CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

5 Critical Cat Cancer Warning Signs

The statistics are not comforting. A tumor found either on or in a cat is three to four times as likely to be malignant...

Can an old cat withstand the anesthesia?

Q: I have a 14-year-old cat who needs surgery. But at that age, will she be able to tolerate the anesthesia?

He can’t learn to read music, but you can still teach him a lot of other fun tricks. 

Cat’s got rhythm

Q: My wife and I have noticed that when we put on soft classical numbers, our cat seems to settle in and become calmer. Are we imagining this, or might she actually be responding to the music?

Increased Thirst May be Something Other than Diabetes

People often assume increased thirst and drinking — medically termed polydipsia — results from diabetes, but it can have a number of other causes:

A very scared cat might do better at the veterinarian’s office if she gets a dose of gabapentin beforehand.

New Drug for Cats Terrified of Vet Visits

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug called pregabalin to alleviate a cat’s anxiety and fear associated with veterinary visits as well...

New Guidelines for Helping an Itchy Cat

A healthy cat scratches himself for a total of about one minute per day, and he spends about one hour altogether grooming himself by licking his coat. Much more than that, and there’s a good chance something is wrong.

cat depression

Mental illness in cats

Q: Is it possible for cats to have mental illness, or is it always just a matter of behavioral issues?

Cats Use Bacteria to Talk to Other Cats

It’s well known that cats recognize each other through their scent and also use their odors to mark territory, attract mates, repel rivals, and...

The Brain-Bladder Connection in Cats Can Cause Disease

Your cat starts urinating more frequently and often does so outside the litter box, straining while he relieves himself.  He also has started over-grooming...

Dear Doctor February 2024

Claritin for cats? Q: We have two cats with feline herpesvirus. One becomes very congested overnight, sneezes up mucus clumps, and goes through intense coughing...

Feline Vaccine Hesitancy

A number of years ago, a survey of half a million cats showed that after receiving vaccinations, only one half of one percent of...

Dear Doctor January 2024

Distended abdomen Q: My cat’s abdomen looks distended. Is it simply weight gain? I’m asking because I haven’t noticed changes on other parts of her...