Health

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is often the stage of disease at which a cardiac problem is first diagnosed. When a cat has CHF, the heart no longer functions as an efficient pump, unable to bring enough oxygen and nutrients to the body cells and move waste products such as carbon dioxide out. Fluid buildup can occur, usually in the lungs (pulmonary edema) and in the chest cavity around the lungs (pleural effusion). …

Playing with cats while enjoying a cup of coffee-what more could you want? Cat cafs have blossomed in popularity since the first one opened in Taiwan in 1998. Expansion into the U.S. has been slow due to regulations around food preparation and animal welfare, but theyre starting to appear.

Not that long ago, a DNA analysis on anyone or anything was unthinkable. It wasnt until 2003 that the human genome (genetic material) was fully sequenced. In 2007, the feline genome was partially sequenced in an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon. This is important because sequencing helps us understand what an organism will look like and what disease conditions it might be prone to having. DNA analysis can be valuable to cat owners and breeders.

A study from Applied Animal Behaviour Science used tiny cameras to follow 16 cats throughout their neighborhoods. The camera was about the size of a golf ball and attached to the cat (originally, 21 cats were selected, but five said no thanks).

A publication by members of the Section of Ophthalmology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine highlights the innovative use of a smartphone with an open-source 3D printed smartphone indirect lens adapter.

A study in Environmental Science & Technology associated hyperthyroidism with flame retardants, using silicone pet tags like the popular wristbands people wear for charitable causes.

Tuberculosis (TB) in cats is especially worrisome because it can spread to humans. Infected cats are usually outdoor cats, but one outbreak started with indoor cats in England.

Felinine is a sulphur (cysteine) amino acid found in cat urine. It works as a pheromone. This sulphur amino acid is what causes the strong scent in urine marking by intact male cats.

Anemia is the state where a cat has too few red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues. They circulate for 70 to 80 days in cats before being removed from the circulation and replaced by the bone marrow. Since red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to tissues, a loss of these cells is a serious problem and can be fatal.

Angelo’s Pizza in Matawan, N.J., is “delivering more than just food,” according to CBS NewYork Channel 2.

Angelo’s Pizza in Matawan, N.J., is “delivering more than just food,” according to CBS NewYork Channel 2.

Theres been a lot of stuff in the press lately about grain-free dog food being associated with canine heart disease and a mention of the occasional affected cat. Is there any reason at all to avoid grain in cat food?