Lifestyle

An article in the June 2019 Journal of Applied Gerontology looked at using pets to help senior citizens with pain. Cognitive behavioral self-management strategies are used to help seniors deal with chronic pain, and this study looked to see if pets might be incorporated into these strategies with a positive end.

Laser pointers catch your cats attention, and rare is the cat who doesnt chase that red dot. But it may not be all that fun in the end. While a bouncing laser causes the cat to leap and run, it doesnt give the cat a satisfying finale: He cant catch that beam, and he may end up feeling frustrated.

Urinalysis (UA) is an integral part of clinical veterinary practice, and the use of dry reagent urine-testing strips is an essential component of UA in most veterinary practices.

In August, the American Veterinary Medical Association encouraged veterinarians to educate their clients about pet health insurance, saying it may be an important approach for the veterinary profession to continue to provide high-quality veterinary services.

Playing with cats while enjoying a cup of coffee-what more could you want? Cat cafs have blossomed in popularity since the first one opened in Taiwan in 1998. Expansion into the U.S. has been slow due to regulations around food preparation and animal welfare, but theyre starting to appear.

A study from Applied Animal Behaviour Science used tiny cameras to follow 16 cats throughout their neighborhoods. The camera was about the size of a golf ball and attached to the cat (originally, 21 cats were selected, but five said no thanks).

A publication by members of the Section of Ophthalmology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine highlights the innovative use of a smartphone with an open-source 3D printed smartphone indirect lens adapter.

A study in Environmental Science & Technology associated hyperthyroidism with flame retardants, using silicone pet tags like the popular wristbands people wear for charitable causes.

Tuberculosis (TB) in cats is especially worrisome because it can spread to humans. Infected cats are usually outdoor cats, but one outbreak started with indoor cats in England.

Every fall and spring, kittens become widely available, due to typical queen heat cycles in January and October and the feline 60-day gestation. Kittens are cute, for sure, and you may be tempted to adopt one (yay for you and the kitten!). But its important to ensure that you make an objective choice and properly prepare your home. We offer these tips to help with the transition:

Felinine is a sulphur (cysteine) amino acid found in cat urine. It works as a pheromone. This sulphur amino acid is what causes the strong scent in urine marking by intact male cats.

Not that long ago, a DNA analysis on anyone or anything was unthinkable. It wasnt until 2003 that the human genome (genetic material) was fully sequenced. In 2007, the feline genome was partially sequenced in an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon. This is important because sequencing helps us understand what an organism will look like and what disease conditions it might be prone to having. DNA analysis can be valuable to cat owners and breeders.