Are You Feeding Your Cat The Right Food?

What should you feed your cat to make sure he or she will have the necessary nutrition? What is the ideal mix of food to help your cat live to the limit of it's life span?

To answer these questions, one should look at the diet of a feline in it's natural habitat. In the wild, a cat eats almost exclusively animal tissue. However, they would normally eat the entire body of the animal, including it's stomach contents, which has many nutrients that are simply lacking in an animals muscle tissue.

Another question some cat owners have is: Is fresh meat the best possible food for cats? Not necessarily. Fresh meat will not provide a balanced diet for a cat, as they are extremely protein dense while being very low in vital nutrients such as calcium.

Conversely, some cat owners have asked, "Is it alright to feed my cat a completely vegetarian diet?" The answer to that question is a clear cut no. Cats cannot produce the nutrients it needs from an exclusively vegetarian diet in the same way that humans can.

Being a very specialized hunter, it has actually lost that ability during the course of it's evolution. Certain skin problems are sometimes the result of a deficiency in certain essential fatty acids which can be found in animal flesh alone. Another problem is that a deficiency of the amino acid taurine, a major building block for proteins of the body, which can cause both blindness and heart failure. Cats are simply born carnivores.

Is it o.k. to give a cat only dry food? According to petshub, the answer is yes, providing that you ensure that fresh water is available at all times.

Dry food is generally more convenient, hygienic, and affordable than canned or fresh food. It also exercises the teeth and reduces the buildup of tartar, which can grow into a severe problem in cats that are fed a soft and mushy diet.

Credit: A.M. Wilmont

How to Raise a Healthy Kitten

Selecting a Kitten

It is best to choose your kitten from the whole litter, choose the frisky playful, friendly kitten that is confident and happy to approach you rather than the one that hangs back and is shy. The best time to take your kitten home is between 7 and 8 weeks old. Some pedigree breeders like to keep the kittens until 12 weeks old so they can have their initial vaccinations. Some things you have to look for when choosing a new kitten or cat are:

·  The ears should be clean and no unpleasant smells.

·  White blue eyed cats are prone to deafness (all cats eyes are blue at this age) Test this by making sounds outside its field of vision.

·  Eyes should be clear and bright with no sings of weeping.

·  Gums should be pink (not red) and teeth should be white.

·  The coat should be clean and unmated with no fleas or flaky skin.

·  Check under the tail - this area should be spotless in a healthy cat. 

Setting in your new Kitten or cat

It is probably best to have a proper pet carrier to take your new pet home in - to avoid extra stress. At let your new kitten
or cat come out of the carrier at its own time. It will need time to settle down, so make sure it has fresh drinking water and a little food also make sure it can find its way to its bed and litter tray - then leave it alone for a little while. Make sure that children behave gently and quietly around the kitten, kittens need peace and quiet to sleep as well as needing laytime. It is best to keep your kitten confined indoors for a week or so and accompany your kitten on its first trip outside - continue to go out side with your kitten for the next few trips. This will give the kitten a sense of security and encourage it to come when you call. Your new kitten should integrate quite well with other pets, make sure that you can introduce them slowly. Some pets will integrate at all - make sure you keep small mammals and birds away from your kitten as their natural instincts will take over. Once your kitten has overcome its initial fears it will amuse it self for hours with very cheap simple toys like ping pong balls, cardboard rolls and small stuffed animals.

What Equipment your cat or kitten need

A bed: a cardboard box with a blanket or cushion in it - makes an ideal bed for a kitten as the kitten grows you may like to find a more permanent replacement, such as wooden box or a covered bed. You may like to keep in mind that it should ideally be washable when choosing a bed. Place the bed in a quiet, draught free, warm spot.
Grooming tools: - A brush - preferably with natural bristles is very useful for grooming any cat - for long haired cats you will also need a wire toothed metal comb and a pair of rounded scissors to cut out any tangles. A pair of feline claw clippers will complete your pussy cats grooming set.
A collar or harness: Your cat should wear a collar complete with an identification disk. The collar must be elasticized in case it gets caught - for example on a branch whilst climbing a tree. Some owners train their cats to go for walks on a harness or lead.
Toys: There are a huge range of toys available for cats making play of exercising fun and providing stimulation. Many stuffed toys contain catnip - this herb also called catmint appeals to many cats, creating an apparent sense of wellbeing - this lasts for approximately 15 minutes.

A scratching post

- Cats love to scratch. Scratching serves a couple of purposes - firstly it keeps the claws neat and trim - it also marks the cats' territory as other cats will see the marks and smell the scent. The cat has glands between the toes that release this scent as the cat scratches.

A scratching post is the best solution - but the cat will need to be taught to use it from the very beginning. This will save your furniture, avoid using a carpet covered scratching post as the pet cat may see the house carpet as an extension of the scratching post. If the cat ha selected a piece of furniture where it like to scratch - by covering it with plastic for a while the cat will stop scratching there. Cats do not like the feel of plastic.

A litter tray

- A litter tray will be needed when your kitten first comes home and if you intend to leave the cat in at night. Choose a tray
that is deep enough and roomy enough for your cat to turn around in easily. There are numerous varieties of kitty litter available - choose one that suits you. Also a covered litter tray is a great idea as it keeps the smell and the mess inside also creating a more private spot for your cat.

A Cat flap

- Cat flaps are a great idea to allow the cat to go in and out as it pleases. You must be careful however as other cats may also come in. check what flaps are available and choose the one that suits your needs. A cat is quite easily trained to use a cat flap - prop the flap open at first and call the cat through form one side than the other. When it has mastered this, lower the flap a little and use the same procedure - continue to do this until you can close the flap altogether.

Feeding your kitten

Ask the breeder or pet shop for a diet sheet so that you can continue feeding them the same diet and quantities. This will avoid you giving it too much food or an over rich diet which can cause tummy upsets. You should also find out meal times.

Food and feeding your cat

There are three types of cat food available commercially -moist food, semi - moist food and dry food. Cats need meat or fish everyday to be healthy.

·  Moist food as in the canned varieties is preferred by most cats because it closely resembles fresh meat. It also has the
vitamins and minerals that the cat needs. How ever canned foods will not last long once served and it is best to take the food away after an hour to encourage your cat to eat its food in a single sitting rather that picking at it all day long. 

·  Semi - moist food usually comes in a sachet. It keeps well in a bowl without drying out or losing its texture and tastes good to cats. 

·  Dry food contains very little moisture so it is very important to have fresh drinking water available.

Establish a feeding routine where you feed your cat once or twice a day - at the same place and the same time. Leave the food out for an hour then take it away. This will help to make your cat a healthy eater and not pick at the food all day.

Worming

·  The most common worms that affect cats are round worms and tape worms. Cats must be de-wormed regularly. Your vet will give you specific advice on worming products.

Following these simple steps will ensure you, your family and the newest edition to the family will have a happy, healthy and rewarding time together.

Credit: Katharine Logan

Why Cats? Why Not Cats?

Remember when social media gleamed shiny and new and we wondered: Why cats?

Cute, cuddly creatures had their place, but cats ruled the show from the start. Google why and pages of articles pop up, with no clear consensus. The best bet sounds like a Zen koan: Why cats? Because other cats.

These days, as the news ages us in dog years, cat memes and videos need no explanation. We just know we need them. The Dagwood sandwich of political news is hard to digest. Adorable animals offer a quick antidote, a shot of dopamine to revive us. Why not cats?

All Julius Motal thought when he saw a Facebook post in July for a cat night at a Brooklyn bar was that it might be fun to photograph. “The event image was of a wide-eyed cat set against the universe,” he recalled. “I was enthralled.”

Mr. Motal, a staff photographer for the Bronx’s Riverdale Press, attended the affair, a fund-raiser for several cat organizations that was packed with cat people — and their cats. “From there,” he said, “I just rode the wave from one cat extravaganza to the next.”

A documentary project, “Cat People,” was born. It has taken him from that bar to the Algonquin Hotel’s annual cat fashion show to a performance of the Amazing Acro-Cats (a touring troupe of performing cats) to a quiet cat cafe and, most recently, to a cat party, sans cats; guests were encouraged to dress up like them instead.

He said his project “seeks to understand people who love their cats, to push beyond whatever preconceptions (non-cat) people might have.” Outfitting cats and parading them in public, two things cats detest, might not seem like the behavior of true cat lovers, after all. But in this cultural moment, we get it. We read the news.

Credit:  Evelyn Nieves

3 Things You Should Never Do As a Cat Owner

If you are a cat owner, listen attentively. There are top three things that cat owners like you should never do:

Allow your Cat to Roam Around

This advice is the most controversial one on the list. In the US, many veterinarians and cat behavior experts believe that cats should be kept indoors. A large percentage of cat owners allow their cats to roam around (It is interesting to discover that in the UK, it is regarded as unusual to prevent cats from wandering and others would even go to the extent of saying it is abusive). Unfortunately, more than enough cats get poisoned, get hit by cars or they are attacked by dogs and coyotes, either by accident or on purpose. This means that you can possibly shorten the life of your cats when you allow them to roam freely.

The quality of a cat's indoor life can be complemented with enrichment tools when including toys, climbing trees and scratching walls in their indoor space or letting him play in areas that are protected with cat fencing as you watch out for potential predators.

Scare or Punish your Cat

The fastest way to destroy your relationship with your cat is by shouting at him, scaring him, hurting him or giving him a bad impression of you. In other words, punishment is not the solution to changing a cat's behavior, with the exception of one thing. You will be remembered as a horrible being he should stay away from. This just means that if you plan to get a cat, you can shape his behavior with the help of praises and treats. This is considered a health tip, since frightened cats are stressed, and stress is associated with a number of health problems. Cats like peaceful, predictable surroundings, with people who allow them to be cats. A happy, good-tempered cat is healthier and will make you happier as well.

Overfeed your Cat

You may think that veterinarians sound just like a broken record when they nag about the weight of their clients' pets. They admit it, and they are trying to convince their clients to stop overfeeding. When they give more food than required, this makes the lives of their pet miserable - and shortens them too. Vets have been trying hard to make pet owners understand this. They want to pull out their hair in frustration. Lots of overweight cats suffer from feline arthritis associated with their weight.

When cat owners cannot handle the care of their diabetes stricken pets, they ask their vet to perform euthanasia. They say they have tried everything, but the vets can help them find other solutions. The best way to counter this problem is to limit their food intake. Cats cannot open their canned foods, kibble bags or the refrigerator to get some leftovers. As a cat owner, you have the control over their food intake to maintain their good health. It is all up to you to use your authority.

Credit: Matt McWilliam