All posts by Jennie Richards

Cat Care Tips

What are the Safest Cat Food Bowls?

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Believe it or not, shopping for a safe cat food bowl is an important decision, and one that can make a huge difference to the health of your cat, especially over time. Here I will share my research on the safest cat food bowls to use.

Decisions about bowl size and shape are less important than the material of the bowl. Material really does matter and there are real reasons why to avoid certain materials like plastic, and very good reasons why to choose safe materials like glass and stainless steel.

The safest materials for cat food bowls are glass, stainless steel, and some ceramics. Avoid plastic altogether. And here’s why.

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Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

What are the Signs Your Cat is in Pain?

It can be easy to miss the signs your cat is in pain since cats try to disguise when they’re suffering, but if you know the signs you’ll be able to quickly detect if your cat is in pain. Some signs are more obvious, but others are harder to detect. Most signs can be seen in a cat’s physical posture, facial expression, behavior, response to touch, vocalization, or change in daily habits.

Cats in severe pain may become more aggressive and agitated—even sometimes frantic—and behave more erratically. They can pace about in their restless discomfort and vocalize more. But often the signs are more subtle and easy to miss. They may hide in a corner or closet, or sit in a “crouched” position, and may even purr when they are distressed and uncomfortable. Here are some common signs of pain in a cat to be on the lookout for:

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Cat Care Tips, Library & Resources

Most Toxic Plants for Cats, Lilies and More

With Easter right around the corner and springtime here, it’s time to highlight the list of the most poisonous and toxic plants for cats.

Most Toxic Plants for Cats
The Lily is Extremely Toxic and Deadly for Cats

Many people give and receive lilies for Easter, but know that lilies are considered highly toxic and poisonous to cats—they are so severely poisonous they are in fact deadly.

The reported mortality rate for lilies is as high as 100% if left untreated later than 18 hours after ingestion.

For cats that even ingest a small amount of most types of lilies, severe kidney failure can occur within 36 hours. Just the yellow-orange pollen that falls off the stamen onto your table or counter is lethally poisonous to cats. Since cats groom, if the pollen gets onto your cat’s fur, be sure to wash it off with water or a wet towel, and make sure there are no traces left. Continue reading Most Toxic Plants for Cats, Lilies and More →

Cat Care Tips

8 Tips to Make Travel and Vet Visits Less Stressful For Your Cat

Do you dread taking your cat to the vet because it’s so stressful? Does your cat run at the first sight of their carrier, then valiantly and determinedly resist going inside by muscling their way out? You’re not alone. Cats fear change, and many associate their carrier with negative experiences—like going to the vet’s office, car travel, or a bad memory associated with the car. Some cats become so stressed seeing a carrier or being inside of one—they immediately urinate,  meow loudly, drool excessively, and some even vomit. It’s that traumatic for them. It’s enough to make a cat parent’s blood pressure skyrocket!

But what if you could transform your cat’s negative association into a positive experience? Here’s a step-by-step process for making your cat carrier a more inviting, welcoming and non-threatening place, and your cat’s trip to the vet a far more enjoyable, less stressful experience.

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Library & Resources

List of Cat Rescue Groups in the U.S.

Looking for a cat rescue group near you? Wanting to adopt a rescue cat or volunteer for a rescue group?

Here are resource lists of cat rescue groups in the U.S. 

State List of Shelters and Rescue Organizations

There are public and private animal rescue organizations located in all 50 United States and the District of Columbia. These shelters, rescues, and organizations are there to provide assistance to animals in need as well as assisting those who can no longer take care of their animals. 

https://www.dogloversdigest.com/adoption/state-list-of-shelters-and-rescue-organizations/

Search for Animal Welfare Groups by Location

https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/search/

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Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Medicating and Pilling Cats – How to Make it Easier, Safer and Healthier for Your Cat 

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If you have a cat at home chances are really good that sometime in your cat’s lifetime you will need to medicate them, especially as they transition into their senior years. Sometimes cats can be challenging to pill or medicate, but there are some techniques that will make medicating them easier, less stressful, more effective and healthier for them. Here are some important things to know and follow when medicating your cat.

Why Dry Pilling and Dry Swallowing is Bad For Cats

Have you ever taken a pill without water? Ouch, it’s not fun. Well the same goes for cats. Without chasing a pill down with water or liquid afterwards the pill can get lodged in the throat and irritate the lining of the esophagus. Dry swallowing can cause a pill to go down painfully and slowly, and can even damage the delicate tissues lining the esophagus. Dry pilling can cause choking, gagging, reflux, heartburn, esophagitis, esophageal injury and strictures, and even cause aspiration. There have been case studies where dry pilling certain medications (including Clindamycin and Doxycycline) have resulted in severe injury to cats and in some cases, even death when these cats were dry pilled. One study noted that “After five minutes 84 percent of capsules and 64 percent of tablets are still sitting in the esophagus,” when dry swallowed. (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Volume 8, Issue 6, Dec. 2006: 412-419) Another study that appeared in a veterinary journal found that following dry swallows, “No pills were in the stomach at 30 and 60 seconds, and only 6 percent of the pills were in the stomach at 90 seconds. At 5 minutes, only 36 percent of the pills were in the stomach. For wet swallows that were followed by 6 ccs of water, 90 percent of the pills were in the stomach.” (Journal of Western Internal Medicine, 2001, Sept-Oct: 15: 467-70)

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Cat Care Tips

How to Protect Your Pet With a Pet Trust, Will and Pet Protection Agreement

Have you thought about what will happen to your cat if you become ill, or incapacitated and must move into a care facility, or you unexpectedly die? Have you made permanent arrangements for your cat after you’re gone?

More than 500,000 pets that were loved and cared for are euthanized every year in U.S. animal shelters because their caregivers became incapacitated or died and they made no prior arrangements for the ongoing care of their pet. In addition, around 360,000 cats are euthanized in shelters in the U.S. due to being abandoned, or forfeited to a shelter. This is tragic, but it doesn’t have to happen. Here’s how to protect your pet with a pet trust, will and pet protection agreement.

It’s critical to have a plan in place for when you die. Your plan should include two elements: an emergency plan that goes into effect to provide immediate care for your pet, and a long-term plan through a trust or pet agreement that is shared with a good friend, relatives, and neighbors. This will ensure that your pet receives the immediate care needed and promptly goes into the right hands that know your plan.

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Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

The Importance of Annual Physical Exams for Cats

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Maybe you adopted a new cat or have had your cat for years now—in either case annual physical exams are highly recommended for maintaining the optimal health of your cat. Your cat may be low-maintenance, but that’s no reason not to take them for a wellness exam every year. This article will highlight the reasons why annual physical exams for cats are so important, how annual checkups can prevent and detect disease as early as possible, reduce factors that may be health risks,  correct or delay the progression of disease, and help to give your cat the healthiest, highest quality of life possible for as long as possible.

Cats mask when they are sick or feel bad—they can hide suffering and pain very well, it’s an evolutionary trait—so you may not know they are suffering or are in pain. And just because your cat lives indoors doesn’t mean they can’t get sick or develop a congenital or chronic disease, or a bacterial or viral infection, or severe tooth decay and gum disease, or inflammation that causes health issues, or a possible stress-related illness. All of these are very possible health issues for indoor-only cats.

Benefits of Annual Physical Exams for Cats

Annual physical exams give you peace of mind knowing the state of your cat’s overall health. Annual exams give you a baseline for what is normal for your cat’s health so you can readily see any changes from the previous year or years. Annual checkups can lengthen your cat’s life expectancy by addressing health issues early-on before they become more serious or advanced and difficult to treat. Your veterinarian will be able to detect any new health problems or chronic conditions and treat them immediately—that would otherwise have been delayed and left untreated if you waited another year. By treating your cat’s health problem and not waiting longer to diagnose and medically treat it, your cat will be more comfortable.

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Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Don’t Ignore the Signs of Dental Disease in Cats

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Cats Need Dental CareFebruary is Dental Awareness Month, so it’s a perfect time to start the year off right by providing good dental care for your cat. Dental or periodontal disease can lead to many serious health and medical issues if left untreated. And untreated dental disease can be very painful for your cat and can even cause them to stop eating. The key to good dental care and managing dental disease is prevention.

Dental disease and oral tumors can start in cats as young as 1-2 years old so it’s important to have your cat’s mouth, gums and teeth evaluated starting when they are young. Gum disease is an infection that results from a build-up of dental plaque or bacteria on the surfaces of the teeth around the gum line. If plaque is allowed to accumulate it can lead to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth. The gums will then become inflamed causing bleeding and oral pain. Inflammation can progress affecting both soft and bony tissues causing gum disease, bone loss, and periodontal damage. When severe periodontal disease is present bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and damage the kidneys, heart and liver.

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Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

Does Your Cat Have High Blood Pressure?

Feline high blood pressure or hypertension can be a dangerous problem for your cat’s health. If left untreated it can affect your cat’s organs including their eyes, kidneys, heart and even brain. A simple blood pressure test can be done during your cat’s annual veterinary exam to quickly determine if your cat’s blood pressure is in the normal range. Detecting it early is the key to success and will minimize damage to vital organs.

Cats that are particularly vulnerable to developing hypertension are often older cats as well as cats that have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart or hyperthyroid disease. If your cat has been diagnosed with any of these diseases, you want to watch carefully for the signs and symptoms of hypertension, and get annual or bi-annual veterinary exams to avoid the possible damage caused to organs by hypertension. Since it’s more common in older cats, you’ll want to include regular blood pressure checks in your annual exams starting with cats that are 8 years of age and older. For cats that are 14 years and older, include a blood pressure test in their bi-annual exam.

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