The fantastic debate among pet lovers has long been, “Which makes the better pet: a dog or possibly a cat?” There is certainly, certainly, no solution to settle this matter definitively. Some people choose dogs and other individuals like cats. Heck, some even like both! But if we look at the numbers, we see that the cat can claim a compact statistical victory, considering the fact that she may be the most popular domesticated animal on earth!
In accordance with a current estimate, you can find more than half a billion cats on earth. Practically one-fifth of them, about 94 million, reside in the United states. By comparison, the dog has fallen nicely behind in recent years. You will find only about 78 million owed canines in America. Why are cats expanding extra well-liked with every passing year?
As any feline owner knows, cats can pretty much take care of themselves. They’re highly independent pets that usually do not should be walked or groomed or cuddled on a daily basis. Dogs are good, however they demand a major commitment of time and energy. Unlike cats, they cannot survive on their very own. They’re totally domesticated animals and they rely on their owners for nearly everything.
Dogs are also much more high-priced to care for. The average dog owner spends much more on meals and on visits towards the vet than the typical cat owner. That is definitely to not say that felines don’t get sick. They do! This goes double for cats that happen to be allowed outdoors. You can find quite a few serious ailments and situations that outdoor cats may possibly contract. Let us take a moment to review some with the most common ones.
Fleas
Most cat owners have had to deal with flea infestations at one particular time or another. Lots of contemplate it a minor situation, due to the fact it is not eminently life threatening. But did you realize that the most common flea in North America can carry tapeworm larvae? In case your cat consumes certainly one of these fleas in the course of common grooming, she may perhaps become infested with these hungry tapeworms. Due to the fact they may be blood suckers, fleas can also trigger anemia, especially in kittens and adolescent cats. It’s also attainable for a feline to create an aggressive allergy to flea bites, that will inevitably outcome in incessant scratching and even critical skin diseases.
Therapy
Flea and tick options are quickly by far the most well-known prescription drugs out there, since the problem is so widespread. There are actually dozens of effective goods that will be employed at home. You will discover flea collars, sprays, dips, shampoos, and pills. One of our favorites is really a item known as Revolution for cats. This protected and straightforward topical medication not simply protects your pet from fleas and ticks, in addition, it keeps her safe from heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and ear mites. And it only has to be applied when a month! Revolutions along with other helpful flea and tick medications is usually bought out of your veterinarian or from a web-based pharmacy.
Hairballs
Cats are extremely clean animals, due to the fact they deal with most of their grooming on their own. But each now and once more, they may be unable to digest the hair and food debris they swallow and they must cough it up. These hairballs not simply trigger pain and discomfort for your cat, they also make a mess. Although they’re far from life threatening, no pet owner desires to be regularly choosing up soon after their cats.
Remedy
Frequent grooming may be the most successful method to eliminate excess hair. Nevertheless, in case your cat will not sit nonetheless, you’ll find merchandise that may protect against hairballs with particular oils that market digestion. Some are prescription only, and others are sold over the counter.
Diabetes
Just like humans, cats suffer from diabetes. Older cats, particularly these with weight challenges, are prime candidates for Type two diabetes. The symptoms of feline diabetes consist of loss of appetite, vomiting, fat loss, dehydration and difficulty breathing. A pet that displays much more than among these issues must be taken to the veterinarian as soon as you possibly can.
Remedy
The fantastic news is the fact that diabetes is often treated; the bad news is that it truly is high priced. Your vet may have to perform a battery of tests to identify if your cat has a chronic illness. If she tests positive, oral medications and insulin injections might be prescribed.
All the prescriptions we have discussed nowadays might be obtained from your veterinarian or at a discount from a web-based pet pharmacy.
