I have a two-year-old female cat and ever since she was a kitten, she has had a very…

Cats leave scent markings when they scratch objects. And they often use scratching as a greeting behavior. Your cat apparently has decided that this wall serves as her greeting spot, and marks it accordingly.

My husband and I have an indoor cat and she’s pretty fat. She’s also very particular…

Good for you, looking for helpful ways to keep her healthy! Your cat may benefit from using a “treat ball” toy that you can fill with her favorite food. These balls must be batted and moved around to knock out the kibble, so she must move her furry tail to get fed. You can also place food bowls at the top of stairs, or on a chair back, countertop, and other elevated places so she must exercise to get the meal. If you can’t chase her, perhaps one of the motorized cat toys (a “mouse” or even a remote control car?) might appeal to her—you could “chase” her with it, and then she could chase it in turn.

I have two indoor cats (brother and sister) who never go outside. I also have a small…

I applaud your concern and the steps you’re taking to protect your indoor cats. Cat diseases are most commonly spread by contact with saliva, blood, or infective waste. So it isn’t likely that simply sniffing your hands after you’ve pet the feral cats would transmit disease to your indoor cats. Your indoor kitties already know about the outdoor cats, by sound, smell or sight, whether you’ve washed your hands or not. Yes, the presence of strange felines can prompt indoor cats to react with urine marking behavior or redirected aggression when they can’t reach the interlopers. It’s hard to say whether the aggressive play is a direct result of the ferals’ presence or might have happened anyway.

Pain Management for Special Feline Cases

Mathews, K. A. (2008). "Pain management for the pregnant, lactating, and neonatal to pediatric cat and dog." Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 38(6): 1291-308, vi-vii.

The majority of the information available to veterinarians on pain management for small animals is for the mature patient. Pregnant and lactating queens and neonates have received little attention or investigation. Unfortunately, this means that pain management is often avoided for these patients, due to concerns over adverse effects. The purpose of this review article is to focus on commonly available analgesics for these special patients. During pregnancy, opioids are the preferred analgesic for both women and animals. For example, opioids may be used to control pain associated with caesarean section with little or no effect on neonates. For lactating animals, opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used. Opioids are also often used for pediatric patients, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are avoided in animals under 6 weeks of age. The risks and benefits of each class of drug, as well as a table of drugs and dosages are included. Dissemination of such information will help provide pain relief to some of the most vulnerable patients in veterinary medicine. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Dyson, D. H. (2008). "Perioperative Pain Management in Veterinary Patients." The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice 38(6): 1309-1327.
>> PubMed Abstract

Robertson, S. and P. Taylor (2004). "Pain management in cats - past, present and future. Part 2. Treatment of pain - clinical pharmacology." J Fel Med Surg 6(5): 321-333.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Feline Eosinophilic Keratitis

Spiess, A. K., J. S. Sapienza, et al. (2009). "Treatment of proliferative feline eosinophilic keratitis with topical 1.5% cyclosporine: 35 cases." Vet Ophthalmol 12(2): 132-7.

Eosinophilic keratitis is a progressive corneal disease seen in cats of any age. While the etiology is unknown, an immune-mediated response to feline herpesvirus is a suspected cause. The disease is unilateral in up to 75% of cases. The lesions are typically raised, irregular, white to pink masses. Scrapings of the lesions contain eosinophils, mast cells, and mixed inflammatory cells. Treatment is with topical corticosteroids, although some cases become refractory. Relapse is common if treatment is discontinued. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of topical cyclosporine for feline eosinophilic keratitis. The disease was diagnosed by clinical appearance and corneal cytology in 35 cats. The mean age of affected cats was 6 years. Topical cyclosporine was administered either two or three times daily. The minimum follow up period was 5 months. Improvement was seen in 89% of cats. Recurrence was seen in 23% of cases. The researchers conclude that topical cyclosporine is an effective treatment for the majority of cats with eosinophilic keratitis, and that chronic, often life-long therapy is recommended. [SL]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Andrew, S. E. (2008). "Immune-mediated canine and feline keratitis." The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice 38(2): 269-290.
>> PubMed Abstract

Moore, P. A. (2005). "Feline corneal disease." Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 20(2): 83-93.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Does feeding an all dry food diet predispose cats to kidney disease as they age?

There is no clinical evidence that dry cat food predisposes cats to kidney disease as they age. Kidney disease is a common disease in our older cats and can happen for many reasons. I believe we see more of it because our cats are living longer lives than ever before due to better care. Cats with kidney disease are often recommended a veterinary diet designed for kidney disease. These diets are to help control the symptoms of kidney disease and their use is not meant to implicate that a previous diet played a role in causing the disease.

I have two cats. My husband brushes their teeth once a week. How long should we brush…

Great question! Many people do not realize that tooth brushing can be very beneficial for cats and their dental health. It is also a surprise to many that cats actually tolerate this and some even enjoy the tooth brushing. My general rule of thumb for brushing is to do it for as long as the cat will tolerate, shooting for about 1-2 minutes. Keep up the good work.

Is it normal for a cat to have lots of black spots on their gums? I know you probably…

I don't think any question is silly. There is a lot to learn about cats and I even learn something new everyday from my patients. Many cats can have pigmented spots on their gums. In particular, this is very common and normal in orange cats or those that have orange in their coat. The fancy term for this is called lentigo and they can also get these spots on their nose and eyelids. I do not usually worry about them if they are flat with the surface of the skin. If you are concerned, you could have your veterinarian take a look at them to be sure they are o.k.

My one year old cat cleans herself very well, except for the area below her anus. Could…

This is likely not diet related unless she is having soft stool. If she is having softer stool that gets stuck in her fur or around her anus, your first step should be consulting your veterinarian. Another possibility is that she may not be interested in cleaning back there. She may also not be able to reach if she is overweight. Keeping it clean with a warm cloth is a great thing to do, just be sure she does not stay damp.

Is it safe to let my two FIV positive cats live with my other cat?

This is a tricky question. There is always a chance that the FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus or feline aids) positive cats could infect your other cat. The virus is found in high numbers in saliva and is most often transmitted through bite wounds. It is possible although less likely to be shed through shared dishes or mutual grooming. So general, in non-fighting housemates, chance of transmission is low but there is a chance. One thing to consider and discuss with your veterinarian is the FIV vaccine. The downside of this vaccine, like any vaccine, is that it does not prevent disease 100% of the time. The other concern is that if vaccinated, your other cat will test positive for FIV. The question that arises then is a positive test due to the vaccine failure and disease or just the vaccine. I applaud you for thinking about adding two FIV positive cats to your household. They can live good long healthy lives and need homes as well. I would just advise you to follow your heart on this one and make the best informed decision you can.