From spending quality time with your cat, grooming your cat, brushing your cat’s teeth, or cleaning the litter box. There are plenty of things you need to do as a cat parent to keep your cat happy and healthy.
I love cats and I will always go the extra mile for them. Here is how I take care of cats.
Quality bonding time
Our cats love to spend time with us and it's important to meet their emotional needs. Every day I try to spend quality time with my cats Silver and Tabby. Sometimes we cuddle on the sofa, take them out to our patio or I give them a massage.
As in human relationships, it is patience, genuine interest, and quality time that promote a good and lasting bond and also trust. Show your cat how special she is to you!
Love is a more powerful element than you to have a positive impact on our cats. Your cat will be emotionally fulfilled!
Brush your cat’s teeth
I brush Silver and Tabby’s teeth twice a day since they were kittens. You may ask why?
Well, I don’t want Silver and Tabby to lose their teeth. More than half of all cats over the age of three have periodontal disease that leads to tooth loss. Brushing your cat’s teeth consistently is the single most effective way to reduce dental plaque and maintain long-term oral health.
I personally know many cats that have had their teeth removed and it scares me. Silver and Tabby I promise to keep your teeth healthy as long as I live. I agree brushing your cat’s teeth can be challenging and frustrating. Sometimes I don’t want to do it, but I remind myself of my commitment to my cats. The only time I have missed brushing their teeth is when I am on vacation.
Here is a tip to make brushing easier. I find using a smaller toothbrush helps a lot. Especially reaching difficult areas like the cat’s molar teeth.
Food préparation
A good diet is essential to having your cat live longer. My wish is for Silver and Tabby to live a long and healthy life. So I feed my cats a homemade raw meat diet and every two weeks I spend 4 hours preparing their meals.
So what is a raw meat diet?
Raw diets are diets inspired by what cats would eat in the wild and provide them with the nutrients, hydration, and protein they need to lead a very healthy life. It is much healthier than dry food like kibble which is mostly made of carbs.
What about safety?
I source my meat from local farms and brands with high safety standards and I try to buy grass-fed beef and organic chicken. Choosing high-quality meat from a reputable source and handling meat carefully yourself can go a long way in eliminating the risk from bacteria. Because cats are carnivores, they often digest raw foods better than humans because they have shorter, more acidic digestive tracts.
Many pathogens will pass through a cat without causing any issues, but if your cat has a weakened immune system, a raw diet is a big no-no. Silver and Tabby’s balanced raw meat diet is a mix of organ meat, muscle meat, bone, bone broth with no added ingredients, and some supplements.
I chop every single meat into bite sized portions and mix the bone broth with the supplements so it is distributed evenly. And to keep Silver and Tabby’s meals interesting, every two weeks I get them farmed sashimi grade salmon from Canada and local filet mignon. Tabby really likes filet mignon. She has an expensive taste. And she knows it.
Sometimes she refuses to eat unless I run to the grocery store and get her filet mignon.
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Mealtime
Our cat’s favorite time of the day. I feed my cats twice a day and I use porcelain and stainless steel bowls to feed my cats. The reason why I use porcelain and stainless steel is because it is germ-resistant and as a result your cat will less likely have feline acne.
Like humans, cats tend to get acne on their chins from plastic bowls. Plastic bowls tend to be a breeding ground for bacteria because they scratch so easily I will link the food bowls I use in the description below.
Sanitary haircut
As a long haired cat, Silver and Tabby sometimes get poop stuck in their fur. So I give my cats a sanitary haircut every month.
Shaving the fur helps them stay cleaner. I use a pet clipper as it is the fastest and safest at getting the job done for my cats. Pet clippers work for longer periods of time without overheating. These clippers have specific blades designed for pet hair.
Cleaning the water fountain
Having a water fountain is more likely to encourage your cats to drink water, which is important for their health.I clean the fountain every week and change the water for my cat every other day.. Cats are fascinated by running water. The main reason is because they see running water as safe.
Stagnant water is more likely to carry diseases and bacteria whereas running water is usually fresh and clean. So keeping the water fountain fresh and clean is very important. Lastly, I change the filter every month.
Vet visits
I am very proactive about Silver and Tabby’s health. We visit the vet twice a year for wellness exams and have blood work done once a year. Regular visits to the vet can help spot life threatening health conditions before they become a problem. Alright you look pretty darn good bud.Let's show your father your beautiful smile. And same thing for her, really darn clean. You'll have a better chance of saving and treating your cat before it's too late.
Blood tests are used to determine the health of the kidneys, liver, and other organs. This helps detect common diseases in cats early and improve the cat's chance of living with you for a long time.
Pet insurance has greatly helped with my medical bills. It gives me peace of mind that I am financially prepared to care for Silver and Tabby if they need it.
I take Silver and Tabby in a pet carrier with a leash inside to keep my cats securely in place. Having a leash is important. Once when I went to the vet I saw a cat escape from a pet carrier. The veterinarian technician had not zipped up the carrier properly and the terrified cat escaped to the outside.
Having the vet not only zip up the carrier and have your cat securely on a leash will reduce chances of having such a freak accident. In addition to the leash inside, the pet carrier is airline approved and is made of water repellent polyester that makes cleaning easy.
Cleaning the litter Box
Cats hate dirty litter boxes and may rebel by peeing on your carpet. Your cat's sense of smell is 14 times stronger than yours, so a litter box that smells reasonably clean to you may outright stink to your cat Silver and Tabby have giant litter boxes and I scoop it once a day. I use Tofu litter because it is 100% natural and does not track as easily.
It is also easy to clean and hides odor well. I usually fill the cat litter up to 4 inches so the bottom of the litter box doesn’t get too dirty. The box is cleaned once a month. Since the liner is detachable it is easy to clean and if I am lazy I can just replace it with a new one. Playtime provides important exercise for our cats and is a great bonding experience too.
Playtime
I play with Silver and Tabby twice a day for 30 minutes each. Some toys I use include a wand toy with feathers, a catnip toy, or a ball. When Cats play it is similar to hunting in the wild.
It is very important to get toys that feel, smell, look, and move like prey.Your cats are more likely to be interested in it.
Clip nails
I clip my cat’s nails every week to reduce the amount of scratching damage that can happen to my furniture and myself. Make sure to use a high quality nail clipper as that will make it a lot easier. The sharp part must be cut, avoiding the fast part. This is where the blood vessels and nerves are located.
Bruch hair
I brush my cat’s hair daily to minimize my cat coughing up hairballs, reduce the amount of hair that falls around the house, and reduce the chance of a matted coat. Because Silver and Tabby have long hair it requires more of a commitment in terms of grooming.
I hope this article teaches you some useful things about caring for your cats.
Cats are like family and need our love and attention.
Comment down below how do you take care of your cats?
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