Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” collection, the place each Monday we deliver knowledgeable recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their cat’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet father or mother or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that may hold your kitty blissful, wholesome, and feline high-quality. Keep tuned for knowledgeable steerage on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your cat, so you can also make knowledgeable selections and supply the very best care to your furry companion.
Have a query? Ship it in right here!
Assist! My Cat Plucks His Personal Fur!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My long-haired home orange cat, Frankfurt, tends to generally pluck his personal fur when he’s grooming. I checked for dry and purple pores and skin, fleas, and he has no irritation or redness of pores and skin, and there’s no signal of fleas. What else might or not it’s?
“– Jessica
Hello Jessica, when a cat begins overgrooming or plucking fur with out seen indicators of pores and skin illness or parasites, it usually factors to one thing a bit deeper: both inside discomfort or an emotional set off. Cats are extremely delicate creatures, and overgrooming could be a feline model of nail-biting or stress-eating in people. It’s their method of self-soothing. Modifications of their setting, conflicts with different pets, boredom, and even shifts in your every day routine can all result in this sort of habits.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally vital to think about that some cats overgroom as a consequence of underlying ache or medical points that aren’t instantly seen on the pores and skin. For instance, discomfort within the bladder, joints, and even gastrointestinal irritation can generally trigger a cat to concentrate on grooming in a particular space. If Frankfurt is focusing on the identical spot repeatedly, that’s a refined clue value investigating. Since there’s no seen pores and skin challenge or exterior parasite involvement, this can be an awesome alternative to attach with certainly one of our veterinarians on-line at PangoVet, which is a teletriage veterinary service. They might help you consider behavioral or delicate inside triggers primarily based on his grooming sample and up to date modifications in his life. If any indicators of discomfort or development seem, a hands-on bodily examination could be essential to rule out underlying ache or systemic causes. I hope this helps!
Good luck,
– Dr. Paola
If it is advisable converse with a vet however cannot get to at least one, head over to PangoVet. It is a web-based service the place you possibly can discuss to a vet on-line and get the recommendation you want to your pet — all at an reasonably priced value!
Assist! My Cat is All the time Hungry?
“Why is my 5 and 1/2 years previous feminine cat, Siya, all the time on the lookout for meals? I give her principally moist meals solely. Additionally, she is a bit chubby; she must reduce weight. What sort of meals do you advocate so she feels a bit glad and nonetheless helps her to reduce weight?“ – Rekha
Hello Rekha,
It’s fantastic to listen to that you just’re providing Siya principally moist meals, which is usually extra acceptable for a cat’s pure hydration and dietary wants. When a cat is persistently searching for meals regardless of being barely chubby, it’s usually a mixture of organic and behavioral elements at play. Some cats have a powerful meals drive, particularly if meals are spaced far aside or in the event that they’re consuming meals that aren’t significantly filling. Moist meals is a superb base, however not all formulation are equally satisfying. If the meals is low in protein or excessive in carbohydrates, Siya could also be feeling full briefly, however by no means get really satiated.
To assist her really feel extra glad whereas gently decreasing weight, I’d advocate a high-protein, low-carbohydrate moist meals with reasonable fats content material. Cats thrive on animal-based proteins, and these are likely to help lean physique mass whereas curbing starvation. Search for meals that record actual meat as the primary ingredient and keep away from these with fillers like corn, wheat, or starchy greens. In case your budgets permit for it, you possibly can give recent meals like Smalls a attempt, they provide recipes that align far more intently with a cat’s pure dietary wants. Recent diets are typically decrease in carbohydrates and freed from pointless thickeners and plant-based components that cats don’t metabolize effectively.
In any other case, Tiki Cat, Weruva (particularly the low-carb varieties), or Dr. Elsey’s CleanProtein could also be appropriate. Additionally, feeding smaller, extra frequent meals all through the day might help cut back food-seeking habits.
Utilizing feeding toys or puzzle feeders may sluggish her consuming and hold her mentally engaged. If you happen to’re uncertain what number of energy Siya needs to be getting, a fast session with certainly one of our veterinarians at PangoVet. They might help you calculate her preferrred every day consumption and tailor her plan, all whereas staying aligned with a species-appropriate strategy.
It’s additionally vital to rule out medical causes like hyperthyroidism or early diabetes, particularly if her starvation has noticeably elevated. A fast check-in together with your veterinarian and blood pattern assortment will probably be preferrred. I go away this final since you talked about she must lose some weight, and cats with this situation are often underweight, however nonetheless value checking her.
You’re clearly doing a beautiful job caring for Siya, and it’s possible that with only a few tweaks, Siya will probably be nicely on her method to a leaner, happier life.
Good luck
– Dr. Paola
Assist! My Cat Has a Lesion!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My cat Garfield has had a lesion on his decrease lip for a 12 months. It now seems greater. He has not misplaced weight and has no drawback with urge for food. I’m conscious of squamous cell carcinoma. Garfield is roughly 16 years previous. He was born on my enterprise property (feral) and lives there as a barn cat. Undecided what one of the best motion to take is, as will probably be tough to get him to the vet. Please advise.” – Joanne
Hello Joanne,
Thanks for searching for Garfield, particularly given his age and the challenges of his semi-feral life-style. A persistent lesion on the decrease lip that’s slowly enlarging, significantly in a senior cat, completely deserves consideration. You’re proper to have squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in your thoughts; that is sadly one of many extra frequent oral cancers in older cats, particularly these with outside publicity. That mentioned, not each lesion is most cancers. Persistent irritation, eosinophilic granulomas, and even previous trauma may trigger comparable modifications, however a year-long historical past and up to date enlargement do increase issues.
As a result of he hasn’t misplaced weight and is consuming nicely, it will not be inflicting him discomfort simply but, however cats are extremely stoic. Oral cancers can keep deceptively quiet till they attain a complicated stage. The one method to verify the character of the lesion is thru a veterinary examination, probably adopted by a biopsy. I perceive he’s laborious to deal with, and that’s an actual consideration with feral or barn cats. In circumstances like this, a humane lure could be probably the most sensible instrument to securely transport him. Many veterinary clinics will work with you should you clarify the scenario prematurely, and a few cellular vets or shelter-affiliated clinics are conversant in dealing with ferals and should even sedate them within the lure for the examination.
Garfield has already overwhelmed the chances by reaching 16, and he clearly means so much to you. Giving him the prospect for a correct prognosis, even when therapy finally ends up being restricted by his life-style or consolation, is the kindest subsequent step. Whether it is SCC, early palliative care might help keep his high quality of life for so long as potential.
Thanks to your kindness,
Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola collection
