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Latest Vet Answers
Help! My Cat Has Hard Fur Clumps!
“Dear Dr. Paola, “What is the best way to take hard fur off your cat without hurting him?” – Sussane
Help! My Cat Has Developed a Spot on Her Nose!
“Our puss cat is nearly 14 years old and is in very good health, generally. However, over the past few days, she has developed a little freckle on her white nose. It doesn’t feel raised or look sore. It’s just a brown dot. It does seem to have gotten slightly bigger, but still only tiny. I would say it’s no more than 1–2 mm wide. It looks bigger as her nose is white, so it stands out. I wonder if you have any idea what this could be, please? Thank you for your help . ” – Linda & Snickets
Help! How Do I Know if My Cat Has Ear Mites!
“Mr. Weasley, my cat, keeps scratching at his ears and has caused them to bleed externally. I’ve looked inside his ears, and he has something black inside. His hearing is fine; he can hear anything, especially the dinner bowls. I don’t know if it’s ear mites, but not sure how to treat or clean them.“- Virginia
Help! My Cat Has Always Wants Treats!
“Dear Dr. Paola, I trained my cat Snowshoe not to scratch the furniture by giving her treats every time she used her scratch post, but she took it as begging for treats, and now she expects treats every time she scratches her post. If I don’t give her treats, then she scratches the furniture. How do I get her to stop this? ” – Roxanne
Help! My Cat Cries at the Door Constantly!
“I live in a large apartment complex with an enclosed courtyard. Good boy, the cat I accepted from someone who had to move has been going out into this courtyard for months. The rules have changed, and all pets, even cats, must be on a leash when outside. I have been trying to keep this 6-year-old cat inside, but he cries at the door constantly. How long before he gives up crying to go outside, or are there any other suggestions? Thanks.” – Reitha
Help! My Cat Is Peeing on My Bed!
“Why does my cat Tuxedo pee on my bedding, and on top of me? Our vet says nothing is physically wrong. This morning, he just got on top of me in bed and peed on me. He has a very clean litter box and uses it at all other times. About once every 7 to 10 days, he does this.“- Judy
Help! My Cat Has Suddenly Started Hissing & Growling!
"Dear Dr. Paola, Juno is a spayed female. DOB 06/22/22. No new animals, no changes in the household. She has been checked by the vet. X-rays, blood work, and urinalysis. She was put on Gabapentin, as there was a possibility she was in some pain. Also, to calm her. Out of the blue, she has started hissing and growling whenever I pass by her in the kitchen/dining room. I'm walking around on eggshells. I've been told by some people that it's because she's Siamese. She is part Siamese. I am the one who feeds her, cleans her litter, and does everything when it comes to her needs. She will climb into my lap and purr and sleep and be sweet and affectionate and then jump down sometimes after being on my lap for more than an hour, walk into the dining room, and if I walk past, she will growl and hiss. I'm so upset, I'm sure she's picking up the tension from me. The vet has suggested Prozac. I would really like your opinion." - Colleen
Help! My Rescue Has Bizarre Eating Habits!
"Hi Dr. Paola, I just got Gypsy from the SPCA two weeks ago, and she has just about stopped hiding and is getting closer to me. One habit she has puzzles me. She eats her soft food with her right paw, i.e., she dips it in her food and then licks it and keeps doing that until she has eaten half her bowl. Then later she eats normally. Apart from that, she is not fussy. She eats any flavors I have given her, and she has a good appetite. Have you ever heard of such quirky behaviour?" - Colette
Help! My Cat's Skin Turned Black!
"Hello, Dr. Paola. Maylee is 16 and an indoor house cat. She developed a fairly large area where her skin pigment turned from creamy white to black, and all the hair fell out in that area. It runs from a little near the neck and spine and gets bigger as it runs down towards her tummy. She scratched it so that there were sores in 2 smaller areas. I immediately called the Dr and took her in. I told him that I had never seen anything like that on her. She has never been sick except for some serious scratching, thanks, I think, to our SC pine pollen, for which I gave her some homeopathic drops, which seemed to help. Anyway, He gave her two shots, an antihistamine and an antibiotic. He gave me a topical cream, Animax nystatin-neomycin sulfate, to apply twice a day. Two weeks later, the same thing happened, but I asked for a blood panel to be done. She has always refused to drink water (so I added water to every meal) until just recently, I praised her every time she went near her water bowl, so I was worried about her kidneys. Dr said he wasn't worried because the sores went away. She had stopped scratching because I was lubricating the area twice a day. What could this be?"- Kathleen
How Do I Catch a Wild Pregnant Cat?
Hello Dr. Paola, We are trying to catch a wild, pregnant mother cat so we can have her spayed. We have live traps set, but it would be nice to have something natural to calm and sedate her so we can safely catch her, and also so she does not harm herself. Can you help us? We also have 5 or 6 wild kittens, 10 months old in the same situation. Thank you! - Tony