Cats are glorious creatures—motion optimized, aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, warm, fuzzy, furry, cute, and they purr. Could you ask for a more perfect pet? As feline-favoring veterinarians, cats have only one major design flaw—they were designed with a poorly functioning elimination system. Specifically, their kidneys are weak, they don't drink enough water, and the cat's urinary tract frequently suffers from disease. The kidney issue is a discussion for another day.

It’s not always easy to tell when a cat is ill or injured. You might think that you’d be able to tell right away if your feline friend were in pain. Unfortunately, even the most attentive and loving pet parents often don’t know there is a problem until it becomes quite severe.

National Pet Poison Prevention Week takes place this year from March 21st through March 27th. Aimed at educating pet parents about some of the most common things that are poisonous to pets, this week is a fantastic opportunity to brush up on your knowledge and keep your furry family member safe.

When we think of quiet and graceful house cats, it’s easy to forget that they were once fierce predators in the wild. Since cats rank among the smallest compared to their fellow feline species such as the cheetah, leopard, lion, and tiger, larger predators often targeted them, especially if they showed signs of age or weakness. Over time, this led to cats evolving to hide signs of illness or injury that might make them an even easier target. Today, domesticated cats continue to be stoic animals that rarely show symptoms of medical issues.

Do you share your home with a deaf cat? Or have you wondered if, perhaps, your feline friend is hard of hearing? If so, you’ve likely wondered how to give a non-hearing cat the best life possible. Like their hearing counterparts, deaf cats can enjoy happy, enriching lives. And for the most part, they do not need much in terms of specialized care.

Although blindness occurs more often in dogs than cats, it does happen. Despite requiring extra safety precautions around the home, blind cats can lead happy, fulfilling lives. It’s unfortunately common for older cats to suffer vision loss, just as humans begin to experience gradual vision loss as they age and often require reading glasses.

As humans, we think of losing a limb as a tragic, worst-case scenario type of event. The loss of an arm or leg is a traumatic experience that has a massive impact on daily life. However, it is not nearly as big a tragedy in the animal kingdom. As veterinarians, we’ve seen countless dogs and cats recover beautifully following limb amputations. With proper care, three-legged pets can live long, healthy, and, most importantly, happy lives.

Part of being a responsible cat owner is knowing how to recognize when something isn’t right. While the thought of your beloved companion getting sick is a frightening one, no cat is immune to illness. Even if you are a perfect pet parent and do everything right when caring for your cat, they could suffer from a wide range of health problems.