It isn’t easy to adopt a cat and quickly get up-to-speed on how to care for it. If you bring a cat home without first preparing yourself, you will regret it. But because they are curious creatures, some mishaps will still occur even with planning. The best thing to do is to read this article, but be ready for anything.
Check with your shelter before you purchase a cat. They have tons of amazing cats who desperately need a home. When a cat is adopted from an animal shelter it saves its life and it helps control the cat population.
Avoid letting your cat get bored. Cats need play and exercise. A lot of cat owners do not keep their cats busy. Cats who become bored often have issues that can affect them in a big way. Some of these issues are obesity due to eating out of boredom, OCD issues, fighting with other pets and depression. Spend time playing with them, and go through a variety of toys to find ones they like and will play with while you’re busy, too. Provide them with an indoor climbing area or scratching post.
Cats are usually more active during the night. Do not be surprised if your cat is very active at night. If your busy kitties are keeping you up into the wee hours, try simply closing your bedroom door. You can keep them from bothering you at night and getting your feet while you’re under covers.
Avoid bladder crystals and stones by feeding high quality food. Passing crystals is very painful for your cat, and the vet’s bill will be painful for you. Choose foods low in magnesium for your cat. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Foods that contain fish usually have more magnesium.
When your cat is riding with you in your car, ensure you keep their ears in mind. You may prefer loud music as you drive down the freeway, blasting your stereo, but your feline friend likes softer sounds better. This means that you should keep your music turned down or off so the cat can relax.
A tablecloth for the feeding area can be quite useful. Cats will sometimes pluck food from the bowl and enjoy it straight off the ground. Sometimes, this results in food outside the bowl that you have to clean up. It’s easier to clean up this food by purchasing a placement and inserting it under your cat’s food bowl, or you could simply cut some fabric and make it into a tablecloth so you can easily pick up the food and throw it away.
When you get a kitten for kids, you have to set up a few rules first. Make sure your children are aware of rooms that are open to your cat. Be sure that your children understand that an indoor cat must never be allowed outdoors. Establishing these boundaries ahead of time prevents any confusion.
Cat Outside
Reconsider outside time for your cat. There are many dangers to your cat outside. Your cat may pick up some fleas, or worse. Cats can be gravely injured or killed by eating poisonous plants, flowers or chemicals, hit by a car or even harmed by neighbors who are irritated with your cat on their property. If you allow your cat outside, make sure you live in a reasonably safe area.
Are you a cat and dog owner? Dogs often take advantage of dining on the cat’s food. Thus, you must keep cat food out of the dog’s reach. Separate eating spaces are a must to avoid fights between your pets.
Make sure you are cautious about leaving a young child alone with a small kitten. Particularly if the children are younger than five, they need supervision. A child of that age doesn’t realize when they are being too rough with a pet. As children grow, it will be easier to see if they’re mature enough to handle a cat.
Speak to others about your cat problems. It can really help to get advice from fellow cat owners. You can find several cat forums online where you can ask questions, or you can choose to simply call your vet for advice too.
Cats may make a small mess outside their litter box. When this occurs, it tends to be because the box is not being maintained properly. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.
Your cat should be acclimated to a carrier as a kitten. Cats and dogs do not usually respond the same ways to punishment. Positive reinforcement is a better training tool for cats. Place the open carrier in an area that your cat visits often and outfit it with a favorite toy and blanket. Soon, your cat will naturally enter the carrier. Transporting the carrier with your cat inside makes your next trip out much easier.
What you have seen here is tips that apply to cats across the board, regardless of breed. You have learned fundamental ideas on how to raise a happy and healthy cat; however, understand that all cats are different, and you will have to continually change your strategy. Remember to enjoy your new kitten because that’s the most important part of the process.
