Cats are very smart, loving and fun animals but they require some attention. There’s a reason so many families choose to welcome cats, and that cats are present in great numbers in virtually every human community. It may be difficult to live with a cat for the first time. These smart, agile, powerful creatures can be a little hardheaded and require advanced tactics.

A heated tile can be positioned beneath the bed of a mature cat. Just heat a one-foot square terra cotta tile in your oven at about 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You should wrap it with a towel and place it under the bed your cat uses. You can even switch it out every few hours.

TIP! Visit your local shelter if you’re thinking about getting a cat. Shelters have great pets available for adoption, and the fee isn’t that high.

Have your cat see a vet frequently to keep good health. They should have a routine check-up once a year or more if important shots are due. If you notice that your cat appears to be experiencing some sort of illness or injury, do not delay a trip to the vet.

Avoid using dog products on cats. Some can be quite dangerous, and even deadly, when used on a cat. Flea products are a prime example. Canine flea medications are strong and often made from a different formula than the feline version. They can cause death in cats. You should keep your cats and dogs separated after using a flea treatment.

Scratching Post

TIP! Cats love to get into tight, small spaces. If they have a collar on, this might prove to be a safety risk if they happen to get stuck.

Kitty claws can be quite destructive to fabric and furnishings. If your beloved feline friend is shredding and damaging parts of your home, try investing in a cat tower or a scratching post. You should scold your cat when it scratches your furniture and direct its attention to the scratching post or tower. This approach takes time, but it usually works.

Generally, cats love to stay on the counter. They love being above everything so that they can watch it all. You can get your cat to quit doing this if you make areas that it can climb up to. A cat tower near the kitchen will ensure that cats won’t lay on your counter.

Don’t allow your cat become bored. Play is important to the health and vitality of your cat. Unfortunately, lots of people who own cats neglect this. A bored cat may fall victim to depression, compulsive disorders or issued that can be harmful to their health. Give them exercise space and a lot of toys. If they’re an indoor cat, get them an object to climb on or a scratching post.

TIP! A tagged collar is essential if you let your cat outside regularly. Cats can travel a long way and this will help you get them back easier if they’re lost.

If you’re traveling with your cat, take care to remember their ears. They don’t want to hear you singing at the top of your lungs. Therefore, try to turn down your music or keep if off altogether so your cat has a better trip.

Cats are usually great for kids, but smaller kids may be too rough with them. You need to show your children how the cat should be treated. Children need to know how to hold a cat and what sorts of play a cat likes. Tell them that a cat’s bones need to be handled more gently than those of a dog.

Create a tablecloth for the feline. Sometimes cats like to take food out of the bowl and eat it to the side of the bowl. This can result in you having to clean up food outside its bowl if you don’t use a tablecloth. 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.

TIP! It can be tricky to keep a cat off the kitchen counters. They love being above everything so that they can watch it all.

Cats enjoy high places. Elevate your cat so that it can scan the area. If a cat tree is not your style, clear off a sturdy shelf that he can jump up on. Make it extra comfortable by adding a blanket or cushion.

Brush your cat’s fur regularly. This can help spread their fur’s natural oils around and stimulate blood flow to their skin. As an added bonus, it cuts down on loose fur. This will help you to avoid hairballs, which may cause your cat to choke. Hairballs are caused when a cat grooms itself.

If your cat relieves itself somewhere other than its litter box, it shouldn’t be punished. Improper box care on your part causes the mess, not the cat. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.

TIP! You may want to have a microchip put into your car. You may not have had trouble with your cat getting loose previously, but it can happen at any time by accident.

You may want to try different types of cat food. Cats can easily become finicky eaters. If you feed your cat the same food all the time, your cat will likely be uninterested any any other brand or flavor.

Feed canned food to your cat. Dry food is cheaper, but some wet foods have more benefits. That’s because this type of food provides your cat with more protein, good fat and water. Canned food is much easier to chew for older cats. Go ahead and talk to your vet, but canned food is favorable for cats.

Getting the upper hand with the cat will get easier after following this advice. In a short time, they will understand where they should be and what they need to avoid. While cat’s are harder to train than dogs, they are generally more well-mannered by nature.