CAT OWNERSHIP

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

Editors note: Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, is a renowned animal behaviorist and best-selling author.

Many years ago, in the days when I sometimes agreed for logistical reasons to do telephone consultations with distraught pet owners, I found myself talking to a very pleasant-sounding older woman on Cape Cod about her aggressive cat. The cat in question was a 7-year-old cat, the breed of which escapes me now, though the sad tale does not.

[From Tufts February 2011 Issue]

Recently, Murphy, my 12- year-old cat, was suddenly looking more like a molting bird than a domestic shorthair. In the span of 10 days, she had methodically and persistently licked and pulled fur off her front paws, abdomen and right flank. Her barbed tongue had removed hair down to the skin in some places, causing red rashes.

Yet, she continued to purr and engage in play, eat and sleep as she normally does. The only deviation from her routine had been this overzealous grooming that left me puzzled, frustrated and concerned.

[From Tufts March 2011 Issue]

Editors note: This article launches a new Catnip series that debunks common misconceptions about cats.
In spite of their reputation for tolerating only dry land, a surprising number of domesticated cats not only tolerate but love pawing water or swimming. Some like to play in standing water; others are fascinated by running water and prefer to drink from a faucet rather than a bowl.

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When choosing an E-collar
Q I have been a veterinary technician for the past six months, and Im hoping you can give me some good advice that I can pass on to our clients. I am often asked by cat owners about the best E-collar to use after surgery. There are more on the market today than ever before, but I dont want to give them the wrong advice.

For the devoted cat owner, nothing is scarier than that split second when you realize youre likely dealing with a veterinary emergency. And if youre anything like me, it often happens at an inopportune time - maybe late at night during a snow storm; or in the middle of a hectic holiday weekend. …

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All right, I will admit that my view on counter jumping may be all wrong - but frankly, I dont like when my cats do it. In this months issue of Catnip, Tufts Dr. Nick Dodman discusses at length why the behavior is natural and normal - and one that probably should be accepted by cat owners (and certainly not punished).

According to an annual survey from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), about 58 percent of cats and 54 percent of dogs in the United States are overweight. The most recent survey involved 1224 cats and dogs from 136 participating veterinary clinics, with these clinics assessing the body condition score (BCS) of all feline and canine patients that came in for a regular wellness examination on the same day last October.

All companion animals require regular veterinary attention. Cats arent little dogs - they have their own unique and specific medical requirements. Additionally, many cats are extremely anxious when being cared for at a veterinary hospital that cares for both dogs and cats. To provide cats with the most appropriate care - and the least stressful experience possible - there are many advantages in using the services of a feline-only veterinary practice.

There are so many reasons to make play therapy work for you to improve life for your cat. It starts, of course, with the physical benefits. That alone should be reason enough to retrain your cat and yourself to the idea of regularly scheduled playtime. The extra benefit, though, is that play therapy can be used as part of a behavior modification program. It can be a powerful way to change a cat's mind about a negative experience or location. For a cat eliminating outside the litter box, play therapy can help him change his impression about teh area where he's inappropriately eliminating. Used correctly, play therapy can defuse a tense situation between companion cats or help a timid cat develop more confidence.

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