Cats are delightful! They have a loving nature at times, and yet are strangely intelligent and independent. You do have to take great care of your pet, though. Keep reading to find out how to learn more about taking good care of your cat.
Check out your local shelter if you are thinking about getting a cat. Shelters have great pets available for adoption, and the fee isn’t that high. Taking a cat home with you means that a life has been saved.
Make frequent checkups with your vet to keep your cat healthy. Your cat requires a variety of vaccines and shots to prevent illness, and it is also important to identify health problems before they become too severe. Try using one veterinarian consistently. This way, the vet will be very familiar with your cat and its history.
If you own a female cat, make sure the cat is spade when she’s old enough. Even if she stays inside all the time, she could get out when in heat and end up pregnant. If you want to prevent this, spay your cat.
If you have an outdoor cat, make sure he is fitted with a tag and collar. Cats sometimes travel a bit when outside, and a tag prevents any mishaps due to your cat being lost. Have your phone number engraved on the tag.
Deter cats from shocking themselves on electrical wires by spraying them with bitter apple. If they like to chew on cords, try covering them as much as you can. If you have loose electrical cords, you can bundle them up and stow them away in a cardboard tube (think toilet paper or paper towel rolls). The cords on electronics should be hidden as well.
Check prices online for your cat’s medication to see if they are cheaper than at your vet’s office. In an emergency, this won’t be much help, of course. Most of the time, you will get great discounts if you purchase on the web.
Try figuring out why the cat is purring. The more time you spend with your cat, the better you’ll understand what its meows mean. The cat might want something to eat, or just to go outside. You’ll learn her cues quickly.
Never try to teach a cat to use a litter box. This comes quite naturally to them and is not something that is learned. You may have heard that rubbing your cat;s paws in litter will help them learn, but that may have a traumatizing effect.
Buy your cat a fountain to drink from. Most cats will prefer drinking water that is running over drinking water in a bowl. Your cat, if its like most, will really respond to this running water. In fact, the running water in a sink garnishes more attention from a cat than their water bowl usually does. A fountain keeps the water moving without letting any go to waste.
Feed canned food to your cat. While dry food is less costly, the canned food has added benefits. Canned food generally provides more nutrients, protein and fat as well as liquids. As a cat ages, it has a harder time chewing. You should ask your vet for some recommendations if you are not sure what kind of food to get.
Make sure your cat always wears identification tags on their collar. This will be important even if you have an indoor cat. Cats are naturally curious and a door or window that’s open invites exploration. The tag should have your name and address and also your vet’s. This will be important especially if you have a cat with medical issues.
Litter Box
Check your cat if they suddenly stop using their litter-box. Health problems may be causing your cat to urinate in places other than their litter box. For example, the behavior may be caused by an infection of the kidneys or bladder. If your cat stops using the litter box suddenly, get him to a vet for a visit.
To the greatest extent possible, you’ll want to keep your cat close to you and your house. Indoor cats typically live longer than those who live outside. Roaming around the house doesn’t cause as much risk as roaming the wild.
If you are lucky enough to have a cat that has a lot of hairballs, and brushing doesn’t seem to be helping to lessen them, then the following tips might help. Put 1 tsp of pumpkin puree in their food. You can also try a teaspoon of water used to pack tuna mixed with the pumpkin. Some cat foods include hairball fighting elements, such as fiber, that may be useful.
A cat can get lonely when your daily routine changes and you are no longer home during the day. If this is proving to be a problem, consider getting another cat to keep them company while you’re gone.
Cats are unique creatures that make wonderful pets in the home if you take a little time to learn how to care for them properly. Take the time to absorb the insights you have learned here. Put the information to good use for your kitty friend so that you can have them in your life for many years to come.