conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans
Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD
This is the second in a two-part series that takes a closer look at the 2021 AAFP Senior Cat Care Guidelines. Click here to read Part One: Caring For Aging Cats Begins at Home.
It is a fact of life that all cats and humans age; they just age at different rates. This discrepancy can leave cat parents with difficult choices when it comes to considering veterinary care for their senior companions.Continue Reading
Guest post by Ingrid R. Niesman, MS PhD
Thanks to improvements in veterinary medicine, better nutrition, and the fact that most pet cats are indoor cats, cats are living longer than ever before, but with longer lifespans, they are also facing the inevitable issues of old age. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) is recognizing these dramatic changes since they last published senior care guidelines in 2009. The 2021 AAFP Senior Cat Care Guidelines, created by a task force of experts in feline clinical medicine, consist of 26 jam-packed pages of health management practices for feline practitioners, stressing the importance of engaging the cat parent in all aspects of caring for aging cats.Continue Reading
For the first time in a decade, American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association have updated their Feline Life Stage Guidelines, a 23-page document designed to combine feline-friendly care approaches with a lifelong healthcare plan to improve every cat’s health and well being at any age.Continue Reading
August 22 has been designated as National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day, and while it may not be your cat’s favorite “holiday,” it’s an important day designed to raise awareness about the importance of regular veterinary check ups for cats.
83% of cats are taken to the vet during the first year after they’re adopted, yet over half of them never return for subsequent wellness visit. Given that cats age more rapidly than humans and are masters at masking illness, these statistics are worrisome. Continue Reading
America’s cats are not getting the healthcare they deserve. 83% of cats are taken to the vet during the first year after they’re adopted, yet over half of them don’t return for subsequent wellness visit. Given that cats age more rapidly than humans and are masters at masking illness, these statistics are disturbing. National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day, which takes place on August 22, is designed to improve awareness about the importance of regular, routine check ups.Continue Reading
I am honored to announce that I have been asked to serve as a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners‘ Cat Friendly Practice Advisory Council.
The Cat Friendly Practice program provides an opportunity for veterinary practices to elevate care for cats and reduce the stress associated with the visit. Continue Reading
America’s cats are facing a healthcare crisis. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. There are many reasons, first among them the perception that cats are self-sufficient. And while cats may be more independent than dogs, they’re also masters at hiding signs of illness, which is why regular veterinary exams are so important. The second problem is that taking a cat to the vet is stressful for most cats and their guardians.Continue Reading
Dr. Gary D. Norsworthy earned his DVM degree in 1972 from Texas A&M University and has been practicing veterinary medicine for over 40 years. Dr. Norsworthy began writing professionally in 1975 and has published over 50 articles in various veterinary journals. He is an accomplished lecturer for veterinary associations around the world. He is the owner of the Alamo Feline Health Center in San Antonio, TX and loves to go to work every day.
I had a chance to ask Dr. Norsworthy a few questions after the recent annual meeting of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.Continue Reading
America’s cats are facing a healthcare crisis. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. 83% of cats are seen by a vet during the first year after they’re adopted, but less than half of them ever return. These statistics are alarming, especially in light of the fact that cats are masters at masking any signs of illness. By the time a cat shows symptoms, a disease may already be in the advanced stages, which often makes treatment less effective and more costly.
Two of my favorite cat people are joining forces to help raise awareness about this growing concern. Continue Reading
The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care revealed that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. I would bet that the actual number is probably much higher, since this study only captured data from cat guardians who do seek some veterinary care, not those who never take their cat to the vet. And while some of this may be due to cat guardians not understanding how vitally important regular veterinary care is for your cat’s health, it may also be due to the fact that most cats hate going to the veterinary clinic.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has been educating veterinarians and veterinary staff on how to make practices more cat-friendlyContinue Reading
America’s cats are facing a healthcare crisis. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. The actual number is probably much higher, since this study only captured data from cat guardians who do seek some veterinary care, not those who never take their cat to the vet. The study also showed that cat guardians are not willing to spend as much money on healthcare for their feline charges as dog guardians. Ironically, while spending on veterinary care is declining, spending on pet products is increasing steadily each year.Continue Reading