Lifestyle

The Cat Writers Associations mission is to promote professionalism among people who write about and photograph cats and improve the quality of cat information. To that end, they host an annual awards contest to honor outstanding writers. We are delighted to have earned two special awards, three Muse Medallion awards, and four certificates of excellence for our work in 2017.

Cats do an amazing job landing on their feet, but only when they have time to re-orient themselves. Cats in free fall immediately go about righting themselves in a race against the clock. In other words, if the fall is high enough, they may have time to get upright. Cats right themselves from front to back, righting the head and front feet then the back feet.

Maddies Fund is granting $2,580,741 to support the Million Cat Challenge as it expands its lifesaving work in shelters across North America. The Million Cat Challenge is a campaign to save the lives of one million shelter cats and it met its goal one year early. They are now focusing on communities where cats are still at risk to make lifesaving the norm across shelters.

For cats who must travel with you, consider these safety thoughts

While Cushings disease, which is technically called hyperadrenocorticism, is more common in dogs than cats, feline members of your family can have this health problem.

Every once in a while, my cats eyes water for no reason. They clear up on their own, so I havent been to the veterinarian about it, but Im wondering. Should I get her checked?

Your cat has a ravenous appetite but never gains weight and might even be losing weight. In addition, you may notice the litter box has more deposits than ever before-often soft and slimy with a worse odor than usual. Your cat may be suffering from a malabsorption/maldigestion disorder. Malabsorption means the cat cant absorb the nutrients. Maldigestion occurs when your cat is not producing the enzymes needed to digest her food. Digestion Gone Awry …

A beloved family cat who becomes incontinent can raise the household stress level immeasurably. After years of dutifully using the litter box, your cat seems to go wherever she is. The truth of the matter is that shes not happy about it either.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.s Semintra, the first FDA-approved drug to control systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) in cats. The drug has been available in Europe since 2013.

Skin problems are frustrating for cat owners. Itchiness and discomfort, with symptoms ranging from constant scratching to irritated skin to hair loss, can be caused by a wide variety of conditions. This makes diagnosis challenging and sometimes expensive. We consulted William Miller, VMD, DACVD, Dermatology Section Chief at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for insight on the things that can make your cats skin crawl.

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The TV show “America’s Got Talent” included a mind-boggling cat act, with some amazing tricks by very happy cats. You can seee it here at: https://youtu.be/8e0z3-iZ_TY.