Cat Specific FAQs
On a recent survey amongst veterinary hospitals, it was found that for hospital visits, 33% of all cats presented with stomach and intestinal issues, 17% urinary tract infection (UTI), 9% skin condition, 8% cancer, 7% kidney disease, 6% eye condition, 6% ear infection, 5% heart condition and 5% upper respiratory infection (URI). We will try to address some of these concerns.
My cat hates coming to the hospital, can you help?
First of all, we understand and feel for your kitty! Most dogs love to go out, take a car ride and meet people while cats love solitude in a social backdrop! But, as a valuable family member, they do need medical care now and then….Sometimes we all (humans) also have to endure difficult moments because it may bring us a bigger benefit!
We can help...
Years ago, when we did not have access to the medications we have now, I had to bring my cat to my hospital which was 1 hours drive. THe whole time the poor cat will meow. I did not have any choice other than to endure. However, nowadays we have chewable medications that you can give to cats about an hour before the clinic visit, and the trip may be lot more enjoyable for both you. We still have to establish a client patient relationship before we can dispense any medication so you would need to come to the hospital and signing a treatment release form.
Do I need to bring my cat in every year?
Over a decade and half ago when I opened my hospital in Seattle, the only time we will know that a kitty had diabetes or kidney failure was when owner noticed that their cat has not eaten for few days, seriously lethargic and doing very poorly. One way to catch things before things get too fur is to do annual exam and consultation. As time went on and the owners learnt wethey started performing annual blood wo
Pets age faster
They cannot talk and express that they have ear infections
Physical exam and thorough history and discussion about the future may help with better ageing.
Diseases are rare in middle ages. However learning to feed etc may stave off old age diseases
Vaccination decisions based on lifestyle
Dental
Abdominal palpation
Looking for cancer
Parasite control
Yes, for annual checkup and medical consultation if it is not too stressful for you and your kitty! The first few years are quite important to make sure the early vaccines get done right and proper maintenance-protocol is set up. Then the office visits and annual checkups become more important as they are getting to be 7 plus years of age. If it is impossible for you to bring your cat to the clinic, on rare occasion, we will make house call.
Why do I need to do annual blood work?
We recommend annual blood work after they are about 7 years of age, which, is the entry to the golden-years for cats. A simple blood chemistry with few drops of blood could monitor most of the common old age diseases like kidney failure, diabetes, high thyroid etc. We can monitor so see if there is any gradual rise in these blood values. For example, if one year the blood sugar is about 120 and then next year it is 180, we would suspect improper sugar metabolism. At this point we may not start any treatments but we can initiate a proper nutritional management to stave off a full blown diabetes.. This is true preventative medicine.
Why are you always recommending wet food for cats?
To keep them well hydrated, and thus reducing the possibility of kidney failure in later part of their life!
Wet food also reduces total energy intake and thus could keep them from gaining too much weight. A proper discussion of this topic is better done by Dr. Pierson in her website catinfo.org.
How do I switch from dry to canned: With some dedication and some prayer, or well, maybe with lots of prayer…
Just the way some us like many different shape spaghetti because it is fun to chew, many cats like the tactile sensation of dry kibbles. It becomes more than food for them. It becomes a fun event to chew on the kibbles. Sometimes it is challenging to make the switch, but this can be done, I have done this myself and so can you. please read Dr. Pearson’s website catinfo.org.
How do you manage to cook for your cat?
Like all things it takes dedication. If you are convinced that it is better for your cat, you will find time. It is a challenge for the first two to three times, then it becomes routine. The whole process takes preparation. You have to get a recipe and acquire the supplements and a good quality over the top grinder. We do not do raw, but we bake the chicken lightly. It can be done.. We will guide you. We carry all the supplements necessary at our office in pre measured dose. All you have to do si to go b a grider and the chicken and few other easily found stuff from the grocery store.
My cat keep getting continuous UTI, is there anything other than antibiotics every 6 months?
The abbreviation stands for Urinary Tract Infection. We think UTI gets overdiagnosed. It is important to understand that a VAST majority of times there are no infection even if there is blood in the urine. The disease is better described as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease,(FLUTD). bladder without Some scientists call it sterile cystitis; inflammation of the bladder without any sign of infection.
Most studies indicate that the chance of infection in case of FLUTD is very rare; according to one study, in female cats with recurrent FLUTD, there may be a 6% possibility of an infection. That percent is not enough to keep reaching for antibiotics. Understanding that it is not an infection begs the question, if not infection (UTI), then what is it?
One way to understand this disease is inflammation. One hallmark of this disease is marked pain, straining to urinate and licking the area. Concentrated urine (when your kitty is not drinking a good amount of water) can further irritate the bladder wall. We focus on removing the pain and reducing the inflammation.
Learning about this disease and being aware of the early symptoms may help you ward of big crisis. However male cats sometimes get urethral blockage and they cannot pee. If that happens, it is a serious life-threatening condition and need immediate medical intervention. If you have a male cat, it will be wise to learn how to palpate the bladder. We can teach you!
Why is my cat peeing outside the litter box ?
Both Physiological and psychological issues could contribute. Most of the time, they are interwoven. As a veterinarian we concentrate mostly about the physiological aspects. There are endless resources on the internet to deal with the psychological issues. As we deal with possible physiological aspects at the clinic we like owner to learn more about possible psychological aspects and take preventative measures.
Medically speaking, it could be FLUTD, diabetes, kidney issues, arthritis, anxiety disorder, etc..
One often missed factor in older cats is high litter box wall! Lowering the entry wall helps arthritic cats to easily access their litter box.
Why does my cat throw up?
Cat throw up for many many reasons! For long hair cats it simply could be hairball. Outdoor cats could throw up grass or ‘mouse fur’. However these should be rare. Obsessive groomers who tends to throw up may have underlying allergy issues or suffer from anxiety disorder.
Outdoor cats could have intestinal parasites or worms. These can be handled easily.
On a more serious level, older age cats could be constipated. Recurrent vomiting in middle age cat could indicate inflammatory bowel disease. Some clients mention that switching to grain free diet or home prepared diet makes a big difference. We noticed the same thing with our cats. Also mildly elevated Thyroid hormones could be the culprit.
Why is my cat losing hair?
There could be skin disease, including ringworm, flea allergy dermatitis, nutritional deficiency, skin mites, etc. But, there could also be a psychological component like Overgrooming, an obsessive compulsive disorder where kitty will keep licking and area until all the hair is gone.
Is there any alternative to petroleum based hairball remedy?
First of all, a healthy cat should not have too much hairball! If they are overgrooming, we should see your cat. Rare regurgitation with hairball is normal. Quite a few of our clients had good success with cold pressed organic olive oil preserved with a touch of natural vitamin E source like wheat germ oil. Adding one teaspoon of olive oil to your cat’s food once or twice a week can prevent vomiting up hairballs. Be very careful of rancid oils as they could be bad for cats. The oil lubricates the cat’s digestive system, and allows the hair to slide right on through without disturbing her tummy.
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