Albuquerque Journal Articles
No Risk to the Kitty as Long as he/she Get Some Shelter Question: How are cats with rain and cold weather? My cat always likes to go out at certain times of the day to do his business as he seems to much prefer this than his litter tray. But I worry a little about him getting cold and wet when the weather is not good. Dr. Nichol: Cats are fastidious. They really hate those little spots of mud on their shoes. But if your cat is willing to go out on those cold, wet days, well, I’m betting…
R/d is the Best Way to Shed the Pounds & Prevent Serious Disease Question: Is Science diet r/d formula equal to the prescription r/d? Can I buy this r/d food anywhere else besides my vet? Dr. Nichol: The prescription diets (r/d and others) are made by Hills Science Diet. R/d is the best weight reduction diet I’ve ever known. (Just look at my girlish figure.) R/d’s big difference, compared with “light” diets, is that it’s much higher in fiber and a lot lower in fat. It’s actually fat deficient, requiring overweight pets to use up some of their stored…
Unable to Enjoy Normal Activities this Cat will Improve with the Correct Diet Question: Our cat used to be tiny and rambunctious but as he has aged, he has put on a lot of weight. His sides are now distended and he is definitely not as playful as other two year old cats. Could he be depressed? Dr. Nichol: Cats have essential needs. Even indoors they are hunters who rely on their lithe athletic bodies. Your cat is fat, his joints ache, and he struggles to get around. He may well be depressed. Before launching a serious weight…
Question: My daughter has a 4-year-old cat, Gus-he weights 24 pounds. She put Gus on Iams low calorie, but he still hasn’t lost any weight. He may be eating the other cat’s food as well. She’s worried that the extra weight is putting a strain on his heart. Dr. Nichol: So how does Gus feel about this? Does he have to buy two tickets on airline flights? Does he even care what you and your daughter think? Cats have feelings, you know. To give you a perspective on Gus’s health, consider that his weight is three times normal.…
Testing Is Less than Reliable. Fear Not for the Positive Cat-Most Never Get Sick. Question: Recently I adopted a wonderful cat from animal control who had developed an upper respiratory infection. All the blood work came back perfect and negative for Felv and FIV. The corona virus came back as a high titer 1:1600. I was advised that more than likely, the cat does not have FIP but, of course, no guarantee. He is almost over the respiratory infection. I have another cat at home who tested 1:1600 three consecutive times for corona virus. She has continued to be…
A contagious disease, that is always disease. Our best success is helping some cats feel OK. Question: My cat Roger is real sick. He’s only about one year old and for the past 3 weeks he’s not been very active, and not eating very much. I think he has a fever too. Then his belly started to get kind of bloated looking. His doctor said that Roger might have F.I.P. Can we try antibiotics? Dr. Nichol: I am sorry to hear about Roger’s illness. He truly is quite sick. Unfortunately while there are a few medications that could help…
Cats love a warm, cozy spot on cold winter nights. Horrible trauma occurs when the car is started. Question: Our neighbor’s cat got stuck in the fanbelt of his car last week. How common is that? How do I make sure that doesn’t happen to my cat? Dr. Nichol: Great question. I’m delighted to hear you thinking about prevention. The truth is that automobile fans and fanbelts kill and maim many cats every fall and winter. It is tragic but preventable. It happens because it takes awhile for a car engine to completely cool down even on a…
Problems develop fast. Learn to correct low blood sugar & hypothermia. Question: My cat just had kittens 2 weeks ago and one died yesterday. I found him off by himself moving slowly and crying. It broke my heart. I didn’t know what to do for him. Any ideas? The other 6 kittens seem O.K. but I’m worried that it might happen to another one. Dr. Nichol: That is so hard to take. Being a part of the excitement of raising babies is great until you have a disaster. I will give you an understanding of what works in…
Many different long term symptoms can suggest AIDS. Infected kitties must be handled carefully to allow them to live as long and as well as possible. Question: My cat Jessie has been sick on and off for a long time so I got worried about him. He’s had a snotty nose and a fever and then he starting losing weight. So I took him to the vet who did some blood tests and he came up AIDS positive. Now I’m really scared. Will Jessie die soon? What about me and my kids-are we going to get sick too? …
Always a serious sign- move quickly. A thorough exam plus lab work may uncover age related kidney failure-a disease which may be treatable. Question: Our cat Bugsy is 17 years old and she seems to be acting like the years are catching up to her. For the past 2 or 3 weeks she’s been drinking more water and she’s hardly eating. My sister thinks that her breath smells like urine but I say it’s because her teeth are bad. How could a cat’s breath smell like urine? Dr. Nichol: You are right to be concerned about Bugsy. At…