Enter a keyword below to search for articles and products.
Nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals are important players in the skin and coat health of dogs and cats. To understand their role, it is necessary to first understand skin and hair.
The purpose of skin and hair is to block things (such as water or heat) from leaving, or things (such as viruses and bacteria) from entering the body.
The hair coat is composed almost entirely of protein. If an animal's diet doesn't contain adequate protein quantity and quality, hair may fall out, or become dry, weak, and brittle.
Skin is made up of squamous cells, which are flat cells tightly packed together. These cells have tough membranes that are composed of proteins and fats. Without proper amounts of these nutrients, cell membranes weaken, allowing water to escape and bacteria and viruses to enter more easily.
Proteins are found in both animal-based and plant-based ingredients. Animal-based proteins contain all the essential amino acids cats need, whereas plant-based proteins may contain only some essential amino acids. Cats need animal-based proteins to achieve optimal health.
Fats also can be found in both animal-based and plant-based ingredients, and they are incorporated into skin cells as fatty acids. There are two essential fatty acids for skin and coat health. Linoleic acid maintains skin and coat condition in dogs and cats. Without enough linoleic acid cats may experience dull, dry coat, hair loss, greasy skin and increased susceptibility to skin inflammation. Cats also require arachidonic acid for normal skin and coat health.
Both of these essential fatty acids are omega-6 fatty acids and are found in animal tissues such as chicken fat. Linoleic acid is also found in some vegetable oils, such as corn and soybean oils. Most commercial cat diets contain more than adequate amounts of omega-6 fatty acids.
Because these fatty acids can be converted to compounds that increase susceptibility to skin inflammation, it is important to balance the amount of omega-6 fatty acids in the diet with omega-3 fatty acids, which do not reduce susceptibility to inflammation.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oils from fish and some plants (canola and flax).
IAMS™ research has found that combining fat sources in the diet at a ratio of five to 10 omega-6 fatty acids to one omega-3 fatty acid results in excellent skin and coat health.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the development of healthy skin and hair coat. The best way to provide these nutrients is through a complete and balanced diet containing appropriate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals rather than through supplements.
| Vitamin or Mineral | Important for Skin and Coat Health |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Necessary for growth and repair of skin |
| Vitamin E | Protects skin cells from oxidant damage |
| Biotin | Aids in the utilization of protein |
| Riboflavin (B2) | Necessary for fat and protein metabolism |
| Zinc | Necessary for fat and protein metabolism |
| Copper | Involved in tissue, pigment, and protein synthesis |
Diet is often believed to be a factor when changes in skin and coat condition are noticed. The most common causes of these changes, however, are season and life stage.
As cold weather approaches, most dogs and cats grow a thick coat to help keep heat in and cold air out. As the weather begins to warm up, they shed the thick, heavy coat.
Most kittens are born with soft, fuzzy hair, but as they age, a coarser coat grows. Pregnant or lactating cats also may experience a change in coat condition or hair loss.
Kittens are super adorable, and it is wonderful to have one as a pet. While it’s fun to have a kitten at home, it’s important to understand your kitten’s various needs during the different stages of its life and take care of it in the right way. ‘How to take care of kittens’ is a question that most first-time kitten owners ask. But taking care of newborn kittens can be quite a hassle-free process if you follow a routine and understand a few do’s and don’ts about kitten care. We, at IAMS, are here to help you with this process in every way we can.
Kitten care is extremely important to make sure your kitten grows up to be a healthy cat. While in the kitten stage, it is still trying to get used to the new surroundings. Therefore, we recommend that you be by its side and help the little kitten acclimatize to its new house.
A kitten becomes a part of your family right from day one. But raising a kitten might sound like a strenuous job if you’re a new pet parent, but it isn’t. The whole process can be quite fun and will help you bond with your kitten.
Some of the most important aspects of looking after a kitten are:
Hygiene: Maintaining good hygiene is always important. You must clean your kitten’s den regularly.
Feeding nutrition-rich food: Your kitten needs a nutritious, balanced diet for healthy growth and development. It is advisable that you buy IAMS Healthy Kitten food. IAMS is Developed with Veterinarians and Chicken is the 1st ingredient of this recipe. This premium kitten food promotes brain development and helps build a healthy immune system.
Regular health check-ups: Take your kitten to the vet regularly to understand its progress in terms of behaviour and health.
Grooming: It is advisable to start grooming your cat at an early age, especially if it has a furry coat or long hair.
As a first-time kitten owner, you might not be well aware of the growth stages your little feline friend will go through, but it’s very important to understand them. So, here’s a table that can help you with the same:
Growth stage | 0-2 weeks (Neonatal) | 2-7 weeks (Socialisation) | 7-14 weeks (Most Active Period) | 3-6 months (Ranking Period) | 6-18 months (Adolescence) |
Character traits | Learns to incline towards sounds | Learns to socialize | This is the most active play period of your kitten | In this stage, the kitten gets most influenced by other kittens in their litter or even other animals. | Asserts maximum dominance in this stage. |
Eyes start to open by this time | Senses of smell and hearing are fully developed by the 4th week | Starts expressing affection through hugging and licking | Starts understanding and asserting ranks on people it lives with. | Exhibits sexual behaviour if not spayed. | |
If the kitten is separated from its mother or siblings, it may tend to get aggressive towards people and other cats. | Sight is fully developed by the 5th week, and they can run and pounce without colliding with obstacles | Can paw, mouth, and hold objects as well | |||
Starts grooming itself | Also starts chasing its tail and starts pouncing and leaping around | ||||
Starts developing sleep patterns, motor abilities and interactions |
The major difference that occurs in taking care of kittens when they grow up is switching their food. Cats need more nutrition and vital elements that keep its body strong and healthy. It is advisable to switch to premium cat food while transitioning your kitten to adult cat food.
If your cat is neglected and does not receive proper care, attention, and nutrition, it may become depressed and weak. Your cat may also contract diseases if it is not kept clean.
While in the kitten stage, it is advisable to schedule frequent visits to the vet to check on the overall health of your kitten. It is advisable to keep a tab on their allergies while it is in the kitten stage.
Here are a few tips for first-time cat owners:
