In the May open access episode of Chattering With iCatCare, Yaiza Gómez-Mejías is joined by feline specialist Nicki Reed to navigate the high-pressure world of feline medical emergencies. This episode focuses on the critical first seconds of triage and the stabilization of cats in respiratory and circulatory distress.

Together, they explore why the "piecemeal" exam is a vital tool for the dyspneic patient and how the latest RECOVER guidelines have updated our approach to feline CPR. Nicki highlights the specific ways cats differ from dogs in shock and explains how point-of-care tools can help you make life-saving decisions before a full workup begins.

For further reading material please visit:

Rational approach to feline medical emergencies: part 1

2024 RECOVER Guidelines

Note on Feline CPR: A quick clarification - while standard RECOVER guidelines recommend 2-minute cycles, the guest notes that the two-thumb encircling technique can be physically demanding. If you find your hands fatiguing after 1 minute, it is best to swap early to ensure high-quality, effective compressions are sustained

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speaker:

Nicki Reed, BVM&S CertVR CertSAM DipECVIM-CA DSAM(Feline) FRCVS, Internal Medicine & Feline Specialist

In the April open access episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, Kelly St Denis is joined by Dr Amanda Coleman and Dr Bianca Lourenço to explore feline comorbidities, focusing on the relationship between cardiovascular and kidney disease.

Together, they discuss the concept of the cardiorenal axis and the challenges of recognising and managing cases where these systems interact. The conversation highlights key considerations around diagnosis, treatment decisions, and balancing fluid therapy in complex patients.

For further reading material please visit:

Feline comorbidities: cardiovascular and kidney diseases

View The Transcript Here

Host:

Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), Co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and JFMS Open Reports & Guideline co-chair

Speaker:

Amanda Coleman, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), Professor at University of Georgia

Bianca Lourenço, DVM, MSc, PhD, DACVIM, Assistant Professor at University of Georgia

In the March open access episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, Yaiza Gómez-Mejías is joined by Dr Mark Lowrie to discuss his recent Clinical Spotlight Review in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery on epileptic seizures in cats.

Together, they explore how signalment, careful neurological examination, and thorough metabolic screening shape the diagnostic pathway. The conversation highlights common pitfalls - including interpreting postictal changes, differentiating seizures from syncope or paroxysmal dyskinesia, and deciding when advanced imaging is warranted - offering practical guidance to help clinicians approach seizuring cats with clarity and confidence.

For further reading material please visit:

Epileptic seizures in cats: practical approaches to diagnosis

View The Transcript Here

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speaker:

Mark Lowrie, MA, VetMB, MVM, DipECVN, MRCVS, Director at Movement Referrals and Specialist in Veterinary Neurology

In the February open access episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, Yaiza Gómez-Mejías is joined by Sandra Guillén to discuss her latest JFMS article entitled ’Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes in cats: a comparative clinical review.’

Together, they explore how certain feline skin presentations can act as early warning signs of internal disease, discussing key clinical patterns, diagnostic reasoning, and why these cases are so easy to miss. The conversation highlights practical take-home messages for recognising when a dermatological problem may be signalling something far more serious beneath the surface.

For further reading material please visit:

Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes in cats: a comparative clinical review.

View The Transcript Here

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speaker:

Sandra (Alexandra) Guillén, DVM DipECVIM-CA (Oncology) PGCert (VetEd) FHEA MRCVS, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Oncology

In the January episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, we explore two distinct but equally important areas of feline health: welfare research and clinical cardiology.

First, Sarah Ellis speaks with Morgane Van Belle, recipient of the iCatCare Welfare Research Award 2025, about her research into social behaviour in multi-cat households. They discuss why understanding and describing feline interactions matters, and how this work can support better welfare outcomes for cats living together.

Then, Kelly St. Denis is joined by Sonya Gordon to discuss the practical use of pimobendan in cats. Together, they explore key considerations around evidence-based decision making and how clinicians approach treatment choices in real-world practice.

For further reading material please visit:

Development of the Ethogram of Feline Social Interactions (EFSI) to study intraspecific interactions between cats in multicat households

Use of pimobendan in cats: a practical evidence-based review

View The Transcript Here

For iCatCare Veterinary Members, full recordings of each episode of the podcast are available for you to listen to at portal.icatcare.org. To become an iCatCare Veterinary Member, or find out more about our Cat Friendly schemes, visit icatcare.org

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speakers:

Sarah Ellis, BSc, PgDip, PhD, Head of Cat Mental Wellbeing and Behaviour at iCatCare, Feline Welfare Consultant, Educator and Writer

Morgane Van Belle, DVM, MVSc, PhD Student at Ghent University & ECAWBM Resident (AW Science, Law & Ethics)

Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), Co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and JFMS Open Reports & Guideline co-chair

Sonya Gordon, BSc, DVM, DVSc, Diplomate ACVIM, Professor at Texas A&M University

In the December episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, we focus on two essential areas of feline practice: oral and dental health, and parasite prevention.

Firstly, Kelly St. Denis and Heidi Lobprise, co-chairs of the new JFMS Oral Health and Dental Care Guidelines, explore key themes in clinical decision making and how best to support caregivers in maintaining good oral health for their cats.

Then, iCatCare’s Sam Taylor speaks with Ian Wright about risk-based parasite prevention, exploring how lifestyle and regional factors influence practical choices in everyday veterinary practice.

For further reading material please visit:

2025 FelineVMA feline oral health and dental care guidelines

The European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites

View The Transcript Here

For iCatCare Veterinary Members, full recordings of each episode of the podcast are available for you to listen to at portal.icatcare.org. To become an iCatCare Veterinary Member, or find out more about our Cat Friendly schemes, visit icatcare.org

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speakers:

Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), Co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and JFMS Open Reports & Guideline co-chair

Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, Veterinary Dentistry Specialist & Guideline co-chair

Sam Taylor, BVetMed(Hons) CertSAM DipECVIM FRCV, Veterinary Specialist Consultant and Veterinary Specialist Lead at iCatCare

Ian Wright, BVMS BSc MSc MRCVS, The European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) Chairman & Director

In the November episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, we explore two sides of feline health: global strategy and practical clinical decision making.

First, Severine Tasker reflects on her first few months as iCatCare’s Veterinary Strategic Lead. She talks about what drew her to the role, the international challenges shaping feline welfare, and why understanding context and caregiver realities can change the way we help cats.

Then, Sam Taylor joins us to discuss the newly released iCatCare Diabetes Guidelines. We explore what has shifted since the previous update, how new treatments and monitoring tools are influencing practice, and the considerations that matter most when supporting diabetic cats and their caregivers.

For further reading material please visit:

iCatCare 2025 consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus in cats

View The Transcript Here

For iCatCare Veterinary Members, full recordings of each episode of the podcast are available for you to listen to at portal.icatcare.org. To become an iCatCare Veterinary Member, or find out more about our Cat Friendly schemes, visit icatcare.org

Host:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Speakers:

Severine Tasker, BSc BVSc(Hons) PhD DSAM DipECVIM-CA FHEA FRCVS, Veterinary Strategic Lead at International Cat Care

Sam Taylor, BVetMed(Hons) CertSAM DipECVIM FRCV, Veterinary Specialist Consultant and Veterinary Specialist Lead at iCatCare

In this special episode of Chattering With International Cat Care, sponsored by Orion Animal Health, iCatCare’s Yaiza Gómez Mejías and Laura Watson are joined by Dr Sarah Heath to explore the clinical relevance of emotional health in feline practice.

Drawing on decades of experience, Dr Heath outlines the principles of the Heath Model - a framework that integrates emotional, cognitive, and physical health as core components of veterinary care. Using accessible tools she offers practical ways to identify emotional bias and arousal in cats, even within time-limited consults. The conversation moves from subtle behavioural cues and their diagnostic value, to the role of veterinary nurses in emotional assessments and client communication.

Rather than treating behaviour as an afterthought, this episode challenges practitioners to recognise behavioural medicine as a veterinary discipline in its own right - essential not only for accurate diagnosis and treatment, but for improving clinical outcomes, reducing repeat visits, and supporting long-term feline welfare.

For further reading material please visit:

Environment and Feline Health: At Home and in the Clinic

Understanding Feline emotions... and their role in problem behaviours

A new model and terminology for understanding feline emotions

Letter to companies who use brachycephalic cats and other breeds with extreme conformation

View The Transcript Here

Hosts:

Yaiza Gómez-Mejías, LdaVet MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), RCVS CertAP (Feline Medicine), iCatCare Veterinary Community Co-ordinator

Laura Watson, RVN ISFM AdvCertFB & DipFN, iCatCare Cat Welfare Coordinator

Speaker:
Sarah Heath, BVSc PgCertVE DipECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS, RCVS Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine & EBVS ® European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine