CAT OWNERSHIP

My stepfather is a retired thoracic surgeon. Like clockwork, he meets quite a few strangers at parties each year who - upon hearing his profession - ask him countless questions about their health concerns, or a procedure they once had or are about to have.

When Susan Lockmeyer and her husband Tom divorced, the couple arrived at a split decision regarding their four cats. We each had our favorites, explained Susan. She kept two of them, and her husband moved out with the other two.

August 2014 - Full Issue PDF

The phenomenon of purring has fascinated people for ages. Veterinarians and animal behaviorists agree on why cats purr, but the mechanics of purring and whether purring triggers self-healing continues to stir debate.

For the past few months, Ive been preparing to sell my house in the Finger Lakes region of New York to move closer to my family and childhood friends who live in New York City and Long Island.

As a cats-only practitioner at a busy New York City veterinary hospital, I look forward to the summer, when I can take a much-needed break and go on vacation. Having visited most of the European countries as well as a few in Asia and South America, I decided to expand my horizons to a new continent: Africa.

Living with cats absolutely guarantees that you will occasionally have pet-produced stains on your upholstery and carpet, and unpleasant odors where you dont want unpleasant odors to be.

Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - Feline acne; Why is my cat so aggressive?; A question about vaccinations

A team of researchers at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State University has launched an ambitious effort to analyze the secret lives of outdoor cats with the help of tiny satellite tracking harnesses, a 3-D printer and daily feces analysis. This could eventually include miniature cat-mounted video cameras to detail behavior of outdoor cats.

It isnt unusual for cat owners to spend more than $1,500 per year per cat. If that sounds daunting, there may be some easy adjustments you can make - like avoiding gourmet foods, fancy collars, pricey toys and designer cat furniture. But many costs are essential to keeping cats healthy.

Before you spend money on pricey, commercial cat toys, take a quick look around your house. Many common household items can double as cat toys, including paper bags, cardboard boxes, cardboard toilet paper rolls, drinking straws and bottle caps.

A cat who disappears whenever guests come over; Can cats show jealousy; Care for a deaf cat