Cat Care for a Happy and Healthy Cat
I consider my cat, Tommy, a pretty happy and healthy cat. He eats a variety of foods to meet his dietary needs, he plays regularly, both by himself and with the family, he is flea-free and worm-free, and he is current on his vaccinations.
These are all things for which I am very thankful, but they did not happen by accident. We have been very diligent in providing for Tommy’s care, and we make sure not to miss a dose of medications and preventatives.
There are several things that we have to be sure to maintain as a part of
good cat health. First and foremost, we keep up with his vaccines. There is a core set of vaccines vets administer to cats.
The first is the FPV which helps prevent panleukopenia, which can be fatal in kittens. The FPV vaccine is given several times to kittens until they are sixteen weeks old. After that, they receive a booster at the first year and then every three years.
A second core vaccination is for feline viral respiratory disease. This vaccine is injectable and contains strains of the herpesvirus and calicivirus. This vaccination can be given with FPV, and the last kitten dose is not to be given before 16 weeks. A booster after one year is recommended, and then every three years to keep the vaccination effective.
Rabies is the third core vaccine. These vaccines are required by state and city laws to prevent the spread of rabies, which is fatal to animals and people. Three types of rabies vaccines are available for cats. They are all injectable. Your vet can help you decide what type of vaccine is the most beneficial to you and your cat.
There are also noncore vaccines that you may consider depending upon your cat’s living environment and circumstances. The feline leukemia virus vaccine is noncore because it is not 100% effective in helping your cat fight the illness. Kittens and outdoor cats are most susceptible to the virus, so discuss this vaccination with your vet.
The FIV, or feline immunodefficency virus, vaccine is also injectable. It does not guarantee that infection will not occur. The risks and benefits of this vaccine must be weighed with your vet.
Chlamydophila and Bordatella are two more noncore vaccinations to consider for your cat. Both of these illnesses cause respiratory problems in cats. The risks and benefits to your cat should be discussed with your vet.
Because Tommy is a vibrant, wandering cat, we make sure to keep up with the vet’s recommendations for his vaccines every year. Keeping him
up to date on his shots is important for long term good cat
health.
Another area we have taken great care to provide the best products and solutions for Tommy is the area of worms. A lot of cats, especially those, like Tommy who roam, can easily pick up worms as they hunt. Worms are easy for a cat to pick up. Some are ingested, and other enter the cat through the pads of their feet. They are usually easy to treat, if you pay attention and know what to look for.
If your cat’s diet changes, have him tested for worms. The vet can easily find and diagnose a worm problem, and the medications are easy to administer and work quickly. Because worms can do so much damage if left untreated, this part of Tommy’s care is something we pay very close attention to.
Fleas are another problem we encountered with Tommy. While they seem like a pesky problem, they can become more than an inconvenience. Fleas lay hundreds of eggs, which then drop off your cat and live in your furniture and carpet until they hatch. If you treat kitty with a bath or powder, you may find in two weeks when the eggs hatch, they have hopped right back on.
You must be diligent about treatment of your pet, your home, and your yard. Failing to pay attention to even one of these three areas can leave you and your cat constantly fighting the infestation!
The most important decision we made about Tommy’s overall care was his food. We did a lot of research to find we didn’t know much about cat food. There are options for dry food, canned food, semi-moist food, and homemade food. Manufacturers sell their foods for very reasonable prices to what seem like outrageous prices. I didn’t understand the disparity.
Then I discovered that some manufacturers use things like animal and plant by-products. That means they use all the leftovers: hooves, beaks, feathers, stalks, leaves, seeds. I am no genius, but I am pretty sure those things are not the healthiest choices for my cat. The more expensive foods may seem a little proud of their product, but they have the healthy cuts of meat, low content of fillers like cornmeal that cats don’t need anyway, and a flavor that appeals to the natural desires a cat has for food.
It all boils down to what is best for your family and for your cat. A healthy cat is a happy cat. A happy cat makes a happy family. An unhealthy cat is expensive and very unpleasant!
Do your research. Ask questions of cat owners. Call your vet. Keep up with vaccines, fleas, and worms. Your cat deserves the best life you can give him.
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