Need Help With Your Pet? These Cat Care Tips Are Here For You!

Cats need toys. If left alone, cats can scratch up all your furniture. Cat toys are one way to distract them. Continue reading to learn some excellent advice on how to raise the best cat.

Keep your cat away from your drapery cords. Whenever cats jump on these cords, they might get tangled up in them. This could cause injury or death. Secure your cords so they are out of the way and out of sight.

Don’t let your cats play with drape cords. Cats love to play with hanging cords and this poses the threat of your cat hurting themselves or becoming entangled. This may seriously injure or kill your cat. To stop this from happening, pin your drapes and hide them out of sight.

Check out the shelter when adopting a cat. There are so many great cats at shelters. The fee you will have to pay typically includes vet care. Adopting a cat this way helps to save their life and cut down on unwanted animal births.

Small places are spots cats love to get into. If your cat is such a curious one, wearing a collar is a safety risk, as your feline might get stuck because of it while exploring. A collar that is a breakaway model will detach itself if it gets pulled on. That’ll keep kitty safe.

Your cat will want to climb into small spaces. If they’ve got a collar on, this may put them in danger as it can get stuck. A breakaway collar let’s go if pulled on tightly. This can help to save a couple of your cat’s nine lives.

Put a heated tile beneath the bed of an older cat. Put a square foot of terra cotta tile into your oven heated to 200 degrees. Keep the tile in the oven for about 15 minutes. Wrap the tile in a towel and then put it under the bed. If you want, you can change it for a newly warmed tile a few hours later.

If you own a female cat, you should have her spayed when she is old enough. Even if she is an inside cat, you need to spay her because she could get out. The best method of stopping this is to have your cat spayed.

Part of caring for your cat is taking it to regular veterinarian checkups. Your cat needs to get a checkup about once every year, or more if there are issues that come up. Cats must see their vet right away if they start having health issues, injuries or other problems.

Don’t use items on a cat that are meant for a dog. Your cat will have a bad reaction to anything that has been specifically formulated for a dog. This particularly applies to flea products. Canine flea medications are strong and often made from a different formula than the feline version. They can cause death in cats. Once you use flea prevention products on your dog, it should be kept separately from the cat for hours.

Avoid using dog products on cats. Cats will have a reaction that’s negative towards a product made for dogs. Flea products should not be used on cats in any circumstance. Your cat can die when exposed to flea prevention items made for dogs. After getting the dog treated, keep the cat away for many hours.

Have your cat chipped so you can find him if he runs away. Indoor cats can slip out an open door. Although collars and tags are beneficial, some cats may even wiggle out of them. Your important information can all fit nicely on a rice grain sized microchip. 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.

Prevent your cat from chewing on electrical cords by spraying bitter apple on them. You can also cover your cords under a rug or tape them to walls. You can hide away any cords inside the rolls that come inside paper towels. Whenever you aren’t using any thin, electronic cords, you should store them away.

Normally cats are nocturnal animals. Because of this, night time is when they are most active. If your kittens are keeping you awake into the middle of the night, close the door to your bedroom. You won’t be able to hear their sounds as they walk around in the middle of the night.

Have your cat chipped so you can find him if he runs away. You may not have had trouble with your cat getting loose previously, but it can happen at any time by accident. Collars or tags can identify your cat, but cats can wiggle out of those, and they are also at risk of getting hung up on something. Microchips are very small, approximately as large as a single grain of rice. Although they are small, they can hold your entire contact information. All shelters and vets have scanners to ensure your cat gets home safely.

Male cats may develop crystals in the urine, which usually occur as a result of a poor diet. Passing such crystals is a painful experience for your cat, and your wallet isn’t going to enjoy the vet bill. Give your cat foods that are low in magnesium. Just as in the grocery store, take the time to read the labels. Products that have fish in them have more magnesium usually when compared to products with poultry.

Location is key when placing a litter box. Don’t put it in a busy area, and keep it away from your cat’s food. Put it in a ventilated area to reduce odors. Both your cat and you will appreciate this.

If you’re getting a kitten for your children, discuss this with them before bringing the cat home. Explain where the cat is and isn’t allowed. If you’re planning to have an indoor cat, explain to your children that the cat is not allowed to be outside. If you make the rules ahead of time, you can be sure your kids understand them.

Make sure that you never neglect your cat. They want warm companionship since that’s what they provide to you. Like most folks, cats have the need to socialize to feel like part of the family. This will increase the love that surrounds the family.

When something seems amiss with your feline friend, speak with other cat owners. You can often get great advice from friends and family. The Internet has many cat forums where you can ask your questions, or simply speak with your vet.

Cats enjoy heights. Elevate your cat so that it can scan the area. If you do not want cats making a mess in your house, remove breakable items from your shelves. To make it really special, put a bed or blanket up there too.

Brush your cat’s fur regularly. The act of brushing helps the coat become glossy, and it helps stimulate the skin. Brushing will also help to remove loose hair. This can keep hairballs at bay because this can choke up a cat and also build up in its stomach.

Speak with friends and family when you have difficulty with your cat. You can solve most problems by yourself, but you might benefit from the experience of others. Your local veterinarian can be a valuable source of information, but there is also help available online by joining user forums geared toward cat owners.

Don’t toss your cat’s scratching post just because it’s starting to look haggard. Cats love them! Tossing it and getting a new one may cause your cat to find something old to scratch like your furniture.

Don’t stress yourself out about instructing your cat on proper litter box usage. They will do it on their own and don’t need to be taught. You may have heard that rubbing your cat;s paws in litter will help them learn, but that may have a traumatizing effect.

You eat quality food, and if you want your cat to stick around a long time, they need quality food, too. Look at the ingredients and make sure protein like fish, chicken, or beef is near the top. Try to avoid foods that consist of corn, or other non-protein elements. Cats are carnivores and need animal protein to stay healthy.

If your cat does not use the litter box, do not use punishments to try to discipline him. Most of the time when this happens, it is because you are not taking proper care of the box. If the cat is punished for this, they may become afraid of being around you.

You should feed your cat food out of a can. Even though the dry versions can be more cost-effective, canned cat food usually is more beneficial. That’s because this type of food provides your cat with more protein, good fat and water. It is easier for older cats to chew. Talk to your vet, but canned food is generally superior for your cat.

Increase the variety of food that you give your cat. If you feed them only one type of food, they may refuse to eat anything else. However, stick with the same brand, and just vary the flavors because cats can have stomach problems if you vary the food too much.

If you want to buy a second cat, prepare for some time where the cats will be familiarizing themselves with each other. They might have conflict, hide from each other or swat one another. But, eventually, they will get used to the idea, and begin to tolerate, and even enjoy, each other’s company.

If your cat has a scratching post that is beginning to look worn, don’t get rid of it. This is the time when your cats actually most prefer it. 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.

Does your home feel inundated with balls of cat fur? Cats do a lot of shedding, and it helps to brush them. If your cat is shedding a lot, you should brush them more frequently. Brushing will also keep their coat in good shape.

Litter Box

Cats can get the same sorts of illnesses humans get. Since cats are like family, it’s easy to tell when they’re sick. Because a cat can go downhill rather quickly, it’s important to take them to the vet as soon as possible. The vet will be able to make sure that they are not suffering from anything more serious.

If the cat stops using their litter box all of a sudden, keep an eye on this. Using the bathroom outside of the litter box is linked to a number of cat health issues. A urinary infection or a kidney problem could be responsible for your cat’s behavior. Contact your veterinarian if your pet abandons its litter box.

If you want to do your best to keep your cat free from ticks, rabies or animal bites, keep him indoors. Indoor cats can experience these problems, but it is much more likely in an outdoor cat.

Dogs let you know when they are excited and/or happy when they wag their tails. Cats wag their tail as well, but have different reasons psychologically. Tail-wagging in cats tends to suggest conflict or anxiety. When you hold your cat and he begins to wag his tail, put him down!

Make sure you know of any holes in your home that your cat might get into. Cats can squeeze into very tight spaces. Kittens can also be very creative in their explorations. This is essential when you purchase a new cat. Repair or cover any good-sized holes you locate.

Cats can be rambunctious, and there’s no better way to address that than with toys. Learning tips like this can keep your cat from destroying your home. Use the recommendations in this piece as you pick toys with which to occupy your cat.

Vets are important, but the bills can be rough! It is possible to save a lot of money by using an online retailer to fill prescriptions. Some companies actually deliver medications straight to your home. This can be convenient and cheap if your cat has to take medications regularly like once a month.