senior cat care Archives - MyThreeCats.com CatBlog

Bottoms Up! 9 Ways to Get Your Cat To Drink More Water

We all benefit from drinking more water and your cat is no exception.

Good urinary health is associated with drinking plenty of water for both humans and cats. Good hydration contributes to good digestive health, healthy skin and coat, and more.

Cats who don’t drink enough water are at risk of developing urinary tract issues like infections, urinary stones or, with some male cats…a blocked urethra.

The challenge is most cats don’t drink enough water because they’re just not that thirsty! Canned cat food is almost 80 percent water, so cats who eat it daily are getting the hydration they need from food.

Like a horse, you can lead a cat to water, but you cannot make him drink! You can make water more alluring to your favorite feline by trying the following strategies Ice it down! Place a couple of ice cubes into your cat’s food to add moisture. Some cats consider them a little treat! The ice ends up tasting like the food in the bowl, and while your cat licks the tasty cube, he’s getting extra water.
Add some ice cubes in your cat’s water to make it more interesting, too. Don’t be surprised if your cat starts to prefer icy cold water.
Make sure there is fresh water in your cat’s favorite bowls throughout the house, or at least in the rooms where he spends most of his time. Use several of your cat’s favorite containers. The best bowls for cat food and water are made of nonporous materials that don’t trap bacteria. A cat’s whiskers are ultra-sensitive, so shallow, wide bowls make for kitty’s most comfortable mealtimes and encourage him to linger longer and drink more water. Check out the attractive assortment of modern bowls, feeding mats and fountains at MyThreeCats.com.
Change the water and wash the bowls and cups often. You wouldn’t want to drink from a glass full of water that’s been sitting around for a few days; neither would your cat!
A little chicken broth or tuna juice might spice up kitty’s drinking experience. Add a bit to the water and see if she likes it.
Try a cat fountain! Fountains that provide clean, flowing water capture a cat’s interest. And, while it might take a couple of days for cats to get comfortable with a fountain, most like and even learn to prefer them. One of our favorite fountains is this ceramic option that can be enjoyed by multiple cats.
Including a high portion of high quality canned food in your cat’s daily diet is the easiest way to get more moisture into your cat’s diet. Better yet, most cats love it!
If an all-canned-food diet isn’t in your budget or your cat doesn’t take to it, try adding a bit of water or low-sodium chicken broth to his dry food for moisture content.
If you can, feed your cat more frequent, but smaller, meals. Eating usually encourages thirst so eating more often may get him to drink a little more, a lot more often.

Water intake is one of the most critical elements to good feline health, so make sure your kitties always have plenty of tempting opportunities to whet their whiskers!

Have you had success with other strategies to get your cat to drink more water? Share them with us in a comment below!

Vet Trips Made Easier

Amy D. Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of 23 pet care books, including “Complete Kitten Care” and “Pet Care in the New Century: Cutting-Edge Medicine for Dogs & Cats.” View more about Amy by clicking here:
https://www.thesprucepets.com/amy-shojai-cabc-551736
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Cats get the short end of the health care stick. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, cats visit the vet much less frequently than dogs. It’s not that felines are healthier (although cats do hide illness better) but many cats hate the vet so much their owners find it easier to just skip it. But even healthy cats need well exams once or twice a year.

Cats are adept at protecting themselves from stranger danger. What’s familiar is safe, while anything new or different raises kitty suspicions. A vet visit delivers a triple whammy by changing the cat’s routine, environment and exposure to strangers. Here are seven reasons cats hate the vet and how you can ease the angst.

Negative Crate Expectations. Cats learn very quickly to recognize cause and effect. The appearance of the cat carrier prompts kitty disappearing acts if used only for vet visits. Make the carrier part of the furniture and add a fuzzy bed or catnip toys inside to create a pleasant association.

Claustrophobic Car Rides. Though humans can look out windows and know what’s happening, the cat’s-eye view from the carrier offers movement without warning. Odd sounds and being in a strange environment raise cat blood pressure and might even prompt motion sickness. Covering the view with a towel over the carrier’s door helps some cats. But simply taking Kitty for many short rides around the neighborhood (and never going to the vet!) followed by treats or games can diminish nerves.

Scary Smells. Cats experience much of life through their noses. The array of unfamiliar smells found in a hospital — antiseptic, strangers, other animal’s fear — can ramp up the kitty fright factor. A pheromone product like Comfort Zone with Feliway that can be spritzed on a towel inside the carrier can help soothe environmental stress.

Strange Pets. Nothing turns felines into hiss-terical claw monsters like barking dogs or meowing cats. When confined inside a carrier, your frightened cat can’t flee, so the fight-or-flight instinct has no outlet. She may redirect her fear aggression on the nearest target — you or the vet staff. Ask to schedule your cat’s exam early in the morning or at slow times to avoid a busy waiting room. Some vet practices have separate waiting rooms and entrances for cats and dogs, so at least your cat never has to see or hear the mortal enemy.

Cold Exam Tables. Though cats may hate getting into their carriers, being dumped on a cold metal table elevates the “strangeness” of the experience significantly. After all, Kitty-Boy’s preferred lounging spots are the windowsill with a view, the soft top of the sofa, or a table underneath a warm lamp. Take along a towel or even the cat’s bed that smells like your cat to make the exam table more feline friendly. Some cat specialty practices have exam room windows with bird feeders outside or water fountains and fish tanks for kitty distraction.

Weird People Doing Weird Things. The vet and clinic staff love animals, but to your cat they’re from Mars. Maybe they wear uniforms and smell like dogs (spit!) and don’t ask permission to stroke his fur. A particular stressor is being handled by several people — the vet tech for getting a temperature or stool sample, for example, and later the veterinarian. Reducing the number of handlers may help. Scheduling enough time so the cat doesn’t feel rushed also can ease the tension.

Painful or Surprising Events. Needle sticks aren’t much fun. And a cold thermometer inserted into the nether regions is no way to make friends. It’s up to owners to offer treats or toys during and immediately after upsetting procedures to help change how cats feel about vet visits.

Cats remember discomfort, fear and bad experiences and expect them in the future. But they also remember good experiences and anticipate accordingly. Ask about taking your kitten for “fun visits” to meet and get used to the vet and staff, so he can simply play and be petted rather than examined and treated. Repeated happy visits take the scary out of the equation. Make vet visits more pleasant, and your cat will be happier — and healthier.

The Secrets to Long Lives for Cats

You never would have thought Luna, my strong willed little tuxedo girl, would live to her current ripe old age of 20. A few times in her life, Luna has endured some health setbacks, most of which have been related to intestinal problems. As a long time cat lover and specialist in their daily care and well being, I am often amazed by Luna’s resiliency when, with the proper care and nutrition, she has bounced back each time to live another day.

Age 20 for a cat is a great achievement in and of itself, but this wily cat also enjoys “working out” at night, a routine typically followed by much younger cats. At the stroke of midnight, a few times a week, Luna leaps from the bed to the floor, races through the second floor of our home, and repeats the performance. Not a way for her humans to get a restful night’s sleep, but we can’t help but admire Luna for her pep.

Observing the living habits of many older cats over the years, I have developed a sense of what is behind the phenomenon of cats managing to live to ripe old ages. Genetics certainly would seem to play a factor. Much like studies on human genetics and how their inherited traits may swing the longevity pendulum to a shorter, or longer life, I believe that this impacts cats’ lives as well. Some purebred cats, for example, seem to generally have a shorter life span than “mixed” breeds, the latter of what I term a “Heinz 57” cat. Although several years ago, there was a story about a Sphinx cat who purportedly lived to age 32. His human was also quite elderly, they were the perfect “little old men”!

Exercise leads to fit cats, another indicator of longevity. Our Luna is about as slim as they get, and that’s the way she’s been for many years. Perhaps that’s why she seemingly has little to no arthritis and the ability to fly through the air at midnight. It’s important to spend as much time as possible interacting with cats. Catnip, wand and other toys that bring out the hunting instinct in cats are effective in ensuring exercise as well as mental stimulation. Although indoor/outdoor” cats undoubtedly experience the thrill of the hunt, they are subject to many more life threatening risks than their indoor feline counterparts, including hit and run car accidents, animal fights, and unfortunately, ill meaning people.

Great nutrition is another leading factor. With the proliferation of cat food choices on the market, it’s easy to choose a food that has fewer by products, and purer ingredients. I have also discovered that moisture in food tends to be an important factor in a cat’s health, especially as they age. A combination of premium quality canned foods with dry foods seems to work for our aging cats. A vitamin supplement such as Felovite with Taurine also helps keep them well nourished.

Keeping cats well hydrated also is good preventative measure for many ailments. Cats tend to wait until they are fairly dehydrated before going to the water bowl. We have been using cat water fountains ever since they first came onto the market and recommend their usage to encourage cats to drink. Our favorite is the line of Drinkwell products, especially the Pagoda and Lotus ceramic fountains as well as the Stainless Steel “360”.

Finally, and perhaps the most important key to feline longevity, is emotional health. I can’t say enough about showing your cats how much you love them. Your cat will let you know what he/she prefers in this sense, whether it’s just a kind word, a stroke on the head, or a “full body hug”. Let them know every day how much they mean to you in your life. Encouragement and affection will go a long way towards extending their lifetimes.

3833hrPeekandPrizeToyBoxsmaller — Peek N Prize Toy Box at MyThreeCats.com

What types of environmental enhancements do you offer your cat?

Caring for cats properly involves much more than simply furnishing food, water and a litter box. Environmental enrichment, such as toys, food puzzles, perches, and even hiding places, can really change the quality of life for almost any cat.

The Winn Feline Foundation recently took a look at this issue in a group of shelter cats on their blog. Environmental enrichment in shelter cats is an excerpt from a study which provided a food puzzle to a stable group of shelter cats and examined their reaction to the puzzle and their interactions surrounding the object. The study concluded:

“a stimulating item that can be shared by all individuals in a stable group, such as a puzzle feeder of appropriate size, can play an important role in promoting positive social interactions among cats and improving their welfare.”

Certainly, in shelter cats, this is an important study. It underlines the need for more than just basic care in the lives of these animals and the fact that this enrichment is easily achievable. After all, the ultimate goal is to give these cats the best chance for adoption. Cats that are comfortable in their environment and confident will show it in their behavior. And confident behavior is much more “adoptable” than a cat that is hiding in his cage or, worse yet, acting in aggressive manner out of fear.

However, this study also can be extended to those of us who keep multi-cat households. I have three cats and frequently see two or more of my cats interacting with the toys and puzzles at once. In fact, it seems as though if one cat shows interest, it generates interest in the other cats as well.

Many environmental enhancement toys, cat furniture and other items can be found at www.MyThreeCats.com, the experts in optimum care care and well being.

New Stainless Steel Drinking Fountain For Multiple Cats Now Available

We’re excited to be able to announce one of the best quality cat products on the market today, a cat fountain designed to allow multiple cats to drink fresh, aerated streams of water, without having to wait their turn.

The reason the Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Pet Fountain has really caught our attention is twofold: it accommodates multiple cats, and its stainless steel design prevents “cat acne”. What is “cat acne”?

When cats’ chins and surrounding area come in contact with unclean, plastic food and water bowls, the bacteria that can work its way into scratches and nicks in the bowl can infect the cat. Veterinarians and other feline experts recommend using ceramic, glass or metal bowls, and daily washing of those, in order to prevent this common condition.

You can find the Drinkwell 360 Stainless Steel Pet Fountain at www.mythreecats.com. As a loyal blog reader, we want to reward you and offer you a 25% discount off the $99.95 retail price of this fountain for a very limited time only, while supplies last. You must type in the promo code 360 in the promo code box at checkout and then click “update” in order to get the discount.