Ask Dr K

My best friends cat has just been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, and Im really surprised. One of my dogs had the disease (and I know she suffered a lot from arthritis in her hips as she got older), but I didnt know cats could get it too. Is it common? …

You all know Dr. Mew (aka, the Mewser, Mewie, Little Buddy,...), the beloved black-and-white tuxedo kitty whos lived at the Cornell Feline Health Center for most of his almost 17 years. His image (along with that of his much less attractive officemate) has graced this column since its appearance in 1997. His pictures appear in many of our publications, and although hes never had much patience with photographers, fast shutter speeds have allowed us to…

When our one-year-old female cat enters rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, she begins twitching and suddenly throws herself several feet backward. Sometimes she growls while asleep and then thrashes wildly; she acts as if she is dreaming but she reacts violently. She chews, claws and acts as if shes being attacked, and she also passes urine during most of these sleep episodes. Shes difficult to arouse, but once awake, she appears normal. Her laboratory test…

Events in the world of infectious diseases have been hitting the headlines recently, and because they involve cats, Id like to discuss them in this column rather than answering questions from CatWatch readers (just this once, I promise). Superbugs: Is there a human/cat connection?Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that lives on the skin and in the noses of people and other animals, usually without much consequence. But human infection with a certain form of…

My cat has just developed a black discharge in one ear. Ive never seen or heard of this kind of thing before. I have taken him to my veterinarian twice, and on each occasion, she cleaned the ear and microscopically examined the discharge. Im assured that there are no ear mites present. Whats the reason for the discharge and whats the prognosis? …

My cat, Puppi, has personality plus. Even my friends who dont care for cats have become endeared to her and always ask about her. Shes fed a good diet, her coat is soft, her eyes are clear, and shes a beautiful two-year-old calico. However, she doesnt purr. I can feel a vibration in her neck, but no sound! Her meow seems normal, but I miss the purr. Whats wrong? …

My veterinarian recommends that I bring my cat, Snow, to her office every six months for a routine checkup, but this is the first time Ive heard this suggestion. Are twice-yearly exams really necessary? Snow absolutely HATES getting into the carrier and going to the veterinarian, but if you think its worth stressing her out, Ill do my best. …

Can my cats get the flu from me, or can I get the flu from my cats? The short answer is no. None of the currently known strains of flu (influenza) virus are transmissible between cats and people. But influenza viruses are by nature very changeable, so the longer answer is a touch more complex. At the end of this column Ill suggest a safeguard to prevent cats from becoming infected (although it would be…

My cat leaves peelings of her claws when she scratches my furniture and carpet. Is that common for cats, or should I worry? Also, when she cleans her paws, she has the tendency to pull on them. Should I try to make her stop? Theres nothing to worry about as far as your kittys health is concerned, but Im a bit concerned about the health of your furniture and carpet. Cat claws can cause tremendous…

Both my cats purr when they are content or happy. But one of them will get up on my neck and start to knead and drool along with her purring. Why do some cats drool when they are happy? A fair number of cats drool when they experience something pleasurable. When I was a young lad growing up on the farm, several of our cats would absolutely soak my shirt when I held them and scratched…

So whats the real deal with hairballs? Ive lived with cats for years and have always assumed that its normal for them to hack...

I am the owner of Tassu, a 10-month-old cat I adopted from an animal shelter. A few weeks after I had her neutered, I noticed her behavior had changed. She seemed very lazy and not really interested in any physical activities, and she also lost her appetite. I took her to my veterinarian, and he found that she had pale gums, so he recommended she be tested for infection with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). To…