Pet Care Articles from PETCO

Articles

Cat - Health

Quality of Life
When our pets are young and brand new to us, it's easy to remember to visit the vet on a regular basis. However, as time passes, many pet owners don't realize or remember the importance of regular veterinary care. Without regular visits, your pet's ...

Facts About Mosquitoes
Appearance Mosquitoes are small, about 1/8" to 1/4" long, insects with a brown or dark brown body striped down center. They are usually round and suck the blood of animals and humans. Life Cycle Mosquitoes go through four life stages: egg, larvae, nymph ...

Facts About Ticks
AppearanceSmall (1/8 - 1/2" long) dark brown, round, blood-sucking parasite. Adult ticks have eight legs, larvae or seed ticks have six. Life Cycle4 stages: egg larva nymph adultWarning SignsTicks may appear as a small dark speck on your pet's ...

Facts About Fleas
Appearance Small (1/12 - 1/16" long) dark, reddish-brown, wingless, blood-sucking insects. Hard, flattened bodies covered with short spines and long legs adapted for jumping. Life Cycle 4 stages: egg larva pupa biting adult ...

Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency that must be treated immediately by a veterinarian. While enroute to medical care, your cat should be covered by cool wet towels. A cat suffering from heatstroke may be delirious, semi-conscious, panting ...

Signs of Parasites
Even if you take the best possible care of your cat, she is likely to become an unhappy host to a varied collection of parasites - internal, external or both. By knowing what to look for, you can help to eradicate most of these pests before they have the ...

Feline Vaccines
As a conscientious cat owner, you should keep records of shots and check with your veterinarian any time you suspect your cat might be due for one. It's better not to rely on your vet's staff to remind you since they're tracking many more animals than ...

Allergic to Your Cat
Find out more about allergies before you bring kitty home.

Annual Examinations
When the pet carrier makes an appearance, your cat probably disappears under the bed, well aware it's time to go to the V-E-T. Despite her objections, an annual checkup is an important step toward maximizing your feline's health and a great opportunity ...

Healthy Skin and Fur
There's more to your cat's coat than the soft, silky feel of it. Fur insulates your cat from the elements, protects her skin from injury, and acts as a health indicator. Read on about how nutrition, illness, and grooming all affect your pet's coat and ...

Temperature, Pulse and Respiration
Pets can't speak up when they're sick; they count on their human friends to watch for signs of illness. The basic indicators of a cat's health, or vital signs, include temperature, pulse, and respiration. Checking these signs is a good place to start if ...

Exercise for Cats
It's time to coax kitty off the couch! Tickle her interest in playtime with these pointers. Fetch, chase and catch sound like games you would play with your dog. But your cat needs an exercise routine too, and these games can be part of a lifetime of ...

Timeline of Medical Care
It's a snap to keep kitty healthy when you know what kind of care she needs at different ages. Of course you realize your cat needs nutritious food, shelter, exercise and lots of love to stay healthy. But do you also know your cat needs regular ...

Dental Disease
Can't face another day of your cat's bad breath? Don't despair. Dental disease, one of the most common and potentially harmful health problems for cats, is easily avoided. What causes that special smell? Bacterial buildup along the gum line gradually ...

Head Shaking or Ear Scratching
Your pet can't tell you that his ear is itchy, but he'll let you know by shaking his head or scratching at his ears. Then it's up to you and your veterinarian to figure out the cause and what to do about it. Causes What's behind that annoying tickle in ...

Panting
If your pet is panting, make sure you can easily determine the cause. Dogs are known to pant more often than cats, but cats do occasionally huff and puff when hot or after strenuous activity. Some cats will also pant when they're nervous - during the ...

Vomiting
Unfortunately, our furry friends tend to vomit more than we do, especially after overindulging or eating something disagreeable. Causes Vomiting can be a sign of illness, but not every pet that vomits is sick. Your cat's comb-like tongue collects a lot ...

Weight Loss
Dropping a pound or two isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if your pet's packing a few extra. But weight loss should be controlled, gradual and supervised by your veterinarian. Sudden, unexpected weight loss usually signals an underlying health ...

Vaccines Save Pets Lives
There are many serious and often life-threatening diseases that your pet can be protected from by simply vaccinating, deworming and giving heartworm preventative. The following information will help you choose an yearly immunization program to keep your ...

Vaccination Services: Minimum Age Requirements
Potential Side Effects From Vaccination Include: Depression may occur for the first 24 hours following vaccination. If this persists after 24 hours, call your local veterinarian. Vomiting and/or Diarrhea may occur following vaccines but should not ...

Dangerous Foods for Cats
You may not think it, given that she is a creature that - in the wild - survives by eating disease-carrying rodents like rats and mice, but your cat actually has a very delicate and sensitive metabolic system. That means that you have to be very careful ...

Signs of a Sick Cat
Different cats display symptoms of illness in different ways. However, if your cat is experiencing any of the following signs, you should contact your veterinarian immediately for guidance. Diarrhea or Vomiting Diarrhea or vomiting is not necessarily a ...

Evaluating Your Pet's New Vet
Finding the right veterinarian and clinic is critical to your pet's long life and overall health.

Types of Play and Exercise for Kittens
A daily frolic for your feline friend reaps healthy rewards. Fetch, chase and catch all sound like games you would play with a puppy. But your kitten needs an exercise routine too. These games can help you begin a lifetime of healthy fun for you and your ...

Physical Changes in Older Cats
Your pet's soft, glossy fur may have a little more gray than it used to, and you've noticed a few more white hairs around her eyes - that's normal. But you shouldn't automatically attribute any other changes you notice in your feline companion to the ...

Appetite Loss
Here's guidance on determining whether your pet is feeling ornery or out of sorts if she's not eating.