Behavior

Ever since Gertie, the late great Short Takes muse, developed urinary tract disease - then went on a special renal diet and subsequently developed hypertension (high blood pressure) and went blind because her retinas detached - weve wondered: Which was worse, the disease or the effects of the treatments?

Diane Levesque of Rochester, New Hampshire, adopted a kitten that had been born in the wild. One day her kitten got loose outside, and Levesque was frantic. "I could see her near the garage, but I couldnt catch her," she recalls. She set a trap with food to lure her cat, but it didnt work. Finally, she called her veterinarian to see how she could get her cat back inside. It turned out that Levesques cat, like many other felines, didnt want to step on the traps metal floor.

I have two cats, both five years old. Both eat dry and canned food and live exclusively indoors. My male cat has cervical line lesions of his teeth. Hes had two teeth removed already, and my veterinarian told me his problem could get worse. Can you tell me about this condition and what I can do to slow it down? My veterinarian said my cat should be examined every six months, but what else can I do for him?

We all recognize scratching as a normal behavior for a cat. Should your cat claw his way into the arm of your favorite chair, you would simply let out a sigh of regret, and wonder why you hadnt thought to cover that precious piece of furniture.

"Helping Owners Handle Aggressive Cats" is animal-behavior consultant Wayne Hunthausens advice for veterinarians who counsel concerned cat people who, like us, never knew there were so many reasons for cats to attack. He lists 11 possible types of feline aggression: "Fear-induced, play, redirected, petting-induced, territorial, inter-male, maternal, pain-induced, learned, pathophysiological and idiopathic."

Cat lovers must surely agree that there is little as lovely to behold as a cat running freely outdoors. What is as graceful as a cat nimbly climbing a tree or darting after a butterfly?

Who isnt charmed by photographs of kids holding and petting cute, cuddly kittens? 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."

Humans are very biased in assessing the intelligence of our cats (or dogs). Thats because we tend to judge them according to traits that we can relate to as humans. When cats do something entertaining or "display their independence, we think of them as intelligent," says Julia Albright, MA, DVM, animal behavior resident at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. But there is actually far more evidence for cats intelligence than just our perception of it. According to researchers at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, the physical structure of our brain and that of cats are very similar; they have the same lobes in the cerebral cortex (the "seat" of intelligence) as we do. Our brains function the same way, conveying data via identical neurotransmitters.

What is your first thought when you come home from work to discover that something in your house has been damaged perhaps by one of your cats? You may wonder, "Who created this mess?"

Whenever Alexandria Brooke, a junior at the University of Massachusetts, would return home from school, she would wake up with hives on her face. She thought it might be the laundry detergent her family used at home or some new cosmetic or soap.

Our cats do have it made; we humans want only the best for our feline companions. Much to the chagrin of the average cat, this care is likely to include at least one thing that just doesnt seem particularly enjoyable.

Training your cat to accept a harness and lease can provide extra stimulation and bonding.