Albuquerque Journal Articles
Are We Having Fun Yet? Question: I have indoor cats. One of the black cats (Toby) has gotten aggressive with the others and he started to spray about 6 months ago. I have never had this happen before so I am not sure what to do or where to go. I have used Nature’s Miracle everywhere. There have been no changes in the house so I am just not sure why all of a sudden this is happening. Dr. Nichol: We frown on cats decorating our walls, don’t we? Actually, nobody is having fun at your house. Toby’s aggression and…
Regurgitation is Dangerous Question: Blue Boy is a Sphynx cat, 13 years old. Ever since he was a kitten he has scooped food into his mouth like a bull dozer and chewed it while growling. After he stuffed himself he would regurgitate it and run away. I fed him tiny amounts at a time and he was able to keep that down. He acts hungry all the time. Is my cat bulimic? Dr. Nichol: Blue Boy is not bulimic. Even if he were a fashion model he wouldn’t care what anyone else thought. He’s a cat for cryin’ out loud!…
Something for Everybody Question: My nephew and I both have large male dogs. I told him that when I take our 100# black Labrador for a walk, he sniffs, browses and ‘marks’ his territory. My nephew indicated that letting males do so ‘shortens’ their lifespan since they are under duress while doing it. I would think that holding them back, fighting the urge to ‘go’ would be more of a negative effect than the natural urge to go, to sniff and mark things. Dr. Nichol: There is plenty of misinformation on canine behavior, often involving the frustration people feel with…
Check with FDA Mistakes happen. Multiple dog food brands have been found to contain excessive levels of the essential nutrient vitamin D. Some have 70 times the correct amount. Don’t panic. So far only a handful of dogs have gotten seriously ill. No cat foods have been suspected. The FDA web page, where the recalled canine diets are listed, has a really long URL so I’ve posted it on my website. Go to drjeffnichol.com and click on the FAQ page for the link. If you come to find that you’ve been feeding one of these diets I would urge you…
Cat Daddy as Midnight Toy Question: Stinky, at the age of 5 months, adopted us by walking in the back door. The weird thing is his habit of waking me at 3 AM. He will come back every five minutes to stare at me and give his little pathetic meow. It does no good to lock him out of the bedroom; he will sit outside and sing the song of his people. We are convinced that he just wants me to get up and play, and what better time to play for a nocturnal animal? Dr. Nichol: Stinky isn’t weird.…
Not Man’s, Woman’s, or Cat’s Best Friend Question: I have two 15 year old cats who are both well toilet trained. Recently I moved from the city to the country. Since then I have been getting nightly visits from a possum, she is lovely and I hand feed her my excess veggies (avocados are her favourite) (cq). She now also brings her baby with her. The cats and the possums get on fine. However, since the baby has been coming around, there has been an ever increasing smell of what I think is possum urine. Instead of being in the…
Prevent It; Don’t Punish It Question: I have a 3 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He has been getting aggressive towards my other two dogs, Malteses, about his food. He won’t let the 2 year old near it and attacks him, causing a fight. We have punished him. I don’t know how to stop it besides keeping them apart. They all get along except when it comes to food. My 2 year old pup is getting scared of him now. Dr. Nichol: Food-related aggression is not only common among dogs it’s actually normal. Protecting an essential resource is fundamental…
It’s a Dog Thing Question: I have a 5 year old female Pomeranian, who was expressed yesterday. She is still whipping her head around to get to her bum. She can’t reach there because she is soo tiny. Is she supposed to still be irritated there? And is there something I can do to help her? Dr. Nichol: Anal glands are a real drag. An evolutionary vestige, similar to the rear end accessories of skunks, they are standard equipment on all dog and cat models. Your Pomeranian’s anal glands may have been impacted, meaning that the naturally stinky, nasty fluid…
Born to be Wild, or to At Least Believe They Are Question: I’m trying to help half a dozen cats who are kept in pens. I would like to see them hunt, climb, chase, choose which cats they associate with, and have more than just one spot to sleep in. To me, keeping cats in pens is inhumane but Animal Services disagrees with me. They say no, they’re doing just fine. They’re fed and cared for and don’t appear to be under any stress. The cats live in pens about the size of the old roadside zoos. You might be…
Don’t Let Your Cat Fool You Do you examine your cat’s mouth? That would mean putting him on a table under a bright light with an assistant gently holding his shoulders as you slowly open his mouth big enough to see all of his teeth. Actually, about the only time that really happens is during the annual physical exam. What? Your cat doesn’t see the doctor every year? Don’t feel bad. A lot of cats hate going to the veterinary clinic. There’s a widespread belief that kitties need little in the way of medical care, that they pretty much take…