Type of Food
It is important to feed your cat with quality food with high precentage of meat content (at least 70% but preferably higher). I do not recommend food from grocery shops as the meat content is very low, there are sugars added and they do not contain crucial nutrients.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that all required nutrients come from the meat. They cannot, or have limited ability to synthesize some of amino acids, for example taurine, arginine, vitamins – niacin and vitamin A.
Remember, the way how you feed your cat will leave permanent mark on its health and welfare. Do not try to save money on cheap food as in future the bills from the treatments will be higher than money that you saved on cheap food. Improper diet can lead to CKD (chronic kidney disease), diabetic or cardiovascular problems, anemia, joints and bones problems, vision issues, weakness, behavioral changes – aggression, laziness etc.
Avoid food with high carbohydrate and sugar content!
Cats can not digest large amounts of carbohydrates as their digestive system is not developed to do so. Digestive system does not contain hepatic glucokinase which is responsible for assimilating sugars. Cats’ saliva does not contain amylase enzyme which is responsible of breaking down carbohydrates. Cats produce energy from proteins in the glucogenesis process.
Fatty Acids – Omega 6 and 3
These acids are crucial to maintain homeostasis in organism. Cats do not have metabolic pathway to converse linoelic acid (omega 6) to arachidonic acid (omega 6), so both acids have to be introduced into the diet. Arachidonic acid is found only in animal fat, so it is important that cat is fed with high meat content food.
Essential amino acids
As mentioned above, cats have limited ability to synthesize taurine and ariginine amino acids, both are very important to provide correct body functionality. Food should contain high percentage of these compounds.
Phosphorus Level
The study has shown, that high phosphorus level in cat’s diet has negative consequences for kidney functionality (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) ).
Recommended brands – wet food:
1.
- Catz Finefood
- Real Nature Wilderness
- Real Nature Wilderness
- Feringa
- Mac’s
- Animonda Carny
- Wild Freedom
- Nuevo
- Almo nature
Cats that eat dry food only should have access to the fresh water all the time. Cats get most of the water from wet food, so they do not drink that much water, however cats fed with dry food might not consume enough water which can lead to health issues so I recommend water fountains to encourage cats to consume more water. Cats should not be fed with dry food only as it is hard to find good alternatives compared to wet food. I recommend mixed diet, where cats will eat wet and dry food.
Recommended brands – dry food:
- Purizon
- Wild Freedom
- Feringa Adult Cold-pressed Dry Cat Food
Brands above can be bought on zooplus.ie or some of them can be found in local pet shops.
Other
Pet fountain
Cats drink water voluntarily if the water level in their body decreases by 8%. Some of cats need encouragement to drink water so pet fountain is perfect solution as most of the cats love runny water. In addition, fountains contain water filters, that clean water from unwanted particles.
Cat tree/ scratching post /cat beds
Cats scratch objects to remove dead tissue from the claws and they stretch muscles this way. You should have at least one scratching post in your house, otherwise your cat will find a very lovely carpet or couch and use it as a scratching post :).
Cat tree has everything in one – shelters, toys, scratching posts. Cats need their own, safe space so built-in houses give them that space. In addition cat trees are usually tall and cats love to climb on them to watch the environment around them. However your cat might prefer a simple cardboard box over the best cat tree in the world. 🙂
Litter and Litter box
You should have at least big one (preferably two) litter boxes per cat. Cats can urinate or defecate outside of litter box if it is too dirty. To prevent that I recommend two litter boxes per cat.
Every cat is different and has its own preferences regarding to the type of litter. Our cats are wood/ wood fibres litter trained. It is the safest and most effective option, as young cats can eat litter, so any other type like gravel can hurt stomach. We recommend to not change the litter from the one recommended unless there is a reason to.
Cat Carrier 
Transporter should be big enough to allow cat stand, move around and lay down. For longer journeys I recommend bigger cages, where litter box, bowls with water and food can fit inside. Remember, if you want to travel in an airplane with your cat, airlines have special requirements for pet carriers!
Toys 
Cats should have access to toys for example balls with the bell, soft toys with catnip inside, to provide exercises. You should play with your cat to increase the bond between you and your pet. Animals without stimulates like toys can develop stereotypies (repetitive behaviour) or might get obese, depressed or even be afraid of people and other animals.
DO NOT USE COLLARS/CLOTHES/ACCESSORIES
Collars are not developed for cats and can cause serious injuries or even death if the cat gets stucked. For that reason we highly suggest to not put any collars, bells, clothes on a cat as they cause harm and limitation for your pet.
Hygiene 
Claw Clipper
Cats should have clipped claws regularly. BE AWARE that it is not painful for cats if it is done properly. The claw is a dead keratinized tissue which does not contain any nervous tissue so cats do not feel pain – analogical to human’s nails. However, upper part of the claw contain a quick which is a live tissue. Make sure that you do not cut as it can lead to bleeding and infection.
Eye and Ear
Healthy cat does not need to have their eyes and ear cleaned, unless suffers from condition affecting these areas. Contact the veterinarian and the breeder if your cat’s eyes produce too much mucus or its ears are getting dirty too quick. Note that specific breeds like Sphinx or Persian cats do need require regular ear and eye cleaning.
Tooth Paste and Vet Check Up
Improper mouth and dental hygiene can lead to a lot of dental diseases, either affecting the mouth or teeth. The most common diseases are gingivitis, periodontists, tooth resorption. Clean your cat’s teeth every month and do a regular health check up at vet every year.
Russian Blue Cattery - Ireland 