The Companion Magazine Logo
Summer 2024

Celebrating our feline friends

Forget the dog days of summer—let’s give it up for cats!
Picture of By Nationwide
By Nationwide

The dog days of summer are all well and good—but what about our feline friends? Between “Adopt a Shelter Cat Month” and “Hug Your Cat Day,” there is no shortage of opportunities to celebrate our feline friends during the summer. The hotter months are also an excellent opportunity to curl up next to a fan and enhance your knowledge about cat care, ensuring they stay happy and healthy.

Even seasoned cat dads and moms may find their feline friends to be a little mysterious. Part of that is due to their personality—while dogs often require regular training, walking and grooming, cats tend to be lower maintenance pets. Also, cats tend to mask symptoms when they don't feel well—and for this reason, knowing what to look out for is super important.

Whether you're an established cat parent or considering adopting your first feline companion, Nationwide® offers a valuable resource for pet owners: the Nationwide Pet HealthZone®. This free online platform features detailed profiles of 11 popular cat breeds and over 100 dog breeds, making it a valuable guide for pet owners.

Your destination for cat knowledge

The Pet HealthZone provides in-depth information on various cat breeds, including favorites like Ragdolls, Persians and Bengals. Each breed profile highlights their distinct characteristics, temperaments and healthcare needs at different life stages, helping prospective cat parents choose a breed that fits their lifestyle.

Authored by veterinarians and breed experts, this resource is reliable and informative, catering to both new and experienced cat owners. What truly sets the Pet HealthZone apart is its data-driven approach, using claims data from nearly half a million cats protected by Nationwide pet insurance to offer insightful health information.

Learn more about common cat health issues

When a cat is experiencing health issues, the signs can be subtle—such as coughing or open-mouth breathing, which could signal heart disease. Other times, illness may manifest in seemingly unrelated, unexpected symptoms like increased hyperactivity. A veterinarian who now works for Nationwide once treated a cat named Buzz, whose only symptom was licking all the fur off his elbows. Turns out, Buzz was trying to soothe his sore joints—he had arthritis.

A review of common cat health concerns can give you an idea of what to watch out for as a cat parent. You can explore these conditions in more depth on the Pet HealthZone with dedicated pages that detail warning signs, what to expect at the vet's office and prevention tips. Be sure to check out the five most common feline claims Nationwide received:

The Pet HealthZone offers pet families information beyond just breed health, including:

  • Grooming tips, including when you should be concerned about your cat’s coat
  • Enrichment ideas to keep cats happy and active indoors
  • Ways to encourage appropriate scratching behaviors
  • Best practices for litter box selection and placement

The summer months offer a great opportunity to lay out at the beach while learning how to keep your pet happy and healthy. The Pet HealthZone is your one-stop destination to do just that! See for yourself at thepethealthzone.com.
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Add-a-pet

Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet. 

Enroll a new pet
Research data

Check out some of our other posts!

Our 2024 holiday pet gift guide

We dug around and found the best of the best that the holiday season has to offer, ...

Meet our #WiggleweenContest winners

This year, we invited Instagram users to get into the “spirit” of the season by posting a ...

Pets and bows: A festive holiday look

The holidays are is the perfect time to try out a new festive look! Here’s how to make a ...

Delicious or dangerous?

The holidays have everyone munching, but what if your pet gets into something you're not ...