Holistic health for cats may seem like a strange term to those who aren't familiar with what it really means. This type of natural care is classified as alternative veterinary medicine that focuses on a feline’s total well-being, not just symptoms that may arise.
Holistic Health for Cats
Holistic feline care is a humane form of veterinary care that
examines a cat's health and lifestyle. This alternative approach
strives to be minimally invasive, free of stress and gentle. The
holistic approach is not necessarily meant to take the place of
traditional veterinary care, but compliment it.
Instead of
just focusing on controlling a cat's symptoms, holistic care for cats
provides more than just medications and vaccines to ensure a cat's
health. A holistic veterinarian will also take into consideration the
environment in which a cat lives, his diet, prevention techniques and
alternative methods of treatment that may include acupuncture, massage,
chiropractic care, homeopathy, herbal remedies and alternatives to
vaccinations.
Holistic Health and a Cat's Diet
Holistic health care is not just about natural remedies, it's also
about what goes into a cat on a regular basis. A diet that has a good
balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is crucial to a
cat's well-being. Ingredients in commercial pet food products have been
in the spotlight because of recalls due to less-than-par ingredients
that caused several cats to fall ill. Ingredients in commercial cat
foods can cause allergic reactions and contain meat byproducts, a lot
of grains, additives, fillers and chemical preservatives.
The
natural-care community recommends feeding cats natural, whole foods
that are mostly made up of human-grade meat products. They argue this
is the only way a pet owner will really know exactly what a cat is
eating. A holistic diet can help boost and maintain a cat's immune
system and overall health, reduce the occurrence of food allergies and
provide the foods a cat would eat in the wild.
The Holistic Approach to Feline Healing
As holistic cat care is often used to compliment traditional
veterinary care, there are several remedies and therapies that can be
used along with traditional methods to help a cat recover from an
illness. In the holistic care community, a cat's symptoms aren't looked
at in a negative light. Instead, they are seen as helpful clues that
help a veterinarian decide the best route to take on the road to a
cat's healing.
Contrary to traditional healing methods to
suppress, control, or eliminate symptoms a cat may be experiencing, the
holistic approach focuses on the cat as a whole and targets the
underlying disease. The alternative veterinary community poses the
argument that suppressing symptoms isn't the same as curing a cat from
his ailment. Holistic health care will compliment the therapies a cat
is prescribed, to assist with the goal of healing.
Holistic
health care for cats can provide complimentary therapies to help ensure
a feline's health. If you're interested in seeking this type of care
for your pet, ask your veterinarian about whom he would recommend.