In our 18 years as cat parents, we’ve found one truth most important to the lives of our babies: Prevention is the best medicine for cats.
Cats have quite the reputation as resilient, self-sufficient, stoic and generally healthy pets. That bit about cats having 9 lives just proves the point. If any pet could defy all odds, my money is on the cat.
Yet for every story of a miracle cat (we’ve got one of those), there is sadly a story of the cat that seemed just fine one day, and then was gone the next (we’ve had one of those too). It’s these stories that teach the truth that can help make the lives of all our feline friends better, longer and happier.
And the truth is, our mamas were right all along… An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevention really is the best ‘medicine’ available. We all know how this cliché applies to us – ‘an apple a day’, regular exercise, stay away from the fast food, soda and chips… but, let’s be honest – most of us usually ignore these preventatives on a daily basis. And why not – we live in a world full of something to treat anything.
But what about our babies? Their lives are already too short (in my opinion) and the only person responsible for their health and happiness is me. So what does prevention mean? And why is prevention the best medicine for cats?
Prevention means not leaving Easter Lilies or other dangerous house plants around for a cat snack. It means keeping fresh water bowls full and accessible every day (the best prevention of urinary tract issues in cats is hydration). It means keeping household cleaners and all people medication completely out of feline reach.
But above and beyond all of these (no brainers), prevention means nutrition. Proper and real nutrition. Nutrition is the best prevention… and that’s why prevention is the very best medicine for cats.
The best part about nutrition being the best medicine for cats is how simple and easy this important prevention really is.
First – and this may be a tough one, but it’s the most important – cut down on the kibble. No matter what the bag says (even the one on your vet’s prescription diet), whatever is in there is not nourishing your cat enough.
I know how hard it can be to transition a finicky cat from dry food to wet food – but it is so worth it. The result is a healthier cat! I now compare kibble to a diet of over-processed fast food. If you and I only ever ate that stuff, imagine the toll it would take on our health!
If you want more info about how dry food is not enough for our babies, check out Dr. Lisa Pierson’s website for more facts. She is one of the few (and honest) cat nutrition vets out there. I’m also pretty sure she is a crazy cat lady herself. 🙂
If you’re a cat parent that ops for a wet food diet (like us), we still need to acknowledge that many important live enzymes and antioxidants will be missing from their diets. Canned wet food is still processed food, so it’s important to add a simple supplement to their diet. We use our CATalyst (which contains the amylase, protease, catalase, lipase and superoxide dismutase they need) to supplement their wet food diet. This adds in the missing enzymes they need – and it’s simple and easy to mix this liquid formula right into their food.
Why is prevention the best medicine for cats?
Cats do not show pain. It’s just part of their survival instincts. Unless there is a physical or visible injury or issue, we 
really won’t know something is wrong with our babies until the issue becomes serious. And, as we know all too well, sometimes that also means it’s too late.
Some of the most common (and potentially fatal) issues cats face are preventable. Number one on the list is urinary tract issues – like bladder stones and urinary tract infections. These are completely avoidable with proper hydration and nutritional support. Pancreatitis is another serious and very common kitty issue. This illness is specifically caused by an enzyme deficiency… causing inflammation in the pancreas. One of the first symptoms will be frequent vomiting. Also completely preventable by supplementing their diets with lipase, amylase, and protease. Arthritis is another issue that an estimated 90% of cats will encounter. Joint degeneration starts at the cellular level – and what impacts cellular health first and foremost? Nutrition. With the right amount of live enzyme and antioxidant support the percentage of cats who deal with arthritis will greatly diminish.
So that’s my two experienced cents about nutrition. It’s never too late to start a new, good habit. Let’s do this. Let’s start preventing the health problems and start promoting HEALTH. Nutrition is the best prevention – and prevention IS the best medicine.
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