Bringing home your new cute kitten can be a very rewarding experience. Kittens are so cute and amazing that they can melt any heart. When it comes to raising your kitten right, you need to ensure you start on the right paw. The way you raise your kitten goes a long way to determine how healthy and happy the kitten will grow up to be. If you have a new kitten, you will need all the tips you can get to raise a healthy cat. In this post, we will look at some of the best ideas you can use to raise a healthy cat.
Make it A Habit To Brush Your Cat Daily
If you make it a habit to brush your cat with a cat glove daily, the risks of hairballs developing in the cat's digestive tract will be drastically reduced. The fact that your cat spends so much time on personal grooming does not rule out the importance of helping the cat remove any loose hairs. Getting your cat to warm up to these brushing sessions can be tricky. Experts recommend associating brushing your cat with a special silicon glove. For instance, you can brush your cat's hair before meals to enable the cat to look forward to these brushing sessions knowing they precede delicious treats and mealtimes.
Avoid Feeding Your Cat Dry Foods Often
It is never in the nature of cats to turn vegetarians, even for the shortest period. This is one great diet difference between cats and dogs. Cats rely solely on meats as the main foundation for their daily diets. Always ensure you feed your cat good meats at every meal. Feeding your cat with dry foods can expose your little pet to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Don't be tempted to use the same diets for your dogs and cats. Dogs can tolerate a high amount of carbohydrates, but cats do not have that ability.
Pay Close Attention to Your Pet's Thirst
Cats are not as thirst-driven as dogs. Cats derive most of their water needs from the food they eat. Cats' major food is the mouse, and studies have shown that a mouse contains about 70% water. Even the wet canned foods sold in vet shops are known to contain about 78% water, unlike dry cat foods that contain only about 5-10% water. This is why you will find your cat drinking more water when you feed her with dry foods. The quest for water is far more pronounced in nursing and elderly cats. Always make sure there are adequate water supplies for your cat if you want to raise a healthy and active cat. You can look out for some common symptoms of dehydration in the cat-like panting, lethargy, and sunken eyes.
Potty Train Your Cat as Soon As Possible
Getting your little cat to start using its litter all the time may be a bit frustrating at first. However, you can encourage the cat to build this healthy habit early by providing litter boxes for all the cats in your home. If you have two young cats, get two litter boxes and probably and an extra one. Also, cats feel uncomfortable using litters that are tucked away in a dark part of the garage or basement. They want to be sure they are not under any threats while excreting. Remember cats originated from wild species and have primitive safety instincts.
So, if you want to make sure your cat uses her litter often, place the litter where the cat can see all that is happening while the cat pees. You can also experiment with different designs and colors of litters to see if the cat will prefer using one of the litters more than the others. Keep the litter box clean always by scooping it daily. If your cat still refuses to use the litter box, after all these, you can visit your vet shop to have the cat examined for possible urinary tract infections.
Take Safety Precautions When Travelling With Your Pet
Your cat would probably want to travel unrestrained in the car, but never give in to the cats whining. Traveling with your cat unrestrained can distract you while you drive. Also, an unrestrained cat is exposed to higher risks during road accidents. It is never advisable to leave your cat in your car while it is parked. This is because a parked car easily heats up to make the cat so uncomfortable that the cat may die before you return to continue on your journey.
Make Sure Your Vet is Cat-Friendly
Not all vets are cat-friendly. Leaving your cat in a waiting room filled with unfriendly dogs can scare your pet and leave it depressed. It is a good practice to choose a vet who has a different waiting room for cats. If your favorite vet shop does not have enough accommodation to
separate the cats from the dogs, you can at least request to have your cat examined on time so the poor cat wouldn't have to endure the trauma of being in the same room with intimidating bigger canines.
Always Keep An Eye On The Kitten
Your kitten is curious and can easily get into trouble like getting caught between appliances and furniture. They also face the risks of falling into a big bowl, bucket or toilet. You should be the kitten's next line of defense until it learns some safety tricks.
Get Your Kitten Neutered or Spayed
If you want to raise a happy and healthy cat, make sure you fix the cat as early as possible. Fixed cats do not experience heat or get pregnant and won't spray urine or get into fights. Your vet will be in the best position to advise you on when to bring your kitten in for neutering.
Developing a close relationship with your kitten early helps the cat stay happy and healthy. Find time to play with the cat and watch it closely for signs of illness.
