Cat feet are fascinating. They function as shock absorbers when landing after aerial acrobatics. The pads on the paws are thick, with a substantial amount of adipose (fat) tissue just below the pad surfaces. This acts as a cushion, allowing for cats to walk quietly. To me, however, the most impressive parts of the feet are the claws. All members…
Body Parts – the Adrenal Glands I would venture that most people have heard of the adrenal glands. I would also bet that if asked about what the adrenals do, most folks would correctly guess that they make adrenaline, the “fight or flight” hormone that makes your heart race before that first big plunge on the roller coaster. But…
I’m sure you’ve heard of them, but do you really know what they are, or what they do? I’m talking about the lymph nodes, important structures that we don’t think about much, but play a crucial role in a cat’s ability to fight off infections. Lymph nodes are small, oval shaped organs that are dispersed throughout the body. They…
Body Parts – The Stomach by Arnold Plotnick, MS, DVM, ACVIM If you can’t stomach the thought of an article about the stomach, then this column may not be for you. But have no fear, I will make this material easy to digest. The stomach is an important part of the gastrointestinal tract. Food that is swallowed is propelled by…
Body Parts – The Kidneys by Arnold Plotnick, MS, DVM, ACVIM Like all mammals, cats have two kidneys, one on the left, and one on the right. They are shaped like…kidney beans, of course. Blood flows into the kidney through the renal artery, and leaves via the renal vein. As blood passes through the kidney, toxins are filtered from the…
Feline Body Parts – The Liver “Liver Me This” by Arnold Plotnick, MS, DVM, ACVIM Published in Catster Volume 1, No. 3, Sept/Oct 2015 “What am I? Chopped liver?” You’ve probably heard this figure of speech before, the speaker implying that he’s worthless. I can assure you, as a cat veterinarian, that the liver (unchopped, at least) is anything but…
Common occurrence: I examine a cat that was brought in for a gastrointestinal problem. I asked the client what her main concern was, and she said that the cat was regurgitating frequently. I asked if the cat was truly regurgitating, or if he was vomiting. She said, “I didn’t realize there was a difference”. I would venture that most people…
Simply wonderful! Georgia Engel – star of film, television, and stage – lover of felines – brought her cat in to see me at my cat hospital for a check-up. She is known for her role as Georgette Franklin Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and has also appeared on The Love Boat, Coach, The Office, Mork and Mindy,…
Most cat parents ask me what the best diet for their healthy cat is. These days, it is becoming more difficult to answer this seemingly simple question. Many people feel that cats should be fed canned food only, and that dry food is terrible for their cat. Other people feel that the composition of the food is much more important…
I was examining a young female cat that had been adopted a few months before from a rescue organization. The owner had brought her in for behavioral issues. “She’s been making trilling noises, and she sticks her rear end in the air, and is rolling around on the carpet all squirmy”, said her owner. “She’s also become super-affectionate. I have…
My first appointment of the morning was to see Gypsy, a 5 year old neutered male Siamese owned by Gail H. The chief complaint written in the appointment book was the vaguely worded “hairball problem”. In the exam room, I asked Gail to elaborate. “He’s been trying to cough up a hairball for weeks”, said Gail, “but nothing comes up.”…
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…
There’s a post from the Reader’s Digest website that is making the rounds. It hasn’t gone “viral”, but I’m seeing it pop up on a lot of the newsfeeds that I subscribe to. It’s entitled “50 Things That Your Veterinarian Won’t Tell You”. They make it sound like you’re getting some super-secret scoop on what really goes on behind the…
A New Chart Helps Pet Parents Calculate Their Cats’ Age in Relation to Human Yearsby Dr. Arnold Plotnick published in Cat Fancy September 2011 Cats are living longer than ever before, and I suppose it is human nature to wonder how a cat’s age would compare to a human’s. In talking with many people, I’ve discovered that the myth that…