Owners of Pets Articles about dogs, cats, birds and all other pets!

You can maintain your cat’s overall health in two important ways. Firstly schedule an annual preventative visit (including shots and an examination) with your vet as well as other visits as needed and secondly perform home cat care examinations yourself.

Do a nose to tail checkup weekly. It can be done at the same time as petting your cat on the couch. Start with the head. Are your cat’s ears clean and pink? Do they give off an unpleasant odor? Have mites appeared as a black, waxy mess inside the ears? Are the eyes bright, clear, focused, and free of discharge? Are the gums pink and the teeth clean? Has tartar appeared along the gum line? Is your cat’s breath offensive? Don’t check a cat’s nose to see if it’s cold and damp, this is not a sign of health. Continue with a neck to tail inspection. Feel your cat’s body for lumps, bumps, puffiness, sores, and any irregularities. Also look for flea dirt (which resembles black pepper and turns red when wet), scratches, and parasites. Be sure to check between the toes, and down the entire length of the tail. If you find anything to cause concern to you or discomfort to your cat then pay a visit to you vet.

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