I’ve had cats my entire life. But it wasn’t until recently that I had my first experience taking a cat through recovery from a serious surgery. She was a beautiful little foster kitten named Bettina.

About a year ago, I made the decision to start fostering, focusing on cats in need of special care, either with recovery from surgery/illness or socialization issues. Bettina was only my second foster and took considerably more intensive care than my first, who only had a cold and needed a week out of the shelter to recover. (And who, incidentally, I fell madly in love with and adopted at the end of that week.)

You’ll hear a bit about my story, successes and failures, products I found helpful, conversations I wished I’d had, and how an old bra saved the day.

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Topics: Cats

Veterinarians get asked this question all the time, “Which treat is best to give my pet?” As a veterinarian who has formulated many diets and treats for dogs and cats, I can tell you that if chosen correctly, treats can supplement your pet’s health as well as be very beneficial to their overall well-being.

Not to mention the training that often accompanies treating, or the mental stimulation of an interactive game.

Because every pet is an individual with their own personality and preferences, some treats may be accepted readily whereas some pets require a little trial and error before you find the treats they love. With pet individuality in mind, let’s explore what sorts of treats are ideal for cats.

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Topics: Cats, Cat Treats, supplements for cats, Cat nutrition

Yes, it’s that time again, where we look at the past 365 days and tell ourselves that the next 365 are going to be different! As we ring in the new year, the holiday tradition of making resolutions is as old as Babylon itself.

And like many of us here at Preventive Vet, you may be planning on going to the gym more, be kinder, more motivated, lose weight, quit one of your vices (only one?) — but it's important not to forget our four-legged friends. It's a great opportunity to make one or more resolutions for you and your pet. So, we’ve jotted down a few that unfortunately get forgotten (even by us sometimes) or are just plain time consuming. But remember — this year is going to be different!

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Topics: Dogs, Cats, Ideal pet weight, Grooming, New Year's

Giving the purr-fect gift shouldn't be limited to the holidays, but since they’re just around the corner, we couldn't think of a better reason to sniff out the best toys for cats and their humans.

We’ve searched high and low for unique and fun Christmas and Hanukkah gifts for kitties and the humans that love them. While a feather teaser or wand can be fun interactive toys that help to create a bond between you and your cat, this top ten list was put together to satisfy the most finicky feline and their high-brow human.

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Topics: Cat Safety, Cats, String, Christmas, Cat Gifts

Being able to reunite a lost cat and their owner is a rewarding feeling, but it’s also not always an easy task. Sometimes the cat won't approach you or for other reasons you might not be able to try and catch it. In this case, taking a photo or writing a description and posting on social media with the location can go a long way in helping someone track down their lost cat.

If you see a lost or stray cat and feel you're prepared and able to help, and if it’s safe to do so, here are some tips to help you find their owner as quickly as possible:

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Topics: Cats, Lost Pet, Outdoor cats, Cat Tips, Missing cat, Lost Cat, What to do if you cat is lost, Lost poster

Growing up in rural America, having animals around was as common as a bowl of cereal on a Saturday morning. You didn’t give it a lot of thought, it just felt right. Cats were the pet of choice in my family.

In fact, I don’t recall a time where we didn’t have a feline walking the hallways of our home. I do recall our cat Candy giving birth to a litter of six inside one of my dresser drawers, ruining my favorite train shirt.

That’s a story for another time. The point of all of this is that cats have always and continue to be an integral part of my family. However, recently I wondered that if pets are part of my family, have I been concerned about their well-being as I would my child?

When we make the conscious decision to be responsible over someone or something, we owe it to them to do our very best. I’ll admit it wasn’t until recently that I realized that I should have been protecting our cats in the same way that we protect our young children. Both are very curious and that can sometimes lead to devastating events.

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Topics: pet safety, Pet Proofing, Cats, #IfOnlyIKnew

Does it ever seem like your cat has an accident in one spot and keeps returning to the same spot? Well here's a fun fact: this isn’t their favorite spot to pee or poop. More likely than not, you didn’t clean up the last mess all the way, which is why they keep returning to the scene — or, more accurately, the scent — of the crime. 

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Topics: Litter Box, Cats, Litterbox accidents, Cat pee, Pet cleaning supplies

In one week alone, eight cats were injured after falling from high rises when warming weather in 2015 resulted in more people leaving their windows open. In fact, cats fall from windows so often that veterinarians have given it a name: “High-Rise Syndrome.” 

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Topics: Cat Safety, pet safety tips, Summer Pet Safety Tips, Cats Falling, High Rise Syndrome, Feline High Rise Syndrome, Falling Cats, High Rise Syndrome in Cats, Cats Falling from Heights, Cats, Blog

Nearly one in five lost pets goes missing after being scared by loud noises, according to the ASPCA. Considering 4th of July fireworks and the uptick in summer thunderstorms, it’s no wonder that summer is the time of year we all start to notice more lost cat posters adorning neighborhood poles and street signs.

Add in the fact that cats tend to spend more time outside in the summer months along with the increased likelihood that something will spook them, and it all equates to an unfortunate flight risk.

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Topics: Cats, Lost Pet, Blog, Cats outdoors at night, Outdoor cats, Cat Tips, Missing cat, Cat Predators, Lost Cat, Cat enclosure, What to do if you cat is lost, Cats Hiding, Lost poster

Rising temperatures mean rising health and safety risks for our pets. You’re likely (hopefully) to be seeing lots of warnings regarding the dangers of heat and cars for dogs, but you may be wondering if your cats are at risk of heat stroke.

The answer is a firm yes(ish).

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Topics: Safety, Cats, Heat Exhaustion, Summer, Heat Stress, Heat Stroke, Danger, Pets, Prevention, Brachycephalic, Persian, British Shorthair