February is celebrated as National Cat Health Month. This month encourages cat parents to keep in check with their cat’s health. It is a month to focus on the health and well-being of our feline friends and to raise awareness about the importance of regular veterinary care, proper nutrition, and preventive measures to keep cats healthy and happy.
This National cat health day, we encourage you to have healthy practices for your cat’s health and well-being through the following ways:
1. Check your Cat’s Wellness
The first step for your cat’s well-being is to be aware of its health condition. This is done through a wellness check. A wellness check is a routine medical evaluation that determines the overall health condition of your feline. This approach will let you identify potential health issues at an early stage, so you have better preventive care and improve the chances of treatment.
2. Keep your Kitten Active
Just like humans, a cat’s activeness is important for its overall health and well-being. It prevents common health problems like obesity, joint issue, diabetes, and more. There are plenty of ways to ensure your cats remain active, like the ones that are mentioned below:
- Buy toys: Cats love to play and thus there are plenty of playthings available for them, you can buy them string toys, laser pointers, springs, or spiral balls. These toys encourage cats to hunt and pounce. You can also bring a cat tree for them to climb and play with.
- Provide a surface to scratch: Scratching is a natural behavior of cats that is important for their health for so many reasons. It lets them relieve stress, remove worn-out nails, muscle stretch, and exercise the muscles in their paws. To encourage scratching for cats, bring a scratching pad or scratching tree for your feline.
- Make room for playtime: Cats enjoy the attention of their human parent. Playtime with a cat will boost your bond and also make your cat happy and healthy.
3. Regular Vaccination
In most cases, wellness checks will cover your cat’s vaccination. However, it’s important to consult Veterinary and note the right time and age for a cat’s vaccination. You should ensure that your cats receive all their vaccination dosages at an appropriate time and age.
4. Spay or Neuter your cat
Spaying or neutering is important for both female and male cats for a number of reasons. It can prevent illness, stops overpopulation, and also prevents the chance of several illness and cancers for instance it prevents uterine infections and breast cancer in females and prostate problems in males.
5. Give your cat a balanced diet
Cats are obligate carnivores; a healthy diet for cats should include high-quality animal protein such as meat, poultry, and fish. Moreover, cats need a good source of fat in their diet for energy and healthy skin & coat.
There are also other important things to consider while feeding your cats like giving them wet food regularly, providing them with enough water along with food, choose food packs based on the cat’s age and specific health needs.
6. Maintain Litter hygiene
When it comes to hygiene and cleanliness cat are independent, they clean themselves and impulsively use the litter box once guided. However you should also take necessary steps to maintain litter hygiene for your cat as it boosts their well-being and avoids accident, some of the basic litter hygiene are as follow:
- Place the litter box in a quiet area. Cats prefer to do their business in a place that is private and peaceful.
- Make sure the litter box is big enough for your cat. It should be wide enough for your cat to comfortably turn around in and long enough for your cat to fully extend its body while using it.
- Scoop the litter box daily. This helps to keep the litter box clean and odor-free.
- Clean the litter box thoroughly once a week. Empty the litter box completely and wash it with mild detergent and warm water. Dry the litter box thoroughly before refilling it with fresh litter.
- Consider using a litter box with a hood or cover. This can help to reduce odors and provide your cat with a sense of privacy.
Bottom Line
National Cat Health Month is a great time to focus on the well-being of your feline companion. By providing your cat with a healthy diet, regular exercise, preventive healthcare, and a clean living environment, you can help to ensure that your cat stays happy and healthy.
