Distressed blue jeans may be fashionable, but you cannot say the same about your couch. If your cat’s scratching habits have shredded your furniture, you may be asking yourself, “Does my cat really need those claws?” The answer—“Absolutely.” Cat owners often surgically declawed their cats to prevent unwanted scratching and clawing, but advancements in the [...]
Urinary issues seem to plague cats, and once they start, your cat can suffer future flare-ups. One of cats’ most common urinary problems is feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). A condition that has no known cause, FIC can lead to your cat developing a host of uncomfortable clinical signs. Straining to urinate, blood-tinged urine, vocalizing while [...]
Edgar Allen Poe once wrote, “I wish that my writing was as mysterious as a cat.” (OK, the Poe Museum––yes, that’s a thing––claims he did not, in fact, write those words, but this introduction would surely have been easier if he had.) Poe aside, cat behavior often seems downright mysterious. While their quirky antics don’t [...]
Cats are highly curious creatures, always intrigued by what is going on around them. But, when your cat spends all day inside with minimal enrichment, they can easily become bored, which can lead to health and behavior issues. Cats who lack ample environmental enrichment can become stressed, frustrated, and irritable, and may over-groom and pull [...]
This is a short story about Lauren, a veterinary assistant who works at Southwest Vet, and Matilda the cat, who met each other unexpectedly in an Austin alley. Cat and veterinary assistant meet Several years ago, Lauren was hired by Southwest Vet as a veterinary assistant because of her love for and dedication to animals. [...]
Sasha the Siamese cat was a rather talkative feline who always let her owner know if she was unhappy. Lately, nothing seemed to make Sasha happy. Her owner kept her food bowl filled and squeezed in a quick snuggle session between her two jobs, and thought she was providing everything a self-sufficient cat would need. [...]
Itchy skin, watery eyes, excessive sneezing… No, we aren’t talking about your allergy symptoms. We’re talking about your pet’s allergy symptoms. Yes, our pets can suffer the unpleasant effects of allergies, just like we do. But, unfortunately, they can’t tell us when they’re having an allergic reaction. The key to keeping your pet comfortable is [...]
“Even cats grow lonely and anxious.” —Mason Cooley Does your cat crave the great outdoors? Does she spend her days looking longingly out the window, wishing she were out there doing what comes naturally to her: seeking, hunting, and pouncing? While many owners of indoor cats feel guilty depriving their feline friends of all [...]
Adopting a kitten is a truly special experience. Your new feline friend will be there to share love and joy with you for years to come. And for new kitten owners, it can be very helpful to have access to a guide that lays out the next steps for you to take for your kitten, [...]
Nowadays, cats are living longer than ever! Because of these extended lifespans, it’s important for cat owners to learn about the health conditions that are common in aging cats. In this article, you’ll learn about a few health conditions that you should be aware of, which symptoms to look out for, and preventative steps that [...]