Cats

Managing arthritis in cats is difficult. The drug class that is the mainstay of treatment for both dogs and people is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Veterinarians may prescribe NSAIDs for short-term pain management in cats under certain circumstances. When used appropriately and prescribed by a veterinarian, they can be safe and effective. However, arthritis treatment is almost always long-term. Buprenorphine is an opioid pain reliever for cats that is safe and effective but addictive to both humans and cats. It’s relatively expensive if you are using it day in and day out for the rest of your cat’s life. Veterinarians might recommend it for short-term use when other forms of treatment are no longer able to keep your cat comfortable, but they may reserve it for late-stage arthritis. Thankfully, dietary modifications have proven to be an excellent way to help treat arthritis in cats. Here are some ways you can change your cat’s diet to support their joint health: Keep Your Cat Lean Most importantly, arthritic cats should not be overfed. The weight of extra body fat stresses arthritic joints and results in pain. Fat tissue also secretes hormones that cause inflammation, and since inflammation is at the heart of arthritis, anything that increases it needs to be avoided. For these reasons, arthritic cats should be fed an amount of food that keeps them a little on the skinny side. Ask your vet for specific measurements of how much to feed the particular diet that your cat is on. The guidelines on the bag are a start, but your vet can give you a more precise measurement. Feed the Right Amount of Quality Protein Diets for cats with arthritis should contain adequate amounts of protein. Protein helps build muscle, and strong muscles help support joints. Most cats with arthritis are older, and older cats usually need more protein than they did when they were young. Foods for arthritic cats should contain high-quality sources of animal-based protein that are easy to digest. Look at the ingredient list to make sure at least one animal protein is listed as the first or second ingredient. The minimum protein percentage on the product’s guaranteed analysis should not be less than around 35% or so, on a dry matter basis. For dry food, this is the percentage you’ll see in the Guaranteed Analysis section on the bag. For wet food, you’ll need to do a little math: Subtract the percent moisture from 100. This is the percent dry matter for the food. Next divide the protein percentage on the label by the percent dry matter and multiply by 100. The result is the protein percentage on a dry matter basis. You can compare this directly to the one on the dry food bag. Try Joint Health Supplements Dietary supplements are also quite helpful in treating arthritis in cats. Cats with arthritis can benefit from chondroprotectants (supplements that promote cartilage health). A combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate or extracts from green-lipped mussels are commonly used and can be mixed into your cat’s food or given as treats. Dasuquin® is a favorite option that comes in a flavored chew with glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3, and other ingredients. An injectable chondroprotectant such as Adequan® is another option that works well. It may be difficult and stressful for all involved, however, to keep taking your cat in to see the vet for injections. Many people also like to give fish oil, the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, to cats with arthritis. Several studies have shown that arthritic cats fed high doses of omega-3 fatty acids tend to have less lameness and be more active than do cats who did not receive the supplements. Many fish oil supplements come in a pump dispenser, so you can mix the oil into your cat’s food as instructed on the label. Just be aware of how many calories you’re adding to your cat’s diet each day through fish oil. Make sure that you start out with a diet that is relatively low in other sources of fat. The last thing you want is for your cat’s arthritis supplements to cause weight gain, undoing the good you are doing by altering their diet in the first place. Featured image: iStock.com/Svetlana Sultanaeva

Image via iStock.com/sdominick By Dr. Sarah Wooten If I asked you, “What is the most common nutritional disorder seen in domestic cats today?”, what do you think the answer would be? Malnutrition? Taurine deficiency? Good thoughts, but the biggest nutritional problem we see in cats today is obesity. Obesity is a growing problem in our companion cats, literally and figuratively. It is estimated that over 50 percent of cats seen today at veterinary hospitals are overweight or obese. Obesity in cats is defined as having a body weight that is 20 percent or higher than what is considered normal for that cat’s frame. You can tell your cat is overweight by talking to your veterinarian.  Obesity is bad for cats. It reduces their quality of life and shortens their lifespan by predisposing them to all sorts of diseases, including diabetes mellitus, heart disease and painful osteoarthritis. Why Are So Many Cats Overweight? Hundreds of years ago, most cats were active, outdoor hunters. They were constantly on the move and only dined on high-protein, low-carbohydrate fare like grasshoppers and mice. Today, most companion cats live sedentary lives of luxury inside a home. They have little to do except sleep and eat from a cat bowl that is often full of carbohydrate-rich kibble. Bringing cats indoors has had many positive effects, including enriching the human-animal bond, controlling the feline population, and reducing death and sickness from trauma and infections. The downside is that indoor cats are often bored and will eat frequently because there is nothing else to do. Slowly, over time, they begin to gain weight. It is a simple equation of too many calories in and not enough calories out.

The flehmen response gets its name from the German word flehmen, which means “to curl the upper lip.” In addition to curling back their upper lip, a cat may curl their tongue, or show their front teeth, while others simply look perplexed or disgusted. You can see the flehmen response in action here:,Q: My cat randomly makes the weirdest face after smelling something. Their mouth just hangs open and they look super confused! Is this normal?

Cats can be incredibly loving and friendly creatures, but don’t underestimate their ability to defend themselves when the situation calls for it. When a cat perceives something or someone to be a threat, he will usually emit intimidating cat noises—a hissing sound—to scare off whatever is causing his fear. Some will hear these startling, snake-like cat noises and automatically assume they came from an aggressive cat—when in fact, the opposite is true. Hissing is a form of defense “when a cat encounters a situation that makes them feel anxious, afraid or threatened,” says Jennifer Maniet, DVM, staff veterinarian at Petplan pet insurance. “Hissing is just one of the many nonverbal ways in which all cats communicate with their owners, housemates, and anyone else that may cross their paths.” When a cat feels threatened, they will engage in the infamous hissing cat noises and “even change their facial expression, ear and body postures to appear more intimidating.” Just as a snake will hiss and stand up when he feels threatened, a cat will do the same to appear as an aggressive cat to scare off the perceived threat. “This [cat] behavior is meant to be a warning signal to deter opponents.” If you’ve ever heard a cat hiss, you have probably noticed that it is strikingly similar to the hiss of a snake. Dr. Louis Marinos, a veterinarian practicing in Long Island, NY, says, “It is believed that cats actually developed hissing from snakes.” Snakes will let out a long hiss if they are intimidated, and cats will do the same to “warn others that their actions are making them unhappy,” he says. You may notice that every time you bring a new guest into your home, like your friend visiting for the weekend or a family member during a reunion dinner, your cat doesn’t warm up to them immediately. Though this is not true for all cats, there are those that will view your guest as a potential threat and will come off as an aggressive cat and hiss to ward off the “intruder” from their territory. To make the visit less stressful for everyone involved, you can warn your guests before they enter to essentially ignore the cat unless he blatantly asks for their attention. You can also try the Comfort Zone with Feliway Cat Diffuser to keep your cat calm when you have visitors. The Feliway diffuser makes your home a safe haven for your cat by using a heating element to diffuse a calming pheromone into the air. The vapor signals to your cat that the area is friendly and safe, reducing your cat’s urge to hiss at new visitors or display other defensive cat behaviors. Trying to get your cat to do something they don’t want to do, like putting them in their carrier, or shooing them off a piece of furniture, can also cause hissy fits (literally). These instances can cause anxiety, so your cat will engage in hissing, which in cat language, means that you should stop. If you want to train your cat to stay calm in these trying circumstances, you can use Pet Naturals of Vermont Calming Cat Chews. These soothing, chicken-flavored supplements use natural ingredients to reduce stress or aggressive cat behavior. If a cat is hissing at you, your first reaction may be to reprimand or even comfort the cat, but Dr. Maniet advises otherwise. “If you don’t stay away [when you hear a cat hiss], a cat may resort to more aggressive cat behavior such as scratching and biting,” she says. When you hear cat noises like hissing, it’s best to remove whatever is provoking him as soon as possible before the cat becomes combative and causes injury to you or others. A cat that is constantly hissing can be easily calmed thanks to a few training aids. The Sentry HC Good Behavior Phermone Cat Calming Collar uses pheromones that mimic those that a mother cat produces to alleviate any stress your cat may have. The cat collar will help your kitty feel safe and secure so he will be less likely to resort to defensive cat behaviors. Besides the collar, the ThunderShirt Anxiety & Calming Solution is another great way to keep your cat relaxed in stressful situations. This product applies gentle, constant pressure to calm your cat’s fear and anxiety. Keep in mind that besides feeling threatened, a cat may hiss because something is wrong with them physically. “Hissing can be a signal that a cat is sick and needs medical attention,” Dr. Maniet says. If your cat is hissing with no perceived threats in sight, you should take him to your veterinarian for a consultation.

At your next backyard bash, bring your pets in on the fun, too. And by that, we mean whipping up a pet-friendly BBQ sauce that you can lightly slather on dog- and cat-friendly meats and veggies. While human BBQ sauce may not be safe for pet consumption (thanks to ingredients such as onions and garlic), we’ve whipped up two easy-to-make recipes—one for cats and one for dogs—that are both pet-friendly and tasty. Created by cookbook authors and Trunk Pop Dinners co-founders Marge Perry and David Bonom, these BBQ sauce recipes are not only loaded with safe spices and tomato paste, but they also consist of a secret ingredient: The Honest Kitchen’s Bone Broth Pour Overs in beef stew and The Honest Kitchen’s Minced Chicken Recipe in bone both gravy, respectively. Enough talk, though; let’s get cooking! (And be sure to stick around to the end of the article, where you can get to know our chefs—and their two dogs, Otis and Zoey—a little better.)

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The most widely known benefit of pumpkin for cats is to help treat digestive issues. If your cat has regular GI issues, you should consult your vet. But for the occasional abnormal stool or hairballs, pumpkin can be an effective treatment. Here are all of the health benefits of pumpkin for cats: Helps relieve constipation: Pumpkins have a high water and fiber content and can act to hydrate the intestines and their contents when cats are suffering from constipation. The water and fibers will be absorbed by the dry stools in your cat’s intestines, and your kitty may experience relief as soon as a few hours. Helps prevent hairballs: This high-fiber content also makes pumpkin a great part of your cat’s routine to aid in hairball Helps alleviate diarrhea: Oddly enough, pumpkin can also be used to alleviate mild diarrhea. The soluble fiber in pumpkins actually helps absorb excess water in the bowels that the body didn’t absorb properly, thereby helping to calm diarrhea. It’s chock-full of nutrients, essential fatty acids and antioxidants: Pumpkin is also high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants (good for overall healthy skin and fur), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, and iron and may even reduce the likelihood your cat will develop cancer. It is important to remember that while these vitamins and minerals are beneficial, if your cat eats a balanced diet, he or she should not be deficient in these requirements. Helps aid in weight loss: With obesity affecting a significant number of our cats, pumpkin is also useful as a supplement to aid in weight loss for your cat. Pumpkin adds bulk and will help keep your cat feeling full longer. If your cat is obese, contact your vet to get a personalized diet plan so your cat is not losing too much weight too rapidly, or too little weight too slowly.,Jump to section Is Pumpkin Good for Cats? The Health Benefits of Pumpkin for Cats How Much Pumpkin Is Safe for Cats? How to Feed Your Cat Pumpkin Cat-Friendly Recipe with Pumpkin FAQs About Cats and Pumpkin

Determining how much to feed a kitten isn’t easy. Even when you hit upon the right amount, it’s going to change before you know it because they just grow so fast.   Feeding your kitten the right amount of food is one of the best ways you can help them grow up to be a healthy and happy adult cat. Here’s how. 

If you put yourself in your kitten’s shoes, it’s easy to imagine how their fears can develop—the world is so big, and they’re so small! But there’s more to most kittens’ fears than just that. Kittens need proper socialization, aka stress-free introductions to a variety of people, places and things. This helps them learn the difference between unexpected surprises and serious threats to their safety. And while socialization is a lifelong process that you’ll continue after you bring your new kitten home, it’s especially important when your kitten is between 2 and 7 weeks of age, also known as their prime socialization period or socialization window. Knowing what your kitten was exposed to during the socialization window (and how positive or negative their life experiences were at the time) will give you valuable clues to help you understand their fears and how to help them overcome them. If your kitten has positive experiences during the socialization window, they’re less likely to act shy and fearful, says Dr. Elizabeth Chapman, DVM, of Just Cats Clinic in Reston, Virginia. But negative experiences, or a lack of new experiences, have the opposite effect, often leading to anxious or fearful behavior. “That’s why socialization is critical at this age of development,” Arguelles says.,Jump to section Why Is My Kitten So Scared? 6 Tips to Help Your Kitten Overcome Their Fear Creating a Calm Environment for Your Kitten Calming Solutions for Kittens

We’re all washing our hands (for 20 seconds to the song of our choice) and cleaning our homes more than ever before to protect ourselves against COVID-19. With all this scrubbing and disinfecting going on, we need to make sure the common household products we’re using don’t accidentally harm our pets. Pets have such a strong sense of smell, and that can lead to serious problems when cleaning products are around. “Many are scented so that people think they smell pleasant, but that scent could lead to pets ingesting the products,” says Dr. Katy Nelson, Chewy’s resident veterinarian and an associate veterinarian at the Belle Haven Animal Medical Centre in Alexandria, Virginia. The most severe cases of toxicities are when pets ingest the product, but even if they don’t directly ingest it, it could still cause problems, she says. For example, they could inhale dangerous aerosol cleaners or get chemicals on their paws and try to lick it off which Dr. Nelson points out could cause irritation of paws, tongue, and GI tract. We still need to thoroughly disinfect the surfaces of our homes, but by thinking ahead to pet safety we can mitigate some potential problems. Follow these tips to keep your pets safe around cleaning products during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.