Cats: What You Need To Know

 

The basics:

A cat is an animal introverted with just itself and wild. Cats are either friendly to people, if they know them (from babies e.x.) either scared and go away from you either just wild and unfriendly. Anyway this is not an article for cats personality but for the care they need and some habits.

Babies (weeks-1 month):

A kitten who's stray and away from its mom is in danger. From 1 week and under a kitten needs its mother's care and her milk, but if it's stray and you don't know its mom then buy a special milk from pet shops or super markets for baby cats. When it's about 2 months then you can stop feed it with special milk. WARNING: Some cats can drink special milk at older ages, if they need or want it. Also a kitten needs bigger care than an old cat who's mature to care itself.

Feeding your Cat or Kitten:

A cat needs to eat 1-3 times in a day. Feed your cat with cat-food from pet shop, can, or human food but ask a vet for what cats must eat for more information. (No tough food, no candies because sugar is dangerous for cats etc)

To live a long, healthy life, your cat needs proper nutrition. Here are some things to

consider when selecting an appropriate diet for your cat.

Necessary Nutrients

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they rely on nutrients found only in animal products. Cats evolved as hunters that consume prey that contains high amounts of protein, moderate amounts of fat, and a minimal amount of carbohydrates, and their diet still requires these general proportions today. Cats also require more than a dozen other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.

Although your cat needs certain amounts of each specific nutrient to be healthy, more is not always better. This is particularly true of vitamins and minerals, so the use of supplements is usually not necessary if you are feeding a balanced and complete diet. Supplements can be harmful to your cat, and they should never be given without a veterinarian’s approval. Cats should have access to clean, fresh water at all times.

Types of  Commercial Cat Food

Commercial cat foods are formulated as dry, semimoist, and canned. These products differ in water content, protein level, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility.

Dry Food

Dry food contains between six and 10 percent water. Depending on the specific formulation, a mixture of ingredients are combined, extruded, and dried into bite-sized pieces. Ingredients may include:

• meat and/or meat byproducts
• poultry and/or poultry byproducts
• grain and/or grain byproducts
• fish meal
• fiber sources
• milk products
• vitamin and mineral supplements

The pieces of dry food are often then coated with flavor enhancers, such as animal fat, to make the food more appetizing.

Dry cat food is relatively inexpensive, and since it does not dry out, it offers owners the convenience of “free choice” feeding. However, dry food may be less palatable to a cat than moist or semi-moist food, and depending on the types and quality of the ingredients, may also be less digestible. If you do use dry food, it is important to store unused portions in a cool, dry location, and not to use the food after its expiration date. Owners often buy large amounts of dry food that can sometimes be stored for months, so checking the expiration date before feeding it to your cat is very important. Storing food for a long period of time decreases the activity and potency of many vitamins and increases the likelihood that fats will become rancid. It’s a good idea to store dry cat food in an airtight container to help prevent nutrient deterioration and maintain flavor.

Semi-Moist Food

Meat and meat byproducts are the primary ingredients of semi-moist food, which contains approximately 35 percent moisture. Other materials, including soybean meal, cereals, grain byproducts, and preservatives are added to make the final product. The cost of semi-moist food is generally mid-range. Semi-moist foods may be more appealing than dry cat food to some cats and can also be fed free choice. After the package is opened, however, the food can dry out, becoming less palatable and/or becoming rancid.

Canned Food

Canned cat food has a moisture content of at least 75 percent, making it a good dietary source of water. It is generally the most expensive type of cat food, but is also highly palatable for most cats. Many different varieties are available, which can be helpful if your cat is a finicky eater. Canned food has the longest shelf life when unopened, but any unused portion of opened canned cat food should be refrigerated to maintain quality and prevent spoilage. Gourmet canned cat foods generally feature meats, such as kidney or liver, and whole meat byproducts as primary ingredients. Some brands, however, may be nutritionally incomplete, and it is important to read the nutrition labels carefully on such specialty cat-food items to ensure that they have a nutritional guarantee.

Choosing A Food

Commercially prepared cat foods have been developed to give your cat the correct balance of nutrients and calories. Basic minimum nutritional requirements for cats have been established by the Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) Subcommittee of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and manufacturers use these standards in producing cat foods.

Reading the nutrition label on food packaging is the best way to compare cat foods. Pet food manufacturers are required to supply certain nutritional information on the package. Labeling regulations are established by the AAFCO and the United States Food and Drug Administration. All pet foods that carry an AAFCO-approved nutritional guarantee, often referred to as the“AAFCO statement,” are considered to be nutritionally complete and balanced.

A cat’s nutritional requirements change through different stages of life. These stages include kittenhood, adulthood, pregnancy, and lactation. The nutritional claim on the cat food label should state the stage of a cat’s life cycle for which the food is complete and balanced, and that it meets the requirements of the AAFCO. Some cat foods are formulated for all life stages, which can simplify the selection process for owners with multiple cats of different ages.

In choosing a cat food, it is also important to read the ingredients list. As with human foods, the items are listed in order of decreasing proportional weight. Look for foods in which meat, meat byproducts, or seafood are listed among the first few ingredients, as this indicates the food probably contains enough animal-source ingredients to supply essential amino acids and fatty acids.

Once you have determined that a food is complete and balanced, choosing between the types of food may be a matter of what your cat prefers. Some cats like canned food, some like dry food, and some like a combination of the two. Choose the ones that work best for your cat.

Homemade Diets

Making your own cat food is a difficult and time-consuming process, as the recipe may not contain the right quantities and proportions of nutrients for your cat. It is generally recommended that cat owners purchase nutritionally balanced commercial foods, unless a veterinarian recommends a home-formulated recipe for medical purposes. In that event, your veterinarian will likely recommend a recipe developed by veterinarians certified in animal nutrition.

Treats

While giving your cat an occasional treat is not generally harmful, they are usually not a nutritionally complete and balanced source of nutrition and should only be fed occasionally. A good rule of thumb is not to let treats exceed 10 to 15 percent of a cat’s daily caloric intake. In addition, some foods should be avoided completely. Although raw meat is an excellent source of many nutrients, it is not recommended as a food or a treat for cats, because it is a potential vehicle for toxoplasmosis and other infectious diseases. Some cats that have consumed canned fish products meant for humans have developed potentially serious neurological disorders. Milk is not generally recommended as a treat for cats, as many cats are lactose-intolerant and can develop gastrointestinal problems if fed dairy products.

Other Considerations

Cats can be choosy about where they eat. Keep in mind that heavy-traffic areas, noise, the presence of other animals, dirty food containers, or nearby litter boxes can deter a cat from eating. Try to be sensitive to your cat’s eating behavior, and make necessary adjustments.

Maintaining a healthy weight is another important consideration. Cats vary greatly in the amount of food they need to consume to ensure they don’t become over-or underweight. Obesity is the most common nutrition-related problem in cats, and makes cats susceptible to a number of health problems, including arthritis and diabetes. Ask your veterinarian to help you determine the ideal body weight for your cat and follow their suggestions for adjusting your cat’s diet to reach and maintain that weight (Figure 1).

Although many cats are content to eat a single food, some cats may develop finicky eating habits and become very selective about what foods they’ll accept. Feeding your cat two or three different cat foods provides flavor variety, and may prevent your cat from developing an exclusive preference for a single food. A cat that refuses to eat can develop serious medical problems. This is true for sick cats that lack an appetite, for cats on a diet, and for the finicky cat that refuses to eat. A veterinarian should examine any cat that refuses to eat and is losing weight.

Updated July 2017

Figure 1: Body Condition Score (BCS)

BCS is a 5 or 9-point scale used to subjectively characterize body weight and muscle mass. Below are examples of BCS using a 9-point scale, with 5 being ideal.

BCS 1: Ribs visible, no palpable fat, severe abdominal tuck, spine and pelvis bones palpable.

BCS 5: Well proportioned, waist behind ribs, ribs palpable (slight fat covering), abdominal fat pad minimal.

BCS 9: Ribs not palpable (heavy fat cover), heavy fat deposits (lower back, face, limbs), no waist, large abdominal fat pad.

Pregnant cat:

A cat stays pregnant for almost 2 months and at this period cat may feels dizzy and asleep(Don't call the cat lazy, she needs to sleep...). Also she "miews" too much, it'll may get annoying but understand the pain.

Pregnant Cat Care Tips

We generally recommend having all pet cats spayed or neutered, but we also want to help make sure that, if your cat is pregnant, she receives the very best care. If you believe your cat is pregnant, here are some tips to take care of her.

How to Tell if Your Cat is Pregnant

If you’re not sure if your unspayed cat is pregnant, there are a number of things that may signal that kittens are on the way.

• Physical changes: A pregnant cat can suffer from bouts of “morning sickness,” and will also generally eat more as the pregnancy progresses. Additionally, your cat's stomach will be noticeably bigger after about five weeks, and it will continue to swell until she gives birth. Additionally, her nipples may appear swollen and/or take on a darker, red color.
• Behavioral changes: You might find that your previously loving, friendly cat will go into hiding, or an otherwise apathetic cat has suddenly become a snuggle bug – both of these types of changes in behavior are normal for pregnant cats.

What to Feed Your Pregnant Cat

If you notice signs that your cat may be pregnant and it has been confirmed by your veterinarian, you will need to discuss nutritional needs for your pregnant cat. Now that your cat is eating for two (or three, or four, or five…) she will need additional nutrients – and more of them!

Your veterinary team might recommend switching your cat back to kitten food, which will provide nutritional benefits to her kittens, too. Your cat will need more calories to sustain her kittens, so the general plan may be to increase the amount of food you feed her as your pregnant cat nears her term. However, there will also be less room in her stomach as the kittens grow, so feed her smaller amounts but more often throughout the day.

Drinking lots of water is essential for keeping your pregnant cat hydrated, so you may want to keep a few different water bowls around your home in areas that are easy for her to get to. If your cat has pre-existing health needs, or a sensitive stomach, always check with your vet before making any changes to her food and/or feeding routine.

Taking Care of Your Pregnant Cat

During her pregnancy, you will want to keep your cat relatively active in order to ensure she is fit for giving birth. Avoid any excessively rowdy activity towards the end of your cat’s pregnancy, however. You will need to help her stay calm as she nears her due date, as anything too active could cause her stress. Throughout the pregnancy be sure to pay attention to her appetite and her comfort level. If your cat loses interest in her food or is visibly distressed or agitated, it could signal a problem with her pregnancy.

Preparing for Your Cat to Give Birth:

Shortly before her due date, provide your cat with a box or “nest” where she can give birth and care for her newborn kittens. Make sure that this birthing box is large enough for your cat and her litter to be comfortable in, but also tall enough to prevent any curious kittens from making an escape! Keep the nest in a warm place and line it with soft blankets or towels (that you won’t mind throwing away). Try to find a familiar location to put the box that is quiet and out of the way, and show your cat where the box is situated.

Regular Veterinary Checkups for Pregnant Cats

Your veterinary team will help you understand the best schedule for checkups throughout your cat's pregnancy. Additionally, you'll be able to plan together for the big day. You will need to know what is "normal" for at-home delivery, and you will want to be ready to safely transport your cat to the office if need be during labor. It's also vital to have the name, location, and phone number of the closest pet emergency facility in case there are complications outside of regular veterinary business hours.

What to Do When Your Cat Goes into Labor

Your cat is domesticated, so she may not have all of the instincts of a “wild” cat; however, most cats require no intervention at all while giving birth. In fact, your cat may purposely seek out solitude when she goes into labor. Most cats would prefer to be left alone, and they definitely don’t want to be pet or touched while they are giving birth. It’s best to give your pregnant cat as much privacy as possible while also leaving yourself the ability to monitor the birthing process for any signs of issues or distress.

Don’t be surprised if your cat decides to give birth in a location other than the “nest” you have prepared for mom and her kittens. If this occurs, don’t be afraid to move the kittens to the box you prepared after they are born. It’s perfectly fine to pick up and handle newborn kittens; carefully touching them will not cause your cat to abandon her kittens or injure them.

After your cat has delivered her kittens, you should take both mom and her kittens to the veterinarian for a post-natal checkup within 24-48 hours. If your cat had an accidental pregnancy, the post-natal checkup is a good time to discuss having your cat spayed to prevent any more surprise litters.

Some sings of love from your cat!

• Following you(Everywhere...)- Cat follows you wherever you go? Maybe because they love you? Yes :) This is a sign of love from cat ;D
• She feels confortamble- If a cat shows you and let you fondle her belly it seems that cat trusts you, belly is a sensitive part of cats.
• Gives you "gifts" (Dead...)- This is something cats use to do if they love you, they kill some smaller animals like rats, mice and usually insects, just to thank you but we use to punish them for it...
• She "puts" her head on your foot- Something very sweet, a cute feeling when your cat rubs to you...
• Night-visit for hugs- Something else that's cute! She comes on your bed or sofa with you to hug :)
• Cat blinks to you- Yes, if she blinks sweet or fast then she wants to "win" your love with her show :)
• She is (almost) always with you- When a cat stays at the same room with you for the most of her day it looks like cat loves you...
• Kneading-One theory is that adult cats associate kneading with the comfort of their mother's arms (kittens knead to stimulate their mother's milk production), so that when a cat kneads in your arms, it shows that it is relaxed and comfortable with her family. If this is not love then what is it?