Wellness

Essential Pet Care for Cats

4 min read
315 Views
Redazione

C ats are generally considered self-sufficient creatures, they have a natural hunting instinct and clean themselves regularly. Other than some essential pet care for cats, you won’t have to put in much effort. Regardless of that, once you bring a cat home, it is sensible to incorporate a care routine for your cat to make sure it feels comfortable and at home with you and your family.

Here are the basics of how to take care of your cat.

Food and Water

If you keep a cat, whether you have adopted a stray cat or one of a known breed like Persian, Siamese, etc, it is advisable to feed them yourself rather than let them hunt on their own. Of course, once a cat goes outside its instincts will cause it to hunt. However, to prevent sickness and ensure proper nutritional intake, get premium quality dry and wet cat food for your feline friend.

Cheap and lower quality brands contain plastics and harmful ingredients that will destroy your cat's gut health and are detrimental to their general well-being. Store-bought cat food is economical and convenient. If you want to avoid that and feed it organically, homemade food, you must remember to make a meal plan that incorporates all the necessary vitamins and minerals that a feline needs to grow healthily. Don’t feed milk and milk products to cats or kittens as they are lactose intolerant.

Ensure that your cat has clean, fresh water to drink at all times. If your cat refuses to drink water from a bowl, try getting it a small fountain as some felines enjoy drinking running water. If not, turn on the water tap a little and your cat will drink as much as it requires.

Shelter

Cats love exploring. But once they are tired, they need a warm, quiet place to doze off. In general, adult cats sleep an average of 14-15 hours a day. Kittens and elderly cats sleep around 20 hours a day. You may get a comfortable cat bed for your feline to doze off in. Cats are territorial and particular about where to rest, so once they know that their bed or crate is theirs and theirs only, they will start sleeping in them.

Vaccinations and Healthcare

When you bring your cat home for the first time, take it to a well reputable veterinary clinic for a general health assessment. They will hand you a vaccination card with a set schedule on when your cat needs to be vaccinated. Once you complete this schedule, keep up with the booster doses.

Other than this, if your cat behaves differently than how it usually does and shows symptoms of pain, fever, or infection such as an upset stomach, diarrhea, flu, or a cold, take it to the vet immediately. Purebred cats have a higher chance of developing health disorders and must be dealt with accordingly.

Litter Training

To prevent unpleasant odors and incidents all over your house, it is advisable to litter train your cats as soon as possible. Kittens are very easy to litter train. All you have to do is place their litter tray somewhere easily accessible and bring them to the litter tray after every meal or whenever they make a certain posture that indicates that they are about to pass excrement. Get an appropriately sized litter tray.

The amount of litter trays you must have in your house is the number of cats you have, plus one extra. Also, remember to keep the litter clean at all times to avoid odor. Cats dislike smelly litter boxes and will turn to urinate and defecate elsewhere if that’s the case. Different types of litters that you can use are bentonite litters, clay litters, and pellet litters.

Cleanliness

Cats are good at keeping themselves clean. They groom themselves regularly and don’t need to be given showers and baths. However, in the case of long-haired felines, them licking and grooming themselves may result in them ingesting large furballs that cause stomach and health problems. To prevent this, it is advisable to comb their hair with a cat hairbrush to get rid of the excess hair yourself. Trim out matted areas and bathe them once every month.

These tips on essential pet care for cats will assist you in raising a happy and healthy feline. As you spend more time together, you will learn things about your cat to customize your routine accordingly.