Month: January 2015

Fear in Cats During Veterinary Visits: Signs & Health Effects

Feline Health| 26 Comments

scared-British-blue-point-cat-hiding-under-the-bed

Did you know that you can actually find the word “scaredy-cat” in the Merriam Webster dictionary? If you have one of those fearful cats, you already know that her fear may be affecting her quality of life. A fearful cat is a stressed cat. Fear or anxiety is more than just an emotional problem for cats. It can also cause many serious physical health problems and aggravate others.Continue Reading

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It’s National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day

Feline Lifestyle| 23 Comments

answer-your-cats-question-day

Cats communicate in many different ways. Their primary means of communication is body language, but they also communicate vocally. It’s up to us as their guardians to learn how to interpret their communications, but no matter how well-trained a human may be in learning to speak feline, sometimes, we all wish our cats could talk. Apparently, somebody felt that this wish for better interspecies understanding deserved a national holiday, because believe it or not, today is National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day.Continue Reading

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What to Expect When Your Cat is Expecting

Feline Health| 1 Comment

cat with kittens 2

Cats can become pregnant as young as four months of age, which is why it’s important to spay female cats before they go into their first heat. Allowing your cat to have a pregnancy because you believe that your cat needs to have the experience of giving birth, or your children need to witness the “miracle of life,” is unacceptable. There may, however, be circumstances when you find yourself caring for a pregnant cat. Perhaps you took in a stray cat, or you are fostering a pregnant cat.Continue Reading

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Oma’s Pride Recalls Purr Complete Feline Poultry Meal

Feline Nutrition| 3 Comments

Omas-Pride-Recall

Note: This article covers a recall that occurred in 2015. For up-to-date information on current pet food recalls, please visit the FDA’s recall website.

In 2015, Oma’s Pride of Avon, CT recalled Purr-Complete Feline Poultry Meal because it had the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Purr-Complete Feline Poultry Meal was distributed nationwide through retail stores, distributors, and directly to consumers. Purr-Complete Feline Poultry Meal is sold frozen. It is packaged in clear 12 oz. (UPC: 8 79384 00017 9) and 2 lb. (UPC: 8 79384 00018 6) plastic packaging under the Oma’s Pride brand as a poultry blend with code #1524. It was manufactured on September 12, 2014 with a use by recommended date of September 12, 2015.Continue Reading

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Age is Not a Disease

Feline Health| 21 Comments

zach 1

Cats are living longer and healthier lives, thanks to improved veterinary care, better nutrition, and the fact that most pet cats are indoor cats. A cat is usually considered a senior between the age of 11 and 14, cats older than that are considered geriatric. Senior cats usually require more care then younger cats, and when problems occur, they can often be more serious or more difficult to deal with.

However, age should not be a reason to not treat an illness.Continue Reading

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New Biomarker Could Provide Early Warning of Kidney Disease

Feline Health| 0 comments

tabby-cat-biomarker-kidney-disease

Chronic Kidney Disease, also known as Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is a common condition in aging cats. It is the result of a gradual decrease in kidney function. Healthy kidneys act like a filter to remove waste products from the body. They regulate electrolytes such as potassium and phosphorous, and they produce erythropoietin which stimulates red blood cell production. Kidneys produce rennin, which contributes toward regulating blood pressure. Kidneys also play a major role in turning vitamin D into its active form, which controls calcium balance in the body.Continue Reading

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Cat Lady Chic by Diane Lovejoy (2023 Review)

Books| 3 Comments

Cat_Lady_Chic

I’m not fond of the term Crazy Cat Lady. It diminishes those of us who love cats for the unique and wonderful creatures that they are by assigning a label that usually has a derogatory connotation, even if it’s used with humorous self-deprecation. I’m not even all that comfortable with the term “cat lady,” because most people immediately add the “crazy” in front of it in their minds. However, the “cat lady” image is changing, with trailblazers such as the stylish Kate Benjamin of Hauspanther leading the way. A new book, Cat Lady Chic, also blows the image of the unfashionable, unkempt, frumpy cat lady out of the water.Continue Reading

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Consumer-Funded Pet Food Testing Reveals Disturbing Results

Feline Nutrition| 24 Comments

Cat not eating food

The Association for Truth in Pet Food (ATPF), an advocacy group established by Susan Thixton, the publisher and founder of The Truth About Pet Food, recently published the results of an unprecedented pet food testing project conducted by U.S. labs late last year. The results reveal serious concerns for pets and for the human families that purchase and handle the pet food.Continue Reading

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Why Cats Thrive on Routine: Cat Behavior Explained!

Feline Health| 38 Comments

a cat waiting for food

Cats are creatures of habit who thrive on routine. Most cats will have a set pattern they follow every day. Cats are territorial animals, so their routines will develop around your schedule and your household routines. While such a routine-driven life may seem boring to humans, it helps cats feel safe and confident. In fact, routines are so important to cats that having them disrupted can even impact their physical health.Continue Reading

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How to Provide Environmental Enrichment to Your Cat: 7 Ideas & Tips

Feline Behavior| 2 Comments

Cat chasing tail on horizontal scratching post

Environmental enrichment is a term that is used by many feline behaviorist, and it’s important that you understand what it means for your cats.

Creating an environment that stimulates your cats’ senses and gives her opportunities to exercise her natural instincts is especially important for indoor cats. Renowned behaviorist Jackson Galaxy, host of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell,” calls environmental enrichment “catification.” Catifying your cat’s environment not only makes her happy, it can also prevent serious behavior problems ranging from scratching and inappropriate elimination to aggression toward other cats in the household.Continue Reading

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Review: The Fur Person by May Sarton

Books| 10 Comments

the-fur-person-may-sarton

It seems only fitting that the first book review of the new year is also one of my all-time favorite cat books. Originally published in 1957, The Fur Person is one of the most endearing cat stories I’ve ever read. Featuring the true adventures of Tom Jones, May Sarton’s own cat, this little book captures the essence of what a cat is all about in the beautiful prose of this gifted and sensitive writer and poet. Continue Reading

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