A Michael Broad Blog
Although Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) in Abyssinian cats is an inherited condition that leads to gradual blindness, this cat breed is not one plagued with a lot of inherited diseases. My research indicates that there are six which I will cover in future infographics. While there is no cure for PRA, responsible breeding and …
In a succinct infographic I explain a classic health problem associated with the Peke-face (flat-faced) Persian: tear duct overflow due to tear duct obstruction which in turn is due to a distorted facial anatomy which in turn is due to the extreme breeding of this breed as a result of decades of mismanagement by …
The infographic takes core information from a very medically technical study referred to in the infographic and summarises it in a few words. It is an example of extreme precising. The goal is to present hard-to-understand information in a very easy to understand image. It is a quick read which is suited to modern …
I have chosen the infographic as an excellent way to provide information about the feline autonomic nervous system. Indirectly we see the working of the autonomic nervous system every day particularly with indoor/outdoor cats; less so with full-time indoor cats. For the later the parasympathetic nervous system is often in charge while for the …
Years ago, I proposed that the feline Henry’s pocket, a small extra fold of cartilage and skin within the ear flaps (pinnae) of domestic cats, was to enhance the ability to hear high pitched sounds. I was corrected by a welcome visitor who proposed that this mysterious item of feline anatomy (which still troubles …
I recently wrote an article about a cat that has for ear flaps. They named him Audio. That article is about the misdescription of the condition because a cat with 4 ear flaps does not have four sets of ear anatomy. They just have 4 ear flaps; the bit that we can see. And …
NEWS AND OPINION: A cat born with “four ears” is simply a visual anomaly. They have an extra flap of skin – the ear flap which ‘captures’ sound – that gives the appearance of an additional ear on each side of their head. However, the underlying anatomy – the internal ear structure responsible for …
I have employed the visually more interesting technique of an infographic to explain why an injury to a Siamese cat might cause the coat pattern to be temporarily altered as the Siamese cat pointed coat is heat sensitive. In fact, to study the sealpoint Siamese coat pattern is to observe what amounts to a …
