The Healthy Feline

10/02/2024

I got real excited about my stethoscope.

—
Week 5 of Vet Tech School!

08/23/2024

How does your litter box set-up measure up to the latest feline behaviour science research? Take this quick quiz and find out!

https://www.jotform.com/form/242126877816263

Bonus: You will receive The Perfect Litter Box E-book if you choose to input your email. Create the perfect box set-up for your kitty-cats! They deserve it!

05/31/2024

Hello Healthy Felines! Here's your monthly reminder to clean the litter box.

Dump out all the litter, wash with unscented soap (no bleach and nothing ending in -sol) and water, and refill. Hooray!

Think of it as a bathroom reno for your cat.

Just a side note, sometimes cats can be extra sensitive to soap, even unscented. For these kitties, just wash the box with water.

Happy box cleaning!

05/27/2024

New blog post alert! Check it out!

Frequent vomiting in cats is not normal. We look at a few types of vomit that are commonly seen in cats with gastro issues. Any vomit is worth investigating further - don’t normalize vomiting!

05/25/2024

Hello my lovely Healthy Felines! It's been awhile since I've posted... I got a major spring cold in April and just totally fell off the social media train. I hope you've had a great spring so far and that your kitty kats are well.

Today's message is to feed your healthy felines a diet with as many animal-sourced proteins as you can!

Plant ingredients are often a significant source of protein in your cat's diet, which can lead to poor digestibility (large, gross smelling poops) and gut inflammation. Cats just can't digest plant ingredients very well.

The more animal ingredients in the food, the better the protein quality is, and the better your cat will be able to digest the food.

Tell me below if you're looking to improve your cat's food!

04/20/2024

Where is your cat carrier right now?

The first step to any carrier training is having your carrier out in your home, available for your cat to sniff, inspect, and (maybe) sleep in.

So get that carrier out of the closet, make it cozy, prop the door open, and toss in treats every day.

This is how you get your cat to *love* the carrier.

So, where is your cat carrier right now? Tell us below!

04/18/2024

Not sure if you're feeding enough food? Or maybe you are feeding too much?

The best investment that you can make for your cat's health is to purchase a kitchen scale. Start measuring your cat's meals to the gram.

Then assess your cat's weight.

Are they a little chonky? Reduce their food by 10%.

Are they a little skinny? Increase their food by 10%.

Once they hit their ideal weight, adjust their food intake so they maintain it.

Assess your cat's weight and food intake regularly. Every cat is an individual and the amount of food that will maintain their ideal weight will change over time. A kitten will need more food than an adult. A geriatric cat will need more food than an adult or senior cat. Exercise and their neutered status will also affect how much they need to eat.

So start weighing their food today!

Tell me below if you have a scale already!

04/16/2024

You aren't alone if you've been struggling with your cat's nutritional needs. Or with a particular behaviour that's driving you up the wall. Or you're just trying to trim their nails and they aren't cooperating.

Cats are emotionally intelligent beings... and there's a solution for these issues!

You don't have to *just live with it*!

What can we help with?
🐈Weight management plans
🐈Cat-cat conflicts
🐈Nail trimming techniques
🐈Carrier training
🐈Medication training
🐈Diet assessments
🐈Socialization and handling
🐈Pickiness

And lots more! Check out www.thehealthyfeline.com for the complete list.

Let's get started on a solution!

04/12/2024

A big, heartfelt thank you to all of you Healthy Felines! Thank you for being part of this community.

Helping cats and their humans live in harmony together is a dream come true for me. I feel so blessed to be doing this work.

I get to talk about cats all day - what's better than that?

I wouldn't be able to do this work without your support and engagement. So thank you for sharing my posts, commenting your experiences, and engaging my services.

Together, let's continue making a positive difference in the lives of our healthy felines and their humans.

❤❤❤❤🐈❤❤❤❤

04/11/2024

Issy is preparing for her work day. TGIF.

04/09/2024

On this episode of "how to speak cat!" let's tackle whiskers!

You might not have taken a second look at your cat's whiskers before.

You aren't alone! Whisker position is often missed when discussing kitty body language.

You might be surprised to learn that whiskers can tell us a lot about what our cat is thinking and feeling.

Let's break it down:
🐈Droopy = relaxed
🐈Elevated = alert or curious
🐈Flared = aroused (hunting or playing or saying "no thank you")
🐈Pinned back = fearful (or saying "no thank you")

In assessing pain with the Feline Grimace Score:
🐈Relaxed and curve = pain is absent
🐈Slightly curved or straight, strands closer together = moderate pain
🐈Straight and moving away from the face = pain is present

And ... I'm sure you know what I'm going to say... don't forget about context. What's happening around your cat? This environment and body assessment can help piece together what's going on in that feline brain.

Tell us below: what are your cat's whiskers doing right now?

04/07/2024

Happy Sunday all! Here's the cute story behind this quote to brighten your day.

From the International Churchill Society:
[Churchill's secretary] took the basket [of kittens] up to his bedroom, and told [Churchill]: “Now you are not to have these, they are just here for a visit.” An hour later he summoned her back. The kittens were everywhere, tearing into his newspapers, climbing around the room, investigating his bedclothes. “Take these kittens away,” Churchill commanded, “before I fall in love.”

04/05/2024

Sweet talking cats can make the difference between your cat getting into that carrier, accepting nail trims, or even socializing them to humans and kids.

It's pretty powerful!

Use a soothing voice to tell them how pretty they are and how much they mean to you.

I bet you won't run out of things to say any time soon!

Try sweet talking your cat and see what they do! Tell us below!

04/03/2024

Happy April! Here's your monthly checklist for cat guardians:

🐈If you haven't already, it's time to go see the vet for an annual visit. Regular check ups mean we can delay and prevent illness as our cats age. It's much easier (on the cat and the wallet) to prevent illness, then to react.

🐈It's time for nail trims!

🐈 Clean that litter box: dump out all the litter, wash the box with water and unscented soap, rinse and dry and refill. Your cat will thank you!

🐈Clean the water dishes and any other bowls or dishes. If your cat drinks from the faucet, clean that too!

🐈Switch out toys. This is a good time to clean them and throw out any toys that are beyond repair. Bring out toys that you've put away so your cat can "kill" them again.

I hope you have a wonderful April!

04/01/2024

April fools! You know I love both dogs and cats equally ❤🐈🐕

03/31/2024

It's that time! Time to do a full clean of the litter box. It's like a bathroom reno for your cat.... 🛁

What do I mean by a "full clean"?
1. Dump out all the litter.
2. Wash the box with unscented soap and water (or no soap at all). Avoid strong smelling detergents like bleach and any products ending in -sol.
3. Dry and refill with fresh litter.

Your cat will thank you! (Possibly by using the box right away.. :D Then you know a clean was needed!)

03/28/2024

Check out my Instagram highlights to see my foster cats from Annex Cat Rescue! https://www.instagram.com/thehealthyfeline/

You can watch them blossom!

These are cats who are TNR'd (trapped, neutered, returned) but before they're returned to their outdoor colony. There's some indication that these cats *could* live with humans and get adopted. They come to me for behaviour assessment.

You can also see some of my go-to training techniques for socializing cats:

🐈From hissing to purring: Check out Betty.
🐈From fearful to chill: Check out Lion and Garnet. (Also the cutest duo ever.)
🐈From painful to loving: Check out Werther.
🐈And if you just want to see some very handsome tall drinks o' water: Check out Russell and Claude.

I love each and every one of my fosters. I love buying them things. I love when they discover they're safe. I love finding out what food they love! It never gets old.

I hope these fosters bring you joy today! ❤️ 🐈

03/27/2024

There's nothing better than a cat *just being a cat*.

They're fulfilling their cat-quota. They're achieving cat perfection. They're fulfilling their mission statement.

They are Peak Cat.

What behaviours makes a cat a cat?
🐈Eating
🐈Scratching
🐈Stretching
🐈Napping
🐈Grooming
🐈Hunting and playing
🐈Sniffing and scenting
🐈Sunning themselves
🐈Climbing, hiding, and perching

And of course...

🐈Being cute.

If we, as their guardians, can provide our cats with an environment that supports these behaviours, our cats will be a Peak Cat. This will bring them (and us!) great joy.

Did I miss anything in this list? Let me know below!