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10 Important Ways To Extend the Life of Your Cat

Zara

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Good info for cat owners :)
 

Leih

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With #1, my vet recently advised me that an all wet food diet is best. It's annoying, but my cat Percy was recently hospitalized with a bladder blockage and the first thing they said was all wet food. He's on rx and the other two are eating regular, but all wet. This way I know they're getting water.
 

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My kitty that has since passed on was on a RX diet for many years and she love it. It was dry food and at times wet food for bladder stones. Had no further episodes. An all wet food diet can compromise dental health I was told by my vet.
 

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Yes, wet food is a must. I do mix dry with wet mixed together and add alittle water.

Starting kittens out on wet food is a must. Also proper life stage food as they age if you feed dry find a low phosphorus food.
 

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It was a struggle to get my first cat, Jasmine, onto a wet diet because she was so sick as a kitten that she would only eat wet food. I think she associated wet food with feeling ill so I didn't push it. When she was about 7 or 8 I really got more into giving wet food to her and our second cat, Lydia. Jasmine died at age 17 due to cancer but was a healthy happy girl the whole time :)

I do leave out dry food overnight for Lydia (about 1/8 cup) just so she doesn't wake me up at 6am asking for food :lol: Otherwise she is on all wet! I do think that is one of the best things you can do for your cat as dry food is so carb heavy and most cats thrive on high protein, moderate fat, and low carb diets.
 

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It was a struggle to get my first cat, Jasmine, onto a wet diet because she was so sick as a kitten that she would only eat wet food. I think she associated wet food with feeling ill so I didn't push it. When she was about 7 or 8 I really got more into giving wet food to her and our second cat, Lydia. Jasmine died at age 17 due to cancer but was a healthy happy girl the whole time :)

I do leave out dry food overnight for Lydia (about 1/8 cup) just so she doesn't wake me up at 6am asking for food :lol: Otherwise she is on all wet! I do think that is one of the best things you can do for your cat as dry food is so carb heavy and most cats thrive on high protein, moderate fat, and low carb diets.
I have one who is relentless in the morning, she starts on me really early, too! She's 4 and has been the most difficult to transition, but she's doing pretty well. I had to put the bag of dry food in a cupboard because they were clawing at it, like I starve them! I bet your kitty did associate it with being sick, some things they seem to never forget.
 

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My kitty that has since passed on was on a RX diet for many years and she love it. It was dry food and at times wet food for bladder stones. Had no further episodes. An all wet food diet can compromise dental health I was told by my vet.
I always thought the same about the teeth, but my vet recently said they are changing their minds about that now. As with anything medical though, they change their opinions every few years, so who knows.
 

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My kitty that has since passed on was on a RX diet for many years and she love it. It was dry food and at times wet food for bladder stones. Had no further episodes. An all wet food diet can compromise dental health I was told by my vet.

My kitty vet said that dry food cleans their teeth about as well as chewing on potato chips does for us! So they are definitely changing their minds on some things!
 

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Sad that i actually cleaned my kitties teeth most every night including gums. In the last few days of her 16 years most of her teeth just fell out. To this day i do not understand this.
 

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I switched all my cats to a mix of raw/canned about 4 years ago. I was worried about the cost, but in the end it ended being about the same cost as a high quality dry cat food. My pre-diabetic cat is now 100% healthy and in perfect health at 14. All cats are now at a very healthy weight. It's a myth that dry food helps teeth, but my vet did recommend adding the PlaqueOff supplement. That alone has saved me hundred of dollars since it took the plaque right off of my dogs teeth and after 4 yrs all cats have amazing teeth.
 

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I switched all my cats to a mix of raw/canned about 4 years ago. I was worried about the cost, but in the end it ended being about the same cost as a high quality dry cat food. My pre-diabetic cat is now 100% healthy and in perfect health at 14. All cats are now at a very healthy weight. It's a myth that dry food helps teeth, but my vet did recommend adding the PlaqueOff supplement. That alone has saved me hundred of dollars since it took the plaque right off of my dogs teeth and after 4 yrs all cats have amazing teeth.

Do you know if that can be used in a water fountain? I have a drinkwell because Lydia is a water snob and would rather drink out of the toilet than a bowl :lol:
 

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I have always wondered about what pre diabetic medical means. One is either a diabetic or not. What exactly in medical terms either human or vet language mean? @enigma731 do you know?

I have a friend who says his doc tells him he is pre diabetic but he is on medication to lower blood sugar?
 

enigma731

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Yes, prediabetic is a term that applies in type 2 diabetes only. In type 2, the body still produces its own insulin but doesn't absorb it efficiently. In prediabetes, this hasn't yet reached the point of being clinically significant/damaging to the body, but the efficiency is changing such that the person is at risk of developing diabetes. Does that make sense? It's a continuum rather than dichotomous categories.
 

Leih

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I switched all my cats to a mix of raw/canned about 4 years ago. I was worried about the cost, but in the end it ended being about the same cost as a high quality dry cat food. My pre-diabetic cat is now 100% healthy and in perfect health at 14. All cats are now at a very healthy weight. It's a myth that dry food helps teeth, but my vet did recommend adding the PlaqueOff supplement. That alone has saved me hundred of dollars since it took the plaque right off of my dogs teeth and after 4 yrs all cats have amazing teeth.
That's great! I'm concerned about the cost as well, but I try to remind myself that it is less than vet bills down the road. My cat Percy who we did this because of, also has gingivitis and the vet has told me to brush his teeth, but it's impossible with him. I'm definitely going to ask her (my vet) about Plaque Off.
 
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