Celebrate them. Care for them.
Love them.
Our cats aren’t just pets, they’re members of our family. And just like the people we love, we only want to keep our feline companions safe, happy and healthy. At Feline Pine, our goal is to help you make informed decisions regarding the well-being of your cat – whether it’s choosing the right veterinarian, kitten-proofing your home or avoiding the hidden dangers of silica dust. We may be a cat litter company but we certainly realize there’s more to parenting a cat than just choosing the right litter.
Hopefully, the following tips and information will help you make the best choices for your cat and the rest of your family, providing the foundation for a long and healthy life together.
Kitten-Proofing:
Adding a new kitten to your home is an exciting time—but it requires preparation. You will now have a fully mobile friend with twice the curiosity of a human toddler. Walk through your home and look for all hazards that might normally go unseen: electrical cords, heavy or unstable objects elevated off the ground, “attractive” dangling objects such as lamp décor, household cleaning products, or houseplants that are poisonous to cats (poinsettias, ivy and dracaenas, to name a few) and remove them from the kitten’s reach. Remember, curious kittens will also investigate any small spaces left open such as areas behind or under appliances, so be sure to take proper precautions.
Veterinarian Visits:
It is always recommended, regardless of where you acquired your new kitten, that you take any new pet addition to the vet for a full check-up and vaccinations immediately. If you have other cats in your home, keep them separated from the new cat until after the examination to ensure that any possible ailments are not transmitted, such as the deadly Feline Leukemia virus. This orientation time will also allow your new cat and any other cats in your home to become more acquainted with each other’s scents. Regular check-ups should be scheduled at least once a year. Don’t forget to ask questions! Your vet holds a wealth of knowledge about your feline friend.
Spaying/Neutering:
It is usually recommended that you have your cat spayed or neutered. It will decrease the likelihood of breast cancer in females, and decrease aggressive behaviors in males, such as spraying. Female cats can breed up to three times per year—and when they’re in heat, they will find a way to break out and mate with any local toms. Birthing kittens at home is not safe for your cat, her kittens, you or your upholstery. Be a responsible pet owner and help decrease the population of unwanted cats that are put to sleep in shelters across the country every year... have your cats spayed or neutered!
Litter Box:
Make sure that you have a litter box that your kitten or cat can easily climb in and out of without too much effort. Remember, your kitten or cat likes privacy as much as we do, so place it in an area away from household traffic, especially dogs. Laundry rooms and bathrooms are usually the perfect spot. In a multiple cat household, the golden rule is no more than two cats per box.
Cat Litter:
Litter selection is one of the largest health issues for cats and cat owners. All clay and clumping clay cat litters are made from bentonite clay, a non-biodegradable substance that requires environment-damaging strip mining to acquire. The health issue involves the silica dust produced by this substance. Have you ever noticed the large cloud of dust that is produced when you pour a bag of clay litter into the litter box? Most people don’t think this poses a threat, but in actuality silica is listed as a carcinogen!
When cats clean themselves, they ingest particles of litter that have stuck to their paws. Because clay is non-biodegradable, it can build up in the digestive system of a cat, and cause obstruction as severe as complete blockage. Veterinarians also recommend avoiding clay litter after feline surgery, as the litter can infect the wound.
Veterinarians recommend the use of litters such as Feline Pine® to avoid these negative health issues. Feline Pine® is 100% natural, biodegradable pine that has been heated and pressurized to remove any harmful wood oils. It is not only silica dust free, but is proven to have the least dust, in general! The size of the pellets decreases the chance of feline ingestion, and has absolutely no unhealthy contents or qualities. Feline Pine is even recommended for post-surgical recovery.
Feeding:
Kittens between the ages of 6 and 12 weeks should be fed kitten food 4 times a day. Ages 3 months to 6 months: 3 times a day. Adult cats should be fed twice a day, or left dry food to consume at their leisure. Fresh water should be available at all times.
Foods to Avoid:
Dog food, human food, and the use of snack treats as a diet should be avoided. None of these are formulated to supply your cat with the proper nutrition needed. If your cat has an unhealthy coat, or a warm/dry nose, he or she may not have a proper diet. Avoid milk! Most adult cats are lactose intolerant.
Obesity:
With pets, this topic can be very simple. If your pet is overweight, someone is feeding her too much. If you feed your cat human food because “she just won’t eat her cat food and she looks hungry,” the case is simple. Your cat has learned that by ignoring one thing, she can get what she really wants. Also, many healthy, adult cats don’t necessarily NEED to eat every day, so ignoring food on occasion is not an issue. It should be stated, though, that obesity could be caused by diabetes. If a proper diet does not work, see a veterinarian for assistance.
Grooming:
Even though cats spend a lot of their time grooming themselves, a weekly brushing will reduce shedding and decrease the likelihood of hair ball ingestion. Depending on your cat’s coat and the season, brushing may be required more frequently.