Feline Health

Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome: The Sad Truths

Feline Health| 13 Comments

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Written by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD

If you start your day wondering where your car keys are, think how your cat feels when they can’t find their favorite toy anymore? Humans with cognitive decline, be it Alzheimer’s disease or any number of Lewy Body dementia diseases, have resources such as memory care facilities to aid families in care-giving. Cats with symptomatic cognitive dysfunction syndrome (fCDS) are sadly considered disposable.Continue Reading

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The Feline Grimace Scale: New Tool To Evaluate Pain in Cats

Feline Health| 8 Comments

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Cats are masters at masking pain. Their ability to hide pain goes back to their wild origins. In the wild, a sick animal becomes prey. While acute pain may be more obvious, chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis can be challenging to discern for even the most dedicated cat parent. Even veterinarians often overlook signs of feline pain.Continue Reading

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Interview with Dr. Elizabeth Colleran: How to Recognize and Treat Feline Arthritis

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This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health

Arthritis, a condition that affects as many as 1 in 3 adults, also affects cats. Feline arthritis is a degenerative joint disease. The cartilage within the joint is worn down, leading to inflammation, pain and decreased quality of life. As the condition progresses, the friction can wear down to the point where it damages the bones themselves. This kind of arthritis is most common and causes the most pain in the weight-bearing joints like the shoulders, hips, elbows, knees, and ankles.Continue Reading

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Bacteria 101: Meet the Microbes Living In and On Your Cat

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This post contains affiliate links*

We tend to think of bacteria is “bad.” After all, some bacteria can make cats and humans sick. But there’s so much more to bacteria, and many of them are not just beneficial, but critical to your cat’s health.

Bacteria are microscopic creatures invisible to the human eye. They’re everywhere: in the air, soil, and water, inside yours and your cat’s body, and on your skin and your cat’s fur. Continue Reading

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A Report from the Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on FIP, Part Three: New Research, Products, and Community Action

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A Report from the Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on FIP, Part Two: The Cats and Their Humans Who Fight This Battle

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Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD

This is the second installment in a three part series reporting from the 2019 Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on FIP. Click here to read Part One: The Viral Menace.

Some of the world’s deadliest pandemics are the result of viral infections. Polio was conquered by a vaccine in 1955. HIV infections are now treatable thanks to antiviral cocktails. FIP can now be considered treatable, using novel antiviral therapies presented at the Winn Feline Foundation FIP Symposium. With the facts clearly laid out in Dr. Niels Pedersen’s presentation, there is a very effective drug to use on FIP-infected cats. Unfortunately, the commercialization has been waylaid.Continue Reading

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A Report from the Winn Feline Foundation Symposium on FIP, Part One: The Viral Menace

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Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD

Sometimes it’s hard to know which part of me should come out first, the observant and curious scientist, or the deeply passionate cat lover. I registered for the Winn Feline Foundation FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) Symposium based on the opportunity to dive more deeply into the feline medicine scientific world. I never experienced FIP in my cats or had an understanding of feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) or the mutated FIP culprit. I was unprepared to understand the depth of passion surrounding this disease, and the lengths scientists and owners have gone to achieve the breakthroughs in treatment and prevention presented in this two-day symposium.Continue Reading

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Reduce Stress for Your Cats During the Thanksgiving Holiday

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Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many of us, but cats, unless they’re super gregarious and social, probably aren’t too crazy about all the activity that surrounds friends and family gathering for the festivities. Additionally, humans often get stressed getting ready for the holiday. Cats are creatures of habit and don’t like to have their routines disrupted. They also pick up on our stress, and your stress can actually make your cat sick. I highly recommend managing your own stress during the holidays and take some time to enjoy the season rather than constantly rushing through the days – your cats will thank you for it.Continue Reading

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Weight Loss Tips for Cats

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A survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity in 2012 found that a staggering 58% of America’s cats are overweight or obese. These statistics mirror the equally disturbing increase in human obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one third of adults in the United States are obese. Our weight loss tips will help your cats reach and maintain a healthy weight.

The serious health problems in cats which result from obesity are the same as in humans:Continue Reading

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How the Assisi Loop Lounge Helps 18-Year-Old Kitty Girl with Arthritis and Kidney Disease

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This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health

When my dear friend Rita and her husband Rob came across a six-month old kitten who had just given birth in an Oklahoma City parking garage, they were not looking for another pet. After taking her to a vet to get her taken care of, they planned to find a good home for her. They named her Kitty Girl because they didn’t want to become too attached. However, as many of us know, the best laid plans don’t always pan out when it comes to cats. Kitty Girl fell in love with Rob. 18 years later, he is still her one and only love. For more about Kitty Girls history, read When You Get the Cat You Need, Not the Cat You Want, in Rita’s own words.Continue Reading

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From Cells to Siamese: Advancing Our Understanding of Cognitive Dysfunction

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Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD

Anyone who has lost a beloved relative or cherished pet to dementia knows the tremendous personal cost. My phone and computer screens still display 19-year-old Mr. Spock, although he left us in October of 2013. His last years were marked with curious Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms, most notably tremors, loss of appetite and a pronounced head tilt. However, he maintained his dignity and profound loving nature to the end. It was the beginning of my personal journey to understand feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), although I had no concept that such a clinical condition even existed.Continue Reading

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