Lifestyle

Dusty was a black and white cat who hissed, swatted and squirmed anytime a veterinarian or technician tried to restrain her for an examination or, worse, tried to draw blood or give an injection. This same cat, however, transformed into a picture of serenity and calm during acupuncture treatments.

My cat has recently been diagnosed with pancreatitis. The veterinarian explained to me that it can be difficult to diagnose, but he feels confident that this is the correct diagnosis and has started treatment. My kitty is still not eating well, and Im wondering if it is possible that something else is going on.

Winn Feline Foundation has awarded a grant for the evaluation of DNA variants associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, in Persians. HCM is the most common cardiac disease in cats. Previously, genetic mutations have been found in Maine Coons and Ragdolls, which led to genetic tests for screening before breeding.

The researchers say cats with the boxes adapted to their surroundings more quickly than the group without boxes - at least in the short term. Stress may cause more infectious diseases in shelters by raising cortisol levels, which may suppress the immune system, researchers note in explaining the studys importance.

Your arthritic cat walks stiffly, and its difficult to find a medication to treat him without side effects. Could stem cell therapy be an option? Its use in human medicine has grown in the past decade, heralded as a promising treatment for a host of diseases. The latest area of pioneering research, according to the National Institutes of Health, is adult-derived stem cells for repair of the heart.

At last count, at least four cats at a Northwest Indiana animal shelter have tested positive for canine influenza - one of the first times the flu strain H3N2 has jumped species in the U.S. Other cats and dogs at the Humane Society Calumet Area showed similar signs of the respiratory disease, as well as lip smacking and excessive salivation, and the shelter temporarily closed.

Advances in treatments are helping people born with congenital heart disease live longer and with greater quality of life. But not all structural problems with the heart can be permanently fixed in childhood. In fact, many treatments that help get these patients into adulthood often need revisiting later in life. Being born with congenital heart disease means being always mindful of your heart health. Some of these individuals, because they have been heart patients their whole lives, are mindful of their diet, exercise and risk factor control.

Come spring and fall, animal shelters across the country are flooded with newborn kittens often in need of round-the-clock care to help them survive, thrive and eventually be adopted. As adorable as shelter kittens may appear, how can you tell if theyre healthy?

At the end of a long workday, you look forward to uninterrupted slumber, but your cat has other plans. In two hours, he jars you awake by leaping on the bed - knocking the air out of you. An hour later, he swats a book off your nightstand. And 30 minutes before your alarm sounds, he begins loud, demanding meows.

An article in the February issue on alternatives to relinquishing pets to shelters featured a dashing photo of Rascal, a feral cat who was neutered, vaccinated and adopted to work as a Rodent Ranger. A small study by the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine in Scottsdale, Ariz., suggests that owners sleeping with their pets can experience positive effects. Replies to a questionnaire from 150 consecutive patients found that nearly half had pets; 41 percent had several.

Your cat has always sported a shiny coat, soft to the touch. You marvel at the time he dedicates to grooming. But lately when you pet him, his coat feels greasy and you detect an odor. His grooming clearly is off, and its a worry.

A family member left the door open, and in a flash the cat ran outside where a dog attacked and badly injured him. His owner loved the cat but was out of work and had no money to take him to the veterinarian. She approached the shelter, sobbing, prepared to give up her cat to be euthanized. Then she met Lori Weise. "We can help you," Weise told her. "Well pay for your cat to get care." Weise is the founder of Downtown Dog Rescue (DDR), which despite its name, also helps cats. The organization helps low-income and homeless people in South Los Angeles care for and keep their pets.