Keeping your feline friend happy and healthy starts with a few simple tips—some of which can be incorporated into your cat’s routine right now.
To help your cat live their best furry life, we’re offering some helpful advice to pet parents. ″It’s crucial to get off on the right foot with cat care, ″ he says. ″Good daily habits are where it starts.” These tips can help you give your pet the love and care they deserve.
從一些簡單的日常護理開始，讓您的貓咪快樂健康地生活。
為了幫助您的愛貓過上最美好的生活，我們向寵物家長提供一些有用的建議。 “在照顧貓咪的過程中，正確的起步知識至關重要。良好的日常習慣是一切的開始。這些建議可以幫助您給予寵物應有的關懷。
1. Brush Your Cat Every Day
Brushing or combing your cat daily will cut down on the hairballs that can develop in the digestive tract. Because cats spend so much time grooming themselves, some owners may not realize that brushing is something that can help their pet by removing loose hair. Werber says that the key to getting a cat to cooperate with brushing is connecting brushing with happy events. ″Maybe you always brush before a meal,″ he says. ″Then your cat will associate it with something delicious.”
1. 每日為貓咪梳毛
每日為貓咪梳理毛髮可以減少毛球在消化道中的形成。由於貓咪花很多時間梳理自己，有些主人可能沒有意識到刷毛可以幫助寵物去除鬆散的毛髮。讓貓咪配合刷毛的關鍵是將刷毛與快樂的事物連結起來。例如，你總是在飯前刷毛。這樣你的貓咪就會把刷牙和美味的東西連結起來。
2. Don’t Feed Your Cat Too Much Dry Food
Unlike dogs, cats cannot be vegetarians, even for short periods of time. They rely on meat as the foundation of their diets, and the main meal of the day should always be meat, says Werber. He cautions that exclusively feeding cats dry food diets may mean they consume too many carbs, which can be bad for cats in large amounts. “We see cats developing Type 2 diabetes and growing obese from too much dry food,” Werber explains. If you own both dogs and cats, it can be tempting to treat them the same, but dog food is not good for cats, nor can a cat’s system tolerate carbohydrates the way a dog’s system will.
2. 不要餵貓咪太多乾糧
與狗不同，貓不能吃素，即使是短期也不行。它們的飲食以肉類為基礎，每天的主食應是肉類。只給貓咪餵食乾糧可能意味著它們攝取過多的碳水化合物，而大量攝取碳水化合物會對貓咪不利。我們看到貓咪因為吃太多乾糧而患上第二型糖尿病並日漸肥胖。如果您家中同時養貓狗，您可能會很想對它們一視同仁，但狗糧對貓不好，貓的身體也不能像狗的身體那樣耐受碳水化合物。
3. Pay Attention to Your Pet’s Thirst
Today’s domestic cats evolved from desert-dwelling ancestors, meaning felines don’t have the same thirst-drive as dogs. They need to get most of their water from food. Something that a cat might normally eat in the wild—like a mouse—is about 70% water, while canned food is 78% water. Dry food is only 5% to 10% water on average. Give your cat access to fresh water at all time, and you may notice cats drinking more when they are eating more dry food. Elderly and nursing cats can be more prone to dehydration than others, so watch them carefully for such symptoms as sunken eyes, lethargy, and panting.
3. 注意寵物的飲水習慣
現今的家貓是從沙漠中生活的祖先進化而來的，這意味著貓科動物不像狗那樣有口渴的感覺。它們需要從食物中獲取大部分水分。貓在野外通常吃的食物（如老鼠）中大約有 70% 是水，而罐頭食品中則有 78% 是水。乾糧中平均只有 5% 到 10% 的水分。在家中，您的愛貓隨時都需要能夠喝到新鮮的水，您可能會發現貓咪在吃乾糧時會喝更多的水。老年和哺乳期的貓咪比其他貓咪更容易脫水，因此要仔細觀察它們是否有眼球下陷、昏昏欲睡和氣喘等症狀。
4. Provide a Sufficient Number of Litter Boxes
As far as potty places go, Werber says a good rule of thumb is to have one litter box per kitty, plus an additional one. So if you have three cats, you should set up four boxes. You’ll want to think carefully about where those boxes go. While humans love to tuck the boxes in out-of-the-way places, like in a basement or a dark corner, cats may not be willing to use them there. Werber says to think about how it is in nature. ″The animal is in a vulnerable position when performing those functions,″ he says. ″They want to be able to see around them.” For the same reason, your pet may not be willing to use a box with a cover.
4. 提供足夠數量的貓砂盆
就貓砂盆而言，理想的數量是為 n+1，即是每隻貓咪準備一個貓砂盆，外加一個額外的貓砂盆。所以，如果您有三隻貓，就應該設置四個貓砂盆。貓砂盆的位置亦十分重要。雖然主人通常喜歡將貓砂盒放在地下室或陰暗角落等不顯眼的地方，但貓咪可能不願意在那裡使用。我們要想想大自然是怎樣的。動物在大小便時是處於弱勢的情況。它們會希望能夠看到周圍的情況以便做出相應的反應。出於同樣的原因，您的寵物可能不願意使用帶蓋的盒子。
5. Don’t Assume You Know Why a Cat Is Peeing Outside the Box
Nothing frustrates a cat owner more than when Kitty eschews the box and pees elsewhere in the house, invariably on a favorite throw rug or new armchair. What would prompt a cat to do this? ″There can be a lot of reasons,″ says Werber, ″and you want to rule out illness first.” Take your cat to the vet to check for a urinary tract infection or other sickness that could be to blame for this new behavior. Once illness is ruled out, make sure that litter boxes are to your pet’s liking. Experiment with different types of litter to find out if there is one brand your pet prefers. Be scrupulous about keeping the box clean: scoop every day. Try changing the location of the litter box to somewhere quieter (away from noisy appliances) or easier for your cat to access.
5. 不要以為您知道貓咪為什麼在貓砂盆外撒尿
貓咪主人最頭痛的事情莫過於貓咪不在貓砂盆裡撒尿，而是在家中其他地方撒尿，而且總是在最喜歡的地毯或新扶手椅上。是什麼促使貓咪這樣做呢？原因可以有很多，首先要排除疾病的可能性。帶貓咪去看獸醫，檢查是否有泌尿道感染或其他疾病，這些都可能是貓咪出現這種新行為的原因。一旦排除了疾病的可能，就要確保貓砂盆符合寵物的喜好。嘗試使用不同類型的貓砂，看看是否有您的寵物喜歡的品牌或物料。保持貓砂盆的清潔：每天清一次。試著將貓砂盆的位置換到更安靜的地方（遠離吵雜的電器）或更方便貓咪使用的地方。
6. Train Your Cat to Use a Scratching Post
Don’t want your new sofa covered with ripped threads? Teach your cat to use a scratching post so they won’t end up clawing valuable furniture. The mistake many owners make, says Werber, is not knowing that they have to give the scratching post appeal. ″Put it in the center of the room to start,” he explains. (Too many people place it in a corner far from the social action in the household, making it easy for a cat to ignore.) Sprinkle the post with catnip when you first bring it home, the vet advises. You can move it gradually to a less trafficked spot and skip the catnip after you have gotten your pet into the habit of using it.
6. 訓練貓咪使用抓柱
不想讓您的新沙發上佈滿撕裂的線頭？教導您的貓使用抓柱，這樣它們就不會用爪子抓寶貴的家具了。許多主人犯的錯誤是不知道必須讓貓咪抓柱有吸引力，貓咪才會抓柱。首先要把它放在房間的中央。很多人把貓抓柱放在角落裡，遠離家裡的社交活動，這樣貓很容易忽略它。獸醫建議，剛把貓咪帶回家時，在柱子上撒上貓薄荷。您可以逐漸將它移到人跡罕至的地方，等您的寵物養成使用它的習慣後，就不用再撒貓薄荷了。
7. Spay or Neuter Your Cat
There is nothing more beneficial to your cat long-term than having them spayed or neutered, Werber says. ″Female cats are very uncomfortable when they go into heat,” he adds. Spaying and neutering can help keep your cat safe, too. Because un-altered male cats will fight, they put themselves at risk to transmit diseases through their bites and scratches. The situation is not much better for female cats, either. Female cats can become pregnant as early as four months old, and mating and birthing multiple litters of kittens can be very stressful for them—not to mention the stress owners deal with when they go into heat. And because there are hundreds of thousands of unwanted cats in shelters waiting for their forever homes, it’s better to not add to the population.
7. 為貓咪做絕育手術
沒有什麼比為貓咪做絕育手術更有利於貓咪的長期健康成長了。母貓發情時會很不舒服。絕育也有助於確保貓咪的安全，因為未經絕育的公貓會打架，它們會透過咬傷和抓傷來傳播疾病。母貓的狀況也不會好到哪裡去。母貓早在四個月大時就會懷孕，交配和產下多窩小貓對它們來說是非常大的壓力–更不用說它們發情時主人要承受的壓力了。而且，收容所裡有成千上萬隻被遺棄的貓在等待它們的家園，因此最好不要增加貓的數量。
8. Travel Safely With Your Pet
Even if your cat seems to prefer it, do not let him or her travel unrestrained in a car. It’s distracting to the driver and in the case of an accident, a cat can become a dangerous projectile. Werber also warns to ″never, ever leave your cat alone in a parked car.” Even in cooler temperatures, and even with the windows cracked, a car quickly becomes uncomfortable for a fur-wearing pet. It takes mere minutes for a cat to perish in a warm car. Leave your cat at home if you do not plan to bring him or her inside with you.
8. 帶寵物安全出行
即使您的貓咪看起來很喜歡這樣，也不要讓它無拘無束地搭車。這會分散駕駛者的注意力，一旦發生事故，貓咪就會成為危險的拋射物。永遠不要讓您的貓單獨留在停著的車裡。即使氣溫較低，即使車窗開著縫，汽車也會很快讓寵物感到不舒服。只需幾分鐘，貓咪就會在溫暖的車內喪命。如果您不打算將貓咪帶入室內，請將它留在家中。
9. Choose a Cat-Friendly Vet
Some veterinary practices are dominated by a canine clientele, and that can be scary for a cat who has to spend a good chunk of time in the waiting room with dogs all around. ″Look for a vet who has separate waiting areas for cats and dogs,” says Werber. While that’s the ideal, not all practices have the space for that kind of accommodation. If your favorite vet doesn’t have two waiting rooms, at least ask to be called into the exam room quickly, Werber advises.
9. 選擇對貓咪友善的獸醫診所
有些獸醫診所以犬類客戶為主，這可能會讓貓咪在診所感到害怕，因為它們必須在候診室和周圍的狗待上很長時間。找一家為貓狗提供獨立等候區的獸醫診所。雖然這是最理想的情況，但並不是所有的診所都有這樣的空間。如果您喜歡的寵物醫院沒有兩間候診室，至少可以要求快速被叫進檢查室。
10. Let Them Show Off!
When a cat loves you, he or she wants to demonstrate it, sometimes by presenting you with the results of a successful hunt. Werber suggests accepting the gifts with grace (even when sort of gross—hello, partially chewed mouse!). Your pet will also show you love by head bumping, purring, or kneading you with his or her paws. Sit back and enjoy.
10. 讓它們炫耀！
當貓咪愛您的時候，它就會想表現出來，有時會把成功捕獵的成果送給您。主任應該欣然地接受這些禮物（即使這些禮物有點噁心–哦，被咬了一部分的老鼠！）。您的寵物也會透過撞頭、打呼或用爪子揉捏您來表達愛意。盡情享受它們的愛吧。
