Keeping your cat happy and healthy starts with simple steps, pet owners can integrate into their routine right away. To help your cat live its best life, it is important to know what it takes to keep her in good health. Wild cats usually stay healthy throughout their life as they stay in the jungles close to nature.
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However, domestic cats live in a human environment that is unnatural which leads to health problems sooner or later. Therefore, cat owners need to pay attention to their cat’s health to enable them to live a healthy life. Whether your pet is a playful kitten or an adult cat, you can use these tips to keep your feline friend healthy.
Assign a dedicated space
Cats also require a private area like humans. Even if you don’t have an entire room to dedicate to them, try to offer your cat a personal space in your house, complete with food, water, a scratching post, a bed, and a litter box.
Maintain a sizable litter box in a peaceful, well-lit area of your house. Your cat may not use the box if the location is too noisy or dark, such as a cellar. Additionally, keep a separate space for a cat’s food and water. Cats prefer not to eat in the same area as their restroom breaks.
Create a feeding routine
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When it comes to feeding your feline companion, it is always good to establish a feeding schedule, typically consisting of two meals per day, with a gap of 8 to 12 hours between them. Your pet’s daily dietary requirements can be recommended by your veterinarian, who takes into consideration their physical stature and level of activity.
Cats usually beg to eat from your plate when you have your meals. However, the foods we consume are usually bad for cats. Foods like onions, raisins, nuts, and mils are hard to digest for cats and can make them sick. Always ensure that you offer them the foods recommended by your veterinarian to keep them in good health.
Don’t feed too much dry food
Cats are carnivores, which means they rely on meat and non-vegetarian food as the foundation of their diet. Unlike dogs, cats’ bodies demand meat as the main part of their diet. Cat owners should ensure that the primary meal of the day for their cats should always be meat.
Feeding too much dry food to cats makes them consume high amounts of carbohydrates that are unhealthy for them. Consider offering your cat wet food as a part of its diet to ensure proper hydration in its body.
Add probiotics to your cat’s diet
As probiotics are healthy for humans, cats also need them to maintain good digestion. However, probiotic supplements for cats are different and are made specifically for cats. Here are some of the best probiotics for cats that you can feed to your cat to improve her digestion and overall health.
Keep your cat hydrated
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It is important to know the hydration requirements of your cat. Like humans, cats also need to consume adequate water to maintain healthy digestion and keep their bodies hydrated. You can fill her water bowl several times a day to ensure it consumes sufficient water.
Add flavors to the water bowls to encourage your cat to drink adequate water throughout the day. Also, ensure that there are sufficient fluids in its diet and try to avoid completely dry food as much as possible.
Brush your cat every day
Daily brushing or combing, especially for long-haired cats, can help minimize the number of hairballs that form in the digestive tract and help avoid mats and tangles. Cat owners may not be aware that by regularly brushing their cats, who spend a lot of time grooming themselves, they might benefit from the removal of stray hair.
Train your cat to use a scratching post
Scratching is an important and natural behavior for cats. However, this healthy behavior may come at a cost to our home decor. Regular scratching on a surface like cardboard, or carpet can help remove the old layers from your cat’s claws.
Not only does it help prevent damage to your home decor, but also helps the pet stretch its muscles and maintain healthy claws.
Your cat may take some time to get familiar with a scratching board or post, but it’s well worth the time and effort you spend in the process. Once your cat learns to use a scratching post, it will not scratch your furniture or other decor items.
Summing Up
These were some tips to keep your cat in good health. Most of them focus on feeding your pet the right food and creating a good environment. However, it is best to take your feline friend for a daily walk in the morning or evening.
Cats are wild creatures and not made for living indoors throughout the day. A few minutes of outdoor activity can ensure their body gets sufficient exercise to maintain their good health.