Cats are not small dogs. They have different personalities and physiological needs, and responsible pet parents need to know—or learn—how to fulfil them,” said Saquib Pathan, president of the Feline Club of India.
The Mumbai-based feline expert and enthusiast was in the city for a convention for cat parents at Science City and shared little-known facts about cats.
Cats hide pain
“People complain that their cats won’t listen to them. While this is highly believable, it isn’t because the cats aren’t intelligent. They just aren’t obedient! The house is theirs, and you live in it,” Pathan smiled. “But they are such wonderful companions that they are even used in hospitals and old-age homes today for cat therapy.”
Cat parents must realise that their pets are great at hiding pain. “In the wild, cats must do so because the sick get eaten by predators. But at home, this becomes a problem, as parents often don’t realise something is amiss till it is too late,” he said. “If you notice your cat is sick today, he may have been unwell for the past 21 days. A dog’s illness shows immediately, with fever or other symptoms, but I have seen cats running a temperature of 104 °F playing about. So parents must think like a cat to help them.”
Avoid milk
Contrary to popular belief, milk should not be given to cats. “Cats are lactose intolerant, so don’t feed them milk or human-food like cake on their birthdays,” Pathan said. “Cats need 41 essential nutrients. We can barely name five nutrients ourselves, so there’s no way we can ensure a balanced home-cooked diet. So it’s better to give packaged food that is prepared with their dietary requirements in mind.”
He also clarified feeding frequency. “In the wild, cats don’t eat once or twice but 19 to 21 times a day. They kill their prey, go off to play, come back and eat, then leave again. They are nibblers and nocturnal. But at home, humans sleep at night, so cats are deprived of both food and activity at the hours that they are naturally most active,” Pathan explained.
The solution, he said, is to keep kibbles available in a bowl throughout the day and refill it as needed. “Cats don’t overeat, so there’s no need to worry,” he said. “Also ensure a source of flowing water, like a fountain.”
Grooming
“Cats groom themselves constantly, but that leads to loose fur forming hairballs that can enter the intestine and cause pain,” said Vikash Raj, a vet at Corona Metro, the branch of the Corona pet shop at the Metropolitan area near Chingrihata. “So you need to groom them and remove loose fur before they do. Use cat shampoo to maintain the correct pH level of their skin, too.”
He added that cats are extremely sensitive and can even develop urinary tract infections (UTIs) from even stress, which in turn can be triggered by something as minor as new furniture. “One symptom of UTI is urinating outside the litter box despite being toilet-trained,” said Raj.
He advised keeping the litter box away from the toilet to avoid scent confusion. “Place it in a clean, dry place so the cat is attracted to it. Keep it slightly elevated and change the litter daily. If you have one cat, keep two litter boxes for him,” he said.
The vet also recommended packaged food for balanced nutrition. “Cats generally drink less water, so include wet food in their diet. Ideally, they should consume about four to five per cent of their body weight in water,” he said.
Kitten care
Vet Ishani Roy focused on kitten care. “Often, when you feed a stray cat, she feels comfortable enough to deliver her litter at your home. They choose you, and you then have the responsibility to give them a safe life,” said the vet who practises at APC Pet’s Speciality Clinic and Referral Care in Kankurgachhi and other branches.
“One must be very gentle in handling kittens. Their bones are fragile, so always place a hand under them to support the body. In fact, don’t pick them up unless necessary, as your scent can confuse the mother and affect their bonding,” said Roy.
Kittens should be kept in a warm, covered space at 29–32°F, as they can regulate their body temperature only after a few days, once their eyes open.
“I often have people bringing in kittens with diarrhoea or loss of appetite. When I ask what they have been feeding them, the answer is usually milk — cow’s milk. This is wrong. If the mother is not feeding the kittens, you need a proper formula. They cannot digest any other milk. Feed every two to three hours using a feeding bottle, or else they may choke,” the vet said.
Roy added that kittens should be active and must be dewormed and vaccinated as per veterinary advice. “This is especially important as cats often go outdoors and mingle with others, increasing exposure to infections. I myself have six cats at home, but always wash my hands and change my clothes before touching them after work to avoid transmission from other cats in the clinic,” said the resident of BA Block whose mother, Aparajita Chakraborty, is also a well-known vet in the city.