CAT OWNERSHIP

Now that the holidays of 2012 are merely warm and fuzzy memories and were forging full-steam ahead into the new year, its important to consider the cautionary tale that weve all heard by various experts: Avoid giving pets as holiday gifts. Pet adoption still remains very popular during the holiday season - with many well-meaning people seeking out the perfect kitten or puppy to give to a loved one. Unfortunately, many of these furry four-legged gifts…

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Unfortunately, natural disasters or manmade catastrophes dont come marked on the calendar. As we recently learned with Hurricane Sandy, it is always better to listen to the experts when they tell us to evacuate, and to have a plan in place should disaster strike suddenly. Hurricane Katrina can ultimately be credited with changing the perspective on disaster planning for our animals. Sadly, countless reports of people being forced to abandon their pets to the fury of…

An emergency neednt be large-scale to impact you and your cat. In fact, the odds are higher that the emergency will affect only you and your family. Even a problem that affects only you or other family members can have huge consequences for your cat. Examples would be an owners injury in a car accident with the cat left home alone; an explosion of a chlorine tanker that requires a quick evacuation of your neighborhood…

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, well over 86 million cats currently live in U.S. homes. Two-thirds of them, the organization estimates, are indoor-only feline companions - their owners keep them confined within the home at all times. The remaining one-third are so-called indoor-outdoor cats - they are free to trot in and out of their owners houses as the mood strikes them. …

If your cat has been absent from your home for 24 hours, emphasizes Nicole Cottam, its time to take action. To recover a missing cat, she recommends the following: - Conduct a thorough search for the animal that covers every obscure area - high and low - within 500 feet of your home. Keep in mind that a curious indoor cat who suddenly finds himelf in unfamiliar outdoor surroundings may be terrified and will do everything…

As we all ring in the new year, many people also reminisce about the twelve months weve left behind, and how we could have done things differently. Thats probably when the various resolutions come into play - how life would be so much sweeter if we joined the gym and lost those nagging 15 extra pounds; how a weekly call to our aging parents would alleviate our guilt that we live on the other side…

Concerns about cats and husbands health condition Q We have nine rescue cats ranging from one to nine years old. Five go in and out during the day and all are in at night. I change the litter boxes at an outside sink. Heres my problem: My husband has been placed on the liver transplant list. The estimated time for waiting is two years, but that could change. …

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Indoor cat wants to go outside Q I have a wonderful five-year-old cat who was rescued when she was a kitten. This year, Sophie has decided to drive me crazy by going from one door to the other and meowing constantly. She is not allowed out in my apartment complex. Ive had her for most of her life, and she has never acted like this. I tried walking her on a leash, but the experience was not…

Cats: Vermont Loves Em Cats have had a long, symbiotic relationship with humans - 8,000 years, in fact, according to some historians. Currently, Vermont leads this country in cat ownership with almost 50 percent of households owning at least one, according to recent research by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Im not surprised at all, said Dr. Lynn Martin, veterinarian at the Country Animal Hospital in Bethel, VT. When Im at veterinary conferences, cats are overtaking dogs…

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