Cats are amazing animals and some of the most interesting domesticated friends humans can have. There’s a reason so many families choose to welcome cats, and that cats are present in great numbers in virtually every human community. It can pose quite the challenge and be difficult at first when they are brought indoors. These smart, agile, powerful creatures can be a little hardheaded and require advanced tactics.
When looking for a new cat for your home, contact a local animal shelter. Shelters all over the country are crowded with marvelous cats, and most provide veterinarian care with the adoption fee. Adopting a cat this way helps to save their life and cut down on unwanted animal births.
Keep your cat properly groomed. Regular combing and brushing is usually all that is required. Brushing rids your cat’s coat of dirt and helps keep them clean. In addition, it helps decrease shedding, which results in less hairballs. Your cat should be kept groomed so that they look great and you’ll also make your home look good.
Your cat will want to climb into small spaces. A collar can become a liability if your cat is especially adventurous. Collars designed to release when sufficient force is applied (“breakaway” collars) are a great idea. This could help save your cat if it gets caught in a tight spot.
Though things may appear to be fine, you should always schedule regular medical checkups for your feline pet. Cats need to get shots so they don’t get sick and a vet can help you make sure your cat is okay. If you can, stick with one vet for your cat’s entire life. You won’t have to worry that the vet won’t have all of your cat’s medical records.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. It is best to spay your cat, even if you want to keep it as an indoor pet. Spaying the feline is really the optimal way of dealing with this.
If your cat is a female, you’ll want to spay her once she reaches the proper age. You may keep your cat inside, but she could still slip outside and become pregnant. Your best bet is to have your female cat spayed.
If you have an outdoor cat, make sure he is fitted with a tag and collar. Cats sometimes travel a bit when outside, and a tag prevents any mishaps due to your cat being lost. The tag should contain at least the cat’s name and your contact information.
Regular visits to the vet will preserve your cat’s health. They need a check-up and possibly vaccinations. Cats should see a vet right away if any health problems or injuries needing treatment occur.
Never let your cat experience frequent boredom. Cats need play and exercise. Unfortunately, many owners do not realize this important part of ownership. A lack of stimulation can lead to psychological or medical problems for your cat, including depression, compulsive disorders, and chronic misbehavior. Make sure you give them lots of toys and room to play. Be sure your cat has something they can climb and something they can scratch if they stay inside.
Electrical Cords
Cats can have nocturnal tendencies. The result is that they active while you’re sleeping. Try closing the door if your cats are keeping you awake at night. This way, they can’t disturb you while you sleep.
Make sure your cat is out of harms way by putting a little bitter apple on all the electrical cords to avoid them getting shocked. If they like to chew on cords, try covering them as much as you can. You can hide away any cords inside the rolls that come inside paper towels. If you have electrical cords laying out that are not being used, put them away as cats can play with them and then move on to live electrical cords.
Consider all the options before you let your cat be an outdoors cat. This can be very unsafe for your cat. It takes mere minutes for your cats to pick up fleas, be bitten by a tick or something far worse. They can get in a fight or be hit by a car. If the cat must go outside, set aside a small part of the backyard or front lawn as a place where they can go.
Being nocturnal is quite normal for cats. Thus, the bulk of their activity will occur at night. If your cat is keeping you up at night, you should close the door to your bedroom. This will stop them from bothering you at night, and playing with your feet beneath the covers.
Use a brush on your cat regularly. This can help spread their fur’s natural oils around and stimulate blood flow to their skin. It’ll also remove all that loose hair. Brushing eliminates the formation of hairballs which may choke your cat and lead to buildup of excess hair in the abdomen when the cat grooms himself.
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. Feed cats food that’s low in magnesium. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Fish products are usually higher in magnesium.
Never punish the cat if he or she causes a mess outside the litter box. Many times, this is caused by failure to properly clean or place the litter box. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.
Why is your cat meowing? When your cat is a member of the family, their sounds start to become familiar to you. This makes it easy to determine what various meows might mean. Your cat could be hungry or thirsty, or it may want to leave the house. When you understand what each type of behavior indicates, you can improve your relationship.
Feed your cat high-quality cat food. Look at the ingredients and make sure protein like fish, chicken, or beef is near the top. Don’t give your cat foods that have corn or other elements that have no protein. Cats in the wild are meat eaters, and domestic cats need meat to ensure optimum health.
If you are experiencing an issue with your feline friend, seek advice from others. Advice from other people can be very beneficial for you. There are online cat forums that allow you to ask questions as well.
Think carefully about where you put the litter box for your cat. It is temping to put it someplace where the odor will not be noticed. You have to accept the fact that easy access for your cat is the first priority in choosing a spot for the litter box. Cats can be picky, so you should be sure that you put its litter box in a spot that isn’t difficult to access or unpleasant in some other way. If the litter box is on a hard surface, make sure to put something soft underneath it.
Litter Box
Do your best to keep your cat as healthy as possible and take it to the vet regularly. Kittens need proper medical care just like young children, and its best to bring them in every so often for health checks to ensure nothing terrible is going on. You have made your cat a family member, and you have to treat your cat accordingly.
If your cat does not use the litter box, do not use punishments to try to discipline him. If your cat makes a mess, it’s probably because their litter box is not properly cared for. Punishing the cat will only make him afraid to be around you in the future.
Be aware whenever your cat suddenly quits using its litter box. A common sign that a cat has a medical condition is failure to use the bathroom in the litter box. For example, the behavior may be caused by an infection of the kidneys or bladder. Contact your veterinarian if your pet abandons its litter box.
Rotate the variety of food you feed your cat. Cats who eat the same food day after day either grow tired of it, or it becomes the only food that they will eat.
Don’t give a cat medicine that is intended for humans. If you cat suffers from health issues, ask your vet for his recommended treatment option. You could unintentionally kill your beloved pet if you use medications designed for humans.
Your cat deserves a high quality food. Look at ingredient lists, making sure that a protein source, such as beef, chicken or fish, is at the top of the list. Some foods contain a lot of fillers like corn products, don’t buy those. You have a carnivorous cat, and a diet consisting of animal proteins is essential.
Avoid overfeeding your cat, as that may lead to health concerns in the long-term. Overeating can cause obesity in your cat, which can cause serious illness, similar to people. Monitor the portion sizes of your cat’s meals, watching to see that they are well balanced meals.
Invest in a cat friendly fountain. Cats normally look to drink from running water. This is true in the wild or at home. They are more likely to get plenty of water when it is running. Running sink water is another alternative that you can use. A fountain will allow your cat to drink like he or she is in the wild.
If your area is prone to rabies outbreaks, fleas, or even fungus, it is probably best to keep your cat from going outdoors. While issues can affect your cat while inside as well, you run the risk of more when you offer outside as an option.
Your cat should be given food from a can. While dry food is less expensive, canned food is healthier. It has water content, which is good for cats with bladder issues. This will make it easier for your older cats to digest. Talk to the veterinarian prior to making any big changes; but, usually, canned food is best for your cat.
Make sure that your cat wears a collar with a tag on it at all times. Cats are wily creatures, and many have no problems wiggling out of a collar. When they have a collar on with a tag, or a microchip, they’ll easily be returned to you.
Keeping your cat in control will be a breeze when you use the information in this article. Before you know it, they will know where they are and are not allowed. Although it may be difficult to train a cat, in actuality they are just as likely to be well-behaved and trained as your typical dog.
Treat your cat with flea medication. Most only need to be applied monthly. These parasites can spread diseases to your cat and leech blood from their body. The medications prevent this. Be sure to use something made just for cats to keep your pet safe.