As you create a loving home for you new tabby, you will need some basic tips in house cat care to keep your new friend happy and healthy. House cats that are fed the correct type of foods will typically live longer and have a healthier life. As a cat owner, you need to be careful of what is feed to your cat to try to prevent bad eating habits early on. If you provide a routine for your cat's feeding time, your feline friend will remain healthy and happy.
One myth to be aware of when feeding you cat is that cow's milk is good for cats. Quite the opposite, cow's milk can cause digestive upset leading to diarrhea. The only liquid your cat needs is fresh, clean water. As a your cat gets older, its digestive system is affected and will requires several small, easily digested meals throughout the day instead of two main meals that is recommended for younger cats.. Beginning around 7 years old your cat will need food made up of easily digested protein. You can find a variety of tinned food, semi-moist pellets, dry food that will provide the necessary dietary needs for older cats. If in doubt, you can ask your vet for suggestions. Remember to clear away or refrigerate uneaten tinned food before it becomes stale or fly-blown since this will cause digestive upsets if your cat eats it. If your cat seems to be handling ordinary cat food well, is not overweight or on prescription food, then you won't need to buy the more expensive specialized cat food for older cats. Feeding dry food versus tinned food is up to you and your cat. If the cat is older and has teeth issues, the moist variety will be more comfortable for him/her to eat. Otherwise, it will be up to what works for you and your cat. Like humans, cats may begin becoming overweight or constipated if there is not enough roughage in their diet. Older cats often become have bowels that have become slow needing a more bulk to keep things moving smoothly. You can add one or two teaspoons of bran, porridge oats, canned pumpkin, cooked rice, cooked pasta or cooked mashed potato into the moist food to add roughage. it.
Grooming a cat may sound silly since cats are known to groom themselves regularly. However, long hair cats may not be able to groom all of that hair on their own resulting in nasty mats that can become dirty and painful if left too long. Short hair cats can get mats too, but it is less likely since the shorter coat requires lower maintenance. Cats have a built in comb by using their tongue and teeth for grooming their coats. The problem lies in the fact that every time Tabby starts bathing herself, she swallows hair. Longer haired cats will obviously swallow more hair during grooming sessions, but all cats will swallow some of the loose hair that they remove. Unfortunately, hair does not digest. This hair can clump up in the stomach and/or intestines creating hairballs. The best case scenario is the cat coughing them up. Often, they will create quite a mess leaving you to clean it up. The worst case scenario of hairball is that it can block your cat's intestinal tract. In this situation an operation to remove the hairball is necessary to save the cat's life. By helping with a comb or brush, you can reduce the amount of hair the cat swallows during their grooming sessions. By keeping up with basic house cat care and regular vet visits for vaccinations, you will be able to enjoy a long and happy relationship with you beloved pet.
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