Advice for New Cat Parents: Health and Exercise

Welcome to the highly anticipated fourth (and last) installment of my hit series on Taking Care of Your Cat. We’ve already covered Food, Litter, and of course Hygge, so last up is the (I guess other) big H: Cat Health.

Why Talk About Health?

Ok in case you’re genuinely asking this question, let me break it down for you. Health is basically how alive you are or are not. Because we love our cats and their warm snuggles, we prefer them to be more alive than not alive. Therefore, we must try to maximize their cat health.

If you recall from my post on cat food, which you of course read, about 60% of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. That’s three out of five cats who are Chomnk or above. (Interestingly, those numbers are about on par with the national human rate.) And while internet humans are in awe of the size of these lads cats, the cats themselves are often in awe of how much their joints hurt and how young they’re going to die. There’s more to the weight equation than just what and how much food, though. Just like humans need exercise, so does your cat, and having the run of the house isn’t enough.

Beyond weight, there are other big issues to be aware of in the health of cats, such as their major diseases and common maladies. Being aware of their triggers and symptoms can go a long way towards making sure that you’re able to avoid and treat them, giving your cat a much better quality of life.

The Chonk Problem

Once again, let’s assume that you want your cat to not only live as long as possible, but also live as well as possible. This means making sure that your cat has the right amount of food and exercise to allow for maximum cattitude. What’s cattitude? I’m defining it as the ability to be a fully realized cat, able to run and jump and sleep and knock things over (you know, cat things) without hinderance: a cat of health. A HEFTYCHONK is going to have serious issues with running and jumping. A MEGACHONKER might start having issues with sleeping, or at least the breathing part of sleeping.

Obese cats are at increased risk of fun things like diabetes (yes, cats have that too), arthritis and other joint conditions, and urinary tract diseases. They’re also less likely to have the energy to want to play, which is sad. What’s the point in living if you only eat and sleep?

That said, getting your Chonk to slim down is a gradual process. Trying to rush it can lead to other problems like malnutrition and hepatic lipidosis. Make sure to consult your veterinarian when starting any new diets.

Exercise

Housecats are more at risk of obesity than their outdoor brethren (although overall life expectancy is still longer for indoor cats). Why is this? Because they simply do not get as much exercise as outdoor cats. They don’t have to chase down their food, they don’t have to fight for prime alley space, they don’t have to patrol extensive territories. We have built a wonderfully cushy life for them in our homes, and they understandably like to take full advantage of that.

Therefore, we need to force them to get off their lazy bums.

Sure, some cats are more naturally active, just as some people do Ironmans (Ironmen? [I just looked that up and Wiktionary tells me that either is acceptable.]) for funzies. Most cats will need some encouragement, though. There are MYRIAD cat toy options (although that section in the pet store is always smaller than the dog toy section not that it bothers me). Track your own cat’s tendencies. Does she like to climb things? Definitely try a cat tree*! Does he like flying targets? Try a classic feather wand! Does he attack and eat crickets? …Actually I don’t have a suggestion for this one, someone please find something and tell me about it.

If you have a Fat Cat, it might be really hard to motivate them to do anything cool at first. They’ll lay there and look at the ribbon that you’re waving ever so enticingly and go, you want me to what? Nah, I’m good. The only real solution is to keep trying. And they’re going to get bored quickly, and you’ll think that you’re an abject failure. That’s not true, and I know that because you’re trying in the first place, and that’s Huge Step No. 1. Just don’t quit.

*If you have a truly fat cat, please make sure that your cat tree is structurally sound and (I can already hear IKEA salivating with excitement at this) properly anchored to a wall if necessary.

Health

Step One of health is to take your cat to a vet. They literally exist to monitor and maintain the health of your cat. They are your first and best resource for all things well-being related.

That said, now listen to me, the random internet person. Most cats adopted from reputable sources will have at least some prior medical care that you can build off of. If you surprise adopted your kitten from the mean streets or from CraigsList, make sure to take them in to a veterinarian for a thorough check-up and vaccinations. Feline leukemia and FIV are common among outdoor cats, as well as the more stereotypical fleas and other topical afflictions. These tend to be easier to prevent than to treat (FIV actually has no cure yet), so get those vaccinations.

If you are making the (dumb) choice to allow your cat to freely roam the outside world, you can get a chip implanted as well. You can obviously also chip an indoor cat, just in case he goes rogue.

Your vet can also recommend tailored care of your cat. This can include anything from weight loss regimens to reducing your cat’s stress levels to potentially mediating inter-pet disputes. To reiterate, your vet is your first line of defense of your cat’s health.

Home Care

At home, your job is to make sure that all the basic systems are working as intended. Long hair cats often need supplemental grooming, and short hairs usually enjoy it too! Fat cats often need help keeping the far-flung regions of their body clean (yes I mean their butts). Nail trimming is I know an oft-fraught endeavor, but it’s also very important for overall paw health that the nails not get too long. Active cats with non-soft surfaces generally naturally keep them short enough, but not always. Scratching surfaces can help, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and deal with it. Your vet might also recommend brushing your cat’s teeth, which is always fun.

You also need to monitor your cat’s health. This includes knowing that she’s keeping a regular bowel movement schedule, watching that his coat stays healthy, and noticing if she has any sudden behavioral changes. These can all be signs of health problems.

Advice Wrap-Up

Having a pet is fun, but it also entails some work. If you’re new to the cat scene, it can seem a little overwhelming. However, I believe that just knowing what to expect gives you some ease of mind. I personally jumped in blind, a rare move for me, and so a lot of what I’ve written has been informed by my own experiences and research. I have a Recovering Fat Cat, so naturally I emphasized that. But I hope that this can give a starting point for newbies and maybe some fun new tidbits for veteran cat parents!

Now go forth and Squish That Cat.

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