Your Cat's Health: Feline Care 101
Knowing how to keep your cat healthy can extend their life span by at least a few years. You can easily maintain the health of your cat at home by doing some simple things to make sure they are getting all that they need. Here are some cat health 101 tips to making sure your cat is healthy and stays that way.
Tip #1: Make sure they are getting proper nutrition
Just like our bodies need certain foods to survive and function normally, so does your cat. There are several different choices when it comes to providing your cat with the proper nutrition. There are both dry and wet foods that you can by at the store which will provide them with the vitamins, proteins, and minerals needed to supplement their diet. Make sure you know what you're looking for when you go to the store to by food though because some cat foods are higher in protein, some have more vitamins, etc. You know what your cat needs, so make sure you're buying the right kinds of food for them. Another part of nutrition is drinking. Cats should only drink water; milk is not considered a drink, it is considered part or all of a meal. If your cat seems thirsty then give them water. This will help flush the unwanted things out of their body and keep the good ones in.
Tip #2: Keep your cat well groomed
A well groomed cat is a happy cat. Grooming takes a lot of time and patience and requires more than just combing through their fur every other week. Here are some things that you can do to keep your cat well groomed:
· Take time every day to brush through your cat's fur. This will help get rid of dry skin and keep their fur from getting too matted and knotted. This also gives you a good chance to look for sores or fleas under your cat's fur.
· Check their eyes and ears. Your cat's eyes should be free of discharge or mucus. It can be gently cleaned away with warm water or saline solution. You can check the ears for wax buildup, foul smelling discharge, or dirty flakes. Don't every put anything into your cat's ears; use a cotton ball or swab.
· Trim the claws. Many people believe the only way to deal with scratching cats is to have them declawed. This can be an extremely painful procedure for your cat and takes a long time for them to recover. You can simply trim the claws yourself and buy them a scratching post.
· Check your cat's teeth and smell their breath. You can check for health problems by smelling their breath and looking at their teeth. If there is a strong odor, plaque buildup or any broken teeth they need to be taken care of immediately. You can remove plaque yourself by using a soft toothbrush and brushing your cat's teeth.
Tip #3: Schedule regular check ups and vaccinations
Keeping your cat healthy means that you have to be responsible about getting them in to see the vet on a regular basis, even if they're not sick. Scheduling regular check ups and keeping up on their vaccinations are preventative measures to keeping them healthy.
Tip #4: Have your cat spayed or neutered
This can be a controversial subject for some cat owners, however unless you are planning on breeding your cat getting them spayed or neutered is really in their best interest as well as your own. Talk to your vet for more information.
Well, there you have it, some tips for cat health 101. Keeping your cat healthy is your job so take some time each day and check up on them just to make sure everything is in tip top shape.
Meet gLitter