We hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy during these difficult times. For those of you who are spending more time with your cats, we hope that you are getting to enjoy their company and everyone is adjusting well to new routines. But in light of this current pandemic, people have been asking, “Do cats get coronavirus?”

Aurora’s Angels Fund was started in September, 2015 in memory of our beloved hospital cat, Aurora. The goal of the fund is to help cats in need right here in our community. Since that time, we have helped many local cats receive the medical care they need, so they can lead the happy lives they deserve.

September 28 is World Rabies Day, so we wanted to focus on some important facts about rabies in cats. When you bring your cat in for an annual check up, chances are we’ve discussed (and probably updated) your cat’s rabies vaccination. Because once a mammal (including humans) exhibits symptoms of rabies, it is almost always fatal, this is a disease worth preventing!

As feline veterinary practitioners, we spend much of our time (and love!) caring for senior cats. Eventually comes the time that a cat is facing a terminal condition. Hospice care for cats is an option if your cat is dealing with a situation where a cure is not possible. Our goal is to keep your ill cat with you and enjoying life as long as possible, and there are many things you can do to help.

One of the most frequent complaints we get from clients is “My cat won’t use the litter box!” Often clients think their cat is “being stubborn”, or think their cat is “angry” with them. But that’s looking at things as if your cat was a two-legged human being. Believe it or not, they are not actually little people. There are many reasons why a cat might not be using the litter pan, and the most important thing to consider is whether there is a physical problem.

Maybe you see your cat constantly licking her belly. Or maybe you’ve just noticed some scabbing along Tiger’s back when you pet him. Perhaps your cat’s formerly thick fur coat is suddenly sparse and patchy. Whatever the signs, over-grooming and hair loss in cats can be frustrating and difficult to deal with.

In the fall of 2015, we started Aurora’s Angels Fund to honor our late hospital cat, Aurora. This fund allows us to provide medical care for some of our patients who might otherwise be unable to receive it.

When preparing for a new cat in your house, a good scratching post is as essential as food and water bowls and good litter boxes. Cats will instinctively scratch with their front claws. A cat scratching furniture or carpet is not doing it to annoy you. The action serves to sharpen their claws and stretch their muscles.

Has this ever happened to you? You bring Tiger in for his annual exam, but when you get home and let him out of his carrier, your other cat Fluffy suddenly hisses, growls and swats at Tiger. Normally they’re best friends! And they were just snuggled up together two hours ago! Now they don’t even know each other. What happened? This sudden aggression between cats in their own household is actually quite common.

Our primary goal is to keep our feline guests as healthy and safe as possible.