Albuquerque Journal Articles

Egg shortages, bird flu, cat flu, sick people – OMG! We have a serious problem with no end in sight. Here’s an update. Just 12 cats in the US tested positive for avian influenza (H5N1) in 2023. There were 49 last year and 13 already last month. Some of these were barn cats, many more lived in cities and suburbs; a few had never been outside. Bird flu strikes cats fast with lethargy, poor appetite, coughing, sneezing, eye and nose discharges, and in the worst cases, loss of balance, walking in circles, and even seizures. It’s been fatal in 71%…

Last in a series Larry’s teeth and gums felt much better; modern medicine also lifted his oppressive anxiety. Curley gained confidence and was learning to relax – out from under the bed. They were still kept separated from Moe, while swapping halves of the house with him. Perching on floor-to-ceiling cat trees and venting their predatory proclivities on stalk and pounce toys had all of them feeling like real cats. Fulfilling lives for these former feline foes reduced their collective angst and diminished the risk of nuclear conflict. Keeping the peace, on the other hand. would be a lifelong challenge.…

Third in a series Problems with any organ system can impact the firing of the brain’s neurons. Oral pain is a frequent offender but arthritis, ear infections, itchy skin, and nausea are also common. Moe, the 2 year old feline interloper, passed his physical exam with flying colors. Curley’s was normal too. But Larry? His gums were suffering from nasty, long-standing infection. It even hurt when he laughed, poor guy. I told Karen and Richard how insidious dental disease can be while assuring them that Larry would be OK. When he felt better we expected him to behave better too.…

Second in a series The combatants were in their corners; the cacophony of cussing and the hurling of insults had ended.  Somehow, each cat was remarkably unscathed. Their well-intentioned humans, on the other hand, suffered blood loss, although relatively minor. Richard and Karen had made the common mistake of hoping for a Disney ending to a complex behavior challenge. Their plan had  been to quickly and easily integrate Moe into Larry’s and Curley’s lives. They’d had cats for years and had never seen this problem. Couldn’t everybody just join paws around the campfire and sing kumbaya? Their emotions in tatters,…

First in a series Karen and Richard loved “Larry” and Curley”, a couple of fuzzy BFFs who’d shared their home with them since kittenhood eight years earlier. Everybody snuggled. It was feline nirvana. Then a college kid they knew needed to move and couldn’t keep his kitty, 2 year old “Moe”. Mmm, they reasoned. This could work. So they dropped by Moe’s house to size him up and, wow, another sweet cat who loves to cuddle! What could go wrong? What Richard and Karen didn’t understand is that Larry and Curley, having never shared their indoor lives with anybody but…

Pet lovers are kind and empathic folks. This is good for more than just our cats and dogs. We are healthier humans for bringing out the best in others – of any species. A recent article on this newspaper’s opinion page (below) recounted the overwhelming panic of a cat who was chased around the confines of its home, finally trapped in a corner, and then pushed into a carrier. After arriving at the veterinary clinic she became defensive aggressive. Every bit of this was unnecessary. I usually inject a bit of humor into my columns because it keeps them interesting…