Adult cat care (4 years to 8 years)
Cats approach “middle age” at 7 years of age, the equivalent of 44 human years. Early on, and through adulthood, adopt habits in caring for your cat that will help see kitty through his/her senior/geriatric years. Today, cats are living 20 years and more. While each cat is different – and heredity certainly plays a role – so do wellness care / disease prevention and quality of life. Throughout your cat’s life, make sure he/she is getting:
-
A high quality diet.
Consult your veterinarian to choose an appropriate food. See more on nutrition and weight control. Watch carefully to see which foods kitty prefers. This is also the time to carefully watch your cat’s weight. As middle age approaches, this is the time that many cats become overweight. -
Fresh water daily.
A 10-pound cat needs about a 1/4-liter of water daily.
Make sure that the water is fresh each day and that
the bowl is clean. -
Regular grooming.
All cats should be brushed regularly to keep their coat in good condition. Long-haired cats need regular brushing even more often to keep hair from matting. Avoid trimming or cutting out mats since it’s easy to accidentally snip your cat's skin; leave this to professionals. Electric trimmers work well for trimming long hair on the back of the legs which can collect stool and debris. IMPORTANT NOTE: Regular brushing also reduces the amount of hair that cats swallow preventing fur balls. -
Regular exercise.
Regular exercise is essential for good feline health. Play with your cat regularly. Make play fun and interesting for kitty with a variety of cat toys that provide the opportunity for batting, chasing, climbing and running. See more on choosing cat toys. Also put out paper bags and boxes for kitty to explore and cat trees for climbing.
In adult kitties, watch out for two
main
health issues:
1. Weight gain/loss
During adult years, cats often experience
WEIGHT GAIN. This can place felines at greater risk of serious health problems such as
heart disease and
hypertension. At the same time, cats should NEVER be subjected to rapid
WEIGHT LOSS. A gradual weight loss program should never result in kitty losing more than 1/8 pound per week.
Keep kitty slim and trim the right way with good
Nutrition and Weight Control.
Watch for sudden WEIGHT LOSS. Inexplicable weight loss always signals a potential medical problem. Kitties that are losing weight should be seen immediately by a veterinarian.
2. Dental disease
Dental disease, while highly preventable in most cats, if left untreated, can lead to heart, lung, liver and kidney damage. Prevent dental disease in your cat with regular teeth brushing and check-ups. Learn more about feline Dental Care and how to brush and care for those pearly whites.
Choose the best CAT TOYS for your feline. Watch our video:
Choosing the right cat toys is more than a game of cat
& mouse.
Click on the link above or scan the QR code with your smartphone to watch the video!
Continue providing your kitty with regular
preventive care:
Microchip at a young age
Microchipping is the best way to locate a lost pet. Shelters, humane societies, and veterinary hospitals regularly use scanners to identify found pets and contact their families.
A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice,
programmed with an ID number, and is injected under
your pet’s skin, usually in the scruff of the neck. The Home Again Microchip Identification System recovers a lost pet in the U.S. every 7 minutes and operates 24/7.
