Cat Care

Identify Any Health Issues

In order to know how to best accommodate your cat during play you must know what health issues he or she is dealing with first, which is why it’s important to have regular visits with your vet. For example, felines dealing with heart failure cannot withstand a lot of play or exercise  For cats with arthritis, it may be painful to play but on the upside your vet can instruct you on how to play with your Whiskers that won’t interfere with his health. You just have to bring these issues up to your vet.

 Toys

Its very important to find a toy that your cat enjoys, don’t assume that your cat will like whatever toy you bring home. Figure out if your cat prefers stationary toys or one that can be pawed around the room. Another good toy is a brain teaser where you kitty must strategize to get a treat.  Like with kids, pets will get bored playing with the same toy after awhile. So make sure to change things up every few weeks.

Safety First

Keep playtime fun! If your cat is playing with a toy that has a string or wire attached, monitor her or him to avoid any injuries or choking on it. Make sure their isn’t any small pieces that your cat can easily bite off or any plastic.

Finding The Time To Play

If working and other obligations don’t really leave enough time in the day to play with your cat, Hiring a professional is always an option. Pros like us, NOLAs Finest Pet Care offers many services that include Feline playtime. Contact us for more information.

Read morePlaytime with Senior Cats

Congratulations on deciding to share your heart and home with a furry bundle of joy. Now for the fun part, preparing yourself financially and figuring out which pup is best for you. This blog will cover everything you need to know before bringing home your baby kitten.

Breed Matters

Learning about different breeds can help with your selection. The breed can give you an idea of size and personality. For example Maine Coons can grow the size of a medium dog and because of this many pet parents take them for walks with a secure harness. If you’re renting, discuss with your landlord the pet policy so there won’t be any surprises later on.

Kitten vs. Adult Cat

Most people like to opt for a kitten because their so cute and fun to watch grow-up however adult cats are just as adorable and fun. Regardless of the their age, all cats want love and companionship. So don’t automatically rule out an older cat.

Pet Supplies

Once you’ve figured out what breed is best for you,  make a list of supplies to purchase such as  proper litter, food, treats, etc. that is size appropriate. Don’t forget poop scooper! Note brand of food is really important to your cat’s health so picking his or her food shouldn’t be random. For more information on this read our previous blog, Know how to shop for the best dog food

Pet Insurance

Yes there is a such a thing and yes you need this because medical bills for kittens are just as expensive as yours. But keep in mind that pet insurance doesn’t work like people insurance. Most of them only reimburse a certain percentage (60%-100%) after you have already paid the vet. But the coverage is good to have especially for emergencies.  coverage, reimbursement amount, and price differs depending on company but most are affordable. Many offer quotes for free. You can also use pet insurance for routine things such as vaccinations and dental cleaning.

Another option is Care Credit, a credit card specifically for pet medical bills, it basically works like a regular credit card so you must have good credit. Along with picking the best insurance company you need to also find the best vet for you. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions or bring up any concerns that you may have. At the appropriate age have your pet spayed or neutered, it’ll make them more healthy, happy and less likely to run away. Insurance covers this as well.

Litter Training

As  long as you have the right litter, your cat will be litter train automatically. Just sit Whiskers in the box and allow him to sniff. Boom, your cat is litter trained. For more litter training tips see our Common Liter box mistakes blog.

Cat Care

While your working hard eight hours of day, you need some one to care for your cat. Consider hiring a professional. Your cat care provider will play, clean litter box, spoil with cuddles and more. So you can be worry free during the day and come home to a happy fur baby. Need a  pro and want to learn more? Contact us, NOLAs Finest Pet Care by filling out form below.

Read moreWhat to know before bringing home your kitten

Many cat parents struggle with the notion of declawing their cats, especially if your cat loves to scratch your furniture. So what’s the big deal, isn’t it just a simple procedure? continue reading to find out.

What is declawing?

It’s a procedure to completely remove your cat’s claws and there are different techniques of doing this. In order to keep the claw from growing back, the bones must also be removed. A blade is used to cut through the joints and pads in order to reach the bone. This is similar to cutting off your finger tips

Another option is cosmetic surgery, this method removes the claws without damaging your cat’s pads. However since this is a really lengthy procedure most vets will not do it. In general its hard to find a vet that will perform any type of declawing procedure, since its viewed as inhumane.

Declawing draw backs

• Nerve damage
• Back pain
• Infection
• Issues with waking
• May not use litter box anymore
• Pain similar to wearing uncomfortable shoes
• Behavioral problems
• possible death (extreme case for senior cats)
• No way to protect their selves from danger (outdoor cats)

Preventing unwanted scratching

In the case of a medical reason such as a tumor, declawing may be justifiable but for the most part declawing is only beneficial to the pet parent not the cat. However, they’re other options to curve Mr. Kitty’s scratching behaviors where you don’t have to choose between your fur baby and your furniture.

• Keep your cat’s nails clipped on a regular basis, if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself visit a vet or have us, NOLAs Finest Pet Care bring your cat to the vet for nail clipping.
• provide your cat with scratching boards and other scratching approved areas
• Purchase no scratch sprays that wont harm your cat or furniture
• .Always consult your vet

Read moreFacts about Declawing your Cat