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Can a cat be a vegetarian or vegan pet? No. Here’s what I told a reader who asked about whether cats really need meat in their diets. Q: Why is it so important for cats to have meat in their diet? Humans and dogs can get by without it. A: Cats come with a special […]

Friends, I can’t stop thinking about the images and stories of pets stranded, confused, frightened, and lost in Texas because of Hurricane Harvey. I’ve also been tremendously moved by the acts of courage and compassion performed by first responders, neighbors, Good Samaritans, animal shelters, and veterinarians and veterinary nurses, all to help pets and pet […]

Fear Free has been the most important cause I’ve worked for during my nearly 40 years as a veterinarian. I started it out as something for other veterinary professionals, but I quickly realized this had to be an equal partnership with our patients’ humans or it wouldn’t work. That’s why we recently launched a “sneak […]

Maybe it’s because I grew up on a farm, but I don’t get it. I’m talking about the aversion to feeding byproducts to our pets. We all want to feed our pets the best. The problem is, most of us have little or no connection to what that means anymore. We buy our meat in […]

Here’s something many cat owners don’t know about until they hear a heart-stopping scream from their cat — who suddenly can’t walk. It’s called an aortic thromboembolism (ATE), or “saddle thrombus,” and usually occurs in cats with heart disease — something else the owner may not know their cat has. This is a serious condition […]