Important Facts For First-Time Cat Owners
Posted on: 25 January 2016
Are you thinking about adopting a cat? Will this be the first time that you've ever owned a cat? Adopting a cat can be a big responsibility. With the average cat living to be as old as 12-15 years of age, it's important to make sure that you start early with keeping your cat healthy and fit. Here are some things you should know about your feline friend:
Cat's can't drink milk: Cats do love the taste of milk and the image of a cat lapping up a saucer of warm milk is an iconic one. Unfortunately, most cats are lactose intolerant. While some cats may be able to handle a little milk now and then, it's best to avoid giving this food to any cat. Depending on your cat, too much dairy can cause dehydration, diarrhea, constipation, and other issues. At best, you may be resigning your cat to an evening of rushing back and forth to the litter box. At worst, you could wind up needing to take your cat to the vet for treatment.
Cats need dental care: Despite the plethora of cat foods that claim to have cat teeth cleaning properties, cats can get plaque and tartar buildup just the same as humans. As a result, the lack of preventative dental care can lead to painful tooth loss and potential infections. When looking for a vet for your new pet, make sure to find one that offers cat teeth cleaning services. While you may initially hesitate to spend the money necessary for this procedure, you'll be potentially saving money on future vet bills.
Only feed small food pieces: Although their jaws are strong enough to crush the bones of any prey that they catch, cats do very little actual chewing. Instead, they will eat most food items whole or nearly whole. If you were to try to give your cat a larger raw meat bone, like a dog, he or she would be more likely to lick the bone to strip off any tasty meat, rather than try to bite or chew on it. This lack of chewing is another reason why your feline buddy will need cat teeth cleaning from time to time.
Get rid of your ultrasonic pest devices: Have you invested in electronic devices that claim to repel rodents, insects and other pests? Unfortunately, cats have a better hearing range than humans. If your product is designed to repel rodents, it may just drive your cat crazy as well. A cat that is displeased with its current environment may urinate or defecate outside of their litter box. Since this is also a sign that your cat could be ill, you could wind up with several expensive vet bills if you don't get rid of your ultrasonic pest control devices.
Contact a local vet, likeGwynedd Veterinary Hospital, for more help.
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