Posts in Category: The Cat’s Meow

When you have a kitty at home, the holiday season can bring more stress than joy. What if the cat tries to climb the tree? What if she breaks your great-grandma’s heirloom ornament, the one that was passed down to you when she passed away? What if your kitty rips open the gifts under the tree or knocks down your menorah or Kwanzaa candles?

Luckily for you, the team at Clairmont Animal Hospital has seen it all—and we’ve got tips to share with you! Read on to find out everything you need to know about making holiday decorations safe for pets. 

Some cats are naturally cuddly and constantly look for and secure a warm lap on which to purr. Others, well, let’s just say they really don’t like being held. They may hide, howl, shriek, and lash out at any open arms, no matter how inviting and unthreatening. It can be daunting to face a fractious cat, but when you adopt our strategies, you’ll not only be able to properly hold a cat, but you can do it in ways that enhance the experience of closeness. 

Not ones to be outdone by other companion animals, cats are taking center stage more and more. With every passing year, modern domestic cats enjoy all that life has to offer. Sure, many cats still enjoy naps in a sunny window or rolling about getting their belly rubbed. But others are going kayaking or riding in a basket on their owner’s mountain bike. This is all to say that cats can and should enjoy the great outdoors. The best part? You can leash train a cat to stay close to you on walks!

The relationship between people and pets appears to be mutually beneficial, but if we had to guess, we get way more than we give. Responsible pet owners provide food, housing, medical care, protection, enrichment, and affection. But what we receive in return seems to far outweigh our own contributions. Pets give their time, adoration, and loyalty without conditions, which improves our lives and increases longevity. In other words, the human-animal bond impacts our health and makes us happier. 

You’re grooming your pet and you feel a lump. You run your hand through the fur until you locate the lump, part the hair, and gasp! It’s a tick! You know it’s a tick because the mouth is stuck in your pet’s skin. Ticks and other parasites can harm your pet and cause some unexpected health issues. At Clairmont Animal Hospital, we want to help you keep your household animals healthy by learning to identify parasites that may be thriving on your animals:

Our pets are the joy of our lives, but sometimes they can present some challenging behaviors we’d like to avoid. Most cats and dogs have behavior problems here and there, but if your pet is engaging in destructive behaviors like chewing, scratching, or having accidents in the home it may be time to take action.

There are a number of common pet behavioral problems we hear about at Clairmont Animal Hospital. Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to help redirect your sweet fur friend.

Whether they’re suffering from an illness or injury, cats instinctively hide symptoms. Hardwired to appear strong and stealthy at all times, cats know they may be easily targeted by predators if seen as weak. 

Of course, indoor-only cats may not experience a specific risk from predators, but they’ll still hide under the bed or in the darkest corners of the closet when they’re not at their best. When cat owners are carefully tuned into the signs that their cat is sick, they not only ensure immediate help but may also prevent long-term complications.

It is widely accepted among cat owners that an occasional hairball is just par for the course. However, while all cats groom their fur coats, frequent hairballs definitely (more than about once per month) veer from what is considered normal, and should generate a special inquiry.

What We’re Really Talking About

Cats learn to groom themselves from their mothers, but they aren’t really good at it until they reach adulthood. For this reason, kittens rarely hack up hairballs. 

The feline tongue is covered with minute spikes that make easy work of picking up loose/dead hair, dirt, and debris. Since they only face backwards (towards the throat), anything picked up on the tongue is swallowed.

They’re intelligent, clever, affectionate, and amusing – but cats can also be pretty odd. They puff up when they feel threatened. They click and chatter at birds through the window. They climb, pounce, and ambush their targets. Sometimes, cat owners can become so immersed in their cat’s antics that subtle signals of illness or injury are misjudged. In other words, some cat behaviors can go from being perfectly normal to absolute indications that something is off. So, how do you know the difference?

Such Great Heights

Cats can seem sort of invincible. With their ability to jump several times their own height, climb to dizzying levels, and land gracefully on their feet (most of the time), cats inspire us with their highly evolved skills. To that end, we let a lot of weird, oddball cat behaviors slide because, well, they come with the awesome territory that is cat ownership. Continue…

A lot of time and education goes into discussing heartworm in dogs. As a result, most dog parents are aware of this parasitic disease and take steps to prevent it in our canine companions. But most cat parents aren’t aware that cats can get heartworm, too.

Because mosquito season is on its way, your friends at Clairmont Animal Hospital decided that it was high time to give you a peek into this disease in our feline friends.

Continue…