Cats are lovely, beautiful creatures. You must put a lot of work into owning a cat. The commitment involves many things that you should take into account. This article list some tips and responsibilities that a good cat owner should know. Keep reading to find out more.
Visit your local shelter if you’re thinking about getting a cat. Many shelters have more cats than they can handle and the fees associated with adoption take care of vet visits. Besides, adopting a cat from an animal shelter means you are saving this cat’s life.
Make sure your cat is out of harms way by putting a little bitter apple on all the electrical cords to avoid them getting shocked. If your cat plays with cords, put them up and out of the way, or you can hide them in old paper towel rolls. You can hide away any cords inside the rolls that come inside paper towels. Any electronic item not in use should be stored away where the cat can’t get to it.
Male cats often develop crystals in their bladder that come out in their urine. This can be prevented with a proper diet. Passing these crystals is painful and the vet bill to have this corrected is expensive. Choose a low magnesium food. Read the labels. Foods that contain fish usually have more magnesium.
Find cat medicine online if you want to get discounts. In an emergency, however, this might not be possible. It is possible to save up to 50% on certain medications by purchasing them online.
Speak to others about your cat problems. You can often get great advice from friends and family. Your local veterinarian can be a valuable source of information, but there is also help available online by joining user forums geared toward cat owners.
Make canned food the mainstay of your cat’s diet. Dry food may cost less, but canned food has more benefits. The water content is higher, and there is more protein and fat in the canned food. This will make it easier for your older cats to digest. Discuss this with your vet, who may tell you to feed your cat canned food.
If you just own one cat but are considering obtaining another one, then you should ensure you allow a few weeks for your old cat and new one to become familiar with each other. They may swat at each other or hiss; that’s nothing to be concerned about. But, eventually, they will get used to the idea, and begin to tolerate, and even enjoy, each other’s company.
Litter Box
Consider the placement of your cat’s litter box. Do not hide the box simply to reduce the smell. You have to accept the fact that easy access for your cat is the first priority in choosing a spot for the litter box. Understand that cats are extremely picky. If its litter box is not in a convenient location, then your cat might not use it. If the littler box is on cold, hard floor, try placing a rug beneath it.
If your feline friend is having kittens, make sure to give her lots of room to birth in. You need to be patient, as it will be three or four hours before all the kittens have been born. If more than five or six hours have passed, and you think that kittens still remain inside, then you must get in touch with your vet.
If your cat will not use the litter box, try placing it at a different spot in your home. Just like humans, cats can be sensitive to where they eliminate, so choose a private location if possible. Great suggestions include your basement and laundry room.
There are certain foods that you might eat everyday that are not healthy for your cat. Some of these include onions, grapes, garlic and green tomatoes. They can really hurt a cat if ingested. Refrain from feeding your cat dairy products as well.
Avoid any products containing phenol around your cats. This chemical is present in many household cleaners, such as Pine-Sol and Lysol. The smell is pretty offensive to cats, and prolonged exposure can lead to liver damage.
It is best to keep cats indoors, near you and treated as part of your household. Indoor cats typically live longer than those who live outside. Outdoor cats can be attacked by other animals and exposed to many harmful influences. Play with your cat daily to give it adequate exercise.
Don’t have an outdoor cat declawed. Your cat cannot defend itself, rendering it helpless against other animals. Indoor cats are the only ones who should be considered for declawing. If you do decide to declaw your indoor cat, do not remove the back claws. Don’t have the back claws removed, since cats don’t use them to scratch up your house.
Feed your cat as much dry food as you can. As kittens, cats require wet food because of their tiny teeth. When the adult teeth develop, dry, hard food will help make teeth stronger. For picky cats, mixing dry and wet food together is a great option.
Put tape that’s sticky onto your furniture. The tape can stop your cat from scratching. Some stores for pets have special tape for this situation. When your cat sticks to the couch, he’ll learn his lesson.
As you know, the rewards of caring for a cat are numerous and can benefit you in a positive way. That said, it brings many responsibilities, too. If you’re ready to take the plunge and adopt a feline companion, keep this article’s information handy!