by Nomi Berger With the increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes, commonly called E-cigs, comes an increased risk of toxicity to cats whose owners use them. Marketed as smoke-free substitutes for traditional cigarettes, they’re shaped like a long cigarette, battery operated, and filled with a replaceable cartridge of E-liquid that contains a mixture of ingredients…
via GIPHY by Nomi Berger Do cats really need to knead? This question abounds with as many ideas, theories and suppositions as answers, and yet it remains an endlessly fascinating topic for feline aficionados. While not all cats knead, most cat guardians know a “knead” when they see or feel one. That unmistakable…
by Nomi Berger Your kitty gazes up at you, purr-haps with an eye blink for emphasis, and slowly opens her mouth. She makes a “meow” movement once or twice and then … All you hear is a small raspy squeak, a slight breathiness or nothing at all. Welcome to the wondrous world of…
by Nomi Berger If only cats spoke “human.” But then, as cat guardians, you’d be missing out on all the other ways your favorite felines say, “I love you.” If you recognize any or all of the behaviors listed below, consider yourself one much loved and deeply appreciated pet parent. Does your…
by Nomi Berger For centuries, black cats were revered. Then, in the blink of a great, green eye, their fortunes were reversed. What changed history’s good luck charm into a symbol of all things bad? Is it similar to a child’s game of broken telephone, where the message mouthed at the beginning is…
by Nomi Berger Not only are white cats rare and valuable, they are also vulnerable. Why? Because the white of their coat isn’t actually a color, but the ABSENCE of color. And why is this so vital? Because these exquisitely beautiful cats have no protection against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. The variety…
by Nomi Berger Thanksgiving is a festive time, filled with feasting, family, and friends. But it’s also a time of potential distress for our feline companions. Any changes in a cat’s regular routine – a calm home now crammed with new scents, sounds and strangers — can send even the least “fraidy…
by Nomi Berger Has your puss-in-boots lost the spring in her step? Has he turned tail and taken off at your approach? Has she given her food a sudden “paws down”? Has the love light dimmed in his eyes? Then, perhaps all’s not well in kitty town. The more attuned you are…
by Nomi Berger A cat diagnosed with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is still an ADOPTABLE cat. What, then, is FIV? FIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus and is in the same family as feline leukemia virus (FeLV). A slow virus, it attacks the immune system over a period of…
by Nomi Berger A cat diagnosed with Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is still an ADOPTABLE cat. What, then, is FeLV? FeLV is a virus that weakens a cat’s immune system, predisposing it to certain infections, severe anemia, and potentially leading to cancer. Most at risk are kittens born to FeLV positive mothers, cats under…