How can I treat my cat’s smelly breath?

Help and advice for every animal- lover

I’VE noticed that my cat has smelly breath and he has put on some weight – could these two things be related?

There can be several possible causes of bad breath, including dental disease, kidney disease, diabetes, a foreign body in the mouth or, in rare cases, a mouth tumour. Overweight cats have a higher risk of developing diabetes, but that doesn’t mean that diabetes is necessarily the cause of the problem, or that the two issues are related. I’d advise taking your cat to your vet for a check- up to find out what’s causing these problems. They will also be able to recommend a diet and exercise programme to help him to lose weight safely. It’s important for cats to do this gradually, as rapid weight loss can be dangerous.

I’m pregnant and my young spaniel, Honey, who went to training classes and was always well behaved, has suddenly started to bark a lot, and become aggressive. With my baby due in a few months, how can I put a stop to this?

Dogs have very heightened senses and are able to pick up on hormonal changes as well as changes in the atmosphere at home. It’s not unusual for a dog’s behaviour to alter in unison with a woman’s pregnancy; they can become unsettled, affectionate or protective of the mum- to- be, and may even display signs of aggression.

Get Honey checked over by your vet, to make sure there isn’t a medical problem. Pain and fear are usually the root causes of aggression.

I’m thinking of getting a hamster for my daughter. What types of food should I avoid and are there any which are poisonous?

Providing a balanced diet is important, so feeding a complete pellet food for hamsters is ideal, supplemented with small amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, but be careful not to give too much in one go as they can store the food and it soon spoils. Foods to keep well out of reach of hamsters include the leafy green stalks on tomatoes, fatty meat, chocolate, kidney beans and raw potatoes. Like dogs, hamsters can be poisoned by onion, garlic, almond nuts and citrus fruit. Beware feeding

too many sunflower seeds.

Our elderly cat, Peter, has a large bald patch along his spine. We think it is because of excessive licking or possibly stress. Is there anything we can do for him?

It’s important to have Peter checked over by his vet to rule out any possible medical issue. It’s also worth just checking the basics; make sure that he is up to date with his flea treatments because pets that are very sensitive to fleas can develop sore, bald areas. If fleas aren’t an issue, then overgrooming can be a sign of stress. Cats are very susceptible to stress and over- grooming is often a good indicator. Causes include changes to ‘ normal life’, such as building work, a new pet, or even a new cat.