Blog Posts by Webvet

By Pam Johnson-Bennett for WebVet.com
Two kittensAre my cats fighting or playing? I adopted a second male recently and kept them separated for a while and the introduction went smoothly. They seem to get along and will chase each other and wrestle. I thought it was just playing, but sometimes I notice one hisses at the other as they're going at it. No one ever gets hurt and they seem to both enjoy it, but the hissing is throwing me. Does that mean they don't like each other?

Pam's Answer: In normal feline play there shouldn't be any hissing, growling or screaming. Hissing is a defensive vocalization. Sometimes though, playtime can get a little out-of-hand or the interaction may start as play and occasionally escalate into something else. If the hissing is a normal occurrence then I would say that the two cats aren't really playing. If the hissing is something you just hear occasionally then I think it may have been a mis-read play cue or that playtime turned to aggression.

WebVet: Multiple Cat

By WebVet.com
Cat on a boatWhile there are some challenges faced when you take your furry feline out for a cruise, boating with your cat can actually be a safe and fun adventure for everyone.

Take for example, Leah and Wayne Benner who when readying to leave Provo's sugary sand beach. They wanted to grab a shower on their 41-foot Symbol cruiser before returning to the island for dinner. Tossing snorkel gear in the dingy, they pulled Chris, their seafaring cat, aboard and shoved off.

Chris the cat, however, apparently hadn't finished his beach tour. Within moments, exhibiting a radical streak of feline independence, he dove overboard and swam back to shore.

It may not be their favorite pastime but, yes, cats can swim. This is great news for cat lovers who can't imagine departing on that lifelong dream of cruising the Caribbean without their favorite feline.

WebVet: How to travel safely with your pet

Boating with pets presents special challenges, but the rewards are well worth

By WebVet.com
Cockatoo Cee Lo Green has come under fire for his latest display of pet pride. Animal rights activists have wisely criticized The Voice judge for his intention to bring a Moluccan cockatoo named Lady onto the NBC talent competition show.

Cee Lo recently announced that he would replace the pet cat Purrfect -- who sat on his lap throughout season two -- with a Moluccan cockatoo on his shoulder for season three. However, Moluccan cockatoos are endangered and do not make good pets, therefore promoting them as a cuddly companion will send a terrible message to the masses.

Top 10 signs of sexual frustration in birds | Webvet

Monica Engrebretson, a rep for the animal rights organization Born Free, explained, "Moluccan cockatoos are beautiful, intelligent animals but they are very challenging to care for especially in the long term, and are prone to considerable welfare problems. Many Moluccan cockatoos develop self-destructive behavior including feather plucking and self mutilation

By WebVet.com
Sunbathing dogDon't forget to grab special dog sunscreen the next time you're heading out for a day of fun-in-the-sun with your dog. That's right; dogs need protection from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, just as people do. As in people, overexposure to UV rays can give your dog a nasty case of sunburn, peeling of skin, and painful inflammation, and also increase the risk of skin cancer.

Fur goes only so far

Because dogs have fur, people often assume that they are not in any danger of getting sunburned. But this is not so. While fur does provide some degree of protection to much of a dog's body, the bridge of the nose, ear tips, skin surrounding the lips, and areas lacking pigmentation are more vulnerable. In addition, if you shave your dog or he has suffered hair loss due to illness or medical treatment, the exposed skin is at risk of sun damage.

But even where the skin is covered with fur, there is a need for

By WebVet.com
CoyotePart of the responsibility of pet ownership means being aware of the dangers that your dog or cat may face from wild animals. As many people have learned so painfully, these dangers are not limited to wilderness areas, but can be found in your own backyard.

Remember: your pet is more vulnerable than you may realize to a deadly attack by a wild animal.

Here is a rundown of 10 common animal attackers, along with advice on what you can do to protect your pet from their dangers.

Coyotes

Every summer, many pet cats and dogs go missing because of these fierce creatures. Elizabeth Rozanski, assistant professor of emergency and critical care at Tufts University's Foster Hospital for Small Animals in North Grafton, MA, confirmed, "Coyotes definitely do attack. Unfortunately, what coyotes do is kill cats and dogs, not injure them," Rozanski said.

Contrary to what many suburbanites believe, Coyotes are found

By WebVet.com
Mother cat and kittensA heroic cat proved that there's nothing stronger than the bond between a mother and her children. A mama cat in California was rescued -- with her kittens -- after taking a bullet to save them.

The Del Mar Times reported that the mother and her litter were found abandoned and taken to a local shelter -- where the staff had trouble separating the mama from her from the kittens.

The responding veterinarian Dr. Helen Oba recalled, "Mommy and baby kitties are all doing fine, but it was touch and go when they first arrived. They were all very tiny, malnourished, unvaccinated and very scared. It took a gentle hand to pull that momma away from her babies."

Adorable Animal Mothers With Babies | Webvet

After taking the mother -- who has since been named Cindy -- for an examination, Dr. Oba discovered the reason for her trepidation: the litter had been shot at with a BB gun, and Cindy had a bullet lodged in her head. She was operated on and is recovering well.

Cindy and her

By WebVet.com
Couple walking their dog Forget the right clothing, pick-up lines and lipstick color. If you want to score a date, it's all about having the right dog. A new survey from Kloof.com found that singles judge potential dates by their canine companions -- and found certain breeds set off the alarm for a girlfriend/boyfriend jackpot.

All the single ladies (All the single ladies): If you want someone to put a ring on it, your best bet is to own a Golden Retriever. The poll found that men are "overwhelmingly" more likely to view a woman with a Golden as "girlfriend material."

If you're a Lab mom, don't worry: the breed scored the number two spot on Kloof's list. Rounding out the top five were beagles, poodles and Chihuahuas.

Related: Could Owning a Pet Damage Your Love Life? Not If You Have a Hamster

Looking at the guy side of the list, it's easy to see why Goldens and Labs are two of the most popular breeds in the country. Women tend to view men who own these breeds as "great dads" and both

By WebVet.com
1820090831133949BassetHoundFloppyEars
There's no doubt anymore: the dingo DID take her baby. More than 30 years after the tragic death of a nine-week-old baby in Australia, a coroner has ruled that a dingo was in fact responsible.

The child's mother Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton was originally convicted of her daughter's murder, but always maintained that a dingo grabbed her baby from the family tent during a 1980 camping trip in the Australian outback. She was later cleared of the crime.

Beware of These 5 Outdoor Pet Dangers | Webvet

The case secured a spot in pop culture after Meryl Streep starred in the 1988 true-crime thriller A Cry in the Dark and famously cried, "The dingo's got my baby!"

On June 12, 2012, coroner Elizabeth Morris settled the case once and for all, telling reporters, "The cause of her death was as the result of being attacked and taken by a dingo. Dingoes can and do cause harm to humans."

Top 10 animals that attack pets | Webvet