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Q:
My cat has recently lost weight, and my vet did a blood workup on her.
She's going back to be re-checked, but it seems she has hyperthyroidism.
Is there any herbal or holistic thing we can do? -- L.O., Cyberspace Answer
Q:
My 15-year-old cat is having very loose stool. Is this because his teeth
hurt due to his age? Should I use a food for senior cats? -- G.W., Las
Vegas, Nev. Answer
Q:
Our 11-year-old cat was just diagnosed as hyperthyroid. But even before
this, she missed the litter box. I wonder if there's somehow a connection.
The missing of the box has worsened in recent years. She mostly goes on
towels, clothing and other cloth objects. Just a few months ago, we added
a kitten, but I doubt that has anything to do with the problem. We keep
the litter boxes fresh. Do you have any insights? -- D.H., Tempe, Ariz.
Answer
Q:
My 9-year-old male neutered Birman cat gets dark secretions around his
eyes and nose. My vet says I can wipe with a saline solution, but I'm
afraid the solution will burn the cat. Do you have any other ideas, or
ways to stop this from happening? -- L.L., Kissimmee, Fla. Answer
Q:
My cat immediately took to being outside. I leave my kitchen window open
for him while I’m at work, so he can keep occupied. After reading one
of your columns about the dangers of (a cat) being outside, I’m concerned.
Is it too late to turn him into an indoor cat? I’ve tried to keep the
window shut but he wants out, and if I open the door, he flies past me.
What should I do? -- L.N., San Francisco, Calif. Answer
Q:
My sister is moving and I’m gaining custody of, her 11-year-old cat. Newman,
who sees the vet regularly, is in perfect health. He’s mostly an indoor
cat but he does venture into the fenced back yard. My trepidation is about
Newman’s vomiting. He vomits up to three times daily. I know people think
Newman’s regurgitation is funny. But I want to save my beige carpeting.
What can I do? -- M.M., Austin, Texas Answer
Q:
I have a wonderful 5-month old kitten, but I also have six young grandchildren.
Sometimes when Cokie plays she gets kind of aggressive with the kids,
although she doesn’t mean them any harm. Still, I’m worried about the
kids. Should I have Cokie de-clawed? -- B.M., Spartanburg, S.C. Answer
Q:
We have five cats and Kirkland, an 8-year-old Lhaso apso we adopted in
October. Kirkland wants to eat the cats’ food and our cats prefer the
dog food. We tried placing the cats’ food on a table but this turned out
to be impractical. Any ideas? -- J.K., Scottsdale, Ariz. Answer
Q:
We adopted our cat, Allie, about two years ago; she was two years old
at the time. She recently outrightly attacked me — I wasn’t even looking
at her. I had bleeding bite wounds on my arms and legs. I have no idea
what provoked the attack. Then, at night the phone rang very late. When
I got up to get the call, she attacked again. This time, it’s possible
I stepped on her, or maybe the phone scared her. We’ve always played together,
and she gently nips at me. But she’s never been so aggressive. How can
I avoid this from happening again? -- B.K.A., Coral Springs, Fla. Answer
Q:
When I leave town, my cat misses me. Riley is 5 years old; he’s an indoor
and outdoor cat, and neutered. I’m thinking of getting a kitten for Riley,
and for me too. But my neighbor tells me Riley doesn’t like the cats he
encounters outside. Am I better with a female or male kitten? And do you
think getting the kitten is a good idea? -- M.R., Sacramento, Calif. Answer
Q:
Our cat licks people, sort of like a dog. It persistently licks people
who come into the house, licks their fingers, their hands and their arms.
It licks me, too, whenever the opportunity arises. What’s going on? --
J.H., Evanston, Ill. Answer
Q:
Our cat was formerly abandoned, She still spends many hours outdoors,
although she’s now predominately a house cat. You’re written dogs might
be prone to Lyme disease. Can cats get this disease, too? If so, how can
I prevent it? Is there a vaccination? How do I remove any ticks on my
cat that she doesn’t remove on her own? Should I use Advantage for fleas
to kill the ticks? Should I use a flea collar instead? -- S.T., Mill Valley,
Calif. Answer
Q:
Last December, my kitten was diagnosed with skin acne. We began replacing
plastic dishes with glass, and using Pyoben (cq) gel, CEFA tablets (an
antibiotic) and steroids, but nothing helped. The vet took skin scrapings
to analyze and did a biopsy, which was negative. We began using several
kinds of ointments and shampoos but some even made the problem worse.
We tried hypoallergenic foods, then more creams and lotions. Nothing has
helped. Any ideas? -- L.B., Orlando, Fla. Answer
Q:
Finally, after several years of trying, we’re pregnant. I’m elated! But
I was shocked to hear my obstetrician say I could no longer have a cat.
I’ve never heard of this. I can’t imagine every pregnant woman gets rid
of the family cat. Why is having a cat dangerous if you’re pregnant? Of
course, I’ll love our new baby, but I love our cat, too. Should I really
give her away? -- T.B., Louisville, Ky. Answer
Q:
I want to feed my kitten raw meat, kidney, liver, brains, etc. I also
want to give her cooked turkey and chicken. I also cook bones until they’re
good and soft for her teeth. When I had a dog, I cooked him stew with
hearty vegetables and wheat bread. Will this be good for the kitten? --
V.M., Waterford, Mich. Answer
Q:
My 9-year-old cat sleeps with me and snores. Sometimes I have to put her
out of the bedroom. Is snoring common in cats? -- A.P., Cyberspace Answer
Q:
I have two male cats and one is a "horn-dog." Both were both
neutered at 3 months. They’re now 5-years and 5-1/2 years old respectfully.
One of the cats has been humping my knees or those of my children
at night. He knows he’s a bad boy because of the way he looks at
us when we tell him "Stop!" What’s going on? -- N.B., Las Vegas,
Nev. Answer
Q:
Can you tell me about a new and less invasive method of de-clawing cats?
-- T. L, Marrieta, Ga. Answer
Q:
My fiance and I have eight cats between us. We’re purchasing a home soon
and are worried about introducing our cats. Any advice? -- T.B., Washington,
Ill. Answer
Q:
I have two indoor cats. One likes to lick plastic and eat plants but not
the other. Why? -- E.M., San Francisco, Calif. Answer
Q:
Which plants are toxic to cats? -- C.P., Schaumburg, Ill. Answer
Q:
After we had a baby, one of our two cats began to defecate outside the
litter box, at several places around the house. By reading your columns,
we learned to allow both cats in the baby’s room and play with them around
the baby. The cat with the problem doesn’t appear to be upset with the
baby. Our vet suggested anti-anxiety medication. What do you think? --
A.M., Chicago, Ill. Answer
Q:
Callie is my "bad" cat. I found her on Halloween in my basement
window well as a tiny kitten. Ever since, I’ve loved her. But she doesn’t
love me. Callie will not allow us to pick her up and she’s certainly not
a lap cat. She doesn’t hesitate to bite us. Should we ship this cat off
to never-never land? Is she hopeless? -- J.T., Greensburg, Penn. Answer
Q:
I recently lost a kitten to the FIP virus. My kitten was from a shelter
and never vaccinated. You can do a good service by warning people about
FIP. -- L.R., Brunswick, Ga. Answer
Q:
My cat is sneaking spicy foods off my dinner plate, usually stuff with
hot peppers. She doesn’ t seem to have any negative effects from her habit.
Is this unhealthy? -- P.P., San Francisco, Calif. Answer
Q:
My fiance and his 6-year-old male cat (he’s a Leo) have moved in. I have
a 4-year-old German shepherd (he’s also a Leo). Both animals are wonderful,
although spoiled. Neither had experience with the other species. The cat
walks around hissing, and the dog is goofy, just wanting to play. What’s
your advice? -- J.S., Detroit, Mich. Answer
Q:
My wife and I have two 5-year-old male cats from the same litter. They
crave seedless grapes. They are totally fixated on them. When we arrive
home from the grocery store, all they want is to find grapes. They play
with the grapes, impale them on their claws and run excitedly around the
house with the grapes — but they’re not especially interested in eating
them. Our cats react the same way to catnip. Could it be there’s a chemical
on the grapes that’s causing this reaction? Or are grapes really related
to catnip? Is this activity harmful to the cats? -- J.B., Fayetteville,
Ga. Answer Answer
Q:
You often write about how cats should have toys to play with, and should
be playing with their owners. For about five years my 12-year-old cat
has been blind. We know this because he bumps into walls and can’t find
doors. I’d love to be able to play with him. Can I do better than catnip
in a sock? -- E.M., Cyberspace Answer
Q:
Our 9-month-old kitten has bad habits we’d like to correct. She gets under
the sofa and runs back and forth, tearing it up in the process. She also
scratches at the carpeting. She’s forever on our counter tops, and in
the sink. One day, she jumped into the dishwater. She doesn’t like to
drink out of her water dish but prefers running water. My sister suggests
I get another kitten, but then I’m afraid I’d have two bad cats. My husband
wants me to whack the cat to teach her a lesson. I use a squirt gun but
she returns only moments later to the scene of the crime. What can I do?
– T.W., Metamora, Ill. Answer
Q:
Can cats get heartworm? I heard this is controversial. With indoor cats
like mine, should I worry? -- L.K., Atlanta, Ga. Answer
Q:
Our cat likes to walk on the toilet seat when the toilet is being flushed.
I’m afraid one day she’ll fall in. What should I do? -- C.G., Indianapolis,
Ind. Answer
Q:
When I read your recent column about wry neck in rabbits, it occurred
to me that my 12-year-old cat had the same symptoms. In a mysterious incident,
his eyes began to flicker, his head quivered and his body twisted to the
right as he fell over. His head remained twisted. Since then, we’ve given
him half a baby aspirin twice a week and dexamethasone periodically. He
has improved but only slightly. Our vet suspects an inner ear infection
or a stroke. Can cats have wry neck? -- E.M., San Francisco, Calif. Answer
Q:
We were devastated to learn our cat, Max, had contracted cancer at the
sight of his vaccine from his yearly rabies inoculation. Several vets
agreed treatment is hopeless, and we’re now watching our beloved cat die.
We had told our vet we didn’t want the rabies portion of the vaccine for
our indoor cat. Obviously, our instructions were ignored. And the vet
never told us about the possibility of cancer. Please tell readers our
story so this doesn’t happen to them. Where can we learn more about cancer
and cats? -- J.M.L., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Answer
Q:
I read with great interest your statement that onions are toxic to cats.
Now, we’re genuinely concerned about other fruits and vegetables I’m feeding
our cats. Although our furry friends get their favorite wet and dry food
daily, they are gourmet cats. They especially love cheese enchiladas and
guacamole, and also Alfredo and marinara sauces. Are we harming our cats?
-- A. W. Q., Tucson, Ariz. Answer
Q:
My spoiled cat has this weird habit; he chews on anything plastic, electrical
cords, even the antenna on the cordless phone. I am totally perplexed.
What do I do? — D.R., Glendale, Ariz. Answer
Q:
According to a web site, Siberian cats have no dander, and are therefore
non-allergenic. Can you tell me more about this breed? -- M. A. Cyberspace
Answer
Q:
We’re looking for a pure bred cat, do you have any breed recommendations?
Where can I learn more about specific breeds? -- T. J., Cyberspace Answer
Answer
Q:
Our 6-year-old tabby likes to lick Vaseline off my finger at night before
I go to bed. I’ve heard that Vaseline helps cats cough up hairballs, but
our cat doesn’t have hairballs. Will the Vaseline harm him? — W.D., Cyberspace
Answer
Q:
My 16-year-old cat has developed the strange habit of pushing his water
bowl around the room with his paw until the water spills, and only then
does he lick it up. Any ideas? —V.B., Cyberspace Answer
Q:
There's a 4-month-old male cat I'm tempted to adopt from a local shelter.
However, several of the shelter cats had a common cat cold and the cat
I want started to sneeze, too. The staff has suggested I not get this
cat because I have another one at home. However, if I do adopt this kitty,
I'll keep him isolated from my other cat, for a while, anyway, so they
can get used to each another. At the shelter, they’re treating the kitty
I want with Amoxicillin. Is that right? Should I adopt this kitten? —
K.P., Ann Arbor, Mich. Answer
Q:
Our Persian cat is about 10 years old and in good health. However, for
the last two weeks, she’ll only eat a spoonful of canned food. I believe
we’ve tried every brand there is, and now she even refuses table food.
At night, she does eat a little dry food. And it seems she drinks less
water, too. What do you think about this? — E.S., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Answer
Q:
Is it OK to give aspirin to cats? — E.M., Las Vegas, Nev. Answer
Q:
My cat is urinating in the bathtub. Cleopatra is 6 years old and never
had a problem before. Six weeks ago, she started this, but only went in
the tub once every 10 days. Now, she does it almost every day. I'm tired
of cleaning the tub. What can I do? — C.D., Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Answer
Q:
I know this sounds crazy: I'm really into working out, and I do it at
home. I have a friend who swears there's a book out that shows you how
to work out with your cat. If so, can you tell me the name of the book?
— R.T., Indianapolis, Ind. Answer
Q:
How do I teach my 10-month-old kitten to use the toilet? — T.L., Kalamazoo,
Mich. Answer
Q:
Our 20-week-old cat pulled a tendon in a rear knee. The veterinarian put
on a soft splint that stretches her leg out straight. The splint will
stay on for two weeks. Surgery was not an option due to cost. Does this
sound like a reasonable treatment? — M.W., Las Vegas, Nev. Answer
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