Vet Q&A

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What are the best ways to reduce the risk of urinary issues in cats?

Urinary issues are quite common in cats. Different issues can include urinary tract infections, crystals in the urine, bladder stones, feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) that is often related to stress, among many other conditions. As with most health-related issues, prevention is the name of the game. Offer your cat ample quantities of water to assure that they are drinking appropriate volumes. Some cats prefer running water sources, so a water fountain designed for cats may be helpful. Water can also be mixed in with canned foods or added to dry food. Monitoring your cat at home for changes is another critical step. Always be sure that your cat is using the litter box appropriately by urinating normal volumes several times per day and is not straining excessively in the box. Too much or too little urine volume can indicate changes that warrant veterinary attention, as can straining to urinate, vocalizing while urinating, or blood in the urine. If a cat has been previously diagnosed with bladder stones or crystals, your veterinarian may recommend a prescription diet to regulate the pH of the urine and mineral content of the diet to prevent the recurrence of these issues. Cats with previously diagnosed FLUTD may also benefit from calming pheromone collars or diffusers to keep their stress levels at bay.

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Is there an easy way to feed multiple cats? How do I keep one cat from eating the others' food?

This can be a challenging situation, especially if you have one cat that's more of an "eater" than the others. I would try to offer canned food for one meal, and dry for another. For the canned meal, you can put it out into separate bowls, ensure that everyone has their own bowl, and monitor the situation until they finish. Most cats will go ahead and finish a portion of canned food, unlike dry, which they will often "snack" on. You can also reinforce the "ownership" of each cat's bowl by calling them, and then feeding that cat only in that bowl (and consequentially, in that space) at all times. That way, you're teaching them that they will get fed at "their" bowl at all times. Interlopers onto other bowls should be discouraged and redirected back to their own bowl. Finally, if you're up for spending some money, there is an [automatic feeder](https://www.surepetcare.com/en-us/pet-feeder/microchip-pet-feeder) that opens only for a signal from your pet's microchip. This can become really important if one pet is on a special diet for health reasons - it only opens when the cat that has the specific microchip approaches. This is the best way to ensure that the right cat gets the right food.

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How can I tell if a cat is producing milk for her kittens?

The best way to determine if your cat is producing milk is by observing the kittens. Newborns spend long hours nursing - up to 8 hours per day - with sessions lasting up to 45 minutes. When the mother's milk is being let down, the kittens will each latch onto a preferred nipple and stay there. If you observe closely you will be able to see their little mouths and tongues moving from the suckling action. Often their ears may move as well. Nursing kittens will knead the mother's abdomen which is an important stimulus to milk let down. After a feeding session, the kittens will have round, full bellies and will fall asleep. Ideally, healthy kittens who are nursing well will gain 7-10 grams every day. They can, and should, be weighed every few days to confirm gains.

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Is it okay to feed my cat "people" food?

People food is just that – food for people. Cats are obligate carnivores, and as such, have a delicate balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and vitamins and minerals that must be maintained. Cats should eat a balanced high quality diet in order to meet all of their nutritional needs. Unbalanced diets with vitamin/mineral imbalances risk a variety of health problems. Home cooked diets are not as commonly recommended, but are preferred by some cats and pet owners. If you opt to go down this road, a carefully crafted recipe by a specialist in veterinary nutrition should be used with proper vitamin and mineral supplementation. Even with a commercial diet, occasional treats of boiled white meat chicken, turkey, salmon, or tuna can be perfectly fine in small quantities.

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Health & Wellbeing

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Determining a Kitten's Sex

Determining a Kitten's Sex

Dr. Lauren Jones
Is Injectable Flea Prevention Right for My Pet?

Is Injectable Flea Prevention Right for My Pet?

Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass
5 Serious Diseases Your Cat Can Get From Having Fleas

5 Serious Diseases Your Cat Can Get From Having Fleas

Christie Long, DVM

New Pet

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New Kitten Checklist: Everything You Need When Bringing a Kitten Home

New Kitten Checklist: Everything You Need When Bringing a Kitten Home

Petco’s Animal Care
9 Ways to Mentally Stimulate Your Cat

9 Ways to Mentally Stimulate Your Cat

Petco’s Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team
6 Ways Cats Try to Communicate With Us

6 Ways Cats Try to Communicate With Us

Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

Food & Nutrition

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6 Common Cat Feeding Mistakes

6 Common Cat Feeding Mistakes

PetCoach Editorial
How to Tell When Your Cat is Hungry

How to Tell When Your Cat is Hungry

Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team
How Much Should I Feed My Cat?

How Much Should I Feed My Cat?

Dr. Whitney Miller

Grooming

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How to Groom a Cat

How to Groom a Cat

Animal Care & Education Team
How to Bathe a Cat: Everything You Need to Know

How to Bathe a Cat: Everything You Need to Know

Animal Care & Education Team
Trimming Your Cat's Nails

Trimming Your Cat's Nails

Wendy Weinand

Training & Behavior

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4 Reasons Not to Travel with Your Cat

4 Reasons Not to Travel with Your Cat

Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team
4 Ways to Get a Cat Out of a Tree

4 Ways to Get a Cat Out of a Tree

PetCoach Editorial
How to Litter Train a Kitten

How to Litter Train a Kitten

Petco’s Animal Care

New This Season

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Petco’s Top 10 Holiday Treats and Toys for Cats

Petco’s Top 10 Holiday Treats and Toys for Cats

Jenn Kovacs
Leaving Your Cat When Traveling: Finding a Pet Sitter or Cat Boarding Facility

Leaving Your Cat When Traveling: Finding a Pet Sitter or Cat Boarding Facility

Petco’s Animal Care
Preparing Your Cat for Travel

Preparing Your Cat for Travel

Animal Care & Education Team

How-To Guides

How Much Water Should My Cat Drink?

How Much Water Should My Cat Drink?

Dr. Whitney Miller
How to Leash Train a Cat

How to Leash Train a Cat

Animal Care & Education Team

Home & Habitat

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Choosing a New Litter Box for a Cat or a Kitten

Choosing a New Litter Box for a Cat or a Kitten

Animal Care & Education Team
Outdoor Plants Poisonous to Cats

Outdoor Plants Poisonous to Cats

Dr. Jennifer Coates
Moving with Cats

Moving with Cats

Animal Care & Education Team

Product Guides

Not So Fast Fashion

Not So Fast Fashion

Animal Care & Education Team

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