Tips for Cat Owners in Autumn

Just as you are likely to deal with the colder, wetter months by changing your lifestyle in subtle ways, your cats too will adapt to the season. Like pet, like owner! But it’s very important to keep ahead of your pet to make sure your feline friend is happy and healthy through these parts of the year.

Firstly, as your cat notices the gradual shortening of the day and lengthening of night time, expect them to be lazy (or even lazier!) in a bid to make the best of lounging hours. Expect your pet to spend less time outdoors. You may have to alter their food intake accordingly to prevent weight gain, since they’ll be less tempted to wander outside, especially in poor weather.

One important detail to note is that while indoor cats will shed all year long, outdoor cats tend to shed most during the Autumn to Winter period. It may help to brush your pet more frequently on wooden or tiled flooring when possible to minimize time spent cleaning this excess hair.

Much like with dogs, cats are happy to play in piles of dead leaves, which can often contain molds and fungi dangerous to your pet. Ideally you should keep your leaves neatly piled and contained inside a locked bin, raking at least once a week and more if you have many trees in your garden.

Also, remember that while keeping your pet indoors throughout the colder months may be tempting, this will bring its own share of problems. Naturally curious, most cats are drawn to powerful scents, especially unfamiliar ones, so cleaning products, moth balls and other ‘smelly’ chemicals in particular will attract your pet. Keep such items well out of their reach (and remember that all felines, even kittens, are talented at reaching high places) or curiousity will indeed kill the cat.

Be sure to keep in mind that, if you have been dealing with unwanted rodents in your home, you should immediately remove any and all poisons you may have left around the house. Cats are an effective means of driving out such pests, but to a cat, a mouse or rat poisoned is simply a free meal, and the poison will be as lethal to your pet as it was to the mouse.

This is an ideal time of year to begin supplementing your cat with some extra vitamins and minerals to ensure strong immune system function throughout the colder season. AniForte MultiVETAL Tablets or Powder is (naturally) our go-to product for our cats as a great all-rounder supplement.

Another favourite of ours to prepare us for the winter months is a joint supplement, such as Green Lipped Mussel Powder, known to support the development and maintenance of healthy joints.

Happy Autumn to you and your cat!