Ask the Doctor

Dear Doctor: How often for blood work?

Q. I know I should take my cat to the veterinarian every year for a wellness exam, but does he really need blood work...

Dear Doctor: Silent Meow

Q. Sometimes my cat meows at me, but no sound comes out. What is the significance of a silent meow?Lorraine SchneiderOmaha, NebraskaDear Ms. Schneider,A....
Why do they always seem to know who they can make sick?

Dear Doctor: Sidling up to people who are allergic to them

Q. You often hear people who are allergic to felines saying that when they go to the home of someone who has a cat,...

Dear Doctor: A clowder of cats?

Q. I just read that a group of cats is called a clowder. Where does that term come from?Susan MaleMadison, New JerseyDear Ms. Male,A....

Dear Doctor: When rough play is too rough

Q. My cat likes to play rough and sometimes scratches me in a tussle. My wife says the scratches are not safe and I...

Dear Doctor: Cat leaks urine while sleeping

Q. My 10-year-old cat has begun to leak urine while sleeping and sometimes when she is awake but close to dozing. This did not...

Dear Doctor: Why Kneading?

Q. I know my cat feels good when she kneads on my chest because she purrs gently and also does it rhythmically and calmly....

Dear Doctor: Watery Eyes

Q. Why have my cat’s eyes been watery lately? Angie Slomanson Carlisle, Massachusetts Dear Ms. Slomanson, A. If your cat’s eyes have a watery discharge, it’s quite possible...
Black cat

Dear Doctor: Adjusting feral cats to life in your home

Q. I adopted three feral cats from a shelter when no one else would — a mother and two of her kittens. The littermates,...

Dear Doctor: For most reliable advice, .com, .org, or .edu?

Q. If I’m looking for information about how to care for my pet on the Internet, it’s better to go with a website that...
Cat with blood clot

Dear Doctor: Throwing a clot

Q. My veterinarian said my cat has heart disease and has to take a blood thinner so he doesn’t throw a clot. What does...

Dear Doctor: Readying a cat for the new arrival

I am about to have a baby and wonder how that will affect my 6-year-old cat. My husband and I have had her since she was a kitten. Anything I should know or do in advance?