Cat Hospital of Chicago

Information may not be reliable

Our purpose at Cat Hospital of Chicago is to improve the quality of life for cats and their human families. We accomplish this by providing high quality, compassionate medical care for our feline patients. We are proud of our entire team of dedicated professionals who consistently practice state-of-the-art feline medicine. Our team works tirelessly to maintain or restore the health of our patients, as well as earn the loyalty of patient's owners. Our mission at Cat Hospital of Chicago is to be the preferred and leading feline veterinary facility in the Chicagoland area, not only as a provider of patient care and customer service but also as a workplace for our team. We strive to attain these goals because of our genuine love for cats, our commitment to progressive feline medicine and our recognition and understanding of the human-animal bond that makes patients family members and not simply 'pets'.

Cat Hospital of Chicago is staffed with five veterinarians, one practice manager, one business manager, one special projects coordinator, one inventory management/IT/office coordinator, and a full support staff of patient care coordinators, certified veterinary technicians, veterinary nurses, veterinary technician assistants, and animal caretakers.

We hope you enjoy perusing through our website and viewing the pictures of our hospital, our staff, our resident cats, and even some of our patients.

We welcome your email comments on our website and our services. Our email address is: catlovers@cathospitalofchicago.com. We also invite you to visit our hospital, and of course visit our website for updates.

Cat Hospital of Chicago is an affiliate member of the American Animal Hospital Association. All veterinarians are active members of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Recognizing that many owners have busy schedules of their own, we are happy to offer the flexibility of "drop off" appointments. This option allows owners to drop off their cats for several hours or more while medical care is provided for their cat(s).

IAMS Recalls Specific Canned Cat Foods Due to Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
CINCINNATI, June 9, 2010 - The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats. Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency.

Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food - all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved.

Pre-Exam Patient Questionnaire
If a cat is visiting Cat Hospital of Chicago for the first time, or if he or she has not been to our hospital within the past six months or is ill, you will be asked to complete the pre-exam patient questionnaire.

This form is designed to give us complete, accurate, and current information about your cat so we can provide the best possible treatment. Answers to the questions asked are often helpful in revealing important changes, even if subtle, in your cats diet or behavior. Information on those changes can be valuable in helping us to diagnose health problems, often earlier than we might otherwise, and provide the best care for your cat.

February is Dental Month!
February is Pet Dental Health Month at Cat Hospital of Chicago. Historically, February has been the month designated by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry and other national veterinary associations to call attention to the importance of proper oral health for dogs and cats.

We are including several special offerings with all professional dentals, with a total value of $85.

Rabid Bat Found Near Cat Hospital of Chicago
In early January, 2009, two of our feline patients (both residing strictly indoors) were found by their owners to be playing with a bat that had gotten into the home in the middle of the night. Their home is located less than two miles from our hospital. (See the Chicago Sun Times article: Bat with rabies found in Lincoln Square).

Fortunately, the owners of Chompers and Bitten (the irony of those names!) are to be commended for recognizing the seriousness of the situation. They trapped the bat and contacted Chicago Animal Care and Control. Chicago Animal Care and Control removed the bat safely, and took the bat for rabies testing. The tests showed the bat was positive for rabies virus.

Fortunately, as well, Chompers and Bitten were current on their preventive rabies vaccines. Their treatment, therefore, as per Centers for Disease Control and Cook County Department of Animal Control guidelines, only involved giving each of them an immediate rabies vaccine booster (to boost their immune response post exposure). The cats are also both under a home quarantine watch for the next two months. The likelihood of their developing rabies virus illness is very low. As the Chicago Sun Times article notes, both owners are undergoing the rabies vaccine post-exposure series.

Had Chompers and Bitten not been current on their rabies vaccines, however, their protocol would have been much different. Centers for Disease Control recommends immediate humane euthanasia for any unvaccinated animals with possible or known rabies exposure. Animals with expired vaccinations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Longer quarantine periods or humane euthanasia are the two options in those cases.

Our goal in posting this information on our website is not to scare or frighten the general public or our website viewers, but rather to emphasize the importance of vaccinating our feline (and canine) friends for rabies, and keeping those vaccines current. Although many pet owners, particularly those with strictly indoor cats, may be inclined to question to value of this vaccine, this story alone demonstrates its importance. Rabies vaccinating our patients is absolutely in the best interests of public health. It is cheap insurance, so to speak. Even in those cases where the risk of rabies is low, it is not zero, and in the majority of cats, it is higher than the risk associated with vaccinating. Additionally, of course, it is important for all of us to know that bats can be carriers of rabies, so contact with them should always be avoided.

Our Digital Radiology System
See our Services page for more information on our new state-of-the-art digital radiology system.

Our Digital Dental Radiology System
See our Services page for more information on our new state-of-the-art digital dental radiology system.

Our Laser Surgery Unit
See our Hospital News page about our laser surgical unit, which will lessen the discomfort to pets undergoing surgery.