Cats Will No Longer Be Confusing To You With These Tips

Cats have been a friend to humans for thousands of years. They’ve been the focus of books, TV shows and even theater plays. It’s easy to understand why they feel that they’re in charge. This article is packed with tips and tricks to improve your relationship with your cat.

Cats like to get into all sorts of small spaces. If they are wearing a collar this can pose a safety risk, in the event that your cat gets stuck. A breakaway collar let’s go if pulled on tightly. This will allow your cat to live another day if it gets tangled up.

A heated tile for underneath your cat’s bed can provide real comfort. Bake a one-foot tile made from terra cotta in the oven at 200 degrees F for around 15 to 20 minutes. Put it inside an old towel, then place it beneath the cat’s bed. If necessary, you can change out the tile after a few hours to provide continued warmth.

When your female cat is old enough, it’s vital to get her spayed. If an indoor cat gets out, you may soon have kittens. If you want to prevent this, spay your cat.

Female cats need to be spayed as soon as they reach the proper age. Even if she spends her time indoors, it is possible for her to escape while in heat, causing an unwanted pregnancy. You can prevent this by spaying or neutering your cat.

Cats are frequently nocturnal in their habits. Thus, the bulk of their activity will occur at night. Close the door to prevent the noise from getting to you. You can keep them from bothering you at night and getting your feet while you’re under covers.

Don’t let your cat’s days pass without stimulation and excitement! Your cat needs plenty of exercise. Sadly, many cat owners do not understand the importance of this. A bored cat runs the risk of developing depression and obsessive compulsive disorders that may harm them or something in your home. Give them lots of space for exercise and plenty of toys they can play with. If they’re inside kitties, get them a post or something else that they can scratch and climb.

It is likely that your feline friend enjoys grooming his fur. Your cat can get hairballs in the event that their hair is too long. To fix this problem, you can try buying a new food. Certain cat foods are formulated to lower the amount of hairballs.

Place a “tablecloth” under your cat’s food bowl. Cats often like to remove food from their bowl to eat it off to the side. If this happens, you’ll have to clear away any excess food that’s left outside. Put a placemat under the bowl, or even some fabric so cleaning up is a snap.

Avoid the chance that your male cat will develop crystals in his system that will come out in his urine by feeding a high quality diet. Passing crystals is very painful for your cat, and the vet’s bill will be painful for you. Your cat’s food should be low in magnesium. Read the label on any food you choose. Fish usually has more magnesium than poultry.

Don’t leave a kitten with small kids. This is especially true if your child is less than five years old. Kids of this age aren’t old enough to know how dangerous a cat can be. Wait until your child gets older, and pay close attention to whether or not they’re mature enough to hold or handle a tiny pet.

Be sure you think about your cat’s ears when traveling. You and your cat probably have different ideas about the ideal volume for the car stereo, for instance: Remember that your cat’s hearing is more sensitive than yours. To ensure your cat’s trip is pleasant, turn off the music or keep the volume low.

Cats have a love affair with heights. Allow them the space they need to feel safe while checking their world out. If you’re averse to cat trees for some reason, a shelf without breakable items will work. Install a small bed for your cat or a comfortable blanket.

Put your cat’s food on a tablecloth. Cats sometimes like to eat food outside of their bowl. 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.

Cat Owners

Do all you can to figure out what’s causing your cat to meow. After you have lived with your cat for a while, you will come to know what she wants by her meow. They may want outside or may be hungry. You’ll learn her cues quickly.

You can tap fellow cat owners for advice if you’re having problems with your pet. You can often get great advice from friends and family. The Internet will allow you to contact many forums and online communities for cat owners. Don’t forget, your vet’s office can also provide sound advice.

Do you own both a dog and a cat? That dog will really love stalking (and eating) that cat food. Because of this, you should make the place that your cat food is in higher up so that the dog cannot reach it. Doing this will also help you avoid fights over the water bowl.

Do not attempt to teach your cat how to use the litter box. Using the litter box will come naturally to your cat. Don’t force your cat into the box or you will traumatize them.

Seek the advice of others if you have a cat that’s giving you problems. It is possible to work out the problem yourself, but help from others can be invaluable. There are many online cat forums that you can visit and ask some questions. If necessary, you may need to call your veterinarian.

Brush your cat daily. Brushing spreads natural oils through the fur and also stimulates circulation. It is also a good way to reduce shedding. This helps keep those hairballs from building up in your cat’s stomach.

Consider getting your cat a fountain to drink from. Cats out in the wild like to drink from running water, so they would like that at home too. Cats seem to like a water stream better. Really, there are many cats that would much prefer to drink from a running sink faucet as opposed to their own bowl. A fountain will allow your cat to drink like he or she is in the wild.

To help avoid a finicky cat, feed your cat different brands of cat food. Cats who eat the same food day after day either grow tired of it, or it becomes the only food that they will eat.

Use canned food for your cat. Dry foods are cheaper but canned foods are richer in vitamins and nutrients. Your cat will get more water and more vitamins and protein. For older cats, canned food chew easier. Your vet can give you more information specific to your cat, though canned food is usually better.

Don’t toss an older scratching post just because it looks worn. This is the condition that cats like the most. If you throw it away and replace it too quickly with a new one, they may shun the new one and go after your carpet and furniture.

Ensure your cat is collared and wears an identification tag. This is essential, even for indoor pets. Cats are curious by nature, and an open window or door invites exploration. Tags that have your vet’s name and phone number are good things to put on the collar. This is very critical if your feline has specific medical issues.

If you plan to add a second cat to your household, be sure to allow two to three weeks for your resident cat and the new cat to get used to each other. They may fight with each other initially. If you give them enough time though, chances are good they will befriend each other and enjoy the extra company.

Be aware of your cat stopping their litter box usage. Your cat might have a hard time using the litter box because of a health condition. This is especially true if the cat has kidney or bladder problems. Ask your vet if your cat begins missing the litter box.

Think about the extra work before buying a long-haired cat. Shedding is a major issue that you will have to face. Don’t adopt a cat with long fur unless you’re sure you can handle the extra cleaning. Be prepared to deal with hairballs, which are a problem for long-haired cats.

When your cat is close to giving birth, provide a spacious area for her. It can take as much as about 4 hours for all the kittens to be born after labor starts. You should take your cat to the vet if deliveries lasts for more than five or six hours.

Litter Box

If your cat has frequent hairballs, and extra brushing hasn’t helped, here are some other tips that may help. Mix some pumpkin into your cat’s food. Add in an extra spoonful of water if the mixture is too thick. Your hairball concerns can also be addressed with specially-formulated cat food. Many blends include extra fiber to prevent hairball formation.

Think carefully about where you put the litter box for your cat. You may really want to hide that box from everyday life. However, the litter box must be kept in a location that is easily accessible for your pet. Cats are finicky, so you must provide an environment that is not inconvenient or off-putting to the animal. If the box is placed on a cold floor, place a mat under it.

Dry food is a good choice for your cat. Kittens need wet food since they have tiny teeth. Once they grow up though, dry, harder food will strengthen their teeth and keep them clean. If you have a picky eater, you might want to try blending wet food with dry food.

Cats tend to think that they are the ruler of everything. Bu, if you make the most of these tips, you should be able to get your cat to understand who really owns the house. People enjoy cats because they’re great as pets, and you can use the above advice to make sure you’re giving your pet a great life.

Make sure your cat is treated with flea and tick medicine. Some treatments can protect your cat for months. These particular medications will help prevent harmful ticks and fleas from leeching onto your pet, which can cause many illnesses. Be sure that any treatment you purchase is designed to be used on cats so that it will help your pet, not harm it.