I attended earlier the cat seminar, Kitten 101: Feeding is Believing at the PetExpress Makati Branch. I live near Mall Of Asia but I attended another seminar last February 4 so I attended this seminar in Makati instead. The seminar is all about cats which is the counter part to their Puppy 101 seminar last January 29, 2012.
The speaker Dr. Marco Ripoll DVM is the Technical Manager at Hill's Science Diet.
I have met him before during the Pet Blessing event in Ayala Triangle last October 2, 2011. He was there since their company is one of the sponsors of the event.
The seminar had few attendees compared with the Puppy 101 seminar last month. It means that most Filipinos own dogs more than cats. Dr. Marco Ripoll asked me before the event how many cats I have. I said I have two whom are Puspin (Pusang Pinoy). One of my cats was given to me while the other one, I got him from the streets.
So let me share to you the information that I have gained and learned during the seminar.
Kitten & Cat 101
Life Stage
Kitten - 0 to 12 months
Adult Cat - 1 to 6 years old
Mature Adult Cat - 7 years + (prone to kidney problems)
*Signs of Good Health
- bright and clear eyes
- clean and free of discharges, odorless ears
- smell (fresh mouth)
- gums should be pink
- no tartar or plaque on teeth
- free of sores or growth
- shiny and clean coat
- active cats are rarely overweight
*Vaccinations
- Rabies
- Feline Distemper
- Upper Respiratory Infection
- (FELV) Feline Leukemia
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis
- FIV (this is the same with HIV of humans)
When should a kitten be vaccinated?
The 4-in-1 should be given when the kitten is about 6 to 10 weeks old, every 2 weeks
(total of 3 doses). Anti-rabies shot should be administered when the kitten is 12 weeks old (1 dose only).
When should an adult cat be vaccinated?
The 4-in-1 and Anti-rabies shot should be done yearly.
Parasite Prevention & Deworming
Deworming should be when the kitten is 8 weeks old then follow-up after 2 weeks and every 2-3 months. When the cat reaches 1 year, deworming will be done yearly instead.
Flea & Tick Prevention
Usually administered when the kitten is about 1-2 months of age since it was being transferred by the mother cat after giving birth to her litter. Spot-on treatments are available and should be follow-up monthly.
When to take your pet to the vet?
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Abnormal Urination (Urinary stone)
Overweight cats are also prone to some illnesses like:
- Diabetes
- Kidney problems (lack of protein source)
- Heart problems
- Skin problems
Transition Feeding Guide
| Days 1-2 | 75% cat’s current food; 25% cat's new food | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 3-4 | 50% cat’s current food; 50% cat's new food | ||
| Days 5-6 | 25% cat’s current food; 75% cat's new food |
Day 7 100% cat's new food
Hairball Prevention
- Brush fur coat regularly
- Cat food with hairball control
Avoid cat population! How?
Spaying/neutering (kapon) is available for both male cats (neutering) and female cats (spaying). Not unless you are rich and you can take care of your cat's litter.
You just need to go to a veterinarian for this procedure or you may go to an animal NGO for cheaper rates or sometimes for free (every February during World Spay Day).
Litter - offspring at one birth of animals from the same mother and usually from
one set of parents. The word is most often used for the offspring of
mammals.
Spayed/neutered cats live a healthier lifestyle and roam less to find a mate. Its also for you, you can't sleep at night when your cat is in heat and wanted to go out of the house to mate.
Don't worry, they don't crave for it unlike humans because for them mating is for reproduction only.
Important things to remember
- Never yell or punish your cat, use positive words
- Always praise him/her (even when your cat has been bad)
- Be patient when training your cat
- Cats don't like change (like changing cat litter, moving house, new pet or persons.
Don't worry, they will adjust to the situation after some time)
- A pet is a lifetime commitment
