From the January, 2012 Issue
Here, Kitty, Kitty: Will She Listen to You?
There’s a lighthearted saying that goes something like this: “Dogs come when called. Cats take a message and get back to you.” For anyone who has ever shared their home with both canine and feline friends, you know this statement is true! But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can use a training method like “clicker training” or “target training” to reward your cat when she performs a certain task. The clicker [an inexpensive, hand-held device that makes a distinct “clicking” sound] can tell a cat that she just did something her person liked and a treat is coming.
Current Issue
Are You Allergic to Your Cat?
If you are allergic to your cat, don’t despair. You are actually far from alone — but luckily, there are increasingly effective methods for dealing with allergies. Believe it or not, at least one in three cat owners has allergies to feline friends. For some, the allergic reaction is limited to itchy, watery eyes. Others may develop asthma or other serious breathing problems. The major culprit behind human allergic reactions to cats originates from cat skin, according to David Rosenstreich, MD, Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
Are Prescription Diets Necessary?
Trying to adjust your cat’s diet because of a serious medical condition is undoubtedly a good idea. But experts insist that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Some problems may respond readily to a dietary adjustment, while other problems can be more vexing and require treatment aside from nutritional changes. Firstly, remember that therapeutic diets do not cure diseases. They can alleviate clinical abnormalities on a temporary basis, and alleviating these abnormalities can certainly help our beloved pets feel better and give them a higher quality of life.
Do Cats Grieve: It Appears They Do
One of your beloved cats died several weeks ago, and you’ve been feeling pretty down. Friends who have been through the same experience tell you this is normal after such a loss. But then you notice that your other cat is eating less, and wanders around the house, yowling, as if he was looking for his lost companion. Do cats grieve like we do? And if so, how can we help them? There is now evidence that animals experience emotional responses to significant changes in their environment — and this includes going through the grieving process after the loss of feline or human companions.
Lung Disease: Serious and Common
Like their human counterparts, feline lungs are bag-shaped, elastic organs, two in number, located on either side of the heart and occupying most of the space in the chest cavity. They are virtually identical in structure to human lungs as well, functioning in the same manner and fulfilling the same fundamental purposes — removing carbon dioxide from the bloodstream and keeping the blood constantly supplied with life-sustaining oxygen. The lungs perform their vital functions by means of two processes — properventilation and perfusion — explains Richard Goldstein, DVM, an associate professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
In The News: New Anesthesia Guidelines
Due to the many important variables that need to be considered, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) brought together a group of experts to produce new guidelines for anesthetizing cats and dogs — stressing the importance of comprehensive, individualized anesthetic plans to minimize morbidity and optimize conditions.
Short Takes: January 2012
Chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a significant disease of cats causing ulcerative, painful lesions in the mouth. Unfortunately, the cause of this condition is not always clear, but feline calicivirus has been speculated to play a part in some cases. Medical treatment of this condition has largely remained unsuccessful. Interferon is a protein produced by animals to fight virus infections, and investigators examined the potential of this substance — which can be produced artificially and given orally — to treat FCGS.
Ask Elizabeth: January 2012
We adopted a new kitten from a local rescue group last month, and she is just perfect. Although she had been tested for the feline leukemia virus and FIV by the terrific group that saved her from the street, we took her to our veterinarian right away so that she could be examined before we introduced her to our two older cats. After a clean bill of health, we brought Bunny home, and she has become a well-integrated part of the family. The problem is that before we scheduled her spay surgery, she came into heat. What a scene!