{"id":1204,"date":"2018-01-09T06:12:51","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T06:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/?page_id=1204"},"modified":"2024-01-03T10:59:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T10:59:16","slug":"six-simple-signs-your-cat-is-healthy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/pawesome\/news\/six-simple-signs-your-cat-is-healthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Six simple signs your cat is healthy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cWhen it comes to health, cats aren\u2019t complainers so it\u2019s not always easy to tell if your feline friend is feeling healthy and happy. As a cat owner, it\u2019s important to know the signs of a healthy cat so that you can take action if something\u2019s not quite right,\u201d says Dr Jo Righetti PhD, animal behaviourist and Purina One<\/em> ambassador.<\/p>\n

Back in November, Purina One<\/em>\u00a0partnered with Animal Welfare League Australia to launch Novempurr<\/strong><\/a>, an initiative to raise awareness of cat health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Novempurr<\/strong><\/a> called on cat owners to check-in on their feline friend\u2019s health by\u00a0learning about the six visible signs of cat health<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Body condition<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Your cat might be happy to sleep all day, but it\u2019s important that they exercise too – an active cat is a healthy cat.<\/strong> Try constructing an agility course with tunnels and shelves for your cat to play and exercise in. Cats actually feel safe by being up high!<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Digestion <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      A healthy cat likes to eat! If your cat has lost their appetite this could be an indicator of illness<\/strong>. Cats like to eat little and often and when given the choice, most cats will eat at least four times each day. Superior nutrition with a delicious taste is at the heart of your cat\u2019s health and happiness. You can also take a peek into your cat\u2019s litter box to see if your cat is healthy: small, firm stools are a sign that better nutrition is making a difference inside your cat and less of the food is passing through as waste.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Skin, coat & eyes<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Having a good look at your cat\u2019s skin, coat and eyes can help you to know that your cat is in tip-top shape. We love cats\u2019 soft and shiny coats and their condition can be a good indicator of health in cats. If the fur is dull, or if the skin is looking a little flaky, this could be a sign that your cat is sick. It\u2019s normal for your cat to shed during seasonal changes, but unusual hair loss can be a sign of illness<\/strong>. Grooming your cat regularly will help prevent hairballs and, as an added bonus, will keep the hair on the brush, rather than all over your furniture and clothes.<\/p>\n

        Did you know that your cat loves to stare deeply into your eyes? Blink slowly while looking at your cat to communicate that you are not a threat! A healthy cat has bright, clear eyes, without any gooey discharge. Dilated pupils can be an indicator that they are stressed and half-closed eyes may indicate they are content<\/strong>, but it\u2019s important to look at other body language signals to get the full picture.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Immune system<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Stress can take a big toll on your cat\u2019s overall health<\/strong> and can be caused by a number of factors such as changes in routine, visitors staying over or another animal or baby arriving. A stressed cat can lead to an unhappy immune system, so it\u2019s important to keep your cat as happy and calm as possible. Some symptoms of stress in cats are dilated pupils, sleeping more than normal, hiding, toileting inappropriately and hair loss.<\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Dental health<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Just like us, your cat will benefit from having clean teeth<\/strong> too, but before you reach for the toothbrush and toothpaste, remember it\u2019s best to do this with a soft cloth. Grab a wet facecloth, then gently rub it against your cat\u2019s teeth, being careful of the gums. If you think your cat is going to nip you, try putting a toy in their mouth. Don\u2019t try to brush your cat\u2019s teeth with \u2018human\u2019 toothpaste as fluoride can make your cat very sick.<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Bone & joint health<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Most cats will happily laze around all day in a sunny spot, but movement is important to the bone and joint health of your cats.<\/strong> Get them up and moving with fun toys to chase and play with, or try doing some simple training with them. Teach your cat to \u2018Hi5\u2019 or shake a paw by rewarding paw movement with a cat treat. This will keep your cat active, and healthy in body and mind.<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              While November might have been and gone, you can still sign up to the Purina One 21 Day Program<\/strong> and see a visible difference in your cat\u2019s health in as little as seven days. Find out more at www.purinaone.com.au\/novempurr<\/a><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              \u201cWhen it comes to health, cats aren\u2019t complainers so it\u2019s not always easy to tell if your feline friend is feeling healthy and happy. As a cat owner, it\u2019s important to know the signs of a healthy cat so that you can take action if something\u2019s not quite right,\u201d says Dr Jo Righetti PhD, animal … <\/p>\n

              Continue reading “Six simple signs your cat is healthy”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":149,"parent":1076,"menu_order":416,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sub-sub-details-page.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1204"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1204"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3829,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1204\/revisions\/3829"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zookie.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}