Pure Cat Care & Holistic Options

Our pets actually do really feel like members of the family—that’s why we make do-it-yourself cat treats. Our Bengal cat Hercules loves them. Nonetheless, even once I give him the treats, he extremely favors our daughter and is really her cat. They’re greatest buds! 

Along with feeding our cats wholesome meals, we’ve tried to be aware cat mother and father in different choices we make. Our largest well being care purpose is to forestall our beloved pet’s struggling. I attempt to maintain all our pets out of the veterinary clinic (and I do know accessibility is a matter for individuals in rural areas.) 

Through the years, I’ve realized some holistic and pure cat care ideas you may need to discover in your feline good friend. 

Preventative Pure Cat Care 

Simply as I attempt to stop well being points within the first place with my household, we’re making an attempt to observe preventative pet care. A bonus is that it’s cheaper to forestall one thing than it’s to deal with it.

Similar to common veterinary care and wellness exams, listed below are some holistic cat wants to think about: 

Wholesome Meals 

Cats are carnivores and want animal protein to thrive. Think about what cats eat within the wild when searching for cat meals. You desire a meat-based product. 

Relying in your cat’s particular person well being, speak to your vet about what could be greatest for them. Should you select to make your personal cat meals, make sure you inform your vet to allow them to guarantee your cat remains to be getting all the required vitamins. 

I want to purchase premade cat meals for the sake of comfort. Up 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 beloved. 

Considered one of our favourite manufacturers of high-quality cat meals is Nom Nom Now. They may enable you personalize your cat’s menu based on their wants. They ask good questions on how previous your cat is, their weight, and so forth. 

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 all the time, go gradual with any change to your cat’s food plan. Attempt a few bites of recent meals the primary time after which serve half new meals, half previous meals for just a few days earlier than totally 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. 

You should definitely brush your cat’s hair repeatedly to assist stop hairballs and digestive upset. I like to recommend a wood set like this. Some cats even get pleasure from being vacuumed gently. 

Think about the place you can also make non-toxic swaps for the cat merchandise you might be already utilizing. 

Bathe your cat each 4-6 weeks. Chances are you’ll need to bathe them extra ceaselessly in the event that they’ve gotten soiled or been uncovered to fleas or chemical substances. We love to make use of unscented castile cleaning soap to scrub our cats. 

Cat Toothpaste 

Sadly, you possibly can’t use your personal pure toothpaste in your cat. There are just a few components that aren’t secure for them: 

• Sweeteners – You don’t need to give your cat xylitol or stevia.
• Important oils –  Most aren’t secure for cats.
• Fluoride – Cats can’t break it down. 

As a substitute, you’ll need 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 various for feline dental care. When you have a non-toxic cat toothpaste model your cat loves, please remark and let me know.

Toys 

Should you’ve been following me for some time, you already know that I’ve labored exhausting 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 youngsters’ toys occasionally. It received me considering that I might simply use lots of the youthful child toys for our cats since I do know they’re secure. Study extra concerning the most secure child toys I like to recommend that you would be able to additionally use in your cat. 

Pure Litter 

We don’t need to expose our cats to poisonous chemical substances each time they should go to the toilet 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 identical time, you want a litter that does the job. Listed below are the pure cat litter manufacturers I like to recommend as a result of they’re non-toxic and biodegradable: 

Feline Pine 

Produced from 100% pine, this one has the strongest odor. The wooden may be very absorbent. You should definitely 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 constituted of petroleum. 

Sustainably Yours 

Produced from corn and cassava, this cat litter helps soak up odors. Though I just like the pure tree scent above, that is my advice when you’ve got allergy symptoms to any of these scents, like pine. 

Similar to with meals, you’ll need 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 previous 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 previous litter for the highest layer. 

Various Cat Care 

Cat homeowners need the most effective care for his or her feline associates. Fortunately, veterinary drugs has made some unbelievable advances in holistic cures. Regardless that most of those don’t have double-blind or long-term research, I’d really feel snug utilizing these pure cat care choices beneath the supervision of an skilled veterinary skilled. 

Chiropractic 

Similar 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 function place. 

Acupuncture 

Conventional Chinese language drugs asserts that their strategies additionally work on cats. Anecdotal proof experiences that cats reply nicely to acupuncture for quite a lot of points. As all the time, solely use a licensed veterinarian for this. 

Holistic Dietary supplements for Cats 

Along with a nutritious diet, dietary supplements will help our furry good friend’s well being and well-being. Listed below are some feline drugs and pure cat care choices to debate together with your vet. 

Homeopathy 

Regardless that we don’t have exhausting science on the efficacy of homeopathic cures, I nonetheless assume they’re mild sufficient to make use of on pets and youngsters. I typically strive them when treating points at dwelling. 

There’s nothing to lose in making an attempt these homeopathic cures for minor illnesses or when different remedies fail. Study extra concerning 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 contemplate discovering a veterinarian who’s acquainted with flower essences to assist with every other points past stress and anxiousness. 

CBD for Cats 

CBD has exploded in reputation for each people and pets. I not too long ago dug into the analysis for the most effective CBD oil for canines. 

CBD might 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. Study extra concerning 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 have given your cat a toy with catnip, you could discover they change into extra affectionate, relaxed, and completely satisfied. Different cats will show lively behaviors, equivalent to playfulness or generally even aggression.

Catnip results will range in size, relying on the cat and their age. Often, 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.

Study extra about its well being advantages on this put up.

Chamomile 

This mild herb is secure for delicate areas. For instance, you possibly can 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 assessment 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 might 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 upon the kind of oil concerned within the publicity and might embody 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. For that reason, 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 embody important oils. 

One of many few occasions I’d be snug 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 for those who do. 

Extra Sources on Pure Cat Care 

This text was medically reviewed by Dr. Amanda Bradbery, Ph.D. As all the time, this isn’t private medical recommendation and we advocate that you simply speak together with your pet’s vetrinarian.

What pure cat care methods do you utilize? What have you ever carried out to take excellent care of your cats? 

Sources:

1. Stogdale L. (2010). The Full Information to Holistic Cat Care. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 51(12), 1404.
2. 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.