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Feeding

We recommend purchasing high-quality, brand-name kitten or cat food. Your veterinarian will be able to assess your new cat or kitten and determine the best diet. Factors such as age, activity level and health make a difference in what and how much a cat should eat.

Cats require taurine, an essential amino acid, for heart and eye health. The food you choose should be balanced for the life stage of your cat or kitten. Properly balanced foods will contain taurine.
You will need to provide fresh, clean water at all times, and wash and refill your cat’s water bowls daily.
Treats should be no more than 5-10% of the diet.
Many people feed baby food to a cat or kitten who is refusing food or not feeling well Please read labels carefully: If the baby food contains onion or garlic powder, your pet could be poisoned.
Take your pet to your veterinarian if signs of anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting or lethargy continue for more than two days.

Housing

Your pet should have her own clean, dry place in your home to sleep and rest. Line your cat's bed with a soft, warm blanket or towel. Be sure to wash the bedding often. Please keep your cat indoors. Outdoor cats do not live as long as indoor cats. Outdoor cats are at risk of trauma from cars, or from fights with other cats, raccoons and free-roaming dogs. Coyotes are known to eat cats. Outdoor cats are more likely to become infested with fleas or ticks, as well as contract infectious diseases.

Identification

If allowed outdoors, your cat must wear a safety collar and an ID tag. A safety collar with an elastic panel will allow your cat to break loose if the collar gets caught on something. And for both indoor and outdoor cats, an ID tag or an implanted microchip can help ensure that your cat is returned if he or she becomes lost.

Scratching

Cats need to scratch! When a cat scratches, the old outer nail sheath is pulled off and the sharp, smooth claws underneath are exposed. Cutting your cat’s nails every two to three weeks will keep them relatively blunt and less likely to harm the arms of both humans and furniture. Provide your cat with a sturdy scratching post, at least three feet high. The post should also be stable enough that it won't wobble during use, and should be covered with rough material such as sisal, burlap or tree bark. Many cats also like scratching pads.

Health

Your cat should see the veterinarian at least once a year for an examination and annual shots, and immediately if she is sick or injured.

Cat Supply Checklist

Premium-brand cat food
Food dish
Water bowl
Interactive toys
Brush
Comb
Safety cat collar with ID tag
Scratching post or scratching pad
Litter box and litter
Cat carrier
Cat bed or box with warm blanket or towel

Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment is all about creating a fun and safe place full of a variety of toys and spaces that will help banish boredom. Explore your options at home and think of all the horizontal and vertical levels and spaces that can be utilized to accomplish this.

Bird TV

For some easy enrichment, create a comfortable place by the window for endless entertainment. Additionally, you can do an online search for “bird TV for cats” for cat-friendly videos to display on a screen for them.


Toilet Paper Roll Toys

What You’ll Need:

Toilet paper rolls
Scissors
Q-tips
Stapler
Non-toxic glue

Easy Cat Toys

What You’ll Need:

Various kinds

Build a Cat House or Tunnel:

What You’ll Need:

Cardboard boxes, various sizes (large enough for your cat)
Sharp knife
Non-toxic glue

youtube


Build a Cat Maze

What You’ll Need:

Cardboard
Sharp knife

youtube

Cat Nutrition Tips

Kittens

If you’re responsible for taking care of kittens in the first few months of their lives, you should be prepared to move them from a diet of milk to regular kitten food. Read on for tips for making the transition.

Newborn kittens receive complete nutrition from their mother’s milk for the first four weeks of life. Mom's milk is perfect for their needs, so you don’t need to feed them anything else.

In the event that the mother cat is ill or doesn’t produce enough milk—or if the kittens are found as orphans—it may be necessary to feed the kittens a commercial milk replacer. If you find yourself in this situation, contact your veterinarian for product and feeding recommendations.

During the first weeks of life, a kitten’s body weight may double or even triple. This rapid growth will continue, albeit at a decreasing rate, until maturity. Large amounts of energy and nutrients are required in balanced quantities to support this spectacular growth.

Kittens need large amounts of energy—about two to three times that of an adult cat. Kittens also need about 30% of their total energy from protein. Make sure the food you offer is specifically formulated for kittens. Your pet will need to eat kitten-formula food until she reaches maturity, at about one year of age.

By the time kittens are five to six weeks old, they should be nibbling on a high-quality dry food consistently even though they’re still nursing. This process of gradually introducing kitten food is important in training cats to eat as they are weaned.

Most mother cats will suckle their kittens until about eight weeks of age. By this time, 80 to 90% of the kitten's total nutrient intake should be from kitten food.

Kittens can be fed free-choice—which means food is available at all times, as much as the pet wants, whenever the pet wants. You can feed them dry kitten food or nutrient-dense kitten-formula canned food—however, the free-choice method is most appropriate when feeding dry food, which will not spoil if left out. If you have a dog in your home, make sure he can’t get to the kitten’s food (dogs just adore cat food!). Also, make sure fresh water is available at all times.

At first, curious kittens will probably want to play with their food rather than eat it, but the youngsters will soon catch on and realize they are supposed to eat the food, not just bat it around!

It’s fine to feed your kitten a few treats. However, treats should make up no more than 5% of your kitten’s daily nutrient intake, and the rest of his/her diet should come from a high-quality kitten food.

Weaning a Kitten

Weaning is the process of transitioning kittens from mother’s milk to solid food. During weaning, kittens gradually progress from dependence on a mother’s care to social independence. Ideally, weaning is handled entirely by the mother cat. However, if the kitten in your care has been separated from his mother or if you are fostering a litter or a pregnant cat about to give birth, seeing the young ones through a successful weaning process may be up to you.

When to Wean a Kitten

The weaning process normally begins when kittens are around four weeks old, and is usually completed when they reach eight to ten weeks. If you are in charge of weaning an orphaned kitten, please remember that weaning should not be attempted at too early of an age. Generally, when a kitten’s eyes are open and able to focus, and he is steady on his feet, the introduction of solid food can safely begin.

The process typically takes between four and six weeks, with most kittens completely weaned by the time they’re eight to 10 weeks old.

How to Start the Weaning Process

It’s important to remember that abrupt removal from the mother cat can have a negative effect on the kittens’ health and socialization skills—they learn to eat, use a litter box and play, among other things, by observing their mother. Whenever possible, kittens should remain with their mother during the weaning process, as she will inherently know what to do.

When the kittens reach four weeks old, you can place them in a separate area for a few hours at a time to reduce their dependency on mother’s milk and her overall presence.
Put them in their own special area with a litter box and food and water bowls.
As the kittens become more independent, they can spend more time away from their mother until they are completely weaned.

How to Wean a Kitten Off of Mother’s Milk or Bottle-Feeding

Serve kitten milk replacer in a shallow bowl. Do not use cow’s milk, as this will cause stomach upset and diarrhea in some kittens.
Dip your fingertip (or the syringe or bottle the kitten is used to nursing from) into the liquid, let the kitten lick it, then guide him by moving your finger down into the bowl.
Please do not push his nose into the bowl. He may inhale the liquid and develop pneumonia or other lung problems.
Once he becomes accustomed to lapping liquids, create a “gruel” mixing a high-quality dry or canned kitten food with kitten milk replacer until it is the consistency of oatmeal.
Though you should continue to bottle-feed while the kitten is learning to eat from the bowl, you can help with the gradual transition by always offering the bowl first, and then the bottle.

How to Introduce a Kitten to Solid Food

Make a gruel (described above).
As the kitten gets accustomed to eating, gradually decrease the amount of milk replacer you add, while slowly increasing the amount of kitten food.
By five to six weeks, he should be eating only lightly moistened food.
Now you can start to leave out small amounts of dry food and fresh water at all times.
By eight to 10 weeks, kittens should be accustomed to eating unmoistened kitten food.

Weaning an Orphaned Kitten

Generally, orphaned or hand-fed kittens can begin weaning slightly earlier, at about three weeks of age, but otherwise the process is essentially the same.

Begin by offering milk replacer in a dish, teaching the kitten how to lap from the dish.
Gradually transition to a gruel (described above).
As the kitten slowly grows accustomed to eating, gradually reduce the amount of milk replacer you use.
By five to six weeks of age, he should be relying solely on kitten food for his nutrients.

Tips to Help the Weaning Process

Kittens may play with the gruel, batting it around and stepping into the bowl before they understand that it’s food. Have patience and don’t rush the process—they’ll catch on eventually. In the meantime, use a soft, moist cloth to wipe any formula off the animal's face and feet after each feeding. Gently dry him with a towel and keep him in a warm area free of drafts until he's completely dry.


Adult Cats

Adult cats should eat enough of a high-quality, nutritious food to meet their energy needs and to maintain and repair body tissues. The amount you feed your adult cat should be based on his or her size and energy output. Activity levels vary dramatically between pets and will play an important role in determining caloric intake.

A cat with a "normal" activity level should receive what we call "maintenance" energy. A cat who mostly lies around the house may require 10% below maintenance, while an active kitty who plays all day may require maintenance plus 20 to 40%.

Your cat should always have free access to fresh, clean water. Water bowls should be cleaned every day.

All cats require taurine, an amino acid that is important for normal heart function, vision and reproduction. Since taurine is found only in animal-based protein, all cats need meat-based diets to meet their nutritional requirements.

As with people, extreme hot or cold weather can increase a kitty’s energy needs. Both keeping warm and keeping cool use up extra energy, so you may wish to consult with your pet’s vet about what to do when the mercury soars and/or dips.

A cat recovering from surgery or suffering from a disease may have increased nutritional requirements to repair, heal and fight infection. Talk to your vet about adjusting your cat’s diet during periods of illness and recovery.

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend that all cats be fed twice daily using the portion control feeding method (see below). Start by dividing the amount suggested on the label of your pet’s food into two meals, spaced eight to twelve hours apart. You may need to adjust portions as you learn your cat’s ideal daily “maintenance” amount. Pet owners should consult with their veterinarians to determine the best feeding schedule and types of foods for their pets.

Some people have schedules that can’t accommodate normal two-meal-a-day feeding regimens. Not to worry—cats may be fed successfully in a number of ways to meet both the owner's and the animal's needs and circumstances. The different types of feeding methods are as follows:

Portion-control feeding entails measuring your pet's food and offering it as a meal, thereby controlling the amount of food that can be consumed. This method is used for weight control programs and for animals who might overeat if fed free-choice. Food can be provided in one or more meals daily.
The timed feeding method involves making a portion of food available for the pet to eat for a specified period of time. For example, you would place food in your cat’s bowl and allow your pet to nosh for 30 minutes. After that time, whatever food the cat has not eaten is removed.

Free-choice feeding is also known as "ad lib" feeding or "free feeding." Food is available at all times, as much as the pet wants, whenever the pet wants. This method is most appropriate when feeding dry food, which will not spoil if left out. However, some cats will overeat when fed free-choice, which can result in obesity.

Milk should not be fed to cats as a treat or a substitute for water. Cats do not possess significant amounts of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. Feeding milk and milk-based products to cats can actually cause them to vomit or have diarrhea.

Treats should be given in moderation and should represent 5% or less of a cat’s daily food intake. The rest should come from a nutritionally complete cat food.

Senior Cats

Cats begin to show visible age-related changes at about seven to twelve years of age. There are metabolic, immunologic and body composition changes, too. Some of these are unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet.

Start your cat on a senior diet at about seven years of age.

The main objectives in the feeding an older cat should be to maintain health and optimum body weight, slow or prevent the development of chronic disease, and minimize or improve clinical signs of diseases that may already be present.

As a cat ages, health issues may arise, including:

Deterioration of skin and coat
Loss of muscle mass
More frequent intestinal problems
Arthritis
Obesity
Dental problems
Decreased ability to fight off infection

Routine care for geriatric pets should involve a consistent daily routine and periodic veterinary examinations to assess the presence or progress of chronic disease.

Stressful situations and abrupt changes in daily routines should be avoided.

If a drastic change must be made to an older pet's routine, try to minimize stress and to realize the change in a gradual manner.


Overweight Cats

Obesity is an extremely common problem in pets and, as with humans, can be detrimental to the health of a cat. The overweight pet has many added stresses upon his body and is at an increased risk of diabetes, liver problems and joint pain.

Obesity develops when energy intake exceeds energy requirements. The excess energy is then stored as fat. Once a pet is obese, he may remain obese even after excessive caloric intake stops. The majority of cases of obesity are related to simple overfeeding coupled with lack of exercise.

As a subjective assessment of body condition, you should be able to feel the backbone and palpate the ribs in an animal of healthy weight. If you cannot feel your pet’s ribs without pressing, there is too much fat. You should also see a noticeable "waist" between the back of the rib cage and the hips when looking at your pet from above. Viewed from the side, there should be a "tuck" in the tummy—the abdomen should go up from the bottom of the rib cage to inside the thighs.

We recommend that you consult your pet’s vet before starting on a weight loss program, which should include these major areas:

Overweight animals consume more calories than they require. Work with your veterinarian to determine your pet’s caloric requirements, select a suitable food and calculate how much to feed. The diet should contain a normal level of a moderately fermentable fiber and the type of fat that prevents the skin and coat from deteriorating during weight loss. Diets that dilute calories with high fiber lead to increased stool volumes, frequent urges to defecate and variable decreases in nutrient digestibility.

Increasing physical activity can be a valuable contributor to both weight loss and maintenance. Regular exercise burns more calories, reduces appetite, changes body composition and will increase your pet’s resting metabolic rate.

A successful weight management program requires permanent changes in the behaviors that have allowed the pet to become overweight. Perhaps you are giving your pet too many treats, for example, or not giving him enough opportunities to exercise.

Are you committed to your pet’s weight loss? Here are some important things you can do:

Remove the pet from the room when the family eats.
Feed your pet several small meals throughout the day.
Feed all meals and treats in the pet's bowl only.
Reduce snacks or treats.
Provide non-food related attention.

Common Cat Diseases

Cancer

Cancer is a class of diseases in which cells grow uncontrollably, invade surrounding tissue and may spread to other areas of the body. As with people, cats can get various kinds of cancer. The disease can be localized (confined to one area, like a tumor) or generalized (spread throughout the body).

Causes of Cancer

Cancer is a “multifactorial” disease, which means it has no known single cause. However, we do know that both hereditary and environmental factors can lead to the development of cancer in cats.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the ear, eyelid or nose is a skin cancer caused by repeated exposure to the sun. White, or light colored, cats are more susceptible to squamous cell carcinoma.

Lymphosarcoma or lymphoma (LSA), is one of the most common type of cancer in cats. Some reports estimate that 30% of all reported cat cancers are due to LSA. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is linked to most forms of LSA except for the gastrointestinal (GI) form. FeLV is a transmittable retrovirus that can be passed in utero as well as through saliva and direct contact. Primarily a disease in younger cats, the virus doesn’t always manifest symptoms, so it is important to have your cat tested regularly to prevent transmission and progression. There is a vaccine available for FeLV that your veterinarian can discuss with you based on your cat’s lifestyle and risk of exposure to FeLV.

The GI form of LSA (the most common form) can cause a large mass in the stomach or intestine or diffuse infiltration throughout the intestinal tract.

Cancer Symptoms

Lumps (which are not always malignant, but are always worth having a veterinarian examine)

Swelling

Persistent sores or skin infections

Abnormal discharge from any part of the body

Bad breath

Listlessness, lethargy or other marked change in behavior

Weight loss

Sudden lameness

Diarrhea or vomiting

Scaly and/or red skin patches

Decreased or loss of appetite

Difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating

Change in behavior

Diagnosing Cancer in Cats

If a lump is present, the first step is typically a needle biopsy, which removes a very small tissue sample for microscopic examination of cells. Alternately, surgery may be performed to remove all or part of the lump for diagnosis by a pathologist.

Radiographs, ultrasound, blood evaluation and other diagnostic tests may also be helpful in determining if cancer is present or if it has spread.

Cats More Prone to Cancer

Though cancer can be diagnosed in cats of all ages and breeds, it is much more common in older cats.

Certain breeds are prone to specific cancers, but cats with white ears and heads are particularly susceptible to skin cancer.

Ask your vet if your cat falls into specific at-risk categories.

Cancer Prevention

Keeping your cat indoors will protect her from certain skin cancers caused by repeated sun exposure and sunburn.

Breast cancer is a common cancer for cats, but it can be avoided by having your cat spayed before her first heat cycle.

Cancer Treatments

Treatment options vary and depend on the type and stage of cancer.

Common treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy or a combination of therapies. Success of treatment depends on the form and extent of the cancer and the aggressiveness of the therapy. Of course, early detection is best.

Some cat owners opt for no treatment of the cancer, in which case palliative care, including pain relief, should be considered. Regardless of how you proceed after a diagnosis of cancer in your pet, it is very important to consider his quality of life when making future decisions.

Some cancers can be cured, and almost all patients can receive at least some benefit from treatment. Please note that if your cat’s cancer is not curable, there are still many things you can do to make your pet feel better. Don’t hesitate to talk to your vet about your options. And remember good nutrition and loving care can greatly enhance your cat’s quality of life.

Knowing When to Consult Your Vet

Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat shows any of the clinical signs mentioned on the list above. Should your cat receive a diagnosis of cancer, you may wish to consult a veterinary oncologist, often employed by specialty veterinary practices and teaching hospitals.