Most cat health information online is either too vague to act on or quietly sponsored by pet food companies. This path cuts through that. Each article draws directly from peer-reviewed research — veterinary journals, foundation studies, clinical trials — and translates the findings into practical guidance.
We've organized this path to move from nutrition and common conditions through to more serious illness patterns. You'll start with what cats actually need to eat (obligate carnivores have specific requirements most commercial foods handle poorly), then move through digestive issues, common symptoms to monitor, and finally the longer-term health conditions that are most prevalent in cats.
This is not a substitute for veterinary care, and none of these articles will tell you not to see a vet. But they will help you understand what you're seeing before and after those visits — what symptoms are worth monitoring, what questions to ask, and what the science actually says about conditions your vet may not have time to fully explain.
Plan for about 45 minutes. The FIV and kidney disease articles in particular may update things you think you already know.
What cats can and can't eat, why they're obligate carnivores, and which common foods are toxic.
Why dog food is nutritionally insufficient for cats — the taurine and arachidonic acid gap explained.
The full spectrum from normal hairballs to symptoms that need a vet visit — with clear thresholds.
Causes ranging from diet change to infection, and when each one becomes urgent.
Appetite changes as a diagnostic signal — what's behind them and when to act.
Why IBD is underdiagnosed in cats and what the research shows about causes and management.
The 2025 Morris Foundation findings on feline kidney disease — what we now know and what's changing.
FIV is not a death sentence — new treatment research changes the prognosis picture entirely.