{"id":191,"date":"2010-06-04T12:09:01","date_gmt":"2010-06-04T12:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html"},"modified":"2010-06-04T12:09:01","modified_gmt":"2010-06-04T12:09:01","slug":"11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html","title":{"rendered":"11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted Cat"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span>Looking for love and companionship?<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><\/span><\/font>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><br \/>\n<span class=\"mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspirationreport\/cats_012.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mt-image-left\" height=\"168\" alt=\"cats_012.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/89\/import\/assets_c\/2010\/06\/cats_012-thumb-224x168-14476.jpg\" width=\"224\" \/><\/a><\/span>It&#8217;s&nbsp;American Humane&#8217;s Adopt-A-Cat Month in June and American Humane has partnered with the CATalyst Council to promote cat adoptions during the busy kitten season and to encourage a lifetime of proper veterinary care for all cats. Here is some information they asked us to share:<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">Every spring and summer, cats reproduce in record numbers, and millions end up in animal shelters. <span>Local shelters are brimming with cats of every breed, age and personality just waiting for a loving home. Whether you prefer young and frisky or mature and mellow, you&#8217;re sure to find the perfect cat companion during Adopt-A-Cat Month. O<\/span>nce you bring your new cat home, follow these helpful tips to enjoy a lifetime of health and happiness together. <span><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span><font color=\"#000000\">11 Ways to Care for Your Cat<\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>1.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Twice Is Nice<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Visit your veterinarian twice a year. It&#8217;s the best way to keep your cat healthy and diagnose illness early.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>2.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Fine Dining<\/span><\/b><span> &#8211;The right diet depends on your cat&#8217;s age, activity level and overall health. Ask your veterinarian for tips on finding food that is nutritious, digestible and tasty.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>3.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>No Tubby Tabbies<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Overweight cats can have serious health problems. Lower the risk of obesity by feeding the right food, playing with your cat and providing fun activities your cat can enjoy alone.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>4.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Don&#8217;t Bug Me<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; It&#8217;s easy to prevent internal and external parasites with year-round protection. Even indoor cats get heartworms and fleas; and roundworms can harm your family along with your cat.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>5.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Lost &amp; Found<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Indoor cats do get out and get lost. Microchips and breakaway collars with ID tags must be standard operating equipment (remember to register your cat with the microchip provider).<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>6.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>A Little Help From a Friend<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; If your cat is in need of expensive health care, pet insurance will help you pay for treatment that might otherwise be beyond your means.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>7.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Cleanliness Counts<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Use large litter boxes that are about &#8220;tip of the nose to tip of the tail&#8221; in length. Provide one more box than the number of cats in your house, and scoop them at least once daily.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>8.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Play for Prey<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Play is great exercise that satisfies a cat&#8217;s normal desire to chase, pounce and catch. You can even train your cat to do tricks for treats!<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>9.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Scratching the Surface<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; All cats have a natural need to scratch. Satisfy it by teaching your cat to use a scratching post.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>10.<span>&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>Be on the Ball<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Cats are consistent. If your cat suddenly acts out of character, something might be wrong. Contact your veterinarian.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><font color=\"#000000\"><span><span>11.<span>&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/span><b><span>The More, the Merrier<\/span><\/b><span> &#8212; Cats are social animals and may benefit from one or two cat companions.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoListParagraph\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span><font color=\"#000000\">Learn more about cat adoption, care and behavior at <\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.americanhumane.org\/aacm\">www.americanhumane.org\/aacm<\/a><font color=\"#000000\">. For additional resources and more information on the CATalyst Council, visit <\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.catalystcouncil.org\/\">www.catalystcouncil.org<\/a><font color=\"#000000\">. <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Looking for love and companionship? &nbsp; It&#8217;s&nbsp;American Humane&#8217;s Adopt-A-Cat Month in June and American Humane has partnered with the CATalyst Council to promote cat adoptions during the busy kitten season and to encourage a lifetime of proper veterinary care for all cats. Here is some information they asked us to share: &nbsp; Every spring and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kid-stuff"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted Cat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted Cat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Looking for love and companionship? &nbsp; It&#8217;s&nbsp;American Humane&#8217;s Adopt-A-Cat Month in June and American Humane has partnered with the CATalyst Council to promote cat adoptions during the busy kitten season and to encourage a lifetime of proper veterinary care for all cats. Here is some information they asked us to share: &nbsp; Every spring and&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Inspiration Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-06-04T12:09:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspirationreport\/files\/import\/assets_c\/2010\/06\/cats_012-thumb-224x168-14476.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"lbrockway\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted Cat","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted Cat","og_description":"Looking for love and companionship? &nbsp; It&#8217;s&nbsp;American Humane&#8217;s Adopt-A-Cat Month in June and American Humane has partnered with the CATalyst Council to promote cat adoptions during the busy kitten season and to encourage a lifetime of proper veterinary care for all cats. Here is some information they asked us to share: &nbsp; Every spring and&hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html","og_site_name":"Inspiration Report","article_published_time":"2010-06-04T12:09:01+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/inspirationreport\/files\/import\/assets_c\/2010\/06\/cats_012-thumb-224x168-14476.jpg"}],"author":"lbrockway","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inspirationreport\/2010\/06\/11-ways-to-care-for-your-adopted-cat.html","name":"11 Ways to Care for Your Adopted 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