Ask Dr K

My veterinarian recommends that I bring my cat, Snow, to her office every six months for a routine checkup, but this is the first time Ive heard this suggestion. Are twice-yearly exams really necessary? Snow absolutely HATES getting into the carrier and going to the veterinarian, but if you think its worth stressing her out, Ill do my best. …

Can my cats get the flu from me, or can I get the flu from my cats? The short answer is no. None of the currently known strains of flu (influenza) virus are transmissible between cats and people. But influenza viruses are by nature very changeable, so the longer answer is a touch more complex. At the end of this column Ill suggest a safeguard to prevent cats from becoming infected (although it would be…

My cat leaves peelings of her claws when she scratches my furniture and carpet. Is that common for cats, or should I worry? Also, when she cleans her paws, she has the tendency to pull on them. Should I try to make her stop? Theres nothing to worry about as far as your kittys health is concerned, but Im a bit concerned about the health of your furniture and carpet. Cat claws can cause tremendous…

Both my cats purr when they are content or happy. But one of them will get up on my neck and start to knead and drool along with her purring. Why do some cats drool when they are happy? A fair number of cats drool when they experience something pleasurable. When I was a young lad growing up on the farm, several of our cats would absolutely soak my shirt when I held them and scratched…

So whats the real deal with hairballs? Ive lived with cats for years and have always assumed that its normal for them to hack...

I am the owner of Tassu, a 10-month-old cat I adopted from an animal shelter. A few weeks after I had her neutered, I noticed her behavior had changed. She seemed very lazy and not really interested in any physical activities, and she also lost her appetite. I took her to my veterinarian, and he found that she had pale gums, so he recommended she be tested for infection with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). To…

Why are cats paws so sensitive? If ever I touch my cats paws - even by accident - she jumps, swats at me and hisses. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to ease her tension? Its quite normal for a cat to have some sensitive area on its body, an area where it resists being touched. Of course youll want to make sure theres no physical problem with your cats paws. But if…

Im so upset about my cat, Bruiser. He was a big, fluffy, neutered male, and he died suddenly last week. He was only eight years old, and my veterinarian always told me he was the picture of health. His appetite was good, he hadnt lost any weight, and he was his old perky self the night before, but when I came downstairs in the morning I found him lying dead on the kitchen floor. My…

Although Im allergic to cats, I share my home with a black tabby named Buddy. While my allergist is helping me with my allergy problems, Im looking for ways that I can live more comfortably with a cat in my house. Is there anything I can do in my house or with my cat to reduce my allergy symptoms? …

I have a friend who wants to get a cat, but shes slightly allergic. Does a longhaired cat cause a worse allergic reaction than a shorthaired cat? Or is it something besides the hair itself that causes allergies? Also, are female cats easier on allergies than male cats? Doctors who treat human allergies routinely suggest that their cat-allergic patients not seek felines as pets - advice that often goes unheeded, as evidenced by your friend. …

I just had my annual physical examination and, of course, the nurse checked my blood pressure. Coincidentally, my cat had her annual exam the...

Sometimes my cat eats toilet paper! Im worried that this will hurt her. Is toilet paper poisonous? How can I get her to stop eating it? Im unaware of any substances in toilet paper (like perfumes or dyes) that would be particularly poisonous to cats. However, should your cat eat enough of the stuff, Im concerned that a wad of it could collect somewhere in her stomach or intestines and cause an obstruction. Nevertheless, Ive not…