The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Cat's Symptoms

177 Pages·1999·8.07 MB·English

by  Michael S. Garvey D.V.M.

For Higgins
and Mistry.
May they continue
to live happy,
healthy lives.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Mollie Doyle at Villard for her patience, calm, and understanding; and to
Barbara Lowenstein, without whom this project would never have happened. Thanks in
particular to Norman Kurz at Lowenstein Assodates for his help.
Thanks also to Drs. Michael Garvey, Ann Hohenhaus, Katherine Houpt, and Melissa
Wallace for their contributions, and espedally to Dr. John Pinckney for his heroic
efforts.
Last, but by no means least, thanks to my husband, Arthur Hettich, for his continuing
encouragement and support.
—Elizabeth Randolph
Contents
Acknowledgments
A Note to the Reader
Part One: A Healthy Cat
1. A Healthy Cat’s Body
Skin and Hair
Eyes and Vision
Ears and Hearing
Noses and a Sense of Smell
Mouth and Teeth
Cardiovascular System
Digestive System
Endocrine System
Musculoskeletal System
Nervous System
Reproductive System
Respiratory System
Urinary System
Other Systems
2. How to Keep a Cat’s Body Healthy
Choosing a Veterinarian
Choosing a Healthy Pet
A Veterinary Checkup
How Do Vaccinations Work, and What Do They Prevent?
Recommended Vaccinations for All Kittens (Chart 1)
Other Vaccinations That Are Available for Kittens (Chart 2)
Recommended Vaccinations for All Adult Cats (Chart 3)
Optional Vaccinations for Adult Cats (Chart 4)
Spaying and Neutering
Providing Good Nutrition
Deficiencies in a Cat’s Diet: Causes and Results (Table 1)
Excesses in a Cat’s Diet: Causes and Results (Table 2)
Indoors Only, or Outdoors-Indoors?
Grooming
Litter Trays
3. Normal Cat Behavior
Social Behavior
Sleeping Behavior
Eating Behavior
Grooming Behavior
Territorial Behavior
Clawing Behavior
Feline Communication
Feline Body Language (Table 3)
Communicating with a Cat
Elimination Behavior
Some Inappropriate Feline Behaviors
How Cats Behave When They’re Not Feeling Well
What to Do if a Behavior Problem Develops
Owner Responsibilities
Part Two: A Sick or Injured Cat
4. Accidents and Medical Emergencies
Avoiding Accidents
Some Feline Medical Emergencies
Breathing Problems
Cardiovascular Emergencies
Collapse
Diarrhea
Hypoglycemia
Pneumonia
Pyometra
Pyothorax
Seizures/Convulsions
Urinary Emergencies
Vomiting
Shock (Box)
Accidental Feline Emergencies
External Bleeding
Broken Bones
Burns
Drug Poisoning/Intoxication
Electrocution
Eye Injuries
Heat Prostration
5. Contagious and Infectious Feline Diseases
Infectious Viral Diseases Against Which Cats Can Be Immunized
Fungal Feline Diseases
Parasitic Feline Diseases
Diseases That Cats Can Transmit to People (Zoonotic Diseases)
6. Care of an Injured or Sick Cat
Emergency First Aid Steps
Signs of Pain (Box)
Home Care of a Sick or Recuperating Cat
Casts and Bandages
Part Three: More Than 130
of the Most Commonly Seen
Feline Signs/Symptoms of Illness,
and How to Interpret Them
More Than 130 of the Most Commonly Seen Feline Signs/Symptoms of Illness and How to
Interpret Them
Appendixes
Appendix A: Some Common Household Products That Are Poisonous
Appendix B: Some Congenital Defects and Disorders
Glossary: Veterinary Medical Terms and Feline Diseases/Disorders Mentioned in the Text
Telephone Numbers and Addresses
Charts and Tables
Chart 1: Recommended Vaccinations for All Kittens
Chart 2: Other Vaccinations That Are Available for Kittens
Chart 3: Recommended Vaccinations for All Adult Cats
Chart 4: Optional Vaccinations for Adult Cats
Table 1: Defiriencies in a Cat’s Diet: Causes and Results
Table 2: Excesses in a Cat’s Diet: Causes and Results
Table 3: Feline Body Language
Illustrations
Long, triangular head
Brachiocephalic head
Skeletal system
Kitten playing with toy
Cat sitting on window perch
Cat using scratching post
Claw clipping
Ticks on eyelid
Urine spraying
Defensive aggression
Normal urinating position
Dominance aggression
Cat in carrying case
Compression with hand
Compression bandage
Makeshift muzzle
Restraint/towel wrap
Wiping of nutrients on roof of mouth
Oral medication/force-feeding with a syringe
Pilling
Eyedrops
Elizabethan collar
Body—outside: (1) side, (2) front, (3) rear
Ear canal
Ear abscess