Cat Health & Welfare
(For convenience your cat is referred to as "he", but of course it
applies to females as well!)
Insure
Litter
Grooming
Long life
Should I
insure my cat?
At
the end of the day, it is your decision. But remember the
time-honored advice,
"If you can't afford the vet, you can't afford the pet".
Providing prompt and appropriate vet attention for your cat is as
essential a part of your responsibility for him as feeding - in fact
failure to do so is a criminal offense. We don't like to think
about it, but serious
illness or injury can happen at any time and can cost literally
thousands. How would you feel if you had to make the
decision to have your cat put down, simply because you couldn't afford
the treatment that would save him? Nowadays virtually all
cat welfare and rescue agencies seriously advise taking out insurance
because of the way vet costs have escalated in recent
years. Check out one excellent company here: Cat Health Insurance
Should
my cat have an indoor litter tray even if he goes out?
This obviously depends very much on
the individual cat. Of course, it goes without saying that if you
have an indoor cat you absolutely must provide a tray for him. In
my experience the majority of cats who do go out also need an indoor
tray. Having said that, I have one elderly cat (Sylvester - see
the About Us page) at present who
insists on going out in all weathers and NEVER uses a tray
indoors. But most cats like a tray they can use if the weather is
bad, or at night.
Some people strongly object to having a litter tray
in the house because they feel it is smelly and unhygienic.
If you use an enclosed litter tray (which many cats prefer anyway as it
gives them more privacy) it is quite effective in confining the odors,
as well as helping to stop him scattering the litter all over the
place. Also there are some excellent litters on the market which
both absorb the odors, and "clump up", so that damp clumps and solids
can be removed easily leaving the unsoiled litter to be re-used -
meaning the litter lasts much longer. Visit here for a wonderful
litter like this, made of all-natural substances and so environmentally
friendly too.
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You will almost always find that a new cat arriving
at your house will find and use the tray without being shown. If
not, just pop him into the tray immediately after he does it in the
"wrong" place - DON'T shout and definitely DON'T smack him as he won't
understand what he has done wrong. He will very soon learn.
My cat
grooms himself - is it necessary for me to groom him?
Kittens are normally taught by their
mothers to groom themselves, but their mother grooms them too, and this
is why cats often love you to groom them with the grooming brush - it
reminds them of the feel of their mother's rough tongue.
Certainly long-haired cats require regular grooming otherwise their
coats will become matted and knotted. Short-haired cats also
enjoy grooming, though it doesn't have to be so frequent as with
long-haired cats. Both long-haired and short-haired cats moult,
and grooming gets rid of the loose hairs so the cat will swallow less
of them. Swallowing loose or dead hairs can result in
hairballs which the cat sometimes vomits up. This sometimes seems
distressing but is not necessarily a major problem for the
cat. Grooming also helps distribute the natural oils in the
coat so your cat's coat will look glossy. There is a
fantastic selection of products here to help you with all aspects of
your cat's grooming: Cat
Hair Care Products at PetCareCentral.com!
How can I ensure my cat has a long healthy life?
For an extraordinary book from
someone who believes she has discovered the secrets to cat health and
longevity,
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Please get in touch with more
questions, or your views and suggestions!