Sinusitis Remedies
Now, Jinx has gone down again with a severly blocked nose. NO discharge other than her ear again, which is minimal. This time the drops have no effect at all. The nosode added to her drinking water is not doing anything either. I have been given her half a capsule of Echinasea in her food 2x day for the last week, ACV diluted in water 3x a day for the last 3 days, and this morning I rinsed (very carefully) her nostrils with sea salt solution. Nothing seems to have any effect. Her breathing is laboured and sounds very dry and although she just accepts her lot and eats and drinks well, it is making her tired and she has not grown as well. She looks good generally, although she is still smaller and not so active as her sister but I worry how the lack of good breathing is going to affect her in the long term.
Has anybody any advise? There is no homoepathic vets nearby, and I have tried everything I feel could help her. They are fed natural food and our house is not central heated or carpeted. I really would appreciate your advise. THank you very much.
Note: whilst in the RSPCA kennel, the whole family had their first Feline flu vaccination (I don't do vaccinations, not for our animals or my family).
(Moulton Seas End, Lincolnshire)
04/24/2013
I posted here hoping to get help for my kitten. Does anyone have any suggestions as she is struggling to breath trough her nose at the moment. Even been to my vet and he said that other than trying some anti biotics, he has nothing for her, but he thinks there is no infection as such, so doesn't like to dish out unnecessary medicine. Any help to make her breath better would be very appreciated.
(Bellevue, Wa)
04/27/2013
Astrid, I have come upon a website from a homeopathic vet in the USA who does consultations by email or phone or Skype. I have never used his services so I cannot vouch for his efficacy, but since you mentioned that there is no other such vets close to you, it might be worth consulting with him: http://www.homevet.com/
(Moulton Seas End, Lincolnshire, Uk)
04/29/2013
(Va, US)
05/17/2014
(Texas)
10/27/2022
Most vets will tell you if your cat has the flu to put a humidifier in a small bathroom (any small room) with the cat for 15-20 minutes and to do this several times a day. Echinacea is supposed to help with the symptoms. I ordered it specifically for pets on amazon (Super Immune-by animal essentials) Also can use (nettle-eyebright, by petwellbeing)& (L-Lysine by Tomlyn). I ask my vet and she said all of these things were good to give and said I could even give Benadryl (1/3 -1/2 tablet encapsulated) up to 3 times per day. If you do not put the piece of Benedryl in a capsule- forget it they will foam and drool and it will be stressful to all!!! It works like a dream when you put it in a small capsule-and after pilling them let them have something wet to eat or drink to make sure pill goes down good. That's important! Hope your babys do well.It can take as many as three weeks for the cat flu to finish its course. Do be watchful as they can get a secondary infection which will require antibiotics. But antibiotics not cure the flu…..it must run its course.
(Kentucky)
11/23/2022
★★★★★
Geranium oil and Pine Needle oil for snotty cats. My cat (well, it's the neighbor's cat but that's another story) has had a sinus infection for 2 years. I tried herbal remedies in it's water bowl off amazon but did not work.
I can't remember where I read it but Geranium oil and Pine needle oil are safe for cats to use.
Recipe:
5 drops Geranium oil
5 drops Pine needle oil
1 teaspoon MCT coconut oil
Apply a few drops with an eyedropper to your cat's nose bridge and the sides of the nose bridge over the sinus plex. She stopped sneezing in a few hours. The next day only a few times so re-apply once daily til they stop sneezing altogether.
Spirulina
★★★★★
Dosing: 1/2 teaspoon of powder in a pile on the linoleum kitchen floor
Now I mix a dash in his wet food when he looks like he needs some excitement.
He also loves brewer's yeast and the diatomaceous earth (+ - 1/4 tsp/day) seems to be reducing the cyst in his ear. I'll get back to you about that if it goes away entirely.
(Abu Dhabi)
05/26/2021
★★★★★
My cat loves spirulina. My spirulina comes in little candy like triangular tablets. Whenever I take my daily dose, she's there waiting for her share.
She is an indoor outdoor cat and I feel confident that her regular consumption of it (just one tiny tablet a day) is keeping her healthy.
Spraying
(Chicago, Il)
03/27/2011
Cats spray out of frustration resulting from many factors. In this case your Siamese is clearly upset by the newcomer, doesn't feel safe any longer, and/or perceives a threat to its territory. In response it's spraying in frustration, fear, and/or is marking in a (futile) attempt to maintain its territorial boundaries against the invader.
You didn't describe the new cat but I hope it's both younger and smaller than the other cat so the Siamese perceives it as less threatening than otherwise. It may also be that the Siamese was #1 and is stressed because it perceives that the new cat is vying for his spot in the pecking order. Siamese are a particularly emotionally sensitive breed, so I also hope you introduced the newcomer very slowly. Suggestions:
- Most importantly, immediately get a pheromone collar for the Siamese. About $13 each, it emits a "you're safe, be happy! " smell that should change your Siamese's mood immediately from stressed to calm. It will last about a month of constant wear. I've used these collars in the same situation and they work wonderfully! In addition, you could buy a plug-in diffuser version that consistently sprays a bit of the same scent into the air; it's more costly but if your furniture is being ruined the cost probably doesn't matter in comparison. But in any event please buy the collar. The most popular brand smells to humans like lavender.
- Keep two litter boxes so that each can have a bit of its own territory in that area at least. After three or so months, change back to one large box (if they let you - ha! )
- remove as much of the spray odor as possible. The proteins in cat urine are almost impossible to remove completely. You may wish to try an enzymatic cleaner worked in and covered with a warm wet sponge first, then a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (after you test for color fastness) which you can vacuum off after it dries. Physically cover and/or block the area so the cat can't return to the same spot to spray again, as they usually do.
- You don't mention if the new cat is fixed. If it's not, do so when it's old enough.
- Give the Siamese more time and attention. Don't punish it for spraying other than to bring it to the spot and tell it "no! " once or twice. It's nervous and unhappy already so you don't want to make it worse. Good luck!
Stray Cats
EC: Hi Ta,
Thanks very much for your kind words of support. Glad you are finding helpful information on Earth Clinic.
Tea Tree Oil Warning
★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
(Marshall, Missouri)
12/29/2008
I have used tea tree oil shampoo on my cats multiple times, however I use it sparingly and only on one of them. My cat Brok will sometimes rub himself raw on a spot on his back. He is overweight so he cannot groom certain areas on his back properly. I will give him a bath with regular cat shampoo, then treat the balding area with a dime size of tea tree shampoo. He never got sick or showed any symptoms that I read about over the internet. I believe as long as you use it sparingly, and make sure to completly rinse the area you used it on, you won't have a problem. Don't use straight oil either, you can pick up tea tree shampoo from a health food store. I have also used this to prevent a mange break out on three previous cats of mine with no ill effects. I think as long as you use it sparingly (ie. bald spots or mange) then it will be fine. but do keep the other health warnings in mind, such as not using it on open sores, or on a cat that was recently shaved.
Teeth Issues
(Tn)
10/18/2015
Teething
Thyroid
(Boston, Ma)
12/31/2011
My cat had a very rare reaction to the medication used to treat this condition, so she is unable to take it and has remained untreated for almost 3 years now. I have to tell you that not treating the cat with the medicine is very risky and her health will decline. I can't give her the medicine because it will kill her (very rare reaction so rare that they had to do research and get back to me) so this has caused lots of issues with her including liver problems, kidney problems, heart problems and high blood pressure.
My best suggestion is to try the new food they have out called Y/D it's a prescription diet and apparently it works to help the condition. Speak to your vet if you don't want to put her on meds put her on the prescription diet, but this must be her sole diet and no other foods. My chichi won't eat this food so again she is left untreated and I tell you it's just one medical issue after another so please consider the medicine or prescription diet. Good luck with your kitty.
(Batesville, In)
01/11/2013
Hi, I'm new. But really need some answers. Our almost 15 yr old cat has just been diagnosed with thyroid issues and liver problem. Her urine was orange-ish, she'd been throwing up, which the vet gave her a shot for. He wants to start her on either a diet or pills for her thyroid.
Does anyone have any suggestions what to do to get her healthy?
We are very careful about her diet since we lost her sister a few yrs back from thyroid issue that led to leukemia, we don't want the same for Mojavi.
We make sure her food does not have bi-products or corn, etc... Should we go back to making raw again, would this help? Please help ASAP!
Torovirus
(Mpls., Mn)
05/06/2014
Hey Kathryn!
You might try mixing some activated charcoal in some wet food to see if he takes that, as the activated charcoal will help with enteritis type viruses and the resulting loose stools. If after 2 weeks you do not see signs of improvement then a secondary bacterial infection may be at play, so do not hesitate to bring your cat in to the vet again for a follow up.
The good news is that Torovirus is not considered a serious condition. It is self limiting and require supportive care, ie keep your cat hydrated, keep him warm and comfortable, and keep the litter box clean.
Training Your Cat to Come to Its Name
★★★★★
First, try to 'tune in' to your cat and get a sense of what his or her personality really is like. I remember this one sassy cat a friend had years ago who was named "Princess." The name did not fit the cat's personality at all. When I tuned in to her fresh face, I soon felt that a more suitable name for her would be Toots, as in the roaring '20s, "Hey, Toots, whatcha doin' tonight?"
My friend really loved the new name (being a New Yorker), and so the cat finally had a name that fit her and her sassy attitude. So, be fair to your cat - they have really sensitive feelings - and try to resist naming it things like Xanax or Harddrive. Funny though they may be, names like this are just not likely to suit an individual cat's personality. No wonder so many of them seem 'aloof' or unresponsive - the owners have never taken the time to get to know who they really are!
Second, try to come up with a name that has long vowel sounds in it, especially "ee", as this is a sound that is very easy for an animal's ears to hear, like Chi Chi. Even a name like Lulu has long vowels that are easy to hear, as opposed to Princess, which has short vowel sounds that are not distinctive.
Training Your Cat to Come to Its Name
Now we're getting down to the fun part. I came across this information years ago when I was on my own after college and acquired three throw-away kittens. My family had always had pets, but I never had sole responsibility for them until now.
I discovered this old book, The Fabulous Feline, or Dogs Are Passe`, which was very thorough and comprehensive on everything from feeding and grooming to training and cat psychology. The most trainable period for a cat is from 3 to 9 months, very similar to dogs.
The author pointed out that, while dogs are often trained with treats and verbal commands, the key to a cat's heart is pleasure. Yes, pleasure! Most cats - unless they have been abused or abandoned - love to have their spines stroked. It's just like mama cat washing her babies to stimulate the pituitary gland so the kitten grows and thrives. And remember, for 4-legged creatures, the spine goes all the way out to the tip of the tail.
When you're petting your cat - stroking its spine and neck, around the cheekbones and ears - it should begin to purr. Once it purrs, this is when you start to implant the association with its name.
So, over and over, as you stroke and it purrs, you say the cat's name, lovingly. Every time you have the cat in one of these pleasure sessions, repeat the cat's name fondly. Something in their psychology responds well to being adored. (A carry-over from Egypt when they were revered as gods? It might be genetic! )
After a couple of weeks of this, try testing out whether the name has "taken" yet, whether the cat has associated the name and the pleasure response. You see the cat across the room and it's looking at something else or washing itself, whatever, it's preoccupied. Then you call its name and see if it looks at you, or at least cocks an ear in your direction. This is a good sign.
You'll know that the cat really recognizes its name when it comes over to you when you call it. So keep up the association of pleasure and saying its name until you get this result.
When I lived in the country, my cats would roam out into the woods and fields. When I called them for dinner, I'd see them appear from far away, running to the house, just like dogs. People would be amazed that they came to their names but, once you know their secret, responding to their names is as natural for them as it is for us!
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