Health

While dogs are the best-known therapy animals, cats can help humans who are ill or stressed, too, by promoting relaxation and healing. Therapy cats visit nursing homes, hospitals, courthouses, and schools (some colleges organize therapy animal visits as stress-relief during exams). Therapy visits may also be referred to as animal-assisted interventions (AAI).

Does blood type really matter other than as a matter of curiosity? Yes! Any time a cat needs a blood transfusion, that cat ideally should receive blood of the same type.

Upper respiratory infections are common in cats. Treatment can be frustrating, especially since the primary culprit is often feline herpes virus (FHV). While FHV infections arent usually life-threatening, infected cats sneeze, may develop corneal ulcers, and have nasal discharge and conjunctivitis. Currently, treatment is aimed at supportive care, with antibiotics added if there are signs of secondary bacterial infections.

An article in the June 2019 Journal of Applied Gerontology looked at using pets to help senior citizens with pain. Cognitive behavioral self-management strategies are used to help seniors deal with chronic pain, and this study looked to see if pets might be incorporated into these strategies with a positive end.

Laser pointers catch your cats attention, and rare is the cat who doesnt chase that red dot. But it may not be all that fun in the end. While a bouncing laser causes the cat to leap and run, it doesnt give the cat a satisfying finale: He cant catch that beam, and he may end up feeling frustrated.

Urinalysis (UA) is an integral part of clinical veterinary practice, and the use of dry reagent urine-testing strips is an essential component of UA in most veterinary practices.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is often the stage of disease at which a cardiac problem is first diagnosed. When a cat has CHF, the heart no longer functions as an efficient pump, unable to bring enough oxygen and nutrients to the body cells and move waste products such as carbon dioxide out. Fluid buildup can occur, usually in the lungs (pulmonary edema) and in the chest cavity around the lungs (pleural effusion). …

Playing with cats while enjoying a cup of coffee-what more could you want? Cat cafs have blossomed in popularity since the first one opened in Taiwan in 1998. Expansion into the U.S. has been slow due to regulations around food preparation and animal welfare, but theyre starting to appear.

Not that long ago, a DNA analysis on anyone or anything was unthinkable. It wasnt until 2003 that the human genome (genetic material) was fully sequenced. In 2007, the feline genome was partially sequenced in an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon. This is important because sequencing helps us understand what an organism will look like and what disease conditions it might be prone to having. DNA analysis can be valuable to cat owners and breeders.

A study from Applied Animal Behaviour Science used tiny cameras to follow 16 cats throughout their neighborhoods. The camera was about the size of a golf ball and attached to the cat (originally, 21 cats were selected, but five said no thanks).

A publication by members of the Section of Ophthalmology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine highlights the innovative use of a smartphone with an open-source 3D printed smartphone indirect lens adapter.

A study in Environmental Science & Technology associated hyperthyroidism with flame retardants, using silicone pet tags like the popular wristbands people wear for charitable causes.