Why is my kitty overweight?
One of my patients, a 10-year-old sweet kitty named Elsie, came in for her yearly checkup. She looked heavier than I remembered and I was pretty sure I would have to have a long chat with her parents. Indeed, she…
A day in the life of… a closed Aristokatz Vet Hospital
Life is never boring at Aristokatz. You never know when you might be called in for a high-stakes but fulfilling feline rescue, like the SIX feral cats our staff found darting about the parking lot. On a Friday when we…
Going Outside of the Litter Box… It’s No Accident
The symptoms I sometimes make house calls for owners who have a hard time bringing their cats into the office. Last week I was called to an elderly woman’s home because her two cats were having litter box accidents. Specifically,…
The Stressful Life of an Indoor Cat (really!)
With yoga, salt caves, and float tanks getting more popular, you could say we live in a stress induced culture. We are always being told to lower the stress level in our lives so that we don’t make ourselves sick. …
How Heartworm Disease Hurts Cats
The more you know about heartworm disease in cats, a potentially fatal disease, the better prepared you'll be to protect your feline friend from infection. Read on for answers to your common questions. 1. Do cats really get heartworms? Heartworms aren't…
Fleas and ticks and mosquitoes..oh my!
Even though there is a nice layer of snow on the ground, it's not too early to start planning for spring. The bugs are coming...and some may have never left! People don't generally think of fleas and mosquitoes in the…
Why is my cat urinating outside of the litterbox?
I see this all the time. Many times an owner will come in to see me because they are considering giving the cat up. When I ask how long this has been going on for, they sometimes will tell me…
Top 10 toxins for cats
This list of toxins for cats comes straight from the veterinarians and toxicology experts at the Pet Poison Hotline. These presented the most calls to the hotline in 2013: 1) Lilies: Plants in the Lilium species, such as Easter, tiger,…
Should you fire your vet?
You love your pets, and take excellent care of them, but how do you go about hiring the best vet in your area or firing one you are not comfortable with. What is the difference betwween a really good vet…
Are cats the new wonder drug?
Most people consider only the benefit of companionship when acquiring a cat, but did you know there are actual medical benefits? For instance, you are less likely to die of heart disease. The University of Minnesota conducted a 10 year…