Cats can be fun and frustrating. With so many needs ranging from vet visit to nail clipping, they require you to know a lot of things. This article can teach you all about basic cat needs.
Regular veterinary checkups are important for the health of your cat. Your vet can give you an idea of your cat’s overall health, in addition to administering any shots it may need. Try using the same vet during your cat’s life. This way, the vet will be very familiar with your cat and its history.
To safely help an old cat feel comfortable, place a heated tile under its bed. Simply heat a single foot cotta tile at 200 degrees between 15 and 20 minutes. Wrap it in an old towel and put it under your cat’s bed or blanket. If possible, re-heat several times throughout the night.
Make sure your cat has a collar if it goes outside. Cats sometimes travel a bit when outside, and a tag prevents any mishaps due to your cat being lost. Ensure that you at least put the name of your cat and your personal phone number on this tag.
Think about putting a microchip in your pet. Even cats who live completely indoors may someday decide to bolt out the door or escape out of a window. 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. Microchips are very small, approximately as large as a single grain of rice. Although they are small, they can hold your entire contact information. The majority of veterinarians possess scanners that can read your chips. Because these chips are placed underneath your cat’s skin, they won’t get lost.
Cats love to be clean. However, if it has a lot of hair, hairballs can occur. One way to alleviate this condition in your cat is by feeding him special food. Certain cat foods are formulated to lower the amount of hairballs.
Don’t leave a kitten with small kids. Particularly if the children are younger than five, they need supervision. 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.
Cats enjoy high places. For a truly happy cat, provide a safe place for your cat to survey his surroundings. If you do not want cats making a mess in your house, remove breakable items from your shelves. Adding a small pillow or blanket to the spot for napping will be very much appreciated too.
Talk to others when you have a problem with your cat. You may wish to deal with it alone, but you may need advice from other cat owners. There are many online forums that discuss cats. Most vets will also be happy to help you with some advice.
Cats do not need to be taught how they should use the cat litter box. They will do it on their own and don’t need to be taught. You may have heard that rubbing your cat;s paws in litter will help them learn, but that may have a traumatizing effect.
Brush your cat’s fur regularly. This can help spread their fur’s natural oils around and stimulate blood flow to their skin. As an added bonus, it cuts down on loose fur. Doing so reduces the occurrence of hairballs, which are a choking risk. It also benefits the cat’s stomach by reducing the animal’s need to clean itself.
Rotate the variety of food you feed your cat. If you feed them the same thing day in and day out, it will be the only thing that they are able to eat later on down the road.
Splurge on your cat’s food. Look at the ingredients and make sure protein like fish, chicken, or beef is near the top. Look for foods that do not have corn or elements that aren’t protein. Cats are carnivores and need animal protein to stay healthy.
Make sure play time is an important part of your cat’s life. Really play is something that all mammals share, no matter the age. Even older cats love a little play, just not as rough. Spend some time enjoying your cat.
There are cats out there that are relatively self-sufficient, and owning one can really be a breeze. Other cats demand more from an owner, though, so you need to be ready to provide the assistance they require. By using this information, you can take the best care possible of your cat. In the end, your efforts will be worth it.