Top Things to Consider Before Adopting a Cat

Adopting a cat can be one of the best decisions that you’ll ever make. After all, these cute furry friends are great companions. It’s important, however, to understand certain things before making a final decision. Here are the top things to consider before welcoming a new feline friend into your home.

Am I ready to adopt a cat? 

Cat ownership is a big responsibility 

Having a cat in your home is not all about fun and games. It’s like parenting—a lifelong commitment that you’ll have to make. Give it ample thought. Cats can live for up to 20 years and you might need to undergo certain lifestyle changes for your pet. Ask yourself the following questions to find out if you’re ready to adopt one:

• Is your personality and lifestyle suited for owning a cat?
• How do you plan to take care of your cat when you’re on a trip? Are you going to take it with you? 
• Is there someone you know who can stand in as caregiver for your cat in case of emergency? 
• Does your home/apartment allow animals? 
• Do you have ample time to spend in taking care of your pet cat?

Cat ownership can be costly 

Being a parent to a cat won’t only eat up time and energy but also consume money. It’s a financial obligation that you should have enough money for. Initial costs include vaccinations, litter box, spay or neuter surgery. Then there’s the list of recurring costs like food, check up, medicines, and other needs. 

What kind of cat should I adopt?

Another thing to consider is the type of cat to get. Should you get a male or a female, an adult cat or a kitten, one or more cats? What type of breed do you prefer? Asking yourself these questions and doing your homework about this can certainly help you come up with an informed decision. 

Where should I look for a cat? 

Shelters, rescue organizations, and reputable breeders are some of the best places to start looking for a cat to adopt. Get references from people you know who own cats and find out from they got their pets.

Make sure to keep all these things in mind before adopting a cat. Should you decide to adopt one, be ready for a fun and fulfilling adventure.  

Learn the Proper Ways of Feeding Cats

Like in humans, nutrition plays a crucial role on a cat’s health. It’s not enough for a pet owner to feed his cat every day, he must also learn the proper ways of feeding cats, so that he’ll be able to provide high quality and nutritious food that meets a cat’s needs. 

Take note that cats have different nutritional needs, depending on size, activity level, and energy output. Those who are highly active obviously require bigger caloric intake. Those who lie around the whole day require ten percent below maintenance energy. In addition to this, here are some tips that all pet cat owners should keep in mind:

All cats need taurine

What is taurine? Taurine is an amino acid responsible for healthy vision, heart function and reproduction. Unlike other mammals that manufacture taurine from other amino acids in the body, cats are not able to do so. That’s why, it’s imperative to feed your pet with a meat-based diet that contains the right amount of taurine to meet his nutritional requirement. 

All cats need access to fresh water
Make sure that your cat always has access to fresh and clean water every day. Replace water from time to time to ensure freshness. 

All cats need a regular feeding schedule
It’s best to consult a vet when it comes to the best feeding schedule for your cat. The general rule though is to feed all cats twice daily, dividing the amount of food recommended for your cat equally into two. The two meals are then to be spaced eight to twelve hours apart. 

All cats need more food when sick

If your cat has succumbed to an illness or has sustained an injury, you’ll need to adjust his diet. Recovery from illness or injury requires increased nutritional intake. Be sure to consult your vet about this.  

All cats look good when fed properly
One way to know that your cat is getting the right nutritional requirement is by looking at the quality of its coat. A healthy coat means that your cat is free from nutritional deficiencies and you’re doing a great job feeding him. 

Feeding cats doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a fun and gratifying experience especially when you see the benefits that your cat gets from healthy eating.

Causes and Treatment for Pancreatitis in Cats

For many cat owners, the contraction of pancreatitis by a beloved pet is a cause for worry. The pancreas is a pale pink organ made up of lobules that can be found behind a cat's stomach and near its liver. The pancreas secretes enzymes through a duct and releases hormones straight into the bloodstream. 

The pancreas also manufactures pancreatic juice, a digestive enzyme that contains a lot of sodium bicarbonate. This enables the pancreas to assist in breaking down carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Pancreatic juice is produced by the pancreas and stored in the pancreatic duct, where it merges with the liver's bile duct before it enters the duodenum.

A normally functioning pancreas will shield itself from the digestives enzymes that it produces, stores and secretes. The enzymes are secreted in an inactivated form, also called zymogens. The enzymes are not activated until they get to the duodenum. 

Pancreatitis in cats happens when the pancreas becomes swollen because its own digestive enzymes are inappropriately activated. What happens is that the enzymes will start to break down and digest the very pancreas that created them. Pancreatitis in cats can lead to acute or chronic inflammation of the pancreas. Worse, tissues near the pancreas, such as the liver, may also be affected. 

Pancreatitis in cats can be caused by a lot of conditions. These are high fat content in the blood or hyperlipidemia, toxoplasmosis, hypercalcemia or high calcium content in the blood, feline infectious peritonitis, feline herpesvirus I, obesity, a high fat diet, feline parvovirus, some medicine, hepatic lipidosis, and trauma such as a high fall or a car accident. 

What is troubling is the when cats get this disease, most of the time, veterinarians will not be able to pinpoint the exact cause.  

Once a veterinarian has diagnosed your cat with pancreatitis, they will then try to find and treat the root cause. If it is abdominal pain that is at fault then the veterinarian will prescribe an analgesic, or painkiller. 

If your cat is vomiting, then the veterinarian will recommend that you buy anti nausea medication or antemetics. Many veterinarians also recommend that your cat be treated with intravenous fluids in order to treat dehydration or to prevent it. This is known as supportive care. 

Meanwhile, if your cat has hepatic lipidosis, then the veterinarian may recommend nutritional support. It might be necessary to avoid giving your cat food or water for 24 to 48 hours or for up to one to two days. You may also need to refrain from feeding your cat for the aforementioned period of time. 

Once the veterinarian gives the go-ahead for you to give food to your cat, be sure to only give them bland, low-fat food. If the veterinarian notices that your cat has an infection, they may prescribe antibiotics.

Life Expectancy of Cats: How Long Do These Felines Live?

Domestic cats have been part in one’s household for the longest time. These small, adorable domestic pets belong to the Felidae family. Cats are known for their distinct sense of hearing and keen night vision, said to be one of the best in the world. With muscular supple body and retractable claws, cats are also said to be very keen observant with excellent memory and can easily learn through experience. The average life expectancy of cats depends upon whether the cat is an outdoor cat or an indoor cat.

Back in decades, about twenty years ago, cats can live just four to six years on the average. However, with the introduction of better and more advanced veterinary care at present, the cat’s life expectancy has gradually increased to a considerable fifteen years, or even more.

To increase your domestic cat’s life expectancy, always consider their diet. Feeding the right pet food, along with practicing a proper lifestyle, play very crucial roles towards achieving a longer cat life. But keep in mind that over-feeding your pet felines is not healthy. In fact, doing so can gradually lower their chances of achieving a healthy and long life.

Another factor that can help increase the life expectancy of cats is their genetic make up. There are actually certain types of cat breeds genetically at risk of particular health problems and diseases, thus giving them lower life spans. On the other hand, mixed breed cats such as the mouser or the moggie have longer life expectancy because of their mix genetic make up, as compared with the other pure breed cats.

Cats that are mostly kept indoors also tend to achieve longer life and can live up to fifteen long years. Why? Because they are not at risk to accidents nor poisoning, neither are they susceptible to attacks from other animals like dogs, cats, among others. Moreover, cats that generally live indoors do not easily yield in to infectious feline diseases because they are less exposed to other felines, thus giving them chances to live for over twenty years.

Play time and regular exercise are also factors that help increase the life expectancy of cats. Older cats must be given ample but gentle time of playtime and exercise to keep them healthy and agile. Remember that just like humans, old cats need more attention and care especially with regard to their health. It is also a good practice to take your feline friends to a regular visit to the veterinarian to help prevent certain diseases and keep your pet fit and healthy.

Most common diseases that affect the cat’s life include the CRF or chronic renal failure, kidney diseases, and diabetes. Chronic renal failure is actually a very common health problem among old cats. The cat’s health is greatly affected once the renal failure sets in. Kidney diseases in cats are those in which the cat’s system can no longer clear all its toxic waste from the blood. As with cat diabetes, this can be corrected with proper diabetes management provided that the disease has been earlier detected.

In general, it is safe to say that the life expectancy of cats is between 15 and 21 years. And to achieve this, give your cats a proper diet and exercise and show them love every day.