Why Cats Need Play
How to keep your feline friend interested in play as she grows from kittenhood into an adult cat. Watching a kitten playing with a furry mouse never gets old. She tosses it in the air, bites it, and attacks it with vigorous bunny kicks. Play is an integral part of kittenhood, as any cat parent knows. The challenge is to maintain that degree of interest in play as she moves from kittenhood to adulthood. The Art of Play Kittens learn the art of play from their siblings. There’s nothing cuter than a litter of kittens tumbling around...
Help, My Cat Is Skin and Bones Due to Drinking a Lot of Water and Vomiting!
“My male 2-year-old cat constantly throws up wet food and sometimes his dry. I’ve tried meds, and he’s almost skin and bones now. He also drinks rainwater like he can’t get enough.” A distressed pet owner named Dawn wrote to PetHelpful’s Ask A Vet section, which offers advice from expert veterinarians like Dr. Mark Dos Anjos, who has decades of experience in treating many kinds of animals, including dogs, cats, exotic species, and wild fauna. Photo: YouTube/Senior Cat Wellness In response, Dr. Mark asked...
Shelter Cat Chonk the “Chunk” Wins for Cutest Purr Ever in Video!
A video produced by the San Diego Humane Society has surfaced featuring the sweetest cat on the planet with the cutest little chirpy purr you’ve ever heard in your life. More along the lines of an intergalactic character straight out of a Star Wars script, the noise emitted from Chonk is out of this world. The word svelte may never come to mind when describing this chunky boy, but his adorable cooing purr will melt your heart and stick with you forever. Photo: San Diego Humane Society Shelter Pets That’s likely what Chonk the...
Experts Say Cats Aren’t Seeing Veterinarians Nearly as Often as They Should
According to professionals, cats are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to annual medical care versus dogs. But why is that? Cat people love their pets just as much as dog people, right? Maybe they just assume they’re healthier because they don’t recognize the signs of illness in felines as easily as one might with dogs. “In 2021, 81.8 percent of the dog population visited a vet, versus only 39.8 percent of cats,” Dr. Casey Locklear, a veterinarian and senior medical lead at Zoetis, told the...
Complementary Therapies for Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs and Cats
Among the most common cancers in companion animals, mast cell tumors respond well to lifestyle changes and complementary therapies, from vitamins to herbs to medicinal mushrooms. No one wants to hear that their dog or cat has a mast cell tumor. Unfortunately, this type of cancer is the most common malignant skin tumor in dogs and the second most common in cats. Mast cell tumors are usually found in middle-aged animals, but can occur at any age. On the plus side, treatment options are improving the prognosis for these malignancies, and...
CJ May Have Special Needs, but She’s One Special Kitty!
Gorgeous CJ is full of so much love and fun she operates in front-wheel drive only, but she doesn’t know any different than any other happy and “normal” cat. She is a total sweetie pie and an absolute lover of being petted. She will come running the best she can to get them whenever you come into the room and give sweet little head butts to remind you that it’s time to dote on her. Photo: S. Arizona Cat Rescue Adoptable Cats She also LOVES playing with toys, especially those that hang from a string or that she can toss...
Supporting Your Dog or Cat’s Digestion with Acupressure
A good diet and healthy digestive system are vital to your dog or cat’s well-being. Here’s why, along with an acupressure session that will help improve and maintain the health of his GI tract. by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis When it comes to our dogs and cats, a species-appropriate diet helps support good digestion. Knowing the difference between a carnivorous and omnivorous diet is a good place to start, along with a basic understanding of how your animal’s digestive system works – and how acupressure can be used to...
A Shelter Cat with a Fondness for Fashion Only Wants to Walk One Runway — Yours!
She’s not a fashion hound, she’s a fashion feline, and her name is Sheba. Sheba is a fun-loving kitty with style and flair who moonlights as an office assistant at the Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Arizona. Spayed, she’s considered a Domestic Medium-hair girl and weighs approximately 11 pounds. Shelter staff believes she’s about 9 years old, so she’s only midway through her nine lives. Photo: Pima Animal Care Center Shelter Life The sad part is that she’s been at the shelter since at least July 2021!...
Could Your Pet Be PetSmart’s First-Ever Toy Tester in Chief? They’re Hiring!
Is your pet crazy about toys? Do they stamp their little paws and come unglued when you bring home a bag of goodies to play with? Are they over the top for plushies or squeakies? If this sounds like your furry BFF, then PetSmart might have a side gig for them. It was recently announced that the pet supply giant is looking for two toy testers to bring on presumably for quality control. Photo: Pixabay/AlainAudet PetSmart The announcement came that it’s seeking one talented feline and one talented canine to fill two newly-created roles...
A Recent Wedding Included Adoptable Shelter Pets at an Unforgettable Reception
As of late, recent trends in nuptials have tended toward destination weddings that include lavish ceremonies in exotic locations. They’re often pricey and preclude many guests from attending. That is apparently changing with what is hopefully a new trend on the horizon: including adoptable shelter pets available at after-parties and receptions. Hip, hip, hooray!!!!!!! It’s about time more people took to raising awareness of rescue animals. Photo: TikTok/@fairytail_petcare Wedding Trends According to a piece in The Washington Post,...
