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From a cat lover’s point of view, the only good thing about the movie Argylle released a few months ago is that it has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 34%. Even just the trailer for the film shows a cat being picked up by the scruff of its neck and thrown from a building. The scene was created with digital animation, but still, it never gets funny. The cat is also carried around in a backpack, which can leave a feline scared, cramped, and without adequate ventilation.

This year in particular, it seems, emotions are running high about political events here in the U.S. as well as about conflicts in other regions of the globe. And sometimes those emotions spill over into discourse that might not be relevant or appropriate to a particular setting.

Some people don’t use recreational drugs, including alcohol, because such substances can become addictive and impair judgment that leads to harmful behavior. And they apply that reasoning when deciding not to expose their cat to catnip.

Many veterinarians, in a nod to making cats as comfortable as possible during wellness exams, do not routinely check feline blood pressure. But high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can signal an increased risk for serious medical conditions. These include kidney disease, heart disease, eye problems, and stress on the brain, as well.

Research has revealed that cat caregivers emphasize the need for empathy when it comes to their pets more so than caregivers of dogs. This is so much the case that those with cats tend to use the pronoun “we” when talking to the veterinarian about their pet’s health. Those who have dogs, on the other hand, use the pronoun “I.”

Adult cats do not generally meow to each other. Cat-to-cat meows are reserved for kittens who want to say something to their mothers. For instance, they use “talking” to let their mothers know they’re cold or hungry.

Imagine having to avoid tripping over your cat because she’s frequently making tiny figure-8s around and between your legs. Or not being able to watch television in a relaxed manner because when you go to sit down, your feline pet drapes herself across your neck. Or, if you’ve closed a door for some privacy, she claws at it, perhaps even whin-
ing piteously.

Q: In a recent issue you talked about why cats love tuna but left out the most important thing, which is that tuna generally has high concentrations of mercury and that mercury is poison. Why would anyone who loves their cat knowingly feed them poison? You should print a follow-up article that makes people aware of the danger in feeding tuna to their pets.

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• Raw Meat Diets for Cats?
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• Critical Cat Cancer Warning Signs
• Dear Doctor

As the weather warms, ticks flourish. And any cat who has access to the outdoors, perhaps because he uses a catio or because you walk him, can be bitten by one. It needs to be removed, as ticks can transmit disease to your pet. Even cats who get tick preventatives should have any ticks removed.

Michael H. Jaffe, DVM, service chief of small animal surgery at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, relates the story of the cat owner who told him that their cat “finally learned” not to jump on the kitchen table after 10 years. Dr. Jaffe wasn’t convinced. “If the cat could get up on the table, she would,” he says. “I thought the change in the cat’s behavior was a possible sign of arthritis pain.”

Sales of raw pet food have been increasing annually in recent years. In fact, based on surveys conducted in English-speaking countries, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of cats today are fed at least some raw meat, up from just a small fraction in 2008.