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You love your cat and let him get up close even though having him around makes your eyes water, your nose run, or your throat scratchy. You’re not alone. About 10 percent of the U.S. population has a pet allergy, with twice as many people allergic to cats as to dogs, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. With an estimated 47 million cat-owning households in the U.S., that’s a lot of discomfort endured in the name of feline love.

We’ve all seen it—cats rubbing their cheeks or chins along furniture legs or your own face or other part of your body. What’s it about?
It’s called bunting, and it has several possible reasons, all related to the fact that cats have scent glands around their faces—their ears and neck as well as their cheeks and chins. In other words, when a cat engages in bunting, it leaves an odor.

The survival rate for cats in the hospital who stop breathing and undergo CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is very low. Fewer than 20 percent make it out alive. In an effort to improve the odds, researchers participating in an initiative known as RECOVER—Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation—combed through almost 1,400 studies to ascertain which methods work best.

Surgical spaying or neutering is one of the most commonly performed procedures in companion animals. A female’s ovaries (and usually the uterus) are removed or a male’s testicles, and unwanted offspring cease to become a concern. But a new survey suggests that dogs may be more likely to be sent home with pain-relieving drugs once their ovaries or testicles are removed than cats.

Q: We live in an area that has very hard water. Would it be better to give our cats distilled water instead of tap water? Our two felines are 1½-year-old healthy females.
Roberta Mure
Mayville, New York

Q: I’ve noticed that in readying herself to pounce on something, my cat lifts her rump and then wiggles it. What’s that about?
Ivy Zaccheus
Carlisle, Mssachusetts

As a rule, we are against putting your cat in a costume to mark a holiday. She has no idea what a holiday signifies. And she may be so unnerved by being put in fabric that she will freeze in place, not knowing how to move about. That said, some mellow cats don’t mind having clothing on them. Although they don’t get it, you can dress up your pet for a photo op without upsetting them.

Your 14-year- old cat has a large, benign tumor in one of her toes that is causing her pain and interfering with her mobility. Do you schedule a surgery to excise the tumor? Forgo the surgery and let the tumor keep enlarging until she is in so much discomfort that you finally euthanize her? Or wait and see?

If your cat is hissing or her tail is swishing as she goes to bite you, you can safely assume she is not trying to shower you with affection. But what about those moments in which you are gently stroking her coat and she is enjoying the attention but then begins biting you in a way that seems calm, almost casual? She’s not breaking the skin, but it can still prove painful. Why does she do that? Here are a couple of possible reasons:

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• Morsels
• No, a Cat’s FIV is not Like a Person’s HIV
• Your Cat’s Instinct to Scratch Versus Your Belongings
• Who Will Your Kitten Become?
• Why Is There Always Cat Litter—and Sometimes Cat Waste—Next to the Box?
• In Your Cat’s Future: A Change in Diet
• Dear Doctor

Flea- and tick-borne diseases are on the rise throughout the country, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council. And they are causing more cases of Lyme disease and other serious illnesses, not just in us but also in our pets. “That includes cats who never go outside,” says Tufts Veterinary dermatologist Ramón Almela, DVM. “When you or your dog comes in from outdoors, they can jump off and grab a ride on your feline friend.”

Is your cat one of those whose tongue protrudes when he’s just sitting around? Ever wonder why he does it?