Cat provide many hours of joy for owners. You must put a lot of work into owning a cat. There are a few things that every person who owns a cat needs to know. Luckily, the article below will illustrate exactly what those responsibilities are. Keep reading to discover more ideas for good pet care.

Generally, cats love to stay on the counter. Cats like to be up high, where they can watch everything going on. 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.

TIP! Groom your cat. They need to be brushed every day.

Never let a cat become bored. Cats need to play and get regular exercise. Unfortunately, lots of people who own cats neglect this. Bored cats will quickly wreck your home or become obese. Give them time and space where they can exercise and toys they can play with. You need to provide your cats with something they can climb and scratch.

Most cats are very nocturnal. Do not be surprised if your cat is very active at night. One way to deal with a kitten’s playful activity at night is just to shut your door. It also protects your toes from those crafty midnight pounces.

Be sure you show your cat lots of love. Cats are by nature companion animals, but that companionship goes two ways. Without love, cats may not socialize with your family. They wish to be a happy and valuable family member.

TIP! Regular vet checkups for your cat are very important. Your cat should have regular well visits, as well as all the recommended vaccinations for his age.

Cats frequently groom themselves. If your cat has hair that’s long it could get hairballs. One way to alleviate this condition in your cat is by feeding him special food. Some cat foods are specially formulated to help reduce hairballs, which is good for both you and your pet.

Be careful if you leave a kitten with a young child. Children under 5 years of age should not be alone with the pet. Their immaturity prevents them from understanding how easily they could hurt the kitten. Once the child is older and more mature, decide if they are ready for the responsibility of handling animals.

Cats love being up high. To keep your cat healthy, provide your cat with a high place to sit. If you’d rather not invest in a cat tree, simply use a large shelf or bookcase without any breakable items. To complete the package, add a cat bed or blanket.

Litter Box

You should never punish your cat for not using the litter box. Often, this happens when the litter box is dirty. It isn’t fair to punish a cat for wanting a clean area to do its business, and you don’t want to make the cat wary of you.

Feeding your cat different types of food helps ensure they don’t get finicky. If you feed them the same cat food every day, they may not accept anything else. This makes it difficult to find food they’ll eat when a store runs out of a certain brand, or you are traveling.

TIP! If your cat is excessively meowing, try to figure out why. Once you become familiar with your cat and its needs, it will become easier to determine what he needs when he meows.

Your cat should always wear a collar and ID tag. This will be important even if you have an indoor cat. Your cat will go out as soon as you leave a door or a window open. They should wear a tag with your vet’s info as well as your telephone number. This is very critical if your feline has specific medical issues.

Do you feel like everywhere you turn you are surrounded by your cats hair? Since cats shed so much, they need to be frequently brushed. The more your cat sheds, the more often you want to give them a good brushing. It’s also a great aid to keeping the cat’s coat as pristine as possible.

When your cat is nearly ready to have her kittens, prepare a spacious, but protected area for your cat to give birth. The kittens will arrive within three or four hours, so try to be patient. If your cat has still not given birth to all her kittens after six hours, get her to a vet right away.

TIP! Give your cat a good brushing regularly. Brushing can help to spread the natural oils and stimulate the skin’s blood flow.

As this article has told you before, there is a lot to gain in owning a cat. However, if you’re wishing for a good life for your pet, you need to learn to care for it well. If you’re ready to take the plunge and adopt a feline companion, keep this article’s information handy!