Are you a person that owns a cat? If so, then you understand just how precious it is. The cat is a pet that requires a great deal of care and love. Thankfully, a bit of knowledge will help you succeed. Continue reading to learn excellent cat-care tips in order to raise an excellent cat.
Make sure your cat is always well groomed. Cats need to be combed or brushed regularly. This will keep them sterile and aesthetically pleasing. It’s also helpful in reducing how much cats shed and how often they spit out those dreaded hairballs. In order to keep shed hair down to a minimum, plus have a beautiful cat, you must groom your cat regularly.
Regular visits to the vet will preserve your cat’s health. Your cat should always go to the vet for a check up, especially if they need shots. If your cat is having a health issue or injury, they need to be seen by their vet right away.
Do not use dog products on your cat. Cats can have strong negative reactions to a product that is formulated for a dog. This happens a lot with flea products. Dog flea prevention products will kill your cat. In fact, your cat should be kept away from your dog for several hours after the dog has been treated for fleas.
A tagged collar is essential if you let your cat outside regularly. This way, if your cat gets lost and is found by a stranger, that person will know how to contact you. At the very least, you should include your contact info and the name of your cat on the tag.
Making sure your cat doesn’t jump on the counters is hard to do. Cats have a natural predilection for staking out a nice elevated place where they have a good view of their surroundings. 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.
Litter Box
Location is key when placing a litter box. Put the litter box in a secluded area, and make sure that it is not near the cat’s food. Additionally, don’t make the mistake of putting it in a poorly-ventilated area, or the smell will become overpowering. You and your cat will greatly appreciate this.
Create a tablecloth for the feline. Often cats prefer moving food from a bowl onto the floor to eat. This can really make a mess, and you might have to spend significant time cleaning around your cat’s food bowl. Place a piece of fabric or a place-mat under your cat’s bowl and then simply shake it over a garbage can for quick and easy clean up.
Don’t think that you can teach a cat to use its litter box. This is natural to them and does not need to be taught. Contrary to what most people believe, it’s actually incorrect to rub a cat’s paw in the litter.
You should not get rid of your cat’s old scratching post. Cats love them! Something new is not necessarily better for a cat, and it may lead them to scratching the furniture.
You cat should get cat food that is of a good quality. Carefully look over ingredients, and be sure that a quality protein source like chicken, fish, or beef is at the beginning of the list. Try to avoid foods that consist of corn, or other non-protein elements. Cats need meat, not vegetables.
Consider buying your cat a special drinking fountain. Cats out in the wild like to drink from running water, so they would like that at home too. Cats will respond more positively to streams of water. Many cats prefer running water over their water dish. A fountain keeps the water moving without letting any go to waste.
Pay attention if your cat suddenly stops using the litter box properly. It may be the sign of an underlying medical issue. A change in where or how a cat urinates can signal a UTI or other health problem. A course of antibiotics often does the trick.
Cats have a keen sense of smell, which makes it simple for them to feel out changes in their environment. This is good but can cause issues when you introduce something new to the home, like a new cat bed or scratching post. The cat may be leery of the new additions at first. They’ll get used to it given time.
Hairballs can definitely be a problem. Brushing your cats fur should be your first step, but if that doesn’t help, here are a few additional tips. You can try adding a teaspoon or so of pumpkin to your cat’s food. In addition, you could use one teaspoon of water for packing tuna and mix it with the pumpkin. Anti-hairball foods are available commercially as well.
Don’t let parasites like fleas and ticks attach themselves to your pet. Always use treatments to deter them. An effective medication is monthly drops. Insect parasites will feed on your cat’s blood, and most species have the potential to spread infectious diseases; that’s why medication that inhibits them is extremely important. Use only products that are purpose-formulated for feline use in order to give your cat the protection it needs.
Your cat should be a beloved family member that you give your best love and care to. After having read this information, you can better care for your cat. Remember everything you’ve learned here, as it will go a long way in improving your cat’s quality of life. Give love to your cat, and the love will be returned.
