Cat | Cats Welfare

What You Don’t Need to Feed Your Cat

Unlike humans, cats do not need a variety of foods to keep their bodies functioning – in fact, cat foods are blended so well that there is absolutely no need to add anything else to their diet because as long as they are eating, they are getting enough vitamins. Adding table scraps or human food to a cat’s diet can upset your cats intestinal tract as well as cause other problems.
Milk has a sugar that is hard to digest in cats. Your cat can easily develop intolerance to milk, which can upset his tummy and cause diarrhea.
Raw eggs can cause a deficiency in certain vitamins leading to dermatitis and hair loss. Dermatitis is a type of inflammation of the skin which is very dry and itchy, leading to hair loss.
Raw fish can cause vitamin deficiencies just as raw eggs do, but eating raw fish for your cat is more dangerous. Raw fish can cause anorexia, weakness and lethargy as well as seizure that can lead to death.
Although we may associate meat or meat by-products with a cat’s nutritional needs, it must be combined with other ingredients to give complete nutrition. Raw meats may contain parasites, and cooked meats can be high in fat and do not contain a proper balance of nutrients.
Meat can be given to cats as long as it isn’t fatty and is mixed properly to meet nutritional needs in a cat, but certain meats, such as liver can cause vitamin A toxicity. When giving your cats meat be sure to remove any small bones like those from a chicken or piece of pork chop so they do not get choked.
If you have any questions about what a cat should or should not eat do not hesitate to call your local veterinarian and ask what he/she recommends and follow the advice as needed to keep your cat as healthy as possible.

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Is it Bad if My Cat Eats Dog Food?

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Everyone has a cat that acts a little odd sometimes and goes after or would rather eat dog food instead of the stuff actually made for him or her. Most people don’t pay it any mind and just continue to let their cat do this when they feel like. Letting your cat eat your dog’s food isn’t the best idea. If your cat is only eating the dog food once or twice a month this isn’t going to hurt him, but if your cat wants dog food everyday over his own cat food, you could have a problem on your hands. Cats are strictly carnivores, meaning they only eat meat. Dogs on the other hand are omnivores, meaning they eat meat and plants. Dog food does not give your cat with enough protein and can make a cat seriously ill. Not only does dog food not carry enough protein, but cats also need a certain amount of B vitamins that aren’t found in dog for either. Dogs will be fine if they strictly eat cat food. Cat food is very fattening for a dog, so if you feed your dog a cup of dry dog food he would probably only need a half a cup of cat food to get him by. Being overweight isn’t good for a cat or a dog, so it would be best just to keep a dog out of cat food all together. If you are worried about your animals getting into each other’s food, try feeding them in separate rooms or feed one indoors and one outdoors. If you are still having problems with your furry little critters wanting to eat the wrong food contact your local veterinarian and ask him or her about any concerns you have. If your veterinarian thinks there may be a problem he or she will tell you to bring your animals in for a visit.

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How To Feed Your Kittens

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Kittens need twice as much energy from food for each pound they are in weight versus an adult cat. Little kitties are rapidly growing, making the need for more vitamins and nutrients crucial in raising a healthy kitten. Most kittens are weaned by six or eight weeks of age and as soon as they are should be started on a regular diet. Start kittens out with canned food or moistened dry food. Do not be alarmed if it seems that your kitty isn’t eating very much. Kittens are exploring their new home and tend to eat sporadically several times a day. If you notice that your kitten isn’t eating, make sure the food you are giving her isn’t spoiled. After several hours, canned food or wet dry food can spoil if it’s left out for too long. Place canned food into the fridge and discard any spoiled wet-dry food. If you are keeping your kittens food fresh, but they are still not eating, look for other sign that could indicate illness. Look for diarrhea, watery eyes, and runny nose or urination problems. If you notice any of these contact your local veterinarian immediately, there are many viruses a kitten can catch; some viruses are very dangerous. Feed your kitten twice a day, but if you have more than one, keep them separated so it’s easier to notice any changes in your kitten’s behavior. If feeding your kitten two times a day is making them obese contact your veterinarian and see if the amount of food your kitten is eating needs to be adjusted. Your veterinarian can also help you with choosing the best food for your kitten, and which food will most likely suit your cat’s needs for a number of income households. Cat foods may range in price and manufacturer, but the just because the price is higher doesn’t mean it’s the best option available for your cute kitten.

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What Should Adult Cats Eat.

Adult cats do not need to be fed as many times a day as kittens do, however; their nutrition is just as important to make sure they stay healthy. Any cat food that is suitable for cats over one years of age is fine to help an adult cat maintain a healthy diet. There isn’t a set amount of food your adult cat should be eating, all cats are different and the amount of food they eat depends on their metabolism and daily activity. Your cat is healthy is he is well proportioned, you can visibly see his waist behind his ribcage and as you run your hand over your cats ribcage you can feel ribs. If you can’t feel his or her ribs or see their waist your animal may be overweight or possibly obese. Contact your cat’s veterinarian if you think your cat may not be eating enough or is just the opposite overweight. Your vet may tell you to start picking up your cat’s food bowl instead of leaving it down all day or feeding your cat half of the amount you were previously feeding him or her. While the vet may recommend that you pick up the food, you should always have water available all the time for your cat to have access to. Do not allow your cat to eat dog food if there is a dog eating in your home as well. Cats require strictly protein in their diet and dog food will not meet a cats nutritional needs. If dog food is eaten by a cat often your cat can experience several different vitamin deficiencies and if they aren’t caught in time can lead to death. If you notice your cat not eating or showing signs of illness contact your local veterinarian to narrow down the possible problem.

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How to Feed a Momma Cat

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Properly feeding a female cat when she is pregnant or feeding is extremely important. A female cat should be eating food that is right for any age. Changes in your kitty’s body will cause her to gain weight and want to eat more. Contact a veterinarian if your cat is not eating properly, but keep in mind that the closer she gets to having kittens, the more she will lose an appetite for food. Do not worry her appetite will return to normal when she has her kitties after a couple of days. If you notice your female kitty losing weight, instead of gaining weight, during her pregnancy – she may be sick and need proper medical attention to make sure her kittens stay healthy.
When a momma cat has to feed her little kitten milk she will need to be fed three times a day. If you are feeding your female dry cat food moisten it a bit. This keeps her hydrated and may encourage older kittens to eat real food to help kick-start the weaning process. At five to six weeks the momma cat will begin weaning her kittens. Keep moist food available to your babies so they are encouraged to start eating real food. If you moisten the food with warm water the smell will attract the baby kittens to it. At this time you should begin to gradually start feeding the momma cat less and less until she is being fed the same amount of food before she was pregnant; this may take five to seven days. All questions and concerns about the amount of food your momma cat should be eating for the weeks of gestation to the end of lactation should be discussed with a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will direct you on what foods to buy and what is normal behavior for a cat that’s pregnant or lactating.

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Kittens and Their Changing Eye Color

Little kittens are so tiny and cute when they are born, and like most animal mammals, cats come into this world with their small eyes closed. Kitten eyes open around ten to fourteen days old, and during the time it takes them to open, their little bodies are still forming and more developments are still taking place in the eyes. When a kitten’s eyes open for the first time they are blue. Some kittens may open one eye at a time; others may open up together and have a mucous film, like sleep, in the corners of their eyes. Just take a warm wash rag a gently rub the crusty mucous from their eyes so they don’t become irritated or infected. Focusing on objects is very difficult for a kitten to do for the first two to three weeks after their eyes open, but over time will improve as their eyes learn to adjust to light, dark and different objects. When kittens get around three months of age their little eyes will begin to change color. The colors of a kitten’s eye vary and can be green, gold, copper and even blue. Only certain cats keep blue eyes, such as Balinese, Ragdolls, Siamese and Birman cats. When a cat gets to three months of age and their eye color changes for the last time their eyes are healthy and able to focus at any time; day or night. Since most cats, both domesticated and non-domesticated, like to hunt at night their eye sight in the darkness is very important for sneaking up on prey or small animals to live off of. For other questions about your cat’s eye sight contact your local veterinarian, for more information on how a cat’s eyesight works. They will be sure to help and answer your questions as best possible, after all, it’s what they are there for.

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Cats and Their Teeth

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Cats and humans are somewhat a like when it comes to teeth. Just as humans develop two sets of teeth cats do to. A cat’s first set of teeth are called milk teeth and they are given 26 of these little baby teeth. Milk teeth do not start to come in until three to four weeks of age, to begin the process of weaning from the momma. Kittens can begin eating a bit of moist cat food at this age, but it is not recommended to feed kittens before they get their teeth. Not only can they not chew the food, but they don’t have the enzymes in their intestines to properly break down the food. Contact your veterinarian if you are concerned about what to feed your kitten. If your kitten doesn’t have a mommy any more keep feeding the kittens prescribed milk and slowly introduce moist or canned food to them, when they get their milk or baby teeth in at four weeks old.
After several months with milk teeth, your little kitten will begin losing those teeth and replacing them with new teeth. These teeth are strong and will be their permanent adult teeth. You may notice your kitty chewing on some odd things; this makes the process of losing teeth easier and less painful by soothing the gums. When a kitten is between eight and nine months old, he or she will have thirty new teeth. This is his full set of adult teeth, and they are very sharp. Your veterinarian will be able to prescribe something for your kitten if you notice they are having a difficult time when their adult teeth are coming in. Cats are strong creatures and will get through the painful process of growing teeth, if you notice any changes in your cats behavior that are serious, don’t hesitate to contact your cat’s vet.

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When Should Kittens Be Weaned?

Kittens, like human babies, will differ about when they will start eating real cat food and quit drinking milk. Some little kittens will begin to eat cat food at about three to four weeks old as they begin to get their baby teeth or milk teeth in. Kittens won’t be able to eat dry cat food but will be able to eat moistened or canned cat food. Other kittens even though they may have teeth to eat with will not even think about touching real cat food until they are no longer drinking milk; this is usually around eight weeks of age when the mother decides to no longer let her precious little kittens feed off of her. At about five weeks of age the mother will start the weaning process and canned cat food should be introduced to kittens to help with the weaning process. Remember kittens eat sporadically, not at specific times, keep food down throughout the day or as long as possible to make sure they are staying healthy. Kittens will nurse until they are about eight weeks old, but may continue for twelve weeks, while eating a little bit of canned cat food. Once the kittens are fully weaned do not be surprised if they aren’t eating a large amount of canned food for the first couple of days; this will take some time getting used to. The proper weight gain every week for a kitten is about four ounces. If you are concerned that your kittens are not gaining enough weight, aren’t eating enough or have developed diarrhea contact your veterinarian so he or she can help resolve your kitty’s failure to thrive. Keeping your kittens healthy at an early age will make sure he or she is a healthy kitty for many years to come.

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What to Do With Your Cat at Night

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out cats are nocturnal creatures, and if you have a kitten who is very playful on top of that, as a pet owner your night may be very sleepless until you get used to your cat’s nighttime antics or they get used to yours. The first night of getting your kitten you need to set some rules that they will be able to abide by so you can get your sleep, but they can still roam, if you allow them too.
Make a bed that is specifically for your furry little kitten. Place his or her favorite toys into his newly made cat bed; this will make your kitty more likely to lay there if they recognize a familiar toy or pillow. You can buy a bed or make your own out of old blankets. Do what suits you and your cat’s needs the best.
If you are going to let your cat roam in the house at night, be sure to remove any food from your counter tops and possible poisonous plants that may be in pots around your kitchen. Also remove any breakables that may be lying about. Cats have a tendency to jump on table tops and counters and you don’t want a mess when you wake up the next morning and walk into your kitchen. If you don’t feel comfortable allowing your cat roaming the house at night or aren’t able to remove breakable things your cat could get to place him or her into a warm room such as a spare bedroom or bathroom so he can’t ruin any of your precious belongings.
If you want your cat to get on your sleeping schedule try placing your kitten into a small crate at night in a warm room. This will keep your kitten confined to one area. Place blankets to keep him warm and comfortable for a great night’s sleep.

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Getting Your Kitten to Warm Up to You

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Sometimes when a pet owner gets a new kitten and the kitten is pulled away from their normal environment; it’s not unusual for the kitten to be a little scared for the first couple of days. There are a couple tips and tricks for getting a new kitten used to his or her new family. Be sure to hold your kitten when you get a chance. He or she might be tense for a minute or two, just stroke your kitten until he or she relaxes, if the kitten is still frightened and doesn’t relax gently place the kitty back on the floor or chair and try again later. Be sure that when you are doing regular activities or walking around the house to not make sudden movements or loud noises around your cat. Try not to vacuum around your kitten for the first couple of days. When you approach your kitten use a gently, low voice and kneel to get to your cat’s level so you don’t frighten her. Get your kitten adjusted to certain feeding times and keep to that schedule. When you feed your kitten, he or she will associate you with food. Gently pet and sweetly talk to your cat as he or she eats to make him feel more at ease around you. Make sure you keep plenty of interactive toys around that you can use to bond with your kitten. When your kitten is playing she will get used to being around you more and as a result become more comfortable about being with you. Remember that every kitten or cat is different and it may take a lot longer for some kittens to adjust, but most only take a couple of days. If you are concerned about your kittens behavior contact your veterinarian for any questions you might have.

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