Powell Veterinary Clinic

10/14/2025

Five Items for a Secure Environment for Your Cat

Food – Provide your cat with predictable meal times. If you have multiple cats, make sure you have individual food bowls for each cat in your household.

Water – Cats need clean, fresh water. Use a location that is appealing to your cat.

Toilet – Provide a convenient, clean, and private litter box for your kitty, and be sure to scoop it at least once daily. As a general rule of thumb, the number of litter boxes should be one more than the number of cats in your household. Many cats prefer a larger litter box that is one and a half times the length of their body, and at least one and a half inches deep.

Safe Place to Sleep – Soft bedding, along with familiar smells and sounds, provides security for your cat. Some cats also like to be provided with soft, cozy places to hide.

Familiar Territory and Elevated Spaces – Face-rubbing and scratching surfaces leaves your cat’s scent and marks the territory with a personal touch. Be sure to supply plenty of scratching posts to encourage appropriate scratching. Access to an elevated area increases the cat’s vertical space and allows him/her to monitor their environment.

Meeting your cat’s environmental needs can help to avoid stressors that could initiate unwanted behavioral or medical consequences.

10/12/2025

This , we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing veterinary technicians at Powell Vet Center- Westmoreland. 💚 We're grateful for all you do to nurture, support, and provide exceptional care to pets and clients.

10/11/2025

Cats are highly intelligent, naturally curious, and active animals. Many cats who live only indoors may not have all their needs met, but we have some tips to help your cat feel happy and secure in your home environment.

Pillar 1 – Every cat needs a safe and secure place where they can retreat to and feel protected, or that can be used as a resting area. Your cat should be able to enter and exit from this space from at least two sides if they feels threatened. Most cats prefer the safe space to be big enough to only fit themselves, have sides around it, and be raised off the ground.

Pillar 2 – Key resources for each cat in your household include food, water, toileting areas, scratching areas, play areas, and resting or sleeping areas. Each of these resources or areas should be separated from the other so every cat has free access without being challenged by other cats or other potential threats.

Pillar 3 – Play and predatory behaviors allow cats to fulfill their natural need to hunt. Play can be motivated with the use of interactive toys that mimic prey. Cats need to be able to capture the “prey”, at least occasionally, to prevent frustration. Using food puzzles or food balls can mimic the action of hunting for prey, and provides more natural eating behavior.

Pillar 4 –cat Social Interaction – Each cat has individual preferences which will determine how much they like human interactions such as petting, grooming, being played with or talked to, being picked up, and sitting or lying on a person’s lap.

Pillar 5 – Unlike humans, cats use their sense of smell to evaluate their surroundings. Cats mark their scent by rubbing their face and body, which leaves natural pheromones to establish boundaries within which they feel safe and secure. Avoid cleaning their scent off these areas. Some smells can be threatening to cats (i.e., unfamiliar animals, or scented products or cleaners) which may lead to problematic behaviors such as urinating outside of the litter box or scratching in undesirable areas.

10/10/2025

Happy World Mental Health Day! Pets have been proven to be good for your health. Want to learn more? Visit The Pet Effect program by HABRI (human animal bond research institute) to see all the ways pets keep us healthy and happy.

10/08/2025

Sometimes our pet friends get ear itchies. Here's what to look out for! If you start seeing any of these signs, it's time to give us a call.

10/07/2025

Pet Wellness Month is an annual observance in October that aims to promote the health and well-being of pets. It is a time for pet owners to focus on preventive care, ensure their animals receive regular veterinary checkups, and learn about ways to keep their furry friends healthy and happy.

It is an excellent time to provide our pets with the extra attention they require. Most of us have adopted them as members of our family, and it is only natural that we treat them as we would our blood relatives. So, this month, pamper your pet and show them how much you adore them.

10/06/2025

Pet obesity significantly reduces their quality of life and lifespan, increasing their risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, heart and lung diseases, arthritis, and various cancers. Obesity causes pain and mobility issues, makes pets less active, and can lead to other severe complications such as high blood pressure, liver disease, and increased risk of heat stroke.

If you have concerns about your pets' weight, give us a call at 971-279-2681 to schedule an appointment.

10/04/2025

World Animal Day, celebrated annually on October 4th, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness for animal welfare and promoting efforts to improve animal lives worldwide. The date coincides with the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, and is observed with events like animal blessings, shelter open days, and efforts to advocate for better animal protection policies and cruelty-free choices.

What are you doing to celebrate today?

10/03/2025

October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month

This month highlights ongoing safety, responsible pet ownership, and ethical treatment.

Home Safety: Pet-proof your home by securing toxic substances, such as cleaning supplies and certain foods (like chocolate and grapes).

Health and Prevention: Schedule regular veterinary check-ups and keep vaccinations current.

Identification: Ensure pets have proper identification, including collars and microchips, to increase the chances of reunification if they get lost.

Socialization and Training: Properly training and socializing your pet can help them navigate various situations safely and comfortably.

Ethical Treatment: This month also serves to educate people about the ethical and kind treatment of all animals, both domestic and wild.

10/02/2025

Interested in homemade dog treats? Check out this fall-themed recipe from our friends at MetLife Pet Insurance:

1. Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe
Ingredients:

● 2 eggs
● 1/2 c. organic canned pumpkin
● 2 tbsp. powdered milk
● 1/4 tsp. sea salt
● 1 tsp. dried parsley leaves
● 2 1/2 c. rice flour

● Preheat oven to 350ºF

Directions:

● Whisk together the eggs and pumpkin puree until smooth. Stir in powdered milk, salt, and parsley until well combined. Add rice flour a little at a time until you have a firm, dry dough. (Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour until the dough gets too tough, then you can switch to kneading with your hands.)

● Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, and use a dog bone cookie cutter (or any other cute but smallish cutter) to cut out shapes, and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Pop them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

● Flip over the biscuits, and bake for another 10–15 minutes until baked through and turning golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before feeding to your pup.

Not only will this recipe yield about 3–4 dozen treats for you to store away to teach your dog some new tricks, but it will also help alleviate doggy breath! Now you can get rewarded for your pet-approved baking skills with some doggy kisses.

09/30/2025

09/28/2025

In observance of , here are our top 4 Rabies safety tips:

1. Keep your pet up to date with Rabies vaccines. The law varies by location, so ask your veterinarian.

2. If you see an animal known to carry Rabies acting abnormally or in contact with your pet, call animal control immediately. Do not handle the wild animal or risk getting bitten yourself.

3. If you or your pet has been exposed, contact your personal health care provider and your veterinarian immediately. Time is critical after exposure to prevent infection and death!

4. Bats are the leading cause of human rabies death in the United States, being responsible for more than 7 out of 10 fatal US rabies cases. Never handle bats or other wild animals as exposure can occur even if bites or scratches aren't visible. If you encounter a bat in your home, yard, or other area that would expose humans or pets, please call your local animal control and report the incident.

Learn more about how to safeguard yourself and your pets from this fatal disease on our website:

Learn about the reality, history, and prevention of rabies in your pet to keep them safe!