Cat Cafe Podcast

Cats have skin too! In this episode, Dr. Susan and Dr. Kelly interview Dr. Sandra Koch, Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota, to discuss dermatologic diseases in cats, with a particular focus on cutaneous masses. Dr. Koch highlights the diagnostic approach to lumps and bumps in feline patients, including differentials ranging from benign cysts to malignant neoplasms. She also discusses the clinical relevance of feline perianal scent glands, which can become inflamed or obstructed, leading to dermatologic issues. The conversation concludes with an overview of common skin cancers in cats, their biological behavior, and available treatment options—underscoring that not all cutaneous neoplasms are malignant.

Meet Dr. Lisa Restine! She is a board-certified feline practitioner with a special interest in internal medicine, dentistry, and soft tissue surgery. Dr. Restine completed her DVM at Western University of Health Sciences in California. She is the Associate Feline Professional Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's Pet Nutrition. How can you incorporate cat care into your daily practice? Dr. Restine discusses the future of feline-focused veterinary care! Tune in on Tuesday, April 15th, wherever you get your podcasts! #PurrPodcast #vetmed #felinemedicine #catcare

Dr. Mike Lappin is back on the Cat Café Podcast!

In this episode of the Cat Cafe Podcast, Dr. Jolle and Dr. Susan team up with Eric Garcia to break down how cat owners can use AI the right way. While AI is revolutionizing many industries, including veterinary medicine, it's also becoming a helpful tool for pet parents. But with so much tech out there, how do you separate helpful AI from hype?We explore the practical ways AI can improve life for both you and your feline friend, from smart litter boxes that track health trends to AI-powered vet chatbots and apps that help monitor your cat's well-being. Plus, Eric shares expert advice on how to use AI responsibly—because while technology can be a great tool, it should never replace the expertise of a real veterinarian.If you've ever wondered whether AI can help you better care for your cat, this episode is packed with insights, tips, and a few laughs along the way. Tune in to learn how to make AI work for you and your feline companion—the right way!

This week on the Catcafe Podcast, we're thrilled to host Dr. Pamala Jones, a medical radiation oncologist with an impressive career journey. We dive into radiation therapy for some of the toughest feline cancers, including injection site sarcomas, squamous cell carcinoma, and—surprise!—intestinal lymphoma. Did you know that simply radiating a cat's abdomen can improve lymphoma cases? It's a fascinating option, even though data on radiation therapy in cats is limited. Pam shares her insights, emphasizing that sometimes, in veterinary oncology, there's no clear right or wrong—just the best possible choice for each patient.

In this episode of the Purrpodcast, we chat with Dr. Terza Brostoff, a brilliant veterinary microbiologist from UC Davis, about a disease that's been a heartbreaker for cat lovers: feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Dr. Brostoff explains how her cutting-edge research is changing the game, with new treatments like Remdesivir giving cats with FIP a second chance. Whether you're a science buff or just love your cats, this episode breaks down the latest advances in a way that's easy to understand—and full of hope for the future of feline health!

Dr. Amir Kol, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. He earned his veterinary degree from the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Israel in 2006. Following this, he completed a residency in clinical pathology and a PhD in integrative pathobiology at UC Davis, focusing on stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. We deep dive into FIP as a disease in cats and how cats can help figure out human coronaviruses.

Episode Title: The Burden of Care: Supporting Chronically Ill Cats with Dr. Jessica Quimby. In this heartfelt episode of the Cat Cafe Podcast, Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn and Dr. Susan Little sit down with the renowned feline internal medicine specialist, Dr. Jessica Quimby, from The Ohio State University. As a leading expert in chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, Dr. Quimby brings her unparalleled knowledge and compassion to a discussion about caring for chronically ill cats.Topics include:Understanding the unique challenges of managing feline chronic illnesses like CKD.Balancing medical interventions with quality of life for our feline friends.Emotional and professional burden of care for veterinarians, cat owners, and caregivers.Practical strategies to provide optimal care while navigating the pressures of chronic disease management.This episode goes beyond clinical advice, touching on the emotional complexities of working with chronically ill cats and the caregivers who love them. Whether you're a veterinarian, a pet parent, or simply curious about the human-animal bond, this conversation will leave you inspired and informed.

Endocrine diseases are prevalent in cats, and the most frequent ones are diabetes and hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism in cats is a common endocrine disorder typically seen in older felines, characterized by an overproduction of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) from an enlarged, usually benign thyroid gland. This hormone surge ramps up metabolism, leading to classic symptoms like weight loss despite an increased appetite, hyperactivity, restlessness, and a poor coat condition. Other signs may include increased thirst, vomiting, and heart murmurs or hypertension due to the cardiovascular strain. If untreated, hyperthyroidism can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney damage. Treatment options include medication, dietary management, surgery, or radioactive iodine therapy, depending on the cat's health status and owner's preference.

Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn and Dr. Susan Little interview Dr. Terza Brostoff, DVM, PhD, from the University of California, Davis, to discuss her pioneering research on new medications for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Dr. Brostoff detailed the foundational steps in her investigations aimed at developing effective therapeutic options for this devastating disease, which affects cats and is caused by a coronavirus. Dr. Brostoff emphasized why these new therapeutic options are groundbreaking, offering hope for significant advancements in feline health and veterinary medicine. The podcast provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of FIP research and the promising future of these new medical interventions.

Dr. Petra Cerna, a versatile expert in veterinary medicine, law, and cat breeding, brings her wealth of knowledge to "The CatCafePodcast" as a distinguished guest. In this episode, we explore crucial conversations on cat breeding and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), delving into the intricate aspects of this disease and its implications for feline health. Join us for an enlightening discussion with Petra, whose diverse expertise provides distinct perspectives on the nurturing and welfare of our beloved feline friends.

In this podcast with Dr. Kelly StDenis, she delves into the new guidelines from AAFP regarding the chronic use of NSAIDs in cats. Dr. StDenis discusses the importance of these guidelines in managing feline pain and the potential risks associated with long-term NSAID usage in cats. She provides insights into alternative pain management strategies and emphasizes the need for careful monitoring when using NSAIDs in feline patients. A must know for cat owners.

Exciting Announcement!  We are repeating an early podcast with Dr. Sheri Ross. In this podcast, Dr. Ross will share her expertise, passion, and experiences in the field of renal (kidney) medicine for cats, covering a wide range of topics including pet care, animal behavior, and the latest advancements in veterinary science. Whether you're a fellow veterinarian, a pet owner, or simply curious about the fascinating world of animal health, this podcast is for you! Stay tuned for engaging discussions, expert advice, and heartwarming stories that celebrate the bond between humans and animals. Don't miss out on this enriching opportunity to learn and connect with Dr. Sheri Ross. 

Recent reports have highlighted a case of bubonic plague transmitted by a cat, underscoring the importance for cat owners to be aware of zoonotic diseases. Bubonic plague is spread through fleas, commonly found on rodents and pets like cats. Cat owners should prioritize flea prevention measures, regular veterinary check-ups, and avoiding contact with wild rodents. It's essential to monitor cats for symptoms and seek prompt veterinary care if any signs of illness arise, ensuring both feline and human health. Dr. Mike Lappin, returns to the podcast to explain.

Cat semi-owners refer to individuals who have a relationship with a cat but don't have full ownership responsibilities. These individuals may care for a cat temporarily or occasionally, providing some care or companionship without being the primary or permanent caregiver. For instance, someone might frequently feed and spend time with a neighbor's cat, offer occasional pet sitting, or assist in caring for a friend or family member's cat without having the formal title of an owner. These semi-owners might not be responsible for all aspects of the cat's care, such as veterinary visits or major decisions, but they still play a role in the cat's life and well-being.

The holiday season can bring about several dangers for cats:Tinsel and Ribbons: Cats are attracted to shiny, dangly objects like tinsel and ribbons, but if ingested, these can cause intestinal blockages.Holiday Plants: Some common holiday plants like poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe are toxic to cats if ingested.Candles and Flames: Curious cats might get too close to open flames from candles, risking burns or knocking them over.Gift Wrapping Materials: Similar to ribbons and tinsel, wrapping paper, tape, and strings can be harmful if swallowed.Festive Foods: Rich, fatty, or seasoned foods from holiday dinners can upset a cat's stomach or even be toxic (e.g., onions, chocolate, alcohol).Electrical Cords: Decorative lights and cords can be tempting for cats to chew on, leading to electric shock or injury.Visitors and Noise: Some cats might get stressed or anxious due to increased noise levels or the presence of unfamiliar guests.Keeping a close eye on cats during the holidays and adjusting to their environment can help mitigate these risks.

Dr Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss giving cats as a present. Dr. Susan: "Giving a cat as a present seems heartwarming but requires careful consideration. Cats have unique needs and personalities, not just a gift item."Dr. Jolle: "Absolutely, Dr. Susan. It's crucial to ensure the recipient is ready for the responsibility. Proper introduction and commitment to the cat's lifelong care are essential."

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle, famous cat veterinarians, discuss hybrid cats. What are hybrid cats, how do you make them, and what are the benefits and disadvantages? A hybrid cat is the result of breeding two different cat breeds (often a wild breed) to combine certain desirable traits from each breed. These hybrids can occur naturally or through intentional breeding. For example, the Bengal cat is a popular hybrid breed, resulting from crossing domestic cats with Asian leopard cats. Hybrid cats can exhibit a mix of physical characteristics and temperaments from both parent breeds, creating unique and sometimes sought-after traits in the resulting offspring.

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss some common abnormalities that you can observe in the most populare cat breeds. From polycystic kidne disease to ear and tail abnormalities. The main disadvantage of inbreeding is that these diseases tend to pop up.

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss common cat breeds in North America (US & Canada). Can you guess which breed is in the number one spot? Breeding emphasizes particular traits in these cats but can also come with unwanted characteristics and diseases.

The purrpodcast meets the veterinary life podcast hosted by Dr. Marci Kirk and Dr. Annie Chavent. We have a crossover podcast with so many questions answered. We talk about the start of the purrpodcast and all the things we have learned in the five years of our podcast. This is such a fun episode.

Dr. Duncan Lascelles, a famous veterinary surgeon and pain expert, and Dr. Margaret Gruen, a veterinary behaviorist, tackle chronic pain together at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. What are the clinical signs of chronic pain in cats? Does their behavior change? Did you realize that 60-90 percent of cats between 6 months and 20 years have symptoms of degenerative joint disease? Of those cats, 45% have pain.

Dr. Jessica Quimby from the Ohio State University joins us to discuss chronic kidney disease and a new test called FGF23. Chronic kidney disease is really common in older cat but now we have new ways to diagnose it early.

A communication manager is essential in any veterinary practice, but what does such a person do? Stacey Gonzales is interviewed by Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle about her career and what roles she plays in a cat hospital.

Dr. Emmanuel Fontaine is a specialist in veterinary reproduction and talks with Dr. Susan and myself about if we can spay cats without doing surgery. At the end of the podcast we talk about the difference between ovariectomy (removing only the ovaries) and ovariohysterectomy (removing the ovaries and the uterus) in cats. What is more exciting than cat repro? Did you know that cats are inflatable?

Dr. Kelly and Dr. Jolle discuss the new cat book, "nine lives are not enough, a practical guide to caring for a geriatric cat' with the author Dr. Mary Gardner. Mary is a veterinarian and expert in geriatric animals. Her new book is fantastic and we recommend all cat owners read it. It is a practical guide to changes that will happen when cats get older, and it is always so much fun to have Dr. Mary on the show.

Dr. Kelly and I discuss a recent article about vaccinations in cats. Some vaccines are considered core (for all cats) and noncore (only for cats that are at risk). Dr. Kelly and Dr. Jolle discuss the vaccines needed for your cat and why you should or should not vaccinate. There is a lot of discussion about this, but it is pretty simple.

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle are back together and are so excited! They are discussing some major myths about being a wonderful feline. Do you think a cat is a social breed? All myths will be busted!!!

Dr. Leslie Lyons explains why cat genes are essential and educates us about all the new tricks genetics research uses to determine where your cat comes from. Is she a single-breed cat of a nice mix of many breeds?

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle are back, and how! They have not done a podcast for a long time so this first one is an update about what is going on in their lives, and yes, we do talk about cats too! What else?

The last of our cat bites of summer. This is an interview with Dr Panos Xenopoulis, the winner of his year's most downloaded podcast. We are still in Rhodes and are talking about the cat population on the island.

Dr Sarah Heath from the UK is our guest and talks about cat behaviour and how important it is to think about the health triad: the interplay between emotional, cognitive and physical health. One of the topics is zero pain in cats. A cool 10 minutes in the heat of Rhodes, Greece

This summer we will have short Summer Cat Bites. These are 10-minute-long episodes that were taped in Rhodes Greece during the latest ISFM Congress. The first one hosts Claire Bessant, the leading voice behind International Cat Care where they believe in a world in which each cat's life experience will be as good as it can be. They do this by providing cat owners, veterinary professionals and those that live and work with cats with the resources, support and advice they need to care better for their cats.

Dr. Tony Johsnon is a funny veterinarian that treats cats with emergencies. What are common feline emergencies and what happens in an emergency room and why is this always so expensive. What a fun episode.

Part 2 of the cat cafe podcast, where we focus on non-surgical ways to reduce the reproduction in feral cats after we discuss what castration techniques there are. Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle also discuss their favorite podcasts and books.

The topic of today is the feral cat population. Stray cats can be quite a nuisance and they seem to multiply quite fast. Why do we get upset with stray cats, should we be focusing on the benefits of feral cats and what can we do about population reduction?

Dr. Susan is back and we discuss a very common problem in cats: urinary blockage. This is a very serious issue, especially in male cats, and is often misinterpreted as constipation. With great tips on what to look for and what to do about it.

Dr. Mia Cary is the everlasting optimist and tells us how we have to take care of ourselves and our cats. She owns two cats herself and loves cats in general. Her humor and happy attitude is contagious!

Dr. Kelly and Dr. Jolle discuss a new article about blood measurements by veterinarians in the clinic. Why do we need to measure blood pressure in cats and what is the best method to do so? All your questions about high blood pressure are answered and by the way, this is one of Dr. Kelly's favorite topics.

The amazing Tik Tok veterinarian, Dr. Adam Christman tells us how it is to live a life of rich and famous (on social media that is). Adam is a general practitioner who loves to teach pet parents about their pets and in our case: cats! Have a laugh with Dr Adam and you hosts Dr Kelly and Dr Jolle

Our amazing co-host Dr. Kelly St Denis joins us for holiday cheers and why you should be cognizant that the holidays may not be the favorite season of all for your cats. We discuss that the holidays may cause some stress for our furry friends with all the complications associated with it. Is your cat acting weird around the Christmas tree or are we acting weird (according to the cat's routine)?

Dr. Christine Lim is our guest and because she is an ophthalmologist, we are of course talking about eyes. We explain the anatomy of the eye, focus on problems that occur commonly in cat eyes, and what you can do about it.

Dr. Susan is pretty busy these days with her clinics and has 2 things that made her smile this week. her new debit card machine and her talk to 1st graders in Texas that were asking the best questions about cats. How big is s kitten for instance? Enjoy the show with your favorite hosts.

In this episode, Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle discuss two new inventions for cat lovers. The first is a litterbox that recognizes the cats and has lots of features that are pretty interesting, and the second is an app that identifies the cat's facial features and predicts if the cat is feeling in pain or not. Will the cat be as enthusiastic as well?

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle are chatting about cats (what else), do you know where the Persian comes from? We also talk about things that bite cats and cat bites in general. How to avoid them and what to do if your cat gets bitten.

Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle have a bloody topic: blood transfusions. We talk about different blood types and why we care about them. Sometimes your cat gets him or herself in trouble and needs blood from another cat. Give it some blood may you think but it is not that easy. Cats may have antibodies against the blood that you give and this can be very dangerous.

This week we discuss the eye of the cat, a beautiful organ that makes a cat special. Don't you love looking at those beautiful cat eyes? How are they different than our eyes and what diseases should we beware of. This week's guest is Dr. Rich Sanchez, a specialist in cat-eye diseases. Happy International Cat Day 2021!

The great Dr. Gert ter Haar joins us from Holland to talk about Ear, Nose, and Throat diseases in cats. He is an ENT specialist for dogs and cats and the main problem we tackle today is aural polyps. Did you know that a cat with chronic ear disease may have a polyp? Gert talks about signalment, diagnosis, and therapy. Another great episode!

Dr. Dave Twedt, world-renowned veterinary specialist in feline internal medicine joins us for this week's podcast. We talk with Dave about doing things minimally invasive, in other words, how can you look inside the cat without making big incisions? Dave uses a lot of different scopes to decrease the discomfort to the cat and it is truly amazing what he can achieve.

This week we have a special host, the famous Steve Dale. Steve and I will interview Jackie Ott Jaakola, the new executive director of the Every Cat Health Foundation, previously known as the Wynn Feline Research Foundation. Jackie gives us a bit of background and explains her passion for feline welfare. The Every Cat Health Foundation has been active for many years and has touched every cat with its amazing studies. For more info www.everycat.org

Dr. Caitlin DeWilde is our guest on this podcast. Caitlin is an amazing veterinarian, entrepreneur, and social media expert. She describes herself as a tech geek or nerdy marketeer. We talk about how you can become a catvocate, how you can market your precious cat on social media, and how you can give them the healthcare that they deserve.