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Ask a Vet: Can Cats Get Sick From Eating Poisoned Rodents?
Rodent pests have inhabited most parts of the world since humans started generating trash. Although mice and rats are capable of living on their own in the wild, they thrive in the presence of humans,...
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Ask a Vet: Does a Microchip Prove Ownership of a Cat?
I recently asked the veterinary technicians who work at my office to take X-rays of a cat who had been coughing. The X-rays were compatible with feline asthma. There also was an incidental finding....
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Ask a Vet: Is It Safe For Cats to Share in Thanksgiving Feasts?
Several years ago I was at a Thanksgiving celebration with my relatives. Most of the food had made it onto the dining room table, but for some reason all of the people were still in the kitchen or in...
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A Big Cat Turned Me Against Traditional Eastern Medicine
I am an unabashed travel nut. I’m also an animal lover, so it should surprise nobody that, in my mind, the best trip is an international wildlife safari. Some of my most vivid memories have occurred...
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Ask a Vet: What Causes Sudden Facial Swelling in Cats?
A reader of my website named Jamie recently contacted me about her cat. I have an outside cat. I left for work one morning and she was fine. I came home for lunch the same day and I noticed that her...
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The Ribbon on a Christmas Gift Could Be Bad News for Your Cat
Lately at the emergency clinic we’ve been having a run of linear foreign bodies. What, you ask, is a linear foreign body? To understand linear foreign bodies, one must first understand the concept of...
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Resolve to Be the Best Possible Cat Owner This Year
As Jan. 1 approaches each year, I am asked what sort of new year’s resolutions I recommend for cat owners. This year is no exception — in fact, my editor at Catster asked me to write about the subject....
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Ask a Vet: What Does It Mean if a Cat Can’t Produce Tears?
An editor at Catster recently asked about tear production in cats. Executive editor Vicky Walker‘s friend, Bisi, adopted a cat who does not consistently produce tears in one eye. Chesta the tabby...
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Ask a Vet: How Can I Tell Whether My Cat Is Deaf?
I recently received the following question from a reader: My cat is only five, but I’ve noticed lately that he doesn’t seem to hear me, ever, and he’s often startled when I come up behind him. Nothing...
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Ask a Vet: Do Cats Experience Emotions?
There are lots of things I love in this world, and near the top of the list is the holiday double issue of The Economist. The issue is filled with essays by the magazine’s correspondents. They choose...
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Ask a Vet: Am I Bad if I Can’t Get My Cat Into Her Carrier?
A few weeks ago a client showed up at my office at 6:20 a.m. with a cat carrier. She advised me that inside the carrier was a legendary cat — legendary among veterinarians, that is, for being a...
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Ask a Vet: Why Do Cats Urinate Outside of the Litter Box?
Editors note: Dr. Barchas is off this week, so we’re republishing this column on a timeless topic — and also that might figure into new year’s resolutions you’ve made regarding cat health and behavior...
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Ask a Vet: Why Do Some Vets Back Vaccinating Indoor Cats?
I recently read Lauren Oster’s Catster article, “Cats and the City: 5 Lessons of Urban Life With Felines.” In an especially amusing paragraph under the heading “‘Indoor-only’ cats become ‘no,...
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Ask a Vet: Can Cannabis Treat Breast Cancer in Cats?
I recently received a query from a pet owner. My older lady cat has very swollen and hard breast tissue on her lower breasts. We have been recommended treatment of cannabis oil orally and directly,...
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Why Dental Disease Is the Most Common Problem Cats Face
Editor’s note: Dr. Barchas is off this week, but February is National Pet Dental Health Month, an ideal time to republish this post so you can get the information and comment on it. When I was on the...
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Why Keep Your Cat Inside? A Mountain Lion Might Eat Him
Is there anyone on the planet who doesn’t think big cats are cool? I have always loved big cats. In fact, big cats are the reason why I’m a vet. When I was younger, I wanted to be one of those guys...
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Ask a Vet: What on Earth Is Triaditis in Cats?
A cat was brought to my hospital several months ago. She had a history of episodic vomiting. She would be devoid of symptoms for several weeks, or sometimes months, but then would suffer from several...
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Ask a Vet: How Can Cats Suddenly Develop Symptoms of Heart Failure?
Many months ago I worked on a case that will haunt me for a while. A cat was brought to my office with a two-hour history of respiratory distress. I could tell within moments that the cat was not going...
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The Good News? It’s Spring! The Bad? Hazards for Cats
Just about everyone I know, with the exception of a few snow-starved Tahoe aficionados, is welcoming the arrival of spring. In the West, this year’s winter was pretty mild (or, for skiers, nonexistent)...
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Ask a Vet: What Are the Risks of Steroid Injection in Cats?
A few weeks ago I saw a cat who was having trouble breathing. Breathing difficulties are the most serious and urgent condition that any vet ever treats. It’s all over after a few minutes without air....
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