Lifestyle

You have a wonderful vacation planned: a two-week escapade to the Caribbean after a long year of hard work and stress. Youve been looking forward to it for months, but a nagging problem remains: Who is the best person to take care of Whiskers while youre away? This important decision should depend on your cats personality, health condition, age and the resources available where you live. Hiring a pet sitter, kenneling your cat or even boarding him with a veterinarian are options for care when you arent home.

When a cat begins soiling the house, it is usually assumed that it is a behavioral problem or the onset of senility. However, there are several medical conditions that can cause urinary incontinence and inappropriate urination, some of which require immediate treatment. First, it is important to distinguish between incontinence and inappropriate urination. True incontinence occurs when a cat does not have voluntary control over urination; trauma, a weak primary sphincter muscle and congenital abnormalities are the most common causes of incontinence.

I adopted a cat from a local animal shelter three years ago. She is a beautiful brown tabby girl who loves to help when Im working at my desk. The trouble is that she sneezes green goobers all over my paperwork. When I brought her home she had a runny nose and goopy eyes with a lot of sneezing - a classic cat cold according to my veterinarian. A week of antibiotics helped decrease the wet sneezes, but Tabitha has never really recovered from that early cold.

With the economy struggling, its comforting to know that are plenty of ways to defray the cost of owning a cat without compromising your pets well-being. In fact, some of the most effective strategies can actually benefit your cat. According to Jodi Korich, DVM, former director of Partners in Animal Health at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, "One of the best ways to save money on your pets health is to pay attention to early disease detection and preventive health care." Just like oil changes and preventive maintenance result in fewer repair bills for your car, she says, regular check-ups and early intervention will save you money in the long-run.

Planters of catnip, beware! This perennial is a member of the mint family - like spearmint and oregano - and it reproduces by spreading runners beneath the soil. Put one catnip plant in your garden and in five years it may well have taken over. Veteran gardeners plant catnip in buried containers, or in above-ground pots that even the hardiest and most aggressive roots cant escape. Despite the voracious nature of the plant, however, its worth having around. Carolyn McDaniel, VMD, a consultant at the Feline Health Center at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, says, "Catnip is non-toxic, non-addicting and low calorie. It can definitely play a valuable part of an indoor cats environmental enrichment."

Consider this: One cat and her offspring can produce a whopping 420,000 cats in just seven years. Each year, from April to November, hundreds of thousands of kittens are born - often to feral or stray moms that scavenge out a meager existence on our city streets, in the suburbs, and in rural areas across America. Without human intervention, most of these newborns will die or, at best, lead short, miserable lives. The moms that are not killed by cars, other animals, or disease, will repeatedly become pregnant, adding to the already crushing pet overpopulation problem. Whats a caring animal lover to do?

My mother-in-law (ninety-one years old!) is coming to stay with us for a few weeks. Were busy picking up throw rugs and preparing a downstairs room for her to stay in to help avoid falls. My two cats, Napsack and Mel, know that somethings up and have been helping with the preparations - especially those that involve cardboard boxes!

When I brought her home she had a runny nose and goopy eyes with a lot of sneezing - a classic cat cold according to my veterinarian. A week of antibiotics helped decrease the wet sneezes, but Tabitha has never really recovered from that early cold. Three years have gone by and she still sneezes thick goobers nearly every day. Although she seems happy, is active and eats well, her constant snuffling, congested breathing and spewing green goobers breaks my heart - and also has me frustrated. My veterinarian has done everything she can think of, from antibiotics for weeks on end to medication to help with Tabithas immune system. Everything seems to help … for a while.

Researchers developed a questionnaire for evaluation of cat owners perception of and knowledge about vaccination of cats, with owners asked to fill out a separate questionnaire for each cat they owned. A total of 3,163 questionnaires were evaluated ("Use of a web-based questionnaire to explore cat owners attitudes towards vaccination in cats," Veterinary Record, 2010). Vaccination as a kitten was the strongest predictor of up-to-date vaccination status, followed closely by plans to take the cat to a boarding cattery or cat show in the coming year. Owners who ranked the severity of infectious diseases or veterinary advice as very important were more likely to vaccinate their cats than owners who perceived these factors as less important.

It may be human nature to postpone preparing for a disaster, but its vitally important that you take time now to put a plan in place before a fire occurs. Start by installing smoke detectors throughout your home and make sure the batteries are functioning properly. Change the batteries twice a year or more frequently if the smoke detector "beeps" to warn you that battery power is low. Many people put in new batteries when they change their clocks for daylight savings time. Next, gather together other essential supplies: cat litter, litter box and scooper, collars and up-to-date identification tags and/or microchips (with your cell phone number as you may not be reachable at home), a weeks supply of food (remember a can opener and spoon for serving wet food), bottled water, medications, current photos of your cats for ID purposes, and a few toys, towels and blankets.

Who isnt charmed by the image of an adorable kid holding and petting a cute, fluffy kitten? Children can benefit from having a cat, and vice versa. "The experience of bonding between the child and the cat can be invaluable," says Larry Lachman, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, animal behavior consultant and author of Cats on the Counter: Therapy and Training for Your Cat, "and a child learns to increase compassion and empathy for nonhuman life."

Many of us have spent considerable time planning for the care of our family members in the event that we die or become incapacitated. Unfortunately, though, we often fail to consider the needs of our smallest family members: our pets. In the past, most pet owners didnt think about making formal arrangements for their cats in their wills. But all thats changing, according to David Congalton, co-author of When Your Pet Outlives You: Protecting Animal Companions After You Die. "Historically, the problem has been lack of awareness, but thats all changed in the last decade," Congalton says. "Most states now allow pet trusts, and the attitude towards protecting animals has completely changed in courts and legal circles."