Reading Time: 3 minutes The next time your cat has x-rays, don’t be surprised if a computer with artificial intelligence reads them. X-rays for cats are going even higher-tech, largely because there’s a shortage of human veterinary radiologists. While AI gets mixed reviews from vets, a growing number of practices are using it. Your vet might be next!
Reading Time: 4 minutes You know those spot-on flea meds humans have come to rely on for their cats? Turns out they may help cats but harm the planet. Researchers in England found high concentrations of fipronil and imidacloprid in English rivers, suggesting that spot-on flea treatments cause water pollution. But there are other, safer natural ways to get fleas to flee. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Reading Time: 4 minutes Don’t let this scare you, but cats can get Covid from other cats. A study at Kansas State University found that asymptomatic cats can transmit the disease to other cats within two days. But can people get Covid from cats? Numerous researchers and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsay they can’t. So don’t be afraid of your cat!
Reading Time: 4 minutes Kittens are cute, but our deepest bonds are with our senior cats. And their numbers are growing, according to Packaged Facts. Its most recent Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the US report says 43 percent of cat parents live with a cat who’s seven or older. Caring for a senior cat isn’t always easy, and more frequent vet visits, medications and special supplements can make it expensive. But according to the Packaged Facts report, many Americans are willing to do almost anything to keep their beloved cats happy and healthy in old age.
Reading Time: 5 minutes Neutering cats early isn’t without controversy, and most vets suggest waiting until the cat is six months old, or even older. But a group of national veterinary associations thinks cats should be neutered/spayed earlier to prevent future health and behavior issues, including aggression. The group began its Feline Fix By Five Months campaign in 2016, and now state veterinary associations are finally getting on board.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Stem cell therapy has all kinds of uses in veterinary medicine these days, and now researchers believe they’ve found a new one. Early studies show it can help cats with stomatitis and other forms of chronic gum disease in cats. A second clinical trial, this one involving 200 cats, will get underway soon.
For humans, bottled water is hardly the next big thing. But it could be for cats. A Colorado-based company is bottling Catwater, which it says is mineral-free and pH optimized to help prevent UTIs in cats.
Does your cat love a drink from the faucet?
Just about the last thing the planet needs is more plastic bottles finding their way to recycling centers and the ocean. But more plastic might be the price you have to pay if you want to do one more thing to try to prevent UTIs in cats.
Enter Catwater, a new product from H&C Animal Health. Bottled in Canada, it’s ozonated and chlorine-free. H&C says its pH is “perfectly balanced” between 6.2-6.4 to minimize the minerals that can cause bladder stones and crystals in cats.
The issue, of course, is how to get your cat to drink it, even if it tastes great. Healthy cats are notoriously unenthusiastic drinkers. We can thank their desert wild cat ancestors for that almost nonexistent thirst drive.
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No, you can’t get COVID-19 from your cat. And she can’t get it from you. But there are some things to know about the coronavirus and cats that could help keep both of you healthy. And yes, as Mom said at least once a day when you were a kid, wash your hands. Often.
They’re innocent! Cats and dogs can’t transmit the new coronavirus to humans.
So you read about the dog in China who tested positive for the new coronavirus, and now you’re eyeing your cat with suspicion and just a little bit of fear. But infected humans are not the cats’ fault! Numerous world and national health agencies say COVID-19 can’t be transmitted from cats and dogs to humans. You might be able to give it to your cat though. Not that she’ll get sick.
Coronaviruses tend to be species-specific. So while the coronavirus and cats is probably not an issue for either of you, your cat has plenty of her own coronaviruses to worry about.
Hemp oil for cats or CBD may be the current big thing. But new research shows it might not be all that good for them.
Are you using hemp oil for cats or CBD? It could be affecting you cat’s blood chemistry.
So you’ve heard all the buzz about the wonders of CBD, or hemp oil for cats, to help with everything from anxiety to cancer. But it turns out that no one has ever really researched the correct dose of hemp oil for cats. And now, new research shows it might not be all that good for them. The Food and Drug Administration isn’t exactly high on hemp either.
ElleVet Sciences, a company that makes CBD oil-infused treats and other supplements, did the study in collaboration with other researchers.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Researchers believe they’ve found a cure for FIP in cats. But you’ll have to order it from Asia to get it.
Finally, there’s a cure for FIP in cats.
Of all the awful diseases that can affect our cats, FIP is the absolute worst. It’s a cruel disease, and it’s almost always fatal. But after years of study, veterinarian Niels Pedersen, professor emeritus at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, says it’s time for FIP in cats to lose its lethal label.
The first phase of clinical trials for a drug that could cure FIP ended in the fall of 2016. Researchers at Kansas State University treated eight cats who were sick from FIP with the antiviral protease inhibitor, GC376. Sadly, two of the cats became so sick they were euthanized. But the other six recovered and were still doing well eight months later. And that was just the beginning.
While further research uncovered some problems with GC376, Pedersen found another compound, GS-441524, to be highly efficacious.
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