Veterinary medicine has been keeping up with state-of-the-art human medicine, and there are many regenerative therapies available to target serious medical problems along with various technologies to enhance health awareness. The collective goals are to reduce physical pain and suffering, and thus improve feline well-being so that cats can live their best lives. Here are ways that science and technology can help cats in all life stages.

Stem Cell Regenerative Medicine

“Regenerative medicine is an innovative branch of medicine that uses stem cells and tissue engineering to develop novel therapeutics to repair or replace diseased organs, tissues or cells,” explains Dr. Boaz Arzi, professor of dentistry and oral surgery and the director of the Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures (VIRC) at the University of California, Davis.

“Harnessing the various aspects of regenerative medicine, we can now attempt to treat disorders that were previously regarded as non-curable or untreatable, and offer exciting possibilities for development of future therapies,” he adds.

In the feline world, stem-cell treatments can be used to treat with the goal of curing painful issues such as feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), kidney disease and osteoarthritis, sadly all very common in cats worldwide.

The cure for feline chronic gingivostomatitis. Professor Arzi, with his extensive research team, has been conducting trials to find a cure for FCGS since 2013 and has had great success.

“Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is a naturally occurring, immune-mediated oral mucosal disease potentially triggered by a viral etiology such as feline calicivirus,” he explains. “It results in painful inflammatory mucosal lesions that markedly affect quality of life and often requires long-term immunosuppressive therapy (steroids) in cats that don’t respond to dental extractions therapy.”

One of the cats enrolled in Arzi’s initial trials was 12 years old at the time and suffering badly from FCGS. Once given stem cell therapy, he lived pain-free and was cured of the disease until he was 20 years old.

Harvesting stem cells. Currently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most common type used in veterinary treatments and can be harvested from bone marrow or organ material removed during a regular spay and neuter procedure. Stem cells can also be harvested from fat, known as adipose-derived stem cells. Cells harvested from fat are considered heterogeneous cells — a mixture of cells with many functions and, hence, can be used in many different applications.

In order to safely collect and transport the harvested fat, a stem cell laboratory provides a kit to the pet’s veterinarian, which includes an insulated shipper, ice pack, sample transport tubes (for the fat) and all the needed paperwork and shipping labels. The stem cells to be used in the animal are created in the laboratory and shipped back to the pet’s veterinarian under very stringent conditions to be injected in the appropriate site.

Storing stem cells. Cat parents have an option to store their own pet’s stem cells harvested at the time of a spay or neuter and keep them frozen should they ever be needed in the future. A company called Gallant has specialized in the banking of stem cells for the lifetime of a pet and making 10 doses available on demand. The procedure can be paid monthly, annually or a once-off lifetime charge. Learn more at gallant.com/pricing.

Off-the-shelf stem cell treatments. Advancements in science have now led Gallant to obtain a license to manufacture FDA-approved allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cellular therapies.

Off-the-shelf means the doses are manufactured in bulk, like a drug in a bottle, and the veterinarian can buy any number of doses and store them at his or her clinic for when a cat comes in that may need it, explains Dr. Linda Black, who is Gallant’s chief executive officer. Get more information at gallant therapeutics.com.

The product for stomatitis is scheduled to be available in 2024, and the stem-cell treatment for kidney disease will follow in 2025. This will also drastically reduce the costs of stem-cell treatments to the $300 to $500 price bracket. Currently, apart from the harvesting process, some veterinarians are charging thousands. It’s an open market.

Platelet – Rich Plasma Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections involve drawing tubes of the cat’s own blood and running it through a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets. These activated platelets are then injected directly into the injured or diseased body tissue. This releases growth factors that stimulate and increase the number of reparative cells the body produces. This treatment is used for osteoarthritis.

Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field (Pemf) Therapy

This non-invasive treatment essentially pulses an electromagnetic field into tissues via inductive coils to help with healing, reducing inflammation and pain.

“PEMF therapy can help with any process that causes pain or inflammation. Common uses include for post-surgical patients, especially after orthopedic or neurological surgery, and patients receiving physical rehabilitation,” explains Katie Krebs, DVM, DAB-VP clinical instructor, at the Community Practice at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia, who is currently involved in research studies to explore the benefits of this therapy.

Dr. Krebs and her team are also looking at using at-home devices for the treatment of arthritis in cats. “Cats do best when they’re in a non-stressful environment, such as at home, and these devices tend to be easy for pet parents to use,” she says.

“As far as PEMF devices go, there are a few veterinary products that are available for animals, but none have been tested specifically in cats, which is what the study is investigating. For anyone looking to purchase one for home use, it’s probably best to consider a veterinary device,” Dr. Krebs suggests. “At the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, we use units manufactured/sold by Assisi Animal Health.”

DNA Kits

DNA kits can identify a cat’s genetic makeup and thus shed important light on a cat’s temperament and personality. This is important in having a better understanding of the cat in your home and how she may react to other pets and people in the household. Also, they are able to identify hereditary genetic health conditions.

The Basepaws Breed + Health DNA Kit now provides results for over 43 genetic conditions represented by 64 health markers, including a new marker for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common form of heart disease in cats. And it includes genetic markers for blood type. There are three different feline blood types, and certain blood types can be more common in some breeds and less common in others.

The kit screens for 25 genetic traits that are represented by 50 genetic markers. The traits section of the digital report presents a summary of some of the genes and mutations that are responsible for a cat’s unique physical appearance. It also includes results for a non-aesthetic trait that is important to a cat’s health being the likelihood of resistance to the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).

“The Basepaws Oral Health Test is a one-of-a-kind screening tool that tells you if there are signs of active dental disease in your cat. The test can identify (at the time of testing) for common issues such as bad breath (halitosis), tooth resorption and periodontal disease,” explains Rowyn C. Rose, science communications specialist for Basepaws.

Dental diseases, especially in the early stages, can be very difficult to see with the naked eye. The Basepaws cat oral health test is the first of its kind to let you “see the unseen” by identifying active signs of dental disease in your cat’s mouth so you can get them the help and relief they need sooner.

Laser Therapy

Similarly, Dr. Krebs says laser therapy for cats is something routinely done in veterinary clinics.

“Laser therapy is a really good alternative to PEMF for cats with osteoarthritis” Dr. Krebs says. “Laser uses light that penetrates into the tissues to help decrease inflammation and pain and aid with healing. Most lasers that are going to be effective for helping healing in pets are for use by veterinarians only. And again, if a pet owner wants to invest in an at-home device, they should talk to their veterinarian and be instructed on the proper use and safety of lasers,” she adds. “This treatment is a lot harder for owners to do at home because the units are very expensive and have to be set to properly address the cat’s underlying condition.”

Kitty is also going to need protective eyewear for such treatments.

Food & Environment Intolerance Tests

There are also DNA-based tests that can help identify any food or environmental triggers that may be affecting your pet’s general health and well-being.

The General Health Assessment Test from 5 Strands includes two tests: The Pet Food Intolerance Test and the Pet Environmental Intolerance Test. The Pet Food Intolerance Test covers proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits, additives and preservatives that may be found in a commercial pet food-based diet. Of the 275-plus items tested, the results will show how the pet’s hair sample responded upon exposure to each item tested. The level of severity is provided in the results, which can also be downloaded on the 5Strands mobile app.

The Pet Environmental Intolerance Test covers fabrics, cleaning supplies, grasses, trees, mold, dust mites and other animal dander. Understanding your pet’s environmental triggers can help you adapt or modify your pet’s lifestyle. Such knowledge is very useful to a cat’s veterinarian to keep on file.

Technology Boosts for Good Health

Technology is now everywhere, operating food bowls, helping to weigh correct food amounts to combat obesity. Also, there’s a variety of health apps to track your pet’s activity levels offering a window on your pet’s world so that you can see if they suddenly aren’t as active as usual.

Pet parents are well aware that the litter box can in fact be a mine of information about a pet’s health. Are they constipated, are they peeing too much? Litters that change color can help indicate that there is an issue present.

Petivity is a smart litter box monitor that can be placed under a litter box and uses artificial intelligence and acquired pet data to track a pet’s behavior in the box and even monitor their weight, all indicators of good general health and well-being. Changes in the litter box activity can also indicate urinary tract issues, kidney problems and diabetes. The device works with a smartphone app and send alerts so that pet parents don’t miss a thing. No collar or chip required, as the mobile app can sync and monitor multiple cats.

The Felaqua Connect is a unique water bowl with a water reservoir that works in conjunction with an app to track how much and how often a cat drinks water. It operates on a cat’s unique ID microchip and thus can be programed for multi-cat households, too.

If your cat has special health considerations, monitoring her fluid intake can be important.

Keeping track of your pet’s health at home and then sharing that information with your pet’s veterinarian goes a long way in improving a feline’s general health and wellness, allowing her to live a happy life.

The post Must-Try Cutting-Edge Therapies by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

A “utopia” is defined as an imagined place in which everything is perfect. So, can you imagine just how idyllic Utopia would be if it included cats?

Meet Jason Gluck, the man who created such a reality in Catopia, a gorgeous, imaginative, magical (no apology for the string of adjectives), state-of-the art feline adoption center in Jupiter, Florida. The cats who live here (albeit temporarily) have no idea that they are homeless.

“I have a passion for all things furry and dedicate my time to exposing others to the gift of love that one receives from connecting with animals,” explains Jason, co-chairman of the Furry Friends Adoption, Clinic and Ranch that for the past 40 years has run a 27-acre rescue center and animal sanctuary in Palm City, Florida. Recently, it opened Catopia at its second 15,000-square foot location in Jupiter. The building also features the Pups and Cups Catfé in full view of Catopia, where both people and pooches are welcome to have a cappuccino and a selection of light menu items and enjoy the feline antics. There’s also a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic that serves the local community.

“My ultimate goal in designing and building Catopia was to provide a forward-thinking vision to cage-free living, a respite and, I hope, the future model for rescue housing,” Jason explains. “When visitors tell us how lucky these animals are to be living in Catopia, I know we’ve done our job.”

Catopia’s Inspiration

Jason’s background is in entertainment and digital management. He led the team that developed the Disney Channel original series Hannah Montana, which made Miley Cyrus an international star.

He lives on his own private animal sanctuary where, interestingly, no cats are allowed.

“It’s home to my family of dogs, lemurs, a kangaroo, a zebra, a horse, a cow, pigs and my fiancé, Gabriella,” he says. “My family of animals are here to live their lives out in peace and serenity. I don’t have cats on the property due to the possible exposure to toxoplasmosis, which could be fatal to both the lemurs and my kangaroo. That’s where Catopia comes in. It fulfills my inner feline love.”

Jason says he was inspired by home design innovations in Japan where space is usually quite limited.

“Also, in Japan and Korea, cat cafes are usually hip and sophisticated spaces where visitors can watch and interact with cats in spaces painstakingly designed for their enrichment,” Jason says. “Cats’ native instincts and curiosity are fueled by discovery.”

Jason says further inspiration for this two-story, loft-styled feline experience came from mid-century interior designers like Ray and Charles Eames, Verner Panton, Eero Saarinen and furniture manufacturers Herman Miller and Knoll, who focused on designing spaces that were easy to maintain, using natural and hard surfaces. This helps modern cat parents make cleaning simple and keeps the cats safe from diseases.

“Everything I’ve created is something a cat parent can do in their own home, too, by taking a wall and giving their cat vertical space,” Jason says.

Fun and Games

Speaking of vertical spaces, the cats (there are about 40 at any given time) enjoy access to a 15-foot-tall cat tree that extends into another 10 feet of custom designed vertical living spaces.

“We have a plethora of enrichment and resting spaces, even modern spaceship chairs that rotate 360 degrees around for the cats to keep an eye on all the fun,” Jason says. “The cat arcade is where you can check out all the cool cats and kittens ‘gaming.’

It offers wall-mounted interactive games designed to entertain, train and enrich. Best of all, it doesn’t require any quarters! After hours, all the cats head to the disco with laser shows for late-night entertainment.”

Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk, so the cat arcade keeps them active, engaged and social.

And there’s more! The 24/7 live cams are designed for cat lovers from all over the world to enjoy multiple angles in Catopia. The antics can be watched on furryfriendsadoption.org.

Jason’s vision is destined to be a trendsetter in the world of animal rescue and welfare. There are more initiatives and ideas in the planning stages. For now, let the photographs take over and do justice to this unique, original and simply spectacular adoption center. Again, no apology for another string of adjectives. Catopia has earned every single one of them.

#pawsforthiscause: So What Can YOU Do?

1. Donate or volunteer: Furry Friends Adoption, Clinic & Ranch is the Humane Society of Greater Jupiter/Tequesta, Florida, a nonprofit, no-kill facility whose mission is to rescue, rehab and re-home cats and dogs in need.
2. Be a copycat: Jason Gluck and his team also plan to create and distribute no-cost animal care, education and other outreach materials to further their reach and inspire other organizations as well as cat lovers of all walks of life to provide the best care and enrichment for animals. So, reach out to them for their materials and lobby your own local humane society.

The post Cat Utopia: How To Design The Perfect Place For Your Feline by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

For as long as he can remember, former high-powered attorney Buzz Miller dedicated his time to improving the lives and well-being of pets. It was while working at animal shelters that he witnessed heartbreaking scenes of military personnel deployed overseas forced to surrender their beloved pets because they had no one to look after them while they were serving for periods stretching for six months to two years.

“I couldn’t stand the idea that these young men and women being deployed to places such as Iraq and Afghanistan and risking their own lives had no choice but to surrender their beloved pets to shelters and hope that they would be able to find new homes and not face euthanasia,” Buzz says.

PACT for Animals

In 2011, Buzz formed PACT (People + Animals = Companions Together) and set about recruiting people willing to take in military pets for as long as they needed looking after.

“PACT initiates and supervises the placement of pets in a suitable foster home so that deployed pet parents have peace of mind knowing they will be safe, loved and well-cared for during their absence,” Buzz explains. “Initially, we used to vet foster homes with a personal visit but technology has now freed us up to do it via Skype. Thus, we have been able to establish a network of over 700 foster homes in 48 states.”

Sandra Volkert of Bedford, Texas, is fostering her second pair of cats — Otis and Mac. They have been with the Volkerts for nine months and will be under their care for another 10 months.

“I first heard about PACT when a friend who works at an animal shelter called frantically looking for homes for two cats who had been turned out onto the streets by the person who was supposed to care for them while their cat daddy was in Kuwait,” Sandra says. “They were in very bad shape and had been picked up by animal control. They had been at the shelter and their future was bleak, as they were a day away from being euthanized.

“Because they were microchipped, the shelter was able to reach out to their dad and explain that they had found a secure foster situation for them until his return to the United States.”

Sandra looked after the cats for six months and, along the way, found herself “adopting” their military dad, too, striking up a friendship and sending him care packages during the remainder of his tour of duty.

“I come from a military family and it seemed natural to adopt the pet parent, too, as I am already bonded via their pets,” she explains.

Sandra keeps her current fosters separate from her own pets in order to maintain peace and harmony.

“They take turns with my pets to have the run of the home,” she says. “Otis and Mac are very loving and affectionate so it’s very easy to shower them with love and affection.”

Technology makes it easy for Sandra to keep in touch with Otis and Mac’s mom, via text messaging and photo updates. Their cat mom has set up an Amazon auto ship for needs like food and litter, so packages arrive on the Volkert doorstep every month.

PACT’s network offers 24-hour support including veterinary and emergency care, plus helps with transportation and pet travel grants to make the process easier for pet parents in need of a foster arrangement.

PACT’s website pactforanimals.org details everything military personnel need to know about working with PACT as well as what it takes to be registered as a foster parent.

Dogs on Deployment

In spite of its canine-centric name, Dogs on Deployment, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, also assists deployed military personnel by fostering their cats while they are deployed or have other service commitments.

The organization was founded by Shawn Johnson, a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, and his wife, Alisa Johnson, an active-duty Marine Corps aviator stationed in San Diego, California. Several years ago, as a dual military family, the Johnsons found themselves in a situation where they needed someone to care for their pets. This was the impetus to found this organization in 2011. Get more information at dogsondeployment.org.

The SPCA’s International Global Rescue Initiative

The SPCA is actively involved with military personnel with pets. Their Global Rescue Program oversees Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide, which rescues cats (and dogs) befriended by U.S. service members on deployment around the world and helps with travel costs to bring them back home to the United States. And its Operation Military Pets program provides grants to military families who have been given a permanent change of duty station to help pay the transport costs to move their pets internationally.

“However, when it comes to military personnel seeking temporary assistance, we work closely with Dogs on Deployment,” explains Meredith Ayan, executive director of the SPCA’s International Global Rescue initiative.

Meredith applauds people who are prepared to open their hearts and homes to military pets on a temporary basis, adding that, “the most important criteria for fostering pets is love, commitment and follow-through no matter what, so that you don’t cause the military member the unexpected hardship of finding a new foster home while they are deployed halfway across the world.”

For more information on these programs, visit spcai.org.

Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet

Linda Spurlin-Dominik founded Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet in 2005.

“I read an article about a soldier who was looking for someone to take care of his dog, named Scooby Doo. I was so touched by his story that I started doing some research only to learn what a huge problem finding proper care for pets was for military personnel leaving the country on a tour of duty. It broke my heart when I discovered that in desperation many were simply being abandoned or surrendered.”

Since getting her nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, Linda and her team have found foster care of 1,122 pets. Apart from cats, the organization has helped with dogs, horses, rabbits and even ferrets. Learn more at gafsp.org.

Seer Farms, New Jersey

Seer Farms in Carneys Point, New Jersey, also works with active-duty military personnel as well as veterans who require temporary care for their pets.

“Although we generally serve the New Jersey/Pennsylvania/Delaware/New York area, we have had service members from as far away as Mississippi bring their pets to us for temporary placement because they had no other options,” says founder Laura Pople.

More information at seerfarms.org or Facebook.com/SeerFarms.

#pawsforthiscause So what can YOU do?

Become a foster parent. All of the organizations have comprehensive application forms online.

Give a one-time donation or a monthly amount. Check to see if the organization you’ve selected is linked to online shopping charitable programs, such as Amazon Smile.

Host a fundraiser.

Donate your time and skills. All organizations can benefit from a variety of career skills that can help a welfare organization function better. It’s a matter of reaching out to see whether you have the expertise and talents they can use.

Top photograph: ljubaphoto | Getty Images

The post Help for Soldiers’ Pets by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

There are excellent, lifesaving, state-of-the-art veterinary services available for cats that really make a difference in your feline’s well-being and even save her life. But, it can be very expensive, even if you have pet insurance. Thankfully, there are some wonderful pet funds, designated pet crowd-sourcing financial platforms and veterinary payment plans available to help pet parents so that no feline family member needs to be deprived of necessary medical treatment.

Sometimes, when your cat is ill and you need urgent financial assistance with veterinary bills, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Here is a selection of the kind of financial help that is available nationwide.

The Pet Fund

The Pet Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to people whose pets require non- basic, non-urgent care treatments.

“Typically, we provide grants in an amount of $500 to cover treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapies,” explains Karen Leslie, the organization’s executive director. “We are also approached for veterinary care with regard to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and other chronic conditions, endocrine diseases and eye diseases.”

The fund receives over 200 calls and emails daily, and there is a wait list for assistance. Only pet parents residing in the United States can apply, and the fund will only consider already adopted cats. Learn more at thepetfund.com.

RedRover Relief Urgent Care Grant Program

This program has helped thousands of animals since its inception in 1999. Requests for assistance are also in high demand.

#pawsforthiscause: So what can YOU do?
If you have a little extra money or time, donate or help fundraise for one of these organizations. Keeping cats healthy and in their loving homes is a great cause! Some vet offices allow you to help out other clients. You can pay it forward by asking your vet if someone needs help.

“We provide ‘gap’ grants that can bridge the gap between a pet receiving emergency veterinary care or not,” explains RedRover’s Public Relations Specialist, Sheri Madsen. “The grants are usually around $200, and the most common asks cover urinary catheterization, dental issues and automobile accidents. Our grants don’t cover routine or preventative veterinary care.” Find more information at redrover.org/relief/urgent-care-grants.

Waggle

Waggle is a pet-designated crowdfunding platform that guarantees that all the funds raised go directly to the veterinary clinic involved in the pet’s care. The platform is designed to help pet parents plan and promote a professional campaign to raise the funds they need to cover the costs, and often the amounts raised are matched with funds from the organization’s corporate sponsors.

In planning the campaign, pet parents list their own veterinary hospital on the form and provide an estimate of the costs of the care. Waggle then steps in to verify and ultimately pays over the funds directly to the hospital concerned on behalf of the pet parent.

Recently, The Waggle Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Waggle.org, launched a special fundraising initiative with the late Lil BUB, the Internet’s most famous special-needs kitty. With the introduction of the Pet of the Month program, the Lil BUB team selects a cat who needs financial aid for veterinary care. The funds are raised through the Waggle crowdfunding platform, and excess funds raised beyond those needed for the pet’s care are diverted to the Lil BUB Fund held at the Waggle Foundation. These funds are then provided in the form of matching-donations to still more pets in need.

“In this way, the initial donors to the Pet of the Month Campaign become the champions of the 100% match that we are able to promote to even more donors,” explains Steven Mornelli, Waggle’s CEO and founder.
Lil BUB’s Pet of the Month initiative has helped many pets — both cats and dogs — to fully fund their campaigns.
Lil BUB’s “dude,” Mike Bridavsky, says that joining forces with Waggle aligns perfectly with BUB’s mission to help as many pets as possible.

“Waggle addresses a sorely needed service which provides a fully transparent and legitimate crowdfunding platform to assist anxious pet guardians cover the cost of their veterinary bills.”

Apart from grants and crowdfunding initiatives, there is also the option of taking out a special veterinary-related loan to cover the costs and remove the worry out of waiting to learn if your request for a grant has been granted. Learn more at waggle.org.

Scratchpay

Scratch Financial, Inc. (also known as Scratchpay) offers loans to pet parents up to $10,000 with a choice of three payment plans including an interest-free (not a deferred interest) option. The payment plans offer individualized pricing, and all applications are done online. Once approved, the amount requested is immediately paid to the veterinary office designated by the pet parent. Loans can be paid off over 12 or 24 months.

Scratchpay works with veterinarians across the United States and Canada (except Quebec) and also donates 1% of the company’s net revenue to pets in need. For more information, visit scratchpay.com.

Care Credit

A Care Credit card is a credit card payment option to cover health care expenses for both people and pets. You get billed monthly to pay off the amount and the card can be used for all kinds of veterinary procedures and general care. Visit carecredit.com.

Lucy Pet Foundation

Numerous small foundations nationwide, such as the Lucy Pet Foundation, help pet parents with low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, cheaper flea and tick medications, nail trims and reduced consultancy fees for those who use their services in the Los Angeles County area.

“But we won’t turn anyone away if they are prepared to come to one of our mobile clinics,” says veterinarian Karen Halligan, who runs the foundation’s wellness program. Visit lucypetfoundation.org.

Alley Cat Rescue

Check out rescue groups in your area, too. For example, Alley Cat Rescue runs free spay and neuter clinics in Los Angeles and various cities in Maryland. Check saveacat.org for details.

Alternatively, if you have a long-standing relationship with a veterinary practice and want to cut out third parties, it’s worth reaching out to the office manager directly to ask if they would be prepared to allow you to pay off a large bill in a number of installments. Most likely, they will ask for your credit card to keep on file and charge it directly when an installation is due. It never hurts to ask!

The post Money Help for Cat Medical Costs by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

It’s common to talk about tabbies as if they represent a cat breed. But they don’t. In fact, the word tabby denotes a coat pattern. And they don’t represent just one breed; the pattern is common to many breeds.

The origin of the word tabby has a vague history. Some claim the name is associated with a type of striped, patterned silk called Atabi made in Attabiah in the Middle East. Others claim that it comes from the translation of the French phrase “striped silk taffeta,” the root of which is tabis, meaning “a rich watered silk.”

Tabby cat coat colors and patterns

Tabbies come in many different colors, including brown, gray and a variety of red shades often called orange, ginger or marmalade. Some have stripes and others spots and many a combination of the two. You can tell what color a tabby is by looking at the color of his stripes and tip of his tail.

The tabby pattern is determined by the agouti gene, which causes the individual hairs to have bands of light and heavy pigmentation, and the tabby gene, which denotes the type of tabby patterns, namely stripes, blotches or spots of hairs of solid color.

Research done by feline geneticists Carlos Driscoll and Leslie Lyons at the beginning of this millennium confirmed five genetic clusters, or lineages, of wildcats from various parts of the world (such as Africa, Europe, China, Central Asia and the Middle East) and dating back some 10,000 years to be the ancestors of today’s ubiquitous domestic tabbies. And, it’s easy to understand how a coat with stripes and spots could camouflage well into natural surroundings.

4 tabby coat patterns

1. The classic tabby coat, sometimes called blotched, has wide, dark stripes curving over the flanks and the shoulders and three large stripes running from the shoulder blades to the base of the tail. It’s often likened to a marble cake.

2. The mackerel tabby has either continuous or broken stripes running perpendicular to the spine, like a fishbone.

3. The spotted tabby has distinct round spots against a background of lighter fur.

4. The fourth tabby coat pattern is called ticked or agouti. The coat on the body has almost no stripe. However, the legs, tail and face sport very thin stripes.

Facial features of tabbies

Another distinguishing feature common to tabbies is their facial markings that include a distinctive M on their foreheads and expressive pencil-thin striped markings around the eyes
affectionately referred to as “eyeliner.”

This is where legend pushes genetics aside with these intriguing notions as to how these markings came about.

1. The prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was an acknowledged cat lover. It is said that the M marking on the forehead of the tabby cat was created when he rested his hand on the brow of his favorite cat.
2. Christians believe that when newborn baby Jesus wouldn’t stop crying, a cat climbed into the manger and started to purr, sending him off to sleep. In gratitude, the Virgin Mary marked the cat’s face with the first letter of her name.
3. A non-religious version suggests that the M is a set of frown lines, the result of a cat staring at a mousehole in concentration, waiting for a mouse to emerge.

Tabby cat personality traits

When it comes to personality traits, tabbies are considered friendly, happy-go-lucky cats, intelligent, sassy, very affectionate and wonderful companions. Red tabbies, often called orange, ginger and marmalade tabbies, can be feisty and bossy. But this trait is linked to coat color (as in fiery red) and not to the tabby pattern.

No matter the science behind tabbies, if you’re a cat person, you’ve undoubtedly been enchanted by a tabby cat, whether it’s your own fabulous feline, a tabby that “works” in a local store or even a cartoon tabby such as Garfield who identifies with the very human trait of hating Mondays.

Famous tabby cats

1. Garfield is the world’s most famous cartoon orange tabby.

2. The first Algonquin Cat was an orange tabby that hotelier Frank Case named Rusty. The cat was a stray and had wandered into the hotel seeking refuge from the rain. He was renamed Hamlet by actor John Barrymore, who had played the Danish prince on Broadway. All the male Algonquin cats since have been named Hamlet, and the current feline is Hamlet VIII.

3. Orangey was the orange tabby that starred with Audrey Hepburn in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

4. Tabby cats feature in a myriad of advertisements on TV endorsing their popularity as beloved family members.

5. Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, loved orange tabbies. It was his dying wish that a marmalade-colored tabby with four white socks and a white bib and named Jock should reside in perpetuity at Chartwell, his ancestral home in Kent, England. The incumbent cat at Chartwell is Jock IV and visited by ailurophiles from around the world.

6. Morris, an orange tabby, became the world’s first spokescat for 9Lives cat food and has been one of the most recognizable tabby faces in the United States since 1969. The current spokescat is the fifth to represent the brand.

Thumbnail: Photography by Casey Elise Photography.

Read more about tabbies on Catster.com:

• Get to Know the Tabby Cat: Ancient Origins and Camouflage Coats
• 5 Different Types of Tabby Cat Patterns
• The Fascinating Facts Behind Cat Colors

The post Tabby Cat Personality & Characteristics Explained by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

As a result of great nutrition, grooming, lifestyle products that mimic human lifestyle trends and state-of-the-art veterinary care, our cats are living well into their teens and not uncommonly into their 20s. Addressing key issues at every life stage, from kittenhood through the senior years, goes a long way toward improving cat health and well-being.

The 10 Pieces of Advice For Cat Health

1. Feed the right diet

The nutrition that kittens get while they’re growing will affect their health for the rest of their lives. So, feeding a premium kitten diet is an investment in their future.

“It’s best to feed both canned and dry food since they only have ‘baby’ teeth when young and can’t chew very well,” explains Dr. Drew Weigner, owner of The Cat Doctor, an all-feline practice in Atlanta, Georgia, and a longstanding board member of the EveryCat Health Foundation, an organization whose primary focus is cat health and well-being.

“Vitamins and supplements are not needed when using a high-quality diet; neither is milk, nor tidbits from the table!” Dr. Weigner says. Get your kitten used to measured food amounts even if you free-feed to avoid obesity from the beginning. And check with your veterinarian about the right time to switch to adult formula.

“Typically, most cats are fully grown around 6 months of age, but certain large breeds can continue growing up to one year,” Dr. Weigner explains. “Feeding kitten food after that will definitely contribute to obesity. The best way to tell is to ask your veterinarian when your cat will become an adult. It’s often when all their adult teeth are in.”

2. Spay or neuter early

Organizations such as the American Association of Feline Practitioners, The Catalyst Council and the American Veterinary Medical Association endorse that kittens should be spayed or neutered by 5 months of age and can potentially experience their first heat (yes, they can be pregnant when they are still kittens). While standard pet insurance policies are unlikely to cover you for spay and neuter procedures, it is possible to get your pet insurer to pay for spaying and neutering by purchasing a Wellness Package add-on to your policy.

“Research has shown that if a cat is spayed before the age of 5 months, it virtually eliminates the risk of unwanted litters,” says Esther Mechler, longstanding feline welfare advocate and founder of Marian’s Dream, the organization behind the Feline Fix by Five initiative.

“The number of kittens born every year during ‘kitten season,’ let alone the rest of the year, is staggering, and earlier surgery can really help to reduce the numbers of unwanted and homeless kittens. Further, doing this surgery at a younger age also lessens the risks of mammary cancer as the cat ages,” Esther adds. “It also curbs behavioral issues such as peeing outside of the litter box, a primary reason cats lose their homes and land in shelters.”

3. Don’t skip kitten’s vet visits

No matter where you got your kitten from, do not skip the first checkup, and ensure she gets all of her shots. Testing for feline leukemia and FIV is routine. Unfortunately, many kittens, especially strays or those of unknown parentage, have these diseases, which are often fatal but can take years to manifest. Best to check!

Deworming is also a very important part of cat health. Stool tests are often negative in kittens even when they have intestinal parasites, which have a very significant effect on their growth rate, so preemptive deworming is imperative. And do it more than once.

4. Get a wellness profile

Annual physical exams often reveal underlying cat health issues such as dental disease, heart murmurs and obesity as kitties age. When you book an annual visit, advise the receptionist that you want lab tests called Wellness Profiles done.

These tests detect the early stages of diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease. And when caught early, simple treatments such as a dietary change can be very effective.

5. Don’t overtreat

Yummy tidbits are very important, and it’s a way of spending quality time and dispensing love. But be sure not to overtreat no matter the life stage. Count the treat calories as part of your cat’s daily caloric intake to avoid too much weight gain.

6. Adjust for senior years

As cats age, they generally have a more sedentary lifestyle and sleep a lot more. So, it’s time to have another discussion about diet with your veterinarian. It’s not only a matter of changing the food to serve a formula specifically for your cat’s changing needs, but you need to have a discussion about amounts, too. Cats, just like humans and dogs, lose muscle mass as they age, and it’s important to keep them moving and active.

Older cats are also not as agile and can have problems grooming themselves properly and will benefit with some basic grooming help. Keep the hair trimmed between their toes and also around the anus so litter doesn’t get stuck to these areas. Use special bull-nosed scissors so as not to cut into the skin in these delicate areas. Or ask your veterinarian for help.

7. Check those teeth

Regular exams of kitty’s teeth are an essential part of cat health. Dental care is not only important in preserving teeth, but the chronic inflammation and infection associated with dental disease also increases the likelihood of kidney disease and heart disease. Check to see if your veterinarian offers discounts during February, which is Pet Dental Month.

8. Always make time for fun & games

Toys and puzzle games provide both mental and physical stimulation, essential for a cat to remain fit and in good health at all life stages. It’s particularly important if your cat is home alone for long periods and doesn’t have much human company while you are at work.

9. See the vet more often

Ideally, senior and especially geriatric cats should visit the veterinarian’s office every six months for a physical exam. “At this age, one human year equals about four cat years, so even biannual exams for your cat is equivalent to humans seeing their doctors every other year,” Dr. Weigner explains.

“Cats are masters at hiding illness and will act perfectly normal until they crash and burn without notice. It’s so common to see these critically ill geriatric cats that their owners swear were normal the week before, and they’re not wrong! Wellness Profiles are essential to finding significant illness before this happens and may save your cat’s life,” he cautions.

Since many cats go without routine dental care, it’s common for these cats to have infected, broken or missing teeth. Once again, they often won’t show symptoms, and the chronic infection damages internal organs. Correcting this requires anesthesia, which can be performed safely with the proper preparation and lab tests.

10. Stash your cash

If you don’t have pet insurance for your cat, consider starting her own fund and putting away a fixed amount monthly throughout her life. This way, you will have the funds should you ever need them as she ages.

Conclusion

Watch kitty’s diet throughout her life, don’t miss vet visits, check those teeth, don’t overtreat and always play with kitty at every stage of her life to keep her active. Every one of these cat health tips is pertinent to keeping your kitty not only furry and fabulous but also mentally alert and physically fit throughout her life.

Read more about cat health and care on Catster.com:

• Roundworms in Cats — Signs, Causes and How to Treat Them
• What You Need to Know About Kidney Disease in Cats
• When Is Cat Diarrhea a Concern?

Featured Image Credit: Yana Vasileva, Shutterstock

The post 10 Lifestyle Tips That Improve Every Cat Life Stages by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Whiskers are so much more than a beautiful facial feature to enhance a feline’s good looks. They are nature’s amazing version of a radar/early warning system that literally guides every step a cat takes. As a result, cats are capable of truly amazing feats such as walking on ledges, gauging and jumping distances and squeezing through narrow spaces.

Let’s get physiological about whiskers

The veterinary term for whiskers is vibrissae from the Latin word vibrio, meaning “to vibrate.” These long, stiff hairs project outward prominently on the muzzle on either side of the nose and on the cheek area. If you look closely, there are also shorter whiskers protruding from under the chin, above the eyes (the feline version of eyebrows) and also at the back of their front paws, known as carpal whiskers. While whiskers are usually straight, they can also be curly.

All whiskers, wherever they are located on the body, have very delicate sensory “feelers” or touch receptors at the tip. These are called proprioceptors and are designed to send tactile signals to the brain and nervous system. These delicate hairs also respond to vibrations in the air. Consequently, this kitty radar system allows them to detect even the smallest changes to their immediate surroundings; to make quick, safe decisions with regard to their next immediate movement; and gauge whether they can jump a certain distance by visually measuring the distance, fit in a narrow space and walk on a pencil-thin ledge, even in the dark. And they assist a cat when he’s in hunting mode to catch prey and still remain out of harm’s way in the process.

Consequently, whiskers should never be cut or pulled on. Also, because of the “work” they do to keep a cat safe, they are extremely sensitive even to playful touch. So, cats prefer if you look but don’t touch.

Your cat’s whiskers indicate his mood

Apart from being a highly accurate guidance, tracking and radar system, whiskers also serve as an indicator of a cat’s mood.

• They are immobile when a cat is sitting or lying contentedly in a favorite snooze zone.
• They can bunch up and flatten against the face indicating a potential danger and, hence, fear of a pending situation.
• When every hair on the cat’s body and tail also fluffs out, giving the appearance that the cat has doubled in size, it’s a sign that a cat believes himself to be in real imminent danger.
• When the whiskers “swivel” and point forward, it is a feline sign of going into hunting mode, even if the “prey” is a favorite toy.

What is whisker fatigue or whisker stress?

Some people believe that cats fed meals in small bowls may suffer from whisker fatigue or whisker stress, when the delicate whiskers are in constant touch with the sides of a bowl. There are even several food bowls on the market designed to take the whiskers into account when a cat is eating.

However, there is no scientific proof backing this up. Catster contacted the American Association of Feline Practitioners for its view on whisker fatigue. Elizabeth Colleran, DVM, DABVP (Feline), who is the CEO for Chico Hospital for Cats, Inc., an AAFP board member and past president plus co-chair of the Cat Friendly Practice Committee, tells Catster, “Whiskers (vibrissae) are very important sense organs for cats. Vibrissae detect small motion, even air movement to help this far-sighted species with close-up objects. They are useful in dark places, for example, hunting in the woods for a mouse, so it is theoretically possible for ‘overstimulation.’ This might be similar to smelling an odor for a while and then the odor isn’t detectable any longer. However, there’s absolutely no evidence that it happens or that it changes a cat’s interest in food.”

“It is perilous to ‘blame’ an unproven theory for any change in a cat’s appetite,” Dr. Colleran continues.“It might mean electing not to pursue this very, very important alteration in a cat’s behavior. Any cat who has changes in his/her interest in and behavior around eating should see a veterinarian to find out why this is so. Cats do have preferences about how they consume nutrients. Some even prefer drinking out of a cup or glass, which won’t protect whiskers from being touched.”

What myths are associated with cat whiskers?

While there are lots of myths surrounding cats in general, there is no definitive myth surrounding the whiskers. Some people believe that if a cat loses a whisker, picking it up and keeping it will bring luck. (They do grow back!) The idiom “to be the cat’s whiskers” means to be better or superior to everyone else. It’s similar to being the cat’s meow, the cat’s pajamas, the bee’s knees or the best thing since sliced bread.

It all makes a lot of sense; cats are superior — even dogs know that! No animal has an innate radar system quite like a fabulous feline.

Lions and their whiskers

According to zoologist Joanne McGonagle, big cats such as lions, tigers, snow leopards and other wild cats also have long whiskers that, just like their Felis catus domestic relatives, can sense objects even without making physical contact. This gives the big cat a signal of where to inflict the kill bite when taking down prey. Joanne, who is also the founder of Triple T Studios, an online store that supports global big cat conservation projects, adds that it’s possible to identify a lion from the whisker spots that are found in rows on each side of the face.

“You can also identify a male lion by his mane, but a mane can change throughout the lion’s life depending upon age and health,” she explains. “Only the whisker spots remain unchanged throughout a lion’s life. “There are two rows: the reference row and the identification spots. The reference row is the top complete row of whisker spots. Above the reference row, you will find an incomplete row of up to five identification spots. This incomplete row of identification spots are the spots that give the whisker spot pattern. The pattern is different on both sides of the face and unique to each lion.”

Read more about cat whiskers on Catster.com:

• 7 Cool Facts About Cat Whiskers
• A Guide to Your Cat’s Amazing Whiskers
• 6 Things I Love About My Cats’ Whiskers

Thumbnail: Photography ©Amelia Soper | www.stockpetphotography.com.

The post All About Cat Whiskers: Purpose & How They Affect Mood by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

We have all known wonderful, endearing felines that have enhanced our lives and that, sadly, have succumbed to one of several deadly diseases that plague cats. Fortunately, ongoing research has made great strides to find cures for illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), diabetes, cancer and more. The festive season is a time for giving, and there are various cat charities, funds and research studies that can benefit from a financial gift in honor of a favorite feline. Here is just a snapshot of the work being done to improve the lives of cats.

The 9 Cat Charities That Support Important Feline Research Studies

1. The Winn Feline Foundation

The Winn Feline Foundation is a public charity 501(c)(3) and the only nonprofit funding cat health studies worldwide. Winn oversees special funds such as the Ricky Fund that supports hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the Bria Fund for feline infectious peritonitis, the Speckles Abdominal Cancer Campaign and other various breed-specific funds. According to WFF, donations sent to these funds are used for research done specifically in the study of these diseases.

The foundation also has what it calls general research project funding. “We look at the research proposals we receive and then we fund the best studies on a health issue we feel will have significant impact on cat health,” explains Vicki Thayer, D.V.M., executive director of WFF. For more details, go to winnfelinefoundation.org.

2. The Ricky Fund

This fund was started by feline behaviorist and media personality Steve Dale and named after his Devon Rex, Ricky, who passed away from heart disease.

Dale has helped raise in excess of $150,000. This has funded research to produce a simple and inexpensive cheek swab that can identify a gene defect causing HCM disease in Ragdoll or Maine Coon cats. “Some cats with this disease lead a normal life and ultimately succumb at a ripe old age of something unrelated,” Dale explains. “But many cats with HCM die of the disease; it’s the most common cause of sudden death in cats. HCM can be a hereditary illness. This is not a perfect test, but it has helped to lower incidents of HCM in those two breeds.”

3. Speckles Abdominal Cancer Campaign

Speckles The Cat and The Magical Blarney Fish, by Emelyn Smith and illustrated by Elissa Marie, is a delightful children’s book available on Amazon.com. It makes a great gift at any time — plus the proceeds go toward the Speckles Abdominal Cancer Campaign, which was started by an anonymous donor.

4. The Lung Cancer Research Fund

This fund, as well as the Lung Cancer Research Fund — established by cat lover Dorothy Chao in memory of her cat, Kitty Dots — also fall under the Winn Feline Foundation umbrella. While different cancers are not as prevalent in cats as in dogs, many practicing veterinarians believe lung cancer in cats may be more prevalent than currently diagnosed.

5. The Bria Fund

This fund is named after Bria, a 9-month old Birman kitten who died from FIP in April 2005. Bria’s bereaved pet parents were Susan Gingrich, sister of Newt Gingrich (former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives), and her husband, James Shurskis, who established the fund to assist research studies into FIP.

Niels Pedersen, B.S., D.V.M., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Medicine & Epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, has been studying FIP since 1964.

“The quest for a cure has been slow, but scientists around the world have built a solid base of knowledge of FIP that is finally yielding some exciting breakthroughs, especially in the area of anti-viral drug therapy,” Dr. Pedersen says. “If ever there is a time to invest in FIP research, it is now.”

6. The Buttons Fund

Initiated by cat lover and animal activist Tom Jackson, this fund is named after his cat, Buttons Duh Cat, who passed away from chronic kidney disease. The fund was initially linked to research being done by Jessica M. Quimby, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVIM, at Colorado State University. While this university has ongoing research studies that Quimby still oversees, she is now Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, and the Buttons Fund now supports her research on this campus.

The goals include looking for new treatments and supportive care strategies to improve the lives of cats with CKD. And, of course, the ultimate cure to eradicate the disease altogether. Dr. Quimby led the groundbreaking research that demonstrated how the appetite stimulant and anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drug mirtazapine helps in improving appetite and stimulating weight gain in CKD cats.

Because it’s difficult to administer pills to cats, the study focused on the effectiveness of applying the drug in the form of a transdermal gel applied to the skin of the ear. “The initial results showed the drug’s effectiveness for treating a lack of appetite, and I consider this to be a real breakthrough!” Dr. Quimby says. Dr. Quimby and her researchers are continuing to study the drug and the dosage needed and currently have three different studies underway. More information at giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/?fund=315869.

7. Frankie’s Fund

Under the direction of Dr. Craig Webb at Colorado State University, Frankie’s Fund is named for a Seal Point Siamese cat with chronic kidney disease whose owners sought treatment from the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Frankie’s treatment pointed the way to innovative stem-cell therapies for cats with chronic kidney disease. People who want to support
the quest for this new treatment can find out more by visiting advancing.colostate.edu/frankiesfund.

8. The Morris Animal Foundation and Its Work With Feline Diabetes

The Morris Animal Foundation has funded 360 various feline studies since 1950. While the foundation doesn’t have specific funds for different diseases, it recently funded seven new studies in cats, including one in feline diabetes. A clinical trial started in January 2017 and will continue for three years.

Researchers led by Chen Gilor, D.V.M., University of California, Davis, will investigate the effectiveness of a novel drug called exenatide to maintain and extend diabetic remission in cats. With initial insulin and dietary treatments, approximately 30 percent of diabetic cats enter a state of remission in which they no longer require daily insulin shots. Unfortunately, in most cats, remission only lasts a few months, and insulin injections are required again for disease control. Exenatide is a medication used to treat people with Type 2 diabetes.

9. Breed-Related Research With the Winn Feline Foundation

Some breeds have certain health issues. There is ongoing breed-specific research such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy research in Persians and Norwegian Forest cats, plus amyloidosis (a bone marrow disorder) in Siamese cats. More specific information is available on the Winn Feline Foundation website.

Feline Diseases Defined

1. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart disease in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thickened. Symptoms include labored or rapid breathing, open-mouthed breathing and lethargy.
2. Feline infectious peritonitis is a fatal feline viral disease caused by a mutation of a virus called the feline coronavirus. Symptoms include fever that doesn’t respond to antibiotics, anorexia, weight loss and lethargy. If the kidneys are affected, excessive thirst and urination, vomiting and weight loss are seen; jaundice is seen if the liver is affected. The eyes and  the neurologic system are frequently affected as well.
3. Chronic kidney disease causes severe damage to the kidneys. Currently there is no cure, with common symptoms like excessive drinking and urination, weight loss, lack of appetite and nausea.
   Diabetes mellitus is a condition that occurs due to insulin deficiency within the body. Increased water consumption and urination are the two most common signs. Cats with a good appetite still lose weight.

Want to donate?

Because research is truly a work in progress, new studies are continually being funded. For cat lovers keen to get involved financially, there is a lot of useful information and details on how to donate to the specific funds and research studies featured on the Winn Foundation site as well as the Morris Animal Foundation website. If you have a personal link to a particular university that has a veterinary school, it’s worth checking to see what they are working on as well — such as the ongoing work at Colorado State University, University of California Davis and Ohio State University.

Before donating money, thoroughly research the organization and/or fund. Ask questions like how your donation will be used and what the research hopes to accomplish. Check if your donation is tax deductible, and get a receipt, plus discuss with your tax professional or financial planner to get expert advice. Just a little extra time, and you’ll be ready to spread the cheer! After all, giving the gift that gives back to all cats — what could be more purrfect?

Tell us: What cat charities do you support?

Thumbnail: Photography ©cyano66 | Thinkstock. 

Ziggy and Tory “work” as feline muses for Sandy Robins, an award-winning multimedia pet lifestyle expert, author and pet industry personality. They like to disrupt the workflow by playing fetch with wand toys and directing food operations in the kitchen. Learn more about Sandy at sandyrobinsonline.com.

Read more about doing good on Catster.com:

• How to Help Animals Affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria
• How to Help Animals Affected by Hurricane Harvey
• Lime Crime Kitty Bundles Cosmetics Launches Lipsticks That Give Back

The post 9 Cat Charities That Support Important Feline Research Studies by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Not only do cat cafes provide a fur fix for cat lovers and a wonderfully conducive setting for finding a new furry family member, but they’ve become great meeting places to enjoy some real cat-centric events, too. So, if you feel like doing yoga with cats, painting a feline portrait, enjoying a fun movie with a cat on your lap and, of course, looking to meet your next BFF (best furry friend), check out our list. And on the uber-good side, collectively these cat cafes have found several thousand cats forever homes, and the numbers continue to grow.

This piece is continuously updated by the Catster edit staff in order to provide the most up-to-date information on cat cafes around the country! 

Cat Cafes in California

Crumbs and Whiskers
7924 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Hours: Monday and Tuesday — 11 a.m. to 7.45 p.m.
Thursday through Sunday — 11 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Closed Wednesday

Kanchan Singh opened her first cat café in Washington D.C., and, following its success, this second one here in Los Angeles. Feline yoga is popular in both locations, and so are trivia nights focusing on topics such as Harry Potter and Disney.

The Cat Cafe
472 Third Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101

Hours: Daily — 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This feline establishment, with its full selection of coffee drinks, is located in the downtown marina district of the city, and, like most cat cafes, also takes reservations to ensure that it’s not too overcrowded at certain times.

Cat Town Cafe
2869 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94611

Hours: Wednesday through Saturday — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mondays and Tuesdays for adoptions, appointment only

This was the first permanent cat cafe to open in the U.S. The Port of Oakland’s cargo cranes and dock area are the inspiration for the interior design of the Cat Zone, and the cat play structures are based on buildings from the downtown Oakland skyline. The cafe also features a rotating cat-centric art gallery and a variety of cat-focused merchandise available for purchase.

KitTea
96 Gough St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

Hours: Mondays — 12 to 4 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday — 12 to 7 p.m.
Friday — 12 to 8 p.m.
Saturday — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed Tuesday

When it comes to events, Caturday morning cartoons are becoming very popular at KitTea. Visitors are encouraged to come in their PJs, and the cafe sets up a cereal “bar” featuring three classic cereals served with whole or soy milk. According to founder Courtney Hatt, the idea is that visitors make a bowl of their favorite cereal and then curl up with a cat to enjoy an hour of cartoons and old commercials ranging from the 1940s to the early 90s.

Cat Cafes in Colorado

Denver Cat Company
3929 Tennyson St.
Denver, CO 80212

Hours: Sunday through Thursday — 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

According to owner Sana Q. Hamelin, her cafe is the only one in the country where food and drink options are not sold separated but incorporated into the cat lounge.

“We are also one of the few that allow walk-ins and don’t limit cat time, but we try to stagger departures and arrivals especially when cats are adopted out and we have to integrate new arrivals into the cafe,” she explained. There are about 12 feline residents at any one time.

Cat Cafes in Florida

Orlando Cat Café
532 Cagan Park Ave.
Clermont, FL 34714

Hours: See website for cafe hours.
Play area: Tuesday through Sunday — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Monday.

While you are ordering your coffee, you can see the cats at play through a large viewing window and then of course go and join them in the Kitty Play area. The cafe hosts a variety of events and recently hosted a book-signing party for author and cat behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett.

Cat Cafes in New York

The Brooklyn Cat Cafe
149 Atlantic Ave. (between Clinton and Henry)
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Hours: Monday and Thursday — 1 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday and Friday — 1 to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday — 11 to 7:30 p.m.
Closed Tuesday

If you enjoy classic movies starring felines, check out the showings listed on the cafe’s website. It also hosts kitten happy hours for adults only and yoga sessions to test your suppleness with the feline stretched out on the mat next to you.

Koneko
26 Clinton St.
New York, NY 10002

Hours: Monday, Wednesday through Sunday — 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Closed Tuesday

Koneko means “kitten” in Japanese and is best described as a cat cafe and sake bar. Located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, it has an artisanal Japanese-influenced menu, plus beer, wine, sake — and a big, furry family of 20 adoptable cats. The cats roam freely around three cat-centric spaces. When you’re not petting purring felines, there’s a revolving exhibition of world-class artwork and a roster of weekly events that celebrate cats and Japanese culture.

Meow Parlour
46 Hester St.
Manhattan, NY 10002

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — 12 to 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Closed Wednesday

Meow Parlour was the first cat cafe to open in the Big Apple and promises visitors “sweet cats and delicious treats.” Owner Christina Ha advises visitors to make a reservation so that the kitties aren’t overwhelmed. You can stay as long as you like, sip coffee, munch on a delicious cat-shaped cookie from the Meow Patisserie around the corner and enjoy the free Wi-Fi with a cat curled up next to you.

Morgan’s Cat Cafe
35 West Market St., Suite 1
Red Hook, NY 12571

Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed Monday and Tuesday

This cafe is earning a reputation for fun events in the company of about 25 felines all looking for their forever home. Here, BYOB means bring your own brush, and learn how to paint cats with artist Christina Baal, who painted the mural inside the cafe. The Catnip Singles Mixer — Meeeooow! — is a great event to meet other cat people over a glass of wine and canapés. The cafe also sells $25 gift vouchers.

Cat Cafes in Pennsylvania

Kawaii Kitty Cafe
759 South 4th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday — 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Closed Monday

Kawaii (the Japanese word for cute) pretty much sums up all the resident felines. Located on historic Fabric Row in the heart of Queen Village, South Philadelphia, this establishment is part coffee shop and part adoption center and works with the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society to select kitties to bond with their patrons. There are weekly free wine parties, and the evenings are themed.

Le Cat Cafe
2713 West Girard Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Hours: Tuesday and Thursday — 1 to 5 p.m.
Friday – 1 to 6 p.m.
Saturday – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed for cat nap 3 to 4 p.m.) Sunday – 1 to 6 p.m.
Closed Monday

Le Cat Cafe works with Green Street Rescue to find foster homes and eventually forever homes for the cats that reside at the cafe. Both the yoga and Pilates classes are popular with regulars, and the cafe is planning to add events, such as story time for younger visitors as well as a therapeutic Senior/Veteran hour.

Cat Cafes in Oregon

The Purrington Cat Lounge
3529 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday — 12 to 8 p.m.
Closed Monday

Come and listen to Moshow the Cat Rapper purring words in the cat lounge or sign up for yoga classes, beer and wine tastings or meowvie nights. There’s nothing quite like a movie with a cat on your lap!

Cat Cafes in Washington

The Seattle Meowtropolitan Cat Cafe
1225 North 45th St.
Seattle, WA 98103

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.
Closed Monday

Yoga sessions are very popular at this cafe, and you can purchase a monthly membership for the classes. The venue is also available for private parties with up to 16 guests.

Neko Cat Cafe
519 East Pine St.
Seattle, WA 98122

Hours: Grand opening coming soon (summer 2017)

Hang with 8-10 adoptable cats from local Seattle shelters as you tuck into drinks and snacks at this all-ages Japanese-inspired cat cafe. Stop by for an after-work happy hour or book a private party in your very own room!

Cat Cafes in Washington D.C.

Crumbs and Whiskers
3211 O Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20007

Hours: Monday and Tuesday— 1 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday and Friday — 1 to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday — 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Closed Wednesday

After visiting a cat cafe in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Kanchan Singh opened this cafe in Washington D.C. and a second one in Los Angeles (see Los Angeles listing). Crumbs and Whiskers has both feline yoga and trivia nights, with topics like Harry Potter and Disney.

Cat Cafes in South Carolina

The Organic Cat Café
123 College St.
Greenville, SC 29601

Hours: Monday through Thursday — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday through Saturday — 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday — 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.

German-born Jennifer Bronzel founded this Downtown Greenville cat cafe in hopes to educate longtime cat lovers and new feline fans about cat behaviors and appropriate cat care.

Read more about cat lovers on Catster.com: 

• The Top Cat-Friendly Cities Around the US
• 3 Books for Cat Lovers
• Cool Tech for Cat Lovers

Feature Image credit: Unsplash

The post The Top Cat Cafes Around the Country by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

If you’re an ailurophile like me, chances are that when you travel you’re always on the hunt for cat-centric merchandise to take home for yourself or as gifts for your kitty-loving friends. I’ve put together a shopping guide of some fun feline souvenirs you can’t leave without.

Top 8 Cat Souvenirs To Buy When Travelling the World

1. When in Cairo

The ancient Egyptians were perhaps history’s greatest cat lovers, pampering and adorning felines, honoring them in art, even treating them as gods. The Khan el-Khalili market and the Ashor Bazar in Cairo are both popular tourist destinations and great places to shop for statuettes of the goddess Bast (also known as Bastet). The statuettes are available in a variety of colors and sizes; materials range from granite to plastic. If you buy the right size, they make great bookends!

2. When in New York

If you book the Friends of Matilda accommodation package at New York’s famous
Algonquin Hotel, not November/December2016 only will the resident cat afford you a generous discount on your accommodation, she’ll welcome you with a personalized letter and send you home with the ultimate souvenir: a plush toy in her Ragdoll likeness. For information, visit algonquinhotel. com/hotel-special-offers.

3. When in Amsterdam

It’s not only about tulips here! Cats & Things on Hazenstraat is a feline emporium that prides itself on having every feline-themed gift idea imaginable, from a quirky and fun tea cosy to hats and beautiful artwork. There are gifts for your cats back home, too. And the store has resident felines, so you can get a fur fix while you shop.

4. When in England

If you have Yorkshire highlighted on your itinerary, The Cat Gallery on Lower Petergate in York is worth a stop to shop. From tabby cat socks to umbrellas to duvet covers, this store has it all — as well as great jewelry.

5. When in Key West

The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is a world-famous feline destination. The gift shop is fun to visit because the cats lounge around here and “help” you check out at the register. One of the most popular souvenir items is a bowl designed by Hemingway’s second wife Pauline. It’s a general utility bowl, but many visitors purchase it as a cat bowl for their favorite feline back home.

6. When in Southern California — or Orlando

Mention the word Disney, and it conjures up images of a variety of cats: Marie from The Aristocrats or the wonderful purple-and-pink Cheshire Cat from Alice
in Wonderland. The feline-related merchandise in these theme parks features everything from plush toys to socks, hats, T-shirts, and ornaments.

A good place to shop for cat-themed souvenirs is at the larger general Disney stores like the Emporium on Main Street USA in Disneyland in Anaheim, California as well as Downtown Disney. Also browse the World of Disney store at Disney Springs in Florida. If there’s someone you forgot to shop for, the Disney parks have a mobile app that lets you shop afterward and have your merchandise mailed.

7. When in London, New York, Amsterdam, Paris, or Perth …

You can catch a production of the award-winning musical Cats. There’s wonderful
merchandise sold on-site at the theaters in the form of T-shirts, mugs, plush toys, key chains, and headbands with cat ears. And, if you enjoyed the show but didn’t purchase any souvenirs at the time, you can always shop online when you get home. Check the official website catsthemusical.com to see where productions of this hit show are currently being staged before you even set off on your travels.

8. When in Japan

The popular Japanese Maneki Neko lucky cat statues are easy to find all over Japan. The original tri-color cat with a raised paw is modeled after the popular Japanese Bobtail and believed to be a symbol of good luck, wealth, and prosperity. More recently, a slew of different-colored cats have become available, all with different meanings.

White: purity and happiness
Black: safety (they’re also supposed to ward off evil and stalkers)
Gold: wealth and prosperity
Red: protects children against illness and evil
Pink: luck in love and romance
Green: success in education and studies

• Even the cat’s physical appearance has different meanings.
• Cats with a right paw raised are said to bring good fortune and money to business.
• Cats with a left paw raised are said to invite customers or people.
• Many of the cats have other adornments. Those statues with a coin, for example, are supposed to bring wealth and abundance.

Feature Image Credit: 5 second Studio, Shutterstock

The post 8 Cat Souvenirs To Buy When Travelling the World by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.