Q. My cat vomited up a large tape worm. I gave him Bayer Expert Care Tapeworm Dewormer last night. He still won’t eat or drink, what should I d…

ANSWER : A. If your cat has been feeling nauseated, it is possible that the nausea, or just general illness is making him want to eat less. However, you can try enticing him to eat with a few tricks geared to cats.

Warming up wet foods or even bland people foods such as plain chicken or boiled hamburger can make food more interesting to cats. Cats tend to go for aromatic rather than flavorful foods, so making the food as “smelly” as possible may encourage your cat to take a bite. Bland foods are also good for helping to soothe upset stomachs, which may still be happening if your cat had recently had a vomiting episode.

However, if enticing your cat to eat does not work, or he continues to refuse to eat any food, it is best to contact your local veterinarian for more care and testing. Cats can become very ill if they refuse to eat for more than a few days, and finding the underlying cause can help your cat feel better.

ANSWER : A. I’m sorry that you are having itching issues! Those can be tough to figure out! Fleas can also be a tough issue. They are hard get rid of and hard control for sure! If your cat is itching and you are finding worms there is a chance that you may have fleas. It depends on the type of worms of your finding. If the worm was a small, flat worm that resembled a grain of rice, I would say for sure that you most likely have fleas. This was most likely a tape worm segment. Tapeworms are the result of flea infestations. If the worm was longer and white, then you could be looking at another type of worm such as a roundworm. The best option would be to take your kitty into the vet where they can run a fecal test and see exactly which kind of worm eggs are in the sample. This way they can treat your cat for worms and solve one of your issues!
Now on the your next questions: the Garlic. Garlic is actually TOXIC to your cat so I would recommend to not use it under any circumstances! There are some great products that your vet can recommend for fleas that won’t harm your kitty. One that works great and actually takes care of fleas and all sorts of worms is called Revolution. It is a monthly topical solution and cats tend to tolerate it really well. I hope this was helpful and I hope your kitty feels better soon!

ANSWER : A. Cat parents often wish they could better understand what their favorite feline friends want or desire. A cat’s meow can be interpreted in many different ways and can indicate an array of feelings and needs. Here are some of the most common reasons for your cat’s vocalizations:

1. Greeting- Many cats will meow as a greeting when you enter your home or walk into a room. Cats will also meow at another cat or animal in the household to extend a hello and acknowledge the other animal’s presence.

2. Attention – An exuberant meow followed by leg rubbing or another attention seeking behavior may indicate your cat is looking for some quality time spent together. Some petting or rubbing behind the ears may be in order.

3. Hunger – A meowing cat is often a hungry cat. This is one of the most common reasons for a cat to vocalize to their owners. A cat will meow to get your attention at feeding times or even when they want extra food.

4. Sickness – A sick or hurt cat may begin to meow excessively, warranting a visit to the veterinarian. There are numerous reasons for a cat in distress to meow—whether it is related to an upset stomach, an injured leg or a urinary blockage. These meows should be carefully investigated.

5. Entering or leaving – Most cats will vocalize when they want to be let in or out of a room. You may notice when you are in the bathroom or behind the closed door of a room that your cat begins to meow, scratches at the door, and often reaches its paw under the door. This is a clear indication that the cat wants to be where you are.

6. Angry – An agitated cat may meow to warn their owner or another household pet that they are upset and would like to be left alone. This angry meow may increase in sound volume as the cat becomes more stressed or agitated. Often a cat will exhibit this type of meow at the veterinary office when they are unhappy with their examination or restraint.

Each feline is different and so are their vocalizations. Learn to understand the variety of meows your cat uses on a daily basis. This will help you develop a better relationship with your cat and help them live a more trusting and happier life.

ANSWER : A. Scratching is a natural behavior in cats that can be frequently frustrating for pet owners who want to keep their furniture from being shredded on a constant basis. The texture of furniture and carpet is very appealing to cats and this why they frequently choose to spend their time on this activity as opposed to playing with their own cat toys. Here are some suggestions to help curb this unwanted behavior:

1. Purchase a cat scratching post or cat tree that is covered in carpeted or textured material. Place it in an appealing spot that your cat would be inclined to spend time (eg. in the sun). You can also place catnip on the scratching post or cat tree to make your cat even more interested in the new object.

2. You can utilize double sided tape on the ends of the furniture because you cat will not like the sticky feeling and will learn to not scratch in that region. Use the tape that has a lighter adhesive in order to prevent any permanent damage. Other materials, such as aluminum foil or bubble wrap can also be placed on the furniture to discourage the scratching.

3. Keep nails trimmed short by either learning to do this on your own at home or using a veterinary technician, or groomer. Nails can usually be trimmed every 6-8 weeks.

4. Redirect the unwanted behavior. If your cat begins scratching, use a favorite or new toy to distract the cat from the scratching. Give your cat positive praise for not scratching.

5. As a last resort you can use a spray bottle full of water to spritz your cat when he or she is scratching inappropriately at your furniture. Generally, cats do not like water and this will discourage them from continuing the behavior.

Have patience with your cat because it can takes time to understand this is an unwanted behavior and that furniture is not another toy for them to use. You can always consult your veterinary or veterinary behaviorist to help with ideas or further solutions to this problem.

ANSWER : A. Warm his food slightly or mix in a teaspoon of baby food to stimulate the appetite. Treat for fleas even if you haven’t seen any. Fleas are a common source of tapeworm infection in cats.

ANSWER : A. Weight loss can be a serious sign of many underlying conditions in older cats, most notably metabolic issues such as thyroid disease or organ dysfunction. If no worms are visible in her stool, bringing in a stool sample to check for them, or making a wellness exam to check for any other causes of the weight loss are best to help find why your cat is losing weight prior to just treating for worms.

If worms are present, then determining the type of worms they are is the next step. Worms generally cause digestive upset in cats such as vomiting or loose stools in addition to weight loss in large infections. The two most common types include roundworms (long spaghetti-like strands) and tapeworms (small rice grain segments). Roundworms can generally be cured with any over the counter wormer, however tapeworms need a wormer specific to them to be given. Tapeworms are also spread via contact with fleas, so starting a flea prevention treatment can help prevent further infections. Cleaning all bedding and the environment your cat is in will also help for any type of internal parasite infection.

ANSWER : A. Kittens can be dewormed as early as 2-3 weeks of age with an appropriate dewormed that is safe for use in kittens. They are then usually dewormed again about a month later to treat any reinfection or remaining worms that may be present. If worms are present, deworming the mother cat (if safe to do so) may also be needed.

The most common types of worms seen in cats and kittens are roundworms (long, spaghetti-like segments in the stool or vomit) and tapeworms (small, rice-grain like segments that break off separately and shed in the environment). As these two worms are treated differently, knowing which one is present is best for providing the right worming treatment. If you are unsure about the product to use or the type of worm, bringing in a sample to your vet can allow them to find and provide the correct and safe worming medication.

ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination or house soiling can be a frustrating problem but with a bit of detective work on your part, there is hope. First, before deciding that this is a behavioral issue, any medical problems (diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence, pain on defecation, etc.) need to be ruled out and/or treated. If your cat receives a clean bill of health from your vet but is still eliminating outside the litterbox, then we need to consider that something about the box itself might be aversive to your cat. Cats can be quite finicky about their litterbox and toileting habits. Below I have listed common recommendations and cat preferences for litterbox use. Review the list and make any changes that could account for your cat’s aversion to defecating in the litterbox:
* Soft, fine-grained clumping litter (vs, coarse-grained, non-clumping litter)
* Unscented
* 1 – 1 1/2 inch depth (especially older cats or cats with hip problems)
* Larger pans (especially for large cats) – want to get whole body inside – poop just outside the box might mean the box is too small
* Open, non-hooded
* At least one shallow side to get in and out easily
* Easy to get to – not hidden away, preferably in areas they spend time in or near – and not near appliances that make scary, unpredictable noises (washers, dryers, refrigerators)
* Scoop minimum 1X/day – preferably 2
* Clean the litterbox with soap and water and put in fresh scoopable litter at least once/month (instead of just continuously adding)
* Some cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in a separate box, so you may need 2 boxes even if you just have 1 cat. Multi-cat households should have 1 box/cat plus 1 extra.