In the best of all possible worlds, veterinarians would all be versed in naturopathic as well as conventional treatment modalities. However, just like human doctors, many veterinarians are trained in conventional treatment methods only. I don’t know about other countries, but in Canada, a lot of the medications used to treat animals are human medications. It has only been the last ten years or so where pharmaceutical companies have found that it is profitable enough to develop medications for animals. Here, a large percentage of medications supplied by veterinarians are human medications which present their own problems when applied to the anatomical differences between humans and animals. This is probably one of the reasons that pet owners are turning to other treatment methods for their beloved companions. Always remember that if there are any doubts about the health of your pet or about a treatment method, consult your veterinarian. If they don’t know, they have access to information sources that others do not. You should be able to discuss any pet related issue with your veterinarian, so don’t be shy about discussing natural remedies like those mentioned in this posting. If more people ask about natural remedies, veterinarians will become more familiar with them. As an issue of “Whole Dog Journal, ” stated, more veterinarians are using holistic methods in their practices because more clients are demanding alternative solutions. This posting will cover alternative treatments for cats.
Cat lovers the world over are turning more toward natural herbal remedies and nutritional supplements for common everyday health ailments affecting their feline family members.
A natural approach to your cat's health concerns is a viable adjunct to any conventional veterinarian approach. And the use of herbs and dietary supplementation can benefit your cat in many ways where a more conventional approach, with associated risks and side effects, might not.
While obviously having many anatomical differences and specific health concerns, many of the herbs that could be prescribed for a human can also be prescribed for cats and animals in general, because they are natural in their origin. Drugs, on the other hand are created in a laboratory.
Most common herbal supplements are taken as liquid or powder that can easily be added to your cat's food or water. Dosages are relatively small so usually little resistance is encountered when administering a remedy or supplement.
What follows are a few of the more common conditions that can affect your cat that are easily treated at home with natural remedies. But as I always say, if symptoms persist please see your veterinarian.
Flea allergies are a common complaint for cats. Cats with this specific allergy have a problem dealing with the saliva from the flea’s bite. A single bite from a flea can create an allergic reaction in your cat that can last for many days if not weeks.
Itching is the obvious issue here, with hair loss from scratching being a very common secondary problem. The conventional approach offers flea rinses and shampoos as well as internal medication. Sometimes in severe cases, a prescription medication is needed. As with any prescription medication, sometimes toxicity or side effects can be an issue, so ensure that your veterinarian tells you what could happen and how to best deal with it.
There is a lot that can be done naturally before things get to this point.
Topically, you can apply Tea Tree oil to the site of the problem. Make sure you use an animal strength product. Oil that is too concentrated can cause sickness and possibly death from the oil your cat may ingest while grooming.
Today there are some animal-related products that are available, so you shouldn’t have any problem getting an appropriate strength Tea Tree oil. Remember, if you are not using an animal-related product that you have to cut the amount used for your pet to account for the difference in body mass.
Internally Evening Primrose Oil (typically given in capsule form although it can be easily added to food) can be taken. Fish oil is another very useful supplement that has the added benefit of being used for years as a natural fur ball solution. Fish oil can be easily added to food.
Additionally, Aloe Vera gel can be very effective when applied to dry and scaly areas. (There is a lot of controversy at present about the effect of ingesting Aloe Vera gel, so try to work it into the skin well and then remove any excess). And as a preventive to keep the biting bugs at bay, Garlic oil works very effectively (so that your cat doesn’t notice a difference in flavor, put a little bit in each meal with an accumulated amount of one capsule per week).
With any skin problem, you need to make sure that no further irritation occurs. Make sure to use only natural shampoos and soaps or soap alternatives (Sorbelene for example). Your health food store or vet will be able to help here.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) in cats is another common health concern. You can usually spot this by your cat's reluctance to use the litter tray. Here your cat has formed an association with painful urination and the litter tray. If your cat begins to urinate in unusual places, then it may be a symptom of this condition. Contact your veterinarian who may suggest getting a urine sample for analysis to confirm the diagnosis. Since UTI is a serious problem, discuss the following natural remedies with your veterinarian and be guided by the advice you get.
There are several herbs that can be used to treat the painful inflammation and infection associated with this condition.
Couch grass is a very powerful cleansing and toning herb that is often used in UTI. It has a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial action and is a remedy used for conditions such as urethritis and cystitis.
This remedy can be administered as a commercially prepared tincture or as a tea. In both cases, it can be easily added to food or water.
Alternatively you can use herbs such as Echinacea and Golden Seal that are renowned for their strong antibiotic-like action. These are quite strong herbs, so check with your veterinarian about dosage amounts.
Intestinal parasites (worms) are a common cause of digestive problems in cats. If you notice the appearance of small white seed like particles in your cat’s feces, then you can be sure your cat has tapeworms.
Roundworms also commonly occur in cats and are usually easily spotted in your cat's vomit or feces. In sufficient quantity, roundworm can obstruct the intestine to the point of being life threatening.
In both of these cases check with your veterinarian about treatment and mention the following as possible options. One natural common and effective treatment for parasites is Garlic oil. You can add the oil to cat food or you can also give fresh garlic by crushing a clove and mixing some of it into the cat food. This can be used daily although 3-4 times a week is usually enough. Make sure to check for parasites in the feces and to get back to the vet if the problem persists.
For general, non parasite based, digestive and bowel disturbances (vomiting and diarrhea for example), apparently powdered slippery elm bark is the remedy of choice. Check with your veterinarian for the amount that can safely be administered.
Slippery elm lines the bowel and has a very calming effect on the whole gastrointestinal tract. It is a very cheap, easily obtained herb, and should be in all medicine cabinets.
At the first sign of any gut problem use of slippery elm bark will show an almost instant positive result.
We have only looked briefly at a few of the health concerns for cats. Whatever health concern your cat may be experiencing, you should know that there are many potentially helpful herbal remedies and nutritional supplements that can be used without the side effects of many conventional drug medications.
Obviously this is not saying that veterinarian intervention is not needed, far from it. Strong medications and surgery are often needed to save the life of cats. Consultation with your veterinarian is always wise as these individuals have a wealth of training and knowlege that could make the difference between a positive or negative outcome.
What you need to do as a cat owner is to learn as much as you can about your animal and the possible solutions that exist for her health problems. Part of that knowledge base should be a familiarity with basic preventive measures and natural remedies that can be used to stop small problems from becoming big problems and the knowledge and understanding of what to do when these natural remedies do not work or should not be tried.
Until next time,
Teia
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