Cats are delightful, intelligent, and charming furry creatures with so much to appreciate about them. Our goal as pet owners is to keep their welfare so they may remain content and healthy. After all, we too flourish when our kitties do! Although there are many facets of cat care, we focused on eight key strategies to support the heath of your best friend between doctor appointments.
1 Providing food for a cat
Selecting a premium cat food guarantees your pet a balanced diet with the highest vitamins. Your veterinarian should be contacted to ascertain the best course of action since the nutritional needs of your cat depend on their age, health, and degree of activity. Remember that the ASPCA recommends treats to fit just 5 to 10 percent of your cat’s diet.
To keep your cat hydrated, also make sure to daily top its water bowl. Preventive Vet. states generally that cats require between 3.5 and 4.5 ounces of water per five pounds of body weight per day.
2 Selecting Cat Supplements
Usually, a balanced diet catered to the age and lifestyle of your cat offers most important nutrients. Nonetheless, supplements can help your cat in some areas of its well-being, particularly those where additional assistance is usually required, such as digestive or urinary tract health. Every animal buddy has different demands, hence it is advisable to see your veterinarian before adding supplements.
For example, whereas cat multi-vitamins improve general health, supplements include cranberry extract may help to keep a urinary system healthy. L-lysine supplements can assist to maintain upper respiratory health. Pre- and probiotic supplements might also help to preserve gut integrity and control immune system responses.
3 Maintaining Dental Hygiene
Cats acquire plaque and tartar on their teeth, much as people do. Establishing a dental schedule will therefore help to maintain their healthy smiles! Apart from curing foul breath, consistent dental treatment helps avert future issues including periodontal disease, claims PetMD.
Use a cat toothbrush—which is especially made with an angled head that’s easier to move in your kitty’s small mouth—and a cat toothpaste to guarantee the components are safe for felines when cleaning your furry friend’s teeth.
The VCA advises daily brushing of your cat’s teeth; if that is not possible, try to aim at minimum three times a week. Your physician might also be contacted regarding a professional teeth cleaning for extra maintenance.
4 Cat Grooming
Although cats are really good at self-grooming, pet owners should also actively assist their animal companions. Apart from keeping your cat’s cleanliness and health, frequent grooming improves the relationship between you and your friend.
Eliminating loose hair and encouraging a shiny, healthy coat depend on regular brushing. This grooming schedule also helps you become familiar with the body of your cat so you may spot any possible problems early on and see a veterinarian.
While most cats do not need regular baths, occasionally bathing becomes essential when they become dirty or muddy or if they have a skin disease needing particular care. Using a cat-specific shampoo guarantees that their sensitive skin and coat are softly washed without aggravating them.
Apart from lowering the chance of unpleasant broken claws, cutting your cat’s nails every few weeks helps prevent them from being too sharp and causing inadvertent scratches.
Including these grooming habits into your schedule not only keeps your cat comfortable and healthy but also strengthens your relationship of trust and camaraderie with your beloved pet.Interesting Here: Cat Care 101: 8 Tips for A Happy and Healthy Kitty.
5 Managing Cat Hairballs
You most likely know all too well from being a cat parent discovering hairballs all about your house. But why are hairballs a feature of cats? During self-grooming, kitties’ rough projecting tongues grab and consume stray hair. While most of this hair is passed, a cat hairball forms out of the rest. According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, cats naturally and normally create a hairball every week or two.
If you believe a hairball obstruction exists, however, be sure to see the veterinarian since hairballs can be dangerous if they get caught in the esophagus or intestinal tract.
Give regular grooming sessions top priority if you have a cat prone to too frequent hairballs. Frequent brushing of your feline buddy helps to minimize loose hair on their coat, so lowering the hair intake during self-grooming sessions. To encourage a good coat and reduce hairball formation, also think about including a specific cat food recipe or a cat hairball treatment into their diet.
6 Presenting a Scratch Post
Cats naturally scratch for several purposes that are vital for their survival. It helps them to shed old claw layers thereby exposing new, sleek claws and stretch and strengthen their muscles. By naturally filing down a cat’s nails, scratching also helps to keep a good length between cuts.
Furthermore, it lets cats identify their territories physically and by the scent left behind their paws, per The Humane Society of the United States.
Give your cat a scratching post with a textured surface like carpet, sisal, or cardboard to help them to scratch away from furniture. After waking from a slumber, furry pals sometimes scratch; they sometimes have bursts of activity, also known as the zoomies, or when they get excited, say during meal times.
Consequently, arrange the scratching post in easily reachable places where your cat is most likely to scratch, like next to their preferred sleeping place or next to the kitchen. This helps them to satisfy their natural inclination for scratching in the right way and protect your furniture.
7 Offering a Litter Box
Although most cats use a litter box instinctively, you could potentially have to teach your cat to do so. If you have multiple levels in your house, there should be one litter box on each level; the box should be in a peaceful, comfortable, and handy spot.
Make sure multi-cat homes have at least one litter box for every cat plus one additional. For example, if you have two cats, three litter boxes come out overall.
Scoop and discard daily clumps to stay current with litter box upkeep. Especially since cats frequently avoid a stinky or unclean litter box, regular waste disposal will help keep your home environment cleaner and offer a more appealing place for your furry pet. Using a clumping kitty litter is therefore really essential! Scoopering and keeping a litter box tidy is easier the tighter the clump is.
8 Spaying or Neutering a Cat
The ASPCA advises male cats should be neutered and female cats should be spayed by around five months of age. Female cat spaying helps stop ovarian cancer and uterine infections among other reproductive disorders. By helping to avoid testicular cancer and prostate problems, neutering male cats can Fixing your cat is also crucial if you want your male cat to roam but you wish for your female cat to not enter heat or procreate.
Living Rich Life with Your Cat
Apart from implementing these eight basic guidelines for cat care, see your veterinarian with any other concerns about the health of your cat and always bring your cat companion for their annual visit. Here’s to producing plenty of happy memories for years to come and rearing a lively fur friend!
Eight Strategies for Maintaining the Contentment and Health of Your Cat
Not only are cats charming, intelligent, and beautiful; they are also beloved members of our homes that bring countless happy times into our life. It is our duty as committed pet owners to give their well-being top priority so that they remain happy and in best shape. After all, our own happiness and fulfillment is closely entwined with the flourishing of our dear feline friends.
Although there are many aspects of cat care, we have carefully chosen eight key techniques to improve the health of your beloved friend in between veterinary visits.
Cats 101: Essential Health & Care Advice on Maintaining Your Cat’s Wellness
A content cat is a healthy cat! Observing National Cat Health Month, we are offering some ideas for maintaining the health of your cat family members. Here are 10 tips to keep your cat healthy regardless of your friend’s age—that of a seasoned senior cat or a lively kitten.
One should routinely groom their cat.
You might be thinking, “But don’t cats groom themselves?” Although cats are naturally clean, some additional assistance from you will allow their health and hygiene to reach new heights! Regular brushing helps short-, medium-, and long-haired as well as cats.
This helps the coat shed less by removing loose hair, so avoiding hairballs. Apart from the obvious advantages, consistent grooming can be a great approach to establish close relationship with your cat!
2. Have fresh water available around-the-clock.
Like it is for us, our kitties’ health depends on getting adequate water. By helping to prevent common cat health concerns including urinary tract infections and renal illness, proper hydration helps keep your cat comfortable and happy. Many cats are finicky about the water they drink. Should you have ever seen your cat pawing at her water bowl or drinking from the sink, she most likely likes flowing water.
Cats naturally and commonly have this inclination! Using a pet fountain will help you inspire your cat to drink more and provide her the fresh, flowing water she likes.
3.Make sure your cat always has somewhere to use the toilet.
Should you own more than one litter box? Maybe! Usually speaking, you should have one for every cat in your house plus one more. Given two cats, then, you should ideally have three litter boxes. This means that should your cat refuse to feel like using her regular box for some reason, there is always an option accessible.
Regarding which, consider where you locate a litter box. Make sure your cat can always reach it and where she will feel at ease releasing her guard when nature calls.
4. Keep the litter box spotless.
Nobody finds a dirty bathroom appealing. If their litter box hasn’t been cleaned in some time, many cats will find another area to go—like the carpet or your pillow. Using a conventional litter box, attempt to scoop at least once daily and clean the whole box at least once every week.Join us to stay healthy and happy:Cat Care 101: 8 Tips for A Happy and Healthy Kitty.
If you’re not a lover of scooping poop (who is?) a self-cleaning litter box is a life-changer, saving you from the stench while providing your cat with the regularly clean litter box she deserves. See your veterinarian if you find your cat unexpectedly leaving the litter box, particularly in a clean litter box; occasionally this indicates medical problems.
5. Get your cat trained to utilize a scratching post.
For cats, scratching is a normal, vital activity that is also healthful. Sadly, in our homes, this good behavior might compromise our décor. Regular scratching on a suitable surface—such as carpet, sisal, or cardboard—helps your cat shed old layers from its claws.
This will not only assist your cat stretch her muscles and maintain her claws in great shape but also help prevent damage to your furnishings. It’s certainly worth the work even if introducing your cat to a scratching post or board could take some time. Your couch and cat will thank you.
6. Keep a cat carrier in the car.
Does your kitty have to see the veterinarian? Alternatively are you travelling with her on holiday? Always take your cat in the suitable pet carrier. Let your cat roam free in the car to divert your attention from driving responsibly and might cause mishaps endangering your cat as well as yourself.
7. Keep up a sensible weight and nutrition.
Cats can have health problems if they get overweight, much as people, dogs, and many other animals can. And food and exercise are the secrets to a good weight, exactly as they are for us. See your veterinarian to find out which food is ideal for your cat so you may keep a good diet for them.
Should your veterinarian advise a dry food (kibble) diet, think about using an automatic pet feeder to support regularity and quantity management. Cat toys are a great approach to keep your cat’s mind and body busy while exercising. Many cat toys satisfy your cat’s inner tiger by using her natural predator instincts, so maintaining her slim and trim as well as happiness.
8. Talk about spaying or neutering your cat.
Serious reproductive illnesses can strike male and female cats alike. While neutering helps avoid some prostate issues in men, spaying helps prevent uterine infections and ovarian malignancies in female cats and lowers their chance of mammary tumors. Neutering also lessens a male cat’s need to travel, therefore lowering his danger of becoming lost or harmed far from home.
Of course, spaying and neutering also helps cats everywhere by lowering the shelter homeless cat count. Though your veterinarian can help you determine what is best for your cat, generally a “fixed” pet is a happier, healthier pet.
9. Select a veterinarian friendly to cats.
Some doctors solely see feline patients, did you know? Cats are not miniature replicas of dogs, very obviously. Said another way, cats have different veterinary needs than dogs do.A veterinarian focused in feline health and behavior can greatly help you to keep your cat happy and healthy for a lifetime. See the American Association of Feline Practitioners to find a feline veterinarian close by.
10. Schedule regular veterinarian checkups.
You should still plan to at least once a year see the veterinarian even if your cat is healthy. Regular visits allow the veterinarian to immunize your cat, clean her teeth, and spot any possible medical issues in their early stages. Additionally informed by your veterinarian is whether your cat is in a healthy weight range. Naturally, you should also see your veterinarian if your cat seems ill or if you observe any changes in litter box use, activity, or food.
These pointers cover the fundamentals. Our full-time work is keeping our feline buddies safe, healthy, and happy. But we know it’s worth every bit of work to get the love our kitties offer back to us daily. Your cat will thank you for the care you provide with lifetime of companionship and delight.
