Although cats can be great pets, they can be quite expensive to take care of. Between vet bills, cat food and litter and cat toys, you may need to reconsider if you can afford a cat. The following are a few tips that should help you to find more enjoyable, less expensive ways to care for your cat.
Groom your cat. Remember to brush your cat’s fur and comb it regularly. Doing it constantly can help you keep their coats clean. This will also cut down on shedding and can reduce issues with hairballs. Regularly grooming keeps cats looking well and keeps your home neater.
To safely help an old cat feel comfortable, place a heated tile under its bed. Simply heat a terra-cotta tile in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. Put it inside a cloth and place underneath your feline’s blanket or bed. Switch towels every few hours if you need to.
A tagged collar is essential if you let your cat outside regularly. Cats love to roam, so you need to give someone who finds your cat a way to contact you. Make sure at a minimum to put your pets name and your phone number on the tag.
Though a veterinarian will almost always have a supply of medications that your cat needs, it can be more cost-effective to purchase them from online venues. When an emergency strikes, however, you may not have the option of buying medications on the Internet. If you regularly need to buy pet medication, you can get a savings of up to 50 percent online.
If you have to travel with a cat you should remember their ears. You may enjoy it, but it could be hurting your cat’s ears. Turn down the music and let the cat rest.
Set a tablecloth under your cat’s food bowl. Some cats prefer removing their food from the bowl and eating it on the side. This can lead to a big clean-up. The best thing for you to do is to have a place mat underneath the cat’s bowl.
Try to figure out the cause if you find your cat meowing excessively. Learning about your cat’s meows will be easier the longer you know her. It could be she’s hungry or needs to go outside. Make sure you are paying attention in order to better understand your cat.
Brush your cat’s coat often. Brushing spreads natural oils through the fur and also stimulates circulation. Also, it helps manage loose hair. This will help to eliminate hairballs, which build in your cat’s stomach and prevents it from grooming itself.
Drinking Fountain
Think about getting a drinking fountain for your cat. When cats are out in the wild they like to drink running water, and this is true in your home as well. The drinking fountain will look more inviting than a water bowl. You may have noticed that a dripping sink faucet quickly attracts their attention. So a drinking fountain makes a smart investment that’s both environmentally friendly and loved by your feline.
If you notice that your cat urinates very frequently, you should take it to the vet. A change in where or how a cat urinates can signal a UTI or other health problem. Most of the time, these conditions can be resolved with relatively affordable antibiotic treatments.
Make sure that you play with your cat as often as possible. No matter what age, play is common among cats and other animals. Even older cats like to play. Play with your cat and give them the fun time it needs.
Check your cat if they suddenly stop using their litter-box. Many feline health conditions can cause a cat to urinate and defecate in random places outside of their litter box. If your cat is not using the litter, kidney or bladder problems and infections may be the problem. Consult with your veterinarian when your cat refuses to use its litter box.
Relocating the litter box can often help curb a problem with cats that refuse to use it. A cat has instincts that tell it when it goes to the bathroom it is vulnerable. This is why a box should be placed in an area that is quiet and safe. Basement areas and laundry rooms make perfect areas, as they have little traffic.
If you have chemicals that contain phenol, make sure that you do not use these around your cat. Phenol is typically found in cleaning products such as Pine-Sol and Lysol. The smell is offensive to cats, and prolonged exposure can lead to liver problems.
Your cat needs to eat dry food most often. Kittens need some wet food because they have very small teeth. However, dry food is better for adult cat teeth. If your kitty is especially finicky, you can try feeding him a mix of dry and wet food.
Try putting sticky tape on the furniture if your cat decides to scratch it. This type of tape helps prevent your cat from scratching your furniture if it does this constantly. There is specific tape for this purpose. By booby-trapping your furniture and putting up a scratching post, your cat will get out of the habit in no time.
Despite their independent nature, cats are no less expensive than any other pet. The care they need is similar to that of children. You should apply the tips you just read, and do your best to be a responsible cat owner.
