CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

Chances are you already know the benefits of preventing cats from reproducing: helping to curb overpopulation, improving feline health and reducing or preventing unruly behaviors. But is it safe for a young kitten to be spayed or neutered? Absolutely - in fact, its preferred. The traditional age was historically six months, but theres really no reason for that, says Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA, a clinical assistant professor at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary…

Old habits tend to change slowly. As a result, many pet owners - and even many veterinarians - still wait longer than they should to get cats spayed/neutered. One website that Dr. McCobb recommends to distill myths is www.whentospay.org, which is run by the non-profit Humane Alliance. Some facts from the site: …

If you have a kitten, you are likely quite familiar with his razor-sharp baby teeth, especially when he bites down on your fingers during interactive play. Thankfully, kittens usually lose their baby teeth at three months of age and adult teeth usually replace them. In some cases, however, baby teeth dont fall out. The condition is referred to as persistent deciduous teeth, or more commonly and inaccurately, as retained deciduous teeth.

Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - Helping a friendly stray; Lameness after injection

Within a month of receiving a challenge grant aimed at supporting the renovation and expansion of one of its teaching hospitals, the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine has raised 50 percent of the funds needed to be awarded the challenge money thanks to a generous $2.5 million donation from a Connecticut couple. …

Researchers at Colorado State University have recently discovered a group of cancer-causing viruses in several populations of mountain lions, bobcats and domestic cats - raising questions about whether the previously undetected viruses could be transmitted between the cat species, and whether they could be the root cause of some cancers found in our domestic cats. …

Diabetes ranks as one of the most common health conditions in cats, especially those who are overweight. As treatment, many cats will require daily insulin injections and adjustments to their meal program. If this becomes necessary, your veterinarian or a veterinary technician will demonstrate the technique in the office before you start doing it at home.

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When Executive Director Marc Peralta strolls through the No-Kill Los Angeles adoption center and sees all the cute kittens, he remembers when they were just one or two days old, so tiny that they fit in the palm of a hand. The kittens are graduates of NKLAs kitten nursery, the beneficiaries of a life-saving trend in progressive shelters: nurturing the most vulnerable and unadoptable animals until they are ready for homes. …

Cats become increasingly susceptible to age-related disease conditions as they grow old, and most of these disorders are bound to have an effect on their behavior. Arthritis, for example, is likely to cause a formerly rambunctious cat to slow down dramatically as he transitions through his so-called golden years; kidney and urinary tract disease may severely impact the animals litter box behavior; periodontal disease and tooth loss may alter his eating habits; and progressive hearing…

Experts now believe that cats can see into the ultraviolet spectrum, which means that they can see some things that we cant. Scientists discovered a long time ago that birds, fish and insects can perceive a wider range of light and color than human beings; but the new research extends the list to cats, dogs and certain other mammals, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. …

In a normal cat, the transmission of these signals is governed by the central nervous system, which determines whether the neurons fire or are inhibited from doing so according to her various needs and desires. Unfortunately, this complex process goes awry in an estimated one percent or so of the general feline population. And when this occurs, a cat may experience a disturbing phenomenon broadly referred to as a seizure.