Valuable at-home care: your cat may benefit from treatments at home if she becomes ill. Here's what you should know about this labor of love.

As you may have guessed, cats--with their streak of independence--don't always make very good patients. If you currently take care of your ailing cat at home, you probably know this firsthand. But there are nevertheless times when homecare is advisable for speeding up your cat's recovery from an illness or injury. Nursing a kitty at home can be a real challenge, but with the right training, equipment and monitoring, you and your cat will both do fine.

Deciding to Treat Your Cat at Home

"Cats are masters at hiding signs of illness," says Stephen Dullard, DVM of Ancare Veterinary Clinic in Mendota, Illinois. Therefore, it would be a mistake to treat your cat before you see a veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis. Then if your …