Your kitty is a big part of your family. If so, it’s important you do whatever it takes to keep your cat healthy. Keeping your cat healthy is important. Continue reading to learn some excellent cat-care tips.

Make sure your cat gets lots of love. They want the same level of companionship that they give to you as their owner. Cats thrive when treated like part of the household, so involve them in daily activities around the house. Make her feel like she is part of your family.

TIP! Microchip your cat. Even cats that live their lives entirely indoors can suddenly escape out a window or door.

You can sometimes find better prices for cat medication online than getting it from your veterinarian. There are some times when this isn’t a good idea, like when you’re dealing with a pet related emergency. The savings can amount to almost 50 percent on regularly prescribed medications.

Make sure that you have a good tablecloth for your kitten. Often, a cat will remove food from his bowl to eat on the side. This leaves food on the floor outside their bowl that must be cleaned. An easier way to do that is to either buy a placemat and put it underneath the cat bowl, or to cut a bit of fabric to use as a tablecloth that you can pick up and wash or shake over the garbage can.

There needs to be set boundaries with your children and a new kitty. Let your kids know which rooms your cat is allowed in. If you’re raising an indoor cat, inform your kids that the cat can’t go outside. If you make the rules ahead of time, you can be sure your kids understand them.

TIP! Do not allow your cat to stay bored all of the time. Cats require plenty of exercise.

Be careful when leaving your cat with your children. Children under five years of age should not be left alone with a kitten. You may not have noticed a problem when you see them together, but very kids do not really understand they can accidentally harm or kill a kitten. As kids age, you can then determine whether they are mature enough for small pets.

Litter Box

If your cat relieves itself somewhere other than its litter box, it shouldn’t be punished. Often, this happens when the litter box is dirty. If you punish your cat for this, it will fear you later in the future.

TIP! Cats are generally nocturnal. This means that they will usually be quite active at night.

Carriers are great devices for you to have as a cat owner. You cannot punish a cat the same way you would a dog. Positive reinforcement is a better training tool for cats. Place a beloved blanket or item inside the carrier and let it stay open near the cat’s usual haunts. Your cat will start to venture into their carrier more often, until they are completely comfortable with it. In the future, your cat will not get scared when you put him in the carrier.

Make canned food the mainstay of your cat’s diet. Although it is usually more expensive, canned food offers real nutritional advantages. The water content is higher, and there is more protein and fat in the canned food. For aging cats, it is also easier to chew. Discuss this with your vet, who may tell you to feed your cat canned food.

Be patient with your pets when you introduce a second cat into your home. There will be an inevitable adjustment period as your two cats get to know each other. They may swat at each other or hiss; that’s nothing to be concerned about. Your cats will grow used to the presence of the other animal and will eventually get along.

TIP! Male cats sometimes have crystals in their urine, but this can be prevented with the right cat food. It is painful for your cat to pass these crystals and the cost to have this treated by a vet is high.

Make sure you put your catbox in the optimal location. Do not hide the box simply to reduce the smell. This litter box must stay in an easy-to-find spot for your cat. Cats tend to be finicky so you need to give them an environment that isn’t off-putting or inconvenient. Keeping litter boxes on cement floors that are cold can be remedied by placing a rug or mat under it.

Dogs will wag their tails often to show their owners that they’re excited to see them. Cats wag their tail for a different reason. Tail wagging in a cat usually indicates a mental conflict that your cat is mulling over, such as deciding whether to flee or attack. If a cat you are holding starts flicking his tail, then it is time to put him down.

The possibility of fleas are something that every cat owner needs to be aware of and prepared to fight. A parasitic problem will not fix itself. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to spoil and safeguard your beloved cat. Your cat is sure to thank you.