Your cat is a very special member of the family. That’s why you need to do what you can to keep them safe from harmful things like fleas and parasites. These pests can affect your cat’s health. Read these tips to help your cat live a long and healthy life.

If you own a female cat, it’s crucial to spay it at the appropriate age. Even if she stays inside all the time, she could get out when in heat and end up pregnant. The best method of stopping this is to have your cat spayed.

Flea Products

Never use any product intended for dogs on a cat. Your cat will have a bad reaction to anything that has been specifically formulated for a dog. Flea products especially. When used on your cat, flea products for dogs can be lethal. If you own a dog, and they’ve been given a flea treatment, you should separate them from your cat for a few hours.

You should never allow your cat to be bored all the time. Just like dogs, cats need playtime and physical exercise, too. Sometimes, cat owners don’t realize this. Bored cats tend to develop emotional and mental disorders that may negatively impact their health. Give them toys and things to do. If they are indoors, give them a scratching post or something to climb on.

TIP! If your cat is a female, it needs to be spayed when it reaches the appropriate age. While your cat may be an indoor one, there is always the possibility it can get out and you wind up with kittens one day.

Crystals in the urine, an issue many male cats have, can be avoided with the proper food. These crystals can cause a lot of pain to your cat and could end up costing you a lot in medical expenses. To stop this from happening, make sure your cat’s food doesn’t have much magnesium in it. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Foods that contain fish usually have more magnesium.

It’s often cheaper to buy medicine for your cat on the Internet instead of through your vet. There may be some cases in which you cannot buy online, such as in an emergency. If you regularly need to buy pet medication, you can get a savings of up to 50 percent online.

If you give your kids a kitten, provide them with firm boundaries at the same time. Let your children know which areas of the house are off-limits for the cat. If you’re planning to have an indoor cat, explain to your children that the cat is not allowed to be outside. By getting these rules into place before having a cat, you’ll be sure that your children can understand.

TIP! In order to be sure your cat is healthy, take them to their vet regularly. Cats should go to a vet at least once each year for a check up, and more frequently for required shots.

You should think before allowing your cat to go outside. This can be something that isn’t very safe for a cat. They may acquire fleas or much worse things. It could be injured via a vehicle or another animal. If you must let your cat outside, do so in a very small area of your backyard or lawn.

Are you the owner of a dog and a cat? Dogs are known for eating other pet’s food. For this reason, you need to place your cat’s bowl in an area that is to high for a dog to reach. This can also prevent unnecessary arguments between your pets over the water supply, once the food has been consumed.

Speak with friends and family when you have difficulty with your cat. You won’t have the knowledge to handle every cat issue properly, so take advantage of the experiences of others. There are also forums on the Internet which cater to cat parents.

TIP! Keep your cat active and entertained to avoid boredom. Every cat needs exercise time and play! But, too many cat owners fail to realize this.

Parasites can be a problem for your cat, just like most cats. When this happen, you should help your cat get rid of the pests. You can get rid of them and even prevent them when you use the featured methods. You and you cat will both be happier.