September is Happy Cat Month!

Posted on 13 September 2022
By Dr. Jill Tack, Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor
Posted in cats, Dog & Cat Gear, Dog & Cat Nutrition Tips, Dog & Cat Safety Tips, Dog & Cat Wellness, Natural & Safe Dog & Cat Treats, Natural & Safe Pet Food Options, Raw Dog & Cat Food Diet Tips, Treats & Toys For Cats & Dogs
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The month of September is the purrfect time to celebrate your furiends (although we know you do it every day!) Stop by in-store only throughout the whole month to receive 20% off all cat treats and celebrate #CatMonth with us!

Paws up, feline friends and devoted cat parents! September is here, which can only mean one thing: it's time to celebrate our whiskered companions in style because it's Happy Cat Month!

In this purrfectly delightful month-long celebration, we're rolling out the red carpet for our beloved furballs, the ones who've mastered the art of the graceful leap, the mysterious nocturnal explorer, and the undisputed rulers of cardboard boxes. Whether your kitty is a sassy siamese, a regal Maine Coon, or an enigmatic tabby, Happy Cat Month is the time to shower them with love, attention, and, of course, some delightful surprises.

Playtime For Cats

You may need to consider the type of cat toys you get for your feline friend. Each kitty is different in its hunting and prey behavior. There are many ways to engage in play with your cat.

Some cats prefer the whirring of wand toys, which allows them to track better the noise associated with it just as if they were hunting outside. Other cats prefer toys that are on the ground with rolling or other patterns associated with watching and waiting for patterns to pounce. Your cat may go through phases where one type of toy is better. Their pattern of play may even change with age.

Benefits Of Play For Cats

Weight loss
Cognitive function
Mental stimulation
Coordination
Increase appetite
Better sleep patterns
Relieves boredom and poor behavior
Reduces behavioral complaints
Improved cat/owner relationship
Reduced stress

Leash Walking For Cats

Just like for our pups, taking your cat on walks can be mentally stimulating and great exercise. Walks and adventures can also be tiring for our feline friends, so if you've got a hyper young kitty, maybe try a walk around the block or a trip to the park.

Does your cat try to dart outside the second the front door opens, sit on window sills, and longingly look outside? Lupine collars, leashes, and harnesses have your furry friends' back regarding a safe way to let our cats enjoy nature.

To leash walk your cat successfully, you need to:

Be aware of your surroundings and be with your kitty at all times

Walking a cat is vastly different than walking a dog outside. The smallest or loudest noises can scare them, and many things from the environment can be a trigger for cats. From cars driving in the neighborhood to a creaking garage door opening or a random firework being set off, these are all reasons that may deter a positive experience outside. It is best to have a secure leash and allow them to take their time to adjust. This may result in you hanging out with your kitty in your backyard at one spot for 15 minutes on the first trial. Becoming more comfortable will result in longer outdoor periods and fewer sounds that will scare them. Make sure to do a quick self-check-in. If you are stressed about the situation, most likely, your kitty will pick up on your emotions. You may need to limit to shorter outdoor times until you are both comfortable.

You may even want to start with a trial walk indoors.

Having your cat wear a harness isn’t something they are used to or are familiar with. Cats will tend to try and “back out” of the harness, which results in them acting like they can’t move or walking backward. This is a result of the new feeling. Many cats get past this point when they realize that many benefits of the outdoors are around the corner. Another way to get them past the frozen stance is to get them involved with their favorite wand toy. This engagement will help them to move past the fact that they are now wearing a harness. Treats can also be helpful if your kitty is food-motivated.

Carry them outside

If you feel like your cat will be a door-dasher if you start taking them outside, one trick that seems to help is physically carrying them outside rather than letting them walk outside. We always pick up our cat to go out the door. This seems to have created an invisible boundary that they don’t run to the door when we leave the house as if they are missing out.

15-30 Minutes Of Play Or Exercise Makes For A Great Cat Nap

Your playtime with your kitty doesn’t have to be long periods. Most cats have a threshold of fewer than 30 minutes before they are ready to move on to a cat nap. Shorter sessions yield more interaction between your cat and its attention span. At the end of the play session, allow your cat to “catch” the toy or engage with the toy in some way rather than making playtime impossible. This helps to improve and motivate interactions during play sessions. Once playtime is over, you will want to hide toys with strings attached or feathers they could consume. If your cats are anything like mine, they often crunch and destroy the fun before the next play session if we forget to hide the wand toys!

A Healthy Diet For Cats

Poor nutrition is the source of many kitty health complaints. Inflammatory and indigestible ingredients in grocery store brands lack the nutrition that helps keep our cat's digestive system working optimally. Cats are obligate carnivores, and raw cat food is a great option to help reduce most health problems and increase their water intake naturally.

Transitioning cats is never easy. Cats can be finicky eaters for various reasons, whether they have an issue with different textures or have become addicted to the carbs in their kibble. With super picky cats, it helps if you offer them food in several ways and allow them to choose what they like best.

Below are some strategies that can help make the switch to a raw diet:

ASK NICELY

You can tell dogs what to do, but you must ask cats nicely. Even though our feline friends don’t talk back, they hear our voices and messages loud and clear. So, keep a calm demeanor and be patient. Trust me, it works!

MIX THE RAW WITH CANNED FOOD

It is always easier to start a transition with something your cat especially enjoys, like canned food. Once you have made this transition, you can begin to add small amounts of raw food to the canned food to upgrade. Some cats will never eat more than half canned and half raw food. There isn’t anything wrong with this way of feeding. Some raw food is always better than none.

FEED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Another trick for transitioning picky cats to a raw diet is allowing the food to warm up to room temperature before feeding. Some cats don’t care for cold food.

ROTATE PROTEINS

You may also want to try different proteins. Don’t forget about the red meat options! My cats prefer beef, pork, lamb, and venison over turkey or pheasant any day of the week. Don’t be so close-minded that you don’t allow your feline friend to transition to a premium raw diet. After all, cats’ digestive tracts are biologically set up for meat, not overly processed kibble.

GET ON A FEEDING SCHEDULE

Getting your cat on a regular feeding schedule can also work in your favor. Free feeding isn’t the best way to feed your cat. Cats in the wild hunt all day long, which means they eat several small meals throughout the day instead of gorging on two large meals. If you have multiple felines, they should all have their place setting and eating space away from the other cats.

WORK UP AN APPETITE

If you can play with your cat 20-30 minutes before mealtime, this will also make their meal offering much more satisfying. The play before eating releases hormones that mimic what would happen in the wild if they were on a hunt for their food.

Here are a few cat food options we recommend:

Regular Brushing and Brooming

While it is instinctive for felines to groom themselves often, they may need some help. If you have a medium or long-haired cat, you should also brush your cat daily or weekly to help with the coat, hairballs, and matting.

Here are a few items we recommend to assist in grooming your kitty:

Protect Your Cat's Teeth

Changing your pet’s diet is a great way to help strengthen dental health. Switching from a kibble-based diet to one high in protein and low in carbohydrates, such as a raw diet, drastically helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup for healthy teeth and gums. We offer a vast selection of frozen and freeze-dried premium raw diets for your pet! Primal, Northwest Naturals, and Oma’s Pride are just a few of the fan-favorite raw diet brands at The Pet Beastro!

Cat Supplements

Our feline friends tend to refuse supplements faster than our canine friends. However, a few great supplements are typically not offensive to our cat's palette. The following recommendations are easy to disguise in canned or raw food if your cat is willing to eat these options. If your cat only eats dry food, we still have some options for you!

Hairballs Aren't Natural For Cats

Hair is simply undigested protein from keratin that can be balled up in the intestines without being digested. It often appears on its own in vomit or with regurgitated and undigested food in vomit form. Following are some easy supplement solutions to improve digestive health.

Marshmallow - No, no, not the white puffs in your pantry. This herbal tincture made out of marshmallow root is a mucilaginous herb, which is a fancy word for saying it has a slippery effect while soothing mucous membranes. If your cat is addicted to high-carb, high-grain food, then there is most likely some inflammation within the intestinal tract, which prevents proper digestion of the food you are feeding. Marshmallow root tincture will decrease inflammation and help move the hairball through the system and out with stool. This herb comes in liquid form and is usually favorable to most cats. It can go directly in their mouth or on top of food.
Total-Zymes - This is one of our favorite digestive enzyme combinations because it has a blend of 16 different enzymes to help the digestive process and break down that hairball just sitting in the gut waiting to be expelled. This supplement is a very fine powder; a small amount gets used with each meal. It is very easy to disguise in canned food or raw food for your kitty.
InClover - Keep your kitty's skin and coat healthy with a yummy and nutritional treat from InClover! Sleek Cat Treats are tasty bites your cat will love, and that will help promote good skin and coat health! These soft chews are easy to eat and bite-sized for cats of all ages and sizes. Made with natural ingredients like prebiotics and antioxidant-rich superfoods to promote a healthy and full coat! Also aids in reducing hairballs to keep your kitty happy and healthy! Grain-Free. No Wheat, Corn, or Soy. No Artificial Additives. Made in the USA.

Cat Chiropractic Support

It would be great if we could talk with our pets for several reasons. However, a huge benefit would be to know when they are in pain and could use some help. Unfortunately, they are excellent at hiding pain due to their evolution. There are subtle signs that can indicate discomfort. If there is discomfort, a visit to a cat chiropractor will help in addition to numerous other natural remedies.

Stop by our retail locations in Madison Heights, Michigan, just north of Detroit, or in Warren, Southeast Corner of East 14 Mile Road and Schoenherr, which are open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, and Sundays from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, and join us for our Cat Month. Also, visit our 24/7 natural pet food treats, toys, and supplies store online. Please message us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok for further information!