Another Article Documents Substandard Care of Cats in the USA
I have been a cat lover all my life. (Don’t worry–I love dogs, too. But this post is about cats.) As a child watching Saturday morning cartoons, I took offense at the way cats were portrayed in shows such as Tom and Jerry or Sylvester and Tweety. It seemed that cats always got a raw deal.
As a veterinarian I have suffered from a different, chronic chafe. Feline medicine substantially lags behind canine medicine. And, many people don’t seek medical care for their cats as often as they should. Furthermore, when people do take their cats to the vet, they discover that many veterinary offices are not especially feline-friendly (for instance, cats may be forced to wait in the same room as large, barking dogs).
In a recent post, I discussed an article published in a veterinary journal that detailed the depth of the crisis in feline medical care.
I would like to thank Jeanne, of Boise, Idaho, for drawing my attention to another article that highlights the disparity of care between cats and dogs. The article appeared in USA Weekend, and it made several disturbing points.
Fortunately, steps are being taken to ameliorate the crisis. Several organizations are working to fund feline health research and to promote advances in medical care of cats.
But the most basic improvement needs to occur at the grassroots level. People with cats must realize that their feline friends have medical needs. Cats instinctively hide disease. A seemingly healthy cat may be in pain from dental disease, or may be suffering from the early stages of kidney insufficiency.
If you have a cat, find a vet who has a special interest in feline medicine. And take your cat to that vet once or twice each year for health checkups. It will help you to enjoy the longest and happiest possible relationship with your pet.
You have questions. 
I’m a vet tech and I have a kitty with NUMEROUS health problems. I adopted her because no one else would and I have been constantly disappointed and frustrated by how limited my options are for her. My kitty, Bella, is a hugely important part of my life–as special to me as anyone’s dog and just as much a constant companion and I want for her the same treatment for her ails that I see for dogs every day.
It angers me when someone brings in their skin-and-bones cat and complains that they think their animals may be losing weight and when our doctor asks how long its been going on they say “Oh..a year or so..” all nonchalant like its no big deal. I just want to smack those people. GR.