Your Pet Cat Health

Allergies are prevalent this time of year for more than just people. Even for the family cat that rarely goes outdoors, common household irritants can cause allergies, as well as aggravate severe respiratory problems such as feline asthma.

One common allergen could be hiding in the cat’s litter box. Dust in traditional clumping litters can irritate a cat’s respiratory tract, causing it to sneeze, wheeze and cough after using the litter box. For cats that have already been diagnosed with feline asthma, it’s crucial to remove this potential irritant.

Feline asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, “Cats get the same airway spasms or smooth muscle contractions that lead to acute constriction of breathing as people do. The aerosolized dust [of traditional cat litter] when breathed in can initiate symptoms in an already asthmatic cat.”

As a result, an increasing number of consumers are turning to clay-free alternative litters, such as Swheat Scoop Natural Wheat Litter.

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Cats of all shapes, sizes, breeds and ages often share the same space and the same dinner bowl. But cats have different dietary needs, and those with more than one cat often find that it becomes cumbersome to keep track of the amount and type of food each cat requires.

To make the process easier, The Iams Company recently introduced a food containing ingredients that the company says “work together to meet the individual needs of each cat in a household.”

“Feeding different foods to multiple cats living in the same home often is impractical, so Iams Multi-Cat is formulated with those needs and differences in mind,” said Dr. Dan Carey, a veterinarian with Iams. “Developing this food was a two-step process. First, cat owners described the ultimate food that would answer the needs of their cats. Iams nutritionists took that information and discovered the ideal combination of ingredients to accomplish the goals and fulfill the needs of these multi-cat households.”

The key ingredients in new Iams Multi-Cat are L-carnitine, which helps overweight cats burn fat; vitamin A, which is believed to help lower risk of weight gain; and protein for lean muscle mass.

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1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1 teaspoon catnip
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into small, cat bite-sized pieces.
Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.

1/4 pound liver (beef, chicken or pork only)
2 large hard-cooked eggs
2 cups cooked white rice without salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams) calcium carbonate
1/8 teaspoon potassium chloride (salt substitute)
Also add a balanced supplement which fulfills the feline MDR for all vitamins and trace minerals and 250mg taurine/day.

Dice and braise the meat, retaining fat.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. This mixture is somewhat dry and the palatability may be improved by adding some water.

You need to make sure that you read the label on the food that you are getting for your cat. Although it may seem strange because you can is a pet, their nutrition is still just as important as yours is which is why you should read the ingredients so that you are aware of what is in the food you are giving your cat. You also need to pay attention to what formula of cat food that you are purchasing. They have food for adult cats, kittens, aging cats, cats on diets, and everything in between. You don’t want to be feeding your kitten adult food and vice versa.

After picking up the right food for your cat, there is matter of where to feed your cat, when to feed your cat, and how much to feed them. If you have never owned a cat before this can be quite a tricky process to figure out all on your own. First and foremost, you need to find a place that is ideal for your cat to eat at.

Think about it from your cat’s perspective, you really wouldn’t want to eat while adults and kids are running all around you and being loud. This is why you need to find a place that is quiet and accessible for your cat to have their food and water bowl. Once you decide on a particular place, don’t keep changing it around because cats don’t always deal well with that type of change.

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The food and water bowl does not have to cost you a fortune. You do not have to go out and buy one with your pets name on it unless you want to. Mainly they just need to be easy to clean and heavy so they won’t tip over easily. Because it is possible that your cat might be allergic to plastic, it might be a good precautionary note to opt for the stainless steel bowls. You also need to make sure that your cat has food and water in their bowls as well.

As all cat owners know, a feline can be a wonderful addition to any
family. One of the most basic aspects of cat ownership is proper health
care for the cat. Health care for a cat encompasses a wide array of
vaccine shots, flea protection, vet visits, medications, and even proper
exercise.

However, the most important aspect of cat health is also often
overlooked. People spend hundereds of hours and thousands of dollars over the
lifetime of a cat to keep it healthy, but most cat owners don’t pay
nearly enough attention to the proper cat food.

The right cat food is absolutely essential to a healthy, happy cat.

But what is the best cat food for your cat? While each cat will have
slightly different nutritional needs, there are some general rules that
must be considered when looking for cat food.

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