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Things That Don’t Go Together: Your Cat and Narrow Spaces

It can be hard to find room in the house for all your cat’s stuff: scratching post, food and water bowls, toys, bed, litter boxes. Many people relegate many or all of those resources to a back hallway, a staircase landing, or a mudroom off the kitchen. It’s understandable. It keeps the items close by yet more or less out of sight. But from your cat’s point of view, narrow areas like that make unnerving choices.

Should Your Cat Be an Indoor Pet or Indoor/Outdoor?

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.

Veterinary Chaplaincy Edges Towards the Mainstream

Grief shared is grief abated.

Avoiding Extreme Conformation in Your Bred Cat

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.

How Delicious Is Your Cat?

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.

Sticking to a Routine is Critical for a Cat’s Health

People often think of dogs as the pets who require a schedule, probably because they need to be walked several times a day. Their...

But is Your Cat’s Litter Safe for You?

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.

Before You Take in Another Cat…

You acted with the best of intentions, taking in a homeless cat or perhaps just bringing home a second one because you thought the...

Can a child with asthma live with a cat?

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...

When a Cat Dies Suddenly for an Unknown Reason, Should You Request a Necropsy?

Most often, people with cats have to make a decision about euthanasia when a disease overtakes the animal’s health to the point that his...

For That Last Good-Bye

More and more people are opting for euthanasia at home. It could cost about $100 more than at the veterinarian’s office, but it allows...

Fact or Erroneous Perception: Blacks Cats Are More Likely to End Up Euthanized

“A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” — Groucho Marx In Japan a single woman with a black cat is...