Health Care
- Dental care
- Feeding your cat a high quality dry
food can help cut down on plaque and tartar build-up, but you still need to take your cat
to the veterinarian (or pet dental care specialist) for check ups. If necessary, your cat
may require cleanings and treatment for plaque removal (cats are usually under anesthesia
for such delicate and time-consuming procedures). Brushing your cat's teeth regularly at
home with a toothpaste made for cats (NEVER use human toothpaste: it could make kitty
sick!) can prevent serious oral health problems. If you start out brushing your cat's
teeth at a young age, she will hopefully learn to accept the somewhat unpleasant
activity... and make your job a whole lot easier!
- Ear cleaning
- Since dirt and debris seems to
collect primary in a cat's ears, it is important to check them at least once a week. If
your cat's ears need cleaning, use a piece of cotton or cotton swab moistened with
hydrogen peroxide. Be careful not to go deeper into the ear than what you can see and
never apply the peroxide directly into the ear. Consult your vet if you find deeply lodged
earwax or redness and black spots - which may be an indication of mites.
- Eye care
- It's a good idea to keep plenty of
clean cotton balls on hand and use a moistened one to remove
- any discharge from around the eye
area.
- Grooming
- Regular grooming is essential for
your cat's good health. A glossy, beautiful coat is a sign of your cat's overall health
and well-being. It not only helps your cat to look its best, it helps you avoid more
complicated problems like parasites and skin diseases. Most cats do a credible job of
keeping themselves clean, but they'll need your help when it comes to preventing
mattedhair and fur balls, and in detecting problems with their eyes or ears.
- Nail clipping
- The best way to get your cat used to
claw trimming is to start the routine as early as possible (be careful not to begin too
early, wait till your cat is old enough).Make sure you have a good hold on your cat before
starting the clipping. Press gently on the paw pad with your thumb and her claws will
automatically extend. Look underneath the claw to locate the "quick." This is
the pink area within the nail that contains the nerves and blood vessels which cause
bleeding if cut. Clip only the hooked part of the nail. Continue to repeat the process
with each claw (don't forget to clip the dew claws found only on the cat's front paws and
correspond to the human thumb) until finished.
- Nutrition
- Nutrition is just as important for
your cat as it is for you. Good nutrition gives your cat the opportunity to live a longer
and healthier life. You can choose between dry, canned and soft-moist foods. Each type can
provide complete and balanced nutrition. The major difference between these three products
is their moisture content. Dry foods have the lowest moisture content and help reduce
build-up of plaque and tartar on your cat's teeth. Dry foods are convenient to store and
serve. Soft-moist foods are higher in moisture and are generally more palatable than dry.
Soft-moist foods are also convenient to store and serve and require no refrigeration.
Canned foods have the highest moisture content. This means they deliver fewer nutrients
per pound and require a larger serving size. Canned foods are less convenient to serve;
once a can is opened, any unused food must be stored in the refrigerator. Finally, canned
foods are the most expensive type of product to feed. Cats have different nutrient needs
depending on a.o. their life stage. Various products are designed to meet these different
needs.
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