Cat Genie

Archive for January, 2011

Pruritus, commonly known as itch, is the stinging sensation in the skin that leads to scratching. Our animals also experience itching to certain diseases and injuries occur from scratching the skin. The itching has different degrees of intensity, where intense appreciate it easily because the animal is restless, we see him scratching and is injured. But if the itching is very intense, this sign of illness can happen unnoticed for long. It is therefore important to know which the manifestations of pruritus in our animals are or what is the same: How do you scratch our animals?

Lick. Cats are quiet, curious, independent, quiet and clean with a well-developed habit, so the grooming is not a strange behavior. But watch them preen very intense and very constant may be a sign of itching. Generally cats do when they groom themselves after eating, after dirty or when they are in a proper and comfortable, if we observe this habit often compulsively or very intense! Care! The cats also be reserved may lick them in places where they observe. Know that the licking is a form of scratching, of course less intense than doing it with a limb, but can be traumatic. Cats scratch lick end up producing alopecia, ie hair loss, hair loss that is caused by broken hairs, and may not show any skin lesions, although at other times is so intense licking if skin lesions appear.

Dogs also can rub lick. This is usually seen mainly between the fingers, limbs, genital area, anus, abdomen or English. We observe a reddening of the skin and hair color change to brown, more visible animals clear coat. This color change occurs by the action of saliva. This licking is sometimes considered, incorrectly normal by the owners. The dog’s skin is very delicate and any trauma to the licking can cause the appearance of secondary infections, complicating the process with injuries, bleeding, odor and itching.

BY nibbling, when the itching is more intense the dog or cat can go from licking a nibble. Chewed with incisors or opening and closing his mouth a little but very fast. There are cats that come to pulling hair snacks!  Scratching, proper, i.e., moving more or less the tips to reach the area where they feel itching and scratching with the nails, this can get done in a frenzy. With this form of injury is inflicted linear scratch, scratch. These lesions are easily infected, adding more problems to the initial pathology. But you can rub it more noticeable, if you notice your dog rubs against the walls, furniture or objects, rolls on the ground or rubs against it – this may be a sign of getting a disease that produces itching.

When we invite relatives or friends to eat at home is very common that some of the guests want to share the delicious dishes that we prepared with our cat. Despite what that might be nice and share the food that appears to pamper our animals, we must not forget that this practice may bring significant imbalances in our cat having a decisive impact on their nutritional habits. So we must avoid giving non-specific food for them and be strong when our kittens to use all his tricks to reclaim our food. Although it seems that we are not coddling, acting in this way we care for them as best as possible and to avoid the associated problems that can develop both short and medium term.

These problems can be seen immediately that the onset of diarrhea and vomiting that can lead to more serious conditions if your cat eats bones and gastrointestinal perforations (not to mention the associated risk of choking). Another issue to consider is that your cat loses weight and fattening ideal can become obese. In fact, if the practice of giving generalized food is more than possible to happen as your cat will take it as an extra, a treat; it also is not suitable for him. Finally note the behavioral problems that can occur is performed by changing the eating habits of your cat. In this sense there is a risk that we continue to ask our cat food or even start to steal our food, with the damage, both nutritional and behavioral, that may entail.