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[From Tufts July 2011 Issue]

Velvet, my 16-year-old healthy, active British shorthair, is strictly an indoor cat. The last time that her vaccinations were up to date was four years ago, when I adopted her from a shelter. The only time she might come into contact with other cats would be when I take her to the veterinarians clinic this month for her wellness checkup, or in the event that she might slip out the door (seldom) and encounter another cat (never, so far).
What are the recommended vaccinations for indoor cats like Velvet?
Meridee St. Claire

[From Tufts July 2011 Issue]

Can you tell me if there is anything detrimental to feeding canned tuna to a cat? I have heard that there might be health issues.
Kent Creed

Dear Kent: Your question is a good one. There is no harm in feeding canned tuna to a cat as a treat. However, because it is not complete and balanced with all of a cats daily nutrient needs, it should not be fed as a primary diet.

[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 August 2011 Issue]

Editors note: This is the second in an occasional series that spotlights cats treated for various medical conditions at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Michelle Downer was going into labor, but as she left the house, she noticed that her cat, Boots, had vomited. That was a little odd, but she wasnt too concerned. Sometimes, cats throw up for no apparent reason. Downers stay in the hospital lasted three days, and at one point, her father commented that although Boots was eating his treats, he looked a little wobbly.

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

I have a cat who is a purebred Pixie-bob that has a propensity to lick portions of his body until they are devoid of hair. He has no weight loss, a good appetite, no hairballs and no cutaneous infections. He has been neutered and is 8years old.

I do not want to give him medications if possible. Is there something else, like a diet change or an environmental alteration that I could make that would improve his condition? If he went untreated, could he cause significant damage with his incessant licking behavior?

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

Our cat, Jill, needs fluids because she is in kidney failure. Weve been hydrating her for years, and she seems to be responding well. Her kidney values appear fairly stable.

Lately, weve noticed that she throws up almost every time after we give her the fluids. She throws up quite frequently even when not being hydrated, but not with such regularity. Every morning we have been giving her metoclopramide for nausea. Our veterinarian does not understand why Jill throws up after hydration. She suggested giving the metoclopramide in the afternoon, prior to hydration, but this change in the schedule hasnt helped. Any advice you could give us would be greatly appreciated.
Judy and Pedro Hecht

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

My neighbors have two domestic shorthaired cats, ages 10 and 14.I have taken care of them in the past, in their own homes, when my neighbors have gone on vacation.Now my neighbors have both retired and want to travel more, planning to be gone for months at a time, and want to find a new home for their cats.

My 16-year-old cat died in March, so we have agreed to adopt the cats. Do you have any suggestions about easing the transition to a new environment?We have no other pets and no children.I did clean the carpets after my cat died, so hopefully any cat scent will be lessened.The two cats are in good health, even though they are senior cats.

[From Tufts September 2011 Issue]

Whether youre taking your cat to the veterinarian for a routine check-up or for treatment of a chronic health problem, you want to get the most from your visit. To accomplish this goal, owners should begin by considering whats normal for their cat.

A veterinarian will ask about subtle changes in a cats behavior, says John Berg, DVM, a surgical specialist at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Cats can hide their illnesses very well, so owners need to be aware if they start hiding under the furniture, are less interactive with the family or are just less visible around the house as this could indicate a problem.

[From Tufts September 2011 Issue]

I am a new subscriber, and have limited recent experience with cats. I have Grigino (Italian for nice little gray tomcat), a very personable 21-month-old cat whom weve had since he was 2 months old. He has been neutered. Every once in a while, he tries to bite our hands. 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.

[From Tufts September 2011 Issue]

I really hope that you can help us to help our cat. Our veterinarian doesnt know what else to try. My cat licks and bites constantly, and has licked the fur off her abdomen in spots, off all four legs in spots and various other places.

Our veterinarian first administered an allergy injection and it seemed to work. However, she developed a severe reaction after receiving the second allergy shot. We then tried putting her on amitryptiline - placed on the inside of her ear -but that didnt work.

Our veterinarian then placed our cat on a specialty dry food that also did not curb her excessive licking behavior. I feel so sorry for our cat. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. She is 7 years old, and has been doing this for about a year.

[From Tufts October 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, a cat was brought to me who was severely mutilating her tail. The self-directed attacks occurred in bouts in which the cat seemed transformed, possessed, manic and focused on fleeing from or viciously attacking a terrifying enemy-from-behind - her own tail.

The cats owner, Patricia Calida, arrived at my behavior clinic with not only the cat named Katie Kat, but with graphic videotape of her cats destructive behavior. In the video, Katie Kat, a slight in build, grey-and-white cat with a shortened stump of a fluffy tail, sat hunkered down on Calidas kitchen floor growling under her breath. The growling intensified and then Katie Kat sprang up as if stung by a bee, ran wildly around the kitchen, stopping momentarily to glance over her shoulder and eventually laid into her tail as if her life depended on it. The cycle repeated itself a few times culminating only when Katie Kat leapt at the camera lens and the video suddenly went blank.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

Posted in big letters on yellow paper taped to the door leading to my fenced back yard are the words, Zeki Alert!

I need this written declaration to serve as a reminder to myself and as a caution to visitors to be on the alert for Zeki, my quick and determined young Turkish van-mix. Each morning, she out races my two dogs to the patio door in hopes of exploring my backyard untethered.

A few times she has managed to dash out the door, leap over the 6-foot fence and sprint out of sight. I spent hours calling for her and searching in vain. Each time, fortunately, she returned - but on her time schedule. Many of us with indoor cats want to give them safe access to the outdoors but protect them from the dangers of roaming dogs, fast cars, disease-carrying stray cats and other perils.