Cats are wonderful and unique pets. Cats grace the homes of people from all walks of life, and fill communities with life and energy. Sharing your home with a cat can be quite the challenge. Cats are strong, smart, and kind of difficult.

Keep your cat away from your drapery cords. It is easy for the cat to get his head caught among the cords when playing with them. This may harm or kill them. Hang your drapery cords out of your cats’ sight to avoid this.

Flea Products

Make sure you purchase medicines and treatments specifically for cats. Cats are not the same as dogs, and products meant for dogs can make cats very ill. This happens a lot with flea products. These dog flea products can even cause feline death. Your cat needs to be away from the dog after your dog has received a flea treatment.

Cat’s claws can really put a dent in your furniture. Buy a scratching post if you need to protect the furniture in your home. They can scratch the post instead. Eventually it will cause you less of a headache.

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 you’re taking kitty on a road trip, don’t play loud music. While you may like some good tunes, your cat is going to appreciate other things. Therefore, try to turn down your music or keep if off altogether so your cat has a better trip.

Children usually take well to cats, but if you have a small child, you may need to provide some instruction. Teach your kids how to treat a cat. Show them how to gently pick kitty up and what kinds of activities are appropriate. A cat’s bones can be quite fragile and they need to be treated gently.

Put a cloth down in your cat’s eating area. Certain cats prefer removing their food from their bowl and putting it on the side to eat it. This leaves food on the floor outside their bowl that must be cleaned. Something as simple as a place mat can help make cleanup easier.

TIP! Don’t let your cat’s days pass without stimulation and excitement! Play and exercise are both important for cats’ well-being. But many cat owners ignore that need.

Do your best to determine why your cat is meowing. After a while, you’ll start to recognize what some of the noises your cats makes mean. Your cat might need food or might want to go out. Listen to what’s she’s trying to tell you, and you’ll begin to understand her cues.

Cats love high spots. For a truly happy cat, provide a safe place for your cat to survey his surroundings. You can use a cleared shelf if you’d rather not have a cat tree. To make it really special, put a bed or blanket up there too.

Don’t think that you can teach a cat to use its litter box. This is not something that needs to be taught. In fact, it comes naturally for them. It’s not a good idea to rub your cats paws in litter. Some people think this is the way to train. It isn’t.

TIP! Though a veterinarian will almost always have a supply of medications that your cat needs, it can be more cost-effective to purchase them from online venues. If it’s an emergency, buying online may not be an option.

You should brush your cat on a regular basis. This will spread all of their natural oils around and help their blood flow. It is also a good way to reduce shedding. This helps keep those hairballs from building up in your cat’s stomach.

If you are bringing home a new cat, make sure to give him time to adjust to your current cat. It usually takes about three weeks. Expect to see your cats avoid each other, hiss, or even confront one another. Give them a bit more time to begin to get used to each other face to face, too.

Is your home covered in your cat’s fur? Cats are shedding machines, which means you need to brush them to keep the shedding under control. The more hair you see on the ground, the more you should pull out the brush. Frequent brushing or combing keeps the cat from getting a tangled, matted coat.

TIP! Why is your cat meowing? After you have lived with your cat for a while, you will come to know what she wants by her meow. Maybe she wants to go out, or maybe she wants to eat.

Use a cat collar that gives name, address, and phone number info. Even if your cat lives in the house, he could always get out. Should this occur, your cat can be returned to you or someone can contact you with his whereabouts.

Cats have shockingly sharp noses, which means they can spot changes in their home with ease. It can occur when something new is introduced to the home, like a new water bowl, scratching post or bed. Do not be concerned if your cat does not accept these new items immediately. They’ll get used to it given time.

Watch out for holes near your home that you don’t want your cat to hide in. Cats are able to fit into gaps that are tiny. Kittens can also be very creative in their explorations. Take care of this issue when you have a new cat coming into your home. Make immediate repairs on any holes that you locate.

TIP! You cat needs to get used to being in a carrier. Cats just don’t respond like dogs do when it comes to punishment.

Don’t offer table scraps to your cat as a treat. Human food can upset your cat’s stomach and make it sick. However, it is safe to give them a small spoonful of meat that does not contain garlic or onion, and a little bit of cooked egg is fine, too. Giving your cat the recommended amount of cat food provides a complete feline diet.

If you read these tips, you can control your cat no problem. It is possible to train a cat. Unlike with dogs, training a cat isn’t a simple matter, but most cats do end up being well-behaved in the end.