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Old 07-31-2008, 02:55 PM
ashleywong ashleywong is offline
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Default Re: Still new with cats, need advise

hi rezuan

i saw your post early morning and i had to restrain myself from replyg immediately cos you touched on a subject that's close to my heart - good long term health through proper food.

i've actually wrote a post on this subject somewhere in this forum (under cats nutrition) so please look it up. i don't want to repeat as it might take up space.

suffice to say, if you provide your kitten a good foundation by way of proper and appropriate food and also proper and good veterinary care, you'll definitely save on money in the long run, not only in terms of veterinary costs but also in terms of buying food.


remember the phrase: you are what you eat? applies equally to our furry companions.

seriously think of this line : try not to be penny wise but pound foolish.

i forgot to mention in my post on cat nutrition/food but the type of food you serve your cat also affect the smell of the stool.

i was just like you - a truly newbie and regular greenhorn when it comes to cats. you bring to mind myself as i was then, also surfing the net during office hours, hoping to find a glimmer of "enlightenment" on how to take care of kittens. my kittens came to me by way of their mom - she left them at my backyard. i had no answer no help no support from anyone so i just read and read whatever i can get whether at bookstore, library or internet.

in my search i came across this website and it absolutely contains a treasure trove of information from A to Z relating to cats and you can even sign up for e-class via newsletter teaching you the basics of caring for a kitten, etc, etc. very useful indeed. however i came across this website only after i've brought up my cats through trial and error, so i'm always eager to share with others so they don't repeat the mistakes i make.

the website is http://cats.about.com/



btw, i do agree with mia_katz. friskies and whiskas are not recommended, strongly not recommended and neither is Smartheart and another local brand with a green label (forgot the name). whiskas tend to cause diarrhea in kittens and this is dangerous to kittens.

however i beg to differ with mia_katz opinion that in order to "fatten" up a cat, get it spayed. getting it spayed/neutered ("kasi") is the correct choice if you're not into cat breeding and you won't be to be responsible for litters and litters of unwanted kittens (imagine the earliest a cat can get pregnant is at 4 months old - literally either teenage or childhood pregnancy and an unspayed female can give birth up to 4 times a year, averaging about 3 months once).

however if your aim and intention and objective is a healthy cat, that that's all should matter whether the cat is healthy but slim or healthy but within the permissible weight range.

take my anna. she is one slim cat. she is about 3.6kg and she's about 1 1/2 years old whereas gabriel the kitten i rescued (and is now rehoming) weighs around 2.7kg. gabriel is only between 3 - 4 months old. i've constantly checked with my vet whether anna is underweight and whether she's in danger of suffering internal organ damage from being so 'skinny'. my vet advised that each cat's physiology differs from one cat to another as it is mainly determined by genetics inherited so there's no hard and fast rule concerning "correct or right" weight of a cat and each cat's metabolism is different and this plays a role in determine the weight of your cat. if you're truly concerned that your kitty is quite thin/slim, then consult your vet - your vet should be able to address your concerns and advise you accordingly.


however the most important thing and one of the best thing you can do for your kitten now is to provide it with appropriate vaccination - strongly recommended.

oh on the issue of boarding i'm not sure about spca, you can check out their website : www.spca.org.my.

some veterinary clinics also provide boarding service, you need to check yourself. i can recommend pet epicure to you, they provide boarding services for cats only and they are also certified by an overseas organisation.

have fun and all the best . do share with us your progress. we'll also like to share in the growing-up of your kitten.

Last edited by ashleywong; 07-31-2008 at 03:10 PM.
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