Health and Wellness

The Abyssinian is a very healthy and active feline. The average life of an aby can be anywhere from their mid-teens into their twenties. Our philosophy is that any cat should be considered an “indoor” cat and never left unattended outside. An occasionally walk on an appropriate lead (you know abys are considered the cat of the dog world) will give you and your aby a fun and exciting outing.

Regular visits to the veterinarian are extremely important through out your aby’s life. We will suggest to you the appropriate vaccine protocol and ask that you find a progressive veterinarian to meet those specific protocols.

A kidney disorder, Renal Amyloidosis, in which proteins are distributed within the kidney, may lead to chronic kidney illness has been seen in Abyssinians. However this disease is not limited to the Abyssinian breed, as it has been seen in other purebred cats. Most cases of chronic kidney failure are idiopathic—meaning that they have no specific cause. Older cats tend to develop the disease because there is a normal decline in kidney function with aging. It is our belief that cats believed to have a genetic predisposition to developing kidney disease should not be bred and therefore we take every precaution to make sure that R.A. is not established in our gene pools.

Dental disease is common in purebred as well as domestic felines. In fact, dental problems are the most common disease that is seen in cats, and many dental problems are painful.

Daily or if necessary weekly tooth brushing is the best thing you can do at home to promote good oral hygiene. Plaque bacteria can colonize on teeth in 24 to 36 hours. This means that within just a few days following the brushing of your cat’s teeth, the teeth are already starting to accumulate the plaque bacteria that cause periodontal disease.

There are several commercial diets that have been shown to significantly reduce plaque and tartar when fed compared to "regular" dry food diets. With the incidence of periodontal disease so high, there are few reasons why anyone would not want to provide a diet that promotes good periodontal health. Oral rinses, sprays and other such products also have a role in homecare.

We suggest buying kitten/cat food that contains only fresh, natural, wholesome ingredients from each of the five major food groups - providing a balanced, nutritious and varietal diet for your aby.

There are many excellent cat food products that offer foods for your aby that are prepared with a wide variety of healthful ingredients from each of the five basic food groups: fresh lean meats, wholesome fruits and vegetables, natural grains, vitamin-rich potatoes, milk and cottage cheese.

Variety is the key to meeting your aby’s many nutritional needs. Today’s holistic pet foods offer a healthy mix of nutritious ingredients, which assures a balanced and enjoyable meal every time.

We offer our abys a variety of dry as well as wet foods. We use excellent food products such as Wellness, Wysong, Innova, Felidae, California Natural, Steve’s Freeze Dried to name a few. At the time of your departure with your new aby kitten you will be give a detailed list as to the foods that they are currently eating as well as an eating schedule to follow.

Questions or comments? Send us an E-mail at magikalabys@comcast.net