CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

Factoring the quality of life remaining for your cat versus the prognosis - and cost of treatment - can be a difficult and emotional decision.

Stem cell therapy is regarded as having enormous potential for the treatment of a variety of diseases in both people and animals. The use of bone-marrow derived stem cells is already well established in the treatment of human cancer patients. As a result, veterinary applications for bone-marrow stem cells are now being evaluated, as well.

I have a cat that has a problem with a weeping eye (at the nose), a condition she has had for several years. Now, the iris is gradually turning orange, starting at the nose, and the eye is starting to squint slightly. This seems to be getting worse.

Wheezing, sneezing, teary eyes, nasal discharge and the sound of labored breathing are among the clear indications that a cat is experiencing an upper respiratory disorder of one kind or another. These signs usually indicate a transient viral infection that will resolve within a week or 10 days.

As a cat reaches the age of eight or nine - the feline equivalent of age 40 or 50 in a human being - he is likely to begin experiencing signs of one or more age-related physical disorders. If unnoticed or untreated, such disorders are likely to intensify over time and may eventually prove lethal.

A friend recently adopted a young kitten from a local humane society, and soon after, the kitten was diagnosed with brittle bone disease. Neither of us had ever heard of this, and now it makes me worry about adopting a new kitten.

My small three-year-old female cat, who weighs just under seven pounds, will suddenly go through what seems like a coughing/choking spell. She crouches low to the floor and struggles through an episode. Then she stands up and goes about her regular business.

I have lived with cats most of my life, and while I have experienced some of the expected behavioral issues - inappropriate elimination, hard-to-control scratching, etc. - I am curious if there are levels of mental illness in pets, too. Do we automatically assume certain traits are behavioral issues or can pets - like humans - be born with certain psychological issues, as well?

I am a long-time subscriber and I really enjoy each issue of Catnip! Regarding dental health with my two cats, however, I am at a loss. They simply will not let me brush their teeth. I live alone, so theres really no one who can assist me on a regular basis.

I have suffered from nearsightedness for my entire life. Lately, Ive been wondering if our cats can have vision problems too (outside of eye disease or something related to the aging process, like cataracts). If so, is there a way to determine this?

Luckily, your 10-year-old cat Jenny has never had a sick day in her life. Nevertheless, youve dutifully made a point of taking her to the veterinarian for a routine physical exam once a year to make sure shes up to date on her vaccinations and is not harboring some systemic disorder that could eventually prove difficult to manage.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a very common cause of illness in cats, especially older cats. Previous studies estimated that one in three cats are likely to develop kidney disease during their lifetime.