Lifestyle

All too often, a sick older cat is brought to the veterinarian only to be diagnosed with late-stage kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure is one of the most prevalent illnesses in geriatric cats, but early detection and treatment greatly improves the prognosis for these cats. Unfortunately, cats tend to stay quiet when theyre ill and not all owners are aware of the initial subtle symptoms. Kidney disease can develop for months or years before it is detected.

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Move over, clay. Youre boring. PetAge, a pet-industry business journal, reports that kitty litter options are changing rapidly in 2018. From litters that claim to stop ammonia buildup to diagnostic litters that monitor cat health to neon-colored litter to gel-based litter to reduce tracking, we can choose almost any attribute, assuming were willing to pay more for, well, litter.

My 10-year-old Ragdoll loves paper, especially newspaper and cheap paperbacks. Shes been eating paper since I brought her home at 4 months of age from the breeder.

A study published in the November 2017 Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine looked at cats admitted to a teaching hospital with gastrointestinal signs and low blood cobalamin (vitamin B12) levels. Twenty cats completed the study.

The Telegraph, a United Kingdom publication, reports that Great Britains cats are great for public relations and diplomacy and keeping keeping the mouse problem down in public buildings. We have wooed many world leaders with the Foreign Offices (cat) Palmerston, says the report, and he and the four other government cats, including Number 10s Larry, keep Downing Streets mouse problem down. Now, other countries are getting in on the cat action, with the French government announcing it has brought in two cats to sort out their rat problem.

A new treatment called microbrachytherapy, which is used to treat inoperable feline oral squamous cell carcinomas, may be gaining momentum, according to a recent study published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology.

These points come to us from the Baker Institute of Health at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

It can be tempting when your cat seems to feel just a bit off-maybe sniffling or a little sore-to use an over-the-counter (OTC) medication to give her some relief. Is this OK? The response of veterinary experts is a resounding NO!

When your cat develops a problem that might be neurologic, get her right to your veterinarian. Theres no time to waste.

Ear mites are a common presenting complaint in small-animal practice, says Dr. William Miller, VMD, DACVD, Dermatology Chief at Cornell University. The disorder can affect both dogs and cats but is far more common in cats.

Cats are stoic creatures, and they try not to let on when they are in pain. While crying out is an obvious sign of pain, its important to know the quieter symptoms that your cat may not be feeling well.