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What brings us all together here at Basepaws is a desire to provide our cats with the very best care possible. We all wish to ensure long, healthy and happy lives for our cats for many years to come. This, of course, requires attention to all the aspects of your cat's health and care. To help you promote your cat's wellness, here are our top 5 wellness tips for healthy and happy cats.
1. Regular vet visits
Cats age much faster than us, and naturally, their bodies and health change much more rapidly than ours too. They also can't really communicate their discomfort and pain to us, often times until it disrupts their everyday routine. So, even if your cat seems to be purrfectly healthy, regular vet exams will ensure early diagnosis of any potential health concerns, and it will allow you to adapt your cat's care and diet according to their current needs. Additionally, your cat's vet can create an adequate vaccination plan and they can help you with parasite control; both very important aspects of every cat's life. Many opinion leaders recommend at least biannual vet exams, but your vet will advise how often to bring your cat according to their age and status. Here are our top tips for a less stressful vet visit.
2. Coat care
Cats are notorious for their pristine grooming habits. However, more often than not, they need a little bit of help from us. Most of the time, simple combing will do the job, but in some cases, bathing and trimming may be in order as well. Regular grooming will help get rid of any loose fur, dry skin and dirt, and it can help stimulate your cat's blood circulation and tone the muscles. Finally, when you groom your cat, you have the purrfect opportunity to inspect for fleas, ticks and other parasites, as well as signs of wounds, lumps, scabs, inflammation, allergic reactions or any other skin problems. Read more about cat coat care and how to get your cat used to the grooming process here.
3. Dental hygiene
An extremely important aspect of every cat's health is dental hygiene. Unlike us, cats can't brush their own teeth and, unlike their wild relatives, they don't chew on bones and grass nearly as sufficiently to naturally maintain their oral hygiene. The accumulation of bacteria, debris and plaque on your cat's teeth can lead to many oral health concerns, such as dental tartar, gingivitis, or even periodontal disease. The simplest and safest way to prevent dental problems and maintain overall oral hygiene in cats is to regularly brush their teeth. Here is our guide to help you get started.
4. Well-balanced diet
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food," – Hippocrates, a Greek physician and The Father of Western Medicine. Your cat's diet plays a key role in its overall health status, and it needs to be carefully designed and monitored. A healthy, well-balanced diet should address the cat's personal nutritional needs, physique, and lifestyle. We all often make some feeding mistakes in an effort to spoil our cats, so it is best to consult with your cat's vet who can help you design the diet according to your cat's specific needs. Their diet should not be the same throughout their life, and it needs to be adapted to their current stage in life.
5. Exercise and enriched environment
Physical activity is also an important aspect of every cat's life. It is vital for their health, wellness, and overall happiness. While your vet can help you design an appropriate diet for your kitty, you can start stimulating them to exercise, for example, through playing. Playing with your kitty will do wonders for its health and it will certainly strengthen your bond with them. You should provide your cat with a safe and stimulating environment, in which they will have a safe spot for napping, as well as enough room to move and satisfy their hunting instincts. Here are a few tips to help you get started on this journey.
A healthy cat is a happy cat. And this requires your attention to all aspects of feline care! Your kitty needs to be provided with adequate dental and coat care, well-balanced diet, enriched environment and adequate vet attention. Do you have your very own tips and secrets for better wellness of our favorite pets? Share with us on FB, Instagram and Twitter!