Though they are independent, cats need care, just like all pets. Cats aren’t groomed in the same way that dogs or other pets are groomed. There is a little extra work involved with keeping them looking good and clean. Continue reading to learn excellent cat-grooming tips.
Keep your cat groomed. A cat requires regularly brushing and combing. Brushing rids your cat’s coat of dirt and helps keep them clean. It also stops hairballs. If you groom your cat with care, both your pet and your home will look their best.
Your home likely has no small spaces a curious cat won’t want to investigate. If you keep a collar on your pet, getting stuck in one of these spaces can be very dangerous. Breakaway collars will “break” if they’re pulled too tight. This could save your cat’s life if the collar gets caught in some branches.
Older cats will appreciate a heated bed; you can use a heated tile to create one! Simply heat a terra-cotta tile in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. Use an old towel to wrap it up safely before placing it beneath your cat’s favorite napping spot. If you want, you can change it for a newly warmed tile a few hours later.
Be careful as small kids may treat kittens too roughly. Show your kids the proper way to handle cats. Demonstrate how the cat should be petted and handled and encourage your children to be very gentle. A cat’s bones are not as strong as a dogs, and they should be treated more gently.
Speak to other people if you’re having cat troubles. You may think it’s something you can take care of on your own, but other people that own cats could help. You can find online cat forums to ask questions, or you can speak with your vet.
When your cat makes a mess somewhere other than their litter box, don’t get mad. Check out the box instead and see if it has been neglected; this is often a cause of accidents. Punishing your cat will just make them afraid of you later on.
If you offer a variety of foods to your cat, it will be less picky about what it eats. If you start them off eating the same type of food all of the time and you never change it up, this will most likely be the only food they will eat in the future.
Although your cat’s old scratching post may look very worn out, you shouldn’t throw it away. Cats tend to enjoy a scratching toy more after they’ve gotten comfortable with it and made it their own. If you toss it away in favor of something newer, your cat may look for something older to scratch, and that may end up being your furniture.
Provide your cat with a drinking fountain. Most cats will prefer drinking water that is running over drinking water in a bowl. Cat usually respond well to streams. Cats often like the running water more than their own bowl of water. A fountain will give them the same effect, and it is more environmentally friendly.
It is important to designate a big and comfortable area for your cat to deliver her kittens. Giving birth to all the kittens can take hours, so you shouldn’t expect things to be over and done with quickly. You should take your cat to the vet if deliveries lasts for more than five or six hours.
Give your cat a collar with your contact information. Even if your cat is an indoor cat, there is that small chance he or she might get out one day. Should this occur, your cat can be returned to you or someone can contact you with his whereabouts.
Chemicals that have phenol in the should not be used around a cat. Lysol, for example, has many harmful agents that can harm your cat. The smell offends them and being exposed to it for several hours can cause liver problems.
A clean cat is a happy cat. You control how healthy your cat looks and feels. Any time you spend improving the health and happiness of your cat will make you a hero. Use the advice you’ve read to help you groom your cat regularly.