How to Care for a Tabby Cat

The term tabby cat describes a domestic feline that has markings such as stripes, butterfly-wing patterns, dots and swirls on its coat. Tabby cats may be of different breeds or mixed breeds, and they come in colors such as silver, brown or gray. Regardless of the breed or color, a tabby cat has basic health, nutritional, grooming and exercise requirements.

Things You'll Need

  • Quality food and treats
  • Toys
  • Scratching post
  • Soft brush
  • Guillotine type clipper, a scissors cut, or human fingernail clipper
  • Pet toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Chew treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take your cat to be vaccinated. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends the core vaccines: rabies, feline panleukopenia, feline viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus infection, as well as non-core vaccines such as feline leukemia, depending on the cat's predisposition to genetic diseases or other risks it may be exposed to.

    • 2

      Consult your veterinarian to determine the dietary needs of the cat, which will depend on its age, breed and gender. However, felines are carnivores, and they need a diet high in proteins and fat. Reward your pet with treats, but limit the number of treats per day to prevent your cat from becoming overweight.

    • 3

      Provide fresh water for your cat, so it stays hydrated. Increase the amount of water if you feed your cat dry food.

    • 4

      Play with your cat regularly to prevent it from becoming obese. Provide your cat with toys, and ensure you change these often because felines may get bored easily, and boredom leads to behavioral problems.

    • 5

      Provide a scratching post for your cat, and encourage its use.

    • 6

      Brush and pet regularly to remove dead hairs, even if your cat grooms itself. Brushing prevents the ingestion of hair and the formation of hairballs in the cat's stomach and other respiratory issues associated with hairballs. If your cat doesn't tolerate brushing, wet your hands and pet the cat; the dead hairs will stick to your fingers. When brushing or petting your cat, check for any skin lesions, lumps or wounds.

    • 7

      Trim your pet's nails using a guillotine-type clipper, a scissors cut and a standard human fingernail clipper. Hold your cat in your lap, and gently squeeze each toe so the claws are exposed. Clip each nail, just above the quick, to prevent bleeding.

    • 8

      Brush your pet's teeth with a children's toothbrush and pet toothpaste to prevent periodontal disease. Many cats won't like if you touch their mouth so if you can't manage brushing the teeth, provide chew treats that scrape off tartar, and visit the veterinarian for professional cleaning, which is performed under anesthesia.