Congenital heart defects are heart defects that are present at the time of birth.
These defects can be caused by one or a combination of the following: an abnormality in the cat’s genes; environmental conditions; infection; exposure to poisonous material; medications taken during pregnancy; and poor maternal nutrition. If a kitten has more than one congenital […]
Whether you’re going away for the weekend or longer, you’ll enjoy your time more if you know that your kitten/s are being cared for properly.
The stress to kittens of being in an unfamiliar environment, such as a boarding facility, along with the fact that their immune systems are not fully developed to fight diseases, […]
Congratulations! You’ve brought a new kitten or kittens into your home. You may think that your indoor pet is free from the risk of disease or injury, but anything can happen. In addition, felines are adept at hiding illness, and you may miss the subtle signs of sickness.
There’s a lot to know about sharing […]
Flat chested kitten syndrome (FCKS) is a poorly understood, often serious condition that may develop in a matter of hours in a kitten less than ten days old. In kittens with FCKS, the muscles used in suckling and breathing cause a deformity of the chest, which results in discomfort and problems in suckling and […]
A parasite is an organism that lives in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. Endoparasites are those that live in the tissues and organs of their host.
The most common endoparasites that live in the intestines of kittens include roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. Coccidia are microscopic, […]
A parasite is an organism that lives in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. Ectoparasites are those that live on the outside of its host. You may see endoparasites with your naked eye or the signs that they are present. For example, flea dirt, which […]
In part 3 of this 3-part series, we discuss grooming. In part 1, we discussed what hair is, types of hairs and how hair grows; in part 2 we discussed hair colors, patterns and lengths.
Kittens start grooming themselves when they are 4 weeks old. When they reach adulthood, cats will groom themselves 30-50 percent […]
In part 2 of this 3-part series, we discuss hair colors, patterns and lengths. In part 1, we discussed what hair is, types of hairs and how hair grows. In part 3, we discuss grooming.
Coat color is due to pigment in the hair shafts. White hairs lack pigment. Black (eumelanin) and red (pheomelanin) pigments, […]
In part 1 of this 3-part series, we discuss what hair is, hair types and how hair grows. We discuss hair colors, patterns and lengths in part 2 and grooming in part 3.
When is a furball not a hairball? When it’s a kitten! Although people may use the words fur and hair interchangeably, fur […]
In part 2 of this 2-part series, we discuss different weaning methods. In part 1, we discussed what weaning is and when it occurs.
Once kittens have started sampling the queen’s food, the process of offering them solid food can begin. NOTE: When the queen is available, kittens may comfort nurse, but not actually get all […]
