The Five Senses According to Cats: Touch
Finally, the last of the five senses: touch! This is a crucial sense for cats and, like all the other senses, has been honed to perfect their role as efficient predators. A cat’s sense of touch is enhanced by long whiskers which protrude from their head and body and sets [...]
The Five Senses According to Cats: Taste
We think of cats as having extremely fine-tuned and heightened senses compared to our own. In general, this is true but with one exception: Taste. Even though a cat’s sense of taste is weak--especially compared to a person’s taste, this does not necessarily mean that they taste less overall. Instead, [...]
The Five Senses According to Cats: Smell
While cats aren’t necessarily known for their sense of smell, they actually have an amazing olfactory system. They even have more scent receptors in their nose than the average dog (scent hounds not included). By comparison, cats have around 200 million scent receptors in their nose, while humans only have [...]
The Five Senses According to Cats: Hearing
Just as unique as their eyes, a cat's ears are another marvel of feline adaptation. As with most everything else in cats, they are fine-tuned for hunting. Their ears actually have two functions: hearing and balance, but in this newsletter, we will focus on the hearing aspect. Anatomically, the most [...]
The Five Senses According to Cats: Vision
Cats are well-known for the prowess of their reflexes, night vision and hearing, but how good are they really? How do they compare to human abilities? To find out, this newsletter will explore how cats perceive the world, and we’ll start by examining their eyesight. In order to help them [...]
Holiday Donations
As 2018 comes to a close, we just want to share one quick, final newsletter for the year... Missoula Project Community Connect is an outstanding organization that has helped many people and their animals, and once again they are collecting donations for pets. They are looking for the following items: [...]
Heartworm in Montana?
Many people have heard of heartworm disease but aren’t exactly sure what it is, so let’s review: Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease of dogs, cats, ferrets and certain wildlife, including wolves, coyotes, foxes and sea lions. It is caused by foot-long worms that live in the [...]
Halloween Safety
Halloween is nearly here! It’s the time of year for dressing up in fun costumes and rushing your adrenaline with frightful scares. You can decorate your home in unique and unusual ways, and there are tasty treats everywhere. Your cat, however, won’t understand any of it. Sure, your cat MIGHT [...]
CBD Oil and Pets – The New Cure-all?
We have had several pet owners ask about giving CBD oil to their cats for various ailments. At the same time, many companies are popping up to sell hemp-based CBD online, and the oil can be found in many stores that sell herbal remedies and supplements. But, what actually is CBD [...]
Pet Fest 2018
It’s that time of year again! The 13th annual Pet Fest is happening at the Missoula County Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 15th from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Cats on Broadway Veterinary Hospital will be there, along with many other vendors and shelters. If you’re thinking about adopting a new furry family [...]
Internet Pharmacies – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Everyone likes to save money, and that is no different when it comes to necessary medications and supplements. Veterinary (and human) medications can be costly, especially if a pet is on lifelong medications. Internet pharmacies may be a saving grace, but are you getting what you pay for? The National [...]
Refeeding Syndrome
Last month, we discussed the fatty liver and mentioned that, for some cats, food needs to be introduced slowly, or they could have worsening electrolyte abnormalities. This condition is called “refeeding syndrome.” It is a condition that can affect severely malnourished, underweight or starved animals once refeeding is started and [...]
The Fatty Liver
This month we will further discuss “fatty liver syndrome” (hepatic lipidosis). As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, it is one of the main reasons that we place feeding tubes in cats. So, what is it exactly? Quite simply, it is when the liver becomes overwhelmed by fat metabolism in the [...]
Feeding Tubes – Not Just for Hospice
I have placed more than a few feeding tubes over the years, and I frequently get asked: “Isn’t that just for cats in hospice?” The short answer is: “No.” So, I wanted to use this month’s newsletter to explain the use of feeding tubes. Why would a cat need a [...]
Springtime in the Rockies
Spring is in the air again, and many cats will be looking to go back outside or spend more time outdoors. While going outside is a great source of stimulation and activity, it can also hold a lot of potential dangers for our feline friends. Outdoor hazards such as rival cats, [...]