News

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

[Editors note: This article is part of an occasional Catnip series that debunks common misconceptions about cats and explains puzzling feline behaviors.]

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.

Cats purr for many reasons - when feeling contented as well as while under stress.

Mother cats often purr when nursing their kittens and their kittens often purr when nursing, says Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, veterinarian and director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Many also purr when they are afraid or in pain. That helps explain why some cats purr when being examined at a veterinary clinic or when they are recovering from an injury.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

Frustrated by cats litter box avoidance

My indoor neutered male 3-year-old domestic short haired cat was diagnosed with cystitis last October after I found him urinating outside his litter box. He was placed on Clavamox for 10 days and the crystals and blood in urine disappeared. He was fine until recently when he started to urinate again outside the litter box.

There are no other cats in the house. I live alone and have changed nothing in the household routine. My veterinarian is also at a loss for his behavior. Because there were a few crystals showing in his urine recently, she deemed it unnecessary to prescribe antibiotics again. I did ask her to issue the Clavamox again for 10 days. She also prescribed seven doses of prednisolone (5 milligrams.). Her technician suggested replacing the towel under the litter box with a puppy pad, which might work better because it is softer.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

Last fall, we first noticed that our 7-year-old female cats underside/nipple area was bright pink. During her annual examination, our veterinarian mentioned that our cat had licked herself bald there and on hind legs.

This cat is very mellow and laid back. Her only issue seems to be jealously/territorial issues with the other female cat of the house. A friend had suggested allergy testing. Im concerned about the cost of allergy testing. What should we do?

S. Konkel

[From Tufts December 2011 Issue]

Our 10-year-old domestic shorthair Stormy, who has been a loving companion and highly affectionate since we adopted her as a stray when she was 6 months old, recently had a bad cough and was sneezing perpetually. Our veterinarian diagnosed it as a cold. He gave us some antibiotics, which my husband administered faithfully twice a day.

[From Tufts December 2011 Issue]

I have two 9-year-old Tonkinese sisters. One has always had firm stools and the other, in the last year, has had soft stools and diarrhea. They eat only Wellness Core dry food - no treats or people food.

They are strictly inside cats. I tried desperately to introduce them to canned food without success. The cat with the soft stools has a beautiful coat, clear eyes and appears very healthy. My veterinarian cant find anything wrong with her. She does not have worms.

Do you have any suggestions as to what is causing the soft stools? What tests should my veterinarian perform? Should I be worried?
Sue DeMaria

[From Tufts January 2011 Issue]

I have a wonderful 5-year-old cat rescued from Hurricane Katrina 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.

Ive had her for four years and she has never acted like this. I tried walking her on a leash, but the experience was disastrous. She doesnt play with cat toys, so my veterinarian suggested that I adopt a kitten. I hesitate on this, but will wait for your reply. Ive had more than one cat at a time, so I think I know what to expect, but at 80 years old, I have some doubts! My cat is a very high strung, nervous cat; she hides when anyone comes to my house. Any help you can give me will be more than appreciated.

[From Tufts March 2011 Issue]

I need information concerning anal gland issues. Approximately every four months, I need to take my 4-year-old Siamese to the veterinary clinic to have his anal glands expressed.

My concern is how often this is happening, and whether there is anything I can do to be more proactive in his daily care. His current diet consists of dry cat food and a few daily cat treats. He also drinks plenty of water.
Debb

[From Tufts March 2011 Issue]

For the last several years, we have been feeding a feral cat. About six months ago, we were successfully able to trap him and brought him to a veterinary clinic to be neutered and vaccinated. Unfortunately, he tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

Since then, he has become much more mellow, coming when we call him and allowing us to pet him when he is eating. We created an outdoor shelter for him that includes a heated water bowl and heated cat beds. Twice a day, he is fed a quality high-protein diet, and monthly, he receives a topical flea treatment. Separated by a screen door, he interacts nicely with our three indoor cats who are all FIV-negative.

[From Tufts April 2011 Issue]

I have a 14-year-old Snow Leopard Bengal who was neutered at 11 months. He is a third generation and perhaps, has too much of the wild cat in him. He is extremely affectionate, bright and the leader among the pets in the house. There are five other cats, two dogs and a variety of large birds.

Tommy is extremely possessive of me. He has always sprayed occasionally, but lately, he has also sprayed on my kitchen counter and even worse - defecated on top of my stove. My kitchen is an open area and I cannot close it off from the rest of the house.

I do have a homeopathic anxiety and stress medication from my veterinarian. It works sometimes. I also had a complete blood panel performed on Tommy recently and the results indicated that he is healthy.

[From Tufts May 2011 Issue]

I adopted my cat, Flower, about 2 years ago from a shelter. She was there for six months and was 8 years old at the time. She was in good health except for having feline herpesvirus that my veterinarian treated. Flower has been receiving lysine ever since and is doing well.

Since Ive adopted her, Flower has never made any vocal sounds. I find this unusual, since my previous cats were quite vocal. She also spends her entire life upstairs and refuses to come down and socialize with my husband and me. We have no other pets and no children. She is somewhat receptive to me when I go to see her, comb her and give her affection and treats, but her acceptance is limited. After a while, she will get up and walk away, which is my cue to leave.

I would so appreciate if you could let me know if there are any other cats who are not vocal, and do you think she will ever become more social? Her breed is mixed. She is also an indoor-only cat.
Ruth Roschak

[From Tufts May 2011 Issue]

My cat has puffy red inner lids. Her outer lids are pink. I have been using pure saline solution according to a book called The Natural Cat.

Theres not much of a difference after a few days of using this solution. Veterinarians in my community are expensive and sometimes, it can be difficult to schedule an appointment with them. Should I continue with the saline solution or try to get her to be examined by a veterinarian? Is there anything else I could try? How long before there is a noticeable difference?Thank you for any advice you can give me.

[From Tufts May 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.

Poor Mr. P was in some state. Smokey, his neutered male cat, was spraying urine all over his beautiful home. This should not be too hard to figure out, I thought. Would that I knew what was in store.