Holistic Care for Cats

Holistic medicine, with its emphasis on natural remedies and noninvasive treatments, is attractive to many people, and some are drawn to it not only for themselves, but for their cats. If you are interested in holistic medicine, you might like to know that holistic veterinarians offer treatments for your feline, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, Bach flower essences, Reiki and homeopathy. If you are interested in exploring holistic treatments for your cat, however, you should first discuss it with your veterinarian.

  1. Principles of Holistic Medicine

    • Holistic medicine strives to see the patient--in this case your cat--as a whole, unique entity, and not just a collection of symptoms or diseases. A holistic veterinarian will take into account interconnected factors such as nutritional and environmental issues, the owner's lifestyle, emotional and physical stress and the cat's past background and experiences. The emphasis in holistic medicine is on using natural, gentle treatments to bring your cat back into a state of balance, and in finding ways to stimulate her immune system to help her heal herself.

    Holistic Feline Diets

    • A good way to begin exploring holistic care would be to make simple dietary changes, and see how your cat responds. Holistic diets for cats emphasize using meat proteins--rather than corn--as a primary ingredient, and focus on providing sufficient amino acids such as taurine, as well as probiotic and digestive enzymes and omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Some owners who strive to feed their cats a holistic diet go even farther, and grind their own raw meat, eggs and vegetables for their cats, supplemented by prey food such as chunks of mice, rabbits and pheasants.

    Holistic Herbal Remedies

    • Herbs used by a holistic vet might include a tea made from Eyebright for your cat's irritated eyes, or Goldenseal extract mixed with dissolved sea salt and water to make a holistic feline eyewash. To address itching from fleas, he may prescribe brewer's yeast, and an herbal flea dip with peppermint, pennyroyal and rosemary. For patches of dry, itchy skin he might recommend tea tree oil; for infections, aloe, a natural antiseptic. If your cat is anxious, he may use valerian root or chamomile for their mildly sedating properties. For an aggressive cat, he might use calming herbs and Bach flower essences, in conjunction with behavioral modification. To avoid the stress on cats caused by clinic visits, your holistic veterinarian will often make a house call.

    Precautions

    • Check with your vet before starting your cat on any regimen of herbal or vitamin supplements, and never stop or reduce your cat's dosage of prescription medications, even if she seems to feel better, unless your vet tells you to. Holistic medicine is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical veterinary care.