How can you tell if your cat has oral disease? Here are some tell tale signs:

1. Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
2. Pus along the gum line or around teeth
3. Loose, broken, or abscessed teeth
4. Persistent bad mouth odour
5. Loss of appetite
6. Pawing at the mouth
7. Darkened, stained, discoloured teeth
8. Excessive drooling
9. Sensitivity around the mouth

What can you do? It’s easy   – start by scheduling a routine wellness examination including a dental exam with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to determine what immediate treatments will help restore your cat’s oral health. As well, your veterinarian will also discuss ongoing dental care for your cat, including home care, dental diets, and dental treats.

• Read our information sheet on feline dental care.
• Listen to a podcast on dental care for pets.
• Contact your veterinarian today to improve your cat’s dental health.

Since the cat is a true carnivore, with no dietary requirement for carbohydrates, these findings make perfect sense. In fact, the dietary requirements of cats are very complex and are still being researched. Dietary needs change not only with life stage, but with the presence of certain diseases. For example, cats require specific diet formulations to treat diseases such as diabetes mellitus and advanced kidney disease. As always, your veterinarian is your best source of information on feline health matters, including nutrition.

Want to know more?

Cat Cravings, the article in The Scientist

Scientific article in PLoS Genetics, describing the structure of the sweet taste receptors in cats

Good Cat! Practical Answers to Behavior Questions by pet behavior consultant and journalist Steve Dale presents answers to common problems seen in both kittens and adult cats. It’s written in an easy-to-read question and answer style and is a useful book for both new cat owners and experienced ones. And the book is affordable – it’s available as an e-book for readers such as the Kindle and iPad. The 14 chapters contain insights and answers about issues such as training kittens, adopting a new cat, shy and fearful cats, aggression, and cats living with dogs.

Other reliable sources of information on feline behaviour include:

Veterinary Partner

Cornell Feline Health Center

1. Foods: Many popular holiday foods, flavours and seasonings are potentially toxic to cats (and dogs). These include chocolate, onion & garlic, and grapes & raisins. In fact, over indulgence in any unfamiliar food that is fatty, rich, or spicy can cause gastrointestinal upset at this time of year. And don’t forget that small bones – like turkey bones – can cause serious problems in the intestinal tract if eaten.
2. Plants: While not poisonous as previously thought, poinsettia is still capable of causing vomiting and diarrhea if eaten by irritating the gastrointestinal tract. Mistletoe is more problematic and can cause severe illness and even death if eaten. Other plants sometimes brought into our homes at this time of the year that are potential hazards for cats include lilies, daffodils, amaryllis and aloe.
3. Decorations: Playing with tinsel or ribbon sometimes ends in cats eating the material which can then cause an intestinal obstruction and even perforation and infection. This is a well known cause of emergency surgery, so play it safe and keep all tinsel and ribbon away from your cat. Potpourri may make your home smell festive but it contains chemicals that are highly toxic to cats. Another potential hazard is electrical cords we use for holiday lights and other decorations. Chewing on an electrical cord can cause painful burns and life-threatening complications.

Holiday hours:

Bytown Cat Hospital (613-741-2460) is open for veterinary appointments on Dec. 24 from 9 AM to 2 PM. We are closed Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. We are open for veterinary appointments on Dec. 31 from 9 AM to 2 PM.

Merivale Cat Hospital (613-722-0251) is closed on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. The hospital will be open for food sales only on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 from 7:30 AM to noon. Veterinary appointments can be made on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 at our Bytown location from 9 AM to 2 PM.

Your veterinarian will evaluate your cat for diabetes by asking you questions about your cat’s habits, performing a thorough physical examination, and by using blood and urine tests. Other feline diseases, such as hyperthyroidism, have similar clinical signs so that the correct diagnosis is important for successful treatment. Diabetes is typically diagnosed when the levels of glucose (‘sugar’) are excessive in both blood and urine.

Diabetes is managed with a combination of insulin and dietary therapy. The good news is that significant advances in our knowledge of how to manage feline diabetes have occurred in recent years, so that most diabetic cats have a good quality of life. Some will even lose their dependence on insulin therapy with time.

If you suspect your cat may have signs of diabetes, or even if your cat has not had a wellness examination in more than one year, you should contact your veterinarian. For more information on feline diabetes, see our Cat Hospitals website, as well as:

Pet Diabetes Month

My Cat Has Diabetes

How can you tell if your cat has oral disease? Here are some tell tale signs:

1. Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
2. Pus along the gum line or around teeth
3. Loose, broken, or abscessed teeth
4. Persistent bad mouth odour
5. Loss of appetite
6. Pawing at the mouth
7. Darkened, stained, discoloured teeth
8. Excessive drooling
9. Sensitivity around the mouth

Professional dental care for cats is very similar to that for people. Cats must be treated under anesthesia for the procedure to be safe and comfortable. Then the cat’s mouth is thoroughly examined. Each tooth is checked and very often, x-rays are taken to detect signs of tooth damage or infection. Any diseased teeth that cannot be saved are removed. Then the teeth are cleaned and polished to slow down the accumulation of plaque and tartar. Follow up care might involve pain medication, antibiotics, and advice on continuing dental care at home.

Want to learn more about dental care for cats?

Another excellent video on brushing cat’s teeth from the Cornell Feline Health Center can be found at Partners in Animal Health.

The Feline Advisory Bureau has a comprehensive article on feline teeth and the role of home care.

And we have an information sheet on feline dental care at our Cat Hospitals website. If you have concerns about your cat’s dental health, please contact your veterinarian.

Amiel is one of our resident cats at Bytown Cat Hospital. He has been with us for many years and regularly entertains us with his various tricks and antics. Dr. Roz MacDonald finally captured him on video figuring out how to get his favourite treats out of the jar. Here are some pictures of Amiel in action to enjoy.

Trying to drink from someone's coffee mug

Ready for surgery!

Sight-seeing from his favourite window

Dressed as a bumble bee for Halloween

Amiel is often found in our waiting area and he’s been known to sit in the laps of owners waiting to see a veterinarian. Say hello to him the next time you visit us.

Continuing education is very important for veterinarians, just as it is for other professionals. Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Glenys Hughes attended the 2011 World Feline Veterinary Conference held recently in Boston. Almost 500 veterinarians and veterinary technicians/nurses from around the world took advantage of 3 days of expert lectures. Topics included lower urinary tract disease, cognitive dysfunction in senior cats, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. The conference was hosted by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the International Society of Feline Medicine.

Dr. Little attended the Tufts University Canine and Feline Breeding and Genetic Conference this month, also in Boston. This conference brought together about 100 veterinarians and breeders whose main interest is a healthier future for our purebred dog and cat breeds. Dr. Little gave a lecture on some common problems in cats such as ovarian remnant syndrome, mammary hyperplasia, and cryptorchidism. The conference was sponsored by several organizations, including the Winn Feline Foundation, a non-profit organization that sponsors research on feline health problems. Dr. Little has been involved with Winn for many years, and is a past-president.

Canadian cat owners are much less likely than dog owners (46% versus 77%) to have taken their pet to the veterinarian within the past 12 months. More than 40% of our cats either haven’t been vaccinated in the last 4 years or were never vaccinated at all. And pet owners will spend twice as much on veterinary care for dogs as they will for cats. It’s time to celebrate the joys of cat ownership and promote promote better health care for cats. Have we seen your cat recently?