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Cat gastro-intestinal distress

OK let’s be blunt. Changing your cat’s diet can give them the stinkiest farts. My one cat Sam has this problem. He’s 3 years old and he still has problems when we change his food. When he was a kitten – if you changed his food it would give him diarrhea. Fortunately he grew out of that. But he still kicks out the silent stinkers! Or if he eats something when he’s outside – like a mouse. Oh boy… so if you have a cat or a kitten that has bad farts and you’ve recently changed his food that could be a problem. Give them a day or two to see if it gets better. If it doesn’t try switching to a premium food.

Also the better foods are better for the cat. Go figure. Iams … it’s ok. My favorite is Science Diet. The kitties tend to eat less of it – it’s got more nutrition and fills them up faster. I believe it’s called nutrient dense. There’s good news on that … less in, less out. They use the litter box less. And that is a great thing.

There is a down side. Premium food has a premium price. But if the cats are eating less they they bag of food will last longer. But it still costs more.

Cathood vs Kittenhood

I love cats. I better – I have 8. Ish… An 11 year old, 4 3 year olds, and 3 2 year olds. All of them have grown out of their kittenhood. Here`s the thing about our guy`s – they aren`t bored. A bored cat is a destructive cat.

Cats grow up so fast. Kittens are adorable. They have to be, otherwise we`d kill them. They pack all the fun and the rambunctiousness of childhood into 1 year. Everything is a toy. Everything. And they are as clumsy as an elephant on roller skates. If there is something to knock over … just like a kid … they will knock it over. And then give you a look of … “I didn`t do that. You didn`t see anything. Can`t prove nothing.” The best way to deal with knocking over phase … move your stuff. Or get ready to pick up your stuff on a regular basis. But watch out for glass. It can cut paws or nosy noses that are curious about what they just did.

If you have 1 kitten you will need to make sure the little guy has lots of kitty approved toys. And be ready to play with them. Yes… you as a “parent” need to supply interaction with the “kid.” It really does help keep them from getting bored and destructive. And destructive is bad – very bad. Also if you have an older cat, don`t expect the older cat to pay attention or even like the kitten. Don`t expect them to get along. Detante may be the best you`ll ever get. Don`t forget to give both cats attention. They will get jealous of one another.

If you have a pair (or more) of babies they will entertain themselves to a certain extent – increasing the chase factor and the knock over potential (but it`s so much fun to watch). Toys and interaction are still very much needed for multiple cats. It also creates a bond between you and the kitten.

One more essential “toy” is a scratching post. They are essential for climbing, sharpening, playing, and napping. I have 4. 1 small, 2 medium, and 1 floor to ceiling. I also have several scratching pads – flat things for the cats to pick at to help keep the claws under control.

The good news is that kittenhood only lasts for about a year. Its also the bad news. There is nothing cuter than a kitten. It may seem like the kitten will never grow out of being a maniac… but take my word for it… they will. And a happy kitty is a good kitty.