After your cat has been neutered or spayed, his/her metabolism will slow down so it is important to switch to adult cat food. Russian Blue cats have long, elegant bodies and are not intended to be pudgy. Watch your cat carefully to be sure that he/she does not become overweight as this leads to serious health problems that will be life threatening. Talk to your vet about switching to another formula if looks like your cat is beginning to look chunky; we have found Science Diet's Adult Light formula to be a favorite with our cats.

You cannot change a cat's water too often, once a day is a necessity. They love flowing water and we have found that Drinkwell Pet Fountain is their top choice by far. A cat cannot drink too much water and if he does, up it comes! Don't give your cat milk as they are lactose intolerant after kittenhood.

Treats and Health

It is estimated that over 80% of all felines carry the feline herpesvirus.  This virus tends to kick in when cats are stressed with symptoms being runny eyes, runny nose and sneezing.

Lysine for cats (special formulation - do not use the stuff for people) has been shown to combat a feline herpesvirus outbreak.  It actually interferes with the reproduction of the virus.

A UCLA study indicates that two daily 250 mg doses of Lysine will stave off these outbreaks in cats.  It offers other health benefits as well so overall, this is a supplement you will want to give to your cat over his/her lifetime.

Two forms of Lysine are most popular in the Mishablu Cattery.  The first is the Enisyl-F Lysine paste available in a 100 ml pump.  The consistency is somewhere between a paste and a gel and some cats love it while some don't. Each push of the pump delivers an exact dose of 250 mg to feed to your cat.  This pump is available in most online pet sites - just Google or Bing the name to find a site.  Generally, this pump costs around $19.99 and should last two months for one cat.

The second alternative is a new treat by Vetri-Science called Vetri-Lysine Plus - Soft. You can buy them on the Entirely Pets website and they will probably become more widely available soon.  You only need to feed four treats a day to get the 250 mg of Lysine in your cat.  These treats were much preferred over the Enisyl treats which require that 10 treats a day be fed.  One tip though for those delicate eaters - I have found that cutting these soft chews in half makes them easier to eat.  Vetri-Lysine treats cost $13.99 for approximately 120 treats.

Cat Litter and Litter Boxes

Mishablu kittens use unscented clay litter at first as the little ones have a habit of snacking on their litter.  Once they get beyond this stage, we switch them to Tidy Cat scoopable litter, but any scoopable variety of this brand will do. You may or may not experience problems with your cat if you switch him/her to clay-based litter. Mishablu cats will choose scoopable litter over clay-based litter any day. We suspect it is because the scoopable is finer (more like sand) and therefore feels better on their feet.

As for litter boxes, easily the best one available for the money is at WalMart or Target for around $13.89.  It's grey, covered and roomy enough for any cat.  The only automatic litter box that works (see image above) - and it really does - is the Litter-Robot at www.litter-robot.com.  It costs a whopping $299 but it has been worth every penny.  Our cats love using it and it looks very space age too.

Feline Maintenance

Be sure to clip your cat's claws every two weeks and gently clean his/her ears with cotton or Q Tips (don't go deep into the ear, just clean the visible parts.) That is all the maintenance a Russian Blue needs unless you wish to brush his/her teeth which will improve their dental health now and in their later years.

Take your Russian Blue to the vet for a checkup once a year. If you see that he/she is eating less, drinking more or is not interacting with you as usual; get your cat to the vet immediately. It is very, very hard to tell when a cat is ill as they hide it well.

Scratching Posts

Mishablu cats has been encouraged to use a sisal-wrapped scratching post so it is important to have at least one within easy access.  Some cats prefer to “floor scratch” as opposed to scratch a post.  Observe their natural inclination and get the appropriate type of scratching pad or post. You cannot have too many scratching pads or posts.

Napping

Cats love to be high off the ground so a cat tree is a good addition to your cat's environment. Make sure that the different levels allow for napping and are not slanted. Finding a cat tree with sisal wrapped around the post means it can function as scratching post, jungle jim and napping place.

Sleeping is particularly important for a younger cat as all growth occurs while they are asleep. Make sure your cat has a quiet place where he/she feels safe and adequate undisturbed sleep time. A full grown cat sleeps 16 hours a day and a kitten needs more sleep than that.

Favorite Toys

Play time is critical for any cat. They will actually decline in health if they do not get some play time every day. You cannot have too many cat toys or play too often with your cat. The number one toy at Mishablu Cattery is "Da Bird" by far. This is the safest feather on a string toy available, although we do not leave ours laying around in case a cat gets wrapped up in the string. Some Petsmart stores carry these toys and they are usually available in the smaller, independent pet stores. You can also order them online. Just Google "Da Bird" on the internet.

The number two toy is any stuffed mouse with real feathers for a tail or anything made of rabbit fur. We also use Glitter Pom Poms (you can find them in bags at WalMart or Michaels in the crafts section.) We usually use the 1" pom poms but don't leave small kittens alone with them. Older cats seem to do fine and enjoy playing soccer with them.

An Affordable Cat Crate

When you travel with your cat(s), as I do frequently, it is not a good idea to let them out to wander in your hotel room.  Anyone who shows cats has heard hundreds of horror stories about cats climbing into hotel walls through a barely visible hole, getting stuck under beds in the mattress and nibbling on pest control stuff.  There is a very affordable nylon carrier that will be big enough for litter box, food and water and an area to play in.  These are available at Walmart and Target and they fold down absolutely flat and are very light.  The Medium or Large sizes are the ones I would recommend.  The medium size is around $24 and is called a Sport Pet Dog Kennel.