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Pet Health And Behavioral Problems

27 18:12:45
As I said, stray cats can make great pets, but
they sometimes come with a number of health and
behavior problems. Most will be infested with
external and internal parasites, including fleas,
ticks, and numerous types of worms. In addition,
strays usually have not received any vaccinations
and can carry a host of infectious diseases.
These deadly diseases can all be spread from cat
to cat through bites, saliva, or even by sharing
food or mutual grooming. Taking in a stray
without bringing it right to your veternarian can,
therefore, mean a death sentence for any cats
you may already have at home.
Strays might also have been injured by vehicles
or by other animals at some time. Breaks, sprains,
abscesses, eye disorders, internal injuries, or
other structual problems can result, which can
end up costing you plenty to treat. In addition,
many strays become very cautious around people
due to the hardships of the street. Often they
remain this way for the rest of their lives,
perhaps warming up to only a few people - you
being one.
Although this all sounds ominous, don't give up
on strays. If you involve your veterinarian
immediately and have no other pets, a stray just
might work out fine. After all, any domestic
animal tough enough to make it on the street
deserves a second chance.
For owners who have not had their cats neutered,
a bevy of unwanted behaviors can pop up. Males
will want to get outside and roam the
neighbourhood in search of females and to claim
and defend what they perceive to be their
territory.
In doing so, they will almost certainly get into
fights with other males, and run the risk of
getting injured by a vehicle or infected with one
of many will spray urine all over the home and
most likely become quite vocal in his attempt to
tell you he wants out.
Unneutered females allowed to venture outside
will almost certainly become pregnant over and
over and may also get into fights with other cats,
both male and female. Like a male, she, too,
could expose herself to injury or infection,
possibly leading to death. If kept in the home,
she will cry and perhaps mark with urine and
leave spots of blood - all in all, avery unhappy
owner-pet relationship.
The drive to breed is a strong one among all
unneutered cats. By the time a male or a female
cat is 6 to 8 months old, it will begin showing
an instinctive need to find a mate and will also
become less playful and more competitive toward
cats of its own gender.