CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

It stands to reason that cats who spend all of their time living indoors are far less prone to serious injury than outdoor cats. However, this doesnt mean that an indoor cat is completely out of harms way. Even within their own homes, they can suffer serious injuries, not the least of which are disabling and even fatal burns.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, well over 86 million cats currently live in U.S. homes. Two-thirds of them are considered indoor-only feline companions - their owners keep them confined within the home at all times. The remaining one-third are so-called indoor-outdoor cats - they are free to trot in and out of their owners houses as the mood strikes them.

I remember that there used to be a lot of talk about the dangers of BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin used as preservatives in certain pet foods. Have they been replaced by different ingredients, or are there simply fewer concerns about them now?

Q I have three adopted cats, and we live in the country. They are all indoor cats. Recently, I learned that my neighbor has a bat problem in the attic of her old house. Of course, this got me thinking about the possible risk to my own pets. Can you explain the difference between the yearly rabies vaccination and the one that is given once each three years? …

Q My veterinarian told me that my cat has a heart murmur. Does this mean he will die prematurely from heart disease?
Karen Murphy

A Dear Karen: Your concern is understandable. But some feline heart murmurs don't mean anything dire at all. And while some may be signs of a serious problem, the problem can often be treated, with the cat having many wonderful, comfortable years ahead of him.

If your typically playful cat suddenly becomes lethargic and suffers frequent bouts of sneezing and sniffling, theres a good chance that shes come down with what might be called a bad cold. If thats the case, its quite possible that the cause of her discomfort is infection with the feline calicivirus (FCV), which is diagnosed in an estimated 40 to 50 percent of cats with upper respiratory illness. (Most other occurrences of such disorders in cats…

A recent study relating to feline genes suggests that theyve remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, and that they actually domesticated themselves.

My nine-year-old cat Tommy has arthritis, but he is otherwise healthy. A few months ago, he developed a case of ringworm near the base of his tail. I treated it with a topical medication recommended by my veterinarian, and it went away.

While maintaining her normal (and robust) appetite, your nine-year-old cat Pansy seemed to be getting a bit slimmer during the past month or so. This in itself might not have been a cause for concern.

Although the pancreas is a comparatively small organ, typically weighing only an ounce or so, your cats health relies on its smooth functioning. Indeed, inflammation of this vital organ - a disorder referred to as pancreatitis - can imperil a cats life.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) - a serious illness characterized by the presence of cysts in the kidney and sometimes outright kidney failure - is a genetic disorder found in nearly two out of every five Persian cats (and many Himalayan cats, too). But because the majority of cats are not purebred, and mate randomly, it is also found throughout the general cat population. In other words, any house cat can carry the genetic trait. And its not just PDK making its way into the greater cat population.

For most of us, the spring and summer months usher in long holiday weekends filled with family, friends, barbeque and celebration.