EVERYDAY CAT CARE

Five Feline Fixes on the Cheap

We all know that just about any cat appreciates a tight fit in a cardboard box lined with tissue paper or a soft towel. But there are a number of other free or near-free accouterments you can give to your pet that will brighten her day. Here are five of them.

If You Absolutely Don’t Have Room for a Second Litter Box

The rule of thumb for the number of litter boxes you should have is the number of cats in your home plus one. You’ll truly have a happier cat if you follow that advice. No cat enjoys using a dirty “toilet.” But what if you live in a small apartment or have a larger space but truly have no room for a second litter box?

Holiday Dangers Awaiting Your Cat That You Haven’t Thought Of

You know how cats like to knock things off counters and table edges? It’s for that reason that you should never place a holiday snow globe where your cat can get at it. If in her curiosity she keeps batting at the glass globe filled with snow-covered pine trees or Santa in his sleigh, it could fall and break — and she could end up licking the spilled liquid and becoming gravely ill. That’s because some snow globes contain ethylene glycol, the same odorless but sweet-tasting chemical that’s in antifreeze. It doesn’t take a lot to prove fatal.

But Does Your Cat Actually Need a Bath?

Contrary to popular belief, there are cats who may actually enjoy being bathed occasionally, says Tufts veterinary dermatologist Ramón Almela, DVM. They like the water if it is applied soothingly. And they like the attention.

How the Cat Nose Knows

It turns out that cats have a much better sense of smell than we do, and not just because they have 40 times more odor sensors in their noses. It’s also about how air makes its way through the feline nose. Scientists have just figured out that when a cat breathes in, the air gets separated into two different flow streams.

4 Ways to Act Proactively for Your Cat

There are a number of negative things many cats experience but that yours doesn’t have to if you head them off at the pass. Here are four ways to keep a problem from ever happening — or at least to keep it from getting worse.

Cat drools while purring

Q: I have had more than one cat that drools while being petted, particularly when the petting gets them purring. What’s that about? Is it something I should be concerned about?

Why You Absolutely Can’t Take 
a Cat Scratch or Bite Casually

A recent report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases describes the case of a healthy middled-aged man who went to a hospital emergency department because both of his hands swelled so much that it was painful. He had been bitten several times by a feral cat, sustaining puncture wounds and scrapes.

6 Things That Don’t Go Together With Cats

You already know to keep the doors of the washing machine and dryer closed unless you are putting in or taking out clothes. Cats have gone in and died when people, unaware, have turned on those appliances while their pets were snuggling inside. (For the same reason, litter boxes should not be kept in the laundry room. It’s better to keep your cat away from temptation.) But there are other household items that pose dangers for cats, too. Here’s a rundown.

Integrative Geriatrics For Your Senior Cat?

Dr. Narda Robinson, a Colorado-based physician, points out that some doctors who treat elderly people now offer a type of medical care called integrative geriatrics. It means they rely on drugs and procedures such as operations when they need to but, as much as possible, make use of non-pharmacologic, low-cost, high-touch methods to treat their patients. Think: acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, and the like.

Losing Excess Weight Does Much More Than Make a Cat Healthier

Sure, if your cat is overweight (and as many as six in 10 cats are), you want her to be able to take off excess pounds in order to become healthier and live longer. Extra weight in cats is associated with such conditions as insulin resistance (which can lead to diabetes), urinary tract disease, and liver problems. And those conditions are expensive. People with cats who weigh more than they should spend 36 percent more on diagnostic procedures than people with healthy-weight felines. Now, a new study also shows that losing excess weight doesn’t only increase longevity while saving money. It also improves a cat’s quality of life.

Deciding How to Take a Cat’s Temperature

The three most dreaded words for many a cat owner are “Take her temperature.” The startled, angry reaction of a cat having a thermometer pushed into her behind — or even placed in her ear — is not something people look forward to.