Good nutrition is as important to your cat as it is to you, but her nutritional needs are quite different! Unlike humans, a cat needs a high-fat diet with less fibre. Even if you prefer a vegetarian diet, you should understand that cats are carnivores. They need nutrients from animal protein and fat for optimal health, and they benefit from fibre for a healthy digestive tract and carbohydrates for energy.
With thousands of pet foods available, how do you pick the one that's right for your cat?
Start by identifying the cat's life stage and lifestyle. Kittens, nursing mothers, and mature/senior pets are examples of life stages, and each has different nutritional requirements. All cat foods should state which life stage they are recommended for.
Nutritional needs also vary depending on lifestyle. A cat whose primary activity is guarding the couch doesn't need as much energy as one who likes to spend time roaming outside.
Finally, it is important to take into account any special medical condition your cat may have, including food allergies that might require a special diet recommended by your veterinarian.
Once you've determined your cat's life stage and lifestyle needs, decide whether to feed dry or wet food. Most cats thrive on only dry food. This type of food promotes oral hygiene and health through abrasive action. Some cats, especially finicky eaters, enjoy the smooth and wet texture of canned or pouch foods.
Remember that, while dry food can be left in a bowl all day, wet food should be thrown away after 30 minutes if not eaten. Dry food is the best choice for busy people who are not normally home during the day.
Once you know your pet's nutritional needs and your pet's preference, you are ready to go shopping.
Because cats need the nutrients found in animal sources, it’s best to pick a food in which a primary ingredient (one of the first ones listed) is an animal-based protein source such as chicken, lamb, fish, egg, or one of their by-products. These ingredients contain all the essential amino acids, including taurine, which isn’t found in a vegetable-based protein source.
Using a combination of carbohydrates in a diet, such as corn meal or barley and grain sorghum, ensures efficient absorption and helps maintain energy levels. And beet pulp is an excellent fibre source that promotes a healthy digestive tract.
For a soft, thick coat and healthy skin, your pet needs fatty acids like those found in vitamin-rich fish oils and quality fat sources such as chicken.
Cat food labels provide limited information on the nutritional value of your pet's food because labeling regulations do not allow manufacturers to describe the quality of ingredients on the package. A reputable pet food manufacturer can explain to you how they evaluate and assure the quality of their products.
When choosing food, the price on the bag, while important, is usually not the best consideration. A low price may indicate cheap ingredients, or ingredients that change as manufacturer costs fluctuate.
In addition, many lower-priced products have higher daily portions to provide the same amount of nutrition found in a high-quality diet. To get a better idea of cost, it is the cost per feeding, not the total cost, that counts.
To figure cost per feeding, divide the total cost by the number of days the product lasts. For example, a 20-lb bag of food that costs $18.99 and lasts 30 days is $0.63 per day. A 20-lb bag that costs $15.99 and lasts 20 days costs $0.80 per day. When compared closely, high-quality pet foods are quite favourable to other brands.
Rabies is a dangerous virus that affects the warm-blooded animal kingdom. It spreads through the bite or starch of an infected animal, making the infection easily transmissible amongst animals and humans alike. Since there is no effective rabies treatment yet, the only solution to combat this fatal virus is through vaccination. Veterinarians recommend anti-rabies vaccine for pets to protect them and their humans from this deadly virus.
Anti-rabies vaccine is one of the core vaccines for cats, in addition to the 4-in-1 cat vaccine. It helps prevent the cases of rabies in cats and kittens, contributing to the overall health of your feline friend. However, before getting your cat vaccinated with rabies injections, it is essential to know a few details about this disease and how to prevent it. So, let’s dive right into it.
The rabies virus depends on the host body for survival. As the virus cannot survive outside of the host body, it spreads through open wounds and mucous membranes in the eye, mouth, and nose. The virus transmits through the saliva of the infected animal. If a rabies carrier bites or starches your pet, then it too becomes infected with the virus. Typically, the incubation for rabies in cats ranges from a few days to a few years.
Since rabies is a deadly infection, it is imperative that you, as a cat parent, watch out for its symptoms. So, let’s take a look at a few signs of rabies in cats:
Fever
Lethargy
Low appetite
Difficulty breathing
Hypersalivation
Difficulty swallowing
Abnormal behaviour
Curing rabies is not an option post-incubation as there is no proper medication available in the market yet. Hence, keeping this fatal infection at bay is of paramount importance. And how can you do that? By ensuring that your cat is vaccinated with an anti-rabies injection.
Anti-rabies vaccine for cats is a must. Veterinarians monitor rabies shots for both indoor and outdoor cats. While there is a misconception that rabies vastly affects dogs, it can find its way to cats and other warm-blooded animals as well. Cat’s rabies vaccination prepares your indoor kitty to fight the deadly virus. Hence, do not skip on annual booster shots for both indoor and outdoor cats.
While you may think, your indoor cat is safe from the fatal disease, it is best to ensure complete healthcare for its overall well-being. Cats often socialise with outside cats by licking, sniffing, or starching each other. Indoor cats can get the rabies virus if they socialise in this manner with an infected outdoor or stray cat. Anti-rabies vaccination is the best way to avoid any remote possibility of your kitty getting infected. It builds antigens in the cat’s body, so your fur baby can tackle the rabies virus.
Various brands offer anti-rabies vaccines for cats in the market. Hence, it is best to seek a veterinarian’s advice regarding vaccination. They will take multiple factors, such as your kitty’s age, breed, and lifestyle, into consideration before recommending a brand. Similarly, when it comes to the frequency of taking the anti-rabies vaccination, it all depends on the type of vaccine recommended for your pet. If your vet recommends an adjuvant vaccine, your cat might have to be inoculated once every year. On the other hand, if they suggest a non-adjuvant vaccine, you must note that these vaccines are generally administered once in three years.
Anti-rabies vaccine is one of the core vaccinations for cats. It prepares your cat to fight the virus by boosting immunity. The first dose of the anti-rabies vaccine is administered once the kitty turns 12 weeks old. After the initial dose, depending on the type of vaccine, you will need to get your feline friend vaccinated either annually or once in three years.
As a cat parent, you must know the potential side effects of this vaccine. So, let’s take a look at them:
Low-grade fever
Lethargy
Low appetite
Cat parents should monitor not only the anti-rabies vaccine but also other core vaccines like 4 in 1 cat vaccine, FeVac 5, and 3-in-1 cat vaccine. Regular vaccination and annual health check-ups ensure your kitty leads a healthy life. So, ascertain that you provide your fur baby with all the care it requires.