Q: At my Yorkshire terrier’s recent wellness visit, we saw a new veterinarian, a woman with surprisingly long fingernails. My Yorkie needed to have her anal sacs emptied, as she often does, and I was afraid the vet’s long nails would hurt her, so I asked that someone else empty them. Was my request rude…
Tabby a Common Feline Coat Pattern, Not a Breed
Q: What’s the difference between a tabby and a tiger cat? Is a tabby a purebred cat? A: Tabby is not a breed, but a coat pattern common among purebreds as well as mixed-breed cats, usually referred to as domestic short- or long-haired cats. The classic tabby has a blotched or swirled pattern of dark…
Four Top Tips to Help Your Pets Stay Lean and Healthy
Do you love giving your cat or dog an extra treat to nibble on? As much as they seem to enjoy it, it isn’t always the healthiest move. Just like humans, pets can suffer from weight issues. And it’s becoming a growing problem, with more chubby companion animals around than ever before. In a recent survey of veterinarians,…
Are You a Cat Whisperer? How to Read Fluffy’s Facial Expressions
Cats are popular pets: there are an estimated 200 million pet cats worldwide, with more pet cats than pet dogs. Cats live in about 38 per cent of Canadian households, 25.4 per cent of American households and 25 per cent of European households. Cats also seem to be a great source of entertainment. There are two million cat videos on YouTube and…
Lifting of Eviction Moratoriums Driving New Wave Of Pet Surrenders
PINAL COUNTY, Ariz.—Life during the COVID-19 pandemic could be an especially lonely time for homebound Americans, and to ease the stress many families adopted a pet for daily companionship. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reports that in 2021 alone 23 million households—nearly one in five—had taken in a…
How to Plant a Pet-Safe Garden
Q: I live in the country, and my cat sometimes ventures off my deck on nice days. I am planning a garden and want to choose plants that won’t poison my cat if he nibbles them. What do you suggest? A: I’m sure your cat will thank you if you plant some catnip, cat mint,…
Immunocompromised People Should Take Precautions With Pets
Q: I have a compromised immune system, and I want to adopt a cat. What do I need to know about protecting my health? A: Many people are immunocompromised because of physiologic factors like pregnancy or extremes of age, metabolic conditions such as diabetes, infectious diseases like HIV, or treatment with immunosuppressant drugs for autoimmune…
Protect Feral Cats From Winter Hazards
Q: Our neighborhood is inundated with feral cats. I don’t feed them because I don’t want to increase their population, but I do feel sorry for them during the cold winter weather. What can I do to help them? A: You can protect feral cats from injury and poisoning, provide shelters to help them stay…
Zouma’s Cats Taken Away, Vitality Drops Sponsorship of West Ham
LONDON—West Ham United player Kurt Zouma’s cats are being cared for by animal charity the RSPCA after a video emerged showing the Frenchman kicking one pet across the floor, and Vitality said it was suspending its sponsorship of the Premier League club over its handling of the incident. The viral video, filmed by Zouma’s brother…
9 Days After Tornado, Cat Found in Rubble of Building
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Nine days after a tornado demolished his three-story office building in downtown Mayfield, Kentucky, Sonny “Hoot” Gibson was standing in the rubble when he thought he heard a faint meow. It instantly gave him hope that his office cat, Madix, who hadn’t been seen since before the storms hit, was alive. Gibson said he…
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