Health

If you think your cat cant get ticks or the diseases that they spread, emerging evidence indicates otherwise. While cats, unlike dogs, are fairly resistant to tick-borne diseases, they can be affected, says Meredith L. Miller, DVM, ACVIM, a lecturer in small animal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

When you pick up antibiotics at the veterinary clinic for your ailing cat, your handling, storage and disposal of the medication can go a long way toward improving his health, safety and the environment. Risks of medicine-related calamities exist in every home with pets. They include accidentally mixing human and pet medications, exposing cats to flea topical flea preventives made for dogs and storing medications incorrectly in a manner that may reduce their effectiveness.

Can you identify the animal hoarder in your community? Is she the neighbor who has cats gathering in her yard? Perhaps its the quiet man who keeps his window shades closed? Or an outgoing community leader? How can you determine the difference between an animal hoarder and someone who responsibly cares for multiple pets The majority of hoarders are women, and the most common animal victims are cats.

Weve recently acquired a new kitten and want to make sure that we do all we can to give her a long and happy life. With so much information available, I wonder if you can give me a quick rundown of the things you feel are most important to assure that our baby has the best chance to live a long and happy life.

Hundreds of projects are underway across the U.S. and perhaps thousands worldwide using citizen scientists. Theyre volunteers who collect information, usually in cooperation with professional scientists, in fields from computer science to medicine, ecology, outer space and beyond. Rather than the big breakthrough, the results of scientific studies often can indicate whats ineffective in treatment. That was the case when Craig Webb, DVM, Ph.D., at Colorado State University led a clinical trial of a diabetes mellitus treatment.

Sometimes a cats bout of vomiting simply needs to run its course, similar to food poisoning or a viral GI bug in people. However, vomiting could indicate a significant medical problem, and if youre concerned, it is always better to err on the side of caution and check with the veterinarian. Vomiting can be due to factors that directly affect the gastrointestinal tract or to indirect effects from other conditions, says Meredith L. Miller, DVM, ACVIM, a lecturer in small animal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

To minimize resource guarding in a multi-pet household, strive to create a healthy feline indoor environment. Do not yell at or physically punish your resource-guarding cat because this punitive approach will cause him to want to protect his resources even more and it can damage your relationship with him. While resource guarding is less common in cats than in dogs, it can escalate into a serious behavior issue that requires intervention by a professional.

My 2-year-old cat, who we took in as a stray after gradually gaining his trust about a year ago, has been having a problem that I wonder if you can help with. He has started to pull his fur out in small cotton ball-sized clumps. I find these clumps all over the house, and its driving me crazy. He is an indoor/outdoor cat and there are no other pets or kids in the house. Can you provide some insight?

Scientists have identified many factors that affect a species survival - from diet and weather to the size of breeding groups to social relationships. However, researchers at Michigan State have found that some wild cats dont necessarily respond to the same evolutionary pressures as other mammals, including humans and primates.

Diabetes mellitus commonly strikes older, obese male cats. In its most common feline form, the pancreas doesnt produce any or enough insulin, a hormone that regulates the flow of glucose used as fuel for a variety of metabolic processes. The patient lacks nourishment, and excess glucose remains in the bloodstream, potentially damaging organs and blood vessels.

Thanks to medical advances and improved nutrition, our cats are living longer than ever. However, longer life increases the likelihood of age-related diseases, including cancer. The Animal Cancer Foundation estimates that 6 million cats are diagnosed with cancer annually. They present a challenge to owners and veterinarians to provide the best quality of life with a minimum of pain.

Imagine returning home from work to see your cat lying motionless on the living room floor. You call his name, but he doesnt respond, and you quickly realize hes not breathing and fear his heart has stopped. The nearest veterinary clinic is 15 minutes away. Youre panicked, but for your cats sake, you realize you need to immediately begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to save his life.