EVERYDAY CAT CARE

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.

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.

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.

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.

Q: My cat’s breath has become kind of unpleasant in his old age. I’ve been assuming it’s just part of the aging process, but a neighbor said I should get it checked out. I hate to run to the vet for every little this and that. Please settle whether an appointment is necessary.