Properly Care For Your Cat With This Advice
A well-tended cat is a family member, just as beloved as the two-legged variety. Cats are enjoyed as pets by millions, but they need to be taken care of properly. These pests can affect your cat’s health. Read on for some of the best methods for keeping pests off your cats.
Check your local animal shelter if you have plans to get a cat. There are tons of loving cats there, and the fees often cover the needed vet care. Besides, adopting a cat from an animal shelter means you are saving this cat’s life.
You never want to leave the cords of your drapes dangling down. Do not let your cat play with these. If the cords are in loops and the cat jumps into them or plays with them, they could possibly get them caught around their neck. This accident could trap or injure your cat, or even be fatal. Hide the cords for safety sake.
Don’t use dog products on your cats ever. Some can be quite dangerous, and even deadly, when used on a cat. This particularly applies to flea products. Products used for flea prevention in dogs can be very harmful to your cat. You need to separate your pets when you treat them for fleas.
Don’t use dog portions for your cat. Cats will react very negatively to any products intended for dogs. When it comes to flea products this is particularly true. Your cat can die if you use a dog flea product on it. If your dog has been treated for fleas, keep him away from your cat for at least three hours.
Do not allow your cat to get an electrical shock. Spray them with bitter apple, and they will stay away. Cords should be covered, especially if your cat tends to chew on them. You can bundle loose cords into paper towel rolls that are old. 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.
The claws of a cat can really destroy parts of your house and furniture. You need to get a scratching post or a cat tower to prevent your cat from ruining your furniture. Use catnip or other scents that are attractive to your kitty to encourage him to go there. This will take some time but will be a valuable investment.
Try to avoid your cat from becoming bored each day. Cats should have a lot of exercise and playtime. A lot of cat owners do not keep their cats busy. Cats that are bored may develop obsessive compulsive disorders, depression, or other issues that can harm their health. Make sure you give them lots of toys and room to play. Indoor cats will appreciate having a structure they can climb on or a dedicated scratching post.
Keeping cats from a counter really can be tough. Cats enjoy heights, as they can monitor events from their perch. It helps to provide your cat with certain high spaces where it is allowed. If you don’t want your cats to jump on your counters, you can put a cat condo in or around the kitchen.
Most cats prefer to be mostly nocturnal. It is likely that they will want to play while you are sleeping. If your cats are busy keeping you awake early, just close your bedroom door. You can keep them from bothering you at night and getting your feet while you’re under covers.
Often, the best cat medicine deals are found online. Sometimes, you may need the medicine immediately though. For ongoing medical issues, you can buy ahead and save a substantial amount of money online.
Cats and small children may not always mix. Make sure your child knows how to treat a cat. You should show them everything from how to properly carry the cat to the best ways to play with it. Tell them that a cat’s bones need to be handled more gently than those of a dog.
Anytime you travel with a cat, their ears should be monitored. You may love belting out your favorite tunes as you drive on the freeway, but your cat probably enjoys softer sounds. Therefore, the volume of your music should be minimized, and turn it off completely if necessary.
If your cat does not use the litter box, do not use punishments to try to discipline him. Your cat probably did not use the litter box because it is not well taken care of. If your pet is punished, you won’t do anything but make it afraid of you.
There is no need to spend hours trying to litter train your cat. This is a natural instinct for felines, and it need not be taught. Many people think rubbing a cat’s paws in litter will teach them to use the litter box, but it might actually traumatize them.
Feed your cat top quality food. Beef, fish or chicken, all great protein sources, should head the list of main ingredients. Any foods with non-protein sources, such as corn, should be avoided. Because cats are carnivores, their diet need only consist of a good source of protein.
If you offer a variety of foods to your cat, it will be less picky about what it eats. If you feed them the same thing day in and day out, it will be the only thing that they are able to eat later on down the road.
Provide your cat with canned food rather than dry. While dry food is less expensive, canned food is healthier. The water content is higher, and there is more protein and fat in the canned food. Canned food is much easier to chew for older cats. Discuss this with your vet, who may tell you to feed your cat canned food.
Litter Box
Your cat needs good play time. Just like playtime is important for other types of pets, the same holds true for your cat, despite whatever their age happens to be. A cats energy might fade over time, but that does not mean that it no longer likes to play. Make sure you spend time doing fun things with your cat.
If your cat is refusing to use his litter box, you should try putting it in a different location. Whenever a cat is using the restroom, it feels vulnerable; therefore, the litter box needs to be kept in a safe and quiet location. A basement, laundry room, or another area that doesn’t experience much household traffic is the ideal spot for the litter box.
Place the litter box for your cat in an open area. Many people want it in an out of the way spot. However, the litter box must be kept in a location that is easily accessible for your pet. Cats are quite finicky, so it is important to make their bathroom environment appealing them them or risk messes throughout the house. If your litter box location is on a cold floor, you may want to put a rug underneath of the box.
Some food you eat isn’t good to feed your cat. These include garlic, grapes, green tomatoes and onions. When a cat eats these items, they can get very sick. In addition, milk can also upset your cat’s stomach.
Your cat will thrive if allowed to say indoors. Cats that stay indoors tend to live a lot longer because they’re not exposed to the elements outside of the home. You can exercise your cat by playing with it.
Chemicals that have phenol in the should not be used around a cat. Lysol, Pine-Sol and many other products contain this chemical. These chemicals can have a devastating impact on your cat’s liver.
Don’t ever declaw cats that go outdoors. Without claws, your cat is essentially defenseless against other animals. This is a dangerous situation for the cat. Declaw your cat if you plan on always having it inside. Even in the case of indoor cats, you should only declaw the front claws. Allow your cat to retain their back claws which are less damaging to indoor surfaces.
Preventing hairballs can help keep your cat sanitary and safe. Give your cat’s regular food an addition of pumpkin (about a teaspoon’s worth). Flavor the pumpkin with a teaspoon of the water from a can of tuna. Some cat foods even have anti-hairball benefits.
Your cat has a remarkable sense of smell, much better than humans. They detect subtle changes in their environment. This can be troublesome sometimes if you’re trying to feed the cat new food or give it new toys. Don’t get frustrated if they don’t like these items right away. You cat will adjust as the smells of the new items as they become a regular part of his daily routine.
If you have been at home with your cat for an extended period and then return to work, it is quite possible that your cat will show signs of loneliness. To improve your cat’s mood, consider adopting a second cat. They can then keep each other company while you are absent.
Cats do best on a diet high in dry food. Kittens need wet food due to having small teeth. When they get older, their teeth benefit from harder dry foods. Your cat might enjoy eating more if you mix dry and wet food.
All animals are capable of getting parasites. Your cat is no exception. Unless you take measures against them, these pests aren’t going anywhere. Ridding your cat of fleas is not hard and prevention is even easier. This will make your cat very happy!
Place some sticky tape on your furniture. If you have a cat that scratches your upholstery you need to place tape on that as well. Some companies make tape specifically for this purpose. You should also give your cat a favorable alternative by purchasing a scratching post.
