How to Care for Your Cat - Keeping Your Cat Healthy

Cats may seem like some of the most independent pets, but they do need some care to become good feline citizens in your home. While they're more self-sufficient than dogs, they can become just as loyal if you put in the effort and a lot of love. Make sure to keep your cat healthy, get preventative treatments, feed, and nurture your cat. Your cat will feel loved and appreciate her place in the family.

1. Take your cat to the vet for annual check-ups. This will help catch medical problems before a condition becomes severe. At the exam, you can talk with the vet about any concerns you have about your cat's health or care. Mention if you notice anything different with your cat, such as the way she's meowing, walking, eating or acting. At the exam, your cat's vaccines will be updated and a stool sample will check for internal parasites. Your cat will be treated for any conditions.[1]
- Your vet may recommend more testing to check for other parasites, heart function, kidney function, or for diabetes.
- Older cats should be examined twice a year, since they're more prone to diseases.[2]

2. Take kittens to the vet early for preventative care. If you've just gotten kittens, taken them to the vet within the first week of getting them.[3] They need to see the vet more frequently than adult cats starting at around 8 weeks old. They'll need 2 to 3 visits for their vaccination series (distemper and rabies at a minimum). At the first visit, the vet will talk with you about particular risks your kittens face for other diseases, like feline leukemia.
- Your kittens probably have roundworms, which can stunt growth and may be transmitted to people. Your vet will recommend treating them with oral medications.

3. Know when to get special medical treatment for your cat. If your cat becomes sick, you may need to take her to the vet. It's a good idea to save up money for such illnesses or emergencies. Some vets accept pet insurance, which provides some coverage in the event of an unplanned medical visit. While signs of illness can vary between cats, contact your vet immediately if you notice changes in:[4]
- Eyes: discharge, redness, squinting, rubbing at eyes, cloudiness
- Ears: itchiness, discharge, foul smell
- Breathing: sneezing with discharge, persistent cough, difficulty breathing/catching breath
- Skin: lumps or bumps, swelling,excessive/persistent itching, wounds, redness, yellow discoloration
- Urination: bloody urine, straining when urinating, excessive urination, spraying
- Digestion: vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation
- General: malaise/lethargy, restlessness, seizures, confusion

4. Get your cat spayed or neutered. Spaying a female cat and neutering a male cat will help with behavior issues such as roaming and the tendency to spray urine. It can protect your cat against a number of diseases including mammary gland tumors, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and testicular cancer.[5] Also, it will decrease the number of unwanted litters of kittens.
- If you have kittens, your vet will probably recommend that they be spayed or neutered anywhere from two to six months of age.

5. Groom your cat often. If your cat has long fur, use a pin brush to work through the long coat. A flat and slicker brush works better for short fur. You can also use a smaller, triangular shaped brush for smaller areas, like around her face and ears. If you want to use a comb, choose a wide-toothed comb for long fur, and a fine-toothed one for short fur. You may want to buy a smaller and gentler brush for a kitten.
- This is a great time to check your cat for fleas and check for lump and bumps on the skin.
- Grooming is very important since it strips out dead hair, prevents hairballs, stimulates your cat's' blood flow, and provides good bonding time for you and your cat.[6]

6. Brush your cat's teeth. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and veterinary toothpaste (not human, since fluoride is toxic to cats). Start by offering your cat a taste of the vet toothpaste. The next day, let her taste the toothpaste and run your finger along the gums of her upper teeth. Do this again the following day with the toothbrush, making small circles working back to front. Gradually, brush a little bit at a time, working the bristles along the gum line and slightly angled up and under the gum line. It should take you less than 30 seconds to brush your cat's teeth.
- Dental care is important for good health, since many diseases are linked to poor teeth care and gum disease. Bacteria and plaque can enter the bloodstream and rest of the body, leading to heart and kidney disease,[7] mouth pain, poor eating, and tooth loss.

7. Get your cat's teeth professionally cleaned. Even with tooth brushing, some cats may still need an occasional professional cleaning. While brushing reduces the plaque and buildup on the visible surfaces of the teeth, it cannot get to the buildup just under the gum line.[8]
- A dental cleaning also gives the veterinarian an opportunity to fully examine the cat’s mouth—an impossible task unless the cat has been sedated which happens during a dental cleaning.