How to Care for a Cat

Diet

Dos

• Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that not only do they desire meat, our feline friends do not have the physiology required for digestion of vegetables; so feed meat to your cat.
• Provide plentiful water.
• It's recommended to feed adult cats 3 to 4 times a day and definitely no less than 2 times. Older cats and kittens should be fed more often. Supplement the main meals with dry kitty food as cats digest food much faster than humans.

Don'ts

• Feeding your cat milk is not recommended as most cats are lactose intolerant. Even for cats that are not, milk is unnecessary as it does not contain the essential nutrients that cats need.
• It's best not to feed your cat just dry food as there is not enough protein in a dry diet. Cats will also tend to overeat the dry food to satisfy their protein cravings.

Exercise Cats seem to spend most their time lazing and napping yet still enjoy good health. While exercise is apparently less important to cats than humans, it does not mean that exercise is not beneficial to your feline companion. The easiest way to exercise your cat is simply to play with it. Not only will your cat enjoy a healthier life, you guys will also have fun in the process!

Grooming Cats love to groom themselves by licking their coats so even if you do not groom them, they usually keep themselves clean. However, it's a good idea to groom your cat daily to prevent accumulation of hairballs in the kitty's stomach.

Bathing Cats do not really need to be bathed regularly. Simply rely on your nose and eyes. If your cat starts smelling funky or its coat gets dirty, it's time for a bath. When bathing cats, use water and some cat shampoo and take care that water is not directed straight at your cat's eyes, ears or nose.

Nails trimming It's not really necessary to trim your cat's nails unless your cat has a habit of scratching the wrong things, such as household furniture or god bless, the owner, you. Occasionnally, nails may also grow to curl back into the kitty's toe pads causing pain. In such cases, use a cat claw clippers and trim the sharp tips. Do not trim close to the pink part of the nail called "the quick", otherwise it will hurt your pet and put it off future trimmings.