Cats are extremely interesting and are wonderful animals. Cat owners need to learn proper cat care and learn all that they can so that their companion can live a fulfilling and healthy life. Read on to find out more.
Make sure you don’t allow your cat to be around drape cords. If the cat becomes caught in a loop, they could choke to death. This accident could trap or injure your cat, or even be fatal. To stop this from happening, pin your drapes and hide them out of sight.
If you want to have the love of a cat, get one from a shelter. Shelters around the country are overflowing, and the cats there need more humans to help. Adoption fees often include things like spaying or neutering them, shots or other vet care. Adopting from a pet shelter benefits the cat population.
Female Cat
If you own a female cat, it’s crucial to spay it at the appropriate age. 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. Having your cat spayed is the only way to 100 percent prevent accidental litters.
If you have an outside cat, you need to give it a collar and some identification tags. Tags can save you a lot of trouble if your cat gets lost. The tag should have at least the pet’s name and the number where you can be reached.
It can be tough to keep cats off the countertops. Cats like to climb on things and a counter can look very inviting. You may mitigate the problem by providing designated heights for them to use. Sometimes strategically placing a tall cat tower near your kitchen will help.
While usually cats make great pets for kids, younger kids may be too rough with them. Make sure your child knows how to treat a cat. Give them examples of how to be gentle with it and what should and should not be done. Cats’ bones are more fragile than those of dogs, so they need gentler treatment.
You should think again before allowing your cat to go outside. It can be unsafe. Your cat may get fleas or something even worse than that. Your cat may be targeted by another animal, or get injured by a vehicle or another person. If letting your cat outdoors is important to you, let them out in a safe fenced area.
Cats love high spots. A cat will only be happy if you give it a safe spot to look over everything. You should install a cat tree or allow your cat to climb on some shelves. Putting a soft cat bed on the shelf can help to add a little comfort.
Don’t stress yourself out about instructing your cat on proper litter box usage. This comes naturally – you can’t teach it. While some folks think you should pick up your cat and place their paws against the litter, this can actually be traumatic.
Litter Box
If your cats create messes near the litter box, don’t punish them. When this occurs, it is probably just a sign that the litter box wasn’t properly taken care of. Punishments given to the cat will just make him or her less willing to be around its owner going forward.
Dogs are known to way their tails. This means they are content or excited and is normal dog behavior. Cats move their tails too, but it’s not for the same reason. In cats, wagging of the tail tends to indicate conflict or anxiety. If you notice you cat begin to wag his tail when you are holding him, put him down to be sure you are not scratched or swatted.
Do not use cleaning supplies with phenol in them if you have a cat. Lysol, Pine-Sol and many other products contain this chemical. The smell is something that cats don’t like, and it also can lead to liver damage if it is used around your cats for a long period of time.
If you got a cat during a period of joblessness and are now re-entering the workforce, you should watch out for possible attachment issues. Get another cat if you would like to be certain your cat isn’t bored.
Use sticky tape to protect your furniture. This type of tape helps prevent your cat from scratching your furniture if it does this constantly. There is specific tape for this sold at pet stores. By keeping your furniture covered with tape and getting a scratching post put up, you will get your cat to scratch that instead.
Before you let your cat be an outdoor cat, consider the dangers of fleas, fungus and rabies. While your cat may still have problems with these things as an indoor cat, they will have less of a chance to have these problems if they don’t go outside.
As was mentioned in the opening paragraph of this article, cats make great pets. You need to know all you can about cat care to ensure the happiness of your pet. You should read over this information a few times in order to care for your cat properly. Your cat will thank you!
