Cats have been beloved pets for many centuries. Cats have found their way into poetry, movies, musicals and more. It’s easy to understand why they feel that they’re in charge. In this article, you’ll find some advice that will help you properly raise your cat.

Keep your cat away from your drapery cords. Don’t let the cat play with them since they can jump into them or play with them and get them around their neck if they have loops. This may seriously injure or kill your cat. Pin back drape cords to avoid this type of issue.

TIP! Contact local shelters if you want to adopt a cat. Shelters have a lot of cats in them and you can get one adopted for a small fee.

Cats are curious by nature, which can end up getting them into trouble. If they’ve got a collar on, this may put them in danger as it can get stuck. A breakaway collar is a good option since it will break if your cat pulls on it. A collar like this could save your cat’s life.

Don’t use items on a cat that are meant for a dog. Cats will react very negatively to any products intended for dogs. This particularly applies to flea products. Your cat can die if you use a dog flea product on it. In truth, your cat needs to be kept a distance from any dog just flea-treated for the first few hours.

Kitty claws can be quite destructive to fabric and furnishings. If your kitty is doing this, one way to redirect his behavior is to purchase a scratching post or cat tower. Encourage your cat to scratch where you want them to. It may take some time, but it should eventually work.

TIP! You can make your old cat feel better thanks to a hot tile placed under its bed. Bake a one-foot tile made from terra cotta in the oven at 200 degrees F for around 15 to 20 minutes.

Your cat needs to be shown lots of love. They are very loving animals and deserve affection back. Like many people, cats need to socialize with people so that they feel like they are an important part of their family’s lives. This will increase the love that surrounds the family.

If you get a small kitten for your children, make sure they understand the rules ahead of time. Make sure your kids know where the cat can be. If you plan to raise an indoor cat, let your children know that the cat cannot go outside. This will ensure nothing bad happens.

You shouldn’t leave a young cat with children unattended. Kids under five should not be left alone with a pet. They simply lack the maturity to comprehend the harm they can potentially do to kittens. Once the child grows up a little, he might be more able to handle the kitten.

TIP! Cats are often nocturnal creatures. The result is that they active while you’re sleeping.

Talk to others when you have a problem with your cat. Although you may want to go it alone, it can be helpful to seek advice from other people that have experience owning cats. There are a number of message boards for cat owners on the Internet, or you can go to your vet with problems.

Use a brush on your cat regularly. This will help stimulate blood flow. Furthermore, it helps reduce all the loose hair. This helps to stop hairballs and their associated medical problems.

Keep old, worn scratching posts. This is the condition that cats like the most. Cats may well try scratching something else entirely (like your furniture!) if you replace their beloved toy with something unfamiliar.

TIP! You have to place a litter box correctly. The box should be out of the high traffic areas and a good distance from where your cat eats.

Anytime you get a new pet, you must introduce them to your cat slowly to help to avoid problems and let the cat get used to it. Keep them separated for at least two weeks, but let them sniff at each other under a closed door. They may be leery of each other at first and fight. With enough time to acclimate themselves to the new arrangement, though, virtually any two cats will become willing, friendly, and perhaps even inseparable companions.

Aired Cat

Think about the extra work before buying a long-haired cat. Even though that nice coat of beautiful silky fur looks great, it can leave a mess on your floors, furniture and clothing. Realize the extra effort needed to keep a long-haired cat. Hair balls are also more prevalent in long haired cats.

TIP! Be attentive to your cat and give them your love and company, often. They usually offer us warm companionship, and they require the same.

The best way to make sure that you have a healthy cat is to keep up to date with vaccinations and trips to the vet. Kittens need proper medical care just like young children, and its best to bring them in every so often for health checks to ensure nothing terrible is going on. Your cat will be a part of your home and that means it should be treated as good as you would treat a family member.

Be aware whenever your cat suddenly quits using its litter box. Many feline health conditions can cause a cat to urinate and defecate in random places outside of their litter box. Kidney or bladder infections may be the reason. Call the vet if your cat refuses to use the litter box.

Sometimes, foods are healthy for humans but not for cats. These include garlic, grapes, green tomatoes and onions. If your cat eats these foods, he may become sick or even die. Even a commonly fed food, milk, can make your kitty ill.

TIP! Grooming is something that most cats do all the time. When the cat’s hair is longer, this could lead to hairballs.

Put tape on furniture to seal it up. This will prevent your cat from scratching the material. Some pet stores sell tape especially for this. Booby-trapping furniture and getting a scratching post can help you break your cat of this habit.

Sometimes, cats may think they know it all. Apply the knowledge you have learned here in order to set proper boundaries and put your cat in its proper place. One of the reasons cats are such a popular pet is because they’re so rewarding, and the tips above will help you get more out of your relationship with yours.