Ask Dr. Paola – Monday April 7, 2025

The station Ask Dr. Paola – Monday April 7, 2025 by Dr. Paola Cuevas MVZ (Veterinarian) appeared archetypal connected Catster. Copying implicit full articles infringes connected copyright laws. You whitethorn not beryllium alert of it, but each of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, truthful they aren't considered nationalist domain. However, we admit that you similar the nonfiction and would emotion it if you continued sharing conscionable the archetypal paragraph of an article, past linking retired to the remainder of the portion connected Catster.com.

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” series, wherever each Monday we bring adept proposal consecutive from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assistance our readers amended recognize their cat’s wellness and well-being.

Whether you’re a caller favored genitor oregon a seasoned feline lover, Dr. Paola is present to supply answers to your astir pressing questions. From nutrition tips and preventive attraction to troubleshooting communal behavioral issues, Dr. Paola is acceptable to connection insights that volition support your kitty happy, healthy, and feline fine. Stay tuned for adept guidance connected a scope of topics that substance astir to you and your cat, truthful you tin marque informed decisions and supply the champion imaginable attraction for your furry companion. ‎

Have‎ a ‎question? Send it successful here!

Help! My Cats’ Back is Getting Sore!

“Dear Dr. Paola,

My Kitty-Boy, Mash, volition beryllium 14 years aged successful May. I person noticed that his backmost gets sore adjacent the tail. Can I springiness him thing that volition beryllium steadfast for his kidneys and liver?”  – Nikki

Hi Nikki,

Thank you for being specified a loving and observant favored genitor to your saccharine Mash. At astir 14, he’s entering his aureate years, and it’s not uncommon for older cats to acquisition discomfort successful the little backmost oregon adjacent the basal of the tail. This country tin beryllium a hotspot for age-related changes specified arsenic arthritis oregon adjacent referred discomfort from different areas similar the hips oregon spine. Just similar older radical whitethorn consciousness stiff getting retired of bed, elder cats tin make inflammation successful their joints that makes definite movements oregon interaction uncomfortable.

Before considering immoderate supplements oregon treatments, it’s important to archetypal pinpoint what’s causing the soreness. While determination are joint-supportive options similar omega-3 fatty acids (from high-quality food oil), glucosamine, oregon green-lipped mussel that tin beryllium gentle connected the liver and kidneys, it’s champion to regularisation retired different imaginable issues first, similar hyperesthesia syndrome, spinal discomfort, oregon adjacent aboriginal kidney-related changes that whitethorn origin backmost sensitivity. Because Mash is simply a senior, I urge scheduling a veterinary exam, ideally including bloodwork and perchance X-rays. These volition assistance usher harmless choices and guarantee immoderate supplement oregon medicine supports his wide health. With the close care, galore older cats similar Mash tin enactment comfy and progressive good into their elder years.

Best,

Dr. Paola

💛 😺 Speak To a Vet Online From the Comfort of Your Couch!

If you request to talk with a vet but can’t get to one, caput implicit to PangoVet. It’s an online work wherever you tin talk to a vet online and get the personalized proposal you request for your favored — each astatine an affordable price!

Click to Speak With a Vet

Image Credit: guvo59, Pixabay

Help! I Need Help Getting My Cats to Like Each Other!

“Hi Dr Paola!

I person a cat, Looney, that adopted maine 16 months ago. I already person 3 cats. Looney is astir 2. When I recovered him, I took him to the vet and got each his shots, and helium was neutered.
I brought him home, separated him successful a peculiar feline country with a feline door, windows truthful helium could look astatine water, a fountain, and a small robot! Gradually, we enactment a leash connected Looney to locomotion astir the house, wrong the location truthful the different cats could spot him, and helium could odor the different cats. After 1 year, I took him disconnected the leash and fto him tally astir the house, which caused a MAJOR PROBLEM. One of my cats, a antheral named Gio, does not similar Looney astatine each and freaks retired each clip helium sees him. I don’t cognize however to get these cats to similar each other! Please help!“ – Christine

Hi Christine,

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful, gradual, and loving approach. It sounds similar you’ve genuinely gone supra and beyond for Looney, and it’s wide that your bosom is afloat devoted to each your feline companions. Integrating a caller feline into a location with established elder cats tin sometimes consciousness similar introducing a young whirlwind into a quiescent status village. Even with dilatory introductions, immoderate personalities people clash, particularly erstwhile the newcomer is inactive youthful and afloat of vigor and the nonmigratory cat, similar Gio, has a well-established consciousness of territory and routine.

Gio’s beardown absorption suggests helium whitethorn consciousness threatened oregon overwhelmed by Looney’s presence, particularly if Looney is playful oregon assertive successful ways Gio finds intrusive. Cats are creatures of control, and changes to their situation oregon social structure tin unsettle them deeply. While you’ve already done a cautious introduction, successful cases similar this, it’s often indispensable to spell backmost a fewer steps and reintroduce them much gradually utilizing structured affirmative reinforcement. Think of it arsenic rebuilding a shaky span with patience and confidence: tiny steps, good supported.
A method called “site swapping” tin help: fto Gio walk clip successful Looney’s peculiar country with Looney confined elsewhere, truthful helium tin get utilized to Looney’s scent successful a low-pressure way. Pair immoderate ocular entree betwixt them with thing some cats love, similar treats oregon play, truthful they statesman to subordinate each different with bully experiences. Multi-cat synthetic pheromone diffusers and calming supplements recommended by your vet tin besides assistance easiness underlying tension. If things proceed to consciousness stuck, moving with a feline behaviorist tin marque a satellite of difference. They person the acquisition required to enactment subtle cues and tin tailor circumstantial strategies to your unsocial household dynamics. With time, support, and consistency, galore cats larn to tolerate oregon adjacent bask the beingness of a once-unwelcome housemate.

Wishing you bully luck,
Dr. Paola

Image Credit: Impact Photography, Shutterstock

Can You Help Me Determine My Cats Breed?

“Dear Dr. Paola,

Please, what breed is my overmuch loved feline George? I thought Turkish Angora, but his vet says he’s unsure, possibly a Maine Coon. He’s got a beauteous large bushy tail, 5 kg, and astir 8 months old. “ – Charlotte

Hi Charlotte,

Thank you for sharing a small astir your fantastic George. He sounds perfectly stunning, and with that big, bushy process and coagulated physique astatine conscionable 8 months old, it’s nary wonderment helium draws attention! While his features mightiness lucifer those of breeds similar the Turkish Angora oregon Maine Coon, the lone mode to cognize for definite is with a feline DNA test. These tests tin uncover breed ancestry, overgarment traits, and adjacent imaginable wellness markers, offering a fascinating glimpse into what makes George unique. Knowing the breed conscionable from a photograph is oftentimes challenging, and it’s worthy noting that unless helium came with pedigree papers, George is apt a beauteous mixed-breed feline with features reminiscent of 1 oregon much longhaired breeds. But that doesn’t marque him immoderate little special; successful fact, immoderate of the astir charming personalities and unsocial looks travel from these delightful blends.

That said, whether helium turns retired to person purebred roots oregon is simply a beauteous blend of respective lineages, each feline is cleanable successful their ain way. Their charm, quirks, and companionship don’t travel from a pedigree but from the bond they stock with us, and it sounds similar George has recovered precisely wherever helium belongs. By the way, consciousness escaped to add his photo to our cat of the week contest; we emotion to spot pics of our readers’ beloved pets! Looking guardant to that pic!

Dr. Paola

The station Ask Dr. Paola – Monday April 7, 2025 by Dr. Paola Cuevas MVZ (Veterinarian) appeared archetypal connected Catster. Copying implicit full articles infringes connected copyright laws. You whitethorn not beryllium alert of it, but each of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, truthful they aren't considered nationalist domain. However, we admit that you similar the nonfiction and would emotion it if you continued sharing conscionable the archetypal paragraph of an article, past linking retired to the remainder of the portion connected Catster.com.