Knowing how to take care of an adult cat is relatively easy if we have enjoyed the company of a feline before. But if it is the first time that you have a cat in your care, it is important that you know some things that it needs to be happy.
In this article on our site we will detail with you everything you need to know to take care of your new cat in the best way, reviewing details such as food, education, toys or where he will do his needs.
Discover it all in this complete guide to caring for an adult cat:
He alth and veterinary visits
Veterinary visits
Especially if we have just adopted a cat, it will be essential to visit the vet to do a complete check-upof the cat's state of he alth. The specialist will offer us a he alth card in which he will write down the administered vaccines and other important notes. Without the card, you cannot travel with your cat to other countries, keep that in mind.
It is recommended Visit the vet every 6 months, a habit that will help us to promptly detect the appearance of any disease in our feline.
On the other hand, although cats normally reside indoors, they can reach it through shoes, clothing and even through the air. For this reason there is a specific vaccination schedule that our cat must follow:
- You will be vaccinated against leukemia and given a booster.
- You will also receive vaccinations against panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calcivirus, you will also have a booster.
- You will be given the rabies vaccine later.
- Finally you will receive vaccines against peritonitis and feline infectious with your relevant booster.
To end this point we will inform you about the importance of chip implantation. Without this tool we will not be able to find our cat if one day it gets lost.
Deworming
It will also be very important to follow a deworming schedule, which will consist of deworming it internally every 3 months and applying a monthly pipette Yes If you plan to leave your cat in the garden, it will be very important that you offer him this care to prevent fleas, ticks and mosquitoes from reaching him. Discover some home remedies to deworm a cat on our site.
Spay or neuter
Finally it will be useful to ask our veterinarian about the sterilization of our cat. It is important to understand that most abandoned animals come from unwanted litters, something very common in this species. In addition, neutering a cat has many advantages, such as a stable character, the certainty that it will not go off in search of adventures and that we will avoid suffering during the heat.
Adult cat education
Although it is not so common to find information about the education of a cat, the truth is that it is a very important factor since it will depend on it enjoy of a good coexistenceAdult cats have already gone through their socialization process, but it is still important to regularly reinforce it with visits from other people at home that encourage the cat to have a sociable and open attitude.
The education of the cat must always be based on positive reinforcement: caresses, treats and affectionate words will help him understand that he has done something correctly. However, you should avoid punishment of any kind at all costs.
What things should we teach him?
Among the things we must teach our cat, we are going to highlight that we must teach our feline to use the litter box so that the environment of the house remains hygienic in everything moment These are very clean animals that will soon understand what you are proposing. It will also be essential to teach him how to use the scraper if we do not want to see how he destroys our most appreciated furniture.
Cat body hygiene
Although cats are animals clean by nature, it is very important to spend time helping them take care of their fur, it will depend on it make it look bright and he althy.
The ones
It is essential that your cat has a log, utensil or scraper within reach to sharpen its nails. If you do not have it, remember that you can do it on any other type of surface, such as a sofa. You must cut them when you think that they have reached a considerable size. If you are afraid to do it, you can go to the vet who has the obligation to do it for free.
Ears
The ear cleaning routine should not be done every day but occasionally. Carrying out hygiene in this area will be very important as it is the best way to detect the appearance of mites and fungi.
Teeth
It is very important to take care of the teeth of the adult cat to make sure that when he reaches his old age stage he keeps them Although it is complicated to brush his teeth To a cat, there are many tips and tricks that will help you keep your cat's mouth clean, free of germs and tartar. To start with, we find "treats" for cats with this function on the market, but we can also help you by offering dry food instead of wet food. Discover more ways to clean a cat's teeth on our site.
Brushing
Cats spend hours on end grooming their coats. His tongue is really rough so he is able to remove dead hair very easily. For this same reason, cats can suffer from the accumulation of hairballs in their stomach, which in the long run can lead to serious he alth problems. If we suspect that our cat may have hairballs accumulated in its stomach, we should resort to m alt for cats, a product that helps to evacuate the annoying trichobezoars.
To avoid this problem we must brush our cat two or three times a week, although the frequency of brushing will actually vary depending on the type of coat, the amount of hair they lose or if they are in the moulting season. The cat's molt usually occurs in spring and autumn and it is at this time that we must pay more attention to its care.
Bathroom
Although cats generally don't require regular baths, sometimes they may need you to help them get totally clean if they have gotten dirty in excess. Cats should get used to water from an early age, otherwise they generally end up being afraid of the bathtub.
If this is your case, you can follow our tricks to clean a cat without bathing him:
- Baby wipes are ideal for cleaning small surface stains.
- Use a sponge soaked in warm water for more severe cases.
- Get dry cleaning suds to clean your cat thoroughly without getting it wet.
However, if your cat enjoys water and is delighted to splash around whenever you turn on a tap, don't hesitate to learn the appropriate step-by-step guide to bathing a cat at home, paying attention to the products and the tips mentioned.
Adult cat feeding
The cat must receive an appropriate diet for its condition and state of he alth. It is very important to take into account the different types of food that exist before getting one. But whatever we choose, it must always be of quality. Some specific types of feed are:
- Normal meat feed
- Normal fish feed
- Organic food
- Giant cat food
- For allergic cats
- For obese cats
- For cats with sensitive stomachs
- For sterilized cats
- For the hairballs
- For dental he alth
- For (specific) he alth problems
In principle we should feed a cat with dry food daily since it acts as a sanitizer for its teeth. This type of food should be the basis of their diet as it provides all the necessary nutrients for our feline. The recommended amount appears on the product packaging itself according to the weight of the cat.
On the other hand, in summer, on a whim or if we notice that our cat does not drink water, it is advisable to offer wet food to cats since it will provide extra hydration (they also love it). However, it promotes the accumulation of tartar, so it will be important not to overdo it and offer it only occasionally.
There are also vitamins, supplements and a wide range of foods that you can give your cat as an extra to improve
Fun, socialization and mental stimulation
There are all kinds of cats, some more independent or more sociable, others more playful or calm… All of them must perform physical and mental activities daily. This is essential to have a he althy and happy cat.
We must know that cats do not have fun if they play alone (or at least for long periods of time), so it will be very important to get hold of different toys for cats (the most recommended is the duster) and that we interact with him encouraging him to play.
Don't forget that even if the adult cat has an already defined character, it is important to continue working with him on socialization (with people and elements in the environment) that will help him to be an animal capable of relating well to the environment and our guests. Encouraging visitors to offer him treats or food will be excellent to encourage a desirable attitude in our feline.
Tools you need
The sandbox
When the cat becomes an adult, it instinctively goes to its litter box and does not perform its needs outside of it. These are very clean animals that respect the environment where they live, ensuring unusual hygiene. Although do not forget that this will depend on each case since some cats may not have learned to do it.
Remember that the litter box should be in a secluded place with easy access for the cat. You should also keep it clean, so we recommend remove feces daily and change the litter twice a week.
The cat's bed
Just like dogs, cats also need a comfortable place to sleep and rest. You must have a bed or a soft, padded cushion. The blankets will be much appreciated in winter. Cats like to sleep in closed places so we must be careful not to leave open furniture because they could sleep there and get locked up.
