8 Tips to Optimize Your Cat’s Health and Wellness

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BestPawForward #CollectiveBias

One of my main interests as a Family Medicine resident physician is preventive health. I’ve talked before about incorporating exercise + maintaining a healthy diet to prevent conditions like obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes…

Well, preventative health isn’t exclusive to just you! October is Pet Wellness Month, so I’m sharing with you 8 tips to optimize your pet’s health and wellness!

My cat is the closest family I have out here on the other-coast and has been with me through most of med school, which can be incredibly alienating. Sometimes, she was the only living entity I could really turn to, so to say that she lights up my life would be a huge understatement. <3

I recently discovered Beyond Natural Cat Food at a Stop & Shop on my way home from my OB rotation (the only rotation I have that requires me to drive, so yay for happy coincidences!). As it is, I don’t have a lot of free time on hand because residency saps it all.

I needed to get flour though to feed my sourdough starter and was happy that I could stop by the pet food aisle to see if I could pick up something for the muffs too!

I decided to get the muffs Beyond Superfood (Herring, Egg & Sweet Potato) and Purina DentaLife treats. You can get $2 off any Beyond Dry Cat Food in your local newspaper and a $2 coupon for Purina Dentalife too! I have an inpatient block coming up so I picked up Purina Cat Chow Naturals too, just in case I never get to set foot outside the hospital again for the near future.

1. Annual exam with the vet

This is akin to a person’s yearly checkup with his/her family physician! If you don’t know where to find a reputable vet, ask a friend or animal shelter/rescue worker.

• Make sure the facility is clean, comfortable, and well-organized, and pay attention to how the staff interacts and treats its patients.
• Check with the American Animal Hospital Association to locate an accredited hospital near you.

2. Spay/Neuter

(If this hasn’t already been done.) There are already so, so many strays out there who get killed/euthanized every day on the streets and in shelters that have reached max capacity.

If you’re thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting from a rescue or shelter instead of buying one from a pet store or breeder!

3. Maintaining a balanced diet

• Ingredients should be listed by weight and all cat foods should have a source of animal protein (cats are obligate carnivores!) and fat.
• Choose the right life-stage for your pet–kittens have different nutritional needs vs. adult cats!
• A guaranteed analysis should be included on most pet food packaging. Check the protein, fat, fiber and moisture content.

Purina Beyond Cat Food has real fish or poultry as the #1 ingredient and contains no poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy, or added artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives! :] Check out the ingredients they use!

4. Staying up to date on pet vaccines

You can view the suggested vaccine recommendation schedule for cats here!

5. Hygiene

• Short hair? Brush em’ 1x/week. If your cat has long hair, you’ll likely ned to brush every day to avoid knots and matted fur.
• Use high-quality cat nail scissors to cut off the white tip of each nail, but avoid the quick (vein that runs into the nail)! If you accidentally cut into this area, apply stypic powder to stop the bleeding.
  
• Check your cat’s skin for rashes, dry spots and irritation. If you have an outdoor cat, make sure you check for bugs (e.g. fleas/ticks) too!

6. Maintaining dental hygiene

• Try to brush your cat’s teeth regularly with a kitty toothbrush/your gauze-covered finger + cat toothpaste!
• Tartar control treats (in moderation!) are a great reward for good behavior! Get $2 off Purina DentaLife here!

7. Weight management

• You should be able to feel your cat’s ribs! If you can’t, your cat may be overweight.
• Have regular meal times to promote portion control and prevent free-feeding. This will also let you monitor how much she’s eating!
• …Also consider cat-proofing cabinets and doors so curious minds can’t indulge in food binges. (Muffin’s latest achievement(?) = opening cabinets and climbing into her bag of cat food so she can lie in the bag while eating (…). I’ve since moved it and she thankfully hasn’t discovered how to use doorknobs.)

It’s a lot colder these days, but if it warms up a bit, you could also try taking your cat for a walk! (Yay for exercise!)

8. Happiness

Muffin (Muff-Muff for short) was previously adopted by an elderly lady who unfortunately had cancer and passed away. This actually happened twice, so by the time I met her, she was really depressed and wasn’t eating much. I decided to foster her and officially adopted her after I graduated from med school.

She’s come a longgg way since then, and I like to think the extra attention/love/cuddling helped!. <3

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Disclaimer: Please do keep in mind that although I did live for a time at a cat shelter/rescue, I am a people-doctor, not a vet. This post is not to be taken as professional veterinary advice. Please consult your veterinarian for recommendations and practices appropriate for your pet.

• Are you a cat or a dog person? I’m actually both, but most people guess that I’m a cat person! Check your local Sunday newspaper on October 16 to grab coupons to get $2 off any size of Beyond Dry Cat Food! :]
• Do you have any pets?