There is no end to the joys of cat ownership. It is naturally a lot of work as well. Responsibilities come with the happiness a cat brings to you. This article is full of information regarding those particular responsibilities. Keep reading to find out more.

When considering a new pet, make sure you visit the area shelter first. 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. Taking a cat home with you means that a life has been saved.

TIP! Keep your drape cords out of your cats reach. You should not allow your cat to play with drape cords since they could end up with the cord wrapped around their neck.

Don’t give a cat a dog’s product. Products designed for dogs or other animals could cause a negative reaction from your cat. This is particularly true when it comes to flea treatments. Your cat may die if you use dog flea products on it. Make sure to separate your cat from your dog after spraying.

Deter cats from shocking themselves on electrical wires by spraying them with bitter apple. If your cat is especially intent on chewing cords, keep them covered as much as possible. Loose cords can be bundled and tucked inside old paper towel rolls. If you have electrical cords laying out that are not being used, put them away as cats can play with them and then move on to live electrical cords.

Some male cats get urinary crystals, but this is preventable with proper diet. These crystals can cause a lot of pain to your cat and could end up costing you a lot in medical expenses. Your cat needs food low in magnesium. Read the label. Cat food with lots of fish tends to have more magnesium, while products with lots of poultry tend to have less.

Find cat medicine online if you want to get discounts. Naturally, some stuff won’t be available online. But, for routine medications, this can be a budget-saver.

When you purchase a kitten for your child, set rules and boundaries beforehand. Make sure your children are aware of rooms that are open to your cat. Be sure that your children understand that an indoor cat must never be allowed outdoors. Setting up rules ahead of time can help your kids understand better.

You don’t want to punish a cat if they do their business outside of their litter box. They’re doing it because the box is too dirty, or they may be sick. If your pet is punished, you won’t do anything but make it afraid of you.

TIP! Don’t allow your cat become bored. Cats need play and exercise.

If you want to buy a second cat, prepare for some time where the cats will be familiarizing themselves with each other. They may fight with each other initially. Sooner or later, they’ll tolerate and even begin to love each other.

Cats need to have play in their life. Many animals like to play, and that includes humans and cats. A cats energy might fade over time, but that does not mean that it no longer likes to play. Take time and play with your cat regularly.

Litter Box

TIP! The correct location is important when picking a spot for a cat’s litter box. Put the litter box in a secluded area, and make sure that it is not near the cat’s food.

Try relocating your cat’s litter box if it’s refusing to use it. Instinctively, cat’s will search out a safe place to eliminate, so try relocating the litter box to a quiet and secluded area. For example, your basement, laundry room or other room away from household activity should suffice.

Don’t let a cat that’s had its claws removed go outside. The cat won’t be able to fight back if other animals attack it and that could get it hurt or killed. Indoor cats are the only ones that should ever be declawed. Even in the case of indoor cats, you should only declaw the front claws. A cat’s back claws are important to his balance.

Cats have a keen sense of smell and notice the smallest things. Sometimes this causes problems if you introduce a new food dish, bed, or scratching post. Your cat may not initially appreciate a new pet. The object will begin to smell more like home, and the cat is more likely to feel comfortable.

TIP! When your cat accompanies you on a trip, remember to consider the health of their ears. You might love blasting your favorite music while driving, but they enjoy softer sounds.

Brushing your cat more frequently is the most common way to combat hairballs. If it doesn’t work, though, you have other options. Mix one teaspoon of pumpkin into your cat’s regular food. You can also try a teaspoon of water used to pack tuna mixed with the pumpkin. Cat food sometimes has an anti hairball formulation, which includes extra fiber in order to solve this issue.

If you were home all the time when you first adopted your cat and are now going to be out of the home, your cat might get lonely without you there. To ensure they’ll stay happy while you’re out of the house, you should consider getting a second cat.

Feed your cat as much dry food as you can. When cats are kittens they need wet food because their teeth are so small. Feeding your cat some dry food will help it grow strong teeth. A picky cat might like dry and wet food mixed together.

TIP! When something seems amiss with your feline friend, speak with other cat owners. Although you might want to take care of things on your own, advice from other people with cats can be a big help.

One of the best things you can do for your cat as a responsible pet owner is to spay or neuter the animal. Cats are naturally very curious. Indoor cats do get out occasionally. If your cat goes outside, it might come home expecting a little one. Lots of cats lose their lives because of overpopulation every year.

As was stated in the beginning of this article, you can benefit a great deal from owning a cat. But, you need to properly care for your cat if you would like for it to live its best life. Ensure that you are successful in your cat endeavors by keeping what you learned here close by.