SolveYourProblem.com Article Series: Cat Care
Cat Care Tips
What
Can I Expect From My Cat As He/She Grows Up?
The average life expectancy of a cat is around
fifteen years, but many lead active and happy lives into their
twenties and a few even manage the early thirties. The oldest
cat recorded was thirty-four years five months old when she
died.
So
what can you expect from your kitten as he grows up? As
a baby (under four weeks of age) everything has to be done
for him; as a toddler (at five to eight weeks) he has to be
carefully supervised; as a child of two to nine months, he
is active, playful and adventurous. All these stages are expected,
but the teenage phase can take many owners by surprise.
Just like human teenagers, many cats seem to have a super
abundance of energy. If they have a feline friend they can
use up some of it in play, but if they do not, they may start
playing boisterously with their owners, jumping out and ambushing
them and giving them painful nips. They should be kept fully
occupied or they can get into mischief. Regular play sessions,
where the play is of the owner's choosing, will help ward off
boredom, and plenty of company is important, as is understanding
if the cat becomes hyperactive.
Plenty
of high quality, varied food should be given, as cats
at this age will eat a lot, and probably a quarter as much
again as an adult cat. One word of warning: if you are feeding
a prepared cat food, hyperactivity can be caused by the food
you are giving, as some cats react to certain brands by becoming
'hyper', their behavior returns to normal when their food is
changed; this is another good reason for feeding a wide variety
of food and not just one brand of canned food.
However boisterous and time-consuming your teenage cat turns
out to be, remember it is just a phase, and one you will probably
miss once it is past. Your cat's middle years, however, are
often the best. If he was a contented kitten, he is now truly
a contented cat, he has a good relationship with his owner,
he is well adjusted to family life, he returns affection with
affection, and is at the peak of his physical powers. For the
owner, he is less demanding, and he should be enjoying excellent
physical health. Remember to keep up the yearly booster injections
for enteritis and cat flu, and the complete health check at
the same time. #
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2009
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