Day trip! Our destination: the beautiful coastal fishing town of Essaouira Essaouira has an interesting history. Today, it’s a favorite destination for the picturesque fishing harbor, the twisting little alleyways, and the sand, sea and surf. It used to be a hippie hangout for surfers and expat artists, and though the city now hosts a broader range of visitors, you…
I started my Saturday in Morocco with our riad’s lavish rooftop terrace breakfast, only this time I was joined by the resident cat. Soon afterward, we were joined by the neighborhood tomcat, who hopped onto the terrace from a nearby rooftop, and made himself at home in the covered seating area on the terrace. Yesterday we explored sites in the…
Woke up feeling refreshed and ready to explore the city. After a great breakfast of eggs and a huge assortment of breads, pastries and jams (these folks are into carbs), we got ready to hit the town. But first, I had to play with the riad kitty. I knew the place had a resident cat, so I brought him a…
It was that time of the year again: Memorial Day. I like Memorial Day because not only does it signify the start of summer (my favorite season), it also means that I get to go on vacation! My cat hospital is open seven days a week, and I can’t have our other veterinarian, Dr. Sheheri, work 11 days straight while I’m gone. …
Traveling the world is one of my great pleasures in life. It expands my horizons and it’s good to get out of my comfort zone now and then. Like most travelers, I like to document my trip by taking lots of photographs. As the years go by and technology marches on, the cameras that I’ve taken with me have become…
In May of 2012, I took a trip to China. While in Beijing, I made plans to visit the Great Wall, of course. A few weeks before my trip, I sent an e-mail to my tour guide, Vivie, telling her that I was a cat veterinarian and that I like to encounter kitties in whatever country I’m visiting, if possible.…
I recently had the pleasure to take a trip to my favorite international city, Amsterdam. I first visited this wonderful city in 1998. Although I have traveled to most European countries, I hadn’t had a chance to return to Amsterdam until 2011. At that time, I was fortunate to discover the Poezenboot, a cat shelter/sanctuary permanently docked in the Singel…
Would you know a cat emergency if you saw one? I discussed feline first aid for cats and kittens (what to do in a cat emergency), but now I want to point out signs that should cause the pet owner to say, “This is a cat emergency! I need to get my cat to the veterinarian immediately.” It’s amazing the…
Although most of us cat lovers will tell you that it’s a cat’s personality that matters most, many of us will admit that we find ourselves drawn to a cat’s particular coat color. At my cat hospital, my technician Hiromi is drawn to orange boys. I tend to go for the torties. My technician Gina favors black cats. A close…
Books I Read in 2012
As a cat veterinarian for over 20 years, I’ve noticed a few common themes to some of the questions and comments I get in the examination room. Cat owners are amazing people. They love their babies. They want to protect their babies. They want to know what the heck is up with their babies?! It is an ongoing struggle trying…
MY TRAVELS IN CHINA: SHANGHAI DAY 4 Dr. Arnold Plotnick of Manhattan Cat Specialists, loves to travel and loves cats. So off he went… East… way way East… to China. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will share the cultural and kitty cat highlights of Dr. Plotnick’s trip. (Continued from Day 3, pt 2) Our last full day in Shanghai begins in Pudong,…
My Travels in China: Shanghai Day 3 (part 2) Dr. Arnold Plotnick of Manhattan Cat Specialists, loves to travel and loves cats. So off he went… East… way way East… to China. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will share the cultural and kitty cat highlights of Dr. Plotnick’s trip. (Continued from Day 3, pt 1) The…
My Travels in China: Shanghai Day 3 (Part 1) Dr. Arnold Plotnick of Manhattan Cat Specialists, loves to travel and loves cats. So off he went… East… way way East… to China. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will share the cultural and kitty cat highlights of Dr. Plotnick’s trip. (Continued from Day 2) Lots of very…
My Travels in China: Shanghai Day 2 Dr. Arnold Plotnick of Manhattan Cat Specialists, loves to travel and loves cats. So off he went… East… way way East… to China. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will share the cultural and kitty cat highlights of Dr. Plotnick’s trip. (Continued from Day 1 part 2) After another weird…