That Peculiarity Called Pica
~ by Nomi Berger~ Pica (from the Latin term “magpie”) is the term for a feline’s affinity for eating anything that isn’t FOOD. And although it appears most frequently in young cats, it can affect older cats as well. Many cats may “nurse” on fuzzy items like wool, fleece and stuffed animals due to being weaned from their mothers too early, while others may
The Marvels of Adopting Mature Cats
~by Nomi Berger How many times have we humans heard the expression, “You’re only as old as you feel”? And why is it that some days, despite our actual age, we feel younger than we are, while other days, we feel older, much older? So it is with our older feline friends, starting at the age of eight. But if, with age comes wisdom,
Cats and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
~ by Nomi Berger As the days grow darker and shorter, and the thermometer plummets, so does the mood of millions of people living in the Northern Hemisphere. But humans are not the only ones affected by what scientists refer to as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Our cats – even the happiest, most active and energetic ones — can suffer the same dramatic
WHY ADOPT A RESCUE CAT?
by Nomi Berger Why adopt a rescue kitten or cat? Why not buy one from an ad on the Internet or from a pet store? There are many reasons — all of them humane. The growth of the Internet has spurred the growth of ads selling pets. But it also provides anonymity to a more insidious growth: that of kitten mills and “backyard” breeders,
BE SPECIAL: ADOPT A SPECIAL NEEDS CAT
by Nomi Berger Their bodies may be imperfect, but their spirit remains intact. So it is said about the special needs cat. Although caring for one can be challenging, more and more people are opening their hearts and their homes and adopting them. For this reason, more and more cats that might otherwise be euthanized are being given a new lease on life. Experts
ADOPTING CATS WITH FIV
By Nomi Berger A cat diagnosed with the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is still an ADOPTABLE cat. What, then, is FIV? FIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus. It is in the same family as feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS in people. It is a slow virus that attacks the immune system over
ADOPTING CATS WITH FELINE LEUKEMIA
By Nomi Berger A cat diagnosed with Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is still an ADOPTABLE cat. What, then, is FeLV? FeLV is a virus that weakens a cat’s immune system, predisposing it to certain infections, severe anemia, and potentially leading to cancer. Most at risk are kittens born to FeLV positive mothers, cats under the age of one, cats living with an infected cat, and
THE DOWNSIDE OF DECLAWING CATS
By Nomi Berger Like many cat owners, you may be fed up with finding scratch marks on everything from your floors and furniture to your curtains and comforters, cushions and clothes. And skin. But before you consider resolving the problem by choosing declawing as your only solution, be advised that declawing your cat is NOT a matter of solely removing its claws. Nor is
BLACK CATS: WICKED OR WONDERFUL?
By Nomi Berger For centuries, black cats were revered. Then, in the blink of a great, green eye, their fortunes were reversed. What changed history’s good luck charm into a symbol of all things bad? Is it similar to a child’s game of broken telephone, where the message mouthed at the beginning is mangled at the end? Or is it more a case of
A CAT-PROOFED HOME IS A CAT-SAFE HOME
By Nomi Berger A cat-proofed home is a cat-safe home whether your new pet is a newborn kitten or a fully- grown cat. Before that first front paw crosses your threshold for the first time, your home must be a health zone, not a hazard zone. Be especially attentive to the sensibilities of former “outside” cats, who may never have walked on wooden floors,