News

[From Tufts January 2010 Issue]

I was lifting up my cat onto his perch, and I felt a fatty-type growth under his fur near his groin. I have felt a similar type of growth in a pet rat of mine. Should I be concerned?

Paige G. Small

[From Tufts January 2010 Issue]

My cat plays rough. I have limited recent experience with cats. I adopted Grigino, my personable 2-year-old cat, when he was 2 months old. Every once in a while he tries to gently bite my hand. When he does this, he will hit at the hand with his paw, probably to control the hand or line it up, before he bites at it. Fortunately, he never bites hard, and almost always retracts his claws. However, he does occasionally draw blood. He is neutered. Should I be concerned and how can I break him of this habit?
Al Cavagnaro

[From Tufts Febuary 2010 Issue]

I have had my two cats since they were just a few days old. They were bottle-fed until they could eat regular food. They are now 1.5 years old. One is obsessed with rubber bands and the other chews any shoe that has a soft sole. Both chew cardboard boxes.

To try to break this habit, my veterinarian suggested giving them dog chew bones and crunchy food. Neither worked. They still chew on inappropriate objects. Do you think this behavior is because they were not properly weaned? Any advice?
Linda Carlen

[From Tufts February 2010 Issue]

Do you know why my overweight cat vomits? She is elderly, but I dont know her exact age. I feed her half of a 3-ounce can of Fancy Feast at night and three-quarters of a cup of a dental-diet dry food during the day.

The vomit looks like it has been digested (like small chewed pieces of dry food in very yellow fluid). Fortunately, she can sometimes go 10 days without an episode. I appreciate any advice you can offer.

[From Tufts February 2010 Issue]

Hobbes, my 5-year-old male, neutered tabby was recently diagnosed with cystitis (a bladder infection). My veterinarian recommended that I feed him canned food, at least for a month.

There are two other cats in my home. Until now, meal time has consisted of keeping a bowl filled with kibble so that the food is always available. How can I get Hobbes and my other cats trained to eat at set times? Or, how can I make sure that Hobbes only eats canned food and does not try to nibble on dry food during the day?

[From Tufts March 2010 Issue]

Today, more than one-third of cats in the United States are overweight, posing many health risks and possibly contributing to shortened lives.

Ongoing research indicates that increasing protein levels and decreasing carbohydrates in feline diets play vital roles in preventing obesity and its related illnesses. One of these leading scientists, Debra Zoran, DVM, associate professor and chief of medicine at Texas A&M Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in College Station, presented her research at the June 2009 conference of The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in Montreal, Canada.

Cats are notoriously finicky eaters, so it might surprise you to learn that stomach upsets are commonplace. But just a few bites of spoiled food or a mild infection can cause stomach distress - known as gastritis - and trigger a trip to the veterinary clinic, according to Mary Labato, DVM, veterinary internal medicine specialist and Clinical Professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

[From Tufts June 2011 Issue]

Inherited Siamese acts demanding
Three years ago, I inherited a then-10-year-old male seal point Siamese. When my sisters husband died, she felt that she could no longer care for the cat due to the fact that he was very close to the cat and she never really cared for him. The cat is an indoor and outdoor cat, and he still has his claws.

When he moved in with me and my mom, he began clawing furniture in the living room, which is something he did not do with my sister and her husband. He also began jumping on the kitchen counter and sniffing around. If food is there, hell knock it on the floor and then jump down and eat it.

[From Tufts June 2011 Issue]

Perplexed by cats protruding tongue
Sometimes my male cat sits around with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. What is the reason for this? I have not noticed my female cats doing it.
Mary Ann Myers

Dear Mary Ann: As a feline practitioner, I have heard many stories and have seen my share of cats who, during the normal course of their day, happen to sit around with their tongue sticking out a little. In most cases, there is nothing to be concerned about. It is simply the cats own personal quirk, and it is actually kind of endearing.

[From Tufts July 2011 Issue]

Summer months bring welcome relief from the cold winter storms, but they can also pose risks that can cause injuries to your cat, cautions Scott Shaw, DVM, a veterinarian certified in emergency and critical care medicine and Assistant Professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

[From Tufts July 2011 Issue]

Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, published an article that listed illnesses that people might contract if they get too close to their cats. Authors Bruno B. Chomel and Ben Sun examined cases of diseases that apparently healthy animals might have passed to their owners while they were all sleeping together in the same bed. The article generated nationwide headlines implying that people were risking their health if they shared their beds with their cats.