How to feed a kitten to raise a healthy pet?

Body language - cat habits

In order to understand a cat, it is important to know its body language. The pet will not convey its emotions and mood in words, but it will definitely make it clear whether it is happy or angry.

1. If a cat wags its tail, its skin twitches - this is a sign of dissatisfaction.
2. She arches her back, snorts, hisses - she is afraid and ready for aggressive actions. It is better to leave the animal alone and wait until it calms down.
3. The pet presses its ears to its head, hisses or growls - it can hardly restrain itself and is ready to attack. This is not a game, in this state the cat is ready for a fight.
4. Purrs and rubs against the owner - expresses love and devotion, asks for affection.
5. Touches or lightly hits a person's hand with a paw without extended claws, the cat is ready for play and asks for it.

Cat farming technology

Method 1. With soil

There are two ways to grow grass for cats. The first involves the use of a substrate - either regular flower soil or a replacement for it. I usually do it like this:

1. I take a tray with a side height of no more than 5 cm: food containers, unused cat litter containers, etc. are suitable. In principle, you can grow grass in flower pots, but here the probability that in the process of eating the greenery will be thrown to the floor is close to 100%. Therefore, the lower the tank and the wider its base, the better.

1. I place several layers of thick napkins or hard toilet paper at the bottom of the container.
2. Then I add about 2 cm of wood granular cat litter - it is advisable to take the option with a minimum amount of flavorings.

We only use fresh filler! Using pellets that have been in the litter box is: a) unhygienic and b) can harm the cat.

1. I fill the filler with water and leave it for about 2-3 hours. During this time, the granules will swell and our substrate will turn into mush.

1. I sow the seeds of the halls on the surface of the substrate and sprinkle them with either the same soaked filler or garden soil. The layer of powder should be 1-2 cm.
2. I moisten the soil with the seeds and cover the tray with plastic wrap to speed up germination.

1. I put our “flowerbed” on . When the seeds begin to germinate, I remove the film and water regularly, making sure that the soil does not dry out.

Method 2. Without soil

The second method does not provide high yields, but it can be used even when we have neither soil nor a suitable tray at our disposal. We proceed like this:

1. We take two disposable plates - one larger, the other smaller.
2. In a smaller plate we make several dozen holes with a diameter of about 1 mm - they will serve to drain excess water.
3. Place cosmetic cotton pads on the bottom of the plate and thoroughly moisten them.
4. We place a smaller plate in a larger one, and sow cereal seeds on the surface of the cotton pads.
5. Cover the seeds with coarse gauze on top.

We wrap both plates in plastic and place them on the windowsill. As soon as the seeds germinate, the plastic should be removed, and the young grass should be watered at least once or twice a day with a small amount of clean water.

At what age should you start raising a kitten?

Up to two months, sometimes up to three or four, the kitten remains next to its mother. She feeds him, licks him, teaches him basic hygiene skills. A good cat will definitely teach her child to go to the toilet correctly, and ideally, show her where to sharpen her claws. It will be easier to raise such a pet in a new home and accustom it to a routine.

It is more difficult with a baby found on the street or received from a homeless animal shelter. The main thing in this case is to feed the kitten and help it get stronger. An affectionate, caring attitude is the key to the healthy physiology and psyche of such a pet.

Accustoming to the tray and scratching post must begin from the first days, but carefully, without scolding for mistakes.

From the age of four months, any kitten is already quite active, plays and plays a lot. At this age you can already be strict in your upbringing. It can only be shown by the intonation of the voice, and in no case should physical punishment be used.

At six months or a little later, the pet begins puberty. Both the male and the female may begin to mark the territory, and aggression may occur. If breeding is not planned, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian and have the animal spayed or neutered in time.

Normal weight and causes of exhaustion

The average weight of an adult cat varies from 3 to 6 kg. This indicator depends on:

• Way of life.
• Genetic factors.
• Type and quality of food.
• Age and health status.
• Gender and breed.

Healthy pet
A veterinarian will help determine the ideal weight for a particular cat. In addition, in order to monitor your pet’s health, it must be shown to a doctor once every six months.

If the cat does not reach the lower limit of weight (based on the table above), this indicates exhaustion of the body. The reason may be:

• Forced starvation (if the animal was lost and lived on the street for a long time).
• Stress (for example, a change of place of residence or the arrival of new people in the family).
• Lack of appetite (results from a number of diseases).
• Dysphagia (eating disorders, inability to swallow food, caused by diseases or injuries of the esophagus, foreign objects entering the esophagus).
• Regurgitation or vomiting (results from a number of diseases).
• Metabolic disease.
• Diseases of the urinary system.
• Increased energy consumption due to high activity.

Wasting Wasting
can be considered an animal losing more than 10% of its initial body weight. The causes of this condition may be different, in any case, the cat needs care and treatment prescribed by a veterinarian. In such situations, it is better not to self-medicate.

The most important skills

The main points that a kitten must learn in a new home.

Mode

The baby must learn to live in the rhythm of the new home. To prevent him from waking anyone up at night, you should actively play with him before bed. If a kitten wakes up your household early in the morning, you don’t need to pay attention to its cries - then it will quickly wean itself off the bad habit.

Food

It is necessary to feed the baby at the same time - two or three times a day, depending on age. The feeding place must be permanent. Bowls should always be kept empty and clean between meals.

Toilet

If the kitten already knows how to go to the litter box, the task becomes easier. It is necessary to use the same type of device and type of filler that he is used to in his home.

If your pet does not have the required skill, you need to choose the type of toilet device that he will like.

It is necessary to take the baby to the toilet several times 15-20 minutes after eating and reward him for the correct result.

scratching post

If your pet does not know how to use this product, then you need to teach him to sharpen his claws only in the designated place. The full training cycle takes two months.

A game

The baby should have a sufficient variety of toys - swingers, balls, squeakers and interactive devices. The main thing is not to allow him to bite and scratch the hands and feet of household members.

Human

From the first days in the new home, the owner must make it clear to the pet that the main, only authority and leader of the pack here is man. If the baby understands this, there will be no problems in the future.

How to fatten a cat: effective ways, what to feed, the dangers of improper feeding

Domestic cats lose weight as a result of prolonged malnutrition, unbalanced feeding or illness. Eating plenty of high-quality nutrition can correct thinness, but how to avoid the other extreme - gaining excess weight? What feed should I use? Natural or professionally made? This article talks about this.

3 situations when a cat needs fattening

An overweight cat needs to gain weight in the following situations:

1. Rehabilitation after recovery. The cause of exhaustion is the activity of parasites, infectious diseases, dysbiosis after the use of antibiotics, and the consequences of surgery.
2. Recovery of a suckling cat after weaning. If a nursing mother is not provided with balanced feeding, significant weight loss occurs.
3. Elimination of the consequences of prolonged stress when a cat changes owners or is picked up on the street.

How to fatten a cat so that it is fat?

Fattening a cat is not difficult. You can give plenty of high-calorie foods. However, this technique does not always work. In areas with hot summers, cats can avoid overheating by reducing their food intake. But in the fall, pets begin to eat intensely and accumulate a thick layer of fat in winter in order to survive the cold.

In such a situation, it is easy to fatten your pet, even without using high-energy food. However, this approach will inevitably lead to obesity and accompanying chronic diseases.

Ways to fatten a cat

The digestive system of an emaciated cat is not adapted to digest food. His stomach volume is reduced. Vitamins are required to activate enzymes. A smart solution is to use nutritional supplements. However, for the correct selection, consultation with a veterinarian is necessary. An excess of vitamins can be more dangerous than a deficiency.

The second essential component of nutrition is dietary fiber. They are contained in plant components.

These are polysaccharides that are not digested by the body's enzymes and serve as a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria in the large intestine.

The second useful function of fiber is the adsorption of toxins deposited on the intestinal walls. The third is the stimulation of peristaltic contractions of the intestine and the prevention of constipation.

If antibiotics have been used for a long time to treat a sick animal, there is a high probability that beneficial microbes have died and putrefactive microbes that come with the food develop. Dysbacteriosis occurs, which is accompanied by diarrhea. In such situations, it is necessary to populate the gastrointestinal tract with living bacteria - probiotics.

In an emaciated cat, the volume of the stomach decreases, the activity of digestive enzymes is reduced, and the appetite is weakened. Therefore, at first it is necessary to feed your pet often and in small portions. The transition of a pet from one food to another should be done gradually to avoid feeding stress.

Weight gain on dry food

The easiest way to bring your pet to show condition is to use super premium veterinary food for cats with digestive problems.

Such foods are high in calories due to the increased amount of fat. The components of such feeds are vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, antioxidants, and dietary fiber.

Achievement of optimal weight is determined by the results of weighing, as well as an assessment of fatness.

To prevent obesity, they switch to food to maintain optimal weight. The feed mixture contains an increased amount of dietary fiber, which limits feed consumption, quickly creating a feeling of fullness.

For the production of veterinary food, natural ingredients are used, prepared for feeding by extrusion, containing the components necessary for the cat in optimal proportions. The recommended volume of granules depending on live weight is indicated on the packaging.

Gaining weight on a natural diet

Adherents of a natural diet need to master the skills of preparing a diet, or seek the help of a veterinarian. Cats like raw fish, they willingly drink milk, and greedily pounce on meat, but there is danger in eating such products.

It is known that raw foods may contain parasite larvae, pathogenic microbes, and substances that destroy vitamins. Therefore, such products should be boiled. In this case, proteins are denatured and their digestibility decreases. Adult cats do not tolerate lactose well, so milk is contraindicated for them, but fermented milk products are very useful.

Natural products may contain allergens. The problem of mineral and vitamin nutrition, as well as providing the cat’s body with probiotics and prebiotics, will have to be solved independently. Other disadvantages of natural nutrition: food that is not eaten quickly deteriorates. If a cat has gained the required body weight, it is difficult to prevent obesity.

The dangers of excessive fattening of cats and cats

Exhausted cats quickly regain weight and, if food intake is not limited, excess weight develops.

The consequences of obesity are the following diseases:

• liver pathologies;
• diabetes;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• joint diseases;
• hypertonic disease.

Conclusion

Thin cats need increased nutrition. To achieve optimal weight, use dry food or natural products. It is important to prevent obesity, which can cause chronic diseases.

Source: https://KotikDoma.com/uhod-za-koshkami/pravila-pitaniya-koshek/kak-otkormit-kota.html

Mr. Cat recommends: what not to do

If the owner makes mistakes in raising a kitten from the first days of its life in a new home, the pet may develop a negative experience.

The main mistakes owners make when training a baby:

• Dirty tray. If the kitten went to the toilet in the wrong place, first of all you need to figure out whose fault it is. The cat is the cleanest animal on the planet. Some individuals will absolutely not go into a dirty tray. Others prefer to walk in two, in one they urinate, in the second they defecate. If the owner is not at home during the day, then you can place several clean litter trays around the room.
• Inconsistency of actions. When prohibiting something for a pet, the owner must understand that this “taboo” must always apply. If you once allow a kitten to run around the table, tear furniture, wallpaper, or climb curtains, then punishing it for subsequent similar actions will be illogical and incomprehensible to the baby.
• Instilling fear skills. You cannot scream, much less hit your pet. Fear breeds aggression. Mutual understanding in this case will never develop between a person and a cat.

Fermented milk products

Fresh cottage cheese, kefir, and fermented baked milk must be present in your pet’s diet. Milk, contrary to popular belief, is not recommended for cats. The fact is that it is learned only by babies. An adult may experience gastrointestinal upset.

If you try to feed your pet correctly, he will be at his ideal weight. Fermented milk products are generally very beneficial for the health of both humans and animals.

Breeders' advice

The best way to purchase pets is to buy from a nursery. Experienced breeders will always support the new owner with advice on education, help correct behavior, tell you when to contact a veterinarian, and in which cases you can do it yourself.

Worthy breeders always keep an eye on their graduates.

Basic rules that breeders advise to follow:

• First of all, the kitten must understand that its role in the house is secondary. If the baby recognizes the authority of the owner, he will obey him and obey him unquestioningly.
• Never raise your voice to your pet.
• Do not use physical punishment under any circumstances.
• To quickly adapt an animal to a new home for two to three days, sometimes even a week, you should act on the principle of “limiting space.” It is better if it is a separate room, at least a hallway, kitchen or balcony. It is important that there are no secluded corners in the room where the cat can hide. There should be a litter box, bowls of water and food, and a house nearby. A pet can and should be allowed into the house and interacted with, but only under supervision.
• A cat's house is its burrow, not only and not always a place to sleep, but rather a refuge. The pet must understand that this is its private territory. Therefore, you should never forcefully remove it from there. If the kitten hits him with his paw at this moment or scratches him, he is within his rights. And you can’t scold him for aggression; in this case it is justified.
• Never play with a kitten with your bare hands.
• If the owner plans to walk the cat on a leash, it should be used to wearing a harness from an early age, carefully and gradually. At first, it is put on without a leash for five minutes, the wearing time increases each time.
• The new food and filler should be used consistently, adding a new type to the old one.
• You cannot violate the established daily routine. To do this, be sure to play with the kitten, especially in the evening before bed. Physical fatigue will promote sound sleep.
• Closely monitor your cat's health. Sometimes unjustified aggression and inappropriate behavior are a sign of illness.
• Always love and understand your pet. Mutual respect is one of the foundations of excellent parenting.

Dry food for weight gain

Today, many owners switch their pets to ready-made diets, or the animal ends up in a home with already established taste habits. What food is suitable for your pet to gain weight to normal? According to clinical studies:

1. The product must be premium or super-premium and not contain chemical additives.
2. It is desirable that the composition contains vitamins and coarse plant fibers that are beneficial for digestion processes.
3. Many manufacturers produce lines of special diets designed for pets that are gaining weight. It is worth paying attention to similar products labeled Gastro Intensinal.
4. Must consist of high-quality ingredients - meat, grains, offal, and in composition be as close as possible to the animal’s usual complete diet. Ready-made food is valued not only for the composition of its components, but also for their proper combination and ratio.
5. It is important to adhere to the recommended dose; it is usually indicated on the back of the package. For more accurate dosage, it is better to use a measuring cup or spoon. Often the owner thinks that his pet eats too few granules and does not finish eating. However, it is worth considering that the satiety of the diet is sometimes not related to the serving size. Typically, the consumption of a high-quality product is much lower than that of cheap, low-quality diets.

When “fattening” your pet, you should not significantly increase the portion of food. This is more likely to lead to problems with digestive processes than to restoring body weight.

The right ways to adapt

When a kitten leaves the house where he was born and lived next to his mother, he experiences the greatest stress in his still small life. The owner’s task is not to aggravate it, but to help him get out of a depressed state easily and quickly.

To do this you need to follow simple rules:

• Organize the correct feeding, sleeping, and playing schedule for the baby and under no circumstances disturb it.
• In the first months of life in a new home, limit visits to friends and noisy companies. Your pet should be accustomed to new people gradually and only after it has fully adapted.
• Under no circumstances should you change the food or type of filler in the first days. This will add to the baby's stress.
• Take a piece of bedding with the mother's scent from the nursery and put it in the new house. This will make the adaptation process easier.
• A handful of litter from an old litter box will also help your pet quickly learn the new litter box.
• If you plan to have another animal in the house, it is better to either bring both of them at once or wait until the kitten fully adapts (up to six months).
• To train a dog to use a scratching post, you can use valerian, catnip, and special sprays with phermones. In order to wean a child from sharpening his claws in prohibited places, vinegar, citrus fruits or perfumes with strong odors are often used.
• Toilet training must be introduced from the first minutes of life in a new home.
• Listen to the advice of the breeder, contact the nursery first of all with all questions.
• Do not scream or hit your pet. The correct punishment is a remark made in a stern tone. It is acceptable to use a spray bottle of water, a light slap on the nose, or a light blow with a rolled-up newspaper.
• The following action by the owner helps a lot. If your baby breaks the rules, you can pick him up and lightly blow on his nose. This is not painful or dangerous, but it is very unpleasant for cats, just like a light slap on the lobe.

How to organize meals

If the cat has a good appetite, then the task of feeding it will be easier to complete. You just need to provide the products in the right quantities. First of all, you should make a choice of feeding method: natural or dry food. It is important to remember that these two types of nutrition cannot be mixed. If the owner has settled on dry food, then he should understand that it is not cheap. Now let's talk about what to feed your domestic cat to make him fat. Cheap food most often results in health problems for cats. These could be kidney stones or, worse, cancer. Therefore, it is best to feed with premium diets (“Hills”, “Brit”). If you decide to feed natural food, then the basis of the diet should be meat, poultry and fish. Don't get carried away with fatty varieties. Add cereals to your diet, excluding rice and pearl barley. Also don't forget about fermented milk products and vegetables. To prevent your pets from refusing them, mix in the minced meat. Observe what kind of treat they like and satisfy their taste preferences. This is the most effective way. The only thing you shouldn’t do is overfeed and give something that will harm your health.

Before starting the process of fattening a pet, the owner must visit a veterinarian to check if everything is in order with the animal’s health. If the doctor gives a positive opinion, then deworming should be carried out at the first stage. To do this, anti-parasite medications are purchased at the pet store.

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Further, the cat should not be given large portions at once. Appetite is increased by gradually stretching the stomach. To do this, buy vitamin complexes at the pharmacy. After the stomach stretches, the animal will eat more. In addition to the vitamin complex, vitamin C should be given twice a day for 7 days. In order for your pet to eat the dragee without problems, you need to crush it and mix it with water or a piece of minced meat. Water is drawn into a syringe without a needle and injected into the mouth.

Taking lactobacilli also helps you gain weight. They are given half an hour before each feeding. Taking fish oil for one week will also speed up weight gain.

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Correcting incorrect cat behavior

If the new pet in the house is an adult animal and its character requires correction, this is a much more difficult task than raising a kitten.

A cat often behaves badly because he has not been given enough attention. Persistent and strict comments in the form of punishment, encouragement with affection and treats for correct actions will help in solving the problem.

If the pet is not litter box trained, the steps are the same as with a kitten. Isolating the animal in a practically empty room with a tray, food and a house helps a lot.

An animal may be overly aggressive because it was beaten, screamed at, or intimidated. Love and affection, a quiet, calm environment in the house will help overcome the fear of such a pet.

As a last resort, you can contact a veterinary clinic for behavior correction.

If a cat behaves well in front of people and misbehaves alone, he is most likely bored. The way out of the situation is to get a second pet.

Industrial feed

If you have chosen a finished product, you should not choose one that belongs to the economy class. A variety of “Whiskas”, “Friskas” and “Kitekets” have a detrimental effect on the health of your pet. Not only will they not help him gain weight, but they can also significantly worsen the functioning of the digestive system.

You need to choose industrial food correctly if you do not want to harm your pet. Brands that are truly trustworthy are not publicly available in supermarkets. The main feature is that such feeds have a completely balanced composition. If you feed your cat Proplan or Royal Canin, then she does not need to add any additional vitamins to her food. Such feeds are of high quality. In the composition you will not find dyes and various harmful substances that have a negative effect on the body. In addition, expensive foods have special lines that can be used to improve the health of your pet.

Thus, if you are thinking about how to fatten a cat, you should follow simple rules. You need to immediately decide for yourself what type of feeding you will choose and stick to it throughout the animal’s life.