How Often Should I Feed A 6-Week-Old Kitten?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I have just adopted an abandoned kitten from work. She is now 4 weeks old and I am bottle feeding her. I bring her to work every day but I can’t keep bringing her, so I wanted to know when it’s safe to leave her home. When she’s 6 weeks old, will I be able to leave her alone for 9 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, with a bowl of food, water, toys, scratch mat and litter... Read More
Why is my cat always vomiting?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: We took in a Siamese mix cat, Merryl, about 10 years ago, when he was six months old. About 5 years ago he started vomiting a white foamy substance. We took him to the vet, who ran a battery of tests — blood work, x-rays, you name it — that revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Back then Merryl, was doing this once or twice a week and would eat little or nothing for a day each... Read More
Does my cat have mercury poisoning?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: A couple of months ago, my 9-year-old male cat became quite ill. His symptoms were primarily lethargy and decreased appetite. We took him to the vet where his blood work revealed an elevated neutrophil count, but his white blood cell count was otherwise normal. The vet prescribed antibiotic prophylactically. Now my cat’s immediate symptoms are resolved, but he is left with what seem... Read More
My cat’s always got poopy paws. Help!
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: I’ve got a problem with my senior cat: she has started walking into the house with poop on her paws. Obviously it’s inconvenient to keep cleaning up, but my main concern is that she’ll end up ingesting it when she cleans herself. I clean it off her as much as I can but I’m not at home all the time. She’s always pooped outside. I’ve made sure the flower... Read More
How can I treat my kitten’s gingivitis?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My 7-month-old kitten, Frosty, has gingivitis. Her vet instructed me to brush her teeth daily and come back in 6-12 months to check her gums. I know gingivitis is common in cats, but the vet said it was uncommon in kittens, which worries me. I did have Frosty tested for FeLV (it came back negative) to rule that out as the cause. Her vet said what I feed her won’t make a difference,... Read More
Is it OK to switch away from a vet-prescribed diet for FLUTD?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: When my cat was 10 months old, he was diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). After an expensive operation he survived the whole ordeal, and since then I have been feeding him the veterinary prescribed preventive canned food. It has been just about 1 year now since and he hasn’t had any recurrences or problems. The problem is that financially I can’t afford to buy... Read More
What’s the best diet for a cat with kidney disease?
Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties: My cat is 18 years old. I recently found out that she has kidney disease. She was in the hospital for 3 days a month ago. The vet gave me an antibiotic and a supplement; she finished the course of treatment and now she’s eating quite well. I’m feeding her a blend of the prescription diet wet food and beef broth and cooked chicken liver, and she loves it. Can you suggest what... Read More
