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Feline acne.

Here is an interesting article I found, after having to witness my best friend's cat (and my friend as well) go through a lot of pain and discomfort, let alone the expense to deal with this issue. I hope this information helps anyone who has to deal with the same.

Feline acne is a condition that can affect cats of any age, sex or breed. It is characterized by the formation of blackheads, or comedones, on the chin

Although acne in cats can be controlled, there is no treatment to cure it.

Causes

There is no known exact cause of cat acne. However, there are several factors that can increase the risk of it occurring. They include poor grooming, stress, dermatitis, and various other diseases. Felines with a weakened immune system are also

susceptible to the condition. Cats that suffer from food allergies or overactive sebaceous glands can develop acne too.

Signs

As mentioned earlier, feline acne causes blackheads to form on the chin. They may also appear on your cat’s lips. These blackheads may turn into abscesses which will then break open and form crusts. Some cats also experience hair loss as a result of acne.

Diagnosis

In order to diagnose acne in cats, the veterinarian will likely take skin scrapings. They will help determine if your cat is suffering from a condition other than acne. Sometimes, a skin biopsy will be performed.
Treatment

Treatment of cat acne is aimed at controlling symptoms rather than curing the condition itself. If your cat has overactive sebaceous glands, he may benefit from antiseborrheic shampoos which help break down excess oils.

Secondary bacterial infections can also become a problem which will need to be treated with topical or oral antibiotics. If your cat develops severe inflammation, the vet may choose to prescribe him a short course of corticosteroids.
Prevention

There are certain things that you can do to prevent feline acne. It may be helpful to switch to glass or stainless steel food and water dishes. You can also clean your cat’s chin yourself if he isn’t grooming himself properly. This is especially important just after he eats.

(Always consult with a licensed physician/vet about any medical or other condition your pet may have)

Tracking Your Cat – Microchip vs GPS Technology.

This is a very interesting article I bumped on a while ago. It has been my belief that we, the pet owners, should do whatever it takes to protect our pets. Send me a comment in our blog section with your thoughts.

Nothing can quite describe the feeling of losing your cat and not knowing if you’ll ever see her again. Plenty of pets go missing each year, so plenty of owners have experienced this heartache. There are several options that owners can use to prevent this from happening, namely microchips or GPS technology. You’ll learn the differences so you can make a wise decision

Passive Microchips

Many owners have their pets fitted with a microchip implant. The microchip stores contact information for the owner. The chip itself is passive and only delivers this information once scanned. This means that it doesn’t have to have a source of power, making the implant very small and unnoticeable for your cat once implanted. The way the microchip works however leads to its biggest drawback.

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The microchip is basically useless it’s scanned. If your cat gets lost, someone will have to find her and get her scanned in order for you to have any hopes of seeing your pet again.

Most veterinary clinics and animal shelters have the equipment to scan these implants, so you just have to hope someone locates your cat to enable them to do so. You will also need to ensure that you keep your contact information updated if it ever changes. If it’s outdated, then whoever does locate your cat won’t be ale to get in contact with you.

Active RF Trackers

In addition to passive radio-frequency technology, you can also make use of active RF devices. You’ll simply need to fit one of the relatively smaller trackers onto your cat’s collar. Then, you’ll use a handheld device to locate the tracker. Designs are different, but they’ll typically use a series of audio and visual cues to help you locate a lost pet.

These cues will vary depending on how far away you are from your cat. Active RF is definitely a step up when compared to passive microchips since they allow you to actively locate the cat. However, these active trackers have a limited operating range, so you’ll need to be in the general vicinity of your cat to begin tracking in the first place.

GPS

GPS trackers definitely provide some of your best options when it comes to tracking a cat. There are various types of GPS trackers you can use. Similar to microchips, some GPS devices simply monitor where your cat goes and will deliver the information as to their whereabouts once the cat has returned and you can upload

the information to your smartphone or computer. Obviously, this won’t really help you locate your cat if she goes missing.

Other GPS units operate in similar fashion to active RF technology. However, these devices typically have a larger range. Your cat will be fitted with a GPS-enabled device that will transmit location information to a receiver. You’ll need to be within at least 100 feet or so in order to receive this information, depending on the particular device used.

Of course, you can also use real-time GPS technology. These trackers will actually connect to satellites. This enables you to monitor the position remotely, providing the very best option for tracking your cat. These trackers have to be fitted with a sim card to make use of this service, a service that will have an associated monthly cost.

In addition this this, one of the main factors to consider when it comes to GPS devices is their weight. They’re nowhere near as small as microchips since they’re a completely different technology. They have to be fitted externally on the collar. Real-time GPS trackers are the bulkiest and could possibly be uncomfortable for your cat to wear.

Those who utilize real-time GPS devices also have to consider their location. Making use of sim cards, they use the same mobile networks that your cellphones do. If you’re in a rural location that doesn’t get particularly good cellphone reception, these devices may not work to the best of their ability.

These are some of your options for keeping track of your cat. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each of your options. Make the right decision so you never have to worry about your cat going missing and never being seen again.

A Cat By Any Other Name Is Just A Cat...

Meet Larry, The Chief Mouser,

to the Cabinet Office, the official cat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The cat works at 10 Downing Street. Only three cats, Humphrey, Sybil and Larry, have been given the title officially.Other cats have been given this title as a nickname, usually by the British press. There has been a Downing Street cat mouser and pet since the reign of Henry VIII

Official records about these working cats only date back to 3 June 1929. These come from the Treasury and state the cost for taking care of the cat. Now, the mouser costs 100 GBP (about $140) a year for keep.

The cats do not always belong to the Prime Minister in residence. Only rarely do they serve for exactly the same time as a Prime Minister.The cat with the longest known time at Downing Street is Wilberforce. He served for eighteen years under Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, and Margaret Thatcher.

The incumbent is Larry, since 15 February 2011. The last cat Sybil, was the first mouser after a ten-year gap. She began in September 2007 and left in January 2009. Sybil was owned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, who lived in 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, lived in the larger 11 Downing Street. It was reported that Sybil did not like living in London. She went back to Scotland to live with a friend of the Darlings until she died.

In January 2011, rats were seen in Downing Street, "scurrying across the steps of Number 10 Downing Street for the second time during a TV news report,", as reported by Independent Television News . The Prime Minister's office first said there were "no plans" for a cat to be brought in.

The London Evening Standard reported that the brown and white tabby cat had been chosen by David Cameron and his family, from those at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

The British government voluntarily employees and feeds 100,000 cats to keep down mice on government property. By being chosen Chief Mouser, of course, Larry (and Freya) became quite pampered cats, living in royal luxury.

Larry's birthday was celebrated on 15 February 2016. A month later Larry's importance to the UK was compared favorably to a team of dolphins being trained by the Russian Navy. In April Larry's ability to be a good mouser was again questioned. So a new neighbor, Palmerston the cat, moved into the Foreign Office. Just a week later Palmerston made his first kill, a mouse.

During President Obama's April visit to the UK, Larry got much coverage in American social media and news reports. In June 2016 it was reported that Larry is undecided about the Brexit decision. Whether he gets to keep living at 10 Downing Street, he will still get his daily dinner.

This article was created with information from Wikipedia.

I am sure the residents of The Cabinets Office or the Queen Herself, or even Larry never had to deal with bad pet odors or bad interior air but I am sure the rest of us have been there: You walk into the home of a pet owner, and you immediately notice that “cat smell” (or any pet smell) in the air. Sometimes it’s caused by a problem with the animal’s health. Other times, it may be a litter box that’s overdue for a change, or a result of “accidents” on the carpet. Whatever the cause, no one wants their house to have a “cat smell.” I saw this product a couple months ago at a friends' home who lives with 4 large parrots, and for the first time I noticed no smell at all!!!

Click above read about it and give it a try

Things to remember to keep your cat safe during the summer heat.

Hello friends. With the summer heat already at bay it is high time to consider the best ways to protect your feline friend and make sure not only your cat is comfortable but also protect your cat from heat stroke.

Here’s a reminder and the guidelines: a cat’s normal body temperature ranges between 99.5F and 102.5F degrees. You should become concerned if their temperature reaches 104F degrees, which is considered the beginning of heatstroke. A temperature of 106F degrees is considered extremely high. Here are some pointers based on what the experts and the vets suggest:

Bring your cat indoors, during the day, especially during the hottest parts of the day. The best arrangement is to keep your cat indoors during the daytime and let them out during the nighttime. Usually your cat is going to naturally seek out the most comfortable areas of the house, like a cool tile floor or in front of a fan. If you know your cat well and you know of her favorite place to hang out, try to keep that area cooler.
A simple way to cool down a cat is to add a few ice cubes in their water dish. There are special water fountains designed for cats that recirculate water and keep it cool.
It is a good idea to protect your cat with flea and tick medication especially during the summer when ticks and fleas are more active and in high numbers.
If possible spend more time and play with your cat at night, when is cooler.