Thursday, September 5, 2024

6 Veterinary Secrets to Make your Birman Cat Live Longer ,Healthy and Happy


Birman Cat Breed 

If I ever want to get a cat i would for sure get a Birman cat. I personally as a vet doctor and sincerely not very a cat person,I am very in love with this kitty breed.I would put them on the list of my favorite pets 

 The Birman loves their owners,some people say that they are just like dogs,maybe that’s the reason why I like them so much. Beside their beautiful fur and their sweet loving  face with that deep blue l eyes they are very healthy pets. They can live long happy pet life 9-13 years .If you get a kitten with good genes from the cat breeder that has good reputation,that will help you from the beginning to have kittens with good health.


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Photo credit: Vadimborkin/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images


What are Veterinary Secrets to Make your Birman Cat  Live Longer ,Healthy and Happy life


1.Optimal Nutrition 

Birman cats tend to do best with at least two meals a day. Daily caloric intake should be recommended by your veterinarian,so you can maintain ideal weight and health of your pet.

Feeding high-quality food is essential for any pet.Your veterinarian can guide you in choosing right pet food for your loving one .It is most important moister that you are giving to your cat i wouldn’t recommend dry food because its low  in protein.


 2.Vaccination caution 

You should not use so many vaccines for cat. My opinion that this is not necessary.Too many vaccines can cause tape of cancer fibrosarcoma. If your cat already survived 3 years ,don’t need to be vaccinated.


3.Natural health alternatives 

So many drugs that we prescribe unfortunately have so many side effects.In the cases where you pet’s life is in danger of course we will reach the drug that will save our pet’s life, but  for long term  use we definitely should find more natural alternatives. Non steroid inflammatory  drugs have so many side effects that we aren’t aware of ,like kidney disease. Instead of that for the pain relief you should use cannabis oil.

Also the anti parasites treatments that we usually use are very toxic to our pets. Studies show that they are more and more linked to conditions like inflammatory bowl disease.For our cats we should use natural remedies or other alternatives . 

Here is one naturally flea spray remedy ,gentle for your pet’s skin with all natural ingredients.


Recipe

1/2 cup (120ml)  Non alcoholic Witch Hazel Extract

1/4 cup (60ml)    Liquid Coconut Oil

3 droppers (3ml) Neem Oil

10 drops (.5ml) Cedarwood Essential Oil

10 drops (.5ml) Lavender Essential Oil


You can see the process of making natural flea spray on this video

https://youtu.be/80sS9qV0WFA


4.Environmental enrichment

Your cat sure needs to avoid stress situations ,as we know the stress is main reason of serious diseases.They are loving and affectionate.You should groom your cat as often as possible ,because as they get older they are less able to groom themselves. Birman cats specifically love being hold in arms and spending time by your side.


5.Kidney Disease prevention 

Polycystic Kidney Disease

The kidneys are crucial for filtering waste from the body, producing essential hormones, and regulating the body’s balance of fluids, minerals, and electrolytes. In cats with polycystic kidney disease cysts develop in the kidneys, leading to permanent damage and decreased function.  

Fortunately, Birmans can be genetically tested for PKD. If you’re working with an experienced Birman cat breeder, ask if both of your kitten’s parents have been genetically tested for the disease. Affected cats should not be bred.

Kidney disease is in correlation with diet most of all. You should feed your cat with high protein food specially older cats. Of course the should always have clean water fresh water as much as they want.

To prevent this condition you have to control intake of phosphorus.The phosphorus is damaging the kidneys leading to disease.The cat food with high phosphorus levels is food that contains fish,so you should choose poultry or turkey based cat food. Very important is calcium carbonate or egg shells 


6.Common conditions in senior cats 

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Birman cats can be susceptible to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) most common cat’s heart disease.HCM thickens the heart wall, making it harder to pump blood. At the early stages cat doesn’t show any symptoms, but some will have audible heart murmurs. As the disease progresses, it can lead to coughing shortness in breath lethargy heart failure 

HCM is incurable, but specialized treatment can manage symptoms and improve your cat's health.Most important is veterinary check up regularly 


Arthritis 

When joints with time wear and tear,bone rubbing on bone .Soft cartilage is lost and that condition leads to inflammation. But there are remedies that can really help.I sow my patients walking again after treatments with glucosamine chondroitin and MSM .


Dental disease 

The teeth and gums are very important for your pet’s long life . Gums should be nice soft and pink. 

If it’s red your cat probably has gingivitis. 

Yellow  teeth- means plaque and firm calculi  called tartar. 

For decreasing inflammation you could use propolis.Cats don’t stand teeth brushing so you can put a few drops on your finger and then rub their gums for few times a day.



Written by Imrana Sljivo DVM🐾



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