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...
Bad breath…Thanksgiving no-no’s…To bleach or not to bleach the litter box
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...
Nail Trimming: Not Just For Your Furniture But For Your Cat’s Safety
Because a lot of cats don’t like to be handled, a lot of people skip nail trimming, assuming the scratching post will take care...
Why has she stopped grooming?
Q: My cat used to be incredibly fastidious, licking herself until her coat gleamed. But that has dropped off precipitously, and we can’t figure...
Turn Down the Television! And Other Ways to Keep Your Cat Happier
Sounds, scents, sights — all of these are much different for a cat than a person because they hear, smell, and see things very...
Avoid Whisker Fatigue!
Does your cat appear stressed and uncomfortable during mealtime? Does she pace back and forth in front of her food bowl or paw at...
Bored Cat? Scatter the Feline Doldrums with Agility Training
Whoever said that getting people to do what you want can be like herding cats never herded one. Cats in fact do like to...
Keeping Cats from Reproducing Without Having to Spay Them
There are an estimated 600 million cats in the world, and almost 500 million of them are free-roaming. Up to 100 million homeless cats...
The Best Colors for Your Cat’s Toys
If it’s all the same to you, choose blue and yellow toys for your cats. Those are the colors that stand out to them....
When It’s Okay to Use an Automatic Feeder to Give Your Cat Her Meals...
Pop quiz (a tale of two feeding scenarios):
You sometimes have to be away from home more hours than usual — perhaps even...
With Summer Comes Territorial Urine Marking
There are four main reasons cats will urinate outside the litterbox. The first is litterbox aversion, meaning that a cat finds her “toilet” unacceptable....
Regurgitation versus vomiting
Q: When a cat regurgitates, is that the same thing as vomiting? I often see the two terms used interchangeably.
Patsy Van der Meer
Huntsville, Alabama
Dear Ms....
