Fun, furry, and finicky: three words that perfectly describe cats. From visits to the vet to dietary needs, cats require a lot of maintenance and work. Luckily, the article below will teach you everything you need to know.

Ensure that you groom your cat regularly and properly. Brush your cat’s fur often to help it be shiny and healthy. If yu do this quite often, it will help them stay clean. It’s also helpful in reducing how much cats shed and how often they spit out those dreaded hairballs. Keep your cat looking at its best by grooming it well.

TIP! Keep your cat properly groomed. Brushing is a very important component towards taking care of your cat.

If you’re looking for good prices on cat medications, check online sources. The prices will usually be substantially better than at your vet. There are some times when this isn’t a good idea, like when you’re dealing with a pet related emergency. You can save as much as fifty percent on the stuff you regularly use.

Create a tablecloth just for your cat. Cats will sometimes pluck food from the bowl and enjoy it straight off the ground. This can result in a mess that needs to be cleaned up. Simply place a cloth placemat that will grab at the food under their plate and then shaken out over the trash. You can put a vinyl one underneath that can be picked up wiped down easily if you prefer.

Set boundaries for your children when it comes to having a cat as a pet. Let your children know what rooms you will allow the cat to go into. Make sure that your children know if the cat is strictly an indoor cat. This will ensure nothing bad happens.

TIP! Cats like to get into all sorts of small spaces. If they have a collar on, this can be dangerous.

Cats enjoy high places. Your cat will appreciate being on top of a cupboard, fridge or anywhere they can surrey their environment. If you can’t afford a cat tree, give the cat an empty shelf of his own. You could even place a small bed or blanket on the shelf to make your cat feel more comfortable.

You should not train your cat to use a litter box. They do this by nature and don’t need to be taught. 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.

Give high quality canned food to your pet cat. Yes, dry food is cheaper, but canned food really has a lot more benefits. Canned food is rich in protein and fat and also has a higher water content. For aging cats, it is also easier to chew. Speak with your veterinarian, but keep this tip in mind.

TIP! Make sure you purchase medicines and treatments specifically for cats. Cats often have negative reactions to dog products.

A collar and tags are a great way that your cat can be identified if it is found stray. This is essential even for indoor cats. Cats love to explore, and if they see an opportunity to go outside, they will take it. The identification tags should contain your home phone number and the number for your veterinarian. Include your cat’s special diet or medical needs on his identification.

When you bring a second cat into your home, allow a few weeks for the two to adjust to each other. In the early days, you may see a lot of posturing from the cats including hissing and swatting at each other. Give them a bit more time to begin to get used to each other face to face, too.

If you notice that your cat urinates very frequently, you should take it to the vet. This behavior may be indicative of an infection of the urinary tract or some other issue. Some inexpensive antibiotics can clear up a potentially dangerous illness.

TIP! If a cat is outdoors frequently, they need a collar that has a tag. Cats can roam far, so a tag will ensure you find them quickly when they’re lost.

Though caring for a cat can seem like no big deal, there are actually a lot of things to consider, including veterinarian visits and giving them extra amounts of attention. Use the information in this article to become a great cat owner so you can enjoy the experience fully. Doing some research will make things go better in the end.