Cat Health

Everyone wants good health, including your cat. After all, good health is synonymous with a high quality of life, which is what every cat owner should want for his/her cat. Here are fifteen cat health tips to help you achieve that goal.

Cat Health Tip #1: Keep your cat current on vaccinations and avoid all unecessary ones (including the feline leukenia vaccine in cats over 2 years of age). Failure to vaccinate, as well as overvaccinating, are equally bad.

Cat Health Tip #2: If allowed outdoors, have your cat routinely dewormed every three to four months (see #10 below). This is to protect not only your cat, but you as well from zoonotic diseases.

Cat Health Tip #3: Always keep a fresh source of water available at all times. Cats that don't drink enough can suffer from urinary disorders.

Cat Health Tip #4: Keep those teeth clean and free from tartar build-up. Periodontal disease can lead to heart and kidney disease.

Cat Health Tip #5: Administer hairball laxative three times weekly. All cats get hairballs.

Cat Health Tip #6: Don't let your cat get fat. Among other things, fat cats are prone to diabetes.

Cat Health Tip #7: Have any firm, non-painful lump detected on or beneath the skin removed as soon as possible. benign tumors are rare in cats.

Cat Health Tip #8: Insist on daily exercise. Special toys, such as light lasers, can be used to get your cat active.

Cat Health Tip #9: Join an online pet forum, preferably one that is veterinary-moderated, to learn more about cat health and symptom recognition.

Cat Health Tip #10: Keep your cat indoors and away from potential hazards such as stray dogs, stray cats, poisons, and car tires.

Cat Health Tip #11: Clean the litter box daily. This will encourage your cat to use it more and lessen the chances for behavioral and urinary problems from appearing.

Cat Health Tip #12 : Feed a well-balanced diet with minimal fiber (unless the latter is prescribed). Avoid high fiber hairball and indoor cat formulas, as these can lead to urinary challenges.

Cat Health Tip #13: Pet your cat for at least fifteen minutes every day. Both you and your cat will benefit!

Cat Health Tip #14: Cat proofs your home. Keep potential poisons out of reach and keep strings or anything else that can be ingested well out of reach.

Cat Health Tip #15: Have a veterinary check-up performed on your cat at least once a year. This check-up should include a thorough physical examination, including blood pressure monitoring and bloodwork (if you can afford it).