If you love your cat as much as we do ours, then keeping a healthy cat is a big priority. When we found our rescue kitten, he was tiny and unhealthy with poor gut health. There are so many choices out there for food, pet items, and healthy cat advice, it’s hard to know what is best, but we’re breaking down how we’ve taken care of our rescues with Solid Gold!
If you have read my articles before, then you know I like to be an informed consumer. And being a pet parent isn’t an exception.
We have six children that would be heartbroken if anything happened to our cats. Keeping a healthy cat with a healthy gut is more than just the right thing to do. It is the way we thank our furry friends for loving us—and perhaps for tolerating toddlers.
I’ve put together a list of spectacular tips I think every fur parent must-know to keep a happy and healthy cat.
I hope they help you and your pet too.
Table of Contents
Our Rescue Kitten Origin Story
I’ve shared little tidbits about our rescue kitten Smokey before, though I don’t think I’ve ever shared the story of how found him in the smokies, or Smokey Mountains. We were on a family trip in one of our favorite spots, with views overlooking Maggie Valley.
It was just after the hurricane hit North Carolina and we were enjoying the small shops and restaurants in the valley. As I was finishing up in the shop, Chris decided to take our rambunctious kids outside, with the freedom to run, jump and play in the yard out front of the shop. After just a few minutes, the kids noticed a small black kitten crawl out of the bushes.
This teeny-tiny kitten became the treasure that everyone wanted to hold, but first we made sure to look everywhere for his family, since he couldn’t have been more than a couple of weeks old. Part of us could tell there was no mom there. He was malnourished and flee ridden and the only sign of family was a cat in the bushes that had died (we weren’t sure how long before). Together, we decided to take this “little panther” (his new nickname) to the cabin and care for him, giving him baths, feeding him kitten formula and holding him close to keep his shivering body warm. He was our little cabin buddy, and our family became smitten.
We were determined to give him the best life we could nourish him back to health with help from Solid Gold, and now he’s our healthy not-so-little panther.
A few months later, we found another black kitten at a rescue shelter, and being a sweet little “twin” to Smokey, Bear was added to our family.
Why we Use Solid Gold + 7 Tips for Raising a Healthy Cat
1) Provide Plenty of Water
Water is essential for life. Plants and animals can’t survive without it. When it comes to having a healthy cat, the trick is to make sure your pet is drinking enough water.
- Always provide fresh water every day and more frequently if possible.
- If your cat doesn’t like drinking out of a bowl try serving it in a glass. Some cats don’t like bending their heads down to drink.
- Also, try using a pet water fountain. The flowing water encourages cats to drink and helps prevent the water from becoming stale.
Having enough water is important to help prevent urinary tract infections. Watch for panting, sunken eyes, and lethargy as indications of dehydration.
Cats are not prone to drinking lots of water like dogs. In fact, they often get a good helping of moisture from their food, so consider adding in wet food to their diet – Solid Gold has a bunch of wet and dry options!
2) Choose Healthy Cat Food
Everyone wants a healthy cat, so you may agree that choosing a good cat food is pretty important. We wanted something we could trust and that nourished the whole cat.
We believe in using healthy foods to promote wellness and boost our immune systems in our family, so why would it be any different for creating a healthy cat? We have chosen to use Solid Gold pet food for our pets just for that reason. Its been around for over 45 years and treats pet food as a way to holistically cleanse, balance, and fuel the gut so your pet (dogs and cats) can experience health inside and out.
We teamed up with Solid Gold to bring you this post because we genuinely love and use their products for both of our rescue cats. Every day we feed our cats the Let’s Stay In dry mix for indoor cats. And we add in the grain-free, gluten-free Purrfect Pairings Savory Mousse occasionally as a special treat.
Our cats love it.
Why we like Solid Gold products:
- It provides natural support for the three common pet health issues: skin and coat, digestion, and immune system health.
- It’s full of amazing superfoods, including seaweed and flaxseed that provide vitamins and Omega Fatty Acids that help maintain healthy skin and coat.
- It’s rich in chlorophyll, which is a natural source of vitamins and minerals that support the immune system.
- It has natural digestive enzymes that help pets utilize more of the nutrients in their food and supports healthy digestion.
Solid Gold has a cat food to fit any need from a rescue kitten up through a rescue cat. They have grain-free, weight control, high protein dry food options. And healthy wet food in a variety of textures and flavors.
Their offerings are amazing, but one of their most unique products is the SeaMeal Squeeze.
SeaMeal is a wellness supplement (or treat) made from seaweed combined with flaxseed and digestive enzymes. It is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, amino acids, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants that support your rescue cat’s skin, coat, and immune system health.
I hope you give Solid Gold Cat Food a try. It has made an amazing difference in our own pets’ health. It’s astonishing to think Smokey was a sickly rescue kitten. Now, he and Bear (our other rescue cat) are happy, healthy cats.
Get 20% off SeaMeal Squeeze on Amazon with code: MOMMYBLOG20
Expiration: 10/31
3) Help Groom Your Cat
You should brush your cat every day. Okay, stick with me. I know it is a big commitment, but your rescue cat deserves it.
You may be thinking my cat cleans herself, so why do I have to do this? Yes, your cat does groom herself but this process doesn’t just remove dirt, it also removes dead hair.
We all know how disgusting hairballs can be. Some cats even have horrible health problems from hairballs. A blockage could cause death.
So, when you weigh it out, the inconvenience of brushing your recue cat daily to help prevent fur from entering the digestive systems is worth it. Brushing equals a healthy cat.
To make brushing easier, be sure to create a positive association by giving healthy cat treats, like SeaMeal Squeeze. And even better, make cat brushing an older child’s chore.
It’s a win, win, win.
Your cat gets brushed, you don’t have to, and your child learns responsibility as a pet owner.
4) Cat Litterbox Know-How
The basic rule for litter boxes is to have 2 for your first cat and add 1 for each additional cat. It is also recommended to have at least one box on each floor of your home if you have a multistory house.
With that being said here are some quick litterbox tips:
- Be sure you have multiple litters for multiple cats. This helps avoid spraying, marking, and fighting.
- Have a separate, low-traffic location in the house for your litter boxes (away from noisy appliances).
- Use an unscented litter that is low-dust and easy to scoop.
- Scoop the litterbox daily.
- Use soap and water to deep clean the litterbox monthly (disinfectant cleaning products are toxic to pets).
- If your cat is having litterbox issues try different styles of litterboxes and different kinds of litter. Some cats do not like covered litter boxes because they feel trapped or litters that stick to their feet.
We like the robotic litter box we got after deciding to get our second rescue kitten. It eliminates a lot of litterbox issues by self-scooping, so that may be another option you would like to consider.
5) Provide Exercise
It’s easy for indoor cats to become obese due to lack of exercise. In turn, obese indoor cats are at a higher risk of diabetes.
Yikes!
Finding what your cat enjoys may take a little discovery. Some cats like laser toys while others enjoy teaser wands.
Here are some great cat toy tips:
- Save your furniture by offering scratch posts in a couple areas your rescue cat frequents. It is best to train your cat to use it as a kitten, but you may also try to encourage use by adding catnip.
- Rescue kittens that are your lone cat will benefit from a stuffed animal (without buttons or choking hazards) to use as a substitute littermate for wrestling. If your little fur bundle is attacking your hands and feet firmly say, “No,” and give them the stuffed animal instead.
- Do a toy rotation. Yes, for your cat. Just like children, they grow indifferent to toys they see all the time.
- Play hide and seek with your cat’s favorite toys. Hide some of your pet’s favorite toys around the house before leaving for the day to help fight off boredom.
- Make your own toys. This is a great project for your children to create temporary toys out of boxes, paper, string, and even plastic Easter eggs. You can hide treats inside to entice play.
6) Provide a Safe Environment
Allow your cat to have a room, closet, or under-the-bed space that is a safe place. This should be a kid-free zone that your cat can go to hideaway. If your littles go looking for your rescue cat be sure it is understood that they may not pull your cat out of these safe places.
Cats like to be able to see the environment around them. That’s why cat trees and wall steps are so great. They elevate your pet giving them that great birds-eye-view of the room that their primal ancestors used for protection.
7) Choose a Veterinarian
The most important part of keeping your pet healthy is consistent veterinary visits. Especially if your rescue kitten is found outdoors like ours. Most kittens are born with worms, so getting them treated is important for a healthy cat to thrive.
At your vet, your rescue kitten will be tested for feline leukemia, get her vaccines, and start flea and tick medication. It is also important to have your rescue kitten spayed or neutered.
Many rescue cat facilities will do this as part of their service to help control the cat population, prevent euthanasia, and to prevent issues with your pet going into heat (which may make it difficult to care for).
Final Thoughts on Tips for a Healthy Cat
Your rescue kitten or rescue cat may have had a rough start in life, but now they are with you. You cared enough to read this entire post and that says a lot about your care for animals.
We think you may enjoy our other great cat posts on litter box training and kitten care tips. Your fur baby is worth it.
Have you used Solid Gold before? How do you raise healthy cats? Let me know in a comment below!
Don’t miss your 20% off SeaMeal Squeeze on Amazon with code: MOMMYBLOG20
Expiration: 10/31
Leave a Reply