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Can cats eat cheese?

Most cats can eat a small amount of cheddar of Swiss cheese as an occasional treat. All treats should make up no more than 10% of a cat’s diet to avoid introducing excess calories and nutrition defects. Feed no more than a cube the size of a grape to avoid adding excess calories to the cat’s diet.

Safety

Always start with a small amount and watch how the cat responds. If he or she shows symptoms of bloating, flatulence or diarrhea, discontinue.

We recommend speaking to a veterinarian who is familiar with your cat’s medical history before introducing any new types of food to a cat’s diet as in some cases, certain foods can have an impact on a cat’s underlying health conditions or interact with medications.

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Also known as cytopathology, cytology is a cost-effective and common diagnostic procedure in which the veterinarian or a specialised laboratory examines the structure and function of cells under a microscope. Cells are the smallest living entity and are found in all living organisms. They are made up of the cell membrane, cytoplasm and the nucleus, which contains the DNA. Animals and plants are made up of trillions of different types of cells which have diverse tasks, bacteria, some fungi and protozoa are single-celled organisms.

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Can cats have Down syndrome?

Cats can’t have Down syndrome because they only have 19 pairs of chromosomes and Down syndrome occurs on chromosome 21. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 are autosomes and the 23rd pair are the sex chromosomes. Cats have 19 pairs of chromosomes, 18 autosomes and the sex chromosome pair. The sex chromosomes determine gender, XX is female and XY is male.

What is Down syndrome?

Also known as trisomy 21, Down syndrome is a genetic condition that is caused by an extra or partial copy of chromosome 21. Chromosomes are threadlike structures that are located within the nucleus of every cell and contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction.

Usually, there are two pairs of chromosomes, each parent contributes one chromosome in each pair. Trisomy is a genetic disorder in which the organism has three chromosomes instead of two which causes development delays and congenital defects.

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Orchids (Orchidaceae) are a wide and diverse family of plants popular for their beautiful and often fragrant flowers. With 880 genera and 26,000 species, orchids are the second largest family of flowering plants after sunflowers.

Are orchids toxic to cats?

The ASPCA lists the Phalaenopsis, the most common species of orchid as non-toxic. Also known as moon or moth orchid, Phalaenopsis consists of 70 species.

Phalaenopsis have dark, wide, and flat leaves arranged opposite each other. The flower stem is long and arching and the long-lasting flowers come in shades of white, pink, red, green, yellow, orange, and purple.

Cypripedium spp. (lady slipper orchid) is a genus of 58 orchids which is labelled as toxic to humans, causing mild skin irritation. The toxic properties are unknown. The pouch-shaped petals set this orchid apart from other species.

Unfortunately, there is no information on other genera of orchid and their toxicity to cats. As a precaution, we recommend sticking with Phalaenopsis species which come in a wide variety of colours to choose from including white, pink, salmon, purple in one colour or speckled.

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