Expert: Ali - 11/3/2009

Question
hi i have a female cat she is nearly 2 she has a runny nose when she sleeps and it drips alot when she purrs do you think there is something wrong with her or is that normal, she is not unwell she plays hunts eats drinks she only cuddles me if on one can see her. she dose not like to be claped but demands me to clap her in the middle of the night when everyone is in bed.my vet hates her he told me not to bring her back unless i have to after he dressed her and he cut all her claws off. my other cat is 3 and has never had this problem.

Answer
Yvonne,

Your vet should be your ex-vet in my opinion, any vet that isn't willing to care for my animals doesn't get a second chance at a first impression. A runny nose could be an indication of the beginnings of an upper respiratory infection or your kitty could even have some sort of a sinus infection that requires treatment with antibiotics. There are a few things in your question that I'm not sure I have a clear understanding of regarding your cat and your vet.

- What exactly does clapping your cat mean? I have a kitty who likes to have her rear gently spanked is that what you're describing? If so, if kitty isn't spayed this would be helpful in stopping her from being quite so demanding as queens will often ask for spankings when they're in season (although my kitty is spayed I had her done at 4 months and she still likes spankings -kind of twisted, but we love her anyway). If kitty demands such attention when everyone is asleep the best policy is to ignore her - cats generally love attention and if they demand it and aren't getting it they soon get the point that their way of asking for the attention or the time they're asking for it needs to be modified. If she becomes excessively vocal or demanding there's nothing wrong with her spending the night in the bathroom or spare bedroom (with food, water, etc of course), most cats will get the hint if you're consistent and persistent and quit being quite so demanding.

- Is your kitty declawed or was she just in for a nail trim? Declawing a cat can have serious medical and behavioral consequences later in life so I do recommend against it unless your kitty has a condition called Ehler's Danlos syndrome (aka Rubber Kitten Syndrome). Nail trimming need not become a production, it's not difficult to accomplish provided that you're willing to be patient, offer rewards, use proper tools and techniques to restrain and trim the nails. I can provide information and photos to help you do this routine maintenance task for your kitty if you'd like, that way your vet doesn't have to waste his precious time on a cat that he hates.

Cats should be seen every year for an annual physical exam just like people, this helps to detect any health problems earlier and in some cases actually saves the lives of pets. If your vet isn't willing to live up to his professional responsibilities and provide humane regular vet care for your kitty then you need to seek another vet. In the UK there are Blue Cross animal hospitals where your kitty can be seen in a pinch. If there's anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to contact me again, I'll be more than happy to help you out.