Being an exclusively feline veterinary practice we often see cats who are exhibiting some type of behavioral problems.
Once a medical issue is ruled out it's time to take a look at what is going on at home. Most cat owners don't realize the everyday stresses that are put on their kitties. From irregular feeding times to lack of mental stimulation, stress on felines can be damaging. Whether the stressor is emotional or not, it will trigger chemical changes within your cat and your cat will begin to experience a variety of physiological events. Long-term exposure to fearful or adverse events can cause neuro-chemical changes.
By understanding what stress is for a cat, we as cat owners can prevent these situations from occurring. Your first step should be to evaluate your cat's behavior and environment to see if that can be a cause of their stress. Now, a complete absence of stress is impossible to obtain and some level of stress is necessary to develop pliant neuroendocrine and behavior responses. However, we do want to minimize stress that can be harmful.
Some example
s of harmful stress are unfamiliar handling, changes in social (home) environment such as a baby, new animal, a different work schedule of the owners and loud unfamiliar noises. During the development time frame of 3 to 9 weeks owners need to be preparing their kitten for a life without fears. Owner should be exposing their cat to a variety of stimuli. Novel noises, places and people are just a few examples of stimuli. Even though the process will take some time, owners can prevent stress, fear and anxiety by gradually introducing their cat to new situations.
Many behaviors that cat owners see are due to a lack of mental and physical stimulation or situations that are associated with fear and anxiety. Common indicators of stress, anxiety and fear include: decreased or increased grooming, litter box changes, hiding more often, changes in appetite and decreased play. If a cat is very stressed, owners may observe him crouching, having pupil dilation and /or panting. The easiest way to avoid this is to anticipate and prevent stressful situations when possible. The key for owners is to meet the cat's emotional needs socially and mentally by promoting proper toys, giving praise and providing human and other feline interaction.
For more information on cat care visit our
website or call us at 480-970-1175.
Keeping Your Cat Happy and Healthy Indoors
At the Scottsdale Cat Clinic we are always on the lookout for fun and informative stories or articles. We recently found a story talking about the cat's purr, meow and other tones they can emit. We thought you'd enjoy learning a little more about what your feline friend is trying to tell you!.jpg)
s of your pet's life. If you are looking for help with a sick cat, info on pet symptoms, or want to ask a vet a question, then this is the right place. 
Once a medical issue is ruled out it's time to take a look at what is going on at home. Most cat owners don't realize the everyday stresses that are put on their kitties. From irregular feeding times to lack of mental stimulation, stress on felines can be damaging. Whether the stressor is emotional or not, it will trigger chemical changes within your cat and your cat will begin to experience a variety of physiological events. Long-term exposure to fearful or adverse events can cause neuro-chemical changes.
s of harmful stress are unfamiliar handling, changes in social (home) environment such as a baby, new animal, a different work schedule of the owners and loud unfamiliar noises. During the development time frame of 3 to 9 weeks owners need to be preparing their kitten for a life without fears. Owner should be exposing their cat to a variety of stimuli. Novel noises, places and people are just a few examples of stimuli. Even though the process will take some time, owners can prevent stress, fear and anxiety by gradually introducing their cat to new situations.
The Scottsdale Cat Clinic understands that dropping your fur baby off for Surgery can be very traumatic. You often have many questions concerning the anesthesia of your cat during a surgical procedure. We would like to put some of your concerns at ease by going over our strict monitoring procedures with you.
normal oxygen saturation range should be between 90 and 100%. We will also use a device called an esophageal stethoscope, which is a tube that is placed into the cat's throat. It is attached to a cardiac stethoscope enabling the technicians to monitor the heartbeats and breaths your cat takes.
