EVERYDAY CAT CARE

Its hard to believe that the dog days of summer are well behind us, and that we have our feet firmly planted in the Fall season once again. Theres something about the cool night-time temperatures and the gradual preparation for winter here in the Northeast that always brings a cozy feeling into my heart.

A home-cooked diet for your pet sounds great, and it certainly appeals to the emotions, says Cailin Heinze, MS, VMD, DACVN. But realistically, the vast majority of these diets I see cats being fed are not nutritionally balanced because just using whole foods that are typically consumed by humans is usually not enough to balance a cats diet.

Until a few months ago, your eight-year-old cat Dotty has always been a healthy girl with a robust appetite, good eating habits and an apparently healthy digestive system. Moreover, Dotty has never ventured beyond the confines of your home, so her exposure to any disease that might be carried by other cats in the neighborhood has been virtually nonexistent.

It stands to reason that cats who spend all of their time living indoors are far less prone to serious injury than outdoor cats. However, this doesnt mean that an indoor cat is completely out of harms way. Even within their own homes, they can suffer serious injuries, not the least of which are disabling and even fatal burns.

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 are considered 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.

I remember that there used to be a lot of talk about the dangers of BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin used as preservatives in certain pet foods. Have they been replaced by different ingredients, or are there simply fewer concerns about them now?

As a feline veterinarian and enthusiastic traveler, I try to combine my two passions -cats and travel - whenever possible. I succeeded in the Netherlands when I visited the Poezenboot, a floating cat shelter docked on Amsterdams Singel canal. My luck continued in Burma, where I visited a Burmese Cat Sanctuary on Inle Lake. And fortune struck again recently in Puerto Rico, as I came upon Save A Gato, a volunteer organization run by a dedicated group of cat lovers that cares for the abundant feral cats of Old San Juan.

Q I have a 12-year-old Blue point Siamese neutered male. After lots of experience and observation, I do believe that he is left-handed. Do cats - like people - usually have a dominant hand (paw)?

Both his breeder and first owner are left-handed people. Did he learn by observing?
Stephen Claeys

A Dear Stephen: Most cats, like people, exhibit handedness: showing preference for using one paw over the other. …

My nine-year-old cat Tommy has arthritis, but he is otherwise healthy. A few months ago, he developed a case of ringworm near the base of his tail. I treated it with a topical medication recommended by my veterinarian, and it went away.

I have a wonderful five-year-old cat that I rescued from the streets when she was a kitten. This year, she 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 and has not really given me much trouble - until now.

The primary purpose of the microchip is to reunite lost pets with their owners. Whether your cat is missing for just a few hours or has survived an incredible journey covering significant distance and time, the reunion of a lost pet with her grateful owner brings overwhelming relief.

Youre a warm-hearted person with a special fondness for cats, especially the young tabby who has been showing up at your back door for the past few weeks looking for the free meal that you never fail to provide. The thought has occurred to you that you might invite him in to become a permanent member of your family, rather than letting him continue to lead his perilous life outdoors.