Behavior

Q Is it OK that we planted lilies in our garden? A friend of mine said were poisoning the neighborhood cats. I certainly dont want to do that! Ive had cats all my life and never heard of a cat poisoned by eating a lily. Weve even had lily plants inside. My cat stays strictly indoors so Im not worried about her in our garden, but I do see our neighbors cats out and about.…

When it comes to leaping, landing and twisting in mid-air, cats earn accolades for agility, flexibility and acrobatic prowess. Its not unusual to witness your cat leap effortlessly to the top of the refrigerator and, when ready, to land softly and easily on the kitchen floor. But despite their grace and flexible physique, cats do not always land safely on their feet and can be at risk for painful sprains, broken legs, and other fractured bones.

If you own a white cat, you most likely love his striking snowy coat and bright eyes. But you might also know that these brilliant features have implications that go deeper than appearance.

Cats have a reputation for being fearless and lethal predators, but theres a flip side to this characterization: While domestic cats who live with us still retain their hunting skills, they themselves are also prey - to dogs, urban coyotes, even birds such as hawks and owls. Cats, then, have a well-developed sense of fear. They are often cautious in the presence of strangers, loud or unexpected noises startle them, and they dislike changes in their…

If your cat has difficulty swallowing, shakes his head, sneezes and breathes noisily as if hacking or snoring, you could dismiss the behavior as fleeting. But while you might think the cause will clear up on its own, the problem may be a nasopharyngeal polyp - an uncommon, noncancerous bump at the very back of the throat or in the ear canal that must be removed through a fairly simple surgery. …

Food Allergies Can Mimic Skin Conditions Incidence figures on food hypersensitivity in cats are hard to find, since cats often wont eat the special diets needed to either diagnose or treat food hypersensitivity, says dermatologist William H. Miller, VMD, at Cornell. Cats with a suspected food allergy usually visit either the gastroenterologist or the dermatologist, but not both. Animals with vomiting and diarrhea rarely have skin issues associated with their diets and those with itchy skin rarely…

A Push to Screen for EarlierDiagnosis of HypertensionCatWatch has previously reported that hypertension in humans can damage the heart and arteries, and cause stroke, kidney damage and vision loss. The Lancet journal predicted that the risk of becoming hypertensive during a lifetime exceeds 90 percent for people in developed countries. Even more alarming, it cautioned that Screening is not done systematically, and the diagnosis is often made at a late stage when target organ damage…

With the arrival of warm weather, your cats curiosity and need to tap his inner hunter could land him on the losing end in a confrontation with bees, wasps, skunks and other critters making their way onto your property or inside your home.

If you have a cat who loves to snuggle under the covers, dont fit him with a flea and tick collar containing medicine designed to last six months or more. There are no studies out there, but logically, if a pet wearing such a collar snuggles under the covers, the person can be in contact with that topical insecticide during the entire night of sleep. Why take that risk? Penny says. However, if your cat sleeps at the foot of your bed on top of your bedspread, that is fine.

Weve recently acquired a new kitten and want to make sure that we do all we can to give her a long and happy life. With so much information available, I wonder if you can give me a quick rundown of the things you feel are most important to assure that our baby has the best chance to live a long and happy life.

Can you identify the animal hoarder in your community? Is she the neighbor who has cats gathering in her yard? Perhaps its the quiet man who keeps his window shades closed? Or an outgoing community leader? How can you determine the difference between an animal hoarder and someone who responsibly cares for multiple pets The majority of hoarders are women, and the most common animal victims are cats.

To minimize resource guarding in a multi-pet household, strive to create a healthy feline indoor environment. Do not yell at or physically punish your resource-guarding cat because this punitive approach will cause him to want to protect his resources even more and it can damage your relationship with him. While resource guarding is less common in cats than in dogs, it can escalate into a serious behavior issue that requires intervention by a professional.