Keep your cat in tip-top health as we transition from winter-to-spring, and beyond

Loving cats is easy.

They’re elegant, charming, independent, silly, and intelligent. Keeping the cat you love healthy, however, can be more challenging.

After all, they are secretive creatures who hold their cards close to their furry chests when it comes to any health and wellness issues they might be experiencing — especially during times of change, like the period between winter and spring.

Even though most get to spend their days in the comfort and safety of your cat-friendly home, seasonal shifts can still affect them and create problems that affect their diet, metabolism, allergic reactions, stress, and overall health.

Then, there are also behavioural challenges that can arise when cats are faced with other types of transition. As you probably know, they’re not big fans of change. Perhaps you’ve just brought home your new kitten and they need to acclimatize to a new space — or maybe you’re welcoming a new pet sibling to the family.

Here’s how to keep your cat in top form, physically and emotionally, whatever transition they might be going through.

Relationship-with-food status: It’s complicated

Take it from an animal nutritionist, cats are complex.

“There's definitely a lot to be learned about cats,” says Kylie Hogan, a product developer and nutritionist at Performatrin. “They’re more complicated creatures than dogs.” And this rule applies doubly when we’re talking about feline nutrition.

Cats, Hogan explains, are “obligate carnivores.”

This means that owners can’t opt for a plant-based diet for their furry felines just because they noticed it was trending on TikTok. A green goddess salad and a juice smoothie won’t work for them.

“They rely heavily on meat,” says Hogan, because “they're not able to synthesize a lot of their own amino acids, for example.” But that doesn’t mean cat diets can’t be rounded out with other types of food. “We've done a lot of research that shows cats can eat carbs, they can eat rice, they can eat corn and they're fine. They're able to adapt to that.”

And while those adaptation skills are nothing to sneeze at (more on allergies below), there are still some other things to look out for when it comes to your cat’s diet and meow-tabolism.

A weighty issue

“The biggest issue with cats is being overweight,” says Hogan, who adds that while it’s also a problem for dogs, it’s intensified even more in smaller, lighter feline bodies.

“Being overweight, having joint problems, having extra fat on their internal organs is not beneficial for them,” she adds. Obesity can lead to future health issues that include serious ailments like diabetes and urinary tract disease.

Part of the problem is that indoor cats aren’t treated to exercise regimes like daily walks or playing fetch at the park. And another, is that pet parents — no matter how dedicated and caring — can get confused about what and how much to feed their animals.

There’s a lot of information to sift through, and it can be daunting for both new cat parents and seasoned feline veterans.

• Feeding your cat wet VS. dry food

  When it comes to cats and nutrition, Hogan has done her homework (also known as a ton of lab research).

  She says kibble is a good way to make sure a cat has a balanced diet, as it contains the needed vitamins and minerals. But wet food is critical, too — especially if you're trying to limit weight gain.

  “It's best to feed wet food,” Hogan says. “There's more bulk to it because there's more moisture so most of what they're intaking is water. And that not only helps with the urinary problems, but they're also able to be satisfied with less food and fewer calories.”

  Since skipping meals isn’t an option (on either the health or catitude front), the best strategy is to reassess the type of food you serve. Look for products that contain high water or fibre content, as well as high protein formulations that are low in carbohydrates.

  Labels on these types of food should say weight management formula, healthy weight, reduced calories, or light. You can also adjust the amount you dole out at each meal, reducing portion size by about 10%.

• It’s game time

  Another weight management trick is to try a puzzle feeder. According to the BCSPCA, puzzle feeders can help your cat eat slower, leading to a healthier process of digestion. These feeders also offer cats the opportunity to tap into their natural hunting and foraging instincts, while providing mental and physical stimulation.

  Speaking of physical stimulation, there are ways to exercise a cat. We promise.

  Cats love small doses of novelty, so a new toy is likely to get them up from their favourite spot on your/their sofa to play. Climbing is another activity they’ll willingly engage in, so a climbing tree or tower can be a part of their weight management program.

  There is absolutely no need to tell your cat that either of these activities are considered “exercise.” In fact, we strongly advise against mentioning the word at all!

Mixing up the menu

Rotational feeding — switching up the kind of food your cat eats, in order to introduce a broad spectrum of nutrients to their diet — is another important puzzle piece in maintaining their optimal health.

Again, though, catitude can throw a wrench in that well-intentioned plan.

“A lot of cats are picky eaters,” says Hogan. “When you find a food that they like, it's kind of hard to switch. It's okay to keep them on the same diet, especially because cats are so finicky.”

So if attempts at rotational kibble feeding aren’t really working, you can just change up their wet foods, she says. This is an easy way to adjust your cat’s calorie intake so they are eating less or more, as needed.

Rotational feeding or mixing up the nutrients your furry friend gets from food benefits not only their weight, but the health of their skin and coat too.

“A lot of people get dry skin in the winter and it’s the same with animals,” says Hogan. “If you want those skin and coat benefits, you could supplement with an Omega 3 oil on top of their food.”

Bonus: Supplements can be a great way to circumvent the rigid eating standards of a…selective…feline diner.

Indoor allergies — the struggle is real

With temperatures fluctuating outdoors, cat allergies can flare inside too. Dust kicked up by the perpetual switching on and off of a furnace in the spring, as well as allergens blowing in through newly opened windows, can affect indoor cats in different ways. Dry skin and coat is only one condition sparked by environmental and seasonal changes. Cat parents should also look out for other types of reactions and their potential sources.

“Cats have seasonal allergies,” says veterinarian Garrett Schuilenberg. “Even inside — you've got your windows open and pollen and microscopic allergens can blow into your house. And a cat can be reactive to those.” Allergens and other unwanted guests can even hitch a ride into your home on your shoes or clothing.

Other stressors include (perhaps surprisingly) other animals.

“If you live in a building that has a lot of dogs, as funny as it sounds, cats can be allergic to dogs and dogs can be allergic to cats,” Schuilenberg explains.

• How to tell if your cat is hiding symptoms

  And then there are the things that seem completely harmless to us, but can cause some cats to seriously react. Think: the detergent you use to launder their bedding, couch cushions stuffed with down feathers, even their own litter or something that they’re eating can trigger an allergy.

  Assessing what’s at the root of an allergic reaction is a problem best left for your vet to figure out, but cat parents need to be vigilant about picking up on the signs. Cats, by nature, are secretive and may try to hide or disguise their symptoms. Close attention is required when you’re keeping tabs on their health.

  Some symptoms to watch for include the kind you’d expect, including: Sneezing and coughing, runny eyes and nose, scratching, redness, and vomiting or diarrhoea. Other symptoms you may not know to watch for include: Snoring, sensitive or swollen paws, and excessive grooming.

  Picking up on their distress, says Hogan, is “about being more in tune with your cat and paying attention to their responses.”

Stress!

Cats are lucky. Their world is free of deadlines, important work meetings, dinner with the in-laws, contentious elections, and tax season. Still, they can and do experience stress and just like humans, it can affect their physical health.

Stress can disrupt a cat’s diet, throw off their metabolism, and in some cases even spark an infection in their respiratory system.

When a cat is stressed, they’re bodies react by retaining fat. “We found that when they're stressed out, they burn a lot more carbohydrates than fat,” says Hogan, who has engaged in research looking at environmental stressors and how they affect cat metabolism.

“That's a ratio that we can determine based on their oxygen in versus carbon dioxide out. What that tells us is when they're stressed out, they're actually holding on to those fat [reserves], which makes sense when you look at the biological scale. Because you're stressed.”

When your cat is calm, they're able to burn fat at a higher rate, which is more in tune with their standard metabolism, she explains. Fluctuations in weight, it seems, are a sign of stress that we share with our feline BFFs.

• How stress can affect breathing

  Breathing issues are perhaps the most serious concern a stressed out cat can face.

  “A lot of respiratory issues that cats will deal with are actually triggered by stress,” says our vet expert, Schuilenberg. Stress, he says, “can weaken their immune system. And it can allow different viruses and pathogens to flare up in their body — something that was already pre-existing. These respiratory infections can get pretty bad, just from stress.”

  An important question is: what could be stressing your cat out?

• Cats don’t always like change

  Ultimately, it often comes down to major changes in their routines — ones that introduce new smells, sounds, views, or even a new schedule. Moving to a new house or apartment is a big one. Suddenly, everything is unfamiliar.

  A change in your routine — for example, a shift from working at home to working in-office — can also cause the kind of cat confusion that results in stress. And another common stressor that many cats experience is the addition of someone new to the family, either pet or human.

  While it’s impossible to eliminate stress from your cat’s life completely, some issues have simple fixes. For instance, leaving an item of clothing with your scent on at home when you head back to work can help kitty feel close to you.

  Others are more complex, like introducing your cat to the new family dog. Herbal remedies, pheromone devices, and prescription anti-anxiety medications can all aid in easing a cat’s nerves — just be sure to consult with your vet before using any of them.

Fleas!? Ew.

“I know this sounds horrifying and everybody's gonna be grossed out by this,” says Schuilenberg, “but yeah, you can bring parasites in on your shoes. You could bring in a flea on your clothes.”

Getting past that “ick” factor, the main message here is that indoor cats are still at risk of getting fleas, ticks, and other internal and external parasites that we generally think of as an outdoor animal problem.

This is especially true if your cat has a canine roommate that ventures outside multiple times a day to go for walks or do their business. Luckily, vets have flea, tick, and heartworm protection down to a fine science.

It’s up to pet parents to make sure you’re taking advantage of these preventative treatments — especially as the climate continues to change, extending warmer seasons (aka parasite season).

• Ticks are now a year-round concer

  Ticks, which used to be a year-round concern only really in the southern parts of the U.S., have recently become a bigger issue for Canadian pet parents. "They're active for longer periods in Canada now, and certain species are now being identified further north," explains Dr. Schuilenberg, who credits their migration to a warming environment.

  And don’t even get us started on those heartworm-carrying mosquitoes.

  While they used to treat cats for these types of parasites from April to October, Canadian vets are now recommending starting treatment earlier in the year and ending it later, since these unwelcome seasonal invaders appear to be hanging around longer.