Cats provide endless hours of companionship and entertainment. However, caring for a cat can be a lot of work and time-consuming. There are special considerations that need to be considered when you own a cat. Thankfully, the following paragraphs will give you the knowledge you need. Read them to keep your cat strong and happy.
Drape Cords
Drape cords should be kept distant from cats. Cats can potentially strangle themselves on these cords so it is important to protect your cat from this potential danger. This may harm or kill them. To prevent this from happening, keep any drape cords pinned away from any eyes.
If your cat goes outside, it is important to have a collar with a tag. Cats can go far from home and without a tag they could become lost forever. The tag should have at least the pet’s name and the number where you can be reached.
It can be tough to keep cats off the countertops. Cats like heights and like to see everything happening around them. It helps to provide your cat with certain high spaces where it is allowed. Sometimes strategically placing a tall cat tower near your kitchen will help.
It is a good idea to microchip your cat. Even indoor cats may get out of your home at some point. Collars or tags can identify your cat, but cats can wiggle out of those, and they are also at risk of getting hung up on something. A microchip, on the other hand, is inserted near your cat’s shoulder blades, takes only a second to do, and all of your current contact info can be read through the chip. Most shelters have a scanner that can pick up the facts located inside the chip.
Adore your cat! They want warm companionship since that’s what they provide to you. Your cat needs to socialize and get plenty of attention from everyone in your family. They’ll know they are accepted as members of the family if they get plenty of loving attention.
A tablecloth should be made for your cats. Sometimes cats prefer to remove food from their bowls and eat it from the floor. This creates extra work since you must then clean up the leftover loose food. 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.
Kids Understand
Set boundaries for your children when it comes to having a cat as a pet. Make sure that you let your kids know which areas of the house the cat will be allowed in. If your have an indoor-only cat, be sure the kids understand that the cat is not to go outside. If you make the rules ahead of time, you can be sure your kids understand them.
Do you own both a dog and a cat? A dog will take any opportunity they have to eat your cats food. Because of this, you should keep your cat’s food in a high spot that your dog won’t be able to reach. This can prevent squabbles over water when their food is gone.
If your cat experiences major problems, don’t be afraid to talk to other cat owners. Advice from other people can be very beneficial for you. There are a number of message boards for cat owners on the Internet, or you can go to your vet with problems.
Vary your cat’s diet just a tiny bit to keep them from being picky. This will ensure that your cat gets a taste of many different foods.
Play is an essential element of a cat’s daily life. Playing is an activity that is very popular with mammals of any age, and this includes cats and people. Although older cats won’t be as active as younger cats, they still need a little exercise. Take time and play with your cat regularly.
You should think carefully before getting a long-haired cat. While long, silky hair is beautiful on a cat, the same fur appears far less beautiful covering your floor, dark clothing, and furniture. You should not get a cat with long-hair unless you are ready to do a lot of cleaning. Be prepared to deal with hairballs, which are a problem for long-haired cats.
Litter Box
Put some thought into where you place the litter box. You may want to hide it away. The litter box should be somewhere that is easy for your cat to get to, however. Your cat will use the litter box if it is placed in a quiet place and away from smells your cat does not enjoy. If the littler box is on cold, hard floor, try placing a rug beneath it.
When a dog wags it’s tail, it’s telling you that it is excited or happy. A cat wagging its tail can have a very different meaning. Tail wagging in a cat usually means he is thinking of attacking or running away. If you notice you cat begin to wag his tail when you are holding him, put him down to be sure you are not scratched or swatted.
As you know, the rewards of caring for a cat are numerous and can benefit you in a positive way. But good care is key to enabling your cat to maximize the duration of its life. Use the information that has been given to you if you plan on having a cat as a pet.