Travel and Veterinary Visits with your Cat
Do you worry about the stress associated with car travel and veterinary visits for your cat? Check out the great information on "Visiting the Vet" from the "Have We Seen Your Cat Lately?" campaign, including an instructional video and specific tips for reducing your cat's fear and anxiety.
Cat-isms: Purrrr-ls of Wisdom
From our friend and former staff member Allison Miller, LTV
Tips for Getting Pills into your Feline Friend
Instead of chasing your cat around the house and then fighting to get a pill down her throat, try these non- aggressive tactics that may even strengthen your bond with each other. Your kitty may think she is getting a special treat, and you feel good giving her the medication she needs. Sometimes with cats, variety is the spice of life. You may need to switch around among a few of these options every month or two to keep your cat interested.
1. Pill Pockets work for a majority of cats, but a lot of them eventually catch on to the trick and will eat around the pill.
2. You can try hiding the pill in a piece of meat or cheese.
3. You can crush the pill and mix it up in yogurt, chicken baby food, or tuna fish juice.
4. It is often easier to get cats to eat treats if they are hungry. So, try giving pills before the morning or evening meal. (First be sure that it is not medically necessary for the pill to be given with food already in the stomach).
5. If pilling becomes necessary and all other options have failed:
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Try not to make it a scary or completely unpleasant event for your cat.
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Keep it as a routine.
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Make sure to give a lot of affection; chin scratching; or belly/face rubs before, during, and after.
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Give your cat a special treat that she loves and only gets at that special time. (tuna fish, treats etc.).
House Cat Calisthenics and other Feline Fun
Looking for ways to keep your cat both fit and entertained? Give some of these ideas a try!
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Buddy Learns the ABC's of "ADR"
Meet Buddy
Buddy is an example of one of our patients who presented as "ADR" (veterinary-speak for "ain't doin' right"). His owners knew that something was amiss with their dear friend, but they weren't quite sure what. Read on to see how veterinary professionals can piece together symptoms to solve medical mysteries.
In the autumn of his eleventh year, Buddy's owners made an appointment for him because he just seemed a little bit off. He would hide from his family for much of the day, and he was quieter than usual, sometimes to the point of lethargy. His bowel movements had decreased in frequency, but he didn't show any signs of abdominal pain when touched. Buddy was also running a fever. He was, however, eating and urinating normally. We began with hospitalization for observation, to administer subcutaneous (under the skin) fluids, and to begin medications to treat his discomfort and fever.
