CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

While maintaining her normal (and robust) appetite, your nine-year-old cat Pansy seemed to be getting a bit slimmer during the past month or so. This in itself might not have been a cause for concern.

Although the pancreas is a comparatively small organ, typically weighing only an ounce or so, your cats health relies on its smooth functioning. Indeed, inflammation of this vital organ - a disorder referred to as pancreatitis - can imperil a cats life.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) - a serious illness characterized by the presence of cysts in the kidney and sometimes outright kidney failure - is a genetic disorder found in nearly two out of every five Persian cats (and many Himalayan cats, too). But because the majority of cats are not purebred, and mate randomly, it is also found throughout the general cat population. In other words, any house cat can carry the genetic trait. And its not just PDK making its way into the greater cat population.

For most of us, the spring and summer months usher in long holiday weekends filled with family, friends, barbeque and celebration.

After leaving a dinner party late one night, my wife and I were walking to the train to head back to our apartment when a feral cat adopted us by meowing as loudly as she could and rubbing up against us. It turned out she was pregnant, which was fine with both of us, but she had an extremely difficult labor.

These days, many cat owners are giving considerable thought to investing in a pet health insurance policy. But is pet health insurance for your cat actually a good idea financially? To help you make that decision, lets examine what a few of the more popular pet health insurance companies have to offer.

As a feline-only practitioner, I look forward to kitten season every year. Nothing brightens my day more than examining a kitten and seeing all of the joy and amusement it brings to the family. I do not, however, look forward to peering inside a kittens ear - especially a kitten thats been aggressively scratching at her ears with a hind paw and shaking her head afterward. This behavior is usually the telltale sign of ear mites.

Although obesity is a major and persistent feline health problem, with an estimated 40 percent or more of cats living in U.S. homes significantly or grossly overweight, owners should also be aware of the many and frequently severe hazards associated with its opposite: significant weight loss over a brief period of time. According to Michael Stone, DVM, a faculty member in small animal medicine at Tufts: Unexplained weight loss should always be considered a potentially serious health problem, and when it is observed, veterinary attention should be sought promptly.

I have tried to do research on the best flea/tick preventative for my cat, Taylor, but the information has left me a little confused about what would be best for our particular situation.

Ive noticed recently that our grey DSH cat, Pal, is showing some lightening of his fur. He has been an indoor-outdoor cat his entire life (hes 15 years old), so while I first thought it was a matter of his becoming sun-bleached, now Im not so sure. Otherwise, his health and behavior seem exactly the same.

Youre worried about your cat Henry. About a week ago, you noticed that a small, hairless, red sore had developed mysteriously on his upper lip, and it isnt going away. Perhaps you have nothing to worry about. Maybe this angry-looking eruption will simply disappear within a few days.

For those cats who live an indoor-outdoor existence - or even an exclusive outdoor life, despite its many dangers - there are extra hazards to keep in mind during the warm weather months. There is an increase in cat fights, dog bites and road traffic accidents.