Author: Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP

Fostering kittens is a huge task and, depending on the reason the kittens were orphaned, can be difficult to do. But with the right tips, tricks, and “don’t forgets,” you’ll be set up for success as you hand-raise a kitten. Setting Expectations for Fostering Kittens First and foremost, it is important to remind you that no one—not even the most devoted of owners—can raise a kitten as well as a mother cat can. Cats not only take care of all basic needs of their kittens, but they also teach them the skills they need to know to be a cat—and that is something we are not able to do when fostering kittens. We can try to guide the kittens in the right direction and set realistic expectations, but in reality, we simply speak a different language from our feline friends. Imagine someone trying to teach you a new task in a foreign language; hand signals can only go so far. But with successful fostering, kittens are still able to grow and thrive.

Myth 6: A warm nose means your pet is sick. False again! A warm nose simply means your pet has a warm nose. Nose temperature is a reflection of the surrounding environment (such as room temperature and humidity) more than a measurement of health. If your pet has a warm nose and otherwise seems to be acting completely normal, there likely is nothing to worry about.,Myth 7: It is OK for pets to lick their wounds. This myth is wrong on several fronts. When pets lick their wounds, they deposit all of the bacteria living in their mouth directly into the sore, setting the stage for infection. Plus, the rough barbs on the tongue inflame and irritate the tissue around the wound, making the sore more painful. And, of course, because it hurts, the animal licks more—and a vicious cycle ensues. Some pets will take a tiny cut and make it several inches longer in just a few hours. As unhappy as it can be for all parties involved, pets with a wound should wear an E-collar to ensure that they cannot lick or bite the sore before it is totally healed.,There are so many commonly accepted myths that sometimes it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. You may even have “evidence” that these things are true or come across a blog that backs them up. That’s why we’ve put together some of the most common pet health myths you should not believe and explain the truth beyond the myth. Myth 1: I don’t see any fleas on my pet, so they don’t have fleas. This is a myth! Believe it or not, 95% of the fleas in your house at any given time do not live on your pet. The vast majority of fleas in an environment aren’t adult fleas, which is what you are likely to see when you’re looking for them on your pet. However, these problematic little creatures spend most of their time in the house as “babies”—eggs, larvae, and pupae. These stages of the life cycle are ones you will never see. Just one adult female flea can lay up to 2,000 eggs in her short lifetime, so finding a single flea can be a problem. To make matters worse, many adult fleas are removed when your pet is cleaning, making it even less likely that you will see them. So even if you aren’t seeing fleas, they may very well be there. Check in the fur for flea dirt, which looks like tiny dark specks, as well as for excessive scratching and sores created from your pet scratching after fleas bite. The only way to ensure that your pet does not have fleas is to keep them on a prescription flea prevention year-round.

In This Article Do Cats Get Cold? View 6 More +

Ever wonder why your cat sleeps all day but suddenly finds your toes, ears, and every toy in the house to be the most amusing thing ever as soon as you are ready to go to bed? Or do you find yourself sleeping with one eye open to because your cat pounces on anything moving under the covers? Or how about getting your ankles chased if you get up at night?  If you’re wondering why your cat wakes you up at night and how to get your cat on the same sleep schedule as you, you’re not alone. Why Your Cat Won’t Let You Sleep at Night Often, it seems like cats are just out of sync with our wake/sleep cycles—and indeed, this is the case. By nature, humans are diurnal, which means we are awake during the day and asleep at night. You may think that cats must be nocturnal, but that isn’t exactly the case. Cats are what is known as crepuscular. Crepuscular animals tend to be most active during the late evenings and early mornings—so just as we are winding down, they are winding up. This is the peak time that cats prefer to play, hunt, and do all their basic activities. In the wild, this is also the time when many of their prey animals (such as rodents) are waking up and starting to move around, so it is the perfect time for a predator (like your cat) to be up and hunting. Many domesticated cats have retained these behaviors. As a rule, cats will sleep 18 hours per day, spread over a series of naps that average 78 minutes each. They sleep during the day as well as in the middle of the night, only to get up and become active right when we are heading to bed, and again shortly before we want to get up. This can be a definite clash!  So how can you get your cat on a more compatible schedule so that you can get some sleep?

WRITTEN BYSandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP Veterinarian Sandra Mitchell is a 1995 graduate of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. Since graduation, she has worked in many fields…,It might be alarming to come across a purplish spot on your cat’s skin, especially if you weren’t even aware they had been injured. Read on to find out how to identify a bruise on your cat, what causes bruises, and when the situation needs immediate veterinary care. What Does a Bruise on a Cat Look Like? Bruises on cats are not commonly seen—in part because cats do not get them often but also because they can be hard to see with all the fur. To figure out if your cat has a bruise, carefully part the fur and look at the skin. In the veterinary hospital, the staff may shave the fur to see the skin better. A bruise on cat skin will look much like a bruise on human skin: a reddish, purplish spot under the skin caused by a pooling of blood. These bruises may be quite large (sometimes called ecchymosis) or very small (often called petechiae). The bruise may be located anywhere on the body, including on the thinly haired areas like the inside of the ears or on the mucus membranes in the mouth.

Cat Toys And don’t forget that everyone, kitties included, needs a little fun. Many cats love to play with toys—some will even play fetch with stuffed mice or jingly balls. Cat trees and perches located near windows go hand-in-paw with bird feeders outside to provide hours of entertainment (for humans and felines alike). Not to mention the joy of a laser cat toy.,Prevention goes a long way in staving off problems—especially when caring for a cat. By taking proactive steps to keep your fur baby healthy, you’re more likely to enjoy many happy years together (up to 14 or more, to be exact). Read on for some tips and tricks to maximize the years spent with your kitty.

WRITTEN BYSandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP Veterinarian Sandra Mitchell is a 1995 graduate of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine. Since graduation, she has worked in many fields…,You look over at your cat to see them gazing back at you with an adorable head-tilted-to-the-side pose. Sure, it’s really cute, but a head tilt in cats can also be a symptom of something serious. How do you know when your cat is just paying close attention to a sound or motion, or when it’s a sign of a problem? Fortunately, there are some clues you can use to help figure out if the head tilt is normal or something you need to worry about. Is Head Tilting Normal in Cats? Cats will tilt their heads to one side when they are closely studying something or listening for movement. Cats can accurately judge distance when they bring one ear closer to a sound. Tilting their head can help, because their brains triangulate distance based on when a sound signal hits each ear independently. One good way to tell if your cat is just listening or having a problem is by calling their name or trying to get their attention. If your cat is just tilting their head to listen to something, they will straighten up immediately when they hear your voice. By contrast, cats that are tilting their heads because of a medical problem may also be off-balance and may stumble or fall when they try to move. Their eyes may look unusual (continuing to move even when their head is still), and their head will generally stay tilted the whole time. If you see this type of behavior, it’s time to take your cat to the veterinarian to find out why.