Disease

Why Is Your Cat Coughing?

A wide range of disorders — some of them life-threatening — can be responsible. Here's what you should know.

Megacolon and Diet

A very clean litter box can be useful in prevention. But once diagnosed, your cat will likely need a specific dietary regimen.

Diagnosis: Adrenal Disease

Early diagnosis and treatment may help. But neither Cushing's nor Addison's disease can be prevented or truly cured.

Diagnosis: Kidney Disease

Your cats kidneys play a central role in almost all of its bodily processes. They help to control the blood pressure and regulate the amount and chemical consistency of fluid in the bloodstream. They produce a variety of vitally needed hormones and enzymes, and they contribute to the production of red blood cells. They also remove metabolic waste, such as urea, mineral salts and poisonous substances, from its blood. This is accomplished by kidney (renal) tissue containing hundreds of thousands of tiny filtration units called nephrons. When waste-laden blood enters the kidneys through the renal artery, it moves through progressively smaller vessels until it reaches these nephrons, where it is filtered through microscopically minute structures called glomeruli. The cleansed blood - about 95 percent of the total fluid volume that originally entered the kidneys - then circulates back to the heart for yet another voyage through the body. Meanwhile, the remaining fluid, containing the waste products, is passed along as urine from the kidneys to the bladder and eventually excreted.

Euthanasia: A Kind Choice

Making the decision to humanely end the life of your terminally ill or disabled cat can be very difficult. Here's some help.

Vomiting: A Danger Sign?

When vomiting lasts more than a week, it's considered chronic, and the culprit needs to be discovered. Here's why.

How the Feline Liver Can Go Haywire

A wide variety of hepatic diseases can put your cats life in danger.

Beware the Seven Deadly Viruses

Fortunately, vaccines are available that may serve to reduce their lethal threat. Heres what the cat owner needs to know.

What Is Nasal Disease?

Runny nose, teary eyes, sneezing and open-mouthed breathing are the signs to look for.

Developmental Defects

Some abnormalities are apparent at birth. Others become evident later in life. Heres how best to help your kitten or cat.

The Importance of Tooth Care

Serious health problems - such as heart, lung and kidney disease - can stem from dental neglect. Heres some expert advice.

Cat Research Woes

Why has feline health research fallen behind? Heres the scoop.