Better Understand Your Feline Friend With These Tips

A cat can be powerful, beautiful and extremely bright, compared to other domestic pets. A new pet could be a great addition to your household but keep in mind that a cat is also a responsibility. Learning to live indoors with these animals is a new challenge entirely. Cats can be stubborn and sometimes require more sophisticated tactics to manage them.

Groom your cat. Cats should have regular combings. If you brush cats on a regular basis, it will keep their coats clean and attractive. Having a clean fur coat helps reduce the amount of hairballs that get spit up around the house. A well groomed cat, then, is a happy and healthy cat.

Cats need a certain amount of grooming to stay healthy and presentable. A cat’s fur must be brushed or combed on a regular basis. If yu do this quite often, it will help them stay clean. It can cut down on shedding and spitting up hairballs, too. If you groom your cat with care, both your pet and your home will look their best.

If your cat is an outdoor cat, then you should ensure it wears a tag collar. Cats can get lost, and they need a tag to be found. The tag should contain at least the cat’s name and your contact information.

You should always bring your cat to a vet to make sure everything is okay. The vet will be able to provide your cat with needed vaccinations and any medications it requires. Veterinarians also keep tabs on your cat’s overall health and diagnose any problems they find. Try to stay with the same veterinarian throughout your pet’s life. They will understand your cat and its issues better this way.

Get a microchip for your cat. Even an indoor cat may find a way out of your home. A collar with tags increases your chances of getting your cat back if it gets lost but it can also be a risk, for instance if it gets snagged in some branches. Microchips are as tiny as a piece of rice and will tell people where the cat belongs. Nearly every vet and shelter owns a scanner which can read a microchip, and since they’re implanted, there isn’t a risk of the chip falling out or getting lost.

If you have an old cat, you can help make its bed more comfortable by placing heated tiles underneath it. Heat a fabric covered heating pad in the microwave for a couple of minutes, making sure that is not too hot to the touch. Wrap it tightly in a towel and place it under the cat bed. Change it out every few hours if you feel the need.

Put the litter box in an ideal location. It shouldn’t be put in an area with high traffic and should be far from their food. Allow for adequate ventilation to dispel any odors. This will keep both you and your cat happy.

Prevent your cat from chewing on electrical cords by spraying bitter apple on them. Cats who love to chew need to be kept away from cords. Hide those loose cords and keep them out of sight in no longer needed paper towel rolls. If you have rarely used electronics, put them up when you aren’t using them.

Create a tablecloth that your cats can use. Cats often like to remove food from their bowl to eat it off to the side. That can mean a bigger mess for you to clean. The best thing for you to do is to have a place mat underneath the cat’s bowl.

It can be tricky to keep a cat off the kitchen counters. They love to be able to look around from up high. One way to combat this behavior is to proved your cat with an elevated place it is okay to climb on. If you don’t want your cats to jump on your counters, you can put a cat condo in or around the kitchen.

If you’re getting a kitten for your children, discuss this with them before bringing the cat home. Tell your kids which rooms the cat is allowed in. If you want your cat to stay indoors, then the children must understand the seriousness of never letting it out. Establishing these boundaries ahead of time prevents any confusion.

Microchip your cat. You may not have had trouble with your cat getting loose previously, but it can happen at any time by accident. A tagged collar might help get kitty home, but it can just as easily come off if snagged on a branch. Microchips are very small, approximately as large as a single grain of rice. Although they are small, they can hold your entire contact information. Nearly all veterinarians and shelters now have scanners capable of reading the information on these chips, and since they are under the skin, there is no chance of the chip getting lost.

Don’t leave a kitten with small kids. A child under five should not be left alone with a pet. They’re not really mature enough to know how dangerous a kitten can be. As your child matures, carefully consider whether a small pet is safe with them.

Cats spend a ton of time grooming themselves. In long-haired cats, hairballs can result from excess grooming. There is a special food on the market that does help out with hairball issues. Certain cat foods are made just for decreasing hairballs, benefiting both your cat and yourself.

Train your cat to tolerate a pet carrier. Cats don’t react to punishment like dogs do. Cats are better trained by using patient encouragement. You should place a toy or a blanket inside the carrier and place it in an area where it will be noticed by your cat. The cat will eventually get into it and feel comfy. A cat who is used to a carrier will not mind traveling, meaning it will be a much less stressful experience for them.

Cats are great pets, but little ones may not understand that they are fragile. Make sure your child knows how to treat a cat. Spend some time showing them how to lift a cat and how they can interact with the cat. Because cats are more delicate than dogs, they need to be handled more carefully.

Although you might find its appearance unappealing, don’t toss a scratching post when it’s getting particular worn and frazzled. When it is in this condition, cats tend to like it the most. If you throw it away too soon, that cat may look to your furniture for some clawing while it slowly breaks in a new scratching post.

Make a tablecloth for your cats. Some cats prefer removing their food from the bowl and eating it on the side. If this happens, you’ll have to clear away any excess food that’s left outside. Simply place a cloth placemat that will grab at the food under their plate and then shaken out over the trash. You can put a vinyl one underneath that can be picked up wiped down easily if you prefer.

Feed canned food to your cat. Dry food is less expensive, but canned food provides more benefits. Your cat can get more water, fat and protein from canned food. Aging cats find it makes it much easier to chew. Your vet can give you more information specific to your cat, though canned food is usually better.

Happy dogs wag their tail. While cats are also prone to tail wagging, they do it for very different reasons. Tail-wagging in cats tends to suggest conflict or anxiety. It’s especially important to keep an eye on your cat’s tail when you’re holding it. If you see it start to move, it’s time to put your pet down before you wind up getting scratched!

You want your cat to be wearing a collar with ID tags on a full-time basis. Even an indoor pet should have this. An adventurous cat can easily slip through an open door or window. The tag your cat wears should display your number and your veterinarian’s information. Include your cat’s special diet or medical needs on his identification.

There are some thing that you eat that may not be good for your cat. A few unhealthy food items for cats are green tomatoes, grapes, garlic and onions. They can really hurt a cat if ingested. Too much milk can also be a bad thing for a grown cat.

Are you getting overwhelmed with all the cat hair in your home? Since cats shed so much, they need to be frequently brushed. If your cat is shedding a lot, you should brush them more frequently. This keeps the coat from matting, too.

Eventually, you’ll get the hang of outsmarting your cat. After awhile they will realize what limits have been placed upon them. Though cats may not be as easily trainable as dogs, most accept training and are good pets that can behave.

Never use chemicals that have phenol in it near your cat. This chemical is usually in Pine-sol, Lysol, and other house cleaners. The smell of the chemical isn’t pleasant for your cat and prolonged exposure may cause liver problems.