If you’re a cat owner or you want to get a cat in the near future, you’re probably wondering how you can care for it properly. Cats make great pets but they can take a little work to take care of. Read through this article for some solid advice, and this will be something you can do.
Though things may appear to be fine, you should always schedule regular medical checkups for your feline pet. The vet will be able to provide your cat with needed vaccinations and any medications it requires. Veterinarians also keep tabs on your cat’s overall health and diagnose any problems they find. Try keeping the same vet throughout your cat’s life. This will ensure they know the history of your cat well.
Make a free toy for your cat by placing a little dry rice or a few dry beans inside an empty pill bottle. Close the lid and roll the rattly toy across the floor. Most cats can’t resist the sound and motion. You can also tie a length of twine around the neck of the bottle to make a pull toy or a dangly toy.
If you have an outdoor cat, be sure he or she has a tagged collar. The collar and tag will make it easier to find the cat if it gets lost. Some required information on the tag would be the cat’s name and your personal phone number.
Avoid eye contact to make friends with a cat. Ever wonder why cats seem drawn to the person who likes cats the least? The answer lies in cat body language. To cats, staring is “rude” and can be considered a challenge. Looking away shows that you respect their space and are not going to be a threat. So next time you are looking to meet a new feline friend, look away and let them approach you.
Protect your cat from choking. Be sure to dispose of poultry and fish bones safely. Wrap them in a paper or plastic bag and put them in your outdoor garbage can with the lid tightly secured. Alternately, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them until garbage pick up day.
Enticing kitty to stay off the kitchen counter is sometimes challenging. Cats like to be up high, where they can watch everything going on. One way to nip this problem in the bud is to give your cat a dedicated perch of their own as an alternative to using your space. A cat tower near your kitchen can give them a place to watch you that is out of the way.
When you move your cat from one house to another, be sure to move the cat last. Set up a quiet room with familiar items for the cat. Keep your cat in the room and quiet for a day or two. Visit and feed the cat in the room. After a couple of days, the cat can explore the rest of the house.
Your cat needs love and attention. Your cat will enjoy your company if you pet and play with her. Like people, cats like to socialize and need to feel like they’re an essential part of your life. Make her feel like she is part of your family.
Do not flush clumpable litter in your toilet. This can lead to problems with your plumbing. Instead just lift the clumps and dispose of them in a trash bag. Don’t forget, moisture is what makes the litter clump in the first place! Avoid doing that to your pipes and just dispose of it properly.
Give serious thought to spaying or neutering your cat. Your vet can give you the pros and cons of both, but if you plan to keep your cat for a long period of time you should consider this operation. Cat overpopulation is a real problem, and you can do your part.
Make sure that there are enough litter boxes in your home for all of the cats that are staying there. It is optimal to have one litter box for each cat. If you live in a home that has a lot of floors, there should be one on each floor for each cat.
To help avoid a finicky cat, feed your cat different brands of cat food. Keeping the same kind of food around most of the time makes it to where they only want that specific food.
Feed a kitten proper food. A developing kitten survives exclusively on their mother’s milk for the first four weeks, a commercial formula if the mother isn’t around. When moving to regular food, feed them specially formulated kitten food until they reach maturity at the age of one. Kittens need plenty of protein while they are developing.
Cats’ curiosity often puts them in risky situations. Something as simple as a necklace, window pull, or phone cords can cause your pet to become injured or even killed. These items should be bound securely so that they are not a source of temptation for your inquisitive pet. Many childproofing aids work just as well for your kitten.
Be mindful of where you place the litter box. It is temping to put it someplace where the odor will not be noticed. It is equally important that the litter box is readily accessible to your cat, though. Cats are finicky, so you must provide an environment that is not inconvenient or off-putting to the animal. If your litter box location is on a cold floor, you may want to put a rug underneath of the box.
As you can see now, it’s not terribly difficult to care for a cat. You just have to be patient and everything will fall into place for you. Take the things that you have learned here and you’ll be well equipped to deal with cats. Enjoy your feline friends and good luck!
