Natural Cat Care & Holistic Alternatives

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Hercules bengal cat
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » Natural Cat Care & Holistic Alternatives

Our pets really do feel like family members—that’s why we make homemade cat treats. Our Bengal cat Hercules loves them. Still, even when I give him the treats, he highly favors our daughter and is truly her cat. They’re best buds! 

In addition to feeding our cats healthy food, we’ve tried to be conscious cat parents in other decisions we make. Our biggest health care goal is to prevent our beloved pet’s suffering. I try to keep all our pets out of the veterinary clinic (and I know accessibility is an issue for people in rural areas.) 

Over the years, I’ve learned some holistic and natural cat care tips you might want to explore for your feline friend. 

Preventative Natural Cat Care 

Just as I try to prevent health issues in the first place with my family, we’re trying to practice preventative pet care. A bonus is that it’s cheaper to prevent something than it is to treat it.

Just like regular veterinary care and wellness exams, here are some holistic cat needs to consider: 

Healthy Food 

Cats are carnivores and need animal protein to thrive. Consider what cats eat in the wild when looking for cat food. You want a meat-based product. 

Depending on your cat’s individual health, talk to your vet about what might be best for them. If you choose to make your own cat food, be sure to tell your vet so they can ensure your cat is still getting all the necessary nutrients. 

I prefer to buy premade cat food for the sake of convenience. In the past, some of our cats have been finicky eaters, so we’ve had to try different flavors and products before we found one they loved. 

I trust Thrive Market’s values for both human and pet food. See their options for both wet and dry cat foods here

As always, go slow with any change to your cat’s diet. Try a couple of bites of new food the first time and then serve half new food, half old food for a few days before fully transitioning to the new product. 

Hygiene 

While cats require less maintenance than dogs, there are still things we need to do to help our cats stay healthy. 

Be sure to brush your cat’s hair regularly to help prevent hairballs and digestive upset. I recommend a wooden set like this. Some cats even enjoy being vacuumed gently. 

Consider where you can make non-toxic swaps for the cat products you are already using. 

Bathe your cat every 4-6 weeks. You may want to bathe them more frequently if they’ve gotten dirty or been exposed to fleas or chemicals. We love to use unscented castile soap to wash our cats. 

Cat Toothpaste 

Unfortunately, you can’t use your own natural toothpaste on your cat. There are a few ingredients that aren’t safe for them: 

  • Sweeteners – You don’t want to give your cat xylitol or stevia.
  • Essential oils –  Most aren’t safe for cats.
  • Fluoride – Cats can’t break it down. 

Instead, you’ll want to find natural cat toothpaste. Some folks will just use coconut oil to brush their cat’s teeth because they don’t fight it as much. It may be a better alternative for feline dental care. If you have a non-toxic cat toothpaste brand your cat loves, please comment and let me know.

Toys 

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I have worked hard to eliminate plastic from our lives as much as I can. 

You’d be surprised at how many cat toys contain synthetic fibers. Because cats bite their toys, they’re ingesting those fibers. I look for 100% cotton (and organic if I can find it) and avoid plastic pieces. 

Our cats have stolen our kids’ toys from time to time. It got me thinking that I could just use many of the younger kid toys for our cats since I know they are safe. Learn more about the safest kid toys I recommend that you can also use for your cat. 

Natural Litter 

We don’t want to expose our cats to toxic chemicals every time they need to go to the bathroom or have them track toxins around the house. I try to avoid artificial fragrances because they can be endocrine disruptors.

At the same time, you need a litter that does the job. Here are the natural cat litter brands I recommend because they’re non-toxic and biodegradable: 

Feline Pine 

Made from 100% pine, this one has the strongest odor. The wood is very absorbent. Be sure to get the non-clumping product because the clumping one has mineral oil, which I don’t recommend because it’s made from petroleum. 

Sustainably Yours 

Made from corn and cassava, this cat litter helps absorb odors. Although I like the natural tree scent above, this is my recommendation if you have allergies to any of those scents, like pine. 

Just like with food, you’ll want to transition your cat gently to a new litter. The first time you use it, pour 1-2 inches of the new litter on the bottom and put your old litter on top. Let your cat mix it themselves for a couple of days before completely switching over to your new non-toxic one. 

If your cat starts going outside of the box, they may need more time to get acclimated. Go back to using the new litter on the bottom and slowly reduce the amount of old litter for the top layer. 

Alternative Cat Care 

Cat owners want the best care for their feline friends. Thankfully, veterinary medicine has made some incredible advances in holistic remedies. Even though most of these don’t have double-blind or long-term studies, I’d feel comfortable using these natural cat care options under the supervision of an experienced veterinary professional. 

Chiropractic 

Just like humans, cats may benefit from chiropractic adjustments. Both veterinarians and human chiropractors can have certifications in animal chiropractic. 

If your local veterinary hospital doesn’t offer it, search by location on the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) or the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA). You may find you like that specialist for wellness care and do it all in one place. 

Acupuncture 

Traditional Chinese medicine asserts that their methods also work on cats. Anecdotal evidence reports that cats respond well to acupuncture for a variety of issues. As always, only use a licensed veterinarian for this. 

Holistic Supplements for Cats 

In addition to a healthy diet, supplements can help our furry friend’s health and well-being. Here are some feline medicine and natural cat care options to discuss with your vet. 

Homeopathy 

Even though we don’t have hard science on the efficacy of homeopathic remedies, I still think they are gentle enough to use on pets and kids. I often try them when treating issues at home. 

There’s nothing to lose in trying these homeopathic remedies for minor ailments or when other treatments fail. Learn more about the research on homeopathy here. 

Flower Essences

Most commonly used for stress and anxiety, these plant extracts may help soothe your cat’s nervous system. They are less potent than essential oils. 

I’d strongly consider finding a veterinarian who is familiar with flower essences to help with any other issues beyond stress and anxiety. 

CBD for Cats 

CBD has exploded in popularity for both humans and pets. I recently dug into the research for the best CBD oil for dogs

CBD may also help cats with joint problems and anxiety. I recommend cbdFX for cat CBD

Coconut Oil 

Our late cat Penelope went crazy for coconut oil. She’d steal it right off our plates. 

Coconut oil may mimic the healthy fats cats get in the wild. Learn more about the health benefits of coconut oil for pets here

Catnip

All of our cats have gone crazy for this stuff, and it can be really stimulating. Just beware of any fillers in products you buy.

If you have given your cat a toy with catnip, you may notice they become more affectionate, relaxed, and happy. Other cats will display active behaviors, such as playfulness or sometimes even aggression.

Catnip effects will vary in length, depending on the cat and their age. Usually, the behaviors associated with smelling catnip will last for around 10 minutes and then wear off gradually.

Interestingly, catnip is actually nutritious and safe for kids, so I buy it in bulk here.

Learn more about its health benefits in this post.

Chamomile 

This gentle herb is safe for delicate areas. For example, you can dip a cotton swab in freshly brewed but cooled chamomile flower tea to wipe your cat’s eyes gently. It may help soothe irritation due to its health benefits. Still, consult with your vet to review their symptoms and find the root cause. 

Are Essential Oils Safe for Cats?

Be extremely careful when using essential oils on your cat because you could unintentionally poison them. 

According to Pet Poison Helpline, the following oils are the most dangerous for cats: “wintergreen, oil of sweet birch, citrus oil (d-limonene), pine oils, Ylang Ylang oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, pennyroyal oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil. Symptoms that develop depend on the type of oil involved in the exposure and can include drooling, vomiting, tremors, ataxia (wobbliness), respiratory distress, low heart rate, low body temperature, and liver failure.” 

Cats don’t have an essential enzyme to process and expel essential oils from their bodies properly. For this reason, many vets recommend not using essential oils with cats.

As mentioned above, don’t use human toothpaste on your cat since many of the natural ones include essential oils. 

One of the few times I’d be comfortable using essential oils on my cat is to combat fleas. Depending on your cat’s health, cedarwood may be one safe option. I hope you never have to deal with fleas, but here are some natural remedies if you do. 

More Resources on Natural Cat Care 

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Amanda Bradbery, Ph.D. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your pet’s vetrinarian.

What natural cat care strategies do you use? What have you done to take good care of your cats? 

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

10 responses to “Natural Cat Care & Holistic Alternatives”

  1. Arch Boston Avatar
    Arch Boston

    Our cat is scooting on the floor. He eats canned food and a bit of dry to help clean his teeth. He is an indoor cat—- never outside. Suggestion for the scooting?

  2. Nancy Avatar

    For natural, odorless cat litter – and inexpensive – I am trying wood pellets, sometimes sold for pellet burning stoves and others for animal bedding. They work well so far. Opposite from clumping litter, the pellets fall apart when they get wet.

    Regarding teeth brushing, do you use a human toothbrush or one of those silicone finger ones that look like a thimble?

  3. Nancy Avatar

    For natural – and inexpensive – cat litter, I am trying wood pellets, sometimes sold for pellet burning stoves and others for animal bedding. They have no fragrance and work very well so far. They work in a way opposite to clumping litter – the pellets turn into sawdust when wet.

  4. Kat D Avatar

    Feline pine did not have a strong smell before Arm & Hammer bought it. I believe they add fragrance. Because of that I had to quit using it. Sawdust doesnt have that strong of a smell, not even cutting down fresh trees.

  5. michelle Avatar
    michelle

    I could (and maybe should!) write a book about feeding & caring for cats holistically & naturally. I’m a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and I am a former breeder of purebred Siberians. I have 5 beautiful Siberians of my own now, as well as a DSH rescue I saved as a wee kitten. I DIY homemade balanced raw as well as buy some premade balanced raw food….that is about 90% of my cats’ diet and the other 10% is grain & legume-free wet canned food. No dry food, ever. I’ve also successfully defeated a flea infestation with natural methods, as well as ear mites in all my cats after I took in a rescue who had ear mites. There are natural remedies that work for these things and work EXTREMELY WELL, but I pretty much had to piece together information from multiple sources due to the overall lack of natural remedies, especially for cats. I also use floral essences & homeopathy on my sweet kitties with great results. It’s nice to see someone else post about this topic! =)

  6. Charles Huss Avatar
    Charles Huss

    We never bathe our cats or brush their teeth. Those are two things that they hate and if we tried, I am sure that our cats would run the other way as soon as we got near them. As far as bathing, they keep themselves pretty clean. Teeth and gum care are another story and brushing may be beneficial but not worth the downside, at least with my cats. Especially our Siamese cat who struggles fiercely with everything we try to do, such as nail trimming. I have read the best dental care would be to allow them to chew on raw bones, but, of course, that is not realistic for house cats that have been conditioned to eat human-made food and have become very dainty eaters that like their meat cut up in tiny pieces. I feed my cats a combination of raw, homemade food, canned food, high-quality dry food, and Stella and freeze-dried raw food for treats. So far, after more than twenty years, I have had only one cat that needed teeth pulled.

  7. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    What is the medical basis for your recommendation to bathe a cat every 4-6 weeks? Every true cat expert I’ve read or spoken to strongly discourages bathing a cat unless there is a clear need. It is standard advice by professionals to avoid bathing a cat whenever possible. Not only is it a stressful event for the cat, it dries out their skin.

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