Once upon a time cats weren’t fat. This statement is true for nearly 100 percent of kittens the day they were born. After that, what we feed them or provide as treats influences how fat they get. Educating cat owners on how much to feed and treat management is needed to keep cats lithe and healthy. Probably 50 percent of cats seen at veterinary clinics these days are … [Read more...]
Teach cats to wear a harness
Cat owners may enjoy their cats more when they can take them safely outside. Habituating a cat to a harness and then to a harness-plus-leash takes time and needs to follow specific steps says Nicole Ellis. Source: Catster, April 17, 2021. Link. Also see: Choosing a harness for a cat, Tufts Catnip, April 21, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 20, 2021
Last week’s top post Why constant learners all embrace the 5-hour rule Source: Animal Health Digest, May 11, 2021. Link. University of Minnesota researchers develop novel, field-deployable test for CWD Source: University of Minnesota, April 19, 2021. Link. The team is striving for a test that could be set-up at individual stations … [Read more...]
Why cats and dogs lick you
Getting licked is not always pleasant for owners. Two articles shed light on this common behavior which, for the most part, is an indication the owner is liked. Source: Catster, February 1, 2021. Link. When your cats lick you, it can be a compliment, a sign of stress or more says JaneA Kelly. She indicates anxiety, social bonding and trust are some of the reasons cats lick … [Read more...]
Changing feline eating habits can be good
Donna Raditic DVM, DACVN, CVA challenges traditional feeding habits and suggests encouraging diet variety for cats. She outlines rationales and benefits with catvocate Steve Dale. Source: Catster, March 31, 2021. Link. Think about what cats do in the wild. It makes sense to offer a cat two or three diets, each with different textures, tastes and smells (unless the cat is … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 25, 2021
Women in beef production (slideshow) Source: BEEF, March 22, 2021. Link. According to the most recent Agriculture Census, more than 230,000 farms or ranches across America have a woman at the helm. Veterinary Inventory Strategy Network Platinum Group enrollment now open Source: VISN. Link. Enrollment to the Platinum Group ends … [Read more...]
Feeding cats. Enough or too much?
Regardless of how long they’ve owned them, cat owners often wonder if they are feeding their cats enough or too much. They also inquire about what brand to feed, wet versus dry feed and when to feed it. The Catster editors answer these questions in the article below. Source: Catster, March 18, 2021. Link. Also see: Optimal nutrition calculators for cats and dogs, Animal … [Read more...]
All cats need exercise, some get lonely
Two articles share information on cat health from ongoing wellness research on domesticated felines. Source: Catster, February 17, 2021. Link. Keeping cats indoors is safer than letting them roam. So, it’s up to cat owners to make their home as stimulating as possible for their cat and to encourage it to exercise. Source: Catster, February 16, 2021. Link. Outside of … [Read more...]
Hunting for food helps increase activity for cats
A simple way to increase the amount of activity in a cat’s day is to stop feeding it in a bowl and allow it to hunt for their meals, writes Sassafras Lowrey. This turns mealtime into an interactive game adding enrichment to the cat’s day. She shares some methods for implementing this approach. Source: Catster, February 19, 2021. Link. Lowrey says to monitor each cat as they … [Read more...]
Feral cat colonies, catnip and cat training
We found three articles of interest involving cats. The discussion of feral cat colonies while dated may prompt some thinking. While the catnip and training articles are worthy of sharing with cat owners on social media or in newsletters. Take a look . . .then you can decide. Source: How to care for a feral cat colony, Animal Wellness, July 2013. Link. Source: What Does … [Read more...]
Kitty’s worst day ever!
Personal experience Sassafras Lowrey shares fire safety and carbon monoxide reminders in the article below. Her article linked reminded me of an incident long-ago. My grandfather always had two or three cats that lived in and around his shop. The only heat for the shop was a Warm Morning wood stove near the steps to the upstairs loft. The stairs were open on one side … [Read more...]
Don’t scruff that cat and other things cat owners will appreciate
The articles gathered for this post are resources to help educate cat owners. Simple information can often improve the quality of life for a cat and its owners. The articles begin with a reminder that scruffing a cat is NOT a proper feline-handling skill. Source: Scruffing a cat is not the right way to restrain a kitty, Catster, August 3, 2020. Link. Scruffing can be … [Read more...]
Help cat owners recognize an emergency
Cats don’t come with warning labels, and a person who doesn’t know the symptoms can’t be expected to recognize them” – Eric Barchas, DVM Barchas begins with a tip about what healthy gums look like and then shares a list of more common and serious cat emergencies that includes: Difficulty breathing Sudden paralysis of the hind end Known (or likely) ingestion of … [Read more...]
For cat owners
Cat owners are passionate about all things cat. The number of media items on a monthly basis aimed at cat enthusiasts can be intimidating. It is always fascinating to curate some of these articles that interest animal health pros, including those suitable for sharing in client communications. We assembled a selection you can easily use. Source: Why do cats purr? Animal … [Read more...]
Groomers sound off on skin care
Whether dog or cat, groomers are often the first to discover skin issues. We assembled articles published by GroomertoGroomer to provide perspective on groomers’ involvement in skin care. Source: Stepping up skin care in the salon, Groomer to Groomer, March 2020, page 34. Link. Source: Feline skin issues? Take a bubble bath! Groomer to Groomer, March 2020, page 46. … [Read more...]
Articles to help cat owners
Cat owners can be as curious as their cats. Many religiously participate in feline social media groups and share their experiences peer to peer. B-to-C publications also provide perspective on feline health, owner issues and wellness solutions, although the cover-to-cover reading habits for which cat owners are known has not drastically changed their habits with wellness … [Read more...]
Don’t flush cat poop!
Cat poop is implicated for causing fatal toxoplasmosis in wild southern sea otters, according to a recent study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B < link >. The Toxoplasma agents spread to the ocean from cat feces to land. Toxoplasma oocysts (eggs) accrue in kelp beds, where they are eaten by snails. Otters then eat the snails. Source: Catster, June 10, … [Read more...]
Cat toys, catnip, cat eyes and moving with a cat
We continue to review articles targeted to animal owners. This helps ensure animal health pros know what various publications are telling animal owners and also to provide solid information to use in communications and social media. This selection of cat articles is worth your review. Source: Cat toys: How to keep them clean, when to throw them out, Catster, March 23, … [Read more...]
Help cat owners take care of their cats
There’s little doubt one of the big lessons of this pandemic has been the need to communicate more frequently with animal owners. Research has indicated this for some time. The rapid development of virtual care offerings underscores the importance of routine communication and interaction with pet owners. We collected articles below to share with cat owners on social media … [Read more...]
6 Reasons for Hair Loss in Cats
With few exceptions, alopecia is a symptom of a disease or condition in cats. Kellie B. Gormly talked with veterinarians and shares common reasons cats lose their hair. Cat owners will appreciate information like this during the social distancing period. Share it on social media and in newsletters. Source: Catster, March 3, 2020. Link. Common reasons for hair loss in cats … [Read more...]
March is Pet Poison Prevention Month
Beyond chocolate, a variety of substances, foods and plants are toxic to pets. It is important to reinforce the potential poison risks to pet owners throughout the year. Pet Poison Prevention Month also parallels the upcoming Poison Prevention Week <link> that takes place March 15 – 21. Source: Chocolate isn’t the only potentially fatal toxin for pets, Lifelearn, … [Read more...]
Do cats get lonely? It depends
Multi-pet households can have challenges between pets. When it comes to cats, Kellie Gormly says among the factors to consider are personality and age. Domestic cats are solitary when it comes to hunting and eating. Outside of mealtime, though, most cats have social needs. Source: Catster, December 8, 2020. Link. Feline territorial nature doesn’t typically kick in until … [Read more...]
Tales of the cat tail
Ellyce Rothrock helps interpret the meaning of cat tail movements. A cat’s ears, eyes, body posture and especially her tail, express exactly what she’s thinking and how she’s feeling, she says. You just have to “listen” to cat tail language. Source: Catster, October 21, 2019. Link Learning cat tail language is like learning any foreign language: It takes time.” Also see: … [Read more...]
Orange tabby cats: fun facts
All orange cats are tabbies, but not all tabbies are orange. Denise LeBeau shares why tabbies are 80 percent male, what the “M” marking is for and their loud personality among other facts. Source: Catster, January 15, 2020. Link. Morris and Garfield are just a few of the iconic orange tabby cats that are part of our culture’s collective cat consciousness. Beyond the bright … [Read more...]
5 reasons cats act weird
Angela Lutz shares reasons for sudden changes and weird behaviors cats display. Cat owners will value this list. Share it on social media, in newsletters or as problem-solving reference material. A cat acting weird: might signal depression could be caused by stress might be threatened because of an illness may mean the cat doesn’t like a person Source: … [Read more...]
Cat snoring: normal or not?
Eric Barchas, DVM, offers simple guidelines for determining whether a cat’s snoring is a medical problem or not. The most basic and common health issue that leads to cat snoring is being overweight or obese. Source: Catster, September 27, 2019. Link. Cat snoring that becomes progressively louder or is linked to other symptoms such as sneezing, coughing or changes in appetite … [Read more...]
When the fur flies and how to stop cat fights
Cat fights are natural feline behavior. The key to stopping them lies in understanding why they are fighting in the first place. The author shares common causes for cat fights and how to address them: Hormones New cat smell Jealousy Territorial Proximity caging and positive behavior rewards Source: Catster, September 19, 2019. Link. Never reach in and try … [Read more...]
Answers to questions about cats scratching
Andrea Y. Tu, DVM, discusses the what, when, how and why of cat scratching. In many households, she shares, people don’t understand that scratching is natural behavior that needs to occur. She discusses carpets, scratching post orientation and texture so the cat finds an outlet and something to scratch. Source: Catster, June 13, 2019. Link. Scratching is a behavior cats … [Read more...]
4 summer dangers for cats
We all like to get outside during summer. Erica Dermer explains that cat owners often like to include their cats without thinking about common outdoor dangers. Summer danger lurks around every corner, from UV rays to heatstroke to reptiles and insects that bite and sting, along with other animals carrying parasites. This is a good article to reference in social media, blogs, … [Read more...]
Cats are obligate carnivores
In this age of fake meat and vegetable obsessions, animal owners are selecting pet foods that reflect their own preferences. While some of this choice dynamic is clearly beneficial for food quality assurances, cats are an anomaly when it comes to animal protein. Domestic cats are true obligate carnivores who must eat meat in order to receive certain vital compounds for their … [Read more...]