Lifestyle

Download the Full May 2019 Issue PDF

I recently lost a cat to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), and this was a dreadful experience. No matter what we did, he continued to accumulate fluid in his chest and abdomen, and my veterinarian told me that there is no cure for this condition. All we could do was repeatedly remove the fluid until his quality of life became so poor that we decided to have him euthanized. Are you aware of any research that is being done that may improve this situation for other cats afflicted with FIP?

We round up our series on when to use an emergency clinic with a look at common feline injuries. Believe it or not, cats have their own set of accidents to which they are prone. In this article, we discuss some of the more common problems seen in veterinary emergency clinics. Obviously, not every possible emergency scenario is listed here, so if youre not sure, always err on the side of caution and take your cat to the ER if your cat has been injured.

Finding crystals in a urine sample can be a warning that painful urinary stones and/or deadly blockages may be forming. Persian and Himalayan cats have an increased risk for urinary crystals and stone formation.

Angelos Pizza in Matawan, N.J., is delivering more than just food, according to CBS NewYork Channel 2.

In January, we wrote about the recent American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) updated guidelines on feeding cats to make feeding programs more natural, emphasizing a cats natural desire to hunt. Hunting keeps the cat active, which burns calories and promotes a healthy body weight and lean muscle mass. These five things will help you make feeding time more like a hunt.

Download the Full April 2019 Issue PDF

A 45-year-old Singapore man was arrested for trying to smuggle four kittens past immigration, according to Channel NewsAsia. Security noticed the man’s pants were “meowing.” He faces a possible fine and one year in prison.

I recently took a three-year-old male domestic short-haired cat that has been living outside on my property to the veterinarian to get him fixed and whatever shots necessary. I was informed that he is feline leukemia negative, but he is infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Is there anything I can do to make his life as good and long as possible? He seems fine most of the time, but he sometimes appears uncomfortable.

Many cat lovers know the awful feeling of waking up from a deep sleep to the sound of their cat gagging and retching to throw up a hairball or stepping on a fresh hairball on the carpet with bare feet. Not pleasant! While most hairballs are a nuisance, some can signal or cause serious health problems.

The days of hearing, Its just a cat, are thankfully fading fast. Owners are increasingly more attuned to behavioral and physical changes in their cats that indicate injury or illness, and more enthusiastic about pursuing diagnostics and treatments to achieve the best possible outcome.

In one large study, slightly over half of the cats that suffered from a urethral rupture had been subjected to direct and intense trauma, primarily by being hit by car and suffering from pelvic injuries. Just under half had experienced a partial rupture while being catheterized for a urinary blockage. Male cats are more commonly afflicted because they are more susceptible to urinary blockages, which may require catheterization, and are more likely to be outside, which increases risk of trauma.