3 Tips on Maximising Your Cat's Lifespan

As you stare into the eyes of your cute kitten, you know that you want them to be with you for years to come. While you can't guarantee any particular outcomes, there are a few tips that can maximise the chance of it living well into their teenage years, beyond the standard tips of immunising your cats.

Modify their diet

Cats are dedicated carnivores and designed to eat high protein meals. Unfortunately many cats now end up grazing on kibble all day long, which has higher levels of carbohydrates. This encourages the cats to overeat, especially if they are bored, and puts additional strain on their kidneys and liver to filter out additional ingredients which can be extremely serious especially as cats get older.

Old cats are particularly challenged by digesting fats so often paired with raw turkey and chicken, as well as native options like kangaroo meat.

Allowing your cat to eat raw meat and wet cat food can help minimise their chances of issues like cat diabetes, which some advocates dub the 'catkins diet'. Ensuring that your cat has adequate water to go with their meal to keep their kidneys working in tip top condition.

Annual vet visits

While the trip to the vet clinic can be stressful, many health issues can be detected early by a quick annual checkup. This can help you treat problems while they are still relatively minor and make lifestyle changes or get medications to help keep your cat healthy. This can help your cat up to date on their vaccinations as well as identify issues such as infected wounds. By having regular checkups the vet will recognise the 'normal' readings for your cat, and be able to identify issues more easily.

Dental care

Old cats often suffer from plaque and dental decay. While this can limit the diet and cause pain and infections in cats of all ages, older cats are more vulnerable to an issue know as bacteria shedding, where bacteria breaks off from the teeth and enters the bloodstream. This can cause infections in the major organs and lead to organ failure in the most serious situations. Regular dental cleaning can help to avoid this issue and keep your cat healthy into their life.

If you are looking to get your cat neutered, or just ensure their vaccinations up to date, then contact your vet clinic for an appointment today.

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