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Our pets actually do really feel like relations—that’s why we make selfmade cat treats. Our Bengal cat Hercules loves them. Nonetheless, even after I give him the treats, he extremely favors our daughter and is actually her cat. They’re finest buds!
Along with feeding our cats wholesome meals, we’ve tried to be aware cat mother and father in different choices we make. Our greatest well being care purpose is to forestall our beloved pet’s struggling. I attempt to hold all our pets out of the veterinary clinic (and I do know accessibility is a matter for folks in rural areas.)
Over time, I’ve realized some holistic and pure cat care ideas you may wish to discover in your feline pal.
Preventative Pure Cat Care
Simply as I attempt to forestall well being points within the first place with my household, we’re attempting to apply preventative pet care. A bonus is that it’s cheaper to forestall one thing than it’s to deal with it.
Identical to common veterinary care and wellness exams, listed below are some holistic cat wants to think about:
Wholesome Meals
Cats are carnivores and wish animal protein to thrive. Think about what cats eat within the wild when on the lookout for cat meals. You need a meat-based product.
Relying in your cat’s particular person well being, discuss to your vet about what could be finest for them. When you select to make your individual cat meals, you should definitely inform your vet to allow them to guarantee your cat continues to be getting all the required vitamins.
I desire to purchase premade cat meals for the sake of comfort. Prior to now, a few of our cats have been finicky eaters, so we’ve needed to strive completely different flavors and merchandise earlier than we discovered one they cherished.
One in all our favourite manufacturers of high-quality cat meals is Nom Nom Now. They are going to provide help to personalize your cat’s menu in keeping with their wants. They ask good questions on how outdated your cat is, their weight, and many others.
I additionally belief Thrive Market’s values for each human and pet meals. See their choices for each moist and dry cat meals right here.
As at all times, go sluggish with any change to your cat’s food plan. Attempt a few bites of latest meals the primary time after which serve half new meals, half outdated meals for a number of days earlier than absolutely transitioning to the brand new product.
Hygiene
Whereas cats require much less upkeep than canines, there are nonetheless issues we have to do to assist our cats keep wholesome.
Remember to brush your cat’s hair often to assist forestall hairballs and digestive upset. I like to recommend a picket set like this. Some cats even take pleasure in being vacuumed gently.
Think about the place you may make non-toxic swaps for the cat merchandise you might be already utilizing.
Bathe your cat each 4-6 weeks. Chances are you’ll wish to bathe them extra ceaselessly in the event that they’ve gotten soiled or been uncovered to fleas or chemical compounds. We love to make use of unscented castile cleaning soap to clean our cats.
Cat Toothpaste
Sadly, you may’t use your individual pure toothpaste in your cat. There are a number of components that aren’t secure for them:
- Sweeteners – You don’t wish to give your cat xylitol or stevia.
- Important oils – Most aren’t secure for cats.
- Fluoride – Cats can’t break it down.
As an alternative, you’ll wish to discover pure cat toothpaste. Some of us will simply use coconut oil to brush their cat’s tooth as a result of they don’t struggle it as a lot. It could be a greater different for feline dental care. When you’ve got a non-toxic cat toothpaste model your cat loves, please remark and let me know.
Toys
When you’ve been following me for some time, that I’ve labored onerous to remove plastic from our lives as a lot as I can.
You’d be shocked at what number of cat toys include artificial fibers. As a result of cats chew their toys, they’re ingesting these fibers. I search for 100% cotton (and natural if I can discover it) and keep away from plastic items.
Our cats have stolen our children’ toys every now and then. It received me considering that I may simply use lots of the youthful child toys for our cats since I do know they’re secure. Be taught extra in regards to the most secure child toys I like to recommend that you may additionally use in your cat.
Pure Litter
We don’t wish to expose our cats to poisonous chemical compounds each time they should go to the lavatory or have them monitor toxins round the home. I attempt to keep away from synthetic fragrances as a result of they are often endocrine disruptors.
On the similar time, you want a litter that does the job. Listed here are the pure cat litter manufacturers I like to recommend as a result of they’re non-toxic and biodegradable:
Feline Pine
Constructed from 100% pine, this one has the strongest odor. The wooden could be very absorbent. Remember to get the non-clumping product as a result of the clumping one has mineral oil, which I don’t advocate as a result of it’s created from petroleum.
Sustainably Yours
Constructed from corn and cassava, this cat litter helps soak up odors. Though I just like the pure tree scent above, that is my advice you probably have allergic reactions to any of these scents, like pine.
Identical to with meals, you’ll wish to transition your cat gently to a brand new litter. The primary time you utilize it, pour 1-2 inches of the brand new litter on the underside and put your outdated litter on prime. Let your cat combine it themselves for a few days earlier than fully switching over to your new non-toxic one.
In case your cat begins going exterior of the field, they might want extra time to get acclimated. Return to utilizing the brand new litter on the underside and slowly scale back the quantity of outdated litter for the highest layer.
Various Cat Care
Cat house owners need the perfect care for his or her feline mates. Fortunately, veterinary medication has made some unimaginable advances in holistic cures. Although most of those don’t have double-blind or long-term research, I’d really feel comfy utilizing these pure cat care choices underneath the supervision of an skilled veterinary skilled.
Chiropractic
Identical to people, cats could profit from chiropractic changes. Each veterinarians and human chiropractors can have certifications in animal chiropractic.
In case your native veterinary hospital doesn’t supply it, search by location on the American Veterinary Chiropractic Affiliation (AVCA) or the Worldwide Veterinary Chiropractic Affiliation (IVCA). Chances are you’ll discover you want that specialist for wellness care and do it multi functional place.
Acupuncture
Conventional Chinese language medication asserts that their strategies additionally work on cats. Anecdotal proof studies that cats reply properly to acupuncture for quite a lot of points. As at all times, solely use a licensed veterinarian for this.
Holistic Dietary supplements for Cats
Along with a nutritious diet, dietary supplements may also help our furry pal’s well being and well-being. Listed here are some feline medication and pure cat care choices to debate together with your vet.
Homeopathy
Although we don’t have onerous science on the efficacy of homeopathic cures, I nonetheless suppose they’re light sufficient to make use of on pets and youngsters. I typically strive them when treating points at residence.
There’s nothing to lose in attempting these homeopathic cures for minor illnesses or when different therapies fail. Be taught extra in regards to the analysis on homeopathy right here.
Flower Essences
Mostly used for stress and anxiousness, these plant extracts could assist soothe your cat’s nervous system. They’re much less potent than important oils.
I’d strongly take into account discovering a veterinarian who’s conversant in flower essences to assist with some other points past stress and anxiousness.
CBD for Cats
CBD has exploded in reputation for each people and pets. I just lately dug into the analysis for the finest CBD oil for canines.
CBD can also assist cats with joint issues and anxiousness. I like to recommend cbdFX for cat CBD.
Coconut Oil
Our late cat Penelope went loopy for coconut oil. She’d steal it proper off our plates.
Coconut oil could mimic the wholesome fat cats get within the wild. Be taught extra in regards to the well being advantages of coconut oil for pets right here.
Catnip
All of our cats have gone loopy for these items, and it may be actually stimulating. Simply watch out for any fillers in merchandise you purchase.
When you’ve got given your cat a toy with catnip, you could discover they turn into extra affectionate, relaxed, and blissful. Different cats will show energetic behaviors, comparable to playfulness or generally even aggression.
Catnip results will differ in size, relying on the cat and their age. Normally, the behaviors related to smelling catnip will final for round 10 minutes after which put on off steadily.
Apparently, catnip is definitely nutritious and secure for youths, so I purchase it in bulk right here.
Be taught extra about its well being advantages on this submit.
Chamomile
This light herb is secure for delicate areas. For instance, you may dip a cotton swab in freshly brewed however cooled chamomile flower tea to wipe your cat’s eyes gently. It could assist soothe irritation as a consequence of its well being advantages. Nonetheless, seek the advice of together with your vet to evaluate their signs and discover the basis trigger.
Are Important Oils Protected for Cats?
Be extraordinarily cautious when utilizing important oils in your cat since you may unintentionally poison them.
Based on Pet Poison Helpline, the next oils are probably the most harmful for cats: “wintergreen, oil of candy birch, citrus oil (d-limonene), pine oils, Ylang Ylang oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, pennyroyal oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil. Signs that develop rely on the kind of oil concerned within the publicity and might embrace drooling, vomiting, tremors, ataxia (wobbliness), respiratory misery, low coronary heart fee, low physique temperature, and liver failure.”
Cats don’t have a vital enzyme to course of and expel important oils from their our bodies correctly. Because of this, many vets advocate not utilizing important oils with cats.
As talked about above, don’t use human toothpaste in your cat since lots of the pure ones embrace important oils.
One of many few instances I’d be comfy utilizing important oils on my cat is to fight fleas. Relying in your cat’s well being, cedarwood could also be one secure possibility. I hope you by no means should cope with fleas, however listed below are some pure cures if you happen to do.
Extra Sources on Pure Cat Care
What pure cat care methods do you utilize? What have you ever accomplished to take excellent care of your cats?
Sources:
- Stogdale L. (2010). The Full Information to Holistic Cat Care. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 51(12), 1404.
- Bol, S., Caspers, J., Buckingham, L., Anderson-Shelton, G. D., Ridgway, C., Buffington, C. A., Schulz, S., & Bunnik, E. M. (2017). Responsiveness of cats (Felidae) to silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and catnip (Nepeta cataria). BMC veterinary analysis, 13(1), 70.
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