Our love affair with having cats as a pet dates back many years. If you own a cat, it’s important that you know as much as possible about caring for your pet. Use the tips that you’re about to read to help you provide the best care.
Prevent your cats from playing with drapery cords. If your cat plays with looped drape cords, they could get caught around its neck, which presents a suffocation hazard. It may actually cause them some serious harm. Pin the cords of your drapes up where your cat can’t get to them.
Ensure that you groom your cat regularly and properly. Cats should have regular combings. If you brush cats on a regular basis, it will keep their coats clean and attractive. It will reduce shedding, which means that they won’t be experiencing a ton of hairballs. Keeping a cat well groomed basically helps keep them looking their best, along with your home.
Put a collar on any cats which go outside. Cats love to roam, so you need to give someone who finds your cat a way to contact you. The tag should have at least the pet’s name and the number where you can be reached.
Pick the right location for your cat’s litter box. Do not place it in a busy area or close to where your cat eats meals. You should also make sure there is ample ventilation to avoid odors. Your cat will be more comfortable and you will too.
Most cats spend a large amount of time on grooming themselves. Hairballs are very common for long-haired cats. There are special foods you can buy to try to help with this particular problem. Some foods are enriched in fibers and vitamins to facilitate the digestion of the hairballs.
Cats are great pets, but little ones may not understand that they are fragile. Teach your children how to handle a cat. Give them examples of how to be gentle with it and what should and should not be done. Cats need to be protected, too. Their bones are much more susceptible than dogs.
There needs to be set boundaries with your children and a new kitty. Let them know which rooms and areas your cats should not be in. If your cat is going to be one that stays inside, let the kids know that it’s not allowed outside. If your children know the rules beforehand, mishaps are less likely.
If your cat constantly meows, you need to try to figure out why. If you stay around a cat for a period of time you will figure out what their verbal cues mean. Possibilities include that she is hungry or wants to be let outside. You’ll learn her cues quickly.
Avoid letting your cat go outdoors. This could be harmful and unsafe. The cat can get fleas or something much worse. Cats can be harmed by cars, people and other animals. If letting your cat outdoors is important to you, let them out in a safe fenced area.
You don’t want to punish a cat if they do their business outside of their litter box. Many times this occurs because the box wasn’t well maintained. If you attempt to punish your pet, you may cause fear and resentment–and more accidents!
Be sure to carrier train your cat. You cannot train a cat the same way you train a dog because they react differently to punishment. They like responding to encouragement better. Placing some of your cats favorite items in the carrier can really help. Over time, the cat will feel comfortable and go inside the carrier. Let it happen naturally or with only mild coaxing. Do not get angry. This makes transporting much easier.
If you offer a variety of foods to your cat, it will be less picky about what it eats. By giving them one kind of food all the time, it will be all they want to eat.
Make sure that your cat has a collar on with ID tags on it. Even if yours is an indoor cat, this is still an important safety measure. Cats are curious by nature, and an open window or door invites exploration. It is a good idea to include your own phone number along with the name and contact number of your veterinarian. Obviously, this is particularly important for pets who have special health concerns.
Haired Cats
Think about how much extra care is entailed in bringing a long-haired cat into your home. While long haired cats are soft and look great, understand that there will be a lot more fur around the rest of the house. Unless you have time to dedicate to cleaning up their fur, don’t get long haired cats. You should keep in mind that long haired cats are more prone to hairballs.
Is there cat hair everywhere? Since cats shed so much, they need to be frequently brushed. If your cat sheds a lot, brush it a lot. This can also prevent their coat from becoming matted or tangled.
Your cat should be kept healthy so that it can live a longer life. This can be done by making sure the cat is checked on by a vet and it has its shots. Just like kids, kittens must have wellness checks and immunizations periodically to keep health issues and diseases from coming up later. Please consider your cat as a family member, and take good care of them.
Check your cat if they suddenly stop using their litter-box. Some feline health problems may cause your cat to refuse to use their litter box. Issues like a kidney infection are often behind such behaviors. Talk to the vet when your cat goes to the bathroom where they shouldn’t.
Cats can make fantastic pets. To help you cat stay happy and healthy learn the proper procedures for caring for your new pet. Refer back to this article whenever you have questions or concerns. Your cat will love you more for this!