CAT OWNERSHIP

It’s often said that the best life for a pet cat is entirely indoors because that will keep her safest. But the new 2024 Position Statement on indoor/outdoor lifestyle from the American Academy of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) makes it clear that the truth is more nuanced.

Grief shared is grief abated.

In recent years, veterinarians have seen an increase in the popularity of pedigree cat breeds with extreme body shapes and features, such as flat faces or folded ears. Though these features may seem endearing or striking to pet owners, many are unaware of the associated health and welfare issues that can result in lifelong suffering. For instance, a very pushed in face (think of a Persian whose face is flatter than usual) can make it difficult for a cat to breathe comfortably, as well as lead to skin and eye problems. Folded ears are associated with a very serious condition known as Scottish Fold Disease, which affects a cat’s joints and makes getting around extremely painful.

If you haven’t yet met a cat named Marshmallow, Pumpkin, or Cinnamon, you will soon. Almost one in every seven cats is given a food-themed moniker, according to a database of more than 50,000 pet names. More cats are given food- or drink-themed names than dogs, in fact.

An estimated one out of every 100 people in the United States has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by sometimes severe and dangerous reactions to ingesting even a microscopic amount of gluten — an ingredient in wheat and many other products. Those afflicted work assiduously to avoid gluten, which is in everything from bread to soy sauce and beer. It’s also in many brands of cat litter.

You acted with the best of intentions, taking in a homeless cat or perhaps just bringing home a second one because you thought the one you already have would enjoy the company. But the hissing won’t stop. And your first cat is so stressed she has begun urinating outside the litterbox. Or she has begun hiding more and is more irritable. Now what?

Q: My sister wants to get a cat, but her young daughter has asthma. Won’t that just make it harder for my niece to breathe?