The Biggest Loser

For many cat companions, having a portly cat is a matter of some pride. After all, in our culture, who doesn’t want to be a “fat cat”? But feline obesity has skyrocketed as it has in humans and the toll is considerable in our kitties: Diabetes, musculoskeletal problems and pain, the inability to groom normally, skin infections, etc.

How Does Your Garden Grow?  Spring/Summer Toxic Plants

Spring brings a number of holidays (Easter, Passover and Mother’s Day) and flowering gifts are often part of the celebration. For those of us who garden, Spring also is the time for getting out in the dirt and planting Summer gardens.

However, many common – and beautiful – plants are deadly to cats. Before you bring floral arrangement into your home, gift a friend with a bouquet, plant a border of day lillies, – or allow your cat to wander through a “green thumb” neighbor’s yard – it’s wise to know which plants to avoid, to keep our kitties safe and healthy.

Feline Hyperthyroidism: When There’s Too Much of a Good Thing

Maybe one of your older cats has seemed to have a “new lease of life.” He or she may be more active – even acting like a kitten – eating well, “chattier” than normal and perhaps losing some of that extra weight. Chances are that your kitty hasn’t found the feline “Fountain of Youth.” You may be living with a cat who has hyperthyroidism, the most common endocrine (glandular) disease of cats over seven years of age in the United States. The thyroid gland is shaped like a bow tie and lies on the trachea (windpipe). Thyroid hormone (thyroxine) helps to regulate many bodily functions, including, the metabolic rate, fat metabolism, the excitability of the heart, gastrointestinal tract motility and muscle function. When thyroxine is in excess, several things can occur: Fat stores decline (and the patient becomes thin), the heart rate increases, the appetite increases and the motility of the gastrointestinal tract speeds up. Without treatment, the typical hyperthyroid cat is a very active, thin kitty with an excellent appetite, a very fast heart rate and often diarrhea or vomiting. Many cat guardians mistakenly think that cats with these signs aren’t ill (in fact, many are thrilled that their once-sedate older friend is now acting like a youngster) and don’t take them to the veterinarian for an examination and labwork. That’s a mistake, as uncontrolled hyperthyroidism can have serious consequences, including high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure.

Life With Your New Adopted Feline

What to Expect After Bringing Home Your Cat or Kitten.

There are lots of wonderful emotions new owners of adopted cats or kittens feel when they bring their new feline friends home. Remember that your new cat has been through multiple stressors in a short amount of time: They have lost their home (or been out on the streets), they have been in a shelter with many new people, animal scents and noises to which to acclimate and they are now in your loving care.

With all these stressors, some cats develop signs of upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Think of this as a “common cold” of cats, with sneezing, eye and nasal discharge and sometimes coughing. It’s important to know that if your new cat comes down with these clinical signs and symptoms, that the shelter hasn’t provided you with a “sick cat.”

Adopt a Cat - Save a Life and Enrich Yours

Choosing the “purr-fect” cat or kitten from your local shelter can be a daunting experience.  However, with a little education and thought, you’ll be able to find that feline who makes your house complete. To help the cat adoption process go smoothly for you, your cat and your household, here are a few questions to ask yourself.

Cough, Cough, Wheeze, Wheeze: Is it a Hairball or Does Your Cat Have Asthma?

Feline asthmatic bronchitis is caused by inflammation of the small airways of the lungs. Environmental pollution (including cigarette smoking, candle and incense burning), pollens, molds and grasses all can trigger asthma in a susceptible cat. Some cats have problems with asthma during the Winter, in climates where forced-air heating is used. Others begin to cough in the Spring, when the windows are opened. Still others are affected year-round.

Coughing is typically the foremost clinical sign of asthma in cats. Unlike dogs and humans, cats rarely cough from heart disease. The astute human guardian may detect wheezing from their asthmatic cat and these kitties tend to have a pronounced breath on expiration. They may be lethargic and either stop eating or drastically reduce their food intake.

Ten Things Your Cat Wants You to Know

“If only they could talk!”  How many of us have made that comment in trying to decipher the wants, needs and behaviors of our well-loved cats?

While a conversation on the news of the day may not be possible between us and the cats who share our lives, it is possible to anticipate and understand your cats’ needs, with empathy and an understanding of cat behavior and nutritional needs.

If our cats could make up a list of things they’d like us to know, it might look something like this:

Keeping Your Indoor Cat Happy, Healthy and Sane.

There’s no doubt that an indoors-only lifestyle is the safest one for our companion cats.  Automobiles, wild animals, malicious humans and infectious diseases are just a few of the dangers that outdoor cats dodge on a daily basis.  And, those same outdoor cats cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of songbirds and baby animals annually as they do “what comes naturally.”

Responsible cat guardians know that for the safety of the cat and the environment, indoors is where it’s at.  However, throughout thousands of years, our domestic cats have developed keen visual hunting skills, rich social relationships and basic feline needs.  Placing our cats in even the most luxurious condo or home can be detrimental to their health if we don’t take it upon ourselves to make their environment enriching and cat-friendly.  The following tips will help keep your kitty happy, healthy and stress-free: