Demographics of Cats in the U.S.

Chu, K., W. M. Anderson, et al. (2009). "Population characteristics and neuter status of cats living in households in the United States." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 234(8): 1023-1030.

The objective of this study was to document the neuter status and identify demographic characteristics of cats living in the United States using a cross-sectional, random-digit-dial telephone survey. During April and May of 2007, 1205 adults in the continental U.S. were contacted. About 32% of the respondents had at least one cat at the time of the survey, yielding an estimated population of over 82 million cats living in about 37 million U.S. households. Eighty percent of the cats were reported as neutered. Of the female cats, about 82% had been neutered before having any litters. Annual family income was the strongest predictor of whether cats in the household were neutered, with only 51% of cats in households with annual family incomes less than $35,000 being neutered. This study did not attempt to gather data on stray and feral cats which represent an important part of the U.S. cat population. [SL]
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Related articles:
Murray, J. K., M. A. Roberts, et al. (2009). "Survey of the characteristics of cats owned by households in the UK and factors affecting their neutered status." Vet Rec 164(5): 137-41.
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Levy, J. K., J. E. Woods, et al. (2003). "Number of unowned free-roaming cats in a college community in the southern United States and characteristics of community residents who feed them." J Am Vet Med Assoc 223(2): 202-5.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Glucocorticoids and Cats

Lowe, A. D., K. L. Campbell, et al. (2008). "Glucocorticoids in the cat." Vet Dermatol 19(6): 340-7.

Some of the most common drugs prescribed in veterinary practice are glucocorticoids, due to their variety of therapeutic effects. Cats do not experience as many adverse effects with glucocorticoids as other species, such as humans and dogs. However, cats can experience adverse reactions, including skin atrophy and fragility, poor wound healing, and a predisposition to diabetes mellitus and possibly congestive heart failure. Steroid hepatopathy is less likely to occur in cats or is less detectable than in dogs. Prednisolone is the metabolically active drug preferred in cats. Studies have shown that time of day dosing is probably not as important in cats as in other species. Use of short to intermediate-acting glucocorticoids is preferable in case of adverse effects and the need for discontinuance of therapy. Use of repositrol glucocorticoids (such as methylprednisolone) should be reserved for situations where oral dosing is not possible. Care should be given to the use of glucocorticoids in cats at risk for diabetes mellitus or with pre-existing heart disease. [VT]
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Related articles:
Lowe, A. D., K. L. Campbell, et al. (2008). "Clinical, clinicopathological and histological changes observed in 14 cats treated with glucocorticoids." Vet Rec 162(24): 777-83.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Nasal Lymphoma in Cats

Haney, S. M., L. Beaver, et al. (2009). "Survival analysis of 97 cats with nasal lymphoma: a multi-institutional retrospective study (1986-2006)." J Vet Intern Med 23(2): 287-294.

While lymphoma is one of the most common cancer types affecting cats, nasal lymphoma is relatively rare. This retrospective study examined survival times in cats given different therapies, and evaluated response to treatment, duration of response, and prognostic factors. Records of 97 cats from various veterinary centers in the United States diagnosed with nasal lymphoma were analyzed. Two methods of survival analysis were used. In the first method, only deaths caused by progressive lymphoma were counted. The median survival time for these cats, regardless of treatment modality, was 536 days. In the second method, all deaths regardless of cause were counted. The median survival time for these cats was 172 days. There were no statistical differences in survival times based on treatment modality (radiation therapy alone, chemotherapy alone, radiation therapy plus chemotherapy). The results must be interpreted with caution, as many confounding variables were present. The investigators did note that inclusion of radiation therapy was critical to controlling the disease at the site (nasal cavity), and a higher dose of radiation may increase survival time. Anemia appeared to be an indicator of poor prognosis. [MK]
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Related articles:
Little, L., R. Patel, et al. (2007). "Nasal and nasopharyngeal lymphoma in cats: 50 cases (1989-2005)." Vet Pathol 44(6): 885-92.
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Sfiligoi, G., A. P. Theon, et al. (2007). "Response of nineteen cats with nasal lymphoma to radiation therapy and chemotherapy." Vet Radiol Ultrasound 48(4): 388-93.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Intestinal Intussusception in Cats

Burkitt, J. M., K. J. Drobatz, et al. (2009). "Signalment, history, and outcome of cats with gastrointestinal tract intussusception: 20 cases (1986-2000)." J Am Vet Med Assoc 234(6): 771-6.

The medical records of 20 cats were evaluated for a retrospective study of gastrointestinal intussusception. The diagnosis for intussusception was confirmed either by surgical exploration or on necropsy. Ten of the cats were less than 1 year of age, 9 were six years of age or older, and the remaining cat was 2 years of age. The most common reasons for presentation were anorexia (14/17), lethargy (12/17), and vomiting (12/17). Fourteen cats had reported medical conditions in the preceding 30 days. The major physical examination findings were dehydration, poor body condition, signs of abdominal pain, and an abdominal mass. While abdominal radiographs were useful in indicating the presence of a possible intestinal obstruction, abdominal ultrasonography appears the most accurate pre-surgical method for diagnosis of intussusception in cats. Thirteen of the cats underwent surgical exploration, with manual reduction alone performed in 2 cats and resection with anastomosis performed in 11 cats. Twelve of the 20 cats had an enteroenteric intussusception, predominantly jejuno-jejunal, and 8 had an entero-colic intussusception. Histologic examination of the tissue indicated that young cats may be more likely to have idiopathic intussusception, and older cats may be more likely to have primary gastrointestinal disease such as lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease [VT].
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Related articles:
Patsikas, M., L. Papazoglou, et al. (2003). "Ultrasonographic findings of intestinal intussusception in seven cats." J Fel Med Surg 5(6): 335-343.
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Doherty, D., E. Welsh, et al. (2000). "Intestinal intussusception in five postparturient queens." Vet Rec 146(21): 614-616.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

I have a five cat household and, as you can imagine, hairballs are a big part of it. As…

More and more, we are beginning to think that hairballs may not be a normal thing for cats and in fact, may be a sign of poor intestinal motility. If I see a cat with chronic hairballs, I now will often try to rule out any underlying disease before chalking it up to being normal. With this stated, there are many hairball remedies that are out there that are petroleum jelly based. The idea behind these, is that they make the hair easier to pass so it does not come up as a hairball. Many come in tubes, are flavored to be palatable for the cat and are available at pet stores, veterinarians. etc. Regular petroleum jelly works similarly and many cats will eat it straight. A small amount, about 1 teaspoon, is often a dose recommended – can be placed on the paw. There are not any known side effects to these products and many cat owners do think they help.

We adopted a “special needs” kitten from a local shelter - breathing problems. She was…

Good for you for taking on this special little girl! I have not had any experience in cats with nasal stents and it is my understanding they have just recently been used more commonly by surgeons and written up. One of my first thoughts would be to talk to the surgeon about their experience. Could it be possible this is still post-op inflammation? I would also be concerned about a bacterial infection...has any discharge been cultured? I would also wonder about an ongoing herpes virus infection. It sounds like you're in great hands and already I can tell you adore this little kitten. Keep us posted...I'd be interested to hear how your little one does.

Do cats get laryngitis? My cat went from meowing real deep to nothing at all in a period…

Cat's can get laryngitis. It can be caused by multiple causes. It can be caused by an immune-mediated inflammation, by trauma, and by infectious causes like the herpes virus. In an older cat, I would also be concerned about the possibility of something like a mass. A complete exam of your cat would be helpful, although your cat may need a light sedation to look fully in her throat. Hopefully it's nothing to worry about but I'd have it checked out when you can.

My 11year old cat has been having drooling spells and trouble breathing more frequently…

My first concern would be to determine if the drooling spells and the trouble breathing are related. These are two conditions that I typically do not link together. For the drooling, a full oral exam looking at the teeth or abnormalities in the mouth should be done along with lab work to rule out any systemic disease. For his breathing, there are a couple things I would consider before doing allergy testing. Allergic lung disease is common and can manifest itself with trouble breathing but an x-ray can be helpful to rule out any changes in the heart of other causes of difficulty breathing. If the x-ray helps rule-in allergic type changes, then you could still consider allergy testing but in general we are looking at many things that are difficult to avoid like dust, dust mites, pollens, molds etc. For cats with breathing difficulties, you can avoid respiratory irritants like smoke, aerosols, heavy perfumes, dusty litters, incense, etc. Hope this helps and hope your cat does well.

I have a male cat that is 2.9 years old. I had him since he was a tiny kitten that wander…

What you describe sounds very much like a roundworm. This is a very common parasite of our pets that they most often get from hunting or from contact with infected stool from other animals. Your cat should receive a medication for these worms. I would contact your veterinarian. If your cat has been in recently, they may prescribe the medication without seeing him. Because he is outdoors, you may also want to get him on a regular schedule for worming medication since this could be an ongoing problem.

At the suggestion of my veterinarian, I’ve begun to look for cat foods which have meat,…

One thing that is important to remember is that cats don't require ingredients (such as chicken, fish or grains), they require the nutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) those ingredients provide. Many people feel that since cats are considered carnivores that meat should be first on the ingredient list. However, cats do just fine on diets that contain cereals/grains or other ingredients as the primary ingredient on the list. Whether you are considering a dry food or a canned meat product isn't nearly as important as ensuring that the food you select provides all of the essential nutrients your cat needs, and that the nutrients are supplied in the correct proportions. In addition, it is essential that your cat enjoys eating the food, as the best food in the world will not provide your cat the nutrients he needs if it is left in the bowl all day and never eaten.

Part of your assurance of complete and balanced nutrition comes in the form of the AAFCO statement on each package or can of cat food. The AAFCO statement will provide information to let you know whether or not a product provides complete and balanced nutrition, and whether it is adequate for all life stages or just for a particular life stage (such as maintenance of an adult cat). Look for this statement on the package to ensure that your cat is receiving the nutrition he or she needs. All Purina Cat Chow dry cat foods make this claim and thus are considered complete and balanced for the various life stages specific to the products.