Articles: kitten

Felines first! Today (October 29) is National Cat Day! Of course, according to our 16-year old cat, Roxy – everyday is National Cat Day. Roxy no longer bounds across the house at full speed or herds our dogs; instead she’s settled nicely in retirement. If she so desires, she snuggles with us at night. If…

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) has eluded veterinarians since the fatal disease was first discovered.  Dr. Neils Pederson, professor emeritus at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, was among the first to describe FIP in several published articles, and in his still groundbreaking text, “Feline Husbandry: Disease and Management in the Multiple Cat Environment.” Understanding…

When Jenny Tiner opened Windy Kitty Cat Cafe, her goal from day one was to save cats. And she’s done just that. What’s more she’s been saving cats from Chicago’s municipal shelter, Chicago Animal Care and Control. Instead of being euthanized, the lucky cats land in the home-type setting of the cafe, until they are…

Nothing like being on the radio with the Great Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder, this time from Windy Kitty Cat Cafe. For me and Bill, the Windy Kitty is like heaven on earth. HEAR the conversation, as I talk on WGN Radio about how Windy Kitty takes cats and kittens from the City’s municipal shelter…

How can we save cats’ lives? Well, we can get them to the veterinarian. One huge result of kitten socialization classes is that as kittens, they learn to like or even love going inside the carrier. The car ride isn’t so bad because the veterinary visit the kitten is headed to is acceptable, or even…

Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) is the right thing to do. By “fixing” and vaccinating cats, humane population control occurs. The cats are fed and often looked after by caretakers. Attempting to adopt cats that are truly feral isn’t a fair proposition. Because they’re terrified in shelter settings, they are less adoptable and more susceptible to illness. Feral…

Kittens going to school? Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kersti Seksel, who initiated Kittie Kindies in Australia, explains the concept HERE on my national Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show. I love this idea, and I’ve taught kitten classes myself. Seksel explains the many benefits, including getting cats accustomed to their carriers, the car ride to the…

I begin my WGN radio show, Steve Dale’s Pet World, with a message (listen to HERE) to the Board of Directors of the Animal Welfare League (AWL) of Chicago and Chicago Ridge. There is no doubt that at least some of the serious allegations against AWL must be true. After all, various individuals have provided documentation.…

Nearly all that’s known about cat health has been discovered thanks to research funded by a nonprofit called the Winn Feline Foundation, which is now celebrating 50 years of funding cat health studies. As one example, if your cat eats, thank the Winn Feline Foundation. Back in the late 1970’s, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a kind of…

Here are eight messages I resolve to attempt to communicate in 2018: Fear Free:  There’s an initiative, called Fear Free, which began among veterinary professionals with the intent to lower the fear, anxiety, and stress of veterinary visits. And, that fear, anxiety, and stress is real. Most cats and many dogs are so terrified of…