Josh Mosley
A Guide to a Health
Happy Cat
There are
many reasons that people get cats, but one that is frequently included in the
bunch is the ease and convenience of cats.
Cats do require less maintenance than most other pets, but they are not
maintenance free like it seems some people believe. There are many different things that people
forget or don’t even realize that are very important to not only the physical
needs of the cat but also the emotional needs as well. There are several things you can do every day
to help extend and expand the life of your cat.
First, is
the same way that most of us begin our morning; it starts with food. Obviously just like with people the quality
and the quantity of food given to the cat is very important. In recent months the media and pet food
stores have tried to raise awareness of the importance of a balanced and
substitute free diet. So it is important
to give them a quality cat food portioned to the size and weight of your cat,
most often specified on the bag. It has
also been discussed that it also important to add wet or canned food to their
diet. There are several benefits to the
addition of canned food one is the extra moisture in the diet. Wild prey that cats would eat is nearly 75%
water and this is how they would get most of their moisture. With just dry food they are missing out on a
huge source of moisture intake. This
higher moister content is also vital for older cats or cats with kidney
problems, because it dilutes the urine and can alleviate the frequency of many symptoms. Canned food also has more protein than dry
food and which is great for the development of younger cats and kittens.
The next and equally important part
is water. Cats are also very susceptible
to urinary infection diseases which in most cases ends in a very expensive trip
to the vet, or in some cases can lead to major infections and death. The easiest and most effective way to combat
that is lots of fresh water. Cats like
moving water, there are several reasons that this is believed. One is that cats instinctually think that
moving water is safer than still water, and another is that cats cannot see
very well directly in front of them and sometimes can not judge the depth of a
bowl very well. Most vets will also
encourage the use of a pet water fountain to encourage them to drink plenty of
water and not just enough, like they might do with a bowl. A fountain is also usually equipped with some
sort of carbon based filter that provides healthier cleaner water to the
cats.
The third
thing that you can do is to help your cat maintain its hygiene. Most people think that since their cat is
always cleaning itself that the cat is clean and doesn’t need much else. This assumption is not always correct, cats
do a very good job cleaning themselves, but they need some help with other
things. The first thing neglected with
not only cats but most pets is brushing there teeth. Proper dental hygiene is
just as important to animals as it is for people. This is one of the major advantages of dry
food, but it can not be used instead of brushing. Also, you should trim the nails of the
cats. Although this may seem like a
dangerous mission, it is very important.
Nails that are not trimmed can get extremely sharp and be dangerous to
the cat or other cats around them, and also to their owners and their
processions. One other thing that people
forget, is to brush your cat regularly this will help promote healthy skin
growth and also prevent hairballs. It is
also important to clean inside the cats ears, if this is neglected it could
lead to infection.
Another
thing that a cat needs is stimulation.
Lots of people get a cat, because they are much easier to leave during
the day if you work long hours. This is
a definite advantage to cats, and is very possible with the proper
accommodations. Some cats behavioral
experts say that you need to create different “play stations” around your
house. If you have a cat you notice when
they play it involves lots of running, darting, and jumping. The spots idea
uses this so they can dart form place to place.
Having different spots for them to go to makes it more fun for them and
also promotes more movement and exercise.
It is also encouraged to have places for the cats to lay and look
outside. Most cats raised indoors don’t
have much of a desire to go and stay outside, but giving them to opportunity to
watch outside or be in a screened in porch will be beneficial to them. Another very important toy that must be included
in this list is a scratching post. Cats
have a need to scratch, it helps them file and keep nails healthy, it can also
be a way of marking territory or showing dominance.
Lastly, it
is very important to remember to just let your cat be a cat. Sometimes cats do weird things and make the
most peculiar noises that don’t make sense to us, but that’s just what cats
do. Since most cats spend most of their
lives inside it is important to be conscious of all these things so that you
can help promote the most balanced life possible for your cat. A healthy cat
makes a happy cat, and that is what we all want. Cats are more sensitive then some people
think, but with some easy daily steps you can make all the difference in their
quality of life.
