Okay, so you now know the breed or type of cat you wish to own. How do you go about finding a cat that is healthy and will hopefully remain healthy for many years? There are seven signs ways to check for an unhealthy cat before you make your final decision.
It is heartbreaking to choose a cat or kitten that you love only to find out it is ill. You have decided which breed you want and know all of the illnesses that breed may carry. Now you need to visually inspect your choice. You may end up spending hundreds of dollars on an unhealthy pet if you do not do your research before purchasing your cat.
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Below may be seven signs of an unhealthy cat:
allergies or upper respiratory disease-itching, runny or crusty eyes blindness or poor vision-eyes cross unnaturally or two different eye colors birth defects-crossed or malformed eyes, kinked tails, missing body parts or teeth, overshot or undershot teeth diarrhea, foul smell or redness in rear end-giardia, parasites,worms frequent urination-crystallization or urinary tract infection gingivitis-gums bleeding or red along the teeth and/or cysts or lesions in the mouth head shaking-ear mites or infection
I visited several shelters and pet stores to find the perfect cat for me. The shelters were kept clean and most of the kittens appeared to be in good health. The pet stores were usually well kept and volunteers were taking care of the cats and the adoptions. However, there were some underlying problems.
I fell in love with a butterscotch medium hair kitten at the animal shelter. My intuition told me to wait. So I went back the next week to see if the cat was still there. There were no kittens in the shelter. Every kitten had been removed due to upper respiratory disease. I was heartbroken and decided that adopting from a shelter may not be a good idea for me.
My friend and I visited the pet stores to see what was available. I found many kittens and cats that met my criteria. I would wait for the helpers to remove them from their cage. Some felines were strays, some were given away due to the owner moving or a new baby was allergic to the cat or for some other reason.
Most of the cats were frightened and extremely nervous due to being kept in a cage and from people knocking on the windows. It was hard to tell how friendly they were due to stress. Sometimes there eyes were runny. If the cats came in pairs, then they had to be adopted in pairs. Some unfortunately had special needs.
So, I decided I would try a cattery. Maybe I would have better luck and have some type of guarantee if I purchased a cat from a breeder. I thought I chose a local reputable cattery that I could visit and I thought I found the perfect cat for me.
She was beautiful and her personality fit mine. She sneezed once but the owner said, "cats do that, just like people, and do not worry". We stayed for awhile to make sure we felt comfortable with the owner.
The kitten's birth parents were on the premises. We waited until I felt the kitten bonded with us. The kittens were all very well socialized and were allowed to roam freely. I felt comfortable knowing how the cat had been fed and taken care of since birth.
The kitten came home with me that night. I purchased her on Sunday and made an appointment on Tuesday for a veterinarian check as dictated by the contract. Monday, my kitten, started sneezing again along with crusty eyes. She was so sick Monday evening. She slept on my chest and was soaking wet.
Tuesday the Doctor informed me she had an ear infection, gingivitis, giardia. All of the illnesses could be treatable but she may have a feline immune system disorder. I called the original owner. I was within the contract time specified but the owner of the cattery would not take her back. She told me I didn't love her.
The cattery owner said that she had her tested for any feline disorders known to that breed. The cat was checked twice by a Vet and had all the shots required according to the law. She said those types of things spread quickly throughout the cattery so she would have isolated it.
However, I returned the cat after discovering from another Vet that she had tritrichomonas foetus not giardia. This is a severe parasite that may be outgrown but untreatable. She was given the only known possible antidote for the parasite and one week later she was sick again. Her ears never did clear up completely.
The owner promised me a new kitten but refunded the money to me. I was a bit taken back. She accused me of over-medicating the cat and did not want to give me another cat. However, I owned no other cats and the disease is transmittable only through felines. She was only given the medication the doctor ordered. The owner would not reimburse me for medical expenses.
I felt my freedom of choice was violated. Especially if the owner knew that the kitten had a disorder and did not disclose this to me. I have the records to prove that the kitten had this disorder since I picked her up. I was not given the opportunity to choose to take a sick or healthy kitten... I paid a lot of money for a purebred kitten and I also fell in love with the cat. My rights were seriously infringed upon.
I would not have purchased the kitten if I had checked just a few of the signs above. I should have trusted my instincts but the owner reassured me that it was just a sneeze. I spent hundreds of dollars and could not enjoy the poor cat for months due to incontinence.
I went to work volunteering for a pet clinic and found a perfectly healthy little boy that I adore. His name is Eli. He is a joy and has no health problems. They regularly take in orphans that are dropped off at the doorsteps. The kittens are isolated for a few weeks to make sure they have no problems. Then they place them up for adoption.
Even though you do check the signs above, it still does not mean you will have a healthy cat or kitten. I have lost two in the last five years due to crystallization and diabetes. It will, however, increase your chances of bringing home a well companion for many years. Hopefully, you will check some of the signs of an unhealthy cat before you bring it home.
Choosing a Healthy Cat - Seven Ways to Check For an Unhealthy Cat
For more information on 'Living the Life You Love" Go To: http://CherylVeon.com/
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Cheryl Veon
"Boomerous Author, Entreprenuer, Interior Designer and Pet Mom
It's Never Too Late! Boomerous Opportunities for the Young at Heart"
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