Health

Veterinarians generally recommend that all cats undergo a thorough physical examination at least once a year until they have reached seven or eight years of age, and twice annually thereafter as they progress into their senior years. Such a multifaceted exam will include a complete blood count (CBC), a procedure that, thanks to a variety of sophisticated laboratory techniques and equipment, can reveal or at least suggest the presence of many feline health disorders. (See related article in the June 2007 issue of CatWatch.)

If you happen to be sitting in on your cats routine physical exam, youre likely at some point to observe the veterinarian carefully studying the animals face, gently stroking its nose, and fondling its ears. This is not merely a show of affection. Rather, the veterinarian is searching for tiny, scabby sores on the cats skin that could indicate the presence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) - a skin cancer that, if caught in its early stage, will most likely be harmless and easily treated. If the skin eruptions go unnoticed, however, the cancer can progress, spread to other parts of the body, and ultimately prove fatal.

If your cat kept a diary, it might read something like this: Yesterday, I slept, ate, slept some more, chased a paper ball, napped, ate again and napped. While that may describe a cats typical day, it wont necessarily help you or your veterinarian if your cat develops a health or behavior problem. "Keeping a diary for your cat is a good idea in general, but particularly when your [IMGCAP(1)]cat is ill," says Drew Weigner,…

Check the pet food aisle at your local supermarket, and youll find countless varieties of food to entice your cat. Feed your cat too little or the wrong kind of food, and he wont maintain good health. Feed him too much, and hell get fat. But you can help get your cat off on the right paw by establishing regular feeding routines. Although the food you feed your cat should be complete and balanced, the simple answer to how often you should feed him is that there isnt a simple answer.

Whether your cat is wide awake or sleeping soundly, its immune system remains on full alert, protecting the animal from assault by the viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders - called antigens - in its environment. And in the vast majority of cats, the immune system will continue to function effectively - without letup - from the day an animal is born until the day it dies.

Your cats digestive system, a complex assemblage of several interdependent components, plays a crucial and multifaceted role in maintaining the animals good health. An essentially tubular arrangement leading from its mouth to its anus, the system - when functioning properly - breaks down the food that the animal has eaten into nutrient-rich particles and facilitates their absorption while also serving as a barrier against disease-producing organisms that the cat may have ingested.

Houseplants help add a natural look and feel to any home, but cat owners need to be very careful when selecting plants to spice up their dcor. Our feline friends are notorious for snacking on houseplants. According to ELise Christensen, DVM, animal behaviorist with NYC Veterinary Specialists in Manhattan, there may be several reasons for this: …

Some of the most peaceful moments of your day are spent sitting quietly with your cat, stroking her gently, peering into her gorgeous eyes. However, the serenity can well be interrupted if you happen to notice a crop of tiny, mean-looking little black spots on the otherwise lovely animals chin and lips. What youre apt to be observing are blackheads, the signs of feline acne, a dermatologic condition that affects male and female cats of all ages and breeds and could warrant a visit to your veterinarian.

Honestly, veterinary researchers werent trying to make liars out of cat owners when they published "Urinary biomarkers to assess exposure of cats to environmental tobacco smoke" in the American Journal of Veterinary Research (Vol. 68, No. 4). They were trying to advance the science of gas-chromatography analysis to search for toxins that might cause disease in pets. Out of 61 healthy cats in the urinalysis study, 19 came from households where the owners said cigarettes were smoked. And 42 came from homes where owners swore no one ever smoked.

Although indoor cats are far less likely than outdoor cats to contract a contagious disease, be ripped up in a brawl with other animals or be struck by a car, they are not completely out of harms way. Even within the confines of their own homes, they can suffer serious injuries, not the least of which are disabling (and even fatal) burns that result from a variety of factors, including their natural curiosity and, all too often, carelessness on the part of their owners. There are three categories of burns: thermal, chemical and electrical.

Your cats kidneys, two relatively small organs located behind its rib cage - one on each side of its spine - 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.

Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and evidence of painful stiffness in the muscles and joints are clinical signs of many ailments that can afflict your cat at any time of year. Some feline disorders, however, are more prevalent during warm weather, when higher temperatures stimulate the activity of disease-causing organisms and the parasites that can transmit them to your cat.