Ask the Doctor

I am hoping you can settle an ongoing difference of opinion between me and one of my friends. We are both long-time cat owners, and consider ourselves to be very good caretakers with healthy, happy cats over the past twenty or more years.

Feline injection site sarcoma (FISS) is an aggressive form of cancer in cats associated with the administration of vaccines and injectable medications, affecting about one in 1,000 vaccinated cats. This cancer was once thought to be a rare side-effect of rabies vaccines, but experts now believe it can occur following any kind of injection -even microchipping.

I trapped two stray kittens last year and had them treated for ringworm. They were neutered and given two rounds of kitten vaccinations. They also had bad breath so my veterinarian cleaned their teeth and needed to extract some teeth. She informed me that one cats dental problems had migrated into the root.

My cat, Buddy, is obese. He is very long, and weighs close to 29 pounds. Our veterinarian says we should try to get him down to 20 pounds. He has been tested for a thyroid problem, and it appears that this is not the issue.

My wife likes to pure vegetables- like peas, carrots and sweet potato - and mix it into our cats canned food. Is this okay to do? Are there any vegetables that should never be added to the cat food? We also add some cranberry powder (made for cats), along with some hairball powder. We trying to be to health-minded, but could we be causing potential problems?

Recently, I noticed that my seven-year-old male cat, Bisco, was excessively grooming his hindquarters. When I investigated the site, I discovered a raw, red spot where he had licked the fur and skin off. The vet explained that Bisco had developed a hot spot and that these were fairly common in cats, particularly during the summer.

A study recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology sheds new light on optimal nutrition for our pets and disputes the common notion that cats want and need a protein-heavy diet.

I have worked for local spay/neuter non-profit organization for the past 16 years, and we deal primarily with stray and feral cats. Over the past two years, we have been seeing a condition that is commonly referred to as puffy pad disease.

I have a cat that has a problem with a weeping eye (at the nose), a condition she has had for several years.

I am writing in hopes that you may have a suggestion regarding my three-year-old Persian cat. I adopted her through an agency when she was about two years old, but nothing was ever mentioned to me about her eating issues.

A reader expresses her concerns about adopting an FIV-positive cat

My son recently adopted an adult cat from a shelter, and I notice that Tigger likes to rub his cheeks repeatedly on the legs of the furniture. In fact, he started to do the same thing to my face when I was petting him on the couch!