Lifestyle

Your beloved cat climbs into your lap, rubs on your chin and then yawns by your face. Suddenly, you are overwhelmed by foul air. It is unreasonable to expect your feline friend to have minty fresh breath, but healthy cat breath really isnt offensive. Causes for fetid feline breath can range from minor to serious.

Cat carriers are the safest way to transport your cat, be it to a veterinary appointment or to visit family for the holidays. They keep your cat secure, so that she cant get into trouble in an unfamiliar environment or be harmed in any way. In the case of a car crash, being in a carrier could save your cats life. But there is one challenge to this wonderful tool: getting your cat inside it.

The September 2017 issue of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine included the article The Relationship between Brachycephalic Head Features in Modern Persian Cats and Dysmorphologies of the Skull and Internal Hydrocephalus, by Schmidt et al. This study evaluated the two types of Persian cats, the traditional doll-face and the newer Peke-face, for a correlation between brachycephalic (short-faced) traits and internal hydrocephaly, or abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord) in the brain. Each cat in the study received a CT scan and an MRI.

In an effort to see what difference diet might make to an obese cats blood glucose control, researchers fed three diets-one high in carbohydrates, one high in fats, and one high in protein-to healthy-weight and obese cats and measured plasma levels of glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, and triglycerides. The study, published by BMC Veterinary Research, was done at the University of Zurich.

Cats may find themselves in need of a new home for a variety of reasons: death of an owner, a change in the familys situation, incompatibility with other pets in the household, or being caught as a stray. Just like us, most cats dont like change, and transitions can be difficult.

As we go to press, Hurricane Irma has strengthened to a Category 5 storm and is headed toward land, only a few days after we endured Hurricane Harvey, which destroyed its way into the record books. When it all settles, were pretty sure the losses involving pets will be quite sobering, possibly surpassing those of Hurricane Katrina, the disaster that showed us the inadequate preparations most of us make to safeguard our pets during a catastrophe.

On average, the grain-free diets were lower in carbohydrates than the diets that contained grain, but there was a wide range in carb content across all of the foods. This means that if your cat needs a diet with fewer carbs, choosing a grain-free diet does not guarantee that the carbohydrate content will be lower than the food you are currently feeding.

Many cats show some signs of periodontal gum disease by three years of age. Reports indicate between 50 and 90 percent of all cats over four years of age will have some degree of dental disease.

Feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, is a problem that cat owners everywhere dread. Litter box “accidents,” bloody urine, or a cat straining to urinate can all concern families. In some cases, this is an emergency—in others, a painful annoyance for you and your cat. In general, when a cat has urinary problems, it’s important to rule out any medical conditions before considering behavioral problems (to be covered in another issue). A common indication of…

Lost cats leave behind heartbroken families. And, if theyre not found, they contribute significantly to the homeless, feral, shelter, and community cat populations. Unfortunately, its an all-too-common situation. At least a third of all cats get lost at some point in their lives, says Pam Stonebraker, associate executive director and humane education coordinator at the Tompkins County, N.Y., SPCA.

Cats do not pant on a regular basis like dogs do. Feline panting can be either normal or due to underlying medical problems.

A study published in the January 2017 Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science may help you determine if a dog you want to adopt will get along with your cat.