General Cat Care Before You Bring Your Cat Home: see articles under ADOPTING on this website for what you will need etc. Your cat should be spayed or neutered by 5 months of age! Females can come into heat by this time and males can begin spraying. You should also have your cat microchipped! It is an inexpensive and simple procedure and will save you much heartache if your cat happens to get outside and lost- which happens very frequently or if someone steals him. Most shelters do not keep cats long before euthanizing them- by the time you track down the whereabouts of your cat, he/she may have already been euthanized, especially if he acts scared or has an injury or illness. Most shelters will check for a microchip and contact you before euthanizing. If your cat meets with an accident and goes to the vet, the vet will check for a microchip and call you. Feeding An adult cat should be fed one large or two smaller meals each day. Kittens from 6 to 12 weeks need to be fed four times a day. Kittens from three to six months need to be fed three times a day. You can either feed specific meals, throwing away any leftover canned food after 30 minutes or free-feed dry food (keeping food out all the time). Feed your cat a high-quality, brand-name kitten or cat food (avoid generic brands) two to three times a day. Kittens can be fed human baby food for a short time if they won’t eat kitten food softened by soaking in warm water. Use turkey or chicken baby food made for children six months and older. Gradually mix with cat food. Cow’s milk is not necessary and can cause diarrhea in kittens and cats. Provide fresh, clean water at all times. Wash and refill water bowls daily. Grooming Most cats stay relatively clean and rarely need a bath, but they do need to be brushed or combed. Frequent brushing helps keep your cat’s coat clean, reduces the amount of shedding and cuts down on the incidence of hairballs. Handling To pick up your cat, place one hand behind the front legs and another under the hindquarters. Lift gently. Never pick up a cat by the scruff of the neck (behind the ears) or by the front legs without supporting the rear end. Housing Cats should have a clean, dry place of their own in the house. Line your cat’s bed with a soft, warm blanket or towel. Be sure to wash the bedding often. Please keep your cat indoors. If your companion animal is allowed outside, he can contract diseases, get ticks or parasites, become lost or get hit by a car, hurt in a fight or poisoned. Also, cats prey on wildlife. Identification If allowed outdoors (again, we caution against it!), your cat needs to wear a safety collar and an ID tag. A safety collar with an elastic panel will allow your cat to break loose if the collar gets caught on something. An ID tag or an implanted microchip can help insure that your cat is returned if he or she becomes lost. Litter Box All indoor cats need a litter box, which should be placed in a quiet, accessible location. A bathroom or utility room is a good place for your cat’s box. In a multi-level home, one box per floor is recommended. Avoid moving the box unless absolutely necessary. Then do so slowly, a few inches a day. Cats won’t use a messy, SMELLY litter box. Scoop solids out of the box at least once a day. Dump everything, wash with a mild detergent (don’t use ammonia) and refill at least once a week, less frequently if using clumping litter. Don’t use deodorants or scents in the litter or litter box (especially avoid lemon scent). Play Cats delight in stalking imaginary prey. The best toys are those that can be made to jump and dance around and look alive. Your cat will act out her predator role by pouncing on toys instead of people’s ankles. Don’t use your hands or fingers as play objects with kittens. This type of play may cause a biting and scratching problem to develop as your kitten matures. Scratching Provide your cat with a sturdy scratching post, at least 3 feet high, which allows the cat to stretch completely when scratching, and stable enough that it won’t wobble when being used. It should be covered with rough material such as sisal, burlap or tree bark to further prevent household destruction. Cats also like scratching pads. To train a cat to use a post or pad, rub your hands on the scratching surface and then gently rub the kitty’s paws on the surface. When the cat starts to scratch furniture or rugs, gently say no and lure her over to the scratching post. Praise your cat for using the scratching post or pad. A sprinkle of catnip once or twice a month will keep your cat interested in it. Health Your cat should see the veterinarian at least once a year for an examination and annual shots, and immediately if she is sick or injured. Ear Mites These tiny parasites are a common problem that can be transmitted from cat to cat. If your cat is scratching at his ears or shaking his head, he may be infested with ear mites. You will need to call for a veterinary appointment, as your cat’s ears will need to be thoroughly cleaned before medication is dispensed. Feline Urological Syndrome (FUS) Both males and females can develop this lower urinary inflammation, which is also called Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Signs of FUS include frequent trips to the litter box, crying, blood in the urine and straining to urinate. If your male cat looks “constipated” he may have a urethral obstruction (he can’t urinate). This can be fatal if not treated quickly. Urethral blockages are rare in females. About 5 percent of cats are affected with FUS. Special diets may help prevent this condition. Fleas and Ticks Fleas are a problem that should be taken seriously. These tiny parasites feed off of your pet, transmit tapeworms and irritate the skin. Carefully check your cat once a week for fleas and ticks. If there are fleas on your cat, there will be fleas in your house. You may need to use flea bombs or premise-control sprays and treat all animals in your house. Make sure that any sprays, powders or shampoos you use are safe for cats and that all products are compatible if used together. Cats die every year due to being treated improperly with flea and tick control products. Consult your veterinarian. There are several new methods of flea and tick control. Do NOT use Hartz flea products! Medicines and Poisons Tylenol is FATAL and aspirin can also be FATAL to a cat! Only use medications prescribed by your veterinarian. Keep rat poison or other rodenticides away from your cat. Call your veterinarian or The ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA/APCC) for 24-hour animal poison information if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance. The numbers are: (888) 4ANI-HELP (888-426- 4435), or (900) 680-0000. A consultation fee applies. Neutering Females should be spayed and males neutered by six months of age. Neutering a male (removing the testicles) can prevent urine spraying, decrease the urge to escape outside and look for a mate, and reduce fighting between males. Spaying a female (removing the ovaries and uterus) helps prevent breast cancer, which can be fatal 90 percent of the time, and pyometra (uterus infection), a very serious problem in older females that must be treated with surgery and intensive medical care. Since cats can breed up to 3 times per year, it is vital that your female feline be spayed to protect her from having unwanted litters. Claws Cats needs to scratch. When a cat scratches, the old outer nail sheath is pulled off and the sharp smooth claws underneath are exposed. Cutting your cat’s nails every 2 to 3 weeks will keep the nails relatively blunt and less likely to harm the arms of both humans and furniture. Declawing is not only painful but many times causes behavioral problems such as biting or misusing the litter box. Vaccinations Vaccines protect animals and people from specific viral and bacterial infections. They are not a treatment. If your companion cat gets sick because he is not properly vaccinated, the vaccinations should be given after your pet recovers.
Kittens should be vaccinated with a combination vaccine (called a 3 in 1) at 8 weeks of age and then 3-4 week later with a booster given one year from original vaccination and then every 3 years thereafter. This vaccine protects cats from panleukopenia (also called feline distemper), calicivirus and rhinotracheitis (flu-like viruses).
Rabies Vaccine is given at 12 weeks of age with a booster one year later and then every 3 years thereafter.
There is a vaccine available for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) although FF doesn’t recommend it. We believe it can cause a form of cancer called site sarcoma or cancer later on.
The other is feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). FF believes this vaccine ineffective and can cause the cat to test positive for the FIV virus the rest of his/her life although the cat does not have the virus.