Raphaël Vavasseur’s unique cat paintings captured my attention on Facebook several years ago, and I had the good fortune to be able to interview him in 2014. He vanished from social media for a few years, but he’s back, and his beautiful paintings are now available on Etsy as affordable prints.Continue Reading
Every cat parent I know worries when a cat has to go under anesthesia, including me. Even though I’ve assisted with all sorts of anesthetic procedures and surgeries in my years working in veterinary clinics, and even though I understand how it all works and what constitutes safe anesthetic practice, it still doesn’t completely take the worry out of it. But did you know that there is something you can do at home that will not only make the trip to the vet clinic less stressful, but will also make anesthesia safer?Continue Reading
I love fresh air, and so does Allegra, and we both love having the breeze come in through the open screened windows. Unfortunately, window screens can be an invitation for disaster if they’re not secure enough to prevent your indoor cat from getting out. Even worse, if you live on a higher floor, falls through screens can cause serious injury and even death.Continue Reading
Having been the beneficiary of the profound changes cats can bring into our lives for a good part of my own life, I always enjoy memoirs about life changing cats. In The Cat with Three Passports: What a Japanese cat taught me about an old culture and new beginning, CJ Fentiman shares the story of how Gershwin, a bedraggled silver tabby she rescues from the streets, not only changed her travel plans, but changed her life in ways she never expected.Continue Reading
Only about 50% of cats are affected by catnip, and not all cats react the same. For those that do respond, reactions will vary based on the strength and quality of the product. Cats will typically roll around in it, jump and run around, rub their faces in it, drool, and purr. Typically, a catnip “high” last about ten or fifteen minutes. Once the energy dissipates, most cats will be very relaxed and ready for a nap.Continue Reading
It is estimated that 50-90% of all adult cats have dental health problems, with periodontal disease being the number one culprit. The good news is that most dental conditions are preventable and treatable, if caught early.
The only way dental disease can be diagnosed definitively is via a thorough oral exam by your cat’s veterinarian. By the time your cat shows typical warning signs, dental disease may already be in its advanced stages.Continue Reading
Welcome to our regular “Ask the Cat Doc With Dr. Lynn Bahr” segment! Once a month, Dr. Bahr answers as many of your questions as she can, and you can leave new questions for her in a comment.
Dr. Bahr graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. Unlike most veterinarians, she did not grow up knowing that she would become a veterinarian. “It was a cat who got me interested in the practice and I am forever grateful to him,” said Dr. Bahr. Over the course of her veterinary career, Dr. Bahr found that the lifestyle of cats has changed dramatically. As the lifestyle of cats has changed, so did Dr. Bahr’s client education. In addition to finding medical solutions, she also encourages owners to enrich their home environments so that their cats can live long, happy, and healthy lives.Continue Reading
When I received a review copy of Penny: A Graphic Memoir, a wonderful book about a tortie with a colorful imagination, I just had to learn more about the real Penny. Her human, Karl Stevens, is a graphic novelist and painter whose comics have appeared regularly in the New Yorker, Village Voice (where Penny initially premiered as a series), and Boston Phoenix, was kind enough to answer a few question for me.Continue Reading
Grocery and pet store shelves abound with a dizzying array of dry cat food. For decades, kibble has been the preferred choice for most cat owners. After all, the bags say it’s “complete and balanced,” it’s easy to feed, and most cats seem to like it. Unfortunately, dry cat food, even the high-priced premium and veterinary brands, is the equivalent of junk food for cats. Feeding dry food to cats is no different than feeding sugared cereals to kids.Continue Reading