Health

Your cats kidneys play a central role in almost all of its bodily processes. They help to control the blood pressure and regulate the amount and chemical consistency of fluid in the bloodstream. They produce a variety of vitally needed hormones and enzymes, and they contribute to the production of red blood cells. They also remove metabolic waste, such as urea, mineral salts and poisonous substances, from its blood. This is accomplished by kidney (renal) tissue containing hundreds of thousands of tiny filtration units called nephrons. When waste-laden blood enters the kidneys through the renal artery, it moves through progressively smaller vessels until it reaches these nephrons, where it is filtered through microscopically minute structures called glomeruli. The cleansed blood - about 95 percent of the total fluid volume that originally entered the kidneys - then circulates back to the heart for yet another voyage through the body. Meanwhile, the remaining fluid, containing the waste products, is passed along as urine from the kidneys to the bladder and eventually excreted.

Making the decision to humanely end the life of your terminally ill or disabled cat can be very difficult. Here's some help.

When vomiting lasts more than a week, it's considered chronic, and the culprit needs to be discovered. Here's why.

Subtle signs of illness in your cat can be detected in your own home - and early diagnosis is the first step to successful treatment.

Here's what you should know about this gift of life.

A wide variety of hepatic diseases can put your cats life in danger.

Upper respiratory infections can become quite serious and may require veterinary care. Heres what you need to know.

Some cats will do anything to avoid it, while others love it and want to jump right in. Experts discuss some possible reasons.

Fortunately, advances in research on feline nutrition have made todays cat foods safe and healthful. But there are still pitfalls.

Fortunately, vaccines are available that may serve to reduce their lethal threat. Heres what the cat owner needs to know.

Runny nose, teary eyes, sneezing and open-mouthed breathing are the signs to look for.

Incessant scratching is annoying for your cat and troublesome to you. But how can you tell if its her food thats the main culprit?