the promises on the label.

Some think that giving a cat raw meat will trigger their hunting instinct. In my experience, it does the exact opposite. Because raw meat is nutrient dense, your cat will be satisfied and won't feel the need to supplement her diet as when fed a nutrient deficient diet.

Natural cat care also means providing your cat with her basic emotional and physical needs. Cats are intelligent and inquisitive. They need visual stimulation. This is best served by being outdoors, where nature provides an abundance of stimulation. If it's impossible or too dangerous to let your cat outside, do make sure she has access to safe stimulants, perhaps in the form of toys. Make sure you play with her to ensure she gets adequate exercise.

Sun is an important aspect of good cat care. Cats love the sun and it is essential to good health for all of us, not just your cat. Regular outdoor access will allow her to choose for herself. For confined cats, make sure there are times when you can open a window (safely) to allow the sun's rays in, unhindered by glass or plastic.

Easy cat care really means allowing your cat the freedom she desires. Confining cats indoors is going against good animal husbandry, I am also of the opinion that declawing cats is not only painfully inhumane, it deprives the cat of the natural joy of stretching. If you are considering declawing your cat, maybe you should also consider having a cat is not for you. Cats have already adapted a great deal to live with us. Putting them through an unnecessary, inhumane and painful operation is purely for your benefit, not your cats.

Cats provide us with an abundance affection, love and enjoyment. To provide even adequate cat care, we should at least do the same for them.

Madeleine Innocent has been a homoeopath, a natural health therapist, since 2000. She treats both people and animals and finds that when the diet of her patient is addressed, to one that is more in keeping with natural laws, at the same time as her treatment, enormous strides in the resultant good health are made. To underestimate a good, natural diet is to play Russian roulette with life.

For more information, click on this website:- http://www.naturallyhealthycats.com

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When Your Cat Pants!

By Audrey Frederick

As a general rule cats do not pant, as they sweat through their paws. Having had cats most of my life I have never seen one of our cats pant.

It is said that cats pant when they are ill or when they are stressed out. Once in awhile, a cat will play hard and pant from the exertion, as will mother cats after giving birth.

Heat stroke is another cause for a cat to pant; though cats in general are smart enough not to put themselves into a position to get heatstroke, unless they are locked in a place (like a car) where they cannot get out.

Should you feel that your cat is suffering from heatstroke the best thing to do is wrap it in a cool damp towel and get it to the vet at once. Heatstroke can be fatal and quick. If you cannot get to the vet at once, cool the cat down with water from a hose. Cool water and not ice cold water is to be used.

Cats usually breathe nice quiet breaths, at an even keel, panting causes rapid breathing, usually the mouth is open, the breaths are shallow as very little air is being exchanged deep inside the cat's lungs.

What are some of the other things that can cause panting?

• A fever can be a primary cause, as the cat's temperature rises the cat will pant to rid its body of the heat.
  
• A cold will cause a cat to pant. If a cat cannot breathe through its nose naturally, it will breathe through its mouth and this may cause panting.
  
• An obstruction in the nasal passages can cause a cat to pant. Polyps are the major cause and can be easily removed surgically.
  
• Should a cat be anemic, this will cause a cat to pant as there are not enough red blood cells to deliver oxygen to the body.
  
• Hyperthyroidism can lead to panting which can lead to heart disease.
  
• Poisoning can also be a sign of panting, though cats are usually very discrete when it comes to eating things they should not.
  
• Fleas can transmit a parasite that may produce a fever, red blood cell problems and anemia.
  
• Respiratory problems can cause panting.
  
• Heartworms in cats cause more of a respiratory disease than a heart condition, which is just the opposite of what it does in dogs. In cats it seems the larval stage (period before they get to the heart) does the most damage. The larvae often cause a condition that looks and acts like asthma.
  
• A urinary infection in a male cat will cause extreme pain and this will cause the cat to pant.

These are just a few things that will cause a cat to pant and will require attention by your vet.

If you cat is panting excessively do not hesitate to make that phone call to your vet.

Along with panting look for signs of:

• drooling
  
• weakness
  
• deep red gums
  
• tongue and gums have turned bluish
  
• coughing or wheezing
  
• change in meow sound (voice) along with panting
  
• snoring at night along with panting or wheezing

These are all serious signs that you should take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

Our job as a pet parent is to keep out pets healthy and a phone call to your vet may save your cat's life and ease your mind.

If this article has been of benefit, please visit my web site and blog at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Frederick
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What to do when your yard suddenly sprouts bouquet of kittens

Oakland Tribune, Apr 17, 2004

SPRING traditionally marks the beginning of kitten season, and you may soon be surprised to find a litter of tiny felines in your yard. It could be your first hint that a stray or feral cat is living nearby.

What can you do to help the kittens survive? First, find out whether the mother cat is still around. It's always best to keep the mother and kittens together, so she can care for them during the crucial first weeks of life.

If possible, bring the mother cat and kittens indoors, where they'll be safe. Confine them in a small room or a large cage in your basement or garage. Provide food and water for the mom and let her take care of the kittens until they're weaned, or ready to start eating regular cat food.

Another alternative is to let the mother care for her kittens where you found them. The trouble is that mother cats tend to move their babies around. Encourage the little family to stay put by making the location as attractive and comfortable as possible. Supply some shelter and provide food and water every day.

If the kittens have been orphaned, they will need a lot more help from you. Bring them inside and check their condition. They should be alert and warm to the touch. If they're cold and listless, warm them up right away. Put the kittens in a box or pet carrier with a heating pad set on low. Put a towel over the heating pad and make sure the pad covers only half of the bottom of the box.

The kittens must be able to move off the pad if they get too warm. Don't try to feed them until they warm up. It's dangerous for kittens to eat when they're chilled.

Kittens typically start to eat regular canned or dry food when they're four to five weeks old. Younger kittens have to be bottle- fed. Don't use cows' milk -- it causes diarrhea, which can lead to severe dehydration.

Kitten milk replacement formula is available from a veterinarian or pet store (premixed liquid is easier to use than the powdered form). Depending on their age, kittens need to be fed every four to six hours around the clock.

To prepare the bottle, pierce the nipple with a pin or slit it with a razor. Test the formula on your wrist -- it should be lukewarm.

Kittens less than four weeks old also need help with elimination, a job that a paws-on mom cat would normally perform. You should encourage them to urinate and defecate after feedings by gently swabbing the anal region with moistened washcloth or tissue, and by rubbing their stomachs.

They should also be burped after each feeding; hold the kitten against your shoulder and gently massage its back.

Caring for orphaned kittens is no small job, but it can be a lifesaving labor of love. Many extremely young kittens that end up in animal shelters have to be euthanized.

The average shelter simply doesn't have the staff and resources to care for kittens that must be bottle-fed 24 hours a day. Your help may be the kittens' best hope for surviving until they are old enough to be altered and adopted.

For advice on caring for orphaned kittens call The SF/SPCA Feral Cat Assistance Program at (415) 554-3071.

And remember, spaying and neutering is the best way to reduce animal overpopulation.

Dr. Jeffrey Proulx is the director of veterinary services at the San Francisco SPCA. If you have any questions about dogs or cats, write to him at The San Francisco SPCA, 2500 16th St., San Francisco, CA 94103, or e-mail him at dr.jproulx@sfspca.org . To find out more about the SF/SPCA, check the Web site at www.sfspca.org

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