You know your cat has a drinking problem when he won't drink out of his water bowl unless there's an olive in it! Actually, cats who are party animals generally prefer beer, and beer swilling among cats may be so prevalent -- although rarely discussed -- that for many years, there's been a law on the books in Natchez, Mississippi, forbidding cats from drinking beer!
"There's evidence that some animals have the urge to be intoxicated. Humans are not the only ones," says Dr. Mike Richards, formerly the head of AOL's Pet Care Forum and now co-owner of Mathews Veterinary Services in Cobbs Creek, Virginia.
"I always thought if animals had access to alcohol, there would be a lot more problems than there are," says Richards.
Still, you don't find many cats going to the Betty Ford clinic for treatment -- although they might need it. Alcohol is harder on cats than it is on dogs or people. Felines are not good at breaking alcohol down, and even a moderate dose may start a cat vomiting; more could cause them to collapse or go into a coma.
So, if your cat starts begging for some beer, treat her like an underage drinker, tell her she's acting like a mad catter, and that the bar is closed.
From "277 Secrets Your Cat Wants You to Know" by Paulette Cooper and Paul Noble.
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