Providence, R.I., veterinarian Lorie A. Huston, DVM, a blogger, author and president of the Cat Writers’ Association, died Tuesday from complications of liver failure. She was 54. Dr. Huston died at an Omaha, Neb., hospital. She had been visiting family members. Huston, who practiced at Hoffman Animal Hospital, “struggled with liver issues her entire life,” the Cat Writers’ Association reported on its website. “Earlier this year she had a close call,” the group added. “Despite her more frequent and severe hepatic bouts, she never sought a liver transplant because of the lifelong complications.” Born in Omaha, Huston earned her veterinary degree in 1986 from Iowa State University. She was the first veterinarian to receive Winn Feline Foundation’s Media Appreciation Award, an honor bestowed in May at the BlogPaws conference in Nevada. Her blog, Pet Health Care Gazette, covered cats, dogs, exotic pets, fish and horses. Her last post, from Aug. 31, focused on getting cats acclimated to carriers in the interest of getting them to veterinary appointments and turning the cage into a sanctuary. The author of “Labrador Retrievers: How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend,” Huston also owned and operated the websites Canine Health Care Corner and Feline Health Care Corner. Writing for CatWisdom101.com, Layla Morgan Wilde called Huston “modest, down to earth and self-effacing.” “There was something old school, even naive, about her desire to see the best in people and situations,” Wilde said. “Her eternal optimism and big heart propelled her to do good without ego or the flash of a celebrity vet or expert. Animals were her No. 1 love and their everyday hero.” Huston is survived by her parents, brother and six cats. Memorial contributions should be sent to the Nebraska Humane Society.
