The 10 Most Common Cat Owner Mistakes (Explained by a Vet)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 พ.ค. 2024
- Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ shares the top 10 most common mistakes cat owners make, based on 16 years of clinical veterinary practice. Watch the video to learn about the top 10 mistakes and what you can do to correct or avoid them.
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0:00 Introduction
1:02 Mistake 1: Not Understanding Signs of Fear
3:07 Mistake 2: Waiting Too Long to Spay or Neuter
4:46 Mistake 3: Skipping Flea Control
6:09 Mistake 4: Missing Signs of Pain
7:56 Mistake 5: Playing With Laser Pointers Incorrectly
9:08 Mistake 6: Feeding Only One Food
11:15 Mistake 7: Not Providing Enough Resources
12:23 Mistake 8: Skipping Annual Vet Visits
14:33 Mistake 9: Letting Your Cat Get Overweight
18:09 Mistake 10: Not Testing for Parasites
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1.Not understanding signs of Fear
2.Spay/neuter too late
3.Skipping flea control
4.Miss sign of pain
5.Playing with laser pointers inappropriately
6.Only feeding one food their entire life
7.Not providing enough resources
8.Skipping annual vet visit
9.Feeding your cat too much/allowing cat too become overweight
10.Not testing for parasites
Thank you so much Dr. Wooten!!❤️
Those of us that have hearing problems, thank you so very much for printing this list! Grateful 🤗🌹🌻
@@sandymac529 of course. Glad I could help. I work as a transcriptionist for this very reason.🥰❤️
My cat refuses canned food, I tried different kinds and nope… so then what does one do?
@@glitchlypickle5065 I have the same issue!
@@glitchlypickle5065 have you tried different textures? Ie: pate, shreds, bits, morsels, etc? I have 2 cats, one prefers pate and the other prefers shreds or morsels but not overly large chunks.
Edit: also different flavors such as chicken, beef, turkey, seafood options like salmon, tuna, cod, shrimp, various organ meats like liver or giblets, extra gravy formulas, or broths, etc?
It's never a difficulty to bring my cat to the vet. The problem is that it is sooo expensive! Same thing for my small dog. When the family income changes to the lower, it would be great to have options where we may see vets ready to work with us and also vets that have affordable fees. When I got my two precious and beloved sweethearts, I had a bigger income and going to the vet was never an issue, yet now that my income is half of what it was, it's difficult to make my vet visits in a timely manner. It's a huge stress because I love my pets so very much...
Check with your local shelter. They may have a low cost option for at least vaccines check ups and heartworm testing. The problem is when there is something wrong it is pretty pricey. 😣 I am definitely getting pet insurance for my next pet.
In the U.K. there is a charity called the PDSA (Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals) which provides low cost vet care for people who can’t afford the full fee and they pay what they can or make a donation later when they may have more income. I think it does some other animal welfare work too although I don’t think they operate anywhere remotely near me unfortunately. Maybe there is something like that in your country/area too? Or a shelter or humane society type place that may do some non profit appointments?
Exactly! Even getting their medications is ridiculously expensive.
Vets where I live are generally $65 just for the office visit, THEN any labs, meds, nail clips, ear cleanings, dental cleanings, whatever else they might need.
I had my kitten spayed a couple months ago. It was over $600
I found when fostering that places who do volunteer spay/neuters know an amazing network of resources. It might be worth it to call your local equivalent, if you have one, and ask if they have any affordable options for regular vet care. Folks who do that kind of work are likely to be as friendly and helpful as they are able.
@@happyme9010 that's awesome. Sadly, so many Americans are driven by pure greed, therefore, it is difficult to impossible to find reasonably priced pet care, especially in small towns where they're completely non existent. Small towns are overrun with stray cats and dogs. I dont get rich people. I like nice things, sure. I'm female- gimme a catalog and my eyes get huge I can look at things wishing, wanting, and pretending what all I'd get if I had the $. But that's play pretend lol. Would I have a bigger house? Yes. But not much. I dont understand ppl buying 30,000sq ft homes that require a dozen + ppl to maintain. Especially ppl like Oprah who own 6, 7, 10+ of them. Im.not saying that ppl fortunate enough to be wealthy shouldnt enjoy their wealth. I am saying that I wish more m(b)illionaires could find enjoyment in giving back to mankind, our planet, its various different species, and generally in trying to make the world a better place and make ALL of its inhabitants, happier, healthier and treated more humanely and less ppl who find enjoyment in inanimate objects and "things".
I have one cat and two litter boxes in two different places because he likes to go #1 in one box and #2 in the other, lol 😂
Mine does just the same!
We have two cats. They have two boxes, and yup, one is for poop and the other for pee. 🤷♀️
SAME! 😻😻
Yes!! I found so weird that my 3 cats agree on what litter boxes they use to pee, to poop or both.
You should have your cat tested for O.C.D.😉
I took my cat to the vet and she is in perfect condition and she is 19.5 years old. Yes i said years.
Number 1 thing she gets is Love.
wow thats so amazing!
Cool! What do you feed her? I want my cat to live a long and healthy life too
@@plantedlife 👀
Different kinds of Fancy feast can and dry cat food is science diet for adult 11+.
I hope that will help your cat to live a healthy life.
She in a indoor cat and she gets no shots.
My cat got urinary abstraction with crystals and almost died, when he was 6 years old. Switched him to the wet canned food only, than eventually to the raw meat diet. Year later, he is happy and playful like never before, got his youth back. His fur is amazing too.
What kind of meat does he like?
@@arescue I make a mix 80:10:10 ( 80% meat, 10% organs liver or kidney, 10 % bones) for the meat I use chicken thighs and hearts. I also add salmon oil, vitamin E and B .
Exactly the same happened with my cat. Recurring UTIs, dehydration, urine crystals. At 12yo we switched her to high quality wet food, and when it got expensive, we switched her to a raw diet. Half the price, healthy, AND easy. $2.50/lb pre-ground 80/10/10. She's livelier, more affectionate, and got her playful kitten attitude back for the first time in years. Actually, she's crowing to bring me a toy mouse as I write this! 15 years old and going strong. :)
my cat suffers from this and i have been feeding him UTI kibble and wet food. i cant afford just canned sadly but this is something i am hoping to do for him but i also want to make sure his vet agrees
My mothers cat ate only raw meat her whole life and lived to be 21 yrs old. Something to be said about the phrase, “Pay it in good food or pay it in vet bills”
Our cat lived to 26 years. He got basic shots, was indoor outdoor and was loved a ton.
26 ? Impossible.
@@seagullpoet actually you would be surprised look up the oldest cat in the world
@@seagullpoet nope not at all. We had the mother. Our daughter missed her 1st day of kindergarten and was 5. She was born in 1990, the cat was born in 1995. The cat died the day before Thanksgiving last year. Do the math, if you know how.
@@cocoa-nuts2670 no it cannot reach so old, there was only one cat in the world that reached 26 years, you are a liar
@@zaystone6555 that's not the norm, 15-20 years is already extreme
I wish vet care wasnt so expensive in the US.
its not i pay for plans it saves so much money
@@dr3ddd insurance plans? They are too expensive....
Expensive in Canada too :(
I live in Canada, same situation here
Expensive in Thailand
I feel like people so often forget that a cats health and happiness is almost 100% reliant on us (same as dogs) because of the narrative that cats are “aloof” and “independent”
My Floof is not aloof.😂
I think it should be mandatory for every cat owner to be given this knowledge before owning a cat. So many cat owners have sick cats that could have been saved if they had the right knowledge from the start
a lot of people, myself previously included, expect them to act like dogs but they act more like very secretive people.
Giving the info is useless if people can't be bothered to learn, I don't think people should be allowed to have a pet in general unless they are willing to learn and prove that they have absorbed the information before hand, stops the situation of misunderstanding 💜
@@donttalktomebye if you want a cat that acts like a dog get a bengal 😆 ours are more dog than our dog that was raised with cats 😆 😆
@Tobi Gibbons I do agree with this to an extent accept for the fact that humans grow and leave home and can learn to heal from previous traumas
Our pets however are stuck in our custody until the day they die due to 'the love' of animals but with a large percentage of the population being extremely ignorant to body language let alone medical signs and diet
So yes education should be mandatory on raising a child, but 99% percent of countries you cant legally just go purchase a human child like you can on fb for animals
I see kittens offerd way to young .
And when asked , they are not de-wormed , de-fleaed or vaccinated .
I was asked why I think they have worms anyway .
Prices for these not treated kitten vary from € 50 to €150 .
And I do not mind paying for a healthy kitten that is at least 12 weeks old and had the care it needs .
Lots of people have no idea and pay for a kitten that is sick or parasite infested .
Cannot stress enough regular vet visits! After my old cat had cancer removed at 14 I got him on pet insurance and had him checked every 6 months to be cautious. The vet was able to catch renal failure early and we started treatment immediately to help keep him happy for the rest of his life. He lived 3 years after diagnosis and I never would have known until his last month alive that anything was wrong with him. It was easier because when that rough month came I was prepared with a set up and medication to keep him comfortable until he was ready to go and I had a lot of time to mentally prepare myself. Of course the last month was still hard, I slept on the floor with him for a month, couldn't leave the house because he would *only* sleep if I was with him and I spoiled him until he stopped eating. The vet had already known the situation and had given me the freedom to take him in without an appointment when I knew he was ready to pass. He didn't have to suffer for a second because I had him regularly checked.
I lost my first cat a few months ago at age 15,5 due to lymphoma (probably, they couldn't find conclusively where it was with biopt, but he had all the symptoms and everything else was ruled out). I noticed he was losing weight so I went to the vet, tried enzym treatment, later prednisone. Took about two months untill I had to end it to prevent needless suffering. I took him to the vet after about 2 - 3 months of weight loss (he always fluctuated a bit and it was summer, so he was more active, plus he had stopped eating dry food but ate wet food as eagerly as before, so I initially thought it were his teeth, he had to have them cleaned once before). I did all I could, went for a second opinion when my vet was like 'yeah he's old, nothing we can do', took him to an animal hospital, informed into treatment options like chemo. Still, in hindsight I wish I went earlier. Now, he got ill to soon to do much (he had anemia, this was what in the end made him so miserable I had to let him go, he would barely eat the last few days - gave him a whole buffet of cat soups and other easily digestible wet foods to help with that). It was also such a pressure cooker of worrying for my cat, that it kind of kept me from fully enjoying my last moments with him. With my other 8 yo cat, I am now going for regular yearly check-ups. (Life at one point didn't go as planned which left me with little budget for this before, as he also had a chronic urinary tract condition that required special food and emergency visits to the vet when despite taking all the preventative measures it did act up. Luckily, I could pay those in installments when I was broke).
I'm so sorry for your lost of your pet
The fact that retail stores only have 1 or 1 & 1/2 aisles dedicated to cats, but 4 or 5 for dogs speak volumes. After feeding an outdoor/stray cat recently I have learned that information about cats is still so scarce on the internet. Worst of all is that the people online always argue and debate what is the right way to handle a cat
They are more dog owners/parents than cat owners/parents. So dog food, research, toys and etc will trump the cat counterpart.
The NUMBER ONE mistake cat owners make is not feeding their cats properly! Cats are obligatory carnivores and need whole prey to thrive. Not the junk in 95% of the food on the market. Cats get overweight because they eat too much but they eat too much because they are not eating the right food, having an insulin response, whine to be fed, owners feed because they feel bad and then it becomes a cyclic pattern. Add then the cat gets bored and whines and the owners feed more. It is a never-ending cycle that starts with food choice. Feed your cat a proper biological diet (that DOES NOT include grains, or high carb foods, they don't eat that in the wild-except in the digestive tract of their prey which is often left) and play often with your cat, they are not decorative ornaments in home, they are sentient creatures completely dependent on you so be responsible. I agree with a lot of what you said, but you completely missed the foundational point of cat ownership.
Thanks for sharing, K R.
So true. My neighbor who feeds the strays, was also letting my cat eat her food. He developed a knack for the unhealthy Costco Maintenance cat food she put out(corn meal/high in fat). He was very competitive and selfish in eating all of the food to drive the other cats away. He put on a lot of weight and now this summer he is struggling because of the overeating. I talked to the neighbor and now she only puts out the food when she sees the stray and doesn't leave a huge amount of food out which is helping him to slim down.
My other cat was getting sick on the standard cat food fare, so I switched up the product which has no dyes and has a delicious aroma of fried chicken. I change the flavors between bags, and she likes either one.
So how should we feed them? Seeing lots of comments about not feeding properly, but none that say what is proper. I don't know what a "proper biological diet" is. Thanks in advance!
BARF is good on paper, but terrible on the wallet.
It's also not fit everyone. You really need to know what you said doing so you don't get your cat sick.
Actually, cats are over weight because they don't have to hunt for their food. House cats over eat because they are bored and need to be played with to get exercise.
I have four cats ( two young adults, one 5 year old and a senior). Every morning they get a can of wet food divided between the four. I buy multiple flavors to diversify their food. They don't get fed again until later in the day, typically 4-6pm. At that time, they recieve dry food that they can free feed until morning. Typically by midnight all the food is eaten and they will be hungry again by morning. This routine has helped maintain their weights, coats, and activity levels.
THANK YOU
I tried doing this but my LuLus shit stands so bad if I giver her wet food 😭😭😭😫
@@azaraelg1176 cats have hella sensitive stomach. So much so that the food they eat can cause stinky 💩. You can also try giving kibble with warm water or more squeeze treats. The more water or liquid they get, the better.
Free feeding is wrong
@@laylo6904 Explain please?
@
All About Cats ... NOTE: I have been rescuing animals for about 55 years. ... The following is posted as general information, not specific to you. ... They are all important, and _thank you!_ Litter boxes: IMO, more cats have suffered because of that. People have to clean the boxes daily, and properly. A person can add litter only a couple of times, tops, but depends. Use wise judgment. Of course, to begin with, there should be enough in the box, and the box needs to be big enough. I recommend jumbo for every cat. No smaller than large. Clean immediately when a cat goes. Obviously, if someone is at work, etc, that is not possible.
I cannot count how many times I have been personally aware of a cat being turned in to the pound or thrown in the street because they went outside the litter box. That may also be a sign of illness, especially if the cat making verbal sounds when it is going. Get the cat to a vet!
Morning, get up early enough to clean everything! Return home, do it again. No less than once a week, using rubber gloves, of course, wash with soap and water, and 5%-10% bleach. Rinse thoroughly. Refill.
The next would be teeth and gums. Get a cat young, teach it to accept brushing. That can be done with older cats, it just takes more patience.
Nutrition: By law, food manufacturers can have the first ingredient listed as 50% of the food. And, you can bet and win, they do it! Corn: Cats don't eat grains as a source of food. The first ingredient should be a meat or a meat meal... even if a person cannot afford a grain-free food.
Feed wet food, or as much as possible! They can be mixed. This is also a good way to change food and flavors. If using dry, find a quality wet pate in different flavors and mix with the base dry. 50% of both is good.
Changing diet: 10 days minimum. 25% of new for a few days. Then 50%. Then 75% for a few days. Then 100% of the new food. That to lessen the chance of diarrhea. If multiple cats, say four, and one gets diarrhea, well 75% to the good is not terrible. That cat can be fed a different food. Of course, all cats should be fine with all the food/s. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to find a good food all enjoy and with none of them having problems.
Going above budget may be necessary. People have told me they cannot afford more. As politely as I can, I start a discussion about personal habits. How much bottled water bought a month? How many times eating out buying fast food, and any junk food even at the grocery store. Are recourses being conserved to bring bills down? Etc. All those things and more should be well thought about without even having a pet/companion.
@All About Cats ... Again, they are all important.
Having the cat to begin with means loving the cat. People get upset if the cat is going outside the box.
Better nutrition means better health, _and less waste to even go in a littler box!_
So choose: Cheaper food, more waste, worse health. Better food, less waste, better health. :-)
A cat cannot eat if they're in pain with their mouth... teeth and or gums. That may also be a sign of stomatitis, or worse. Get the cat to a vet!
Cat that seems to have a sensitive stomach: Wet food that is turkey, next chicken. Boiling chicken thighs can be a meat supplement for cats to add to food on a regular basis. Don't over-cook. It does not have to be every day. Even every third day is good.
SICK CAT: A cat that stops eating, can't get to the vet for a few days: Turkey baby food, with about a quarter unflavored Pedialyte, or a cheaper off-brand.
That's it for now. Anyone that read all of that, thank you! :-)
Oh, I forgot something that should have been mentioned. Never feed just dry. At least, add some water to the dry food. It might surprise someone, but the same amount of water, such as 1 cup of dry food and 1 cup of water, the dry food will usually absorb every drop of that water.
This will also help prevent urinary tract inflation and urinary tract infection. And, both male and female cats are subject to that.
Thank you for the information.
I cut up about a quarter teaspoon of 1/4 by 1/4 pieces of baby kale or romaine lettuce and mix it in with our cat's food. He loves his veggies. I don't put veggies in his meal every time though. Once or twice a day, but sometimes I might skip a few days. Sometimes I run out of veggies and he might go a week without the veggies.
Sometimes I put food out without the veggies and he won't eat it. I mix the veggies in and he eats it! 😼😺
When I first started feeding him veggies, I noticed he had more energy, it wasn't my imagination.
The fiber gently scrubs the intestines of buildup. In the wild, cats and big cats get fiber when they eat the whole animal including some fur and other indigestible parts. I know a lot of the wet cat food these days has fiber in it but I believe the fiber of fresh veggies with live enzymes is much better. And chlorophyll is excellent in so many ways. Helps prevent cancer, very good for the heart, a detoxifier, on and on...
I would also add, do not declaw. It's unnecessary and painful
Laser pointer made me realise how good cats hearing is. Mine can be sleeping in another room and no matter how carefully I would pick the laser up, if the chain jingles even slightly, she jumps and runs to me straight away. So after many tries I realised it's impossible to pick it up without her hearing it.
Snap mine are the same also if I move the treat box yep here they come 😂😂
Thank you for this helpful list. Please add lethargy to this list. A cat who is being lethargic (including not drinking water and or eating) can be displaying signs of a serious illness. Never dismiss lethargy as a cat just being tired or feeling lazy. Any deviation from normal behavior can be a warning sign of something seriously wrong. Also, it is easy to check to see if a cat is dehydrated -- firmly, but gently, squeeze and pull up a small area of skin on the cat's back; if the skin stays raised and doesn't immediately snap back to normal, get the cat seen by a vet. Also, if you simply sense something is just not right with your cat, check in with your vet. Always better to be safe than sorry.
Thank you, Jean.
Preventive care isn't cheap. Annual shots and exam was $160 per cat (we have 3) this year. But these caregivers aren't getting rich.
Emergency care isn't cheap for sure. It costs so much money to have a clinic, hospital, imaging and lab equipment, beds, drugs, food, and 24 hour care.
Last year, our big 10 year old orange tabby Clancy had a 4-day inpatient visit due to a urinary blockage, which came to over over $2000 (he recovered completely).
The nurses sent me photos and called me at least once a day to report his status in detail.
Their care was amazing and genuine. At least 3 vet nurses I talked to about him knew him by name right away.
And the discharge nurse spent a long time going over Clancy's home care with me.
My cat Pepper had cancer surgery in 2002 when she was 16 years old.
When I talked to the nurse, she told me that Pepper was responding much better than most cats just waking up from cancer surgery. She was eating and soaking up the attention she was getting.
And she lived another 5 years. These animals are so special.
I feel so fortunate to have the means to pay for pet health care.
I may not have money to retire but I have my furr babies for the moment.
It's a privilege to have experienced their special love.
It's all possible because of the human angels that love and care for them.
Hello how are you
How do you not have a million subs you're the best cat channel
Right?
You're so kind. Thank you.
@@AllAboutCatsYT It is true. I have learned so much from your channel. You have helped my cat and me more than you know. I take her to the vet but was never advised about the deworming, or even the 6 month visits (she is 11 years old). Thank you so very much for this channel!
You could put this into a pamphlet that people could purchase when they first adopt a cat or the first time they take a new pet to the vet! This information is invaluable, and something I’ve been looking for, for years! Thank you!
Agreed! This channel is always my go to!
Biggest mistake made by all humans incl. vets: You are not a cat owner, your cat owns YOU, owns ALL OF US!
My cat doesn’t own me, we are friends and roommates.
Hello Vicky how are you doing today
My cat is an indoor cat. I've had this cat for 15 years. Never had a flea never used flea medication. I've also never been told by the vet that I should get flea medication for him. I can only assume that his odds are very low to get fleas as an indoor cat.
I've had indoor cats get fleas - they ride in on your clothing and they're tough to get rid of once established.
I have an indoor cat now and you can bet she gets her flea treatment every month because I don't ever want to deal with that again.
Hello Dr. Sarah 🥰 🐈⬛🐾🐾🐈⬛🐾🐾
My twins get combed daily nails trimmed biweekly… vet visIts 2x year..I’m blessed with a pair of angels…giving more than they take🥰
Hello pretty how are you
Oh thank you very much on your advice. I will definitely try both just in case.. have a great weekend and thank you again. Be safe waiting for next video.
Thank you for this great information. I've had cats for many years, and while I knew about most of the things you addressed, I was not able to get my cat to the vet this past year due to the pandemic and transportation issues. Her vet is now welcoming back routine appointments, so I bringing her in next week. She seems to be in good health, and hopefully the vet confirms my impressions.
This was so informative. Thank you Dr. Wooten!
Hello Gia how are you doing today
Thank you, Dr. Wooten this was great advice.
Thank you Dr. Sarah👍Good share😊
I feed my old guy (17) raw food from Darwin's. He was diagnosed as diabetic two years ago. When I transitioned him to raw, his blood sugars leveled out naturally and he has more energy and verve than he has in years. I was skeptical at first, but I can't deny that his health is so much better after the switch.
Love Darwin’s!!
I've been feeding my cat raw chicken drumsticks! They're much cheaper and healthier than Wet can food! There are less than a dollar each and I'll get 3 meals from one drumstick!! And in between I'll get him human tuna fish In water Rinsed and drained to get rid of the sodium. And for another meal I will give him half tuna fish 1/2 chicken drumstick cut up with scissors small pieces.He loves it! I also mix in a little bit of dry food to think that its bones He is chewing on. Haha. When I see what the ingredients are in wet can't food I am appalled! I believe I found the healthy inexpensive diet for my loving cat. Please reply ..... Anyone. I tried chicken breast but he seems to like the drumsticks better he won't eat the chicken breast in fact..
@@ricknowak4582 sounds good to me! I mostly like the convenience of Darwin's. It's good to know there are less expensive options.
@@ricknowak4582 Reply to what? Maybe go see a vet and talk about the diet and all nuteients and vitamins the cat needs but other than that... Internet advice is not good advice, my friend. Always check with people who studied about this, not some random people.
@@ricknowak4582 Cats need additional vitamins and taurine than just what's in chicken, tuna, etc. Please do more research before your cat becomes severely deficient in something and gets sick or goes blind.
I find it ironic that she started out with fear... The only times my cats are fearful/terrified is when they're at the vet
That's the only time my senior boys show fear to, once we leave the vet he's absolutely fine.
Or when the vacuum cleaner comes out.
@@dianethompson9525 Or the lawn mower AKA the outdoor monster, my cat's are scared of a few things, one of my cat's is fearful of different people.
My male cat is a bundle of nerves. We adopted him at 9 years old and he came from a hoarding situation. He’s very friendly, just very skittish.
Excellent video! Knowledge is power, thank you. 👍🏼👍🏼
GOOD CONTENT! informative. keep it up Dr!
I appreciate you sharing such vital information with us! I just don’t understand why Vets choose to charge so much and don’t consider to work with us, which causes pets to eventually suffer from not being seen as needed. It’s so sad.
It’s unfortunate that a lot of "specialized" veterinarian cat foods contain so much grain and by-products. As obligate carnivores (meat eaters), cats are not built to digest grains and thrive off of protein. By-products can consist of the nasty leftovers that humans would not ingest (ex. eyes, beaks). It just kills me to think that the professionals we trust convince us to spend a fortune on food that doesn’t always benefit our pets well-being.
Amen.
I know!! I think they get kickbacks from those companies. What I don’t understand is why a company has not decided on actual HEALTHY products, grain and by-product free. It would prevent so many health problems. Maybe their theory is these super expensive unhealthy vet prescribed diets will guarantee future vets visits.
So true. The “vet prescribed diet” for weight control made my cat *gain* weight.
Do consider that not all by products are inherently bad. Meat byproduct can be things like extra meat, liver, other bodily organs rich in nutrients. By- products themselves are not always unhealthy, so its important to check the label to see where the byproduct comes from.
Some grains are also okay too, as long as it's not the bulk of what they eat. In general, grain free diets have been linked to heart disease in dogs and cats. While these things have gotten a bad rap, they are not always as bad as the market has made them seem. And grain free diets often times add other carb sources like legumes and whatnot, so it can still be packed with carbs while still being "grain free". :)
@@madamedemonsieur yes, same here! Even the vet prescribed weight control kibble can be basically like eating at McDonalds every day.
Love your channel! I have 5 furbabies myself and your videos have been very helpful. Thank you Dr. Wooten! ❤
Super informative, thank you!!
Calm clinic training is helpful. My mom's cat was banned from the vet before I trained it. I then called them and asked the options they had such as ocean music and used them to train him at home. He is now able to go to the vet again.
Kibble! Love it. They tend to communicate, one needs to pay attention, it's not that hard. Thanks vet.
Having a pet in U.S. is a luxury. It's a shame that cat's and dog's get put to sleep for no reason other than the pet owner doesn't have thousands to pay for the care. I took my beloved 11 yr kitty to all her wellness checks..then one month after one where she got a clean bill of health she stopped eating and began having a fever every other day. The vet didn't diagnose anything even with the major blood work taken but said she was fighting something hard as her fevers kept coming intermittently. The vet just gave her a cheap pill antibiotic for three weeks and suggested nothing else. Finally had to take her on a Sunday to an E.R. vet hospt. (called Cornell as my vet was closed and I was fed up with being practically ignored ) for a fever that was off the chart. And was told I needed to pay $5K to have her admitted to do exploratory test. I couldn't afford to do it. Took her to another vet for outpatient ultrasound and echocardiogram. Was told by that vet to put her to sleep as her heart had right sided failure and all other internal organ's were in bad shape.I was mortified. Prior to the ultrasounds I had taken her to two major hospital's in CT and NYC..both required 5K and no financial assistance of payment plan were available. Just credit card or cash. I took her home and prayed for an answer but finally put her put to sleep as I didn't want her to die in agony like I was reading many cat's with heart disease do..plus I trusted the vet was telling me the truth..she said to me and my daughter..let her die with dignity. A week afterwards I had a very weird feeling that something was wrong..intuition. I requested to see the two ultrasound test paperwork and to my horror the vet had lied about several things. The vet who gave the ultrasound(s) to her (he came into her office to do them..and I found out later they went to vet school together in the Virgin Islands) had recommended my kitty come back in .. after having more outpatient testing done to ck the results. As he'd ordered them and taken fluids from her chest area and kidney's. The vet that reported the test results to me.. and told me to euthanize my kitty had never even sent the fluid samples off to a lab..and never even told me they were done..she lied to me..told me she'd live only a month.. and had me murder my beloved kitty. I will never trust a vet totally again..and will stay in the room with my pet for all procedures. I had asked to be with her that but they said it wasn't allowed. PLEASE ask for the test results..then take them to a different vet for a second opinion when being told to euthanize your pet. I trusted this vet. She is a deceptive liar. Here in Greenwich CT. I even filed a case against her. But nothing happened to her. Dr. Maria Violi. It's been five years..but feels like yesterday. I am a person of color and feel it was discrimination. 💔
According to my vet who used to drill me every visit was that my little fur balls should never be feed canned food finally I told him how would you like to eat nothing but cereal your whole life never heard a word after that.
Very good video! Wished more vets were as caring and as knowledgeable as you!
I agree not all vets are equal or honest, I dislike the vet who sole purpose is to make as much money from you as possible caring less about what is going on with your cat than what it is on the invoice every visit.
I cannot express enough how informative this video was for someone such as myself who is a cat owner. I have had my cat since he was 4 months old and he is now 8. I grew up with cats so I have also love them! I have read up on everything new I have noticed in my cats past or present but even this video has shed some light on some things I did not know or may have forgotten. The signs of pain, skipping annual vet visits, feeding your cat too much and not testing for parasites all gave me new information about my feline best friend! Again I can go on and on but thank you so much for making this video!
Hello how are you
Thank you so much for your advice! I am 75 years old and have enjoyed the pleasure of cats and kittens all my life! You have taught me things I’ve never heard of! Thank heavens, I never ran into any of these complications! And in the future, I will be even more careful than I have been in the past! Rest in peace, Bob Barker!
This was such an informative video! Thanks! 🤍
I’m not sure why this video was on my Home Screen today,but it’s been helpful I have a 6 month old and 17 year old males,And it’s been time spent socializing them to the point they can be together on the patio,but I still separate them when I’m not home, I was aware of the need to have 3 litter boxes,I just realized I need to change up on pet food textures,both been eating pates for months.
I'm about to get a kitten soon, and this video was so helpful, thank you!!!
Thank you Dr Sarah!!! Very helpful information 😊
UC Yay! Thanks for all the advice, really helps us help our many kats!
This was such a good video!!
Hello pretty how are you
My kitty sometimes ate his food funny and would lick his lips a lot afterwards. Vet came and diagnosed him with Stomatitis! It could’ve easily been nothing, but I’m so glad I called and got him the dental care he needed.
What?. My cat do the same thing. But I was thinking he loves he's 🍲 So much. Thanks for sharing.
We;daughter & I, brush our cats teeth every other week but we not sure if that’s enough when considering how often we brush ours daily. Do you have an opinion/suggestion?
@@cvasoyan6065 definitely enough. Vet recommended just booking a teeth cleaning every few months or second check-up
This is a perfect video. Hit all the major points.
Thanks for the info, very informative. 💖
Came across this channel today & love it. Knew about the litter boxes! Great advice on foods as that it my problem area with my 2 year fur babies now. Can’t find a food they like! My two are going to vet first time early next week & taking them separately as they are both semi-feral & don’t know how they are going to react. I moved almost 7 months ago & it took two of us to get in a carrier & my little ginger female had a meltdown and went into hiding which they both do parts of the day. Clementine went under an armoire I have a fav spot when she was brought home at 4 months old, not great at 18 months. She had gotten herself stuck under the armoire and said nothing for two days. I couldn’t move the armoire as solid wood, so my cousin & friend tilted the armoire and I ran and got her. She allowed me to hold her and could feel her shaking. I assured her she’d be okay and got a kiss and she went and hid again but under the sofa and have blocked the entrance to compartment under the armoire. It changed our relationship. She’s more friendly, she likes the attention she’s getting and will now sleep with me! She’s still Leary on occasion and I’m careful to not push boundaries. She needs to be seen though as she rather not eat if she doesn’t like something. She likes her meat and she’ll eat her dry but doesn’t love it and losing weight. My vet suggests Royal Canin & Hills Science diet so trying different things. Clementine is my more picky & you can see her turn up her little pink nose when she doesn’t like something. We’re going to my vet I took my first cat to 30+ years ago. They were private vet then and now part of bigger VCA. They are Fear Free though & I will see that first hand come Monday. Cooper is my one who likes to munch. He’s going to Vet on Wednesday. They both gets the zoomies about 3am. I worry about my neighbor’s especially at 3a. Clementine becomes vocal at that time too originally thought she was hungry but turns out needs some TLC. Always willing & able to give that to both and they know it. Cooper now asks for kisses, he’ll stick his nose up at me and he gets four kisses at the tip of his nose! They both had such a rough start to life, it’s important they know their loved & wanted! They are emotional support for me and about a month of having them home. I had to go back home to CA as my father was having surgery. Contemplated keeping at home or boarding them at vet. I kept them home and had a friend feed them. They were okay and when called them both came out to greet me😀 I have subscribed & learning more about my fur babies. I will make sure each will get dewormed also.
Thanks for being here, Kimberly!
Hello Kimberly how are you doing today
I thought I knew all about cats, I've had cats a big part of my life, but I have learned so much more about cats that I dearly love from watching veterinarians, and CAT DADDY.
Hello Judy how are you doing today
Thank you so much for your information. Very, very helpful.
Great advice, thank you!
I had no clue about the laser pointer!! What a great video. Thank you!!!💗
Me and my cat share a one bedroom apartment. I have seen several videos saying to hide a treat and end the laser pointer game by shining the laser on the hidden treat. My question is "How do you hide a treat?" My cat can be anywhere in the apartment and if I get within 6 feet of where the treats are locked up he is suddenly Right There!!!
We have just recently adopted two kittens. They are just about 11 weeks old. We planned the adoption. We brought our scent and left a carrier with blankets from our house. The kittens played in it for a few weeks and then we collected it and the kittens. Imagine our surprise (and the total embarrassment of the breeder) when the mother cat defecated quite dramatically in the corner where the carrier used to be! Talk about demonstrating pain! I don't think she liked the fact that the last of her kittens were leaving. We can sometimes dismiss animal emotions but we thought this behaviour was quite clear!
If you purchased them from a breeder, then you didn’t “adopt” them. You bought them. Don’t get the 2 mixed up. Completely different. 1 is wonderful and the other is selfish :)
I hate breeders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😤 Greedy bastards. Im sure your kittens are sweet but you could have done the unselfish thing and adopted kittens that needed a home instead of supporting greedy breeders. Rescues are simply the best! 😻😻😻
Nothing wrong with purchasing a certain breed of cat or dog from a breeder, if you want a certain breed.
The selfish ones are the people who don't spay or neuter their pets and let them run, and people who up and move and abandon their pets. If people would be responsible for their pets, there would be no need for shelters.
@@MW-ty6zk Total BS just in Australia alone 200,000 cats and dogs which includes those certain breeds are put down every year in animal shelters b/c there is not enough people for all of them and people still want to buy from someone (a breeder who didn't desex their pet in the first place)
@@MW-ty6zk Adopt don't shop
Thank you so much for the clip ❤️
Great tip when playing with the laser. Thank you.
My indoor cat suffers from worms last month. This is a big help coz i dont know where they get it so i think its from the environment coz sometimes there are flying bugs here. Thanks for this vid.
Great information 👍 Thanks Sarah 🐈
Hello Sherry how are you doing today
Excellent info and fun video! Thanks.
Hello Valerie how are you
Super helpful. Thank you.😊
Dr. You have no idea how excellent this information is. We love your knowledge/presentation AWESOME!! Leaving for vet now, wish you were here!!!
Hello Barbara how are you doing today
I've gone to the same vet for 15 years now, first with my senior cat who died at 16, and then with my current cat who's five, and they've never told me I should bring them for an yearly prophylactic check. I even specifically asked for my previous cat, but they've never said it's necessary. They only have me come every 3 months for a deworming tablet. I don't insist on bringing him because he's afraid to death when I do, he wets himself and he just lies there frozen, trembling and staring off into space and it's horrible. So I just try to pay close attention to my cat and bring him if I notice something unusual.
You are so excellent! I am enjoying all of your videos, so thank you for making them!
Great suggestions! Thanks for putting out this video
Hello Serena how are you
Betty was scheduled for her spay at six months. But she went into heat at four months! So we had to get her appointment bumped up and have her spayed while in heat. It went OK, but definitely not ideal. But my goodness, if she had managed to get outside and get pregnant, I'd have been very worried about her because she was still so tiny. I doubt any of the kittens would have made it.
My one cat is overweight, but to be honest, the only thing that my vet tells me is that he is indeed overweight. They never told me what to feed him or how much, so I always had to figure that one out on my own, which always bugged me. They even told me that we should test for diabetes after a certain age. 🤷♀️
Otherwise, I think I dodged most of the common mistakes. My tip is to get your cat early enough to a vet after they reach a certain age, to avoid late stage issues in senior cats. I took my cats yearly for their check ups and as soon as my other cat got to 8 years, I had a bloodwork done, which was the best thing, because the vet discovered early stage of kidney disease. He is seeing the vet now every six months. Don’t wait too long, your cat will thank you for it.
thank you so much for tackling this very important topic 😊
Hello how are you
Excellent video. Thanks so much !!
Hello how are you
As a newbie cat owner..., THANK YOU!!!!
@11:07 I 1000% agree with switching foods consistently. My 13 year old dog developed GI issues from eating 1 brand of food her whole life. She eventually passed due to a potential Cancer and her inability to digest anything. Her stools became smelly and runny and she had diarrhea uncontrollably. She lost so much weight so rapidly, I never suspected a "holistic well balanced" food was a death sentence. I have definitely learned a lot since then. Now I dedicate most of my budget towards nutrition over toys/material things for my pets.
We adopted two cats and all they ever knew was the same dry cat food their whole lives for 7 years. We switch their food and it's a challenge for them.
Great video! Thank you!
Thank you for this amazing video!!!😸
Thank you so much I have learned so much. My cat gets urinary infections when she is stressed out. My cat eats a variety of flavors of food. Same brand not prescription because she got sick off the prescription food but she gets different flavors. I also feed her small amounts of canned food throughout the day. Nothing is left out. I wish the food brand had dry but they don't. She is on canned because of her kidney and urinary issues.
Fear Free is a very positive approach and I was looking for this when I was a pet sitter, as part of my training.
I don’t understand why this website was recommended as a resource to learn about pet fear. It only has links to find vets certified in this practice.
SO MUCH GOOD INFO! I thought I knew it all, but I did not!
This was such an awesome video thanks. 😊🐈⬛❤️
Thank you, Dr Wooten, for such instructive videos. You fill a great need.
I remember getting my first kitty Eloise when I was 28 without the first clue what a cat was like or how to care for one..so tiny, white and fuzzy she was.
It was 1979 in in the middle of a harsh Chicago winter.
The little one was sick in a week or so with a respiratory bug. She didn't eat or drink for a day. I found the closest vet.
He gave her a feeding tube and his nurse cared for her a couple of nights.
He knew I was in over my head but he sent her home with me, along with a feeding syringe and medicine, wished me luck and said she may not make it regardless of all the care.
I got a heating pad, blanket, pillow, and stuffed animal for her. Gave her water and milk. She pulled through somehow.
Soon she was climbing the curtains without any way to get back down and getting into everything.
One life down, 8 more to go.
It was my crash course in how close to death a cat can be yet come back so quickly and completely.
Hello Susan how are you doing?
Great video as a long time pet owner and am married to a pet lover very little we don't know, we also have a great vet who has instructed us over the year's on the thing's we didn't know. As far as visiting the vet it's not only important but your duty to keep your pet safe, and annual checkups is part of that. And one thing I can't stress about more is pet insurance it's added peace of mine, we use Trupanion it's not that expensive and it's nice knowing if something bad happens we don't need to worry about what it's going to cost.
Thanks for sharing, Wolvie!
NEW subscriber!
Thank you for the wealth
of information 🙏💙🦋
Thanks for this valuable info.
cats can get worms also from eating flies, from the owners carrying the eggs in with their shoes. It's very easy for cats to get parasites because they can sit on contaminated surfaces and then they lick themselves, so it's important to keep the house clean. Fleas also can be carriers of parasite eggs, and as the cat grooms itself the probability of swallowing a flea in pretty high. That's what my vet said anyways when my kitty got sick. Also, another cat parent mistake is getting cheap cat food. That stuff contains wheat, corn, and vegetables - and is mostly that. Look for the meat content percentage on the cat food, because if the manufacturers don't list it, there is a high chance there's barely any meat. Further more, some cats can't handle that sort of food, they get painful gas, constipation, diarrhoea. If your cat pukes out its kibble, check what its contents. When my kitty got sick it was hard to find the issue, then we learned they can't stomach wheat which is found in most European cat foods.
Thank you!
Oh I miss Dr. Sophia Yin :( I've read some of her stuff that's dog training related, I'll have to check out her cat articles. She was an absolute wealth of knowledge and it was so sad when she passed away
Hello Emily how are you doing today
So helpful! Thank you. 😽
Hello Deborah how are you
Thanks sooo much. This has Ben super helpful. ❤️
I have 5 cats and 4 Xtra large litter boxes that are kept clean daily. My cats eat both wet and dry food and they drink bottled water which is changed two to three times each day. I do not use tap water for consumption for myself, in cooking or my cats. My cats are healthy and happy, playful and they all get along well with each other.
I am pleased to learn I’m a pretty good cat mom (I have 4). I did learn some things from this video and I will be making some adjustments!
Thank you for this information
Thank you for your explanations.
I'm starting to transition my cats diet to less of kibble, and I'm thinking of turning our living room into a sort of "jungle gym". We've made the mistake of free-feeding her when we got her in the first couple of years.
at least you realized your mistake. we all make them with out first animals!
We built a Catio outdoor enclosure on our condo balcony for our 2 cats this summer. Keeps then safe and entertained. Lots of fresh air, sunshine and climbing opportunities. Your channel is very informative.
I cat proofed our yard. Put the angled fencing on top our regular fence. Keeps ours in and others out. They love outside time
Hello Sharon how are you doing today
Nice vid Dr. Sarah. We don't decide when our cats want a change of food, they do! Wishing you all the best.....
Thank you very very much, can’t find another word to express my gratefulnesses!!
You're very welcome!
We just had our cat baby put to sleep yesterday. She was 20 years old. I will miss her. My husband and I got her when we first started dating, so she was a big part of our lives together.
I'm sorry to hear that; it sounds like this marks the end of an era. Wishing you and your family all the best.
So sorry... we did the same about 9 yrs ago.. she had just turned 18.. it was like losing a child. It's aweful... just awful. We all still get teary eyed talking about her. We had her before our kids. She used to walk my son down to the corner bus stop AND go back & wait for him so the could race each other home. The cat we have no... ugh polar opposite...she's a mess lol
Hello how are you
I'm so glad you said the thing about flavors of food.. I always felt that way and would switch up food and treats and stuff and when I prepare our dinner I cut some of the raw meat up for the cat cuz I always thought like if we don't like eating the same thing all the time then surely the animals don't either but if they have no choice they aren't gonna starve but why give yourself and your family options and not your pet.. they're part of the family too and they also get tired of things.. but yeah I've just never heard anyone else ever actually say that in any of the videos about animals I've watched before
Hello Jessica how are you doing today
Thank you for your information.
New cat owners from Belgium
This is sooooo helpful