Cat Health Tips
February is National Cat Health Month. We know that you want your fur babies in your life for as long as possible, and we'd like to help you put your pets on the path to wellness. Here are a few ways to improve your cat's wellness:
1. Schedule Regular Veterinary Visits
It's all too easy to forego regular wellness exams because cats are very stoic and often appear healthy even when they could very well be hiding pain or illness. We recommend you do it biannually or annually vet visits to ensure that your kitty is healthy. Since cat's are masters at hiding sickness or injury, look out for these signs:
- Not eating as much.
- Not eating at all.
- Kitty is hiding from you (under the bed or in a dark spot.
- You cat is no longer grooming (licking) him/herself.
- Drinking more or less water because sometimes increased water consumption can indicate some underlying issue such as Feline diabetes, hypothyroid, kidney issues or other conditions.
3. Early Detection & Prevention Is Key
Early detection is critical and if your kitty isn't feeling well, it's important to detect what is wrong. This is also helpful as early detection can help you get ahead of an issue before it becomes severe.
Be aware of any changes in your cat's behavior or health issues. Vaccinations like rabies and distemper are important is that they help to prevent potentially fatal diseases that cats can catch. Your veterinarian can help get your kitty on a wellness plan.
4. Feline Dental Health
Like us, our mouth and teeth care is key to preventive care and, sadly, its significance is often overlooked. Regular brushing at home will go a long way in making this a more pleasant experience for your cat as they will get used to people touching this area ahead of the vet visit. Cats can keep their pain private and the harsh truth is that by the time the cat is 3-4 years old they will have developed a gingival disease or other dental diseases. Dental cleaning by a professional vet will help identify and issues and keep your kitty happy and healthy. Your vet may also suggest X-Rays which identify internal issues such as:
- Mouth Sores and Ulcers
- Tooth Loss or Teeth that need to be Extracted
- Gingivitis
- Malocclusion
- Periodontal Disease
- Gum Disease
5. Cat Nutrition
Choose the best food your can afford to give your kitty. Some cats need to be on special vet diets (for diabetes, renal issues, etc.). Low quality, high carbohydrate and fat diets are not good for your cat. Feline obesity is becoming more common, so developing and sticking to a good nutritional and exercise (play) plan from the time they're a kitten through their senior years is essential to good health. Most vets recommend high-quality canned food that's well balanced combined with a small amount of quality kibble. Free-feeding (where food is left out for the cat to graze on) is generally frowned upon because cats don't have a lot of restraint in this regard and will eat until they get sick.