Margie Scherk, DVM, DABVP (feline practice)

Brush up on your feline facts, veterinary team members, while you disabuse your well-meaning but ill-informed cat clients of some feline fallacies. Dont miss the client handout at the end!

Print this PDF handout to give pet owners with stopped-up feline patients a starting salvo to set expectations and offer some basic advice.

Your feline patients don't consider themselves predators in your veterinary clinic-they considers themselves the prey. It's time to reframe, not blame.

CVC educator Dr. Margie Scherk says take it case-by-case and assess muscle and body condition.

Uncomfortable for all involved, constipation in cats is solvable once you determine the cause-be it medical or behavioral. All the tools you need to unclog kitties are right here.

Have clients fill out this form to gather all the information you need to help constipated cats.

Look after your kitty with this expert advice.

Feline expert Dr. Margie Scherk shares her personal thoughts on this controversial issue.

Dr. Margie Scherk has some advice on making the pet carrier a more positive experience for cats.

The right-and the wrong-way to use laser pointers to exercise cats.

While the number of cats being kept as companions in North American homes is increasing, the number of feline visits to clinics has been declining since 2001.

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder in the cat. Since being first recognized in 1977, the incidence has increased steadily.

It is the rare adult who does not have an emotional response to thoughts of dying. We are all inherently aware of our mortality and to that of those around us.

Constipation is defined as the infrequent or difficult evacuation of stool. It is a common problem in cats that may be acute or chronic and does not inherently imply a loss of colonic function.

What characteristics make this species different from us or from dogs? By understanding our feline patients better, we can provide a better experience and environment for them. The basis of working cooperatively with cats is empathy based on an understanding of their nature and behaviours and trying to imagine what their experience is like.

What/who is a cat? What characteristics make this species different from us or from dogs? By understanding our feline patients better, we can provide a better experience and environment for them. The basis of working cooperatively with cats is empathy based on an understanding of their nature and behaviours and trying to imagine what their experience is like.

Constipation is defined as the infrequent or difficult evacuation of stool. It is a common problem in cats that may be acute or chronic and does not inherently imply a loss of colonic function. Often the underlying cause is dehydration and is readily managed by supportive hydration, by oral, nutritional or parenteral means.

It is the rare adult who does not have an emotional response to thoughts of dying. We are all inherently aware of our mortality and to that of those around us. No different from our clients, we fear the pain and suffering of friends and companions, human or non-human.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the two most common endocrine disorders in cats. While we tend to think of diabetes as a disease entity, we should remember that it really is a heterogeneous group of disorders in which insulin production is reduced or in which tissue cells are resistant to the effects of insulin, resulting in impaired glucose homeostasis.

For years, feline pancreatitis has been assumed to be a similar disease to that in dogs. As with so many other disorders, this group of disorders is different in the cat.

Feline bronchial disease goes under a multitude of names reflecting the considerable heterogeneity in anatomic locations as well as etiologies that may be involved.

It has been stated that: Systemic hypertension associated with kidney disease is a very real problem, and has been diagnosed in over 60% of cats with chronic renal disease.

Tragically, in North America, tens of thousands of cats are euthanized or surrendered to shelters each year for behavior problems. Of these cats, between 40% and 75% of all cats presented for behavior problems have an elimination disorder involving urination or defecation.

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder in the cat. Since being first recognized in 1977, the incidence has increased steadily. This is, no doubt partly due to greater awareness and early screening, but certainly also due to a real increase in occurrence of this disease.

Obesity is the number one nutritional disorder in pets in the western world.

Life expectancy for cats has risen, on average, to 14-16 years of age.

Cushing's is a disease of middle-aged to older cats (7-12 years), and may be caused by a pituitary tumor (90% are adenomas), pituitary hyperplasia, adrenal tumors, adrenal hyperplasia, by non-endocrine tumors (usually lung) or it may be iatrogenic.

Vaccination is a key component of preventing infectious disease in individuals as well as reducing the risk of exposure to (and by) others.

Obese female cats are at greatest risk of developing hepatic lipidosis.

Let's look at the applicability of measuring blood pressure, methods of assessment and the interpretation of results in clinical practice.