Cats like most animal lovers. Since these animals have long lived with a man, it seems that it is not difficult to take care of them. However, this is not entirely true, because the health and mood of a pet depends on proper care. We will conduct a brief excursion on caring for an adult cat and kittens.
What is needed for content?
First of all, you need to be patient, as care, especially for the baby, will require effort. You will need to regularly feed the cat, clean up after him, comb, play and educate. In addition, all cats are sick from time to time, so they must be regularly vaccinated and treated.
What is needed to keep a furry friend.
- Place to rest. For this, both a purchased house and a homemade couch will do. The main condition is the quality of the material - it must be natural, easy to wash and clean of wool.
You will please the cat if you place the house on a hill, from where the animal will see the situation and feel safe.
- Feeding area. Cats from an early age get used to the same feeding place. If you constantly move the bowl with food from place to place, the animal will be nervous. In addition, special attention should be paid to the dishes. It should be made of plastic or metal, not have sharp edges and be comfortable for the cat (bumpers 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.
Before each feeding dishes necessarily washed.
- Cat toilet. Without this attribute, those owners whose cats live only in an apartment are unlikely to manage. The tray should be deep enough and wide enough for the cat to fit comfortably there and not scatter the filler.
For the tray you need to take the most secluded place for the comfort of the animal.
- Kogtetochka and toys. Any cat simply needs a scratching post, otherwise it will tear up wallpaper or furniture that will not please the owner. To accustom to the scraper should be from a very young age, and special luring sprays, sold in any vetapteka, will help in this. Toys must also be present in the house where there are cats. These animals are very playful and should spend their energy for good, rather than attacking the feet of the owners.
- Care products. Cats need to cut their nails as they grow, so a nail clipper of good quality and sharpness is an indispensable attribute of a responsible host. Special shampoos, anti-flea collars, antihelmintic drugs, wool combing will also 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 necessarily like what he eats. Dry food, wet or cooked food at home - you choose, but in the diet only meat, cereal and vegetable ingredients are allowed.
Occasionally, cats are given eggs and dairy fat-free products, and sweets and pastries are strictly prohibited.
How to brush your teeth?
Contrary to popular belief, cats also need to brush their teeth. Ignoring such a 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 different ways: with special bones and chopsticks, toothbrushes, and even with the introduction of special food into the diet.
It is necessary to take care of a fluffy pet's teeth from a very young age, when the kitten is at least one month old. Otherwise, the cat will resist too much to the procedure, and brushing her teeth will be a daunting task for the owner.
It is best to use for this act. Special kit for cleaning teeth of cats, sold in a vet pharmacy. Typically, a toothbrush for cats is a plastic fingertip, which is convenient to get to distant teeth. If they are not available, you can use a regular soft-bristled baby toothbrush. Toothpaste should be necessarily purchased in a veterinary store. From human cat may be poisoned.
How to clean the teeth of a cat.
- Correctly fix the animal. Hold him paws so that the cat could not escape. Head should also be held. It is best to carry out the procedure together to simplify the task and make everything qualitatively.
- Open the mouth of the cat and delay the lips. We need to act quickly and clearly. To drive a toothbrush stands from top to bottom to scrape the scrape off as effectively as possible.
- Praise the cat. Reward the pet delicacy, stroke and affectionately call. The animal should capture in memory the positive emotions associated with the procedure.
If the cat is absolutely not tuned to brushing your teeth and is very resistant, resort to other methods of oral hygiene. Give him a special bone or wand, as well as purchase a special solution in the vet pharmacy that destroys microbes in the mouth of the animal.
How to cut the claws?
Despite the fact that cats usually use claws, they still need to trim the claws. Cats living on the street have the opportunity to sharpen claws on the asphalt, trees, land, and pets can not enjoy these benefits. That is why they need to cut the claws on a regular basis.
To begin to do this procedure you need already a kitten at the age of 3 months. It can not be postponed, because clipping claws should become a habit for furry friends.
It is better to cut the cat's claws together, as this procedure is hardly pleasant for the pet.
How to cut the claws of cats.
- Use only special tools. The shape of the claw is semicircular, ordinary scissors will flatten the claw and bring painful sensations to the animal. Special pliers for cats are sold at a veterinary store. There you can also purchase a more serious construction - a guillotine for very hard nails.
- Do not cut further than 2 mm from the pulp.. Pulp - the inner part of the nail, which is permeated by blood vessels. If you touch it during pruning, you can hurt the animal, cause bleeding and carry the infection. The white nails clearly show the boundaries of the pulp, but on black the situation is different. Therefore, black nails should not be cut off too much, it is better to do this more often, but by a little bit.
- After circumcision, perform additional procedures. Treat the cut with an antiseptic solution if blood has spilled out. It is necessary to file the nails at the end of the manicure with a special nail file.
We clean the ears
Many are now surprised, but the ears of a healthy cat do not need to be cleaned with cotton buds or antiseptic solutions. Do not pour ears with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. Cats' ears have a special self-cleaning mechanism, and rough manipulations can break it. The epithelial cells themselves peel off and push the excess sulfur, dust particles and lint to the exit of the ear.
Only if necessary should you clean the auditory canal of fluffy pets. 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 where you need to carry out the hygiene of the ears - a variety of ear diseases of cats. It may be a tick or a bacterial infection. If your ward leaks liquid from the auricles, there is a plaque or an unpleasant smell, the cat combs the ear, then should contact your veterinarian. By making the correct diagnosis, the doctor will select the treatment and show you how to properly clean the cat's ears.
In any case, too often to clean the ears, the more ear sticks are not worth it. Kittens in general, this procedure is contraindicated if they do not have diseases and ticks in the ears.
Feeding rules
Feed the cats should be fully, it is then that they will have good health. Remember that cats are predators, and their diet should consist mainly of animal proteins. It is not necessary to feed them with one porridge and the more so to give confectionery. From this, the health of a furry pet will not improve.
You can feed the cat with both his own 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.
- Meat. Chicken, rabbit, beef, turkey, in general, everything that is convenient and profitable for you to buy. Do not just give the cats all this raw and with bones. Heat treatment is required.
- A fish. Most species of marine fish are perfect for inclusion in the cat's diet. However, do not forget to thoroughly clean it of bones so that the animal does not choke.
- Vegetables. Zucchini and carrots will improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract and help replenish the body's supply of vitamins and minerals. Many cats hunt snack vegetables. Watch your pet's taste preferences and give him vegetables other than potatoes and beans.
- Kashi. A little porridge in the diet of the cat is still worth adding. The advantage should be given oatmeal, as it contains the maximum amount of nutrients.
- Grass. It will be useful to grow for your pet a special grass like oats. Such an additive is very popular with cats and will bring them a lot of benefits.
- 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 food as the main power source, you should pay attention to the class: it should 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 concerned with the question of how to properly feed a cat. The animal should be fed 2-3 times a day, given the constitution and appetite of your pet.
Some furry friends differ in large size and brutal appetite, they can be fed 4 times a day.
Kittens should be gradually taught to adult food at the age of about a month. The main condition for their healthy digestion are properly selected portions. 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 food, it is worth adhering to special food for kittens. They are more nutritious 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 liquids should not be given to fluffy pets at any age. To quench their thirst and the normal functioning of the body they need clean drinking water. Water from the tap contains harmful alkalis and chlorine, so it needs to be boiled, filtered, or purchased bottled water that has already been purified to feed a cat or a kitten. It is necessary to change it every day or more often in accordance with the needs of the cat or the pollution of the cup.
Health care
Even if your pet looks very healthy, has a beautiful coat, luminous eyes and plays briskly, you need to take good care of his health. First of all, it must be properly fed. But not inferior in importance and trips to the vet.
An animal must at least every six months, led for routine inspectionso that the doctor will notice even the beginning signs of the disease in case of its presence. Also, the veterinarian will monitor the need to make another vaccination or prescribe a prophylactic course of vitamins.
Having a few cats in the house, it is important to monitor their communication. Fights are unacceptable, as cats can cause each other serious injuries, such as scratching the eyes. If you notice any wounds or scratches on the animal's body, you should immediately visit a doctor.
An important element in keeping cats and kittens is the prevention and treatment of fleas. Do not wait for these parasites to start.
It is better to immediately acquire a flea repellent collar, since they, in addition to the source of unpleasant sensations, are carriers of various diseases.
With old cats you need to behave as carefully as possible. Because of their age, they need special care. They may have problems with joints, teeth, and urogenital system. An elderly pet should be provided with rest and proper nutrition with additional supplements with vitamins. Do not postpone the visit to the vet if you see that the animal has changed its gait, it has become worse to eat and is not interested in anything.
For the health of the cat is important and physical activity. Do not forget to play with your favorite, offer him from time to time new toys. If the cat feels abandoned, he may even develop a real clinical depression.
Features care for cats of different breeds
Many lovers of the cat family are attracted by pedigree individuals. Caring for such animals is more complicated than the usual "noblemen." Sometimes in pedigree cats there are features of the body, specific diseases and nuances of character. Let's sort the rules of care for some popular breeds.
- Maine Coon. This big cat actually easily adapts to life in a regular apartment. For the Maine Coon is characterized by a tendency to excess weight, so their food should be monitored with special care. In addition, cats of this species should be given a lot of time, as they need physical activity.
- Egyptian Mau. This cat is very athletic, so you need to feed her hard to get enough calories.
She likes to climb at height, to seek shelter there. She needs a separate design for games.
- Devon Rex. The breed is famous for its special curly hair, which in no case can not be combed. Instructions for caring for the Devon Rex at home is 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 abundant.
These cats do not like the cold, so their bed should be equipped near the battery in the winter and in the summer on the sunny windowsill.
- British Shorthair. This breed is prone to gaining excess weight. Cats have a wide bone and show little activity. To make the British Shorthair play, you need to find her an interesting toy.
Animals require constant combing, special attention should be paid to the procedure in the offseason.
- Siamese. These cats have high intelligence and ability to train. They like to play at height, to overcome various obstacles, they adore toys. If you treat such a pet with love, the cat becomes very tame and even prefers to sleep with the owner together.
- Bengal. This cat resembles its kindred leopard. 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 for them.
- Bali A real aristocrat in appearance, this cat loves to look down on everyone. So get ready, that all cabinets and shelves will become a favorite place for a walk such a fluffy friend. Very active and loud cats that require games and attention.
- Abyssinian. Small playful cat, which is very attached to the owner and loves to pay attention to her. Careful grooming is very important. The daily combing and wiping with a suede cloth is also very popular with the Abyssinians.
These animals do not like loneliness, so they are not suitable for very busy people.
- Persian. The stocky figure, thick coat and flat nose of Persian cats are known to everyone. They differ in calm temper with rare emotional outbursts.
The main problem in the care of the Persian cat - maintaining the wool in good condition. Also, these sluggards should be fed moderately to prevent obesity.
- Japanese bobtail. By character, they are more like dogs: they gladly bring toys, respond to the nickname and love their owners. These animals are clan and prefer to live surrounded by their brothers and sisters. They will not sit on the lap of the owners, but playing with a bow, jumping in an attempt to grab the ball is their favorite activity.
They are very voracious, so the owners should follow the optimal portions, despite the requests of pets.
- Turkish angora. An active and inquisitive 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-calorie, as the Angora spends a lot of energy. Wool care is simple, but it must be done regularly.
- Manx tailless. A very old breed of cats with an interesting feature: they have no tail. These animals are prone to corpulence, and even with normal weight look very plump. Very friendly and cute cats that can be strongly attached to the owner.
It is important not to overfeed them and comb them every day, as the thick undercoat is constantly growing and can fall into mats.
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 man. Therefore, even a lazy Persian can become a real jumper and a bully, if that is the case. The main thing is to love your pet and take care of it with all my heart. Then he will reach for you and play pranks less.
On how to properly care for a kitten, you will learn from the video below.