Boosting Your Cat's Immune System Blog about Pet Animals
Cats, like us, need daily vitamins and minerals to help maintain good health; as we know, health starts on the inside.
It has been found that 80% of a cat's immune system health comes directly from the digestive system, therefore they must be fed well with a good quality food. Cheaper, less nutritious food won't contain enough of what they need. An inappropriate diet could even make your cat ill by disrupting their system and causing inflammation. Like us, it is best to avoid too many sugary and fatty foods and stick to well balanced healthy options.
Today, many cats are dehydrated. This can lead to urinary tract disease and renal (kidney) failure. Cats mostly fed commercially prepared dry foods tend to show problems with obesity, hepatic lipidosis and fatty liver disease. Cats are natural carnivores and need protein and water. Commercial wet cat food can contain too much water of the wrong sort and very little protein. Dry cat food has less than 10% water and providing a bowl of water is not always the answer. There are differing opinions on what sort of diet for household pets is best.
One possible albeit more expensive option is to prepare home cooked organic meals for your cat. Use fresh high-quality meat, fowl, and fish for your cat. A diet that's high in proteins and low in carbohydrates is recommended. You must also ensure that you use probiotics, digestive enzymes, lipids, and minerals in order to provide a balanced home-prepard diet. All probiotics are not equal. Soil-based probiotics do not require refrigeration; they are hardy, non-allergenic & they don't contain growth hormones, or antibiotic residues. Where as a Pet Flora is a powerful soil-based probiotic. It helps to maintain intestinal balance, assists in nutrient absorption & helps normalize stools, in turn reducing inflammation in the intestines. It is vital to improving immunity and increasing the health of your cat. Ensure that you also have a specifically created enzyme formula that is designed to survive the highly acidic environment of your cat's stomach to help the digestion of food & nutrient absorption. It will also help to ensure that any other medications are properly dispersed & digested completely. There are many recipes available on the internet, enabling you to make high quality home prepared food for your cat and using commercially produced food as your back-up.
You can also help your cat's immune system by considering vaccination carefully. Again this is your choice and as with anything there are pro's & con's to it. You may be aware that nowadays there is an over-vaccination occurrence, resulting in adverse effects in some cats, including immune system dysfunction and occasional serious systemic reactions, like vaccine related sarcomas & other cancers. Then again you might decide that being proactive against Cat flu, Feline chlamydophilosis, leukaemia virus & Feline infectious enteritis are definately worth the small risk of your cat developing any effects from the vaccine. There is no doubt that these vaccines have drastically reduced the number of disease occurrences over the years. Cats that rarely go outside will not necessarily need these vaccines. Ensure that you do your research to help you achieve an informed decision about vaccinating your pet cat .
You can also help the feline immune system by reducing stress. Stress can lower your cat's defences, so should always be kept to a minimum. Other pets, poor living conditions & environments all contribute to stress. Ensure that they have plenty of space & play-things, which will provide lots of exercise & stimulation for your cat, allowing her to exhibit her natural instincts.
Some alternative therapies are also known to aid a boost in the feline immune system, such as massage, acupuncture & Bowen technique. My cat loves massage and Reiki! But always seek professional advice before administering any new therapy.
There are also natural remedies that our cats' ancestors have used for years. These food stuffs are now widely available in a form in which your cat can digest properly. Homeopaths are the recommended experts in this area, again seek advice from your vet prior to contacting a practitioner. Some herbs and plants used include Mistletoe, Huang Qi, and Indian ginseng. Mistletoe stimulates the natural immune system response, helping to fight off illness. Huang Qi is a body tonic, improving appetite and promoting circulation. Indian ginseng is a tonic herb which supports growth, health. Echinacea is used to ward off colds, it increase the production of T-cells, antibody binding and natural killer cell activity. Vitamin E is great for the older cat as it increases antibodies in the body and can restore immune function. Do research as there are many plants that are poisonous to cats. There are also ranges of products available that combine herbs, vitamins & natural antioxidants; these are available either through your vet or a good pet store. These used once a day with a healthy diet and environment can improve a cat's immune system immensely.
Responsible pet owners will already know how a healthy diet and regular exercise can extend the life and general wellbeing of their feline friends. Another important consideration for any pet owner should be that of providing adequate cover should your pet cat have an accident or develop an illness. Good pet insurance will give you peace of mind in the event of your cat needing expensive veterinary treatment.
