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Antioxidants are good for your cat because they play a key role in minimizing damage to cells, including cells of the immune system.
These important, naturally occurring nutrients help maintain health by slowing the destructive oxidative process of cellular molecules. They also can be important in supporting immune responses and vaccine recognition in cats. This may be especially critical for kittens that are being vaccinated while their immune system is still developing.
Additionally, antioxidants can reverse decreases in immune-cell function for senior cats, increasing them back to healthy adult levels.
Antioxidants are nutrients found naturally in the body and in plants such as fruits and vegetables. Common antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E and certain compounds called carotenoids (including lutein and beta-carotene). A blend of several antioxidants in moderate amounts may be more effective than high levels of one antioxidant.
As cells function normally in the body, they produce damaged molecules called free radicals. These free radicals are highly unstable and steal components from other cellular molecules, such as fat, protein or DNA, thereby spreading the damage.
This damage continues in a chain reaction, and entire cells soon become damaged and die in a process called peroxidation. Peroxidation is useful because it helps the body destroy cells that have outlived their usefulness and kills germs and parasites. However, when left unchecked, peroxidation also destroys or damages healthy cells.
Antioxidants help prevent widespread cellular destruction by willingly donating components to stabilize free radicals. More importantly, antioxidants return to the surface of the cell to stabilize rather than damage other cellular components.
When there are not enough antioxidants to hold peroxidation in check, free radicals begin damaging healthy cells, which can lead to problems. For example, free radical damage to immune cells can lead to an increased risk of infection.
Because antioxidants play a key role in minimizing damage to cells, such as those that make up the immune system, recent research examined the benefits of certain antioxidants on the immune response of cats. The results of these studies indicated that antioxidants are important in helping cats maintain a healthy immune system.
The research also showed that each antioxidant benefits the immune system uniquely, so one antioxidant at high levels is not as effective as a group of antioxidants acting together.
| Antioxidant | Source | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E | Plant oil extract, tocopherols | Optimizes immune system’s T-cell activation |
| Beta-carotene | Vitamin premix, corn meal, chicken by-product meal and chicken fat | Optimizes types of cells present in the blood, increases antibody levels in the blood and optimizes vaccine recognition |
Recent research also examined the effect of aging on immune responses. The findings indicate that as cats age, immune cell responses may decline. Including antioxidants in your cat’s diet can help reverse the age-related decrease in immune cell function, returning it to healthy adult levels.
Cats are known to be solitary creatures and enjoy spending time with themselves. However, as a pet parent, you must ensure that your cat remains healthy. It is advisable to keep an eye on your cat’s behaviour to detect a sudden change, even what it eats, and in how much quantity. A regular health checkup is one of the most basic yet essential steps to a cat care guide. Taking care of cats is comparatively easier than taking care of kittens. A diligently followed routine for cat care can also be quite helpful.
Medical care: Adult cats should be taken to the vet for a complete checkup at least once a year. This will ensure that your cat is in good health and will also catch any disease symptom overlooked by you.
Hygiene: Cats usually lick and clean themselves, but it is always advisable to bathe your cat every 4-6 weeks. Their crates should also be cleaned regularly to make sure they do not fall sick.
Feeding: Till the time your kitten is four months old, it can be fed three times a day. Post four months, you can begin the transition to feeding it twice a day. It is still advisable to consult a vet before deciding the frequency of the meals.
Dental care: Your cat’s dental care is just as important as yours. It is advisable to set a dental care routine right from its kitten phase. You can dip your gloved finger in a little toothpaste made for cats in its mouth to clean their teeth and gums. If your cat’s mouth smells bad, it may be an indication of a disease. So, book an appointment with your vet without any delay.
Socialising: You can get your cat to socialise too, but you have to keep a few things in mind. You may get down to its level to initiate contact and speak in a calm voice. You may also pat its head to let it get familiarised with your touch.
Now that you have brought your cat home, the next step is to comfortably settle it in your house. Housetraining might sound like a tedious task but it isn’t. With a little practise and lots of patience, you can easily housetrain your cat. Some of the most basic things to keep in mind while housetraining your cat include providing a proper litter box, spaying your cat, toilet training and cat proofing the house. Given below are some tips that may help you easily housetrain your cat:
Litter box: It is advisable to place the litter box in an easily accessible location. You should avoid moving the litter box unless necessary. And even if you have to move it, shift it a few inches every day. Also, keep in mind that your cat will not use a dirty or smelly litter box. Hence, scoop out the solid waste at least once a day and clean it using mild detergents.
Cat-proofing: It is important that you keep harmful things out of reach from your cat. First and foremost, tie up all loose cables and wires so that your cat won’t get tangled in them. Make sure candles and other flaming substances are kept at an unobtainable distance from the cat. If you use essential oils frequently, make sure your cats do not come in contact with them either, because certain ingredients in these oils may be toxic for your feline friend.
Spaying: Spaying your cat has several health benefits and ensures your cat lives a healthy life. You may fix an appointment to spay your kitten when it is as young as eight weeks old. If you have a cat, it is advisable to get it spayed before it reaches five months of age.
Toilet training: This is one of the major concerns of all cat parents. Here’s how you can toilet-train your cat with a few simple steps –
1) Place the cat’s litter box closer to the washroom.
2) Raise the height of the litter box a little every day.
3) Slowly, transition your cat to use the actual washroom every time it wants to go.
4) Give your cat a treat each time it uses the washroom. This will encourage good behaviour.
Taking care of your cat’s health comes first in the cat care guide. Even though cats lick and self-groom themselves, they cannot get better on their own if they contract the following diseases:
Vomiting: This is one of the most common health issues in cats and is caused by various factors. Hairballs, eating something inedible, or a urinary tract infection are some of the reasons why your cat may be vomiting.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD): Both male and female cats can contract FLUTD and its main cause is obesity or only eating dry food. Some of the symptoms of FLUTD are bloody urine, crying while urinating, straining to pee, licking around the urinary area due to pain, dehydration and vomiting.
Diarrhoea: Cancer, infection, allergy and bad food can be the causes of diarrhoea. It is advisable to give your cat a lot of fresh water to drink if it has diarrhoea.
Tapeworms: Tapeworms can cause extreme discomfort to your cat as they reside in its intestines. You can spot tapeworms with your naked eye in your cat’s stools. The symptoms of worms are vomiting and weight loss.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): This virus can make the immune cells attack the white blood cells in the cat’s body. This gradually weakens the cat’s immune system. FIV’s symptoms are poor coat condition, persistent diarrhoea, seizures, eye problems, lack of appetite, and recurring fever.
If you notice unaccountable minor changes in your cat, then it is advisable to rush to the vet to rule out any of the above-mentioned diseases and seek proper treatment on time.
‘How to take care of a cat’ is a question asked by many first-time cat owners, as cats can be difficult to figure out. But with a few careful steps, you can easily take care of your cat. Here are some cat care tips for first-time cat owners:
Cats are not easily adaptive to change. So, when you bring your cat home for the first time, you need to help it familiarise with the new surroundings by setting up its own space in the house. You can also add a cheery vibe to its crate by adding toys and a blanket.
Find a vet you can visit for your cat’s timely checkups. It is not advisable to ignore even the smallest recognised change in its health, and it is better to get it checked by the vet.
Cats love quality playtime as well. We recommend you get adorable toys for your feline friend to play with. You, too, can bond with your cat during this time.
Give it time to adapt to its new surroundings and the new people around them.
Ensure you buy healthy cat food for your new friend in advance and set a timetable for its meals.
