According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, roughly 60 percent of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. And while your feline friend looks pretty adorable with some chub, the health issues your chunky cat could suffer from due to their weight are far from cute.

So, you’ve taken on a litter of orphan kittens—now what? Hand-raising kittens can be a fun if not very-involved learning experience but can also quickly go sour without a few pointers. It is imperative to remember that while the idea of raising these cute, little furballs can be exciting, you are still now responsible for the health, well-being, and growth development of another living being. This article is here to help ensure this whole kitten care experience goes smoothly and without incident.

According to the AVMA, more than 48 million dogs and 31 million cats live in U.S. households. As we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, those numbers put into perspective the impact that eco-friendly pet ownership can have on the world. People have gone green in so many aspects of their lives, and there are several ways they can be environmentally friendly when it comes to pet ownership as well.

With all the talk of pet food recalls in the last few years, pet parents ask us what we recommend for “treating” their cat or dog. We love our canine and cat companions and want to make them happy, and as we all know, the way to just about every cat and dog’s heart is through their stomachs! But you also likely know that pet obesity is at epidemic proportions, so we don’t want to turn a beautiful act into something that could harm our fur friends.

When we think of the ideal meal, our minds gravitate to home-cooked meals simmering on the stove, loaded with flavor and fresh ingredients. They not only taste better than processed or frozen meals, but the nutritional value is unmatched. So it’s only natural that cat owners might want the same for their felines, pampering them with meals they’ve created with ingredients they trust. However, making your cat’s food does come with some warnings, especially if you’re considering the raw route.

Most personal New Year’s resolutions are centered on health and relationships. You may promise yourself that you'll work out regularly, eat healthier or call your family more often. But what if you broadened your resolutions to include your pets? What would that look like? Could you find resolutions that would truly benefit both you AND your pets?

These resolutions are integrative in nature as they address various aspects of the pet’s well-being, such as diet, exercise and social and emotional needs.

We all love to indulge around the holidays, especially when it comes to food. Unfortunately, tossing your pet table scraps as a “treat” can cause unnecessary upset to their digestive system. Read our recommendations before including fido or fluffy at the dinner table this year. Your pet’s tummy will thank you!

While there is far more research performed for the benefit of humans than for pets, we know that much of the initial research into human disease and pharmaceuticals is performed using animals; therefore, we learn about them as a side effect.

In the veterinary field, many of the therapeutics we use to treat disease come from human medicine, at least initially. The treatment of cancer is no exception, and in fact, some cancer treatments derived from human medicine have worked well for animals. Others, however, have not.