How to care for a kitten and an adult cat?

Cats are popular with most animal lovers. Since these animals have been living with humans for a long time, 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. Let's take a short tour of caring for an adult cat and kittens.

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

What is needed to keep a furry friend.

• A place to rest. For this, both a purchased house and a homemade bed are suitable. The main condition is the quality of the material - it must be natural, easy to wash and clean of wool.

• Feeding place... Cats get used to the same feeding place from a very young age. If you constantly move the food bowls from place to place, the animal will become nervous. In addition, special attention should be paid to the dishes. It should be made of plastic or metal, have no 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 litter box. Those owners whose cats live only in an apartment are unlikely to do without this attribute. The tray should be deep and wide enough for the cat to sit comfortably there and not scatter litter.

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

• Care products. Cats need to trim their nails as they grow, so a nail clipper of proper quality and sharpness is an indispensable attribute of a responsible owner. You will also need special shampoos, anti-flea collars, antihelminthic drugs, and wool combers.

• Feed... The choice of this product is very important, since good nutrition is simply necessary for such a playful pet. Pay attention to the composition and taste of the cat, as the animal must definitely like what it eats. Dry food, wet food or food cooked at home - you choose, but only meat, cereals and vegetable components 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 fossilization 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 sticks, toothbrushes, and even by introducing special food into the diet.

It is best to use for this act special kits for cleaning cat teeth, sold in the veterinary pharmacy. Typically, a cat toothbrush is a plastic fingertip, which is convenient to get to the back teeth. If these are not available, you can use a regular children's toothbrush with soft bristles. The toothpaste should be must be purchased at a veterinary store... A human cat can be poisoned.

How to properly brush your cat's teeth.

1. Fix the animal correctly. Hold his paws so that the cat cannot 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 efficiently.
2. Open the cat's mouth and draw back the lips. You need to act quickly and clearly. The toothbrush is driven from top to bottom so that plaque is removed as efficiently as possible.
3. Praise the cat. Reward your pet with a treat, pet and name it affectionately. The animal must record in its memory the positive emotions associated with the procedure.

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

The kitten should start doing this procedure at the age of 3 months. We must not postpone, because clipping the nails should become a habit with furry friends.

How to properly cut claws in cats.

1. 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 cat clippers are available at your veterinary store. There you can also buy a more serious design - a guillotine for very hard nails.
2. Do not cut further than 2 mm from the pulp... The pulp is the inner part of the nail, which is pierced by blood vessels. If you touch it during pruning, you can hurt the animal, cause bleeding and infection. On white nails, the borders of the pulp are clearly visible, but on black nails the situation is different. Therefore, you should not cut too much black nails, it is better to do this more often, but little by little.
3. After circumcision, carry out additional procedures. Treat the cut with an antiseptic solution if bleeding appears. It is necessary to file the nails at the end of the manicure with a special file.

Many will now be surprised, but the ears of a healthy cat do not need to be cleaned with cotton swabs or antiseptic solutions. Do not fill the auricles with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. The ears of cats have a special self-cleaning mechanism, and rough manipulations can break it. The cells of the epithelium exfoliate themselves and push excess sulfur, particles of dust and villi to the exit from the ear.

Only if necessary should you clean the ear canal of furry pets. If the cat's ears are dirty, then moisten a cotton swab in a special non-drug solution for cleaning ears and gently wipe off the dirt. You do not need to pour the solution directly into your ear.

Another case when it is necessary to carry out ear hygiene is various ear diseases of cats. It can be a tick or a bacterial infection. If your ward has fluid leaks from the auricles, a plaque or an unpleasant odor appears, the cat is scratching his ear, then you should contact your veterinarian. Having made the correct diagnosis, the doctor will select the treatment and show you how to properly rinse the cat's ears.

Feeding cats should be complete, that's when they will have good health. Remember that cats are carnivores and should be predominantly protein-based in their diet. You should not feed them one porridge, and even more so give confectionery. This will not improve the health of the furry pet.

You can feed your cat with both your own prepared food and ready-made 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. Do not just give the cats all this raw and with bones. Heat treatment is required.
2. A fish... Most types of marine fish are great for a cat's diet. However, do not forget to thoroughly cleanse 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 eat vegetables. Observe your pet's taste and feed vegetables other than potatoes and legumes.
4. Porridge. A little porridge is still worth adding to the cat's diet. Oatmeal should be given preference, as it contains the maximum amount of nutrients.
5. Grass... It will be useful to grow special grass like oats for your pet. This supplement is very popular with cats and will bring them a lot of benefits.
6. Vitamins... You can buy special vitamins for cats at any veterinary store. They can help fill gaps in the diet of cats.

When choosing feed as the main source of food, 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 functioning.

Many caring and responsible owners are concerned about how to feed the cat properly. The animal should be fed 2-3 times a day, taking into account the constitution and appetite of your pet.

Kittens need to be gradually accustomed to adult food at the age of about a month. Proper portions are essential for their healthy digestion. Do not overfeed them or, conversely, feed them 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 foods specifically for kittens. They are more nutritious and have a small fraction so that the kitten can easily absorb them.

Separately, I would like to say about drinking for a cat. Milk, kefir and other liquids should not be given to fluffy pets at any age. They need clean drinking water to quench their thirst and normal functioning of the body. Tap water contains harmful alkalis and chlorine, so you need to boil it, filter it, or buy bottled water already purified to water your cat or kitten. It should be changed every day or more often according to the cat's needs or the contamination of the cup.

Even if your pet looks very healthy, has a beautiful coat, glowing eyes and plays briskly, his health needs to be taken care of tirelessly. First of all, it must be properly fed. But visits to the veterinarian are not inferior in importance.

An animal is necessary at least take a routine check-up every six months, so that the doctor noticed even the beginning signs of the disease, if any. Also, the veterinarian will monitor the need for the next vaccination or prescribe a preventive course of vitamins.

If you have several cats in the house, it is important to monitor their communication. Fights are unacceptable, as cats can seriously injure each other, for example, scratch their eyes. If you notice wounds or scratches on the animal's body, you should see a doctor immediately.

Flea prevention and treatment is an important part of keeping cats and kittens. Don't wait for these parasites to start.

With older cats, you need to be as careful as possible. Due to their age, they require special care. They may have problems with joints, teeth, genitourinary system. An elderly pet should be provided with peace and proper nutrition with additional supplementation with vitamins. Do not postpone a visit to the veterinarian if you see that the animal has changed its gait, its nutrition has become worse and is not interested in anything.

Physical activity is also important for a cat's health. Do not forget to play with your pet, offer him new toys from time to time... If the cat feels abandoned, then he may even develop the most real clinical depression.

Many cat lovers are attracted by purebred individuals. Caring for such animals is more difficult than for ordinary "nobles". Sometimes pedigree cats have characteristics of the body, specific diseases and nuances of character. Let's analyze the rules of caring for some popular breeds.

• Maine Coon. This large cat actually easily adapts to life in an ordinary apartment. Maine Coons are characterized by a tendency to overweight, so their nutrition should be monitored with special care. In addition, cats of this species should devote a lot of time, as they need physical activity.

• Egyptian Mau. This cat is very athletic, so you need to feed it hard so that it gets enough calories.

• Devon Rex. The breed is famous for its special curly hair, which in no case should be combed. The instructions for caring for a 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 weight gain. 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 their high intelligence and ability to train. They love to play at heights, overcome various obstacles, and love toys. If you treat 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 leopard relative. The breed is considered to be wild, but it is not. Bengal cats bond strongly to their owner, but must 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.

• 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 such a furry friend to walk. Very active and noisy cats that require play and attention.

• Abyssinian. A small playful cat who is very attached to the owner and loves to be paid attention to. Careful grooming is essential. Daily brushing and wiping with a suede cloth is also very popular with the Abyssinians.

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

• Japanese bobtail... By nature, they are more like dogs: they bring toys with pleasure, respond to the nickname and love their owners. These animals are clan-based 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 inquisitive cat, which is extremely easy to care for. All she needs is movement and activity, as well as a minimum set of toys. The diet should be high in calories, since the angora spends a lot of energy. It is easy to care for the coat, but it should be done regularly.

• Mainx tailless... A very old cat breed with an interesting feature: they do not have a tail. These animals tend to be overweight and even at normal weight look very plump. Very friendly and lovable cats capable of strong attachment 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 as individual as a person. Therefore, even a lazy Persian can become a real jumper and bully, if the circumstances are so. The main thing is to love your pet and take care of it with all your heart. Then he will reach out to you and play pranks less.

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