Here are some of the internet’s most interesting and popular cat related articles and videos collected and shared during this past week. Enjoy!
(To see more fun videos, fascinating stories and adorable pics, just visit our FB page!)
15 February: Signs It Might be Time to Switch Vets
Does your vet roll your eyes when your conversation starts with, “I was reading…” Does your vet brush off your questions? Does your vet neglect to explain what they are doing and why? Do they explain the risks and treatment options, even when prescribing something as seemingly simple as antibiotics? If not, you might want to consider seeking another vet. As Dr. Coates states, “Good patient care is impossible without open communication.”
16 February: Surprised Kitty
Who remembers when this utterly adorable video went up? It’s still one of my all-time kitten cuteness favorites.
17 February: Feline Fine: How to Read Your Cat’s Vital Signs
We talk about home health checks fairly often around here, but knowing what’s normal for your cat and knowing what’s normal and healthy for all cats is slightly different.
Here, Dr. Marty Becker explains what’s normal, what’s not, and when you should start worrying.
17 February: Feline body language
Do you know what your cat is trying to say to you?
Learning how to read feline body language is one of the best ways to understand your cat. Even though some cats express themselves vocally, most use their face, tail and body to communicate with each other and with the humans in their lives. If you’re not familiar with their communication signals, read this and open up a new world of understanding between you and your kitty!
18 February: Natural Alternatives for Arthritis & Joint Stiffness in Pets and How to Prevent and Treat
Arthritis is very painful. In addition to a variety of pain management drugs, arthritis can be treated and potentially prevented naturally. The first step is to combat obesity and inflammation by feeding a species appropriate raw diet.
19 February: IBD: A Real Pain in the Rear!
IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) is increasingly more common in the cat population. Many speculate and believe that high processed and synthetically supplemented standard commercial pet food is the primary cause, though other causes could include genetics or vaccines. Whatever the initial trigger, feeding a species-appropriate raw diet is one of the most effective ways to help heal a gut suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.
19 February: Judging merits of veterinary homeopathy not an AVMA objective
The AVMA, the same organization with a policy designed to discourage raw feeding, has fallen silent on another policy that would declare homeopathic medicine an “ineffective practice.” “Goldman says he doesn’t support homeopathy any more than he did a year ago, but he now believes the AVMA must tread cautiously in publicly judging the merits of a niche modality.”
Did the backlash against their anti-raw feeding policy make them leery of taking another controversial stance? Or is there just not enough money coming in from the anti-homeopathic lobbyists to make this fight worthwhile?
19 February: Cats Have Super, Psychedelic Vision
Have you ever found yourself wondering what your cats were staring at on the wall or the ceiling… or behind you?
Wonder no more! Researchers have found that cats, along with a several other mammals, can see ultraviolet light, a wavelength humans cannot detect. Many natural objects reflect ultraviolet light, including flowers and urine, and synthetic optical brighteners are sometimes added to paper, fabrics, laundry detergents and more.
So the next time you see your kitty staring intently at something you can’t see, remember there’s a whole world of color out there invisible to our less-specialized eye.
20 February: Just What is a Raw Meat Diet, Anyway?
There’s no soft-pedaling it; cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet. They need meat. Raw meat is best! Raw feeding is not overly complex, but it involves more than just throwing down a steak or a chicken breast. You must create a menu that includes the proper meat, bone and organs.
