How to care for a kitten and an adult cat?

Most animal lovers like cats. Since these animals have been living with humans for a long time, it seems that it is not difficult to care for them. However, this is not entirely true, because the health and mood of a pet depends on proper care. We will give a short excursion on caring for an adult cat and kittens.

First of all, you need to be patient, as caring, especially for the baby, will require effort. It will be necessary to feed the cat regularly, clean up after it, comb out, play and educate. In addition, all cats periodically get sick, so they need to be regularly vaccinated and treated.

What is needed to keep a furry friend.

• A place to relax. For this, both a purchased house and a homemade stove bench are suitable. The main condition is the quality of the material - it must be natural, easily washed and cleaned of wool.

• Place for feeding. Cats from an early age get used to the same feeding place. If you constantly rearrange bowls with food from place to place, the animal will be nervous. In addition, special attention should be paid to utensils. It should be made of plastic or metal, not have sharp edges and be comfortable for the cat (the sides should be low enough). If you give the animal both dry and wet food, then there should be three bowls: for each type of food and for water.

• Cat's toilet. Those owners whose cats live only in an apartment are unlikely to do without this attribute. The tray should be deep and wide enough so that the cat fits comfortably there and does not scatter the filler.

• Scratching post and toys. Any cat just needs a scratching post, otherwise it will tear wallpaper or furniture, which will not please the owner. You should be accustomed to a clawclaw from a very young age, and special luring sprays sold in any veterinary pharmacy will help in this. Toys should also be present in a house with cats. These animals are very playful and should spend their energy with benefit, and not attacking the feet of the owners.

• Care products. Cats need to cut their nails as they grow, so a nail clipper of proper quality and sharpness is an indispensable attribute of a responsible owner. Also, special shampoos, anti-flea collars, anthelmintic preparations, and wool-combing products will be needed.

• Feed. The choice of this product is very important, since good nutrition is simply necessary for such a frisky pet. Pay attention to the composition and taste preferences of the cat, as the animal must like what he eats. Dry food, wet or home-cooked food is up to you, but only meat, cereal and vegetable ingredients are allowed in the diet.

Contrary to popular belief, cats also need to brush their teeth. Ignoring this procedure can lead to the formation of tartar, as a result of petrification of plaque from food. Such a nuisance is fraught with various consequences: from bad breath to periodontitis and other dental diseases.

At home, cats are brushing their teeth in various ways: with special bones and sticks, toothbrushes, and even by introducing special food into the diet.

It’s best to use for this act special kit for cleaning cat's teeth, sold in a veterinary pharmacy. Typically, a toothbrush for cats is a plastic fingertip, which is convenient to get to distant teeth. If there are none, you can use a regular children's toothbrush with soft bristles. Toothpaste should be must be purchased at a veterinary store. From a human cat can be poisoned.

How to brush your cat’s teeth.

1. Correctly fix the animal. Hold his paws so that the cat can not escape. The head should also be held. It is best to carry out the procedure together in order to simplify the task and do everything qualitatively.
2. Open your cat's mouth and pull your lips. You need to act quickly and clearly. Driving with a toothbrush is from top to bottom so that the plaque is cleaned as efficiently as possible.
3. Praise the cat. Reward your pet with a treat, pet and affectionately call. The animal must capture the positive emotions associated with the procedure.

Despite the fact that cats usually use a claw, they still need to cut their claws. Cats living on the street have the opportunity to sharpen their claws on asphalt, trees, ground, and pets cannot use these benefits.That is why they need to cut their nails on a regular basis.

To start this procedure, you need already a kitten at the age of 3 months. You can not put it off, because the clipping of the claws should become a habit among furry friends.

How to cut claws in cats.

1. Use only special tools. The shape of the claw is semicircular, ordinary scissors flatten the claw and bring pain to the animal. Special cat nippers are sold at the veterinary store. You can also get a more serious design there - a guillotine for very hard nails.
2. Do not cut further 2 mm from the pulp. Pulp is the inside of the nail that the blood vessels penetrate. If you touch it when pruning, you can hurt the animal, cause bleeding and cause infection. On the white nails, the borders of the pulp are clearly visible, but on black nails the situation is different. Therefore, do not cut off too much black nails, it is better to do it more often, but a little bit.
3. After circumcision, carry out additional procedures. Treat the section with an antiseptic solution if blood has appeared. It is necessary to file nails at the end of the manicure with a special nail file.

Many will be surprised now, but the ears of a healthy cat do not need to be cleansed with cotton buds or antiseptic solutions. Do not fill the auricles with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. Ears of cats have a special self-cleaning mechanism, and rough manipulations can disrupt it. Epithelial cells themselves exfoliate and promote excess sulfur, particles of dust and villi to exit the ear.

Only if necessary should the auditory meatus of furry pets be cleaned. If the cat’s ears are dirty, you should moisten a cotton swab in a special non-medicinal solution for cleaning the ears and gently wipe the dirt. No need to pour the solution directly into the ear.

Another case when you need to carry out hygiene of the ears - various ear diseases of cats. It can be a tick or a bacterial infection. If your ward has liquid leaking from the ears, there is a plaque or an unpleasant smell, the cat is combing the ear, then contact your veterinarian. Having made the correct diagnosis, the doctor will select the treatment and show how to properly flush the ears of the cat.

Feeding cats should be fully, just then they will be in good health. Remember that cats are predators, and their diet should consist primarily of animal proteins. Do not feed them with one porridge and even more so give confectionery. From this, the health of a furry pet will not improve.

You can feed a cat with both self-cooked food and prepared food. The choice is yours, in each case there are advantages and disadvantages.

If you decide to feed the cat with natural food, then give preference to such products.

1. Meat. Chicken, rabbit, beef, turkey - in general, everything that is convenient and profitable for you to buy. You should not just give cats all this raw and with bones. Heat treatment is required.
2. Fish. Most species of sea fish are great for inclusion in the diet of a cat. However, do not forget to thoroughly clean it of bones so that the animal does not choke.
3. Vegetables. Zucchini and carrots will improve the work of the digestive tract and help replenish the body's supply of vitamins and minerals. Many cats eagerly snack on vegetables. Observe the taste preferences of the pet and give him vegetables, except for potatoes and legumes.
4. Porridge. Some cereals in the cat's diet are still worth adding. The advantage should be given to oatmeal, as it contains the maximum amount of nutrients.
5. Grass. It will be useful to grow a special grass like oats for your pet. This supplement is very popular with cats and will bring them a lot of benefits.
6. Vitamins. In any veterinary store you can buy special vitamins for cats. They will help fill the gaps in the diet of cats.

When choosing feed as the main power source, you should pay attention to the class: it must be premium and super premium. Otherwise, the cat will not have enough proteins, fats and carbohydrates for normal life.

Many caring and responsible owners are worried about how to properly feed a cat. The animal is supposed to feed 2-3 times a day, given the constitution and appetite of your pet.

Kittens need to be gradually accustomed to adult food at the age of about a month. The main condition for their healthy digestion is properly selected servings. Do not overfeed them or, conversely, feed too little. Food for babies should be warm, about 36 degrees. Then it will be better absorbed. When choosing food as the main source of nutrition, it is worth sticking to special feeds specifically for kittens. They are more high-calorie and have a small fraction, so that the kitten can easily absorb them.

Separately, I want to say about drinking for a cat. Milk, kefir and other fluids should not be given to furry pets at any age. To quench their thirst and normal functioning of the body, they need clean drinking water. Tap water contains harmful alkalis and chlorine, so you need to boil it, filter it or get bottled water that has already been purified to drink a cat or a kitten. It needs to be changed every day or more often in accordance with the needs of the cat or contamination of the cup.

Even if your pet looks very healthy, has a beautiful coat, glowing eyes and plays briskly, you need to constantly care about its health. First of all, it must be properly fed. But campaigns to the veterinarian are not inferior in importance either.

An animal is necessary at least every six months to take a routine inspectionso that the doctor even noticed the onset of signs of the disease, if any. Also, the veterinarian will monitor the need for another vaccination or prescribe a preventive course of vitamins.

Having several cats in the house, it is important to monitor their communication. Fights are unacceptable, since cats can cause serious injuries to each other, for example, scratching their eyes. If you notice wounds or scratches on the body of the animal, you should immediately visit a doctor.

An important element of keeping cats and kittens is the prevention and treatment of fleas. Do not wait until these parasites start.

With old cats you need to behave as carefully as possible. Due to their age, they require special care. They may begin to have problems with joints, teeth, and the genitourinary system. An elderly pet should provide peace and proper nutrition with additional complementary foods with vitamins. Do not postpone the visit to the veterinarian if you see that the animal has changed its gait, it has become worse to eat and is not interested in anything.

For cat's health, motor activity is also important. Do not forget to play with your pet, offer him new toys from time to time. If the cat feels abandoned, then it can even develop a real clinical depression.

Many lovers of the cat family are attracted to purebred individuals. Caring for such animals is more complicated than for ordinary "nobles." Sometimes in purebred cats there are body features, specific diseases and nuances of character. Let's look at the rules for caring for some popular breeds.

• Maine Coon. This large cat actually easily adapts to life in an ordinary apartment. Maine Coons are prone to excess weight, so their nutrition should be monitored with particular care. In addition, cats of this species should be given a lot of time, since they need physical activity.

• Egyptian Mau. This cat is very athletic, so you need to feed it intensively so that it receives a sufficient amount of calories.

• Devon Rex. The breed is famous for its special curly hair, which in no case can be combed. The instructions for caring for the Devon Rex at home are simple: you need to play with these cats, they must have a place for jumping and running. Feeding for such active animals should also be plentiful.

• British Shorthair. This breed is prone to gain weight. Cats have a wide bone and show little activity. To make the British Shorthair cat play, you need to pick up an interesting toy for her.

• Siamese. These cats are distinguished by high intelligence and ability to train. They like to play at height, overcome various obstacles, love toys. If you love such a pet with love, then the cat becomes completely tame and even prefers to sleep with the owner together.

• Bengali This cat resembles its congener leopard. The breed is considered to be wild, but it is not. Bengal cats are strongly attached to the owner, but should be able to run and jump during the day. It is then that they will not gain excess weight, which is very harmful to them.

• Balinese A real aristocrat in appearance, this cat loves to look down on everyone. Therefore, get ready that all cabinets and shelves will become a favorite place for a walk of such a furry friend. Very active and noisy cats requiring games and attention.

• Abyssinian. A small, playful cat that is very attached to the owner and loves to be paid attention to. Careful hair care is very important. Daily combing and rubbing with a suede cloth is also very popular with Abyssinians.

• Persian. The stocky figure, thick coat and flat nose of Persian cats are known to everyone. They differ in a calm disposition with rare emotional outbursts.

• Japanese bobtail. They are more like dogs in character: they bring toys with pleasure, respond to a nickname and love their owners. These animals are clanlike and prefer to live surrounded by their brothers and sisters. They will not sit on the owners ’lap, but playing with a bow, jumping in an attempt to grab the ball is their favorite pastime.

• Turkish Angora. An active and curious cat, which is extremely easy to care for. All she needs is movement and activity, as well as a minimal set of toys. The diet should be high in calories, since angora spends a lot of energy. It is easy to care for wool, but you need to do this regularly.

• Manx tailless. A very old cat breed with an interesting feature: they do not have a tail. These animals are prone to fullness and even with normal weight look very well-fed. Very friendly and cute cats that can become very attached to the owner.

We hope that this information will help you better understand your pet or decide on the choice of breed. Each cat is individual, like a person. Therefore, even a lazy Persian can become a real jumper and a bully, if circumstances arise. The main thing is to love your pet and take care of it with all your heart. Then he will be drawn to you and play less pranks.

You will learn about how to properly care for a kitten from the video below.