Behavior

A diagnosis of hip dysplasia might take you by surprise. Usually, a cat comes into the veterinarian because the owner notices that the cat is lame or sore, or less active than normal. Some cats with hip dysplasia will be consistently off in their gait, while other cats only show stiffness after a wild chase through the house.

Cats are super easy to train by using shaping. Shaping is a training technique where you build up to the desired behavior by rewarding steps in the right direction. To teach shaking hands, for example, you might first put your hand under her paw so she touches it. Give her a special treat, like a tiny piece of chicken, for the touch. Repeat, offering your hand and moving it closer to her to see if and when shell touch it.

With dramatic advancements in feline veterinary care, our beloved cats are living longer and healthier lives. A cat who lives to be 20 years old is the approximate equivalent of a 96-year-old person. Unfortunately, all cats eventually show signs of aging.

A study at UC-Davis looked at using gabapentin for short-term stress relief in cats traveling to the veterinary clinic. Gabapentin has been used in cats for seizure and pain control, but human studies show some reduction of anxiety as well. An earlier study used gabapentin for feral cats involved in trap/neuter/release programs to reduce fear responses.

The growing popularity of essential oils for health, ambiance, and behavior modification has led to real feline-safety concerns. The problem is that cats have a unique set up for enzymatically metabolizing many compounds in their liver, so something safe to use around dogs and humans may still be toxic to your cat.

Stem-cell injections are common in veterinary medicine, but mostly for joint and lameness problems in dogs and horses. A pilot study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery may change things for cats with asthma.

My cat likes to lick himself on both shoulder blades, shortening the hair to the skin in some places. The areas are 2 by 5 inches. He used to have several smaller spots that hed licked until the hair was totally gone and the skin was getting raw from all of the licking. Now its just two bigger patches on the shoulders, but not down to the bare skin all of the time.

Like us, cats can mourn the loss of a loved one, such as a feline friend or their owner. They also experience stress over major life changes, like the loss of their home and moving to a new one. Each cat handles big changes in a different way, and while some cats will seem to go about their lives with no issue, others can exhibit dramatic behavior changes.

When your cat develops a problem that might be neurologic, get her right to your veterinarian. Theres no time to waste.

A study published in BMC Veterinary Research confirms catnip works. Olfactory enrichment, i.e. great smells, can cause a euphoric reaction in most domestic cats, says the study, which compared catnip to other plants.

These points come to us from the Baker Institute of Health at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

Ear mites are a common presenting complaint in small-animal practice, says Dr. William Miller, VMD, DACVD, Dermatology Chief at Cornell University. The disorder can affect both dogs and cats but is far more common in cats.