Cat moms and cat dads want the best for their beloved pets and the care a cat receives should be backed by the best cat health practices.
It’s not always easy to understand what your cat’s needs are. This is especially true when they send mixed signals like when they demonstrate their independence by ignoring your calls and invitations only to be purring in your lap thirty seconds later. Confusing, right? Fortunately, we know a bit about cats and are happy to help empower you to be able to tend to your cat’s wellness and happiness. Let’s take a look at some fundamental cat health tips!
1. Make Sure They Get Enough Exercise
One of the biggest challenges in pet care is making certain that your pets get enough activity to stay healthy. One of the best ways to exercise your indoor cat is through play. Fortunately, play benefits both you and your whiskered friend as it keeps them active and strong while helping you bond with them. Win-win!
While every cat is unique, half an hour of play each day is generally considered a good benchmark. This can vary depending on age and, as younger cats are naturally more active, you may have to adjust the daily amount of physical activity based on your cat’s needs. Taking the time to engage in a few play sessions each day can help keep your cat healthy.
Taking the time to engage in a few play sessions each day can help keep your cat healthy.
2. Provide Enough Living Space for Your Cats
As a pet parent, you need to ensure that your cats have enough room to live their lives happily and healthily. However, this doesn’t always come down to specific square footage requirements. Instead, be sure that your cats have specific areas for their daily activities.
Each cat should have a space they can call their own, even if your cats enjoy spending time together. Giving each cat, or other family pets, their own pet bed can help establish their individual personal spaces. Cats also prefer a designated eating area, so try to separate their meal space from other areas of activity. The litter box should be in a private area, away from spaces that serve other purposes.
Key recommended items to include in your cat’s various spaces are a: pet bed, food and fresh water bowl, litter box (see details below), climbing gym, and a scratching post or pad.
Be sure that your cats have specific areas for their daily activities.
3. Pay Attention to Litter Box Details
A lot more goes into litter box placement and care than many cat parents realize. Getting basic care right is essential to cat health. It is best practice to scoop daily. Replace litter regularly and avoid the use of harsh cleaning chemicals that could irritate or injure your pet.
If you have multiple cats, having multiple litter boxes is always the right choice. While multiple cats often have no problem sharing a litter box, it is recommended to have one more litter box than the number of cats you have. For example, if you have three cats then you should have four litter boxes.
4. Out-of-Home Cat Health: Vet Visits
There’s more to pet wellness than the steps you take at home. Like any other family member, your cat requires routine checkups with medical professionals to ensure they’re getting the care they need. These checkups can identify both common and rare conditions that affect cat health.
All cats should have minimum of one annual veterinary examination. However, this is only a general guideline. Your cat may need more frequent visits due to specific health concerns or therapeutic plans. Talking with your vet is the best way to identify and address your cat’s unique needs.
Talking with your vet is the best way to identify and address your cat’s unique needs.
5. Provide Nutrition that Promotes Excellent Cat Health
Your cat’s diet has a major impact on their health at every stage of life. A cat parent should choose cat food with recipes tailored to nourish their cat with balanced nutrition.
Sometimes cats can be picky eaters. If your cat’s tastebuds are particularly stubborn, you can use a holistic approach to plan for your cat’s nutrition plan. By choosing food formulas with many ingredients, you have a good chance of finding a food that your cat will love.
Learn about Natural Balance’s Original Ultra brand offerings – taste and abundance in every bowl. Offering a variety of textures (dry kibble and pate, shreds or chunks in gravy), vital nutrients, and packed with scrumptious flavors, even the pickiest cats will find a flavor and formula to fall in love with.
Another option you can choose for your cat’s nutrition plan is to opt for a limited ingredient approach. This is a great way to be certain your cat is receiving all the nutrients they need and nothing that they don’t. It’s also extremely beneficial when trying to pinpoint a cat’s food sensitivity because there are fewer ingredients to identify as possible triggers.
Learn about Natural Balance’s Limited Ingredient brand offerings – crafted for all cats; with or without food sensitivities.
You can ensure your cat is physically active, build a stronger bond with your cat, and fulfill your cat’s nutritional needs by following these tips today – building a solid foundation for healthy years and many loving purrs to come.
If you have questions, click here to connect with our Customer Care team – a team made up entirely of Registered Veterinary Technicians who are ready to help you!
Natural Balance does not have any partnership with the sources cited in this blog.
