FAQs about Cat Care

We have a lot of questions about the well-being of our cat. Here are a few FAQs about Cat Care.

Q: Why is my four years old cat dragging his bottom across the floor?

Maneka: He must either have worms or impacted anal glands—anal glands that have become full of faeces and needs need to be drained by a vet.

Q: Whenever I take my cat for a bath he starts shouting and wriggling.

Maneka: Cats hate water. Their fur becomes waterlogged and weighs them down when wet. Don’t bathe your cat unless he is certainly filthy because they normally clean themselves.

Q: A cat can easily climb a tree but is unable to come down. Why it is so?

Maneka: A cat’s claws are constructed for climbing up a tree. They are like hangers which scratch and hold the bark while his body pulls itself up. If he tries to go down headfirst, his claws cannot grip the bark because his body is pulled down by gravity. Cats have to learn to go down the tree the same way they came up.

Q: My cat sometime drools water from his mouth. It’s it only dogs who supposed to do that?

Maneka: The old saying goes ‘Cats rule and dogs drool’. But similar to their canine counterparts, your feline ruler may also be a drooler on occasion. Cats may produce excess saliva at certain times which causes drooling.  Some reasons could be: ‘Happy drooling’—similar to dogs, a small percentage of cats will actually drool in response to being happy. When you show your cat some love the purring and rolling over may be accompanied by a bit of drooling. Mouth pain—an infection or foreign object caught in the mouth may cause your cat to drool. Be sure to examine your pet’s mouth and seek veterinary care if necessary. Heat stroke—if your cat is overheated, drooling can be a sign showing he is experiencing heat stroke and needed immediate veterinary care.
Toxin ingestion—if they have a bad taste in their mouth or are about to be given poor-tasting medication, cats may begin to drool. Other reasons could be: stress, mouth ulcers and periodontal disease. If you notice unusual drooling behaviours in your cat, consult your veterinarian to make sure there are no other health concerns.

Q: My cat sometimes acts like she is crying, and she has liquid coming out of her eyes. What does that mean?

Maneka: There are many causes of unusual discharge from the eyes. Nearly every eye problem in cat causes the eyes to water, and without a physical examination it is impossible to be specific.  Sudden onset or temporary clear discharge from the eyes can be caused by injury (although this is unlikely if the discharge is from both eyes), allergic reaction or an upper respiratory tract infection – just like when humans get watery eyes when suffering from cold. If the cat has a respiratory infection it is likely to also develop a wet nose. If it has become lethargic, or there has been any change in his toilet or eating habits it is likely that the wateriness is just an exterior sign of an underlying illness.
Chronic eye watering can be due to a range of causes, including conjunctivitis, ulcer, cataract, glaucoma or distichia. Given that both eyes are affected, it is unlikely to be most of these causes and most of these symptoms would be accompanied by other symptoms such as cloudiness or redness of the eye. It is also possible that the cat suffers from an inherited defect in which a malformation of the tear ducts blocks the normal flow of tears. This condition is actually called ‘Watery Eyes’ and is often accompanied by stained fur around the eyes. You can try treating the cat with a twice-daily saline eye drop (specifically for felines) to help cleanse the eye and tear ducts. If your cat suffers from a reaction to an environmental stimulus (an allergy) this treatment should offer mild relief. If the discharge continues or any change is noticed in behaviour one should take their cat thoroughly checked by a vet.

(Visit: www.peopleforanimalsindia.org and for any issues related to animals, contact Shilpa Chaudhary at: 09953313319).