What are peets?
Peets is an affectionate term used to describe animal feet. The term is a combination of the words ‘paw’ and ‘feet’. As with many of these endearing terms, the origins are not always known.
Cat Health Collection
Cat health articles. Browse our health collection for common and uncommon cat health issues.
Routine vs Urgent vs Emergency Care for Cats
Most cat owners will have to decide if their cat needs urgent or critical care, but its not always easy to determine when a cat should see a veterinarian soon immediately vs the next day or so.
Veterinary care can be loosely divided into primary care, urgent care and emergency care. There are also specialist veterinarians who focus on specific areas of veterinary medicine such as a veterinary oncologist, surgeon, radiologist. This article focuses on primary care, urgent care and emergency care.
Is Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica) Toxic to Cats?
Is rubber plant toxic to cats?
Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is toxic to cats. The toxic principles are ficin and ficusin that are enzymes present in the milky sap leading to skin and gastrointestinal irritation.
Sense of Smell (Olfaction) in Cats
The sense of smell (olfaction) is one of the most important cat senses, providing information on pheromones (females in heat, territorial marking), dangers (predators, fire, spoiled food), taste and appetite. While dogs get all the credit for their sense of smell, but cats deserve recognition too.
What is a Blep?
What is a blep?
A blep is a common internet term to describe a cat (or dog) who has unintentionally left a portion of its tongue hanging out of its closed mouth. The term originated from a subreddit thread showing cats blepping in 2014 and remains popular to this day.
Most cat lovers find the blep absolutely irresistible and either reach for the camera or have to boop, by touching the blep with their finger.
Why Is My Cat Licking the Floor?
Why do cats lick the floor?
Licking the floor can be a sign of anxiety, boredom, food residue, condensation or curiosity. It is usually harmless and self-limiting, however, if it goes on for an extended period, or occurs regularly, it may be an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Whisker Fatigue in Cats
What is whisker fatigue?
Also known as whisker stress, whisker fatigue is reported to be the stress cats feel when its whiskers touch the sides of narrow food and water dishes. Whiskers are specialised hairs with a rich nerve supply located on either side of the muzzle (sinus hairs or mystacial whiskers), cheeks, above the eyelids, and the wrists of the foreleg.
Symptoms of whisker fatigue reportedly include experience a refusal to eat, pawing at food to try and remove it from the bowl, dropping food, only eating from the centre of the bowl, spending less time eating, food aggression, pacing in front of the food bowl. Oral pain can also produce similar symptoms, and any changes should be investigated by a veterinarian.
Is Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Delicosa) Toxic To Cats?
Is Swiss cheese plant toxic to cats?
Swiss cheese plant (Monstera delicosa) is toxic to cats. The toxic principle is insoluble calcium oxalate crystals which penetrate the oral mucosa causing intense pain and burning. Calcium oxalate crystals are produced by specialised cells known as idioblasts and are arranged in bundles known as raphides. They act as a defensive mechanism against plant-eating animals.
What Are Toe Beans?
What are toe beans?
Toe beans are the soft paw pads located on the underside of the cat’s paws. The name toe beans relates to the similarity between the cat’s paws and jelly beans. The origins of the phrase toe beans is unknown, but cat lovers and internet users have been using this endearing term for several years now.
Can Cats Eat Almonds?
Can cats eat almonds?
Yes, cats can eat sweet almonds, which are the most widely available type of almond. Almonds are rich in healthy fats, fibre, protein, vitamin E and magnesium. A cat on a complete and balanced diet will get all the nutrients he or she needs, so there is no nutritional need to feed almonds. But, if the cat likes them, one or two sweet almonds won’t hurt, unless medically contraindicated.