Days are shorter, the warm and sunny weather is gradually leaving us and is being replaced by freshness and grey days. This weather change doesn’t come without consequences for your adorable feline... Here are some elements to think about when taking good care of your cat in autumn!
Protect your cat against fleas and ticks
Just like spring, fall is a favourable season for ticks. They multiply even more when the temperatures oscillate between 0 and 20 °C. Do not think you will be spared if you live in the city: they are everywhere, especially in green spaces.
With the return of low temperatures, expect also to see fleas! In the winter, they usually look for a nice warm place to hide. These last ones will not hesitate to come and take residence in your home…
One solution to avoid these parasites to approach your feline: administer a preventative treatment against ticks and fleas.
Think about deworming your cat
Usually invisible to the naked eye, worms can cause great damage to your cat by infiltrating the animal's heart, intestines, or blood vessels. These parasites are very dangerous as their presence is difficult to detect and can be fatal. In addition, be aware that all cats are vulnerable, regardless of the season. It is therefore recommended - as a precaution - to deworm your feline friend four times a year, on time per season change.
Pay attention to your feline’s fur!
Summer? This is THE season during which your cat is most likely to contract a fungus that causes ringworm. This fungal infection attacks the hair and skin of cats, which unfortunately causes reddish circular skin sores.
Nevertheless, it is only in the autumn that the disease itself really wakes up. There is no preventive treatment against this disease. Be vigilant: this fungal on the skin is usually manifested by a patch of missing hair!
Be extra vigilant if your cat has ringworm as this infection is highly contagious to both humans and animals.
Brushing your cat= the secret to remove hairballs
We do not necessarily think about it, and yet: just like spring, when the fall comes, cats moult. His "summer" coat - which is usually thinner - gives way to its "winter" coat - which will be thicker - so that it better withstands the change of temperature.
When he does his toilet, he takes the risk of swallowing hair... which will form balls in his stomach. These can cause gastric inflammation and vomiting. The only way to limit this to happen is to brush your feline regularly to remove dead hair.
Arthritis in cats, how to sooth your cat?
Arthritis is capable of affecting all the joints of the body and generally affects old cats. According to veterinarians, nearly 80% of cats aged 11 and over suffer of arthritis.
When the temperatures go down, the pain awakens ... although it is impossible to cure this illness, it is nevertheless possible to mitigate it. How? By helping him when he grooms himself, it will be harder for him to twist and turn to reach every spot, so brush him more regularly. You can also help by keeping him warm.
Be careful with antifreeze
When the Autumn begins to settle, it starts to get cold and you will probably start using antifreeze to defrost your car. Be extra vigilant when you use this product as it is really toxic to pets. Antifreeze has a sweet taste, so it is very tempting to cats to lick this product. Make sure you carefully remove any spills when you top up your car.
Even if your cat has ingested a small amount of antifreeze, this can cause kidney failure and death. Here are the symptoms to look out for:
- Vomiting
- Acts depressed/sleepy
- Acts drunk and uncoordinated
- Seizures (fits)
- Difficulty breathing
The signs of antifreeze poisoning usually shows 30 minutes after ingestion.
Autumn events
When we say "Autumn", what do we automatically think of? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Bonfire Night, of course. However, we are not sure our furry friends are as excited about this as we are. It can actually be a very stressful time for your pet. Make sure you create a safe environment for your cat, especially on Bonfire Night as they will be fireworks.
When it's Halloween or Thanksgiving, they will be so many delicious foods for us humans. But remember a lot of these foods aren't good for your cat and some of them can even be toxic. Chocolate is one of them, therefore make sure you keep it out of reach of your cat.
Autumn is a beautiful season, make sure it’s a beautiful season for your feline friend too!