What can you do to help your cat live a long and happy life?
Many things to help your cat stay happy and healthy are things you can do yourself, right at home. First and foremost, monitor your cat, be aware of subtle changes in their daily routine. For example if your cat is an active cat by running, jumping and playing for part of the day and he or she suddenly stops playing and is no longer active; it may be time for a visit to your local veterinarian.
Watch for subtle changes in their litter box habits. If you cat stops urinating, this is a medical emergency requiring immediately medical attention. If a cat stops pooping or develops diarrhea, this is also may develop into a medical emergency in a short time as a cat can get dehydrated quickly by having diarrhea. Watch for changes in sleep patterns, change in coat, excessive eating or drinking, or the lack of eating and drinking, excessive or lack of grooming, eye color changes and attitude changes are good indicators that your cat or kitten may need to see a veterinarian.
Some things you can do at home to help your cat live a long, happy and healthy life are to groom your cat regularly. Regular grooming will help remove dead hair and in turn decrease the amount of hair your cat will ingest when grooming themselves.
Oral hygiene plays a big factor in a cats overall health. Their mouth can harbor bacteria which in turn can promote tooth decay, gum disease and teeth loss. If you have ever had to pay for a dental exam, teeth cleaning or tooth extractions on cat, you know it is an expensive visit. Prevention is worth its weight in gold as far as tooth care in a cat. If you cat will tolerate it, brush their teeth daily. This habit is much easier if you start your brushing your cats teeth when they are a kitten, it will be less stressful on both of you.
Annual examinations by a licensed veterinarian will help detect health issues. Your veterinarian will weigh your cat or kitten and compare their weight to their last visit. Most veterinarians will recommend an annual blood test. Blood tests are a great way to see if organs are functioning properly, for example a blood test will give you an idea of their overall health, including thyroid function, blood sugar levels, as well as kidney and liver functions.
Keeping your cat active can be done by simply promoting daily activity with play sessions. This can be done by playing with your cat. Some kitties love chasing a laser light, playing ball, chasing a mouse on a string, while others are more amused chasing the light from a flashlight down a dark hallway. Keeping your cat active is very important to their overall well being.
Proper nutrition is necessary to maintain to optimum health. Buying bargain or grocery store brands of cat and kitten foods may save a dollar or two at the store. However, the affect it will have on your cat and the medical expenses far outweigh the savings. A premium cat food will have higher levels of protein than junk or "bargain" cat foods. For example, a premium cat food will have less ash and magnesium which can wreak havoc on a cats overall health. Ash and magnesium are used as fillers in pet foods. Feeding a premium cat food will be better on the animals overall health, they will eat less since premium foods give higher nutrient levels, in turn leaving less waste in the litter box. Some vets may recommend a prescription diet. For example if a cat is prone to urinary tract issues, they may prescribe a veterinary diet that may help maintain the proper urinary Ph. Urine Ph is key in cats, if a urinary tract has a Ph that is too high or too low, it can cause problems such as crystals in their urine which is very, very painful.
Our recommendation to help keep your cat happy and healthy is to know your cat or kitten and most of all, know their habits. When in doubt, a trip to the veterinarian may be the best piece of mind and preventive measure you can do for your cat or kitten.
