Pause for Paws

TLC for Cats

Food & Water

Proper nutrition is essential for maintaining a cats health.

Feeding premium quality cat food should be a priority in the care of your cat.  I recommend Iams or Science Diet.  Both of these can be found at your veterinarians or local pet store.  Although the price is higher than your normal commercial pet foods, the payoff in nutritional benefits outweighs the price in the end!  Also, with the premium quality cat food, your cat will eat less, thereby offsetting some of the cost.  Feed according to package instructions.  If your cat doesn't have problems with weight, it's OK to free feed dry food.  That's what we do at our home.

I recommend feeding a diet of mainly dry food.  Canned food can be used for supplementation, but should never be used as the main food source.  The reason for this is due to the care of your cats teeth.  Dry food helps reduce tartar build-up, thereby helping to maintain good oral hygiene for your cat.

Once your cat reaches one year of age, I also recommend yearly teeth cleaning by your veterinarian.

Water is much more important than you might think!

Making sure your cat has ample access to water is vital in maintaining your cats health.
Cats are prone to urinary tract infections, or U.T.I.'s.  Having plenty of clean, fresh water available will help cut down on these infections.
It's important to find out how your cat likes to drink her/his water.  We have cats that enjoy water from a bowl, water from a water bottle (like in a hamster's cage), water from the faucet & water out of a cup.  We have all these options available so we're sure all of our cats are drinking enough water.  Just watch your cat & let her/him show you what she/he wants.  Then, find a way to work that into your home life.  It's easier than you might think.
You can use bottled water, tap water or filtered water.  It doesn't really matter as long as it's clean & fresh.  Room temperature is usually best.

Litter Box Details

This one's important for the humans!

The dreaded litter box.  Well, it's really not that bad.  Just follow some simple guidelines & you, your cat & the litter box can co-exist happily.

Don't run out & by some expensive, scented litter.  Chances are, your cat will hate it & you won't have a clue.  Cats don't like scented litters.  Or, at least, most cats don't.  They do, however, like clean litter boxes.

We prefer scoopable litter.  We buy generic, unscented, scoopable litter from a local discount chain store.  We use several boxes & scoop daily.  The litter boxes aren't fancy, either. They were bought at the same store we buy the litter from.  Just your basic, everyday litter boxes.  We do, however, use a box with slightly high sides.  We have some diggers, which means litter spills are constant.  The high sides help with that.

You should have at least one litter box per kitty.  If you only have one cat, you should have 2 boxes.  Whether you have a multi-cat household, or just one furr-baby, you should place the boxes in separate rooms.  No, not every litter box you have has to have a room all to its own.  But, you should make sure there are at least 2 separate areas in your home for kitty to do her/his business.  These rooms should be low traffic areas.  Potty business is a private business, after all!

Kitty's Personal Space

You have your favorite chair & nail file, what about kitty's??

Kitty needs some furniture of her own.  She needs a bed, a climbing/perch tree, a scratching post or pad & toys.

Let's talk about the bed first.  It can be a store bought cat bed or you can make one by giving kitty her own big pillow or soft blanket.  You should have one bed available in the main living area & a second bed in a more secluded, private place for kitty.  That way, when company is over, if she wants to "hide", she has a second bed that's tucked away.  Use your judgement as far as where to put the bed in each room.  Some kitties like to be in a corner where the safety of the walls makes her feel more secure.  Some like to be out in the middle of the floor.

Kitty also needs a tree & perch.  A tree is good for 3 things.  The first being a climbing place where kitty can sit up high & feel safe & yet still be a part of whatever is going on.  The second thing a tree is good for, is to be used as a window perch.  Indoor cats love looking out the windows, so be sure to place the tree close to or in front of a window.  And, last, but definitely not least, a cat tree can be used for a scratching post.  Make sure the cat tree is placed in the main living area of your home.  Kitty will want to be wherever you are & if you put the tree in some out of the way area of your home,
kitty will probably not use it.

Scratching posts are essential in maintaining harmony in your home.  A vertical scratching post, like pictured, is great for kitties who like to use the couch.  However, if you have a kitty that enjoys scratching the carpet, then you need a horizontal scratching pad.  You can find these at your local pet store or department store.  They are corrugated cardboard that can be laid on the floor & they are inexpensive &
very effective for horizontal scratchers.

You don't need to spend a lot of money on scratching posts.  You can make your own by securing a 2x4 wrapped in sisal rope to a wide, heavy base.  You can carpet the base using carpet scraps
or leave it unfinished.  Either way, kitty will use it.

Another quick note about scratching posts.  Whether you buy or make yours, make sure that when kitty stretches out, the post is longer than her.  This will make it more desirable for kitty to use.  And, more probable that she will use it.

The Vet

I seriously recommend yearly veterinarian visits.  They serve a couple different purposes.

First, they ensure your cat is getting a yearly check-up.  These check-ups are vital for kitty's health.  Your veterinarian is checking for heart defects, palpating for tumors & other various abnormalities, checking for parasites & just looking at your cats overall health.

Secondly, your cat needs yearly vaccinations.  These vaccinations prevent many serious, sometimes fatal, diseases.  If you have a multi-cat household or if your cat goes outside, I highly recommend you ask your veterinarian about the F.I.P. vaccination.  Follow the link to learn about this deadly disease.

Some states also require your cat to be licensed and/or have a rabies vaccine.  Discuss this with your veterinarian.  He or she will know more about the laws in your area.