Cat Health

If your veterinarian were to ask you to take your cat’s temperature at home, would you know what to do?

Just a few weeks ago, a 13-year-old indoor cat in Iowa was diagnosed with swine flu. "Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill," explains Dr. Ann Garvey, a veterinarian with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

There are many causes of unusual discharge from the eyes – nearly every opthamological problem in cats causes the eyes to water, and without a physical examination it is impossible to be specific. Let’s take a look at some of the common causes of watery eyes in cats.

Cats are sneaky creatures, masters at hiding anything from pens to hair clips and illnesses. Numerous reasons are to blame, but one theory involves their genetic makeup.

San Francisco is a self-described "pet-crazy town". It’s impossible to walk down its hilly streets without seeing happy dogs on leashes and cats warming themselves in windows. Cats are so loved in the City by the Bay that this year the organization CATalyst Council named San Francisco one of the "top ten cat-friendly cities in the nation".

What do Easter lilies and antifreeze have in common? These, and many other substances, are all poisonous to felines. "Cats have a very low threshold for toxicity," explains Dr. Trisha Joyce, DVM, of New York City Veterinary Specialists. This uber-sensitivity in cats results from their body producing little of the enzyme that other mammals rely on to break down chemicals, leaving cats generally more vulnerable to toxins.

A cloud of doom cast over the clear spring skies of Georgia five years ago when a fatal cat disease, Cytauxzoonosis – which can lead to severe malnutrition, dehydration and more – swept through the state’s northern region.

When New York City account executive Ingrid Fulmont noticed a small amount of blood in the litter box of her 3-year-old cat, Simon, she rushed him to the veterinarian. "Was he eating and playing normally?" the veterinarian asked. "Was he urinating more often?" Fulmont said she’d noticed more frequent trips to the litter box. She also suspected he might have soiled the rug once or twice, but otherwise, he was his happy, hungry self.

You probably wouldn’t encourage a toddler to smoke, but if you subject your pet to secondhand smoke, you might as well be offering kitty a cigarette. "The correlation is similar to what is seen in children: Smaller lungs have less reserve and are more likely to be affected," says Laura Sullivan, DVM, of Cascade Hospital for Animals, in Grand Rapids, Mich.

It might sound like a page out of a spy novel, but your cat is a master of disguise. Unfortunately, this skill isn’t always in your cat’s best interest. That’s because felines are adept at hiding health issues until illnesses can escalate into serious problems.

This is by no means a list of everything on the planet that’s bad for cats. But it’s a few of the things that should be avoided by themselves or as an ingredient in something else.

Osteoarthrisits is a common problem in older cats, who suffer the same swelling, stiffness and pain in the joints as people do. While conventional treatments such as corticosteriods and anti-inflammatories (such as aspirin) can treat the inflammation and pain, the ideal treatment for arthritis would slow down the progression of the disease and possibly even help to heal the joint.

It is not always easy to detect illness in your cat. You must look for subtle signs that may indicate a potential problem.

Everyone’s been there. Graduation day, prom night, your wedding arrives, you look in the mirror and there it is – acne! But did you know your cat can get acne, too?

Inflammation of the external ear canal, also known as otitis externa, is one of the most common reasons for visits to the veterinarian.

Osteoarthritis is fairly common in older cats, whose joints eventually undergo the same degenerative process that ours do. This painful and progressive condition can result in a range of symptoms, the worst of which is chronic pain.

Cats are like people in some ways, and one of the characteristics we share is an individual difference in activity levels. When all factors are considered (general noise and activity level of the home and family, age and health of the cat, and so on), some cats are simply more active than others.

At heart, cats are still creatures of the wild. As such, they hide their pain, even when it’s a toothache. And as anyone who’s had a toothache knows, dental pain ranks pretty high on the scream-out-loud scale.

It seems like just a short time ago that your best (feline) friend had a veterinary check-up, but today, once again, you’ve spotted that familiar reminder card in the mail. Another veterinary exam already? Here is a checklist of some of the ways you can help ensure your cat’s good health throughout the year:

It’s the subject of far too many jokes, and most cat owners cringe when the vet says tabby will have to take a pill.