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Cats in History

Cats In History

Here's a collection of photographs of cats throughout the 1800s and 1900s.
by: Joshua Fjelstad

See also: cats narrating history
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    A Paralyzed Cat & Water Therapy



    Mog the cat survived Cornwall's floods last year but was hit by a car. Now he's learning to swim, in the hope it will help him walk again.
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    Heart Murmurs: What’s the Scoop?

    It is not uncommon in my cat practice for me to detect a heart murmur in one of my feline patients during a routine physical examination. Everyone has heard of heart murmurs, but not everyone knows exactly what they are, and what their significance may be. I’m hoping this blog post can help.

    Murmurs are vibrations caused by turbulent, high-velocity blood flow, usually through a (normal or abnormal) valve or vessel. Blood flow in the heart normally tends to be laminar, but it becomes less laminar (i.e. turbulent) as it picks up in speed. If the turbulence is severe enough, the sound becomes audible, and we hear this as a “murmur”.

    It can be difficult for a veterinarian to know if a feline heart murmur is just a physiologic occurrence, or if it’s a pathologic finding. It is possible to have a condition that increases the rate of blood flow through the heart – for example, excitement, stress, pain, fever, anemia, hyperthyroidism – resulting in enough turbulence as to create a murmur, even though the heart is normal. Certainly, pathology within the heart, such as heart valve disorders or heart muscle disorders (cardiomyopathies) can lead to turbulent blood flow and an audible murmur.

    Can a veterinarian tell the difference, just by listening with a stethoscope, between a benign physiologic murmur and a murmur that is associated with a true heart disorder? Simply put: no. Granted, if I hear what is called a “gallop” rhythm – a heart rate that sounds like horses galloping – in addition to a murmur, then the odds are that the murmur is pathologic rather than benign. But for the most part, the only way to really tell if a murmur is benign or pathologic is to perform echocardiography. Synonyms for this procedure are cardiac ultrasound or a sonogram.

    The list of heart diseases in cats that can cause murmurs is long and includes long and complicated names like dynamic right ventricular outflow obstruction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mitral valve endocardiosis, pulmonic stenosis, atrial or ventricular septal defects, and the like. Discussion of each of these disorders is beyond the scope of this blog. I just thought I’d impress you with the fancy terminology.

    An interesting report came out about seven years ago, in the Journal of the AVMA, August 2004 (1)(2). Entitled “Assessment of the Prevalence of Heart Murmurs in Overtly Healthy Cats”, it was a study of 103 healthy domestic cats that were being screened as possible blood donors. Of the 103 cats, 22 had murmurs. Echocardiography was performed on 7 of the 22 cats, and 6 of them had true heart disorders. The most common disorder was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a common (and very serious) heart condition.

    I think it’s pretty amazing that these researchers found murmurs in 22 of 103 cats. That’s 21%. Frankly, that seems pretty high to me. Heck, that’s one out of five cats! In my practice, I would say I hear murmurs in maybe 5 to 8 percent of cats. A more significant finding, to me, was that 6 of the 7 cats with murmurs had true heart disease.

    The main conclusion drawn from the study is that heart murmurs occur commonly in apparently healthy cats and in many or most instances, the murmurs are caused by structural heart disease, the most common being hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. So, take your cat to your veterinarian twice yearly (“Twice a year for life”; I can’t emphasize that enough) and watch your vet as he/she listens to the heart with a stethoscope. Ask if there’s a murmur. Be proactive. But don’t panic. The prognosis is variable, and depends on the cause of the murmur. Remember, early detection is the key to successful outcomes.
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    Caring Words from One of Our Clients


    It's sad when long-time treasured clients leave our practice to go onto bigger and better things.  It's nice when they leave you something like this before they go...


    The letter reads...

    Dear Dr. Plotnick,

    Words can't describe the appreciation I feel for the quality of care you've given Austin and Mia over the last almost 8 years.  I truly believe you have saved both of their lives - at least once - and have given me and my family the precious gift of more quality time with them.

    You have created an amazing practice, somehow managing to find staff who are efficient, skilled, and compassionate.  I can't quite bring myself to imagine taking Austin and Mia to another vet, especially in their senior years.  But we will keep you posted with pictures and updates on how they are doing as international cats.

    Thank you so much for everything,
    Elizabeth Y.

    ---

    You are very welcome Elizabeth.  Have a safe move to Hong Kong and a wonderful future across the world with your family.  Please, do indeed, share any videos and pictures with us.  Feel free to post any updates at http://facebook.com/manhattancats
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    How Pet Owners Can Best Help Veterinarian Make their Diagnoses

    Being a cat veterinarian is like being a pediatrician. We can’t ask our patients what’s wrong. We have to figure it out. And nowhere is the role of a cat owner more important than at a veterinarian’s office, where a good history can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. 
    Veterinarians are faced with a variety of diagnostic challenges on a daily basis. The ability for a veterinarian to obtain a detailed and complete history is our most important diagnostic tool. When accurately interpreted, this information lays the groundwork for a logical diagnostic and therapeutic plan, and may prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing and needless discomfort to the patient and cost to the owner.

    After briefly discussing the primary complaint, veterinarians try to obtain both objective and subjective information when gathering the history. Examples of objective data include the signalment, the environment, diet, and medical history.

    Signalment

    The signalment consists of the cat’s age, breed, and gender, including whether the cat is neutered or spayed. This is basic, important information. Certain illnesses tend to strike cats at certain age ranges. For example, hyperthyroidism is a glandular condition that causes cats to lose weight, despite a ravenous appetite. It’s an old-age disease, rarely striking cats under the age of eight. A 13-year old cat with weight loss and excellent appetite warrants a blood test to evaluate thyroid function. A four-year old cat with the same signs would be more likely to have something else, such as inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatic insufficiency. Even if you’re not sure of the exact age, an accurate approximation can be very useful for a veterinarian.

    Certain breeds are predisposed to certain conditions, and knowing the breed can help veterinarians choose proper diagnostic tests. Persians are prone to polycystic kidney disease; Abyssinians are at high risk for renal amyloidosis; and Maine Coons are susceptible to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Veterinarians must not be misled by clients who tell their veterinarian that their cat is a Maine Coon, only to find out that it’s a domestic longhair that “looks just like the Maine Coon in the magazine”.

    Gender provides important information as well. A female cat straining to urinate is likely to have cystitis. A male cat straining to urinate could have a urinary obstruction, something that can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Fortunately, there’s very little guesswork when it comes to determining gender. Just lift the tail and take a look!

    Environment

    Gathering environmental history is a routine, yet important part of a cat’s history. Free roaming cats or cats that go outdoors are at much higher risk of getting into fights with other cats, and that increases their risk of getting cat bite abscesses or acquiring feline leukemia or FIV. Free-roaming or recently escaped cats may have had access to toxins or have been subject to trauma, which is unlikely in an indoor pet.

    Sometimes a travel history is important, although more so with dogs than cats, since cats, if they do travel with the owner to another part of the country, usually aren’t let outdoors, where they are at risk of running away or getting lost. Still, a travel history can be important, especially if the patient has been exposed to diseases endemic to certain regions but not prevalent in the current environment.

    Dietary history

    A dietary history is more than merely determining which type and brand of food you’re feeding. Granted, knowing the type of diet (dry, moist, semi-moist, table food), the brand name, any types of snacks, the method of feeding (free-choice or individual meals) and the amount is important, but veterinarians also want to know about your cat’s appetite and whether there has been any weight gain or weight loss. It’s helpful if you watch your cat eat. Complete or partial anorexia is a common reason that clients take their cat to the veterinarian. A client that notices that their cat only chews on one side of its mouth, or has stopped eating dry food and now will only eat canned food, is telling the veterinarian that oral pain or discomfort may be the source of the problem, and a thorough oral exam may be the only diagnostic test necessary to obtain the diagnosis.

    Preventive health care status and prior medical history

    Reviewing the patient’s prior medical record can give valuable information to the veterinarian. If this is your first visit to this particular veterinarian, it is very helpful if you know your cat’s vaccination history, and you cat’s feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus status. Medical records detailing the diagnosis or treatment of any prior or ongoing health problems are invaluable, as the primary complaint may be a consequence of a prior medical condition.

    Once the above information is obtained, the veterinarian is ready to delve deeper into the primary complaint.


    The history surrounding the primary complaint tends to be more subjective, and this information obtained from observant, conscientious owners can be a tremendous asset. Veterinarians know that some owners aren’t as observant as others. Our job is to encourage our clients to describe the cat’s problem from its onset so that an orderly chronology is obtained. Some of the things we’ll want to know is when the cat was last normal, whether the onset of the clinical signs was sudden (acute) or if it developed slowly over time (chronic), and whether the illness has responded to previous treatment or not. For example, an itchy cat that was treated with steroids and did not respond in the past is more likely to have food allergy (poorly responsive to steroids) than flea allergic dermatitis (responds rapidly to steroids).

    Depending on what the primary complaint is, a veterinarian may delve even deeper, to further help characterize the problem and better formulate a diagnostic plan. As an example, if a client reports that their cat has diarrhea, the veterinarian may then ask whether there’s any blood or mucus in the stool, whether the cat has been straining in the litterbox, or whether the cat has had any accidents in the house. The more the client answers yes, the more likely that the diarrhea has originated from the large intestine. This narrows down the list of possible causes for diarrhea, and helps the veterinarian formulate a diagnostic and therapeutic plan. Working with breeders has its advantages. Breeders tend to be much more observant than the average cat owner, and often come in with very detailed histories. They know that the cat’s coat should look sleek and glossy, and are more keenly aware when the coat looks a bit rough or unkempt. Most clients are unable or unwilling to take their cat’s temperature at home. Breeders, however, seem to have little problem with this. Information like this can be a big help to a veterinarian. In the exam room, a cat may have a borderline fever, and this can be difficult for a veterinarian to interpret, as cats will have elevated body temperatures when they’re nervous. If a client tells me that their cat had a fever at home, in their comfortable surroundings, then I know that the fever I’m seeing in the exam room is likely to be genuine, and not due to the stress of the examination. As a veterinarian, I encourage my clients to perform their own brief physical exam on their cats on a regular basis. This should include a brief examination of the eyes to see that they’re bright and clear and free of any discharge, the ears should be a healthy pink color inside with no signs of discharge or accumulation of dark-colored wax, and the nose should be damp and velvety to the touch and have no discharge or crusting on the surface. The mouth should be examined regularly, to make sure the gums are pale pink, the teeth aren’t yellowed or covered with tartar, and that there’s no foul odor present. Cat owners should also stroke and pat their cat often, not just because the cat enjoys it, but to also feel for any lumps or bumps that might be present. Feeling along the abdomen for any masses or swellings associated with the mammary glands is also advisable, as mammary tumors, while not as common in cats as in dogs, are much more worrisome in cats.

    Behavioral changes can be difficult for veterinarians to interpret. I’ve had many clients bring in their cat because the cat was acting different, although on further questioning, it became apparent that the cat wasn’t actually ill, despite the difference in behavior. Cats who suddenly stop sleeping on the bed even though it’s been their favorite sleeping spot for years, or normally vocal cats who lately have become more quiet may indeed be acting differently, but these are quite likely to be benign behavioral changes. Lethargy, hyperactivity, aggression, growling, and urinating or defecating in inappropriate places, however, are behavioral changes that may indicate an underlying medical problem. When in doubt as to whether any apparently new behaviors are medically significant or not, it’s best to err on the cautious side and report everything to your veterinarian.

    Because our patients cannot talk, veterinarians must rely on you, the client, to speak for them. The more observant you are, the more information you can give us. This information can go a long way toward obtaining the proper diagnosis, allowing us to tailor a treatment plan to put your companion quickly on the road to recovery.

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    Five Ways to Make Your Vet (and Cat) Happier

    Five Ways to Make Your Vet (and Cat) Happier

    Remember these five items for a better diagnosis at the cat vet.

    Dr. Arnold Plotnick is one of CatChannel's feline health experts.

    Posted on Catchannel.com
    Cat owners can play a big role in cat health. An observant and helpful cat owner can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

    After hearing your cat's complaint, cat vets try to get objective and subjective information when gathering the history. The objective data include the signalment, the environment, diet, and medical history; the subjective data includes behavior.

    1. Get the Cat Stats: Signalment
    The signalment includes the cat’s age, breed and gender, including whether the cat is neutered or spayed. This is basic, important information. Some illnesses strike cats at certain age ranges. For example, hyperthyroidism is a glandular condition that causes cats to lose weight, despite a ravenous appetite. It’s an old-age disease, rarely striking cats under the age of 8. A 13-year-old cat with weight loss and excellent appetite should get a blood test to evaluate thyroid function. A 4-year old cat with the same signs would be more likely to have something else, such as inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatic insufficiency. Even if you’re not sure of the exact age, a good approximation will help a cat veterinarian.

    Certain cat breeds get certain conditions, and knowing the breed helps veterinarians choose proper diagnostic tests. Persian cats can get polycystic kidney disease; Maine Coon cats and Ragdoll cats are susceptible to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Don’t say your cat is a Maine Coon when it’s really a domestic longhair that “looks just like the Maine Coon in the magazine.” If your cat is not really purebred, say so.

    Gender provides important information as well. A female cat straining to urinate is likely to have cystitis or a urinary tract infection. A male cat straining to urinate could have a urinary obstruction, something that can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Fortunately, there’s very little guesswork when it comes to determining gender. I just lift the tail and take a look.

    2. Cat Houses: Environment History
    Gathering environmental history is routine for cat exams. Free-roaming cats or cats who go outdoors are at much higher risk of fighting with other cats, and that increases their risk of getting cat bite abscesses or acquiring feline leukemia or FIV. Free-roaming or recently escaped cats may have had access to toxins or have been subject to trauma, which is unlikely in an indoor pet.

    Sometimes, a cat travel history is important. A travel history can help if the cat has been exposed to diseases endemic to certain regions but not prevalent in the current environment.

    3. Cats Are What They Eat: Dietary History
    A dietary history goes beyond which type and brand of food you feed your cat. Of course, share the type of diet (dry, moist, raw, table food), the brand name, any types of snacks, the method of feeding (free-choice or individual meals) and the amount of cat food, but veterinarians also want to know about your cat’s appetite and whether you cat lost weight or gained weight. Watch your cat eat. A cat owner who notices that their cat only chews on one side of his mouth, or has stopped eating dry food and now will only eat canned food, is telling the veterinarian that oral pain or discomfort might cause the problem, and a thorough oral exam may be the only diagnostic test necessary to obtain the diagnosis.

    4. A Stitch in Time Saves Nine Lives: Prevention
    A medical record can give your cat’s veterinarian valuable information. On your first visit to a cat vet, it helps to have your cat’s vaccination history and your cat’s feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus status. Medical records detailing the diagnosis or treatment of any prior or ongoing health problems are invaluable, as the primary complaint may be a consequence of a prior medical condition.

    5. What’s New, Pussycat? Observation
    After cat owners provide points 1-5, a cat veterinarian can begin to discover the problem. The above information given by observant, conscientious owners can be a tremendous asset. Veterinarians need cat owners to describe the cat’s problem from the beginning, to get an orderly timeframe. Cat veterinarians want to know things like when the cat was last normal, whether the cat illness signs began suddenly (acute) or if they developed slowly over time (chronic) and whether the cat’s illness has responded to previous treatment. For example, an itchy cat treated with steroids without getting better would more likely have a cat food allergy (poorly responsive to steroids) than flea allergic dermatitis (responds dramatically to steroids).

    Depending on the complaint, a veterinarian can delve even deeper, to further determine the problem and formulate a diagnostic plan. If a client reports that their cat has diarrhea, the veterinarian may then ask whether there’s any blood or mucus in the stool, whether the cat has been straining in the litterbox or whether the cat has had any accidents in the house. The more the client answers yes, the more likely that the diarrhea has originated from the large intestine. This narrows down the list of possible causes for diarrhea, and helps the veterinarian formulate a diagnostic and therapeutic plan.

    Most clients are unable or unwilling to take their cat’s temperature at home. Information like this can be a big help to a cat veterinarian. In the exam room, a cat may have a borderline fever, and this can be difficult for a veterinarian to interpret, as cats will have elevated body temperatures when they’re nervous. If a client tells me that their cat had a fever at home, in their comfortable surroundings, then I know that the fever I’m seeing in the exam room is likely to be genuine, and not due to the stress of the examination.

    At-Home Cat Exams
    As a cat vet, I tell clients to perform their own brief physical exam on their cats regularly. Examine the eyes to see that they’re bright and clear and free of any discharge. Ears should be a healthy pink color inside with no signs of discharge or accumulation of dark-colored wax. The nose should be damp and velvety to the touch and have no discharge or crusting on the surface. A cat’s mouth should be examined regularly, to make sure the gums are pale pink, the teeth aren’t yellowed or covered with tartar, and that there’s no foul odor present. Cat owners should also stroke and pat their cat often, not just because the cat enjoys it, but to also feel for any lumps or bumps that might be present. Feeling along the abdomen for any masses or swellings associated with the mammary glands is also advisable, as mammary tumors, while not as common in cats as in dogs, are much more worrisome in cats.

    Behavioral changes can be difficult for veterinarians to interpret. I’ve had many clients bring in their cat because the cat was acting different, although on further questioning, it became apparent that the cat wasn’t actually ill, despite the difference in behavior. Cats who suddenly stop sleeping on the bed even though it’s been their favorite sleeping spot for years, or normally vocal cats who lately have become more quiet may indeed be acting differently, but these may simply be benign behavioral changes. Lethargy, hyperactivity, aggression, growling, and urinating or defecating in inappropriate places, however, are behavioral changes that may indicate an underlying medical problem. When in doubt as to whether any apparently new behaviors are medically significant or not, it’s best to err on the cautious side and report everything to your veterinarian.

    Veterinarians meet diagnostic challenges every day. A detailed and complete cat health history is our most important diagnostic tool. This information lays the groundwork for a sound diagnostic and therapeutic plan, and could prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing and discomfort to cats and cost to the owner. 
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    10 Best Talking Cat Videos (Talking Animals by klaatu42)

    Entertainer and comedian Andrew Grantham (a.k.a. Youtube user klaatu42) has created a phenomenal Youtube channel titled "Talking Animals.".  No, these animals don't actually talk. Andrew is the voice behind the animal (I think)... and what is said is pretty much what one would expect a talking dog or cat to say... and what they would say is hilarious!  His video releases go viral, scoring over a million views at minimum, and his last smash hit "Ultimate Dog Tease" which had our staff and colleagues laughing hysterically all day with multiple views, is approaching 40 million hits!

    This talking pets concept is nothing new (think of Mr. Ed), however, the raw camera footage, the innocent pet facial expressions, and each the animals exhibiting their own personalities all make a great palate for funnyman Andrew Grantham to work with.

    Here we go, the 10 best "Talking Animals" talking cat videos:
    #10


    #9


    #8


    #5,6,7






    #4


    #3


    #2


    #1
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