General Cat Questions

Q: Why does my cat shed so much?
A: Hair shedding is considered a sign of health in the cat - sick cats don't shed. Although the excessive hair around the house can be a nuisance, consider it a sign of your cat's good health. To reduce the amount of hair shed on furniture and your household surroundings, comb your cat daily with an appropriate comb or brush. Contact us and we can recommend one of the many types that is suitable for your cat.

Also, a fatty acid supplement can help greatly in reducing unwanted shedding and overall improve the quality of your kitties coat and skin. Contact us and we will be more than happy to recommend a high quality supplement that is best for your cat.

Q: Can I give my cat milk?
A: Our Veterinarians generally do not recommend feeding milk to our feline friends. A cat's digestive system does not digest milk well. Feeding milk to your cat can cause diarrhea, which can lead to further nutritional problems (your cat won't be able to absorb nutrients from his food).

Q: Can I feed my cat tuna fish?
A: The human variety of tuna fish contains an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 (thiamine). Cats that regularly eat tuna can develop a vitamin B1 deficiency, which results in neurological symptoms like dilated eyes, loss of equilibrium, seizures and death if this vitamin is not replaced. The scientific name of this disease is polioencephlomalacia.

Q: Why does my cat eat quickly and then vomit?
A: It's not uncommon for cats to eat too fast and for the food to irritate their throats, causing them to gag. This is partly because cat food isn't the same as the diet of wild cats. Cats are naturally predators and carnivores, their teeth are designed to cut and tear meat, not necessarily to break down pellet-shaped cat food. This means that they'll sometimes swallow their food whole instead of chewing it. To help prevent the problem, you could try slowing down your cat's eating by spreading his food out, on a cookie sheet or a large plate, for example, instead of in a bowl as well as elevating his bowls about the height of a thick phone book.

It's possible, however that your cat's gagging is a sign of a more serious problem. There are some disorders that can affect the muscles of cats' throats, making it harder for them to swallow correctly. These disorders aren't common, but if your cat is gagging or vomiting frequently you should definitely bring him to the office for a checkup.

Q: How can I remove cat urine from my carpet?
A: Cat urine should be cleaned from a carpet with a special enzyme cleaner that you might have to purchase at a janitorial supply shop if you can't find it elsewhere. Because urine usually soaks through to the padding, you might have to consider rolling back the carpet and cutting out and replacing a patch of the padding to do a really good job.

Whenever cats are having unusual toilet habits, it's also important to check for physical problems that may be causing it. Infections, diabetes, and other diseases can change the behavior of a normally litterbox trained cat. Check with your veterinarian on these issues so that you don't just clean the carpet and overlook a possible physical problem.

A: The good news is that your cat is behaving like a perfectly normal, well-adjusted feline. Cats have a natural instinct to eat grass and other plants; they provide fiber that soothes kitty stomachs, aids in digestion, promotes vomiting if it's needed, and simply gives cats something pleasant to nibble on.

The bad news is that it's nearly impossible, not to mention possibly unhealthy, to teach an animal to ignore her instincts. It's much, much easier to let your cat be a cat by growing her some plants it's okay to eat. You can buy seeds for cat-friendly plant mixes in many pet stores. Wheat grass, bird seed sprouts, and catnip are also good alternatives. You can make your kitty her own private garden by growing any of these plants, or a combination of them, in a window box or large pot away from your other plants.

Hopefully, these greens will be so tempting that she'll have no desire to go after your other, more decorative plants. If she still needs a little extra nudge to keep her away from the philodendron, you can dab the leaves with something that has a bitter taste, such as white vinegar or one of the animal deterrent sprays available from some pet stores and plant nurseries. You may want to do some research first, however. Some sprays can be harmful to some plants.

Finally, don't dismiss the power of keeping kitty distracted. You'll do your plants a great service by making sure your cat has plenty of toy mice, plastic balls, bells, and scratching posts to keep her busy. When you see her going for a plant, try waving a chase toy at her or rolling a ball in her direction. Most likely, she'll see it as a much more fun alternative.

The Companion Animal Behavior Program at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is currently conducting a study of grass and plant eating behavior in cats (and dogs). Many theories as to why cats eat plants have been proposed. However, this is the first scientific study to investigate this common behavior.

Q: Why is my older cat losing weight?
A: Any cat that shows a sudden and severe weight loss should be tested for abnormalities of the thyroid gland, for diabetes, and for kidney disease. If we have not yet performed a geriatric blood profile and urinalysis on your cat recently, then you should request that it be done immediately. There are many conditions that are very treatable in older cats if they are diagnosed in time and treated aggressively.

Q: How can I stop my cat my cat from eating house plants?
A: The good news is that your cat is behaving like a perfectly normal, well-adjusted feline. Cats have a natural instinct to eat grass and other plants; they provide fiber that soothes kitty stomachs, aids in digestion, promotes vomiting if it's needed, and simply gives cats something pleasant to nibble on.

The bad news is that it's nearly impossible, not to mention possibly unhealthy, to teach an animal to ignore her instincts. It's much, much easier to let your cat be a cat by growing her some plants it's okay to eat. You can buy seeds for cat-friendly plant mixes in many pet stores. Wheat grass, bird seed sprouts, and catnip are also good alternatives. You can make your kitty her own private garden by growing any of these plants, or a combination of them, in a window box or large pot away from your other plants.

Hopefully, these greens will be so tempting that she'll have no desire to go after your other, more decorative plants. If she still needs a little extra nudge to keep her away from the philodendron, you can dab the leaves with something that has a bitter taste, such as white vinegar or one of the animal deterrent sprays available from some pet stores and plant nurseries. You may want to do some research first, however. Some sprays can be harmful to some plants.

Finally, don't dismiss the power of keeping kitty distracted. You'll do your plants a great service by making sure your cat has plenty of toy mice, plastic balls, bells, and scratching posts to keep her busy. When you see her going for a plant, try waving a chase toy at her or rolling a ball in her direction. Most likely, she'll see it as a much more fun alternative.

Q: Why does my cat "knead" me?
A: Kneading is a cute behavior to watch cats flex and extend their paws against a bedspread, the carpet, or a person, usually while stretching and purring. It's a very common behavior for cats, but no one has determined exactly why they do it. All sorts of theories exist. Some say that "kneading" cats were weaned from their mothers too early; some say they were weaned too late.

Most likely it's just a habit some cats develop, like people that bite their nails or crack their knuckles. What theorists do know is that it's a sign that cats are comfortable, happy, and relaxed. So you can take it as a complement: it's your cat's way of saying that he's happy you're around!

Q: What can I do about my cat's regular vomiting?
A: Cats, as you're witnessing, have a much more sensitive vomiting reflex than we do, so it isn't unusual for cats to vomit when they don't appear sick. I assume your cat has a healthy, but not excessive, appetite; isn't losing weight or acting lethargic; doesn't have diarrhea; and that parasites have been ruled out. If any of these symptoms are present, or if he's vomiting green or orange liquid (bile), a medical problem is likely and should be investigated.

The two most common scenarios in which well cats vomit are (1) from eating too much or too fast, which results in vomiting undigested food very soon after eating, and (2) hairballs, which usually cause vomiting of the hairball itself. Hairballs have no sure-fire remedy, but the most popular thing to try is a hairball lubricant (make sure you give this on an empty stomach, not with food); also frequent combing, brushing, or even a "lion clip" (for a long-haired cat) will be helpful. Any hair you can remove is hair that your cat will not end up swallowing. There is also a new hairball formula cat food on the market that may help. Ask your veterinarian about this.

As for eating too much or too fast, this problem is usually worse in cases where cats have their food taken away and are only permitted to eat at certain times of the day, causing them to gorge when food is available. Trials of different brands of food may help. Anything else you can do (portioning the food out gradually, for example) to encourage eating smaller amounts frequently might also be helpful. If the vomiting is daily, you might want to try medication. However, most people don't want to medicate their cats daily if vomiting only occurs once a week or less.

If these ideas don't help you, the only way to get a certain answer as far as any medical cause, such as inflammatory bowel disease, would be to have biopsies of the stomach and intestinal tract done. Your veterinarian can tell you more about this.

Q: Why does my cat urinate on the carpet instead of the litterbox?

A: There are several causes of inappropriate urination, including

  • Dirty litter box
  • Territorial behavior
  • Urinary tract disorder

Have you cat checked out by our veterinarian to help differentiate between a physical versus behavioral problem. Sometimes it is as simple as making sure the litter box is kept clean, or adding another litter box. There are also ample tips to remedy inappropriate urination that we can give you, or you can follow our link on our behavior tab at http://www.veterinarypartner.com search under the "behavior" section and search "feline urination."

Q: Why is my cat's urine pink?
A: Most likely, your cat has a urinary infection, inflamed bladder or urinary tract, or bladder stones. These problems are relatively common in cats; their bladders can become inflamed from bladder stones or for other various reasons, and the inflammation can lead to a secondary infection.

Your cat should be examined by a veterinarian, as urinary inflammation and infections can cause crystals to form in the urinary tract, which can be lethal. Your veterinarian can also examine him for signs of other problems that could cause him to have blood in his urine, such as kidney disease.

Q: Why does my cat attack me?
A: Strange as it may seem, your cat is not attacking you out of hostility, but because he is a perfectly normal cat. Many cats nip and bite when they're happy, particularly if they have a low threshold for stimulation. You can learn the warning signs of when your cat's becoming over stimulated: you might feel his muscles tense or see his tail twitch or his rear end waggle. If you can tell he's about to bite, stop petting, and pet him again when he's calmed down.

If your cat is stalking your feet, he's engaging in what is called predatory-play behavior. He has a natural instinct to attack moving objects in the wild. Indoors, your feet are the only moving prey he has to ambush. The easiest way to prevent this behavior is by making sure your cat is neutered, which is the first step toward making him less aggressive.

Second, you can give him plenty of non-human moving targets to play with by trailing a string across the floor, waving feather toys, or giving him balls to bat around. Finally, you can help change his behavior by consistently discouraging his attacks. Safe and effective ways to do this are spraying him with a water bottle or using a can of compressed air--just like the ones used on computer keyboard--to make a loud hissing sound. If you are vigilant and discourage the attacks consistently, you'll take a big step toward changing your cat's behavior.

*For more information or to search an animal topic, please search through our recommended links under "Training, Behavior and/or Encyclopedia"Links:

Behavior/Training

Encyclopedia/Library