Skip to main content

Library

Cats + Preventive Care & Wellness

  • Overweight cats have an increased risk of many health conditions, including diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. This article reviews the components of a strong weight loss plan and includes tips for success to discourage begging and help promote healthy weight loss in cats who live in a multi-cat household.

  • Adverse food reactions in cats are either caused by food allergy – an immune response to something ingested or food intolerance – a non-immunological response to something ingested. Signs of food intolerance are generally digestive in nature only. Food intolerance will generally occur on the initial exposure to the food or food additive in contrast to food allergy which requires repeated exposures to develop. Different causes of food intolerance include food poisoning, or inappropriate ingestion of an irritant, reaction to food additives, histamine reactions, lactose intolerance and dietary indiscretion such as eating fat or bones. A dietary history is important in diagnosing these conditions.

  • Gastritis in Cats

    La gastritis se define como la inflamación de la mucosa gástrica. La palabra gastritis deriva del término griego gastro, que significa estómago y itis, que significa inflamación. Una gastritis puede ser aguda o crónica, y puede estar asociada a condiciones más graves.

  • Recommendations for New Kitten Owners

    Nuestras felicitaciones por su nueva adquisición. Tener un gato puede ser una experiencia muy gratificante, pero además es una gran responsabilidad por muchos años. Esperamos que encuentre toda la información que necesite para que pueda tomar las mejores decisiones para su gatito.

  • Genetic (DNA) testing is readily available, whether you are using it for fun to find out what breeds your pet is made up of or if you are looking into possible medical conditions. DNA samples can be collected either from a cheek swab or a blood draw. Knowing which breeds your pet is made up of can help you and your veterinarian prevent or prepare for health issues in the future.

  • Giardia in Cats

    La giardiasis es una infección intestinal del hombre y los animales provocada por un protozoo parásitario llamado Giardia intestinalis (conocido también como Giardia lamblia). La Giardia es una especie parásita simple de una sola célula; no es un "gusano", ni una bacteria ni un virus. Este parásito tiene una distribución mundial y es una causa común de la "diarrea del viajero" en las personas.

  • Certain medical conditions require drugs that are available only in an injectable format. In many cases, cat owners can administer these medications at home. Most cats do not mind routine injections that are given in the subcutaneous tissue. This handout provides step-by-step instructions for giving an injection. Dispose of used needles and syringes properly.

  • The easiest way to give your cat liquid medication is to mix it in with some canned food. In some cases, this is not possible, and you will have to administer the medication directly into the cat's mouth using a syringe. Before starting, make sure you prepare the syringe with the correct amount of medication. If the medication was refrigerated, you may want to warm it up by holding the syringe tightly in your hand for a minute or two. It may be helpful to have someone assist you the first few times you administer the medication. Try wrapping your cat in a blanket or towel with only its head exposed. Detailed directions for administering the medication are provided in this handout. Make sure you give your cat plenty of praise throughout the procedure and offer a special treat after giving the medication.

  • Giving pills to cats can be a challenge, even for the most experienced veterinarian! The easiest way to give your cat a pill is to hide the pill in food. Some cats will always find the pill and spit it out, so you may need to administer it directly into your cat's mouth. This handout provides a step-by-step guide to do this, along with some other options if it is still too difficult.

  • Grooming a cat can be a challenge to many people. Depending on coat/hair type, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors, some cats will need different levels of grooming care than others. A well-groomed cat is a sign of overall good health, and regular grooming can help you notice problems early on.