Dog Rescue

Is Your Cat Getting Enough Of This?

Water is a basic element we all need and cats are no exception. It accounts for up to 75 percent of your cat’s weight and it helps her digest food, eliminate waste and regulate body temperature.

The amount of water your cat needs will vary based on a few things including their activity level and diet, but ensuring she is getting enough water is important. Hydration is one of the factors that can contribute to urinary tract problems, which can in turn lead to other problems. But there are a few things you can do to make sure your cat is regularly getting enough water.

Ways To Encourage Proper Hydration

Fresh water should always be available to your cat, ideally in more than one location. You may even try moving one source of water around to see where your cat likes it best. Having more than one water dish is especially important if you have more than one cat.

Consider getting a re-circulating water fountain. Many cats like to drink running water. These water fountains encourage some cats to drink more often.

Another great way to get more water into your cat’s diet is by feeding her wet or canned cat food. This is especially important if your cat has had a feline urinary tract issues in the past. You can even add a little extra water to the food if you feel she isn’t drinking enough on her own.

What You Feed Your Cat Is Important

Besides adding some wet cat food to your cat’s diet the type of food you choose is important as well. If feline urinary tract infections are of concern choose a food that is low in magnesium.

To keep your cat as healthy as possible choose a natural cat food that uses whole food ingredients instead of by-products. Companies that make natural and organic cat foods often pay more attention to the ingredients in the food and in most cases they use better quality ingredients to encourage optimum feline health.

Litter Boxes

The other side of hydration of course involves litter boxes. Having clean litter boxes in out of the way places is important as well. If you have multiple cats you should have more than one litter box.

Taking a few easy steps to ensure your cat is eating and drinking well will help keep her healthier and it may cut her risk of some common cat health problems down the road.…

Dog

Getting Your Cat Ready for a New Baby

Having a new baby join your home is a change for everyone there. It is no different for pets that you have. Indoor pets are, especially, affected by the new bundle of joy. They may see a new baby as an intruder to their territory. There are some things you can do to get your cat ready to share the home with a new child.

Before you begin your training make sure that your cat is healthy. A check-up with a veterinarian is a good idea if your pet hasn’t had one lately. A couple other basic things to do are to play sounds of a baby to let your pet get used to the sound of a newborn human and to let him or her explore the nursery. Don’t let the cat set up camp in the nursery, though. This will make the situation worse when the baby starts using the room and displaces the cat.

If the child isn’t born yet and the pregnant woman is the person that does most of the caring for the cat, the responsibilities should be shifted before delivery. Cleaning the litter box should have already been a duty given to someone else for health reasons. Feeding and playtime should also be taken over by someone else in the house. This will keep the cat from feeling as jealous of the baby taking all of the mother’s time after the child comes home.

Get your cat used to the sounds and smells that come with having a baby in the house. Set up the baby swing and let it swing empty. Put some baby powder on a couple blankets and play with some baby toys. Allow your pet to associate these sounds and smells with you or the other caregivers before the child is in the picture.

Crib covers are available to keep the cat from getting into the crib and thinking that is his or her new bed. These can be used after the child comes home, as well. Another idea is to replace the door on the nursery with a screen door. This will allow you to keep the cat from getting into the room but still allowing you to hear if the baby is awake or upset.…