If your vet has diagnosed a liver condition, the right diet is essential for helping your cat stay healthy in the long term. This article explains why the liver is important, what kinds of problem can occur – and how nutrition can help your cat.

Sleeping Arrangements for a Kitten’s First Night Home Teaser: A kitten’s first night in a new home is likely one of the biggest challenges they have ever faced. Here are a few things to know and what you can do to help your new kitten sleep peacefully through the night. Welcoming a new kitten home can be nerve-wracking for both the owners and the felines involved. While we’re fretting over which cupboard is best for keeping the cat food and which local veterinary practice to choose, the kitten has a whole set of different concerns to deal with. There are new people to meet and new sights and smells everywhere. Their new home looks nothing like the one they lived in until not so long ago and there’s no sight of their mum and littermates. In short, everything is different and a bit scary. Then just as they’re getting settled, night time arrives and they are left to sleep all alone in this new, strange house. A kitten’s first night home can be challenging but there are plenty of things a cat owner can do to help your little ball of fur settle in quickly.

Dogs and cats can live together in perfect harmony, but sometimes there can be a little tension. Dogs are pack animals who love company, while cats are lone hunters who prefer independence. Dogs often play with other pups by chasing them, which cats may perceive as a threat. Stopping this behaviour the moment it occurs is very important, as it can lead to a very unhappy cat if left unchecked, even if your dog is well-meaning. Moreover, your cat will interpret it as predatory behaviour and will want to hide in order to feel safe. But fear not – this behaviour can be controlled. In this article, we’ll explore why dogs chase cats, how to stop dogs from chasing your cats, and what to do if they do not stop. Why do dogs chase cats? When a dog chases a cat, it is usually because they are following their instincts – particularly if your dog is a breed originally used for chasing or herding. Other times, when a dog chases cats, they might just want to play, and they will chase a cat a little like they will chase a ball that has been thrown for them. Dogs chase cats because they have a strong chase instinct and that movement can trigger this instinct. However, there are instances of dogs living with cats for years without chasing them before suddenly developing this instinct. It is important to stop dogs chasing cats as soon as you see this behaviour in your own pets. Dogs should see cats as their companions, and not as toys.

If you have a cat that likes to explore the outside world, it’s likely that they’ll encounter a tick at some point. Find out how to remove a tick from a cat with this guide. If your cat spends a lot of their time outside, it’s likely that they’ll get a tick at least some point in their lives. These tiny creatures latch onto your cat’s body and will feed for several days if not removed, so it’s important that they’re caught as early as possible in order to prevent further pain and discomfort, and to prevent them passing on certain infectious diseases which they can carry. If you’ve spotted a tick on your cat, you may be wondering how to remove it without causing pain or leaving part of the tick behind, which is why we’ve put together a useful guide to tell you how to remove a tick from a cat safely and properly.

True allergies are thankfully very rare in cats, and can often be confused with the more common (and less severe) food intolerances. Learn how to spot if your cat has an allergy, and what you can do to get them back to their happy and healthy selves again. What are food allergies in cats? Food allergies in cats involve a reaction to often only tiny amounts of an ingredient in a particular food, such as beef, dairy products or fish. Although allergies are often diagnosed in young cats, they can crop up at any age, so it’s worth getting any unusual symptoms checked out at any age. Cat food allergies are very difficult to diagnose, as there are no allergy-specific tests available, symptoms aren’t usually specific, and the triggers can be inconsistent.

It’s not uncommon for our dogs to throw up every once in a while, – especially if they’ve wolfed down their dinner too fast. But sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious going on. Learn when dog vomiting is a cause of concern with this handy guide. As a dog owner, you’ll know that your pup can be notorious for eating everything in sight and this isn’t always savoury. From eating another animal’s poo to toilet roll tubes, everything’s on the menu! And this can result in dog vomiting. When your dog is throwing up, it’s a way for them to rid their system of anything indigestible, but sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious and an underlying disease or clinical condition. If your puppy is vomiting, you may be wondering whether it is serious and you should be thinking about seeking help from a vet. Keep reading to discover all the possible reasons why they may do this and the dog vomiting treatments available. The difference between vomiting and regurgitating in dogs First things first, you need to understand the difference between when your dog is vomiting and when they are regurgitating. If your dog vomits, it means that they’re forcefully removing the contents of their stomach, which is usually partly digested food. They may also display certain signs beforehand such as drooling, retching and their abdomen may contract too.

Dog puberty usually occurs when your pup is between 7 months and 2 years old and as with humans, it can bring a whole load of behavioural and physical changes. Find out everything you need to know about the signs of puberty in puppies and what you can expect in this handy guide. There is one thing that all puppy owners can rely on – and that is that their lovely cute, biddable puppy will one day grow up to be a canine adolescent, which brings with it both behavioural and physical changes. When does dog puberty occur? Dog puberty is the period between sexual maturity and social maturity and can happen between around seven months to almost two years, depending on the breed (larger breeds take longer to develop). Another way of looking at it is as a time when their hormones are running ahead of their brains – pretty much like with human teenagers! Behavioural changes during dog puberty During this stage of dog puberty, one of the first things you may notice is that your puppy’s behaviour starts to change. Things that you have taught them may seem to be inadvertently forgotten and they appear to ‘forget’ the simplest things, whether this is toilet training, recall or walking nicely on the lead. There may be changes in their interactions with you as they become clingier or, at other times, the puppy who used to hang on your every word seems not to notice you even exist! This is a time when your puppy is starting to look at the world through the eyes of an independent adult and reassessing their behaviour strategies. You may see your puppy behaving fearfully or reacting to things they have apparently taken in their stride in the past. Other dogs start to treat them differently, as they no longer have the ‘puppy privileges’ they used to enjoy. They have to rethink their social skills at a time when their hormones are raging as according to Pet Medical Center, an adolescent male dog has much higher testosterone levels than adult male dogs! This can lead to competitiveness and even aggression.

Ticks can be a painful problem that your cat may have to face. Find out how to prevent and treat cat ticks below. Introduction to cat ticks There are two different groups of ticks to watch out for, hard ticks and soft ticks. Hard cat ticks often look like a sunflower seed; they are also recognisable by the hard shield found just behind their mouthparts. Hard ticks are the type of ticks you will usually find on your cat. Soft ticks are the second type of group of tick. Instead of looking like a seed these ticks look like a raisin. These kinds of ticks are not usually found on cats, as they tend to feed on other animals instead such as birds or bats. What are cat ticks? Ticks are a kind of parasite. Ticks bite beneath a cat’s skin and suck blood back into their bodies. Unfed ticks are tiny, have eight legs, and can be black, brown, red or tan, but once they attach themselves to your cat they can swell up to the size of a pea as they fill with blood. Cat ticks are actually classed as arachnids instead of insects, which is a key difference between them and the flea. Ticks can pass disease onto an animal it feeds on; this is why tick prevention steps are an important measure to take when looking after a feline. How can my cat catch ticks? There are a number of different ways your cat can catch ticks. The first and the most likely is from other animals. Cats often interact with other animals once they leave the house. Ticks can find their way from one animal onto your cat very easily. If you are worried about cat ticks we advise you not to leave food outside your house, as this can encourage other animals to enter your cat’s territory. If you tend to go on walks outside in fields or woodland areas ticks could find their way onto your clothes easily. This is because they tend to cling onto the top of branches and blades of grass, when you then brush past them they cling onto your hair and clothing. This means even indoor cats are in danger of catching ticks, so whether your cat travels outside or not tick prevention is still something you should be aware of and do. Another way your cat can catch ticks is just from exploring outside. Ticks can survive outside when not on a host. They can just as easily cling to a cat’s fur as they can to your clothing.

Your cat’s skin is a good general indicator of their health. It should be pink or black (depending on the breed) and their coat should be smooth and shiny. Watch out for crusting, itching, scaling, black or white spots, bald patches and inflamed areas, as this is usually a sign that something’s not right. For example, small black dots could indicate fleas while a dull coat might suggest an underlying illness. Scratching and scabbing, meanwhile, could mean your cat has a skin disease. Pay attention to the skin around your cat’s ears, too. Any brownish discharge or redness should be investigated by your vet. If you know what warning signs to look out for on your cat’s skin, you can help them get treatment as soon as you spot something that doesn’t seem quite right. Dry skin in cats Dry skin isn’t usually a serious health issue for cats, unless they’re continually scratching. The temperature of your home can affect their skin - dry skin can soon become itchy during winter when the heating is turned on. A humidifier might help your cat keep comfortable if this is a problem. Common skin parasites Common skin parasites on cats include fleas, ticks and mites. They can cause itchiness, inflammation and skin lesions, as well as hair loss. In some more serious cases, a heavy flea infestation can cause anaemia in kittens, which can be dangerous to their health. Fleas can also cause a specific allergy in cats known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD - see below for more information). Most cat skin conditions involving parasites can be treated quickly, although some may require longer-term treatment. Identifying cat fleas Cats are very good at grooming themselves, so owners are sometimes surprised to learn that their cat has fleas! Many cat skin conditions can be caused by fleas, and the most obvious sign that the pesky parasites have taken up residence on your cat is persistent scratching, although some cats won’t scratch themselves but instead over-groom, sometimes leaving bald patches.

Cat seizures have many causes, and can often occur quite suddenly. Find out what you can do to make the experience less stressful for you and your pet. Cat seizures can be a symptom of many different diseases, but are one of the more unusual cat illness symptoms as they are not very common. It can be alarming the first time your cat has a seizure, but by following the advice in this article you can have the confidence to remain calm and seek veterinary advice when necessary. What are cat seizures? Cat seizures are a sign of abnormal brain functioning, and not actually a disease diagnosis in itself. During a seizure, there is sudden, abnormal electrical impulses that disrupt the normal processes within the brain. This can result in nerve stimulation elsewhere within the body, and the unusual behaviours that are often associated with seizures such as collapse, twitching, chomping the teeth and tremors. There are different categories of seizure, and often an episode will be considered generalised or partial. A generalised seizure involves both halves of the brain, whereas a partial seizure will involve a specific brain region. Cat seizure symptoms The signs of a cat seizure will vary depending on the cause and type of episode. General seizures typically have a sudden onset and last up to three minutes. They can be alarming to watch as you might see symptoms such as shaking, losing consciousness, twitching or urinating.