Medical & Health Care, Rescue & Adoption Stories

Fostering Mama Cat and Kitten – From Misery to a New Home

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The deep satisfaction that comes with rescuing and fostering homeless, abandoned, and at-risk cats comes when you finally find the perfect match for their adoption. Fostering cats and kittens can literally save their lives. Here’s a happy ending for my foster cat and kitten.

Rescuing and Fostering Mama Cat and Kitten from Severe Neglect
Fostering Mama Cat and Kitten - From Misery to a New Home
Happy Mama and Baby

Two months ago I received a desperate phone call from one of my fosters. She told me the family across the street from where she was working had two litters of pit bull puppies (15 puppies in all) along with a mother cat who had a litter of kittens, and eight of the kittens had just been killed by the pit bulls. The last remaining kitten was weak, thin and vulnerable due to the dogs and the mama cat was showing signs of extreme stress having just lost her kittens. Thankfully, she was able to convince the owners to give the mama cat and kitten to her, since they were clearly overwhelmed with the dogs and had been very negligent with the cats. She then proceeded to bring the mama and kitten to my house to foster them and provide for their needed medical treatment and recovery. Continue reading Fostering Mama Cat and Kitten – From Misery to a New Home →

Cat Care Tips, Housing & Shelter

How to Find Pet-Friendly Rental Housing

Whether you have cats or dogs, or both, there are many pet-friendly landlords and apartments out there today. The good news is it is becoming much easier to find available apartments, privately owned condos and houses that will readily rent to people with pets. So have faith, take your time, don’t give up, and know that you will find a warm welcome mat for you and your pets.

I recently went through the proverbial search for a rental for myself and my three cats due to a divorce. Every single apartment and condominium I looked at in my town accepted multiple cats (up to three). Times have changed and I was pleasantly surprised to find how much the marketplace had been transformed since the mid 1990s when it was all but impossible to find a rental willing to take one cat let alone multiple cats. Every apartment I considered did require a small monthly pet deposit for each cat ($50 per cat). But the two personally owned condominiums I was serious about renting did not require a pet deposit, however did require a full damage deposit equal to my rent. Some landlords will require you to pay a special pet deposit per month ($25-$100 per pet) or will charge a single upfront fee ($50-$1000 per pet) when you sign the agreement, but others will not charge any fee. So have faith that you will find the purrrrrfect pet-friendly home for you and your fur family, because they are out there!

Continue reading How to Find Pet-Friendly Rental Housing →
Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Cat Stages of Life: What To Do At Every Stage of Your Cat’s Life For Optimal Health and Well Being

CAT STAGES OF LIFE: WHAT TO DO AT EVERY STAGE OF YOUR CAT’S LIFE FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH
Image by K L from Pixabay

From kittenhood—to adulthood—to becoming a senior and geriatric cat, it’s important to understand the healthcare and social needs of cats at all of their different and distinct life stages. Cat’s experience six distinct life stages, and each one has its own care, wellness and feeding requirements and needs. Learn how to provide your cat with the very best nutrition, care and well-being support at each life stage, why it’s important, and how it can make a difference for them.

Overall, cats should get a complete veterinary examination or routine wellness checkup at least once a year. Kittens should see a veterinarian every 3-4 weeks until they are five months old. Cats over the age of two years, should start getting an annual checkup every year. Senior cats should see a veterinarian twice a year, and geriatric cats every 4-6 months. Because the sooner you learn about your cat’s illness or chronic disease, the easier it will be to treat and manage, the better the outcome for them, and the less suffering your cat will experience as a result.

Continue reading Cat Stages of Life: What To Do At Every Stage of Your Cat’s Life For Optimal Health and Well Being →
Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home

Knowing how to check your cat’s vital signs at home is easy to do and can be a helpful way to keep track of your cat’s health. Checking their vitals can also  help you identify when your cat is sick or not feeling well,  and when it’s time for a visit to the vet. Learn what the normal vital signs are for your cat, and how to step-by-step check your cat’s vital signs at  home.

Capillary Refill Time (CRT) or Profusion Rate (Normal is 2 seconds)

A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home
Checking Cat’s Capillary Refill Rate (CRT)

Capillary Refill Time or CRT, is done by checking your cat’s gums. This measurement checks the rate of blood flow in the blood vessels called capillaries, of your cat’s gums. By pressing on the gums with your finger, you are forcing the blood out of the capillaries, and when you remove your finger, you’re allowing the blood to refill the capillaries.

Continue reading A Guide to Checking Your Cat’s Vital Signs at Home →

Cat Care Tips

10 Important Considerations in Preparing to Adopt a Cat

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Adopting a kitten or adult cat is a long-term responsibility and commitment. It’s a decision you want to give careful thought to and be prepared for, not one to take lightly or impulsively. Owning a cat is a large financial and emotional responsibility lasting anywhere from 14 to 22 years, typically. Your cat will depend on you for its health, happiness, safety and well-being, so here are 10 important considerations in preparing to adopt a cat.

Continue reading 10 Important Considerations in Preparing to Adopt a Cat →

Medical & Health Care

Gallstones, Gallbladder and Bile Duct Inflammation in Cats

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Recently my cat Simba suffered from severe gallstones, gallbladder and bile duct inflammation with many calculi in his gallbladder and one large gallstone obstructing his bile duct. There was no warning for us until it was too late and his case was too severe for medical treatment. So after much research, I want to share what I’ve learned through my vet, the ultrasound radiologist, and the best medical sources of information on the Internet about gallstones, gallbladder and bile duct inflammation in cats.

My cat Simba had apparently been making gallstones for some time without showing any apparent symptoms until they posed a medical problem and he stopped eating and was in severe pain. When the symptoms appeared, Simba had stopped eating and Mirtazipine (an appetite stimulant) was not jump-starting his appetite, he isolated himself and didn’t want any interaction, he was lethargic, vomiting, and I knew he was suffering and in pain. Our vet confirmed he had a fever and his abdomen was sensitive to the touch.  He proceeded to give Simba a senior blood panel and X-rays and while we waited for the blood test results, our vet kept Simba for gavage feeding (since he would no longer eat on his own) and gave him intraveneous fluids and pain therapy for 1-2 days.

Continue reading Gallstones, Gallbladder and Bile Duct Inflammation in Cats →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Why Your Cat Needs Good Dental Care

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February is dental month! Dental disease has become the number one health concern in adult cats. Your cat needs good dental care just like you do. Without it, cats are more prone to problems associated with poor dental hygiene and can get serious and painful dental diseases. Without good dental care cats can suffer from having a painful mouth and as a result, can even stop eating. Good dental hygiene is as important to cats as it is to humans and contributes to your cat’s overall well being, comfort and happiness. The good news is most periodontal disease in cats is completely preventable with good dental care and annual wellness checks.

Roughly 4 out of 5 cats develop periodontal disease. Why? Partly because dental care in cats is often overlooked and left untreated. Cats hide their pain very well though they may be silently suffering, and many cat owners don’t take their cat for regular annual wellness exams each year. Untreated gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) often progresses into gum infection, chronic disease and can even impact vital organs.

Continue reading Why Your Cat Needs Good Dental Care →

Cat Care Tips, Library & Resources

Top Dangers for Cats in the Home

When you think about it, our homes can present a minefield of possible hazards for cats. Here’s some help navigating the dangers, and making your home safer, happier and healthier for your cat. Checkout our full list below.

Top Toxins in Your Kitchen for Cats

Top Dangers For Cats in the Home
Garlic and Onions are Toxic to Cats

1.  Garlic – in all forms
2.  Onions & Onion Powder, Chives – in all forms
3.  Cheese & Milk – cats are lactose intolerant, they aren’t able to digest dairy products due to their digestive system
4.  Alcohol – this may seem obvious, just even a tiny amount is toxic and can cause coma and death
5.  Raisins and Grapes – these can cause kidney failure in cats
6.  Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Cola, Caffeine — these can be fatal in cats depending on the amount, and this is true for any caffeinated beverage
7.  Chocolate – any kind of chocolate can be lethal due to methylxanthines, but dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate are the most toxic
8.  Candy, Gum and Foods Sweetened with Xylitol – Xylitol sweetens “diet” foods and can lead to liver failure and death
9.  Fatty Foods & Bones – avoid giving cats meat or chicken scraps from your dinner plate or meat served to humans, the danger is in the bones that they could ingest but also in the cooked and uncooked fat that is harmful
10.  Raw Fish & Meat – can lead to food poisoning due to bacteria; and certain fish enzymes destroy thiamine in cats which can cause neurological damage, convulsions and coma
11.  Raw Yeast Dough – this is toxic due to yeast fermenting leading to alcohol poisoning and yeast expanding, which if ingested causes severe gastrointestinal pain and problems
12.  Moldy & Spoiled Foods
13.  Avocados – all parts of the avocado are toxic to cats due to Persin, sometimes it can even be fatal
14.  Kitchen Cupboards – be sure to keep your cupboard doors closed as many products can be harmful for your cat; store your food in cabinets above the kitchen counter not in the cabinets above the floor where your cats may be able to open the doors and go inside

Continue reading Top Dangers for Cats in the Home →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

How to Find a Great Veterinarian For Your Cat

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Whether you have recently moved, adopted a new cat or kitten, or are having some concerns about your current veterinarian—finding the very best health care available for your cat is one of the most important decisions you can make for them. While there are many excellent veterinary practices out there, there are also significant differences between practices, so you want to carefully evaluate and choose a veterinarian that meets your expectations and one you can feel comfortable with. Overall, you want to look for a practice that offers the highest level of standards, medical expertise and quality of care possible in an office that offers both modern diagnostic and state-of-the-art medical equipment and technology.

Continue reading How to Find a Great Veterinarian For Your Cat →

Medical & Health Care, Rescue & Adoption Stories

Rescuing a Cat With Special Needs – A Story of Transformation

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Rescuing a cat with special needs is gratifying, but when you see their transformation to health and well being, there’s no better feeling.

I remember the night well. It was winter—another dark, cold, rainy and windy night. But this night was different. A new cat appeared at our back patio doorstep—a big orange tabby male was hungrily eating our feral’s food outside. When he lifted his head from the food bowl, he saw me, and quickly ran away. Or more accurately, hopped away. I could see something was terribly wrong. But he was gone. He returned the next night for more food, and again I came to the window to see him, and as he was hopping away I saw that he was missing one of his hind legs. The leg was completely deformed and twisted backwards, and he was severely handicapped.

Well, they say the third time is a charm—and sure enough on the third night I was prepared. Trap was set, tuna fish inside, and I waited! Bang—I got him! Thankfully, he was not a trap-savvy cat! So I took this big, heavy boy upstairs in the trap to our bathroom. I could quickly see that he was friendly. Very friendly. I was relieved that he wasn’t feral, which would mean I’d have to release him back outside, but there was just no way that I would do that with this injured back leg. The next morning, as I was driving him to the vet, I named him “Piev.” I have no idea where this name came from, I had never heard of it before—but it sounded beautiful when I said it, and it seemed to fit him. He was masculine but gentle, and the name was as unique as this special boy was.

Continue reading Rescuing a Cat With Special Needs – A Story of Transformation →

Stories and tips about providing the best possible cat care—from 20 years experience rescuing, fostering, and caring for my many rescue cats.

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