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Do you have a cat who, despite your good example, insists on prying open cabinets and wreaking havoc on your stuff? Does she complain or pester you relentlessly at the worst times? I know the type.
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Second in a series
I admit to being an annoying adherent to the Queen’s English, having shaken my head when hearing the noun ‘geek’ misappropriated. In our highly digitized society people can be fondly referred to this way or even adorn themselves with this moniker. It was not always so.
Puppies can be out-of-control on leash walks. Some are panicked. Forget corrections and jerks.
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Early in my career my veterinary clinic had a feed store as a next-door neighbor. Being a backyard poultry farmer, I visited often for chicks (baby chickens, that is) and lay pellets. I lived the life of North valley chic. The only thing missing was the chic. This was the pre-emergency clinic era; veterinarians handled calls at all hours, day or night. If you had an associate doctor you could rotate nights and weekends. At my place, I was it. It was a weeknight around 10:30; I was just snuggling into bed after a long day when my pager beeped on the cramped bedside table right next to my head. (Remember pagers?) An 11 year old miniature poodle had survived an argument with a German shepherd. The female voice on the phone was distraught, jabbering. She told me that her little dog, “John”, had intestines hanging outside his abdomen. Desperately…
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Dogs who are happy to follow instructions are a pleasure to have as your best friend. But a lot of them just aren’t clear on the concept. Spare the frustration.
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Question: I have a 15 year old male cat about 7 kg. In the last 8 months his fur has been falling out in small chunks. He has not been licking or scratching himself. He has a very good appetite. He is drinking much more water than usual and urinates a lot. He has bad breath. The veterinarian checked his mouth and teeth. They did some tests and said he is OK. I do not know if a thyroid test was done. Dr. Nichol: Your cat is not OK; he actually should be licking himself at least some of the time. Those rows of barbs on the surface of his tongue are good at pulling loose dead hair and skin flakes. Hunks of fur falling off suggests no grooming. He had been well-coifed. Why is he neglecting his appearance now? Halitosis is more than just poor form on a first…
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Do you see a fuzzy white cat? The correct answer, for this invisible kitty, is no. He’s hiding, not because he is afraid, although that can be a very good reason. This is my cat, Gaston. He’s being invisible because he is a cat. They need to hide and view the world without anyone being the wiser. Solitude is essential for them, at least some of the time. If your kitty spends most or all of its time indoors be sure to provide multiple hide boxes at various heights in different rooms. You will give the gift of choice. We want that. Our cats need feline-specific choices.
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Limping is a strong clue, but a dog who’s not prone to drama may just get up more slowly or try turning back on leash walks. Arthritic cats might quit jumping onto the counter or their cavorting may have lost its youthful flourish. Some kitties start making unpleasant deposits because it’s gotten painful climbing into the litter pan. Arthritis lasts a lifetime. Oral medications like Rimadyl for dogs and Metacam for cats often help. And most pets do fine but there can be adverse effects including stomach and intestinal damage and injury to the kidneys or liver. There are new treatments that are safer and often better for chronic joint pain. Librela for dogs and Solensia for cats are monthly injections of a monoclonal antibody that inhibits a substance, called nerve growth factor, that’s released by damaged cells in arthritic joints. Most pets feel better within 7-28 days. Side effects…
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Have you thrown a can of pennies? How about yelling and jerking? A different home? You’re breakin’ my heart. It can be much easier and a lot more fun.
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