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Happy Cat Health Check

A healthy cat is a happy cat.

Your cat’s health doesn’t just stop at their physical appearance and agility.  It’s also important to make sure they are being actively challenged to maintain their mental health.  Getting their regular checkups and vaccination can ensure that their immune health is also protected.  Let’s go through a few of the happy cat health checks.

Physical Health

Cat Health Check

Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is important. With more and more cat becoming strictly indoor they do no perform their usual predator roles of catching mice and birds. Foods designed for indoor cats, with lower calories content of great options for our lazy felines. Also, feeding the correct amount. Cats that tend to gorge more should be fed twice a day equal rations based or recommendation of the product as well as your veterinarian. Not all cat food is created equal and some may fit your cat better than others.

Cats typically sleep 12 to 16 hours a day! It is important to get them moving. Laser lights are a great option to get your cat scrambling. There are the typical pen lights that are human controlled and automatic stand alone laser toys. Toys like moving mice, rolling balls, and dancing feathers are also great options for exercise. Cats can be picky about toys. Catnip can be an option to help get a cat intrigued in a toy. Toys that make noise or have feathers may be appealing to some cats as well.

Another way to get your cat exercise is to take them out for a walk. If you are feeling like your cat is just dying to get outside try taking them out on a harness and leash. As with everything it will take some time for your cat to get used to wearing a harness and then walking on a leash. This is a great way to get your cat some physical exercise but can also stimulate their other senses. They will be able to experience the neighbor while being closely supervised.

Mental Health

Cat Playing

Cats are not always perceived as being smart like dogs, they don’t typically do tricks on demand. However, it is important to keep your cat’s mind stimulated. Treat balls and puzzle toys are a great option of allowing your cat to problem solve by getting a reward. Be careful not to give too many treats to avoid unwanted weight gain.

Allow your cat to have visual stimulation. Indoor cats don’t only like to lie in the sun but enjoy watching birds. Put a bird feeder within their view, it is amazing how vocal and stimulated cats become watching birds flying around and land. A cat house or perch is a great vantage point for them to watch what happens indoors and out.

The cat house and tree can be taken another step. Some people have established a pretty intricate system of letting their cats outside but being contained. Cats are amazing jumpers and a six foot fence in the backyard will not contain them. There has been an increase in cat “compounds” and pens for outdoor use. Some are as simple as an enclosed perch out the window, while others are an intricate system of tubes and runs throughout the outdoor area. These keep the cat safe from escape but allows them to experience the outside world through scent, sound, and sight.

Immune Health

Cat Mental Health

Get your cat vaccinated. Even indoor cats should be regularly vaccinated and have worming treatments. With vaccinations, an annual veterinary exam is recommended for all cats. It is a good way to detect potential medical issues at an earlier stage. As your pet gets older bloodwork and other diagnostics may be recommended.

We all want to keep our pets healthy and happy to keep them around as long as possible.

Read more on Pet Health.