Introduction to Holistic Cat Care
Holistic care for pets incorporates an in-depth lifestyle change that prioritizes natural diets, avoids over-medication, and integrates natural healing practices. According to a 2019 study, 43.6% of pet lovers pay more importance to buying healthy foods for their pets than themselves. The trend of holistic care for pets by ensuring they eat preservatives-free, healthy food is increasing daily. Amongst these shifts and changes of views, cat owners are also on the outlook for alternative ways of caring for their cats. It implies that cat owners are looking for dietary ingredients that are free from artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. They are even trying to transition from commercial food to natural, raw, and fresh supplements to meet the dietary requirements of their lovely little carnivores.
However, it is a misconception that holistic cat care is strictly restricted to a cat’s diet. In reality, holistic cat care extends beyond diet to its environmental enrichment too. Incorporating a holistic cat care routine promotes stress-free surroundings for your cat’s overall health and growth. It helps prioritize your cat’s mental, and emotional well-being. To put it simply, a holistic approach to cat wellness upholds both mental and physical wellness in cats and ensures they live longer and more fulfilled lives.
What is Holistic or Natural Cat Care?
Holistic or natural cat care is a practice of lifestyle in which organic and fresh foods, natural health remedies, and preventive measures are emphasized to promote the overall well-being of cats. Some key components of holistic or natural care for cats include selecting a natural diet. The diet must consist of raw or lightly cooked meat, vegetables, and other vet-approved homemade cat food recipes. Other aspects refer to incorporating preventive measures as a form of healthcare. Like, regular visits to the vet, proper vaccinations, and parasite control in cats using natural alternatives. Lastly, holistic cat healthcare and wellness also means incorporating herbal supplements, a homeopathic approach, and essential oils for treating common ailments in cats.
One of the reasons why holistic care for cats is a rising trend these days is because it offers numerous benefits. For instance, holistic care contributes to the long-term health and happiness of your cat. It helps in improving the overall health of your cat by incorporating a nutrient-rich diet in their everyday routine. It helps in improving your cat’s gut health and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses. Natural care also reduces the risk of side effects that modern-day synthetic medicine may have on them. Treating your cat’s various ailments with natural remedies also helps boost their immune system organically, making them more resilient to infections. Additionally incorporating holistic care for cats will ensure that he/she is in a stress-free environment enriching their mental and emotional well-being. So, collectively, natural cat care benefits both the physical and mental well-being of your cat resulting in a happier and well-balanced life.
Why is Holistic Cat Care Important?
Processed food diets (both wet and dry) and synthetic medicines may have several side effects on your cat’s health. For instance, commercial food that is high in carbohydrates and contains preservatives can cause issues like obesity, diabetes, chronic dehydration, and many other health problems in cats. These ready-to-feed, packaged food items from the stores will often lack the necessary nutrients that cats need as obligate carnivores. On the other hand, synthetic medicines may have short to long-term side effects on the cat’s health. Frequent use of antibiotics can disrupt the functioning of their gut microbiota, and hamper their immune system too.
According to a recent study, cats require a higher level of protein in their diets to stay healthy. So, when we incorporate a holistic approach in caring for our cats we ensure that they get the necessary dietary supplements in a natural way. Therefore incorporating holistic cat care is important as it helps improve gut health, impacts the microbiome, and enhances the immune system of the cat. Furthermore, you can improve your cat’s health with natural supplements and processes like acupuncture, which can support issues like stress or inflammation.
How to Offer Natural Care to Your Cats?
It is quite easy to offer natural care to your cats. You just have to start with a full-proof meal plan, incorporate preventive practices, use natural remedies, and create a naturally stress-free environment to give your cats the best care. Here are a few steps you can follow to give your cats the best natural care:
Step 1: Offer Natural Balance Cat Food for Nutrition
To maintain optimal health of your feline the first step is to offer a natural balanced diet to them. A natural diet with organic ingredients that is rich in nutrients helps improve their immune system. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind while creating a balanced diet, including all the natural food for cats. To achieve that you must know about the best natural cat food and nutrition requirements of your cat. You can even start with this amazing book we found on Amazon, called “Keeping Your Pets Naturally Healthy: Holistic Care and Nutrition for Dogs and Cats”, where Dr. Judy Morgan offers her eye-opening insights on cat and dog nutrition. So, our advice would be to start with some extensive research on cat nutrition.
Understanding Cat Food Nutrition
There are certain nutrients that cats need daily. These are fats, vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. You must understand the nutrient content of the meat, fish, and vegetables that you include in your cat’s diet. Ensuring only high-quality and fresh ingredients are included in their diet will fulfill their energy needs, and improve their immune system and gut health. You can opt for natural cat food to meet these requirements too, but we will advise you to switch to vet-approved homemade cat food recipes.
Homemade Cat Food Recipe
Depending on processed food for your cat’s dietary needs is something that must be replaced with making homemade cat food. You can start with simple boiled chicken, fish, and vegetables. But other than that you can also offer your cat balanced recipes like chicken and rice, tuna and sweet potato, or salmon and quinoa. Before incorporating these food supplements into your cat’s diet, you can also consult a trusted vet near you.
Step 2: Prioritize Natural Health Remedies for Cats
The next step in the process is prioritizing natural health remedies for your cats. Or, in other words, reducing over-medication. Home remedies that can address common ailments in cats help avoid over-medication and prevent unnecessary side effects on your cat’s health. To integrate these natural remedies you must pay attention to the following aspects:
Common Cat Health Problems & Natural Treatment
The most common cat health problems are fleas, digestive issues, or minor injuries. Conduct a detailed study on the causes and symptoms of these ailments. Find out the most suitable natural treatments. For instance, using Diatomaceous earth on your cat’s skin can help reduce fleas. Aloe Vera can be used for minor bruises and cuts. For digestive issues, ginger with pumpkin can help. However, only relying on natural treatment may not always be enough.
When to Take Your Cat to a Vet
Incorporating natural cat care does not imply eliminating veterinary care. Natural treatments are useful when it comes to minor ailments, but for serious conditions, seeking veterinary care is important. Create a balance between natural treatments and veterinary care to reduce the side effects of synthetic medicine on your cats.
Step 3: Improve Cat’s Natural Environment
Once you have managed to get the diet and the preventive measures under control, now it’s time to improve your cat’s natural environment. Natural cat care is a practice that not only prioritizes a cat’s physical health but also pays importance to a cat’s mental wellness. To ensure that your cat is growing in a stress-free natural environment, make sure you have the following aspects sorted:
Use Eco-Friendly Cat Toys & Accessories
Avoid plastic cat toys or cat toys made out of non-renewable substances. Cats have preying instincts, so more often than not, they tend to bite these toys while playing with them. The harmful chemicals from these toys can get inside your cat’s body, making them feel sick at times. Instead, the best cat toys would be simple homemade cat toys. Try to make interactive cat toys out of natural materials to help stimulate their mental and physical growth. While also ensuring that the toys are safer and environment friendly.
Create a Safe & Playful Environment
Playtime for domestic cats is essential. That’s when their carnivorous instincts come out. However, if their playtime or environment is not supervised, these cats can go through unnecessary anxiety. Therefore, it is extremely essential that you create a safe and playful environment for your cats. Offer them hiding spots, climbing structures, and interactive crochet cat toys, to help them explore and enjoy their surroundings.
How to get started with Natural Care for Your Cats?
Now you must be wondering, Holistic cat care is great! But how to get started with that? If you already have a cat or cats who are used to the commercial diet and veterinary med-care, it could be very challenging to introduce this new lifestyle to them. However, here are a few tips you can follow:
- Gradual Transition in Diet: Start by mixing small portions of homemade cat food with their regular food in the beginning. Keep increasing the natural food ingredients over the weeks to help your cat adjust to the new diet. You may observe that your cats are not feeling keen on eating these new ingredients at first. But don’t panic! It’s only a part of the process.
- Homemade Cat Food or Treats: Get vet-approved homemade cat food recipes to meet all the nutritional needs of your cat. Include high-protein ingredients like chicken, various types of fish, beef, goat meat, milk, sardines, etc. so that your cat finds a new food every day, making him/her eager to enjoy their meal-times.
- Shift to Natural Treats: Replace your commercial cat treats with boiled chicken pieces or fish. It is not just healthier but will also be more appealing to your cats. You can also give them vegetables like beetroots, celery, etc. However, getting our cats used to fruits and vegetables can be challenging in the beginning.
- DIY Cat Toys: Make interactive cat toys for your pet out of materials like wasted fabric, paper waste, jute ropes, etc. It will help reduce chemicals entering the body of your cat, while also enhancing their physical activities and mental wellbeing.
- Use Natural Hygiene Products: Set your cats free from chemical-infused commercial hygiene products. Use natural ingredients like aloe vera, turmeric, lavender, etc. as natural and gentler cat hygiene products.
- Incorporate Holistic Health Practices: Introduce regular grooming with wooden items, dental care, and natural supplements to your cats to give them holistic health care at home.
- Offer Stress-Free Environment: Let your cat have fun in his surroundings with hiding spots, soft cotton bedding, and prey areas. This will help reduce their anxiety and build their confidence, while also ensuring that they are not exposed to a surrounding made out of toxins.
- Consult a Holistic Vet: Work with a vet who believes in Holistic Cat Care to ensure you are meeting all the needs of your cat.
- Patience and Observation: Lastly, be very very patient with your cat and observe what is it that it is responding to and what is it that can be removed from its diet and environment. It is only through this method that you can help improve your cat’s well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adopting holistic cat care is a transformative journey. It nurtures your cat’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Replacing commercial cat food with vet-approved homemade cat recipes can ensure that your cat’s gut as well as immune system is enhanced over some time. Prioritizing natural healthcare remedies for common ailments can reduce the chances of over-medication and side effects of synthetic drugs. Using natural and DIY cat toys instead of plastic toys can ensure they are free from chemicals entering their bodies. However, there should always be a balance between seeking veterinary care and utilizing natural remedies.
Apart from these practices start your natural cat care with regular grooming, dental care, natural supplements, acupuncture, and other holistic approaches. But however, you may want to go about it, remember that holistic cat care is a long-term process that will require a lot of patience and observation.