Health

An evaluation of 96 cats’ medical records and owner questionnaires suggests that some high-pitched sounds can cause seizures in older cats. At the same time, the study uncovered a mystery: Half the evaluated cats were deaf or hearing impaired, according to their owners. How did they hear the sounds?

An evaluation of 96 cats medical records and owner questionnaires suggests that some high-pitched sounds can cause seizures in older cats. At the same time, the study uncovered a mystery: Half the evaluated cats were deaf or hearing impaired, according to their owners. How did they hear the sounds?

Lymphoma is the most common form of cancer in cats and unfortunately one of the most deadly. Although it has no cure, vaccinations against two viruses linked to the cancer can reduce your cats risk of developing the disease.Feline lymphomasarcoma is a malignant cancer of lymphocytes, cells in the immune system that travel the body through the lymphatic system - the network of tissues and organs that influences virtually every aspect of a cats health. Lymphoma can arise in lymph nodes as well as organs, including the spleen, liver, intestinal tract and skin. The disease can sometimes lead to tumors; however, the cancer usually involves the blood-forming organs and lymph tissue.

Symptoms of lymphoma vary, depending upon the part of the body affected. In some cats, the disease is multi-centric, meaning that multiple organs are affected. This type of cancer tends to strike middle-aged and older cats who are usually not infected with FeLV. In cases of more localized lymphomas, the affected sites and their symptoms include:

Determining how much to feed your cat comes down to your portion control and his body condition, according to nutritionist Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, Ph.D., at Cornell.

Cute cat videos are all over the Internet and morning TV news shows, but to judge by a national survey of 1,023 people by PetSmart Charities, opinions about cats and their owners remain divided. A majority of respondents believe cats are intelligent, loving, cuddly and attractive but also invoked stereotypical adjectives such as moody, stubborn, aloof and grouchy. (You can bet grouchy cats have legitimate reasons for their mood, such as illness, pain or stress.)

By the end of the year, almost all pet food labels will provide information on calories per cup as part of the growing movement in veterinary medicine to counter pet obesity. The change has been several years in the making and would seem make it easier to feed our cats, but just like the challenge of deciphering the terms on labels - guaranteed analysis, ingredients vs. nutrients and total crude protein - determining the calories might not be simple. Nutritionist Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, Ph.D., at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine offers one example: The average indoor cats diet should be based on resting energy, similar to a human couch potato who watches TV most of the day. The problem is that pet food manufacturers recommendations are based on a theoretical activity level that doesnt exist for most indoor cats.

The drug mirtazapine, used to treat depression in people, has a surprising side effect in pets: It can stimulate appetite and, in some cases, control nausea and vomiting, which are signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats.

Some reasons to avoid spaying or neutering pets are based on misinformation, including:

If you want to check out a potential clinical trial for your cat, these are questions to ask his veterinarian and the studys research coordinator.

These are only a few of the many components evaluated in a complete blood count:

Although your kitty probably wont like his blood being taken, he wont suffer any major discomfort - just a squeeze, a prick and perhaps a little stress, mostly from being restrained.