Cats are lovely, beautiful creatures. That said, they’re not easy to care for. You must be aware of the responsibilities of being a cat owner. This article list some tips and responsibilities that a good cat owner should know. Keep reading to learn all you can.

If you have drape cords in your home, keep them away from your cats. Cats love to play with hanging cords and this poses the threat of your cat hurting themselves or becoming entangled. This is an extreme choking hazard and should be prevented at all costs. Hang your drapery cords out of your cats’ sight to avoid this.

TIP! Shop at your local pet shelter for your next cat. Many shelters are overcrowded with lovable and adoptable cats.

You should always bring your cat to a vet to make sure everything is okay. Your cat requires a variety of vaccines and shots to prevent illness, and it is also important to identify health problems before they become too severe. Try using one veterinarian consistently. This way, the vet will be very familiar with your cat and its history.

To help your aging cat feel cozy, place a warmed tile under his bed. You should heat a terra cotta tile with your oven, at about 200 degrees, for around fifteen minutes. Use an old towel to wrap it up safely before placing it beneath your cat’s favorite napping spot. Replace it every three hours or so.

Don’t use dog portions for your cat. It is possible that a dog’s product could cause a serious adverse effect on a cat. This definitely applies to flea products. Flea treatments made for a dog can be fatal to a cat. Actually, it is best to separate the cat from the dog once the flea problem has been treated.

TIP! When your female cat is old enough, you should have her spayed. Even if you have an indoor female cat, if it escapes when it’s in heat it could get you a bunch of kittens you weren’t planning on having.

If your cat goes outside, it is important to have a collar with a tag. Understand that cats may travel a long distance; therefore, if it gets lost, this tag will assist you and others in finding it. Even if the tag just has your phone number, it can be the difference between your pet coming home and being lost forever.

Try figuring out why the cat is purring. After you have coexisted with a pet cat for a long while, you are sure to figure out its meowing patterns. Possibilities include that she is hungry or wants to be let outside. When you pay attention to the cat’s actions and cues, then may grow to understand the cat all the more.

Cats enjoy heights. To make your cat really happy, give it a place to safely survey its area. If a cat tree is not in your future, providing a stable shelving unit with no small items on it will do very well. The cat will especially enjoy it if you put a blanket on top.

Litter Box

Don’t get mad at your cat if it urinates outside the litter box. Many times, this is caused by failure to properly clean or place the litter box. The cat will be fearful of you if you punish it.

Give your cat a wide array of foods in order to prevent pickiness. 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.

TIP! Don’t try using dog food or products for your cat. Cats usually react negatively to items made especially for dogs.

Let your cat give birth in a large space. The birth process can last up to four hours, which means you must exercise patience. Bring your cat to her vet immediately if six hours have passed without all the kittens coming out.

Keep products containing phenol away from your cat. This chemical is often in Lysol and certain other regular household cleaners. Cats hate the smell of phenol and continuously exposing them to it could cause liver problems later in their lives.

You should always try to keep your cat in your home as much as you can. Cats that stay indoors tend to live a lot longer because they’re not exposed to the elements outside of the home. Daily exercise with you doesn’t need to create risks for other cat attacks or diseases from the wild.

TIP! Making sure your cat doesn’t jump on the counters is hard to do. After all, cats prefer to stay high so that they can keep an eye out on everything.

If your cat’s been declawed, you should never let them outside. They won’t be able to protect themselves against other animals, and they run the risk of getting seriously injured. Only indoor cats should be declawed. Even so, only remove the front claws when you do so. A cat’s back claws are not used when scratching furniture, so those can be left.

Don’t give a cat human medications. If you have a sick cat it is best to take them to someone who specializes in animal sickness, such as a veterinarian. Giving your pet medication that was meant for you can hurt them pretty seriously and it may even cause death.

If you work, your cat can get awfully lonely while you’re away. You can purchase another cat to keep it company when you are away.

Health Problems

One easy way to prevent a lot of potential feline health problems down the road is to refrain from over-feeding your cat. The extra weight can directly cause health problems now and in the future. Be sure they are not only eating balanced food, but that they are also eating appropriate proportions.

If you worry about your cat getting rabies, fleas or getting exposure to fungus, don’t allow them to go outside. Some of those issues may affect indoor cats, but cats that are outside have a higher chance of dealing with them.

TIP! Keep smaller children away from pets as they are typically too aggressive. Teach your kids how to treat a cat.

There are many great benefits that a cat brings to the table. In order to provide a home that a cat will find comfortable, stable, and healthy, you need to be prepared to take responsible steps. Use the information that has been given to you if you plan on having a cat as a pet.