Now that you have a new kitten in your family, there are many things you must consider in order to ensure he is happy and healthy. Food is just one of the important decisions you must make. Picking up any old bag of cat food is not the best choice for the health of your kitten. He is growing at a rapid pace and requires essential nutrients to help him be healthy and stay strong.

Kittens receive all of their nutrients from their mother’s milk for the first few weeks of life. Once they have reached about four weeks of age, the breeder most assuredly, started supplementing his feeding with a moist kitten food or dry food that is moistened with a little water.

When the kitten reaches eight weeks of age, he will be completely weaned from his mother’s milk and be on a full diet of kitten food. A good breeder will give you a sample of the brand they are using or at least tell you the name of the brand. If you wish to change your kitten’s current brand of food, it is very important to incorporate some of the old food with the new. This allows your kitten time to adjust to the change gradually without upsetting his digestive system.

Just as human babies do, young kittens require several meals a day in order to get the essential nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. Typically, it is best to provide your kitten with four small meals a day up until he is six months old. At this time, his rate of growth decreases dramatically as well as his amount of energy and activity. This requires a decrease in meals to two or three a day.

Another important consideration to remember is that this time does not mean he is an adult cat and can eat adult cat food; he is still a growing kitten, just not as rapidly. Water is an absolute necessity and should be offered to your kitten in unlimited quantities.

After reaching the adult age of one year old, your kitten can now be gradually converted to adult cat food. Cats for the most part will eat whenever they are hungry; however, leaving a full bowl of food available at all times can lead to over eating and obesity, so a routine of feeding twice a day is usually sufficient along with the unlimited water.

Cats that are fussy and refuse to eat dry cat food can be given moist canned food. Although, it is imperative to remember not to leave open cans sitting out or left over food in a bowl for long periods of time. Once a can is opened it is recommended that it be kept in the refrigerator.

All cats require different needs based on any special ailments he may possess. Today’s pet food market offers a wide variety of food from weight control, urinary tract health, hairball and special diabetic foods as well. Check with your veterinarian for a better understanding as to which food offers the right nutrients for your furry companion.

While soft food may be a preference, dry cat food is also highly effective in the fight against tartar. A yearly trip to your veterinarian can ensure that your cat’s teeth are healthy and free of tartar build up and tooth decay.

Taking care of your fuzzy pal can be quite easy if you are well aware of what exactly needs to be done when it comes to their regular maintenance and grooming. Being a cat owner involves a lot of responsibility and important decision-making.

Your Cat Care involves important aspects like health and medical check-ups, grooming and training with the main goal of keeping your cat happy at the end of the day.

Simple tips to follow:

A happy and healthy cat is what every cat owner wants. So there are a few little things that you must keep in mind to avoid any complications.

Good health is the key to good cat care:

A regular visit to the vet is an absolute must. This will help you know the early signs of illness, if any. Besides the regular ones, an annual visit is important especially if the cat is aging. Detecting any subtle changes early will be crucial in determining the health of the cat and thus can give better treatment. Regular checkup of abdomen, skin or coat, eyes and ears is essential to make sure that your pet is in good health.

Grooming:

Brushing with proper brushes will significantly reduce the amount of flea infestation on your feline friend, which constitutes an important part of cat care. Trimming the claws is necessary and a nice way to protect your furniture, however, you need to be extremely careful while clipping or trimming the claws as it might cut the veins. It is advisable to go for a vet’s help if you are not familiar with the procedure of clipping the claws.

Providing a fresh litter box:

This is an important part of cat care, where you must provide your cat with a litter box for him to use it every time. It is equally essential to clean the litter box at least twice a day. Thorough weekly scrubbing and disinfecting is a must to keep infections at bay.

Training your cat is an important part of the cat care to be able to make them well behaved at home; however, it should never be done in a harsh manner as that will lead to behavioral issues. A firm approach with lots of love is the trick to a disciplined cat. Cat care is not difficult but will need a lot of patience. Generally cats are quick learners so you will not have much problem in training them. Try and often reward your cat with pats and treats to speed up the learning process.