Health

I am a Tortie-colored chunky girl who tips the scales at almost 15 pounds. I have long hair that gets matted on my lower spine area, and I become wild and aggressive when someone tries to brush me there.

Get the most out of your cats pricey new food

A study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery looked at using Chinese herbs to treat cats with urinary-tract problems. As we wrote in our September 2017 issue (go to catwatchnewsletter.com archives to read the article), lower urinary-tract problems are common in cats. The cause might be infection, crystal formations, or may be without known cause-the infamous idiopathic cystitis.

The section of Oncology at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine needs cats for a clinical trial on injection-site sarcomas (also known as a fibrosarcoma), a tumor that can arise following injections. Although the cause is unknown, treatments are available, such as the anti-cancer drug carboplatin.

The first fungal infection that comes to mind when we think of cats is ringworm. As you likely know, it doesnt involve a worm, but rather the fungus Microsporum canis. This is a skin infection that often has round, ring-like lesions. It is not life-threatening, although it does require exquisite hygiene and weeks of topical and/or oral medication to cure.

Compared to humans, feline eyesight offers advantages and disadvantages

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.

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.

All too often, a sick older cat is brought to the veterinarian only to be diagnosed with late-stage kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure is one of the most prevalent illnesses in geriatric cats, but early detection and treatment greatly improves the prognosis for these cats. Unfortunately, cats tend to stay quiet when theyre ill and not all owners are aware of the initial subtle symptoms. Kidney disease can develop for months or years before it is detected.

A study published in the November 2017 Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine looked at cats admitted to a teaching hospital with gastrointestinal signs and low blood cobalamin (vitamin B12) levels. Twenty cats completed the study.

My 10-year-old Ragdoll loves paper, especially newspaper and cheap paperbacks. Shes been eating paper since I brought her home at 4 months of age from the breeder.

A new treatment called microbrachytherapy, which is used to treat inoperable feline oral squamous cell carcinomas, may be gaining momentum, according to a recent study published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology.