New Furry Friend? These Cat Tips Can Help!

The joys of owning a cat are endless. It does take a lot of work to own a cat, though. You need to know what you’re getting into. The article below has the information you need. Keep reading and learn a little something about caring for your cat.

Regular vet checkups for your cat are very important. Cats require special shots to prevent illness and the vet can check their overall health. If you can, stick with one vet for your cat’s entire life. This is because this person will know your cat and the history of the animal.

If you plan on getting a cat for a pet, try looking into a local shelter. Shelters have a lot of cats in them and you can get one adopted for a small fee. When a cat is adopted from an animal shelter it saves its life and it helps control the cat population.

Your furnishings and belongings can easily be ruined by a cat’s claws. A kitty tower can really save your furniture. Encourage your cat to scratch where you want them to. Although this may take time, your cat should eventually claw the device rather than your furniture.

To safely help an old cat feel comfortable, place a heated tile under its bed. Simply heat a terra-cotta tile in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. Wrap the tile inside an unneeded towel and place it under your kitty’s favorite resting spot. Replace it every three hours or so.

Don’t allow your cat to get bored too often. It is necessary for them to play and get exercise. This is sadly overlooked by some cat owners. Boredom can beget illness. Give them plenty of room to exercise and a wide selections of toys. If you have an indoor cat, provide a kitty gym for them to climb on or a scratching post.

If your cat is female, then ensure you spay her as soon as you can. Even if your cat is an indoor cat, if she escapes while she is in heat you might end up with a lot of kittens on your hands. Having your cat spayed helps to control the pet population and will save you time and trouble.

Give your cat plenty of love and affection. Cats need companionship as much as we do. Cats need social time with the family just like people do so that they know that they are valued. They want to feel like a contented and satisfied member of the family.

Your cat’s claws can wreck havoc on your furniture. Buy your cat a scratching posts to focus its attention off your furniture. Encourage them to scratch that instead. It doesn’t happen overnight but with some patience, you should be able to save your house from the claws.

Cats and small children may not always mix. You need to show your children how the cat should be treated. The objective is to be as gentle as possible with your cat. Cats have weaker bones than dogs so should be treated carefully.

It can be tough to keep cats off the countertops. If your cat is high, he can see everything that is going on. You can get your cat to quit doing this if you make areas that it can climb up to. Your cat will not go on your counters if there’s a cat tower close to the kitchen.

Tell your kids what the rules are about your new kitten. Make sure your children are aware of rooms that are open to your cat. If you want the cat to be an inside cat, let the children know he cannot go outdoors. By making the rules well known to your children, your children will understand what is and is not allowed.

A microchip will allow you to find your pet if it is lost. Even an indoor cat can get the urge to run out of a door or leap through a window. Cat collars are a great thing to have in case your cat gets lost, but they also pose a risk if they get caught on something. A microchip, on the other hand, is inserted near your cat’s shoulder blades, takes only a second to do, and all of your current contact info can be read through the chip. The chip will never be lost because it is under the skin and it can easily be read by any shelter or vet.

Do you have a cat and a dog? Dogs are known for eating other pet’s food. That’s why you should place your cat’s food in a place which is hard for your dog to reach. This will help you to be sure that the animals won’t fight over the water either after they’ve eaten all their food.

A tablecloth should be made for your cats. A lot of time cats will take their food from their bowls to eat it on the food bowl’s side. This creates extra work since you must then clean up the leftover loose food. A simpler way to do this is by getting a place-mat and placing it under their bowl. You can also cut some fabric to make a tablecloth that can be lifted, washed, or shaken over a trash can.

Use a brush on your cat regularly. This keeps the fur well oiled and the skin healthy. It also loosens hair that is about ready to fall out. This avoids the hairball problem, which may lead to choking and a buildup of hair in the stomach.

Do your best to determine why your cat is meowing. If you have spent any significant amount of time around your cat, you will quickly find you can figure out what he wants when he cries. It could be she’s hungry or needs to go outside. By giving her the proper amount of attention you can better attend to her needs.

Your cat needs to always wear some tags on a collar. This applies even to indoor cats. Even the tamest indoors cat can be tempted by the possibilities presented by 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.

Litter Box

If you are thinking about adding another cat to your home, you need to set aside a couple of weeks where you let the animals get used to being around each other. They might have conflict, hide from each other or swat one another. If you give them enough time though, chances are good they will befriend each other and enjoy the extra company.

Do not discipline your cat if it makes a mess outside its litter box. Often, this happens when the litter box is dirty. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.

One of the most delightful things about a dog is the way they happily greet their owners. Cats wag their tails, but definitely not for the same reason. Tail wagging in a cat usually indicates a mental conflict that your cat is mulling over, such as deciding whether to flee or attack. If a cat you are holding starts flicking his tail, then it is time to put him down.

Take time to train your cat to go into a car carrier. Cats don’t react to punishment like dogs do. They like responding to encouragement better. Leave the door to a carrier open at all times, and make the interior enticing with a beloved toy and blanket. After some time, your cat will respond better to the carrier. Once the cat is in the carrier, they will be so much easier to transport.

If you own a declawed cat, do not let it outdoors. Without claws, the cat cannot defend against other animals, which can lead to real issues. If your cat is an outside cat, do not have it declawed. It is still best to just remove the front claws. A cat’s back claws are important to his balance.

Mix up the food you feed your cat to avoid them becoming a picky eater. Cats who eat the same food day after day either grow tired of it, or it becomes the only food that they will eat.

Your cat needs to eat dry food most often. When cats are young they are going to have to have wet food due to having small teeth. Once they grow up though, dry, harder food will strengthen their teeth and keep them clean. You can also try mixing dry and wet food until you get the consistency your cat prefers.

Canned food is an excellent choice for cats. It sometimes has more benefits over dry. The water content is higher, and there is more protein and fat in the canned food. Older cats also find it easier to chew up. Speak with your vet to determine the proper course of action to take.

Overfeeding your cat can result in serious health issues as he ages. The extra weight can directly cause health problems now and in the future. Monitor your cat’s meal portions, and be sure he is getting a well balanced diet.

If you’re adding an additional cat to your home, give the cats a few weeks to get to know each other. They may be leery of each other at first and fight. However, cats should eventually learn to co-habitate properly.

Cats can often get the same illnesses as you can. Because your cat is always around you, you should know whenever your cat is sick. You should have your vet check out your cat. It can be dangerous to avoid taking your cat to the vet when it is sick because there may be serious conditions that need checking. A vet can check for these.

If your cat is urinating a lot or in areas away from the litter box, they may need to see the vet. Cats may show this behavior if they develop an infection of the urinary tract, or some other health issue. Affordable antibiotics can solve concerns that may otherwise be quite serious.

Reconsider giving a cat table scraps. Human food is not good for cats, due to the additives and ingredients used and the ways we cook food for humans. If you want to make a special treat for your cat, it will like a small amount of eggs, beef or chicken. However, if you’re feeding your cat the right food, he is getting the correct nutrition.

As previously stated, owning a cat is beneficial to you. However, if you’re wishing for a good life for your pet, you need to learn to care for it well. Ensure that you are successful in your cat endeavors by keeping what you learned here close by.

Be mindful that bringing another animal into your home can upset your cat. To keep things sane, keep the two animals separated for awhile. This makes it easier for your cat to adjust to the animal’s smell. After a little time has gone by, you can slowly introduce the newest member of the family to the cat.