Lightning reflexes, soft purring and quick wits. That’s what you get when you own a cat. Cats can take a lot of work and this article can help you out. The following article will give you some helpful advice, to assist you in getting to know your cat better. Continue onward.

Local rescue organizations are a great place to look for a new pet cat. Shelters have lots of great cats available, and your adoption fee often covers key veterinary services. Adopting your cat through a shelter means you are helping to control the cat population and saving a life at the same time.

Scratching Post

Cats can use their claws to destroy furniture and other parts of the house. Buy a scratching post if you need to protect the furniture in your home. Redirect your cat to the scratching post when they start to go after your furniture. Catnip can be put in the posts or on the tower to help train the cat to use it. It might take time, but eventually you will see that the damage to your furniture is diminished.

Normally cats are nocturnal animals. They are often active at nighttime. Keep your bedroom door shut if your cats make too much noise at night. This will ensure they don’t pounce on you at nighttime, or wake you up in other ways.

TIP! Cats really enjoy squeezing into any and all small spaces. If your cat wears a collar they might get hurt, and stuck.

Cats generally will meow for a reason. After living with your cat for long, it’s easier to interpret its meows. The cat may want something to eat or to get let out. By giving her the proper amount of attention you can better attend to her needs.

If your thinking about allowing your cat to go outside, you may want to reconsider. Your cat might not be safe outside. Your cat may get fleas or something even worse than that. Your cat may be targeted by another animal, or get injured by a vehicle or another person. If your cat really wants to go outside, let it out into a small area in your yard.

Cats enjoy high places. For a truly happy cat, provide a safe place for your cat to survey his surroundings. Placing a shelf or two up high will not take up too much space in your home. For an additional treat, put a little bed or blanket in there, too.

TIP! If you’d like to make an elderly cat’s bed more comfy, stick a heated tile beneath its bed. Use a terra cotta tile to help relieve your cat’s aches and pains; put it in the oven on low heat – 200 degrees or so – for 15 minutes.

Don’t teach the basics of using a litter box. Cats instinctively understand what to do and teaching is not required. Many people believe that taking your cat to the box and rubbing their paws in the litter is a good idea, but it may actually traumatize them.

Brush your cat daily. This will help stimulate blood flow. Additionally, brushing helps to expedite hair shedding. Brushing eliminates the formation of hairballs which may choke your cat and lead to buildup of excess hair in the abdomen when the cat grooms himself.

After you’ve read this, you should be inspired to put these ideas into practice. All these tips can only make living with cats much easier. A loving cat will improve your quality of life. Use the tips that you learned here and soon you’ll see how much happier your cat really is.