Feline Medicine

A report of 100 cat food products from 62 brands found heavy metals, an herbicide, and plastic-related chemicals across the products, with higher mercury levels in fish-based foods and higher lead levels in dry foods.

A pair of littermates with long limbs, lens luxation, and aortic root dilation carried a variant in FBN1, the same gene that causes the disorder in humans.

A small, spotted cat from Bolivia's cloud forests, first kept as a pet by someone who thought it was a house cat, has been confirmed as a species new to science.

A new online hub offers quick tips, client handouts, and practical guides to help veterinary teams both make clinic visits easier on cats and get more in for routine care.

In a session at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Nathanael Oster, VMD, MBA, walked attendees through the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of the flea tapeworm in dogs and cats, including why cats are affected more often than dogs.

A plethora of continuing-education sessions run across 3 days, September 17–19, at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD. Here are the ones to circle first, sorted by practice area, plus a handful that are easy to scroll past and worth catching.

Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, DACVM (Parasitology), discusses the clinical significance of Toxoplasma gondii, when veterinary professionals should consider testing, and how to communicate the risks of exposure to clients.

The update covers diagnosis, slowing progression, managing complications, and supporting caregivers of cats with chronic kidney disease.

Revival Animal Health is recalling its Breeder’s Edge and Shelter’s Choice feline milk replacers after testing found low levels of essential nutrients, months after the company recalled its canine milk replacers over variable vitamin D levels.

A retrospective study of 136 cats found differences in urination and waste-covering behavior between cats with and without chronic kidney disease, suggesting that in-home monitoring could complement veterinary evaluation.

According to researchers at Hebrew University, iron and bromine were detected in feline corneal sequestra, offering a new clue to what may drive the condition.

This slideshow breaks down what makes feline otitis externa a distinct diagnosis, walking through the anatomy, the polyps that can hide a secondary infection, and the treatment considerations that set it apart from canine ears, with insight from Sonja Zabel, DVM, DACVD.

From inflammatory polyps and secondary infections to the off-label hesitation that keeps clinicians from treating, Sonja Zabel, DVM, DACVD, of Peak to Coast Veterinary Specialists in Portland, Oregon, walks through her approach to otitis in cats—and the anatomy and species quirks that set them apart from dogs.

After months of unexplained illness, Spot the kitten was diagnosed with a portosystemic shunt and underwent successful surgery at Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

What veterinarians get wrong about laser therapy, and where it actually pays off.

Suffolk County, New York, has logged 4 probable or confirmed human cases of tularemia this year. Here's what veterinary teams should know about the zoonotic disease, including its clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment in animals.

After accidentally receiving a dog's hydrocodone instead of thyroid medication, a geriatric cat made a full recovery with prompt veterinary care.

From the fear of diabetic ketoacidosis to the real cost of monitoring, Ellen Behrend, VMD, MS, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), makes the case that SGLT2 inhibitors are safer and easier to use in cats with diabetes than many practitioners assume, and explains who the right candidate is.

At the 2026 AVMA Convention, Will P. Rausch, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), discussed where NT-proBNP fits in feline cardiomyopathy screening and why the test should be used as part of a broader diagnostic approach.

A fatal feline case near Oklahoma City spotlights cytauxzoonosis, a fast-moving, often-lethal tick-borne disease with a narrow treatment window.

Texas A&M researchers detected Rickettsia typhi and Bartonella species in fleas pulled from domestic cats in the Rio Grande Valley, reinforcing the case for year-round parasite control.

As clients’ desire for feline veterinary hospice care grows, be ready to discuss end-of-life care recommendations that best suit the cat’s and family’s needs and resources.

Mark J. Acierno, DVM, MBA, DACVIM (SAIM), discusses treatment strategies for CKD-associated anemia, appetite support, and how FGF-23 testing can help guide phosphorus restriction in cats.

The updated guidelines recommend SGLT2 inhibitors as first-line therapy for many cats with diabetes and detail patient selection, β-hydroxybutyrate monitoring, diet, and when to switch to insulin.

As companion cats continue to benefit from veterinary medical progress in disease management and live well into their “ninth life” stage, cat caretakers’ desire for veterinary hospice care may intensify.